WEBVTT 00:00:00.180 --> 00:00:05.720 I'm going to invite you this morning to Revelation chapter eight is where we're at today. 00:00:05.820 --> 00:00:09.410 Revelation chapter eight is we're going to really through the rest of the book of Revelation. 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:13.390 We're going to cover about a chapter a week as we go through the rest of this book. 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:21.280 Revelation chapter eight is a, I think, a very pointed chapter for where we are and this time of year 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:24.820 coming to the end of the year and looking forward to what God has for us this year. 00:00:24.820 --> 00:00:32.420 There's some very good reflective verses in this in anticipation of what God might have for you in 2025, but 00:00:32.420 --> 00:00:39.460 just by way of reminder, when you go through the book of Revelation, I've told us some important things as it relates 00:00:39.460 --> 00:00:40.940 to how to interpret this book. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:48.060 But one one important thing to keep in mind is Revelation chapter one, verse 19, that when John is writing this letter to the church, remember the 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:49.510 church is facing persecution. 00:00:50.220 --> 00:00:57.240 John is writing this letter for the purpose of encouraging them in their walk with the Lord, and especially towards worshiping God, knowing that 00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:58.950 in Jesus they are victorious. 00:00:59.540 --> 00:01:06.620 So just because they're going through adversity, that's not a reason to hang their head low, but rather knowing they're more than conquerors 00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:07.160 in Christ. 00:01:07.160 --> 00:01:08.800 John is encouraging us in that. 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:13.600 And in verse 19in chapter one, he says he's going to write to us what is and what is to come. 00:01:14.580 --> 00:01:18.490 And the first three chapters of Revelation, John deals more with the idea of what is. 00:01:18.920 --> 00:01:21.690 And when you get to chapter four, he starts to talk about what is to come. 00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:28.900 And in chapter four and five, as he gets ready to tell us what is to come in chapter four and five, he really pulls back the curtain of heaven. 00:01:29.300 --> 00:01:32.440 And he describes for us the posture of God in eternity. 00:01:32.940 --> 00:01:36.240 And from that we learn how we should respond as God's people. 00:01:36.300 --> 00:01:43.380 And what you see as a victorious lamb who was slain, but now rules and reigns from his throne, which helps us then discover how 00:01:43.380 --> 00:01:47.360 we should move forward in anticipation of our King who has been victorious. 00:01:48.060 --> 00:01:55.000 And so then in chapter six, we really start to move forward with what is called the judgments and the Revelation. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:58.260 There's a series of three judgments that happen. 00:01:58.260 --> 00:02:00.910 There's the sealed judgments that come in seven seals. 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:08.320 Then there's the trumpet judgments, which come in seven trumpets, and then there's the bowl judgments, which we'll read about in chapters ahead. 00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:11.630 But there's three sets of judgments that are about to take place. 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:16.860 And in chapter eight, we find we're finding ourselves in that transition between the seal judgments. 00:02:16.860 --> 00:02:22.260 We've read about six seal judgments, and now we're moving into the seven trumpet judgments. 00:02:22.600 --> 00:02:23.320 We're in between those. 00:02:23.540 --> 00:02:30.840 In chapter six, God delivers the six seal judgments with one judgment to come 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:33.040 or one one seal to come. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:40.680 And in the chapter six, God's people ask an important question in the midst of the struggle they're finding in 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:46.030 a in a fallen Babylon world, they're asking God, God, when will you bring your justice? 00:02:46.220 --> 00:02:50.120 When will you bring your vengeance for those that have been slain for your people? 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:57.540 In Revelation chapter six, verse ten, that you see that question there, how long, God, before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell 00:02:57.540 --> 00:02:58.240 on the earth? 00:02:58.920 --> 00:02:59.700 Verse 11. 00:02:59.700 --> 00:03:04.320 God's response he says to us, rest a little longer, rest a little longer. 00:03:04.320 --> 00:03:07.730 He says, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:11.630 And so God has in mind his people that he will redeem. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:13.940 And so he tells us to rest until then. 00:03:13.980 --> 00:03:21.400 And when you read chapter seven, we then start to read about the 144,000, which is a picture of all of God's people being redeemed in him. 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:25.040 We talked about that last week, if you're interested in learning about it. 00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:30.160 But you see the story in chapter seven of all of God's people being redeemed. 00:03:31.100 --> 00:03:36.960 And now in light of that chapter eight, God gives a response to this question in chapter six. 00:03:37.920 --> 00:03:44.980 God now brings about his last seal judgment as he also gets ready to deliver these trumpet judgments 00:03:44.980 --> 00:03:48.480 in response to this question, God, how long? 00:03:48.480 --> 00:03:55.700 And as he deals with these seal judgments, we learn from this chapter really three responses that God's 00:03:55.700 --> 00:04:02.920 people should be encouraged Uh, to react and or respond in light of this holy God who is ruling 00:04:02.920 --> 00:04:03.540 and reigning. 00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:11.760 Three responses in the life of the believer that we should find ourselves responding in light 00:04:11.760 --> 00:04:14.020 of the holiness of God. 00:04:14.140 --> 00:04:21.140 And so we're going to we're going to read how God acts in chapter eight, but we're also going to discover in this chapter how we as 00:04:21.140 --> 00:04:23.380 God's people should respond in light of that. 00:04:23.380 --> 00:04:23.900 Right? 00:04:23.940 --> 00:04:26.500 And so three responses before a holy God. 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:27.580 Let me let me just give you a point. 00:04:27.580 --> 00:04:28.760 Number one in your notes. 00:04:28.880 --> 00:04:29.300 And then we'll move forward. 00:04:29.980 --> 00:04:33.500 Point number one is this silence. 00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:35.340 Silence. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:35.740 Yeah. 00:04:35.900 --> 00:04:43.480 I hope with each one of these points we talk about this morning, you can think about as a follower of Jesus, how you might incorporate this in 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:46.870 your life in 2025 if you're not doing it already. 00:04:47.340 --> 00:04:50.180 But silence is an important part of the life of the Christian. 00:04:50.260 --> 00:04:54.660 Now, let me just say this isn't true in every case, all the time, right? 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:57.900 There's certainly wisdom in how we learn to practice silence. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:05.120 There's a place in the life of the believer that it becomes critical for us to learn when to be silent, and also when to open 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.960 our mouths and say something. 00:05:07.860 --> 00:05:12.000 And I think those things we learn with wisdom over time. 00:05:12.280 --> 00:05:18.630 And there's no better teacher for us in learning when it's when it's wise to open our mouths and when it's and when it's good to be silent. 