A Pause in the Mercy of God, Part 1

Every time the price Junior team fell, God says, in effect.the victory about one and the enterprise of the same time think that's another victory for me in the world's eyes. These believers were considered losers that were captured prison they want with it.

The real estate with the world and because of it. They were reviled. This is where God turns everything upside down. They are the winners. I know it's not but imagine became a martyr.

The people who did it to you might be laughing you were taunting and when it was over, they likely would think that they had one that got you one less Christian in the world but who would really be the victor in that moment. Stephen dating mentioned a moment ago victory would be God's. And even though evil men don't understand that we understand it from God's word. This is wisdom for the hearts today Stephen takes you to Revelation 15 with the lesson he's calling a pause in the mercy of God on Sunday, October 30, 1938, millions of radio listeners were shot when radio news alerts announce the invasion of earth by a species from Mars that course you don't. 1938, but how many of you actually lived and heard that broadcast yes okay well you probably heard about it.

Orson Welles and his cast effectively fooled millions of radio listeners in their adaptation of a novel by Hg Wells entitled war of the worlds the script unfolded by interrupting a musical variety of program normally run on CBS radio network at a time when most people pre-TV. Days said in the living room and listen to music in a variety of radio programs and evenings with a musical program was interrupted with the news that it 8:50 PM huge flaming object believed to be a meteorite fell off farm in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey 22 miles from Trenton musical variety program then continued and it was interrupted again, this time with a lengthy eyewitness account.

I read what that reporter suppose it reporter said it was chilling. Trust me, it was frightening as he gave this eyewitness account of slimy Martians emerging from this disc.

This flying saucer who had been by that time begun shooting people with their laser guns that even though Orson Welles began the show by telling people this was an adaptation of Hg Wells novel, and even though several times throughout the program. It was repeated to be a national adaptation of this novel. People only caught bits and pieces of it and then hit the panic button then listen to the whole broadcast so all across the United States. You have this reaction and millions of listeners a panicking many in the New England area around Grovers Mill. Of course were especially concerned so they loaded up their cars and fled people improvised gas masks. People were hysterical.

They thought the end was near. Scores of people around the country flocked to churches to pray when they learn the truth, millions of course were infuriated and Orson Welles was sued by many, and that actually catapulted him fame until the truth was found. The idea wasn't really new. In fact, it was an original and its concept with him. I as I researched this found that in the late 20s the British broadcasting system had pulled a similar hoax. Although it was little different. I gave a play-by-play of a mass riots that was reaching London and and beginning to sweep through it and it caused mass hysteria and widespread panic. Then to think that I kind of thing can happen to day work is that much smarter about 15 years ago. Radio listeners decay SAGE in St. Louis, Missouri heard that that tone you know interrupting the programming that jarring signal of the emergency broadcast system.

The radio disc jockey then named John Hewlett came on and said your attention please is not a test. The United States is under nuclear attack.

I repeat this is not a test instead of verifying report through other Alice reentering the radio see what other people are doing or saying scores of people interest in the St. Louis left work dropped. Everything raced to get the children from school, raced home, called on the telephone is coming to that they could be together in the basement or wherever, when the bombs arrived, wiping out civilization as they knew it. About an hour later station managers came on profusely apologizing for John Mueller who was disciplined because of his prank and he said he thought would be a good idea to jar people into realizing the horrors of nuclear war. Not very discerning of them and probably unemployed.

Not long after the idea of announcing imminent danger is a hoax can be traced back even further. I got on the subject is that way too much time on trust that and went all the way back you go back to Aesop right in his fables about 500 birth of Christ, the compiled, some of them are probably his first one of the most famous ones was the boy who cried Wolf young shepherd boy little bored with the whole affair and they decided to shout Wolf and then he amused himself.

Aesop wrote with the panic of the villagers who ran to help them protect their sheet and he did it several times and then Wolf showed up and he cried Wolf and nobody responded and the flock was scattered for millions of people. The announcement of coming due. Sounds a lot like a CBS radio drama from the 30s only in the word of God.

It is a hoax. It's truth but the church that takes the Bible seriously. Especially the book of Revelation. It is just viewed as another version of some drama you know they they preach that stuff to get better ratings.

Maybe they can get more people to combat a fear, you think the average person to the book of Revelation and the warning of coming world wars and global epidemics and tidal waves and hailstones the size of golf carts and the average person will think you fell out of a tree and hit your head, you must just love should you must be some kind of fanatic.

