Don't miss the pictures of the zoo days. The Lord willing, Creation Creature Features soon.

Review: See the previous sermon notes on the Web -

Every warning, struggle, temptation, promise, strategy, and victory 
in the Revelation can also play out in your life, your family, and your church!  
The choice is yours ................

The Text ("Blue Letter Bible"): Revelation 7
(Strong's numbers, Hebrew-Greek lexicons, cross references, etc., can be accessed from the above link)

Review: Outline of The Revelation:  Key verses = Rev 1:8 & 19

I.  Character of Christ  for His Father's Glory (Who Was) (Things You've Seen) Chapter 1
What about your character, & your family's character, & that of your church?
Can other people see Jesus' goodness, unselfishness, & humility through each one?
  A.  Introduction (1:1-8) Of Jesus to His servants (1:4 Church)  (see also 6:1 Israel)
  B.  Post-Incarnate, glorified Jesus (1:9-18)

II.  Counsel of Christ for the Church (Who Is)  (Things Which Are)  Chapters 2-3
This counsel also applies to you personally, your family, your local church, & all of "Christianity".
  A.  Command to Prophesy (1:19)
  B.  Seven Churches Counseled (1:20) ESP-TS-PL  (Praise before correction!)
  C.  Ephesus (2:1-7)                Loveless
  D.  Smyrna (2:8-11)               Persecuted
  E.  Pergamos (2:12-17)          Compromising
  F.  Thyatira (2:18-29)             Corrupt
  G.  Sardis (3:1-6)                   Dying
  H.  Philadelphia (3:7-13)         Revived
   I.  Laodicea (3:14-22)           Lukewarm (no praise)

III.  Consequences of Christ for the Church, Israel & the World  Chapters 4-22
         (Who is to come again!) (Things which will happen soon!)
Are you ready for your future?  The judgment seat of Christ?
  A. Church In Heaven

1.  The Rapture  (Jesus Rescues His Bride) up to Heaven (4:1)
2.  The King & His Bride prepare for the future. (4:1-5:14) (see also Ch 19)

  B. Tribulation of Israel (Jacob's) Trouble on Earth (6:1-18:24) (Daniel's 70th Week)

1.  Seals (Seven) of Judgments (Rev 6:1-8:2), includes chapter 7's message of encouragement
                ** Ch. 7 Who Can Stand?  Those God Has Chosen, & Who Choose Him
        2.  Trumpets (Seven) of Judgments (Rev 8:2-11:19)
            3.  Players (Seven) on the Tribulation Stage (Rev 12-14)
                  * These three chapters are an interlude, zooming in for a personal look at the people.
                        4.  Bowls (Seven) of Judgments (Rev 15-16)
                                5.  Babylon's Final Fall (Rev 17-18)

  C.  Christ's Wedding & War (19:1-21)
  D.  Millennial Kingdom (20:1-6)
  E.  Final Futile Rebellion (20:7-10)
  F.  Great White Throne & Second Death (20:11-15)
  G.  New Heaven & Earth Coming (21-22:15)
  H.  Jesus' Promise & Warning for YOU, your family, & your church (22:16-21)

III. B. 1.  Who Can Stand in the Tribulation?  

        Those God Has Chosen & Who Choose Him!

Rev 7:1-5 "After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." And I heard the number of those who were sealed. 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of . . . ."

Rev 14:1-5 "Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.  And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.  They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth.  These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb.  And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God."

Rev 7:9-17 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.  Amen."
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"  And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.  "They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;  for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

"the living God" -

Above every other subject found in these passages, the subject of GOD, Himself, is the foundation, the center, and the apex. All of Scripture is history, His-story.  It's the story of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who created (bara) out of nothing a universe with various beings, in order to share the glory, joy, and fulfillment of their perfect family of love. Not only does no other subject come close to being as important, but no other doctrinal principle even makes practical sense apart from an accurate understanding of and focus on the one, true, and living God!

What's the opposite of a "living God"?  That's right, the answer is a dead god, and a dead god is an idol, phony, fake, and useless (Isaiah 41-48).  Yet because of sin, man and Lucifer would rather follow a phony god, made in their own image, then bow in faithful submission to anyone other than self.  Folks, that is the plot of the story as it unfolds from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22.

Remember the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal?  Elijah set up his altar and the demonized Baal priests set up theirs.  Elijah gave them all day to try and get their idol gods to send down fire to consume their offering.  But their man-made gods failed.  Then Elijah humbly prayed and the living God who transcends space, time, matter, and energy virtually vaporized his offering in a demonstration of His omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.

At the time of the end, THE living God will confront the dead idols of man's New World of Disorder, especially humanistic, pantheistic self-deification (Romans 1).  Man's imaginary, new-age, deity, Gaia, Mother Nature, is about to be given a chance to prove her ability to hold the world together both socially and physically.  But the dysfunction of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the consequence of Christ, exponential escalation of entropy, will rule.   This fallen (semi-separated) universe continues to function only because the living God is "upholding all things by the word of His power, . . . ." (Heb 1:3)

The rebellion of Adam (Gen 3) and the subsequent escalation of "entropy" (disorder, death, & decay - dysfunctional 2nd law of thermodynamics) is the reason for imperfections as well as the selfish competition, violence, pain, suffering, fear, and death we see in the "wild kingdom" now.  *  The second law of thermodynamics was functional before Adam sinned, such as in the process of digestion, chemical processes, etc., but death and disease were not.