00:05:19.080 --> 00:05:22.390 Then God's Word, God's word is the greatest counselor for our lives. 00:05:23.420 --> 00:05:30.920 But where do we begin in Revelation chapter eight is highlighting for us the importance of silence, especially in light of 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:32.250 the life of a believer. 00:05:32.580 --> 00:05:35.290 But in chapter eight, it's talking about silence in general. 00:05:35.380 --> 00:05:41.480 It says this when the lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:49.300 Now I want you to know, as a pastor this week, I had someone read ahead knowing we were going to talk about this chapter, and they called me and they were trying to work 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:49.650 through. 00:05:50.140 --> 00:05:50.930 How is this possible? 00:05:51.300 --> 00:05:51.840 Right? 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:55.520 How is it possible that all of heaven is in silence for 30 minutes? 00:05:55.520 --> 00:05:56.320 You think about that. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:06:00.200 That's a that's a pretty that's a pretty interesting comment. 00:06:00.200 --> 00:06:07.240 In fact, I find that this verse causes me to lean in a little bit with silence, somewhat intrigued about 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:09.100 how this could even happen. 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:10.680 And why would this happen, right? 00:06:10.980 --> 00:06:11.960 30 minutes of silence. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.580 When you read in Revelation it talks about myriads upon myriads of people in heaven. 00:06:16.640 --> 00:06:24.540 That's the way the description is given to you in Revelation seven, Revelation 14, and myriads and myriads, the way it describes the literal number is 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:27.340 literally 200 million people. 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:29.840 That's a lot of silence, right? 00:06:29.840 --> 00:06:31.940 And I don't think that's necessarily a literal number. 00:06:32.260 --> 00:06:35.600 But what it's saying is there's a there's a junk ton. 00:06:35.640 --> 00:06:38.790 A lot of people in heaven that's all of them are being silent. 00:06:38.900 --> 00:06:42.800 And I remember just talking to the person on the phone from her church asking, how is this possible? 00:06:43.220 --> 00:06:44.780 He gave a speculative thought. 00:06:44.780 --> 00:06:48.340 He said, is it possible that the guys arrive 30 minutes early? 00:06:48.340 --> 00:06:48.920 That's what he said. 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:51.340 He said, that's what I told him. 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:51.580 No. 00:06:51.620 --> 00:06:53.590 Just so you know, lady, that is not nice. 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:55.910 No, that is not what's happening here. 00:06:55.960 --> 00:07:00.180 But to be honest, if you read Revelation, we talk about the 144,000. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:04.120 It does say in chapter 14 of Revelation that it's virgin males. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:04.640 That's who the. 00:07:04.900 --> 00:07:08.420 So there is a biblical basis for saying that. 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:10.700 But it's not accurate. 00:07:10.700 --> 00:07:11.200 Right. 00:07:11.220 --> 00:07:13.530 But it is saying something important here. 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:14.340 Right. 00:07:14.400 --> 00:07:17.680 When we're silent we're typically in our life. 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:24.900 The reason we're silent is there's something greater that's captured our attention, that requires that moment to appreciate whatever's in front 00:07:24.900 --> 00:07:25.740 of us. 00:07:26.340 --> 00:07:29.640 And silence is one of those things that encourages further silence. 00:07:29.660 --> 00:07:32.600 You ever walk in a room and everyone's just looking at you? 00:07:33.320 --> 00:07:34.260 on a stage inside? 00:07:34.260 --> 00:07:34.380 No. 00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:34.720 Just kidding. 00:07:35.080 --> 00:07:36.720 You ever walk in a room and people are just silent? 00:07:37.820 --> 00:07:38.200 It just. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:39.450 It's kind of sobering. 00:07:39.620 --> 00:07:45.260 It grabs your attention to what in the world is going on around me, and you look towards whatever is creating that silence. 00:07:46.420 --> 00:07:53.590 And, sometimes if you're ever in a situation where you want to appreciate something a little more, maybe you're taking a walk in the woods and you 00:07:53.760 --> 00:07:58.010 see an animal that you don't normally come across, but you want to appreciate the moment. 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:00.140 Silence helps you. 00:08:00.380 --> 00:08:07.900 You capture that moment, not scare the animal, but to appreciate that the time that you have there in silence in these moments, 00:08:08.440 --> 00:08:11.640 very significant in what's taking place. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:16.330 This is God unfolding his history, God responding to the cry of his people. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:24.600 And I think from God's people, from their standpoint, they want to see how God's going to respond and for 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:27.040 the for the judgment that's about to happen. 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:33.919 Those that might find themselves under the judgment of God, they're just wanting to be quiet so they don't find themselves in the midst of this judgment. 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:34.440 Right? 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.020 Different reasons for silence. 00:08:36.059 --> 00:08:39.100 But silence is an important part of the life of the believer. 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:42.950 When you think about, okay, so how do I learn? 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:47.920 We don't want to treat this legalistically, but how do I learn when it's important to be silent and when it's not? 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:52.540 Because the Bible talks about multiple times the need within us to respond. 00:08:52.540 --> 00:08:54.260 I mean, God gave you a voice for a reason. 00:08:54.940 --> 00:09:01.980 It says in passages like Psalm 32 verse three, when I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:04.020 groaning all, all day long. 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:09.620 So the psalmist is saying, look, there's this need within us to say something at points in our lives. 00:09:09.740 --> 00:09:13.860 We need, we're made to express ourselves right, to say things. 00:09:13.980 --> 00:09:15.260 Luke 19, verse 40. 00:09:15.280 --> 00:09:21.480 At Jesus's triumphal entry, he encourages people if you don't say something, even the rocks will cry out. 00:09:22.040 --> 00:09:29.300 So there's certainly a time and a place to say things, but at the same time, there's also an important part of the life of the believer to be 00:09:29.300 --> 00:09:29.750 silent. 00:09:30.380 --> 00:09:37.170 And if you just study the idea of silence in Scripture, you see different reasons that silence is encouraged in the life of the believer. 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.360 John chapter six, verse 24, teach me, and I will be silent. 00:09:42.340 --> 00:09:46.810 So in order to receive instruction, it is important to be silent. 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:52.000 in Habakkuk chapter two, verse 20, it says, but the Lord is in his holy temple. 00:09:52.160 --> 00:09:55.460 Let all the earth keep keeps silent before him. 00:09:55.640 --> 00:09:56.280 Zephaniah. 00:09:56.280 --> 00:09:59.090 Be silent before the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:05.320 So in just those three verses, you're seeing God wanting to teach and instruct. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.220 And so it's important in those moments to receive and learn. 