What they said to no one who preached and worn as he built a barge in the middle of nowhere on dry land, water would fall from the sky and the world would be wiped away through water so the coming idea of fire is viewed with just as much suspicion but every warnings true human race will discover too late that God does not amused himself with panic stricken people. Ladies and gentlemen. God never cries Wolf never does. This is not fiction. This is real and were given the future in just a few verses in chapter 15. The tell us that it's only going to get worse with diverse wanted chapter 15 then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous that is. This is amazing seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished on. These are some significant phrases we don't want to rush Pastor quickly seven plagues, which are the last, and that phrase in the universe, one in them the wrath of God is finished of the meaning and attendance of the Greek verb to lie to finish means to be brought to a conclusion to a completion. There are those who believe the rapture is going to occur before these seven bowls occurred in chapter 16 is that the wrath of God is in their view going to come to the planet. They reject the view that the church we rapture prior to the beginning of the tribulation. Which I teach from that perspective called pre-tribulation Elizabeth.

Instead, they follow what they call a pre-wrath view because, among other things, they believe this is seen in chapter 15 previewed here is when the wrath of God really begins to be poured out so they hold that the rapture will occur. Just prior to this, allowing the church to be rescued from the wrath to come. Which Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 promises the church. John the apostle does not write here that the wrath of God begins with these play. He writes the wrath of God is finishing up its coming to a completion back is been going on now for some six years or so is the tribulation. Revealed and unfolded the wrath of God. John is writing that these particular plagues are the last expressions in the tribulation. All the wrath of God. This is the last of three series of cataclysmic event, we study the first series beginning in chapter 6, verse one, seven seals, and in chapters 8 through 11 we study the second series of cataclysmic judgments.

The trumpet judgments. The earth has been data lose with horrific disasters and epidemics in tidal waves and pestilence, and death. In fact, already nearly half of the world's population is dead. Sounds like the wrath of God to me is already been occurring, but now you have this final series previewed in chapter 15.

Detailed in chapter 16 and onward. This image of seven bowls which are going to be poured out on earth is the wrath of God is brought to a conclusion Christ returns ending this epic of time with the establishment of his kingdom on earth 4000 years as will see later patient were given this this all inspiring scene of seven angels seven plagues the wrath of God culminated in the scene suddenly shifts to heaven first two. I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God is the rejoicing or celebrating. Now we have seen this. See SCA already in Revelation chapter 4. And now again here where the throne of God is set upon it, and surrounded by what John says here looks like AC of glass. You notice he is not saying it is a sea of glass, I saw something like a sea of glass, which means he's trying to find vocabulary that will describe to us, something that he sees and to him. It looks like this tranquil CD of shimmering reflecting glass must've been an awesome side. This is transparent crystal chapter 4 shimmering reflecting the glory of God's brilliant throne and presence. Moses also had a vision of this when he and the leaders of Israel saw Exodus 24 tenses under the feet of God. What appeared to be a pavement of sapphire as clear as the sky itself.

Ezekiel described it as something like an expanse like the sky like the awesome gleam of crystal Ezekiel 122 perhaps you'd like the sky blue Carolina blue that be just just right.

Something you would look for to have it even more facet so there before him than standing on this sea of glass looks like a sea of glass, not a small pond. By the way, but to see is this company of martyrs who've been faithful to Christ, having died at the hands of the Antichrist, before whom they would not bow that John adds a visual description to the sea of glass that appeared chapter 4 he writes again in verse two and I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire. The fire is often associated in the Bible with God's judgment. Hebrews 1027 refers to to the terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of fire which with which God will consume his adversary. Hebrews 1229 were told our God is a consuming fire, a reference to his holy judgment. So here the impending judgment of God is now pictured as swirling into and around this this sea of glass, mixing red fire used to the crystal see upon which his throne stand. Imagine this EE it becomes a terrifying description of his anger and his judgment that it's it's collecting it swirling and it will be poured out upon the planet. In this final devastating series of events, but here you have standing on this sea of glass, mixing with the image of the judgment of God. A group of people singing and not faint.

How do you see not run well because these are among those who are safe in the justifying grace of God by faith in Christ there is no reason to fear this holy judge's got their father some time ago I had to go to the courthouse downtown Raleigh and see somebody regarding my excessive pace.

My passion for ministry.

My single mile never. I knew one of the judges, federal judges normally held court downtown so I came downtown and after I had given my investment to the great state of North Carolina which I love.

I stop by his courtroom ayatollahs combined. He said they when you do combine say hello. I stepped inside the door of his car was filled with people. People standing seated he was up there behind the bench on the bench behind the desk and he was in his black robe the bailiff standing there under the teeth in court some kind of federal trial was was going on. Court was in session so that I can in my neck and interrupt him and so I went to step back outside the courtroom and he spotted me.

I didn't want to lose me you don't receive one judge to dad only seek to. So I walked down the aisle stops lawyers turn and look at me I'm walking on the walk to the swinging gate right here.