Four Angels, four corners, four winds = Four points of the compass (North-South-East-West)
Angel out of the Sun = East of Patmos Island, which was the direction of Israel.
Mercy amidst wrath (Hab 3:2):  
    [Flood/Noah; Sodom/Lot; Egypt/Israel; Jericho/Rahab; World/Bride; Israel/Remnant]

1.  God suspends His Wrath (Calm before the Storm) for the sake of His promise to Abraham.
2.  God seals His Israeli Saints (Prophets/evangelists raised up) to fulfill Israel's calling to the world.
3.  God spotlights national Israel as center stage for the end of His-story!

Who will withstand God's wrath in the Tribulation?  
The 144,000 from Israel as well as the Great Multitude from every nation.

    Those who try and interpret Rev 7 & 14:1-5 symbolically run into a number of problematic questions and irreconcilable difficulties that confuse and obscure this "Revelation" God has delivered through John.  However, a simple, normal, literal interpretation of these passages not only resolves the difficulties, but actually reveals a beautiful picture of God's sovereign power, love, and wisdom.  God will manifest His Kingdom on this fallen earth, as it is in Heaven, just as He promised through every one of His prophets in Scripture.  His process to accomplish this includes the ministry of 144,000 Jewish evangelists, during the time of "Jacob's Trouble".

      The following example shows what happens when an interpreter tries to use an allegorical (macro-symbolic) method of interpretation instead of the normal, macroliteral approach.  The following, respected scholar, attempts to interpret the 144,000 men listed in Rev. 7, symbolically as representing the church.  He interprets this group the way his denomination has traditionally interpreted it, ever since they broke off from the Roman Catholic church during the reformation.  And, by the way, this symbolic interpretation is very similar to that of Roman Catholicism.  Many of our protestant denominations have not reformed some remaining traditions as far back to the simplicity of Holy Scripture as they should.  Examine his symbolic interpretation for yourself:

"The first [distinguishing mark of this group] is that they did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure (better is AV, 'they are virgins').  This is surprising, in the first instance because the 144,000 stands for the whole church and it is not easy to apply the first part of the saying to women members nor the second part to men, and in the second instance because the New Testament does not regard sexual relations as defiling.  ". . . . But our passage seems to mean that the 144,000 had no sexual relations at all ('they are virgins').  
    "The answer to the difficulties seems to be that here, as so often, John is using symbolism."
(Leon Morris, M.Sc., M.Th., Ph.D., Tyndale NT Commentaries, REVELATION, p. 171.)
[Emphasis added in bold]

    Notice when this author's allegorical method of interpretation runs into significant problems trying to harmonize the Bible text with his preconceived idea that the 144,000 means the church, then his way to solve the problem is to allegorize the problem statement away.  He says it must be a symbol that doesn't mean what it directly says.  This, folks, is not a good or consistent hermeneutical method for resolving interpretation difficulties.  Unfortunately, it is common to find many allegorical interpreters doing this, which is also why such interpreters have so far created an endless lists of possible meanings for many biblical statements they assume to be symbolic.

    In contrast, I believe you will see from our study as the weeks unfold, that the difficulties disappear very naturally when the text is interpreted to simply mean what it plainly says.  The 144,000 are Jewish evangelists from 12 tribes of Israel, who have been called to live sexually pure lives during the Tribulation period of "Jacob's Trouble".   According to respected scholars such as Dr. A. T. Robertson and Dr. John MacArthur, the phrases "not defiled by women" and "they are virgins (chaste)", do not mean they have to be unmarried.  It simply means that these men, whether married or not, will keep themselves away from the rampant sexual immorality and debachery that will saturate the chaos of the Tribulation period.  The marriage bed (Heb 13) is not defiled.

    The identity of these 144,000 is simple and clear.  They do not represent the church, because the church, the Bride of Christ, has been rescued (raptured) up to heaven, and will not suffer the wrath of the Lamb.

The Tribulation includes only two groups - Israel & Gentiles, not the church, which was rescued up to heaven by her Groom, Jesus at the rapture (1 Cor 10:32 Jews, Gentiles, Church of God).
The Time Frame:  "After" the sixth seal, and midway during the Tribulation
The Purpose:  An up close & personal look at important people involved, centering around God, as # 1.
The Pattern is seen with the trumpets and the bowls, with an explanatory break after the sixth.

The 144,000:  (Is this just a symbol of the church, or literal, Jewish, virgin- male evangelists?)

*  They are referred to as a specific number of "sealed" individuals.
*  Are called "servants of our God".
*  Are said to be from "all the tribes of the children of Israel".
*  Are divided into 12 groups of 12,000 each from named tribes in Israel.
    (note that about 20 lists of the 12 tribes are found in Scripture and each is arranged differently)
*  Judah, the tribe from which Messiah came, is mentioned first here.
*  Are later shown (Rev 14) to be with Jesus on Mt. Zion geographically.
*  They are sealed with God the Father's name on their foreheads.
*  "no one could learn that song except the 144,000".
*  They "were not defiled with women, for they are virgins".
*  They "follow the Lamb wherever He goes".
*  They are the "redeemed from among men, being first fruits".
*  They had "no deceit in their mouth, for they are without fault before the throne of God".

144,000 = These men are the first fruits of Israel's national salvation (Zech 12; Rom 11:26).  