00:10:08.300 --> 00:10:09.470 So to be silent. 00:10:09.920 --> 00:10:17.180 And when it comes to God's judgment and Zephaniah and specifically even the day of the Lord, that God's judgment is brought forth, and it's noted 00:10:17.180 --> 00:10:19.420 that people are silent before that judgment. 00:10:19.420 --> 00:10:26.620 There's nothing, no accusation, nothing we could say before a holy God as he judges, judges righteously. 00:10:26.780 --> 00:10:32.840 One of the most famous verses, I think, in terms of silent comes in Psalm chapter 46, verse ten. 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:38.460 People quote this quite regularly, I find, and it says this be still, and know that he that he is God. 00:10:39.340 --> 00:10:43.140 And people like, that's a little that's a, that's a kind of a settling verse for the soul. 00:10:43.400 --> 00:10:45.320 Be still and know that he is God. 00:10:45.380 --> 00:10:45.560 Right. 00:10:46.140 --> 00:10:53.300 But what's interesting about this Psalm, if you ever read this psalm in its entirety, you discover that everything before this psalm was dealing with 00:10:53.300 --> 00:10:54.380 nothing but judgment. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.460 And now the concluding verses. 00:10:57.520 --> 00:11:05.440 Be still and recognize the idea of silence, whether it's for instruction, whether it's for discipline 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:06.980 or judgment. 00:11:07.040 --> 00:11:11.500 The idea of silence is recognizing whose authority is over you. 00:11:13.140 --> 00:11:16.550 And this becomes critical for the life of the believer. 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:24.080 And whether or not we in our lives learn when to be silent and when to speak is all determined on what 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.220 what's needed in our lives. 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:26.880 Right? 00:11:26.940 --> 00:11:34.000 And what I mean by that is the question we really need to answer is, do I right now need to be filled up 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:34.620 by God? 00:11:35.380 --> 00:11:40.300 Or is God got me in a position where my life should be poured out for him, right? 00:11:40.420 --> 00:11:42.690 And you cannot impart what you do not possess. 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:49.880 And so for the believer to go into this world and honor God, it requires for us to take moments of 00:11:49.880 --> 00:11:55.810 our lives and hopefully every day where we just sit before God in silence in order to receive. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:59.060 Lord help me. 00:12:00.420 --> 00:12:01.340 Lord fill me. 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:04.570 This is not silence just for the sake of silence. 00:12:05.580 --> 00:12:07.460 This is biblical meditation. 00:12:07.880 --> 00:12:16.160 I don't know if you've ever studied the idea of biblical meditation, but biblical meditation is different than than, I'll say, eastern meditation. 00:12:16.280 --> 00:12:19.210 And there's a type of meditation where we're told to just empty ourselves. 00:12:19.660 --> 00:12:19.800 Right. 00:12:19.900 --> 00:12:22.380 You kind of go into this tranquil place of nothingness. 00:12:23.340 --> 00:12:25.940 That's not a picture of biblical meditation of all at all. 00:12:26.980 --> 00:12:30.060 Biblical meditation is really about filling your life up. 00:12:30.760 --> 00:12:32.800 It's the richness of God in you. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:40.060 And when you read Revelation chapter eight, certainly in this particular moment, as it's transpiring, it's acknowledging the authority of God. 00:12:40.140 --> 00:12:41.380 That's what he's saying in Revelation eight. 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:46.500 The authority of God is coming in, and mankind cannot lift its voice before the Lord. 00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:49.820 And there's nothing we can accuse against him. 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:51.860 There's nothing to say in this moment. 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:52.730 Now he's acting. 00:12:53.500 --> 00:13:00.980 But at the same time, I think for the application of our life, it's to help us recognize that our soul needs tuned 00:13:00.980 --> 00:13:07.300 into him, turned over to him in order to live for him, to let God fill me up so that I can be poured out. 00:13:07.380 --> 00:13:08.620 So let me just ask the question. 00:13:09.060 --> 00:13:15.500 When you think in terms of 2024, how has moments of silence gone for you before the Lord? 00:13:16.940 --> 00:13:22.820 I mean, is that has that been a habit of your life to come before God and let God fill you up? 00:13:24.920 --> 00:13:32.300 And if not, when you think about 2025, how can regardless of how 2024 went, how can 2025 00:13:32.300 --> 00:13:34.740 be filled with those moments? 00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:35.380 Perhaps. 00:13:35.380 --> 00:13:38.020 Maybe every morning, a time, or at night? 00:13:39.500 --> 00:13:41.980 How can you let your life be saturated with the goodness of God? 00:13:42.060 --> 00:13:44.710 Let me let me just give another plug for reading the Bible in a year. 00:13:46.800 --> 00:13:51.480 I mean, it's important for God's people to understand the richness of who the Lord is. 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:52.860 And to honor that. 00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:54.700 To Revere that. 00:13:54.780 --> 00:13:59.060 That's what this word of silence is about is a word of reverence before God. 00:14:00.640 --> 00:14:02.320 And here in terms of judgment. 00:14:02.400 --> 00:14:05.260 But important, even the life of the believer for instruction. 00:14:06.380 --> 00:14:10.500 And so when we think about a healthy response before a holy God. 00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:12.010 Number one is silence. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.100 Number two, then, is prayer. 00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:18.270 Number two is prayer. 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:25.940 Probably the most encouraging passage in all of the Bible in terms of prayer for me has been Revelation chapter eight, starting in 00:14:25.940 --> 00:14:26.640 verse two. 00:14:27.520 --> 00:14:33.360 There have been times in my life where I have prayed before the Lord and felt like it's gotten no higher than the ceiling, and that's been it. 00:14:33.380 --> 00:14:36.140 And you kind of left with the question, God, are you hearing me here? 00:14:36.160 --> 00:14:36.400 God? 00:14:36.400 --> 00:14:37.930 Do you not care about me like. 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:45.760 but Revelation chapter eight has been one of those passages for me that has really encouraged me to continue to 00:14:45.760 --> 00:14:49.040 deepen my prayer life before the Lord. 00:14:49.400 --> 00:14:56.920 And you see why in these verses as John starts to describe it here, it says, then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and 00:14:56.920 --> 00:14:58.870 the seven trumpets were given to them. 00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:02.590 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer. 00:15:02.660 --> 00:15:09.740 And he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense with the prayers 00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:12.780 of the saints rose before God from the hand of the angel. 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:18.700 Then the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. 00:15:18.920 --> 00:15:23.630 And there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:26.110 Now what in the world, right is that? 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:27.360 How does this relate to prayer? 