To my right seated are for men shackled together wearing orange jumpsuits. They look up at me and I look down at them and how you doing just didn't seem fitting and so I'm still walking to his bench and he leaned over to a pastor and he shook my hand and he said quartz and recess hopped up to me back to his chambers talk while praying about something he was his heavy on his mind. We left to get back on the bench and I left the courtroom and I didn't stick around it. I can just about guarantee you he never shook the hand of those for men.

I doubt he invited them back to his chambers to those men. He was a judge to me.

He was a judge, but he was also my friend, so that those who are standing there.

Yes, he is an awesome holy judge in reflection of his glory.

Shimmering the width of the sea, but he embraces them.

They are his friend. Although you have a picture judgment swirling around like fire around the bench of these superior judge of the universe. The saints are filled with joy singing because of their invitation by means of faith in the son of God. John describes these believers one more point about verse four before we move on. He describes them rather interestingly to he says of these. They are those who have been victorious over the beast is the antichrist there victorious over his image.

The number of his name which we learn. That's the mark of the beast letters have numerical sums attached and adding them up. You come up to the that the sum total of his name. 666. We don't know what the letters are, but they refused to have his name stamped on them. We will not worship you. So he puts in the death martyrs, but he refers to them here, as these are they who had been victorious over the beast. This is where God turns everything upside down. They are the winners every time the Christ give you team blade fell, God says, in effect, I got the victory in that one, and the antichrist. At the same time think that's another victory for me in the world's eyes.

These believers were considered losers. The ultimate loser. They were captured in prison they want with it stamped with the world and and because it meant they were reviled they would worship the true God who had already shown his miraculous splendor, who will because I confess Jesus Christ as Lord alone. The antichrist comes against them, and listen at the moment of their execution. Would there be any other moment like that one that would indicate these people are powerless and helpless insignificant stripped of everything, even life itself and yet the moment after the blade fills their announced as victors over the beast. God turns the feet upside down to see the perspective of heaven here. The antichrist is under the delusion that he is demonstrating absolute power. He's ridding himself of his enemies rightly. All he's doing in reality is running a shuttle service to heaven right into Christ thinks he's worthy of worship.

From the perspective of heaven.

One author wrote it this way, Christ is nothing more than an elevator boy. I love that he's delivering saints, as it were up to glory down on earth. The antichrist seems to be winning in the presence of God.

These who died are announced, we have another touring this one is just right. Join the choir. Now the lyrics will follow the titles to these two hymns.

Let's look first at the titles, verse three and they sang the song of Moses the bondservant of God and the song of the Lamb. More than likely the song of Moses tracks back to Exodus chapter 15 verses 1 to 19.

This is where the children of Israel celebrated their Exodus from slavery. This is where they celebrated and sang of their great deliverance away from Pharaoh.

This was the song of their Exodus.

It was stamped upon the memory of every Jew. In fact, he would be song at every Sabbath evening service in the synagogue and to this day. Orthodox Jewish services include one of two prayers, two prayers, actually one of the two prayers references the song of Moses. We've Artie been introduced to the song of the Lamb.

Earlier in Revelation chapter 15. Here you'll discover just a few nuances are added and a stanza or two to this great scene praises people saying of their redemption from the slavery of sin. Having been brought down to the promised land. Song of Moses's was song of the Red Sea song of the Lamb that was being sung at the Crystal city song of Moses was triumph over Egypt, the song of the Lamb. Here is triumph over Satan song of Moses, saying, of how God brought his people out song of the Lamb sings of how God brings his people in song of Moses is one of the first hymns in Scripture. Song of the Lamb will be one of the last wonderful British expositor John Phillips wrote that the lyrics of these great hymns begin with effectively how great thou art notice verse three great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God the Almighty how great thou art but not only how great thou art good for our notice. Next, righteous and true are your ways, King of the nation not only how great thou Art and how good thou art but how glorious our verse for who will not fear the Lord, and glorify your name. Listen to them. See not one word of their suffering because now it is seen with the perspective of glory. One word of complaint even today died horrific dance following torture and ridicule and abandonment suffering greatly. All they can sing about is him is this marvelous choir of Revelation 15 breaks out in song their hearts and lips are filled with the praise of God. That's an important reminder for us.

There's more for us to learn from this chapter of Scripture. But what we don't have more of his time for today so organist stop right here for now.

When we come back on Monday. Stephen will finish this lesson from Revelation 15 and it'll also be the conclusion to this current series on tomorrow's broadcast. Stephen will be answering some questions that have come in from listeners tune in for that tomorrow you're listening to wisdom for the heart. The Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey, if you joined us late or if you want to hear this lesson again. It's posted to our website for you to access any time.

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