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:33.180 Well, this is a very powerful passage when you understand what's happening with believers praying before God. 00:15:33.300 --> 00:15:41.010 The very end of this passage is dealing with the appearance of God, which is very similar in scripture, like when God appears to Moses in Exodus 19, 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:48.620 this response of thunders and rumblings and flashes of lightning, very common, that for the nearness of 00:15:48.620 --> 00:15:55.080 God, it's presenting to us the holiness and power of who he is. 00:15:55.240 --> 00:16:01.260 But in this description, it's also painting this picture of this heavenly picture of a, of a temple. 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:02.500 Right. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:07.660 And the reason it's painting this picture of a temple is because it's dealing with God's presence. 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:08.760 Right? 00:16:08.760 --> 00:16:14.900 That it's helping us understand that in eternity, as we we're with the Lord, that we're always in his presence. 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:18.560 And so it's describing this picture of heaven like a temple. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:24.310 And it's relating that picture to how God described for Moses, how they should build the earthly temple. 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:31.280 If you've ever studied the what was first the tabernacle God describes for Israel how to build the tabernacle, and then later became the temple. 00:16:32.040 --> 00:16:35.060 Israel only ever had one temple, right? 00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:38.170 And the temple was the place where heaven and earth came together. 00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:42.500 It's where God's people could experience the presence of God. 00:16:42.640 --> 00:16:44.800 But there was some uniqueness to the temple. 00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:51.400 I mean, even the reason why that uniqueness is Uniquenesses related to why we as Christians don't build temples today. 00:16:51.400 --> 00:16:52.020 I'll get to that. 00:16:52.040 --> 00:16:59.240 But when you think about the temple and what it represented, it was this place where God's people interacted with God, that combination of 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:00.000 heaven and earth. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:02.980 But in that temple, only the priests could go in. 00:17:03.520 --> 00:17:03.680 Right. 00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:05.060 And there were two rooms in the temple. 00:17:05.060 --> 00:17:06.730 There was the holy room and the Holy of Holies. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.180 And these two rooms were divided by a curtain. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:16.369 And in the Holy room there were a couple pieces of furniture that the priest went before and ministered. 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:19.420 There was the candle which represented the Spirit of God. 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:23.079 There was the bread which represents the life of God, the Word of God. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:28.349 And then there was the altar of incense, and the altar of incense was right next to the curtain. 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:36.380 And the priest would go in twice a day, and they would light these altars, this altar of incense, and the incense would burn and 00:17:36.380 --> 00:17:40.700 raise up, and they would offer the prayers of Israel before God. 00:17:40.760 --> 00:17:47.080 And this incense was reflective of the prayers that were rising before the nostrils of God to be heard. 00:17:47.780 --> 00:17:52.040 But also that incense worked as a covering before the holiness of God. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:59.180 That when the priest would go into the holy room, that it was known that the priest could not go in the holiest of rooms, the Holy of 00:17:59.180 --> 00:18:03.120 Holies, but only one priest, one time of year could go into that room. 00:18:03.780 --> 00:18:05.480 And that was where the Ark of the covenant was. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.640 That was considered the throne room of God. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:14.740 But before that priest would go in, he would take that incense, and he would fill the room with that smoke, as if to cover the presence of God, to 00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:19.530 say that no one can truly ever look at the presence of God, because no man can look at God and live. 00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:24.080 And so that incense would cover that altar. 00:18:24.100 --> 00:18:26.960 And here's what's being described to us in heaven. 00:18:27.100 --> 00:18:34.360 But the uniqueness for you and I, and the reason we don't build a temple today is now, rather than just giving the responsibility to the priest 00:18:34.360 --> 00:18:38.720 in the New Testament, we're all called priests, men and women before the Lord. 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:45.800 And in first Peter chapter two, you are royal priesthood, it says, and when Jesus hung on the cross, the Bible tells us that when 00:18:45.800 --> 00:18:51.170 he was sacrificed, The veil that separated the Holy Room from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:59.060 And it was symbolic to say that no longer did the presence of God dwell in the temple, but the place where heaven and earth met was 00:18:59.060 --> 00:18:59.940 in you and me. 00:19:00.540 --> 00:19:05.780 That God's people now become the temple of God, that the presence of God is with us wherever we go. 00:19:05.820 --> 00:19:06.800 You are that temple. 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:14.440 And if you want some verses, first Corinthians 316 and 619, you are the temple of God now, and you offer your 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:15.780 prayers before the Lord. 00:19:16.760 --> 00:19:23.960 In Revelation chapter eight, what it's saying to us is that our prayers are coming before the Lord, and God is hearing 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:29.820 our prayers, and God is collecting our prayers before his presence. 00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:34.440 You know, sometimes we struggle in life and we ask the question, Lord, do you care? 00:19:34.460 --> 00:19:35.300 Do you hear this? 00:19:35.300 --> 00:19:36.620 What are you what are you going to do about this? 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:41.480 Because we want God to respond right now, and we want God to respond our way. 00:19:42.560 --> 00:19:46.000 But no one knows better what what's needed than God himself. 00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:50.260 And so there's this need in our life to trust that he does know better. 00:19:50.360 --> 00:19:51.720 He genuinely cares. 00:19:51.760 --> 00:19:53.660 And his care is seen through the cross. 00:19:53.660 --> 00:19:53.920 Right? 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:58.560 Like God's pursued us, God gave everything for us so that we could find freedom in him. 00:19:59.280 --> 00:20:00.710 And so we know God cares. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:03.880 But figuring out how that care is going to be made known. 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:05.660 That's the challenge of the life of the believer. 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.940 God, here I am praying God. 00:20:07.940 --> 00:20:15.120 And I just want I want to be assured that you hear me in Revelation chapter eight is that chapter that reminds you that God does 00:20:15.120 --> 00:20:16.000 indeed hear you. 00:20:16.060 --> 00:20:17.860 In fact, he's going to do something about it. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:25.000 He's gathering the prayers of his saints before his presence, and he's going to use this to execute his justice on this world as he 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:31.180 pours those prayers out in response of all the challenges God's people have brought before them. 00:20:31.580 --> 00:20:38.640 But you know, when you look at this in the Bible, you find throughout Scripture that question of how long God has been asked over and 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.650 over again. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:41.610 I just took it from the book of Psalms. 00:20:41.860 --> 00:20:46.580 How many times in the Psalms did God's people respond and ask God and prayerfully God. 00:20:46.760 --> 00:20:47.510 How long? 00:20:47.540 --> 00:20:48.160 How long? 00:20:49.080 --> 00:20:56.240 And so, in the lives of his people, you see this challenge of the struggle, the world that we're in with a God that we know cares. 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:58.960 But trying to figure out how it all works together. 00:20:59.620 --> 00:21:05.020 Lord, how long that will the Lord look on before he delivers in Psalm 35. 00:21:05.020 --> 00:21:07.240 Psalm 62 how long will the righteous be attacked? 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.850 Psalm 74 how long will the enemies of God scoff and revile his name? 00:21:11.040 --> 00:21:12.120 On and on it goes. 00:21:13.060 --> 00:21:20.300 This question of wondering and asking the Lord we pray, wanting God to do something about it. 00:21:20.300 --> 00:21:28.320 And in Revelation chapter eight is helping us learn that God collects all of those prayers, that 00:21:28.320 --> 00:21:31.510 none of them are wasted, that God cares. 00:21:32.840 --> 00:21:37.860 The brokenness in life that you've experienced, the pain in your heart, the struggle in this world. 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:39.920 God wants to hear those things. 00:21:40.780 --> 00:21:43.320 Those are sacred before him, rising before him. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:45.570 God is collecting all of those prayers. 00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:53.000 And when God brings about this final judgment, God's going to pour out all of the pain of his people on this earth 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.620 as he executes his judgment. 00:21:55.580 --> 00:22:01.200 But, when you think about the importance of prayer as you in terms of this coming year, just to encourage you in that. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:08.600 What's what's what's critical for God's people is that we become wise in the reason we pray, that 00:22:08.600 --> 00:22:15.660 we become understanding in how God desires his people to pray and exercise the 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:16.480 gift of prayer. 00:22:17.600 --> 00:22:18.200 It is. 00:22:18.280 --> 00:22:21.980 It is important to take time in your life to be silent before God. 00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:23.020 Let God fill me up. 00:22:24.260 --> 00:22:30.620 And it's also important to take time to pour my heart out before God to share with him. 00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:34.320 And not maybe just do it one time a day. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:41.040 Thessalonians chapter five says, pray without ceasing to be aware of his presence wherever I go to know that he cares. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:45.510 And there are passages of the Bible that teach us how to do that. 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:46.880 Now look at this year. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:54.420 And I don't want to take for granted the gift that is to know God silently before him, and to be able to talk to God directly because the 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:56.260 presence of God is with me. 00:22:57.040 --> 00:23:04.060 First, John chapter five and James chapter four deal with how we as people often struggle with 00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:07.230 abusing prayer rather than using prayer with the way he intended. 00:23:07.320 --> 00:23:14.320 And the way that we can often abuse prayer is to simply treat prayer as if it's my tool to rub the genie on the lamp, to tell 00:23:14.320 --> 00:23:21.520 God what he can do to live for my glory, rather than to understand my life, is for his glory and tuning 00:23:21.520 --> 00:23:23.920 my heart to him, and using prayer that way. 00:23:24.080 --> 00:23:24.740 First John five. 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.490 It says it like this. 00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:31.660 And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:23:31.860 --> 00:23:32.800 So it's encouraging us. 00:23:32.800 --> 00:23:33.140 When we pray. 00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:35.380 We need to pray with the heart of God in mind. 00:23:35.380 --> 00:23:37.910 Not not my will be done, but his will be done. 00:23:38.360 --> 00:23:39.620 And so, God, what is your heart? 00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:44.340 And the best way to know the heart of God is to learn the Word of God, right? 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:47.630 God, teach me who you are, that I can see this world with your eyes. 00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:51.040 That's not to say God doesn't care about the struggles you go through in life. 00:23:51.100 --> 00:23:55.020 God certainly cares about some of the hardships that you face and some of the struggles that you have. 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:57.480 God cares about you, right? 00:23:57.480 --> 00:24:02.080 But God's ultimate desire is to fulfill his will in this world and for you to join him in that. 00:24:03.080 --> 00:24:04.300 And so, God, teach me your will. 00:24:04.300 --> 00:24:07.300 And the best way to learn the will of God is to learn about God himself. 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:08.400 Who are you? 00:24:08.470 --> 00:24:09.320 God. 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.480 And James, chapter four. 00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.060 It says it like this. 00:24:11.100 --> 00:24:15.780 You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions. 00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:22.730 Meaning, you make the whole point of life about yourself and what it is you want, rather than to be passionate about what it is God desires. 00:24:23.760 --> 00:24:26.540 And so we pray it should be seeking the will of God in our lives. 00:24:26.560 --> 00:24:29.240 In fact, Jesus taught us how in Matthew chapter six. 00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.000 That's the Lord's Prayer. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:33.220 Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. 00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:35.740 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:24:36.060 --> 00:24:39.620 Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive. 00:24:40.040 --> 00:24:46.480 Forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil, for yours is the kingdom, power and glory forever. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:46.680 Amen. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:51.180 And when you look at this prayer, this is Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. 00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:58.140 And the first thing he says is really recognize the sacredness of who God is, that your there is a God and you're not him. 00:24:59.520 --> 00:25:03.880 And so it is an honor to be able to even communicate before the Lord, right? 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:10.160 But then he goes on, not only is God sacred, but your kingdom God, your will, not mine, but your will be done. 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:10.980 God. 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:14.120 Tune my heart into your desire for this world. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:21.380 And then he says, give us this day our daily bread, which is, I like to say, really asking God to provide for you whatever you need for 00:25:21.380 --> 00:25:22.050 that day. 00:25:22.800 --> 00:25:26.150 Some people can get really particular about this, like they need to treat every day. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:29.140 Wake up and ask God, God, you know what? 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:31.180 What kind of pants do I need to put on today? 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:32.920 And let me just tell you, God doesn't care. 00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.920 Just put your pants on. 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.300 Right. 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:41.380 You got to get up and go do something, but rather what this what this passage is teaching us is saying, look, this is this is 00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:47.480 learning that God's going to be with me, and God's going to provide for me as I go throughout my day. 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:51.990 And I'm trusting God to do that whatever I'm about to go through. 00:25:52.060 --> 00:25:55.850 And as I walk according to his will, that God's going to be there to supply. 00:25:57.080 --> 00:26:00.230 And then and then it carries the idea of forgiveness. 00:26:00.560 --> 00:26:07.860 And the reason is it's a mark of God's people, that we are gospel people in this world, and we 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:10.540 forgive much because we've been forgiven much. 00:26:10.540 --> 00:26:12.980 It's been it's forgiveness that brings you new life. 00:26:13.600 --> 00:26:19.100 And it's only because of forgiveness that you're able to have new life and because God has given you forgiveness. 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:24.510 One of the best ways that you can display the gospel in this world is to be forgiving for others. 00:26:25.340 --> 00:26:29.810 One of the worst ways you can become a hypocrite to the gospel is to be an unforgiving person. 00:26:31.260 --> 00:26:34.050 Forgiveness is what transforms your life as a believer. 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:36.270 It's what continues to transform your life. 00:26:36.580 --> 00:26:38.950 And so it's encouraging us like forgiveness is. 00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:42.820 It's a difficult thing to do because there is sacrifice to those that forgive. 00:26:43.800 --> 00:26:47.740 But at the same time, there's nothing more beautiful that displays the goodness of God in this world. 00:26:47.780 --> 00:26:53.540 So God give me the ability to be forgiving as I've been forgiven and keep me away from temptation. 00:26:53.580 --> 00:26:55.260 God, don't let me stray from this. 00:26:56.120 --> 00:27:00.740 So this is a way God has taught us to think through prayer in our own life. 00:27:00.820 --> 00:27:05.020 This reverence for him, living for his glory, walking from a broken kingdom, right? 00:27:05.020 --> 00:27:08.320 The fallen, this fallen world, but rather living for his kingdom. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:16.600 So for the life of the believer when it comes to the holiness of God, recognizing the importance of silence and appreciating 00:27:16.600 --> 00:27:19.660 the power of prayer. 00:27:19.760 --> 00:27:25.420 And then finally, the third response is Exodus and Exodus. 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:29.860 Like the second book of the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus. 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:36.940 In terms of Exodus, the reason I bring this up is one we want to practice this, but also the description of what's 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:42.010 about to take place with God's judgment is very reflective of the Exodus from Egypt. 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:47.440 Have you ever read about the children of Israel coming out of the ten plagues that were brought on Egypt? 00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:50.130 They found themselves in freedom because of those plagues. 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:52.800 And here again, we're reading about God's judgment. 00:27:52.840 --> 00:28:00.000 Now, when you look at these judgments, you see parts of these judgments that are very much like the ten plagues of Egypt, but not 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.060 exactly like that, somewhat like that. 00:28:02.540 --> 00:28:09.760 These plagues that are about to read are these judgments that we're about to read are very similar to the judgments throughout the Old Testament, and there's some importance 00:28:09.760 --> 00:28:10.140 to it. 00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:12.070 We'll talk about, but let me read this verse six. 00:28:12.540 --> 00:28:15.930 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:18.330 The first angel blew his trumpet. 00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:22.520 And there followed hail and fire mixed with blood. 00:28:22.520 --> 00:28:29.540 And they were thrown upon the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned 00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:29.860 up. 00:28:29.860 --> 00:28:36.920 And the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:37.270 blood. 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:41.030 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:46.560 The third angel blew his trumpet and great stars fell from heaven, blazing like a torch. 00:28:46.600 --> 00:28:50.040 And it fell on a third of the rivers and the springs of the water. 00:28:50.040 --> 00:28:51.380 And the name of the star is Wormwood. 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:57.100 A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water because it had been made bitter. 00:28:57.100 --> 00:29:04.120 And the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might 00:29:04.120 --> 00:29:09.300 be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:11.200 Amen. 00:29:12.230 --> 00:29:13.560 What do you do with that? 00:29:13.580 --> 00:29:13.880 Right. 00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:15.480 Well, let me, let me. 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:21.340 I'm going to get a little nerdy for just a second, and then we'll talk about the application to this and what this passage means. 00:29:22.650 --> 00:29:26.900 just a quick way of interpretation or reminder for all of us. 00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:34.040 Some people come to Revelation and they try to take everything literally, and some people come to Revelation and 00:29:34.040 --> 00:29:38.280 they and they recognize that this is this is imagery painting a picture. 00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:38.460 Right? 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.130 This is not. 00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:41.000 I'll give you an example. 00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:42.780 Seven trumpets. 00:29:42.780 --> 00:29:43.560 Seven angels. 00:29:44.520 --> 00:29:48.480 Do you literally think this will be done by seven trumpets blowing? 00:29:48.840 --> 00:29:50.220 Or seven angels blowing? 00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:51.000 Seven trumpets? 00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:57.940 I mean, you think if you back away for a minute from this passage and ask the question, okay, what do what do trumpets represent to God's people? 00:29:58.060 --> 00:29:59.580 What do trumpets represent to the Jewish people? 00:29:59.580 --> 00:30:00.780 What is the number seven represent? 00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:04.660 The idea of seven is a number of completeness. 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:12.780 And trumpets were used in Israel's day for a few things one calling the people together for times of celebration and also for times 00:30:12.780 --> 00:30:13.480 of warning. 00:30:14.360 --> 00:30:14.540 Right? 00:30:14.540 --> 00:30:17.960 And when it comes to God's judgment, it's both of those things. 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:23.600 If you're in heaven praying and asking God the question, God, when will you bring your justice? 00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:26.780 When will you bring vengeance for those that have been slain, your faithful people? 00:30:27.520 --> 00:30:32.260 When God finally responds, this is this is a moment of liberation. 00:30:33.340 --> 00:30:36.300 You know, one of that moment of finally it's arrived. 00:30:37.100 --> 00:30:42.320 But at the same time, if you're on the other side of God's judgment, this becomes a warning, right? 00:30:42.320 --> 00:30:43.060 And so. 00:30:43.460 --> 00:30:50.480 So I don't know that this necessarily means seven angels have to show up and blow seven trumpets, but rather, I think the picture that's being painted is that 00:30:50.710 --> 00:30:56.360 God's judgment is going to be happening and God's judgment is going to be all encompassing. 00:30:57.380 --> 00:31:04.980 So in these first four judgments, what we're seeing described here is every part of the earth, the sea, the land and the rivers, all 00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:07.160 of God's judgment taking place here. 00:31:07.260 --> 00:31:13.300 The next three judgments we're going to look at, will deal with the next three trumpets, will deals more with the spiritual side of things. 00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:20.140 Now, when it comes to interpretation of Revelation and this is this is getting a little bit heady for a minute. 00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:23.060 Some people look at Revelation and they think, okay, there's three judgments. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:29.220 There's the seal judgments, which we're reading the end of to get to the trumpet judgments, which we're in right now. 00:31:29.820 --> 00:31:31.240 And finally, the bowl judgments. 00:31:32.120 --> 00:31:35.340 And some people look at these judgments and see very similar things happening. 00:31:35.340 --> 00:31:36.910 And so they say this is actually a Recapitulation. 00:31:38.340 --> 00:31:40.950 There's the seal judgments, and then you get to the trumpet judgments. 00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:44.180 He's actually describing really the seal judgments again. 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:50.240 And you get to the bowl judgments and it's description of the previous two judgments, again, just laid out recapitulated for you. 00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:55.160 But others look at it and say, no, no, no, this is actually three different judgments that are just unfolding. 00:31:55.520 --> 00:31:56.720 And there's some reasons for that. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:58.840 And I'm we're going to we're going to deal with that. 00:31:58.840 --> 00:32:03.500 The answer to that more as we get to the last set of judgments that are going to happen, the bowl judgments. 00:32:04.760 --> 00:32:12.000 But when people look at this and ask the question, are these recapitulations are we reading the trumpet judgments again with the that we just read in the seal judgments? 00:32:12.460 --> 00:32:17.560 Some people say no, and the reason they say no is as you read these judgments, you realize they're getting more severe. 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:22.390 The seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the bowl judgments, they get more severe. 00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:30.220 In addition to that, in the in the seal judgments, you would have read the stars and from heaven are falling 00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:30.920 to the earth. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:34.340 But here in these judgments, the trumpet judgments, you see that they're just darkened. 00:32:34.520 --> 00:32:38.980 They're not necessarily falling to the earth at the end of the seal judgments. 00:32:38.980 --> 00:32:42.340 God's people are asking the question, God, when are you going to bring your vengeance and justice? 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:46.750 But at the beginning of the trumpet judgments, you're seeing God bringing his vengeance and justice. 00:32:47.600 --> 00:32:48.620 And so some think it's a recapitulation. 00:32:49.360 --> 00:32:51.160 Some think it's God's judgment now. 00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:55.640 But in either case, from all of it, here's the big picture I want us to take from it. 00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:57.860 And we'll get further into the weeds as we get further into Revelation. 00:32:59.340 --> 00:33:04.780 The big picture I want you to take in all of this is how you choose to respond in light of it. 00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:13.260 You're going to read in chapter eight that God is saying he's bringing his judgments in order to lead people to repentance. 00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:15.920 Judgments. 00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:22.940 God's judgments in Egypt when the plagues first happened, it was an opportunity for the Egyptians to turn to the 00:33:22.940 --> 00:33:23.200 Lord. 00:33:23.260 --> 00:33:27.060 But you read over and over again that Pharaoh's heart continued to be hardened. 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:30.960 Pharaoh never responded right. 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:38.120 And again, when you look at these judgments, this is this is a cry to those that read it today to just ask the question, where? 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.760 Where is your heart before God? 00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:48.160 The Jews actually have some teachings when it comes to the judgment of God that when God is executing his full judgment, it's at least two thirds 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:48.800 judgment. 00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:56.460 Craig Keenum, a famous teacher in the Book of Revelation, says this about this passage that the fact that God is only pouring out in his 00:33:56.460 --> 00:34:01.560 judgment, one third judgment against, against the earth is saying he's withholding his full wrath. 00:34:03.580 --> 00:34:07.890 And the only reason God does this is an act of his grace. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:15.960 So when it comes to God's judgment in this world, what's important to remember is God is a holy God and takes his 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:16.949 judgment seriously. 00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:22.050 So there's a the sobering idea of that God will take his judgment seriously. 00:34:22.420 --> 00:34:25.360 But in addition to that, God doesn't owe us anything. 00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:30.380 The only thing that this earth is worthy of is the full judgment of him. 00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:34.590 And so the fact that he's withholding that full judgment. 00:34:36.840 --> 00:34:44.020 Still provides opportunity opportunity to sober up to the 00:34:44.020 --> 00:34:45.280 to the gift. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:46.679 It is to actually know the Lord. 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:54.600 And God has told us over and over again what the future of this fallen world will receive. 00:34:56.239 --> 00:35:03.260 And it's shocking sometimes that the response of people is to get angry at God, that God would do what God already told 00:35:03.260 --> 00:35:04.220 us he's going to do. 00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:06.510 God will judge. 00:35:06.600 --> 00:35:10.040 He cannot be good and refuse to judge. 00:35:11.080 --> 00:35:16.170 It's required of God in order to be good that he would bring justice against injustice. 00:35:16.920 --> 00:35:24.100 It kind of works like this, that if we ever if we all decided today to go take a walk to the top of Mount Timpanogos, and we got to the top and we were like, man, 00:35:24.180 --> 00:35:25.350 that was sure a long hike. 00:35:26.060 --> 00:35:27.290 Well, how else can we get down? 00:35:28.080 --> 00:35:29.010 And we decide, you know what? 00:35:29.140 --> 00:35:31.420 The best way down is just to step off this ledge. 00:35:31.640 --> 00:35:33.010 That's the quickest way to the bottom. 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:37.410 And then when we step off, we recognize, oh, gravity's still here. 00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:40.140 And then we get mad at gravity for being gravity. 00:35:40.460 --> 00:35:40.580 Right? 00:35:40.600 --> 00:35:44.120 It's like, oh, we should expect gravity would ever stop being gravity. 00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:45.820 But gravity does what gravity does. 00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:47.320 And gravity is always going to do that. 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:48.980 That's the whole point of gravity. 00:35:49.080 --> 00:35:49.620 Right. 00:35:49.720 --> 00:35:51.620 And it's the same thing with the justice of God. 00:35:53.240 --> 00:35:58.880 I mean, he tells us over and over again what rebellion produces his judgment. 00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:02.290 And it shouldn't be a surprise to us that God will judge. 00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:09.640 But the gift in this judgment is to realize the opportunity that God has called me to more. 00:36:11.080 --> 00:36:13.540 That's what the idea of Exodus is about. 00:36:15.140 --> 00:36:21.940 Exodus is about what you're leaving behind in order to move forward to a greater promise, a greater future. 00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.860 That's what Israel was called to. 00:36:25.780 --> 00:36:26.910 That was the whole point of the plagues. 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:30.020 Each plague, rather than God, pour out all the plagues. 00:36:30.080 --> 00:36:30.710 At one time. 00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:33.820 He, one plague at a time, gave opportunity to turn to him. 00:36:35.420 --> 00:36:42.900 It was a provoking of the heart to recognize who was who was really in charge and how much we need 00:36:42.900 --> 00:36:43.730 him in our life. 00:36:44.680 --> 00:36:51.820 I mean, the fact that we only we had the opportunity to talk about it today is a gift of his grace to recognize God 00:36:51.820 --> 00:36:58.900 has called us to so much more in him that we get to leave a fallen and broken world behind in order to 00:36:58.900 --> 00:37:06.180 live for something greater, a greater kingdom, a greater purpose, a greater king, and for all of us. 00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:12.000 It takes something different in our lives to recognize the gift of what that is. 00:37:12.020 --> 00:37:14.760 And sometimes it's the sobering reality of judgment. 00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:15.840 But can I tell you? 00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:20.660 The Bible says to all of us, it's God's kindness that leads us to repentance. 00:37:22.720 --> 00:37:28.180 It's God's kindness that draws us to Him and God. 00:37:28.220 --> 00:37:31.480 The Bible tells us very clearly that God's going to judge. 00:37:31.560 --> 00:37:38.600 But at the same time, the Cross of Christ is that place where the justice of God and the grace of 00:37:38.600 --> 00:37:41.620 God was poured out completely at one time. 00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:46.360 The justice of God came upon Jesus, who died on your behalf. 00:37:47.780 --> 00:37:52.830 And also the grace of God is offered to you through Jesus, who died on your behalf. 00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:59.400 That Exodus is about leaving that world of judgment to step in the world of grace. 00:38:00.560 --> 00:38:02.440 God, thank you for giving everything for me. 00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:08.780 If you don't know Jesus, it's an important journey to begin. 00:38:08.840 --> 00:38:11.120 I can think of a better way to start 2025. 00:38:12.260 --> 00:38:17.640 And if you do know Jesus, it's an important journey to stay on every day of your life. 00:38:17.640 --> 00:38:20.980 To recognize each day is a gift of his grace. 00:38:21.160 --> 00:38:28.180 To be filled up by God, to set before him in silence, to let the richness of who Christ is be made known in your life, and to 00:38:28.180 --> 00:38:35.200 then pour your heart out back to him in prayer as you journey on this Exodus story for all of 00:38:35.200 --> 00:38:36.320 us as God's people. 00:38:36.340 --> 00:38:43.440 I feel like the Christian life is a reawakening over and over again each day of 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:46.920 our lives, each morning of our lives, different seasons of our lives. 00:38:47.080 --> 00:38:49.180 It's a reawakening to the richness of God. 00:38:49.180 --> 00:38:51.880 And Revelation chapter eight is certainly one of those passages. 00:38:51.940 --> 00:38:53.750 But let me just close with this. 00:38:54.600 --> 00:38:57.020 There's a there's a story about a man, a man named D.L. 00:38:57.040 --> 00:38:59.140 Moody, and that's who's pictured on the left. 00:38:59.300 --> 00:39:01.530 I'm going to read the quote by Henry Henry Varley in a minute. 00:39:02.220 --> 00:39:02.620 But D.L. 00:39:02.660 --> 00:39:05.470 Moody, as a as an older teenager, came to know Christ. 00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:10.460 And at 19 years old, living in Boston, Massachusetts, he decided to live for the Lord. 00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:14.900 He wanted to move to Chicago and reach the children in Chicago with the gospel. 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:15.550 So that's what he did. 00:39:16.220 --> 00:39:23.360 Moved to Chicago, and he ended up renting a facility and started to teach children Sunday mornings, taught in a Sunday school class, just ministering 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:24.210 to them in the Lord. 00:39:25.140 --> 00:39:32.300 And he saw a lot of success and many people coming to know the Lord and one of his friends as someone else around the same age as him, named 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:35.020 Henry Varley a ministered there with him. 00:39:35.100 --> 00:39:42.310 Henry Varley went on to England, and Dale Moody one day went to visit him to listen to him speak, and he was in his mid 30s by this point. 00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:43.940 But he went to listen to Henry Varley. 00:39:44.700 --> 00:39:48.560 After 15 years plus of ministry in Chicago, and Henry Varley gave this statement. 00:39:48.560 --> 00:39:53.550 He said the world has yet to see what someone sold out to the Lord can do. 00:39:54.920 --> 00:39:55.020 When? 00:39:55.200 --> 00:39:55.720 When D.L. 00:39:55.720 --> 00:40:02.840 Moody heard that in his mid 30s, God just struck another chord with him, he realized, he had been faithful in serving God, but his 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:05.070 life could still do so much more for him. 00:40:05.820 --> 00:40:10.960 And he wanted to, whatever the rest of his life could be, to really give it all to for the Lord. 00:40:11.620 --> 00:40:12.660 And he went back to Chicago. 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:20.380 And that phrase, turning in his soul became the catalyst for things like Moody Bible Institute, which is Moody ended up starting 00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:24.040 Moody Bible Institute in his later 40s, I think 49 years old. 00:40:24.040 --> 00:40:31.560 He started Moody Bible Institute, which became a catalyst for training pastors and missionaries through throughout the world for over a century. 00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:33.780 But D.L. 00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:39.580 Moody, being challenged in what God desired to do in his life motivated him. 00:40:39.860 --> 00:40:43.600 And I think as believers, we can all get to this lull in our Christian journey. 00:40:44.460 --> 00:40:51.580 We sort of get into a routine, but we forget the value that it is to truly know God, and the opportunity is to serve 00:40:51.580 --> 00:40:52.320 him where we are. 00:40:53.600 --> 00:40:54.300 2025. 00:40:55.140 --> 00:41:02.360 My prayer for us as a church would be, this would be a year where we take opportunity to sit silently before the Lord. 00:41:03.240 --> 00:41:10.280 Let him fill us up, that we see the value of praying before God to share with him, and that we 00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:17.320 journey on in this Exodus, this world we're leaving behind for a greater world that 00:41:17.320 --> 00:41:18.070 is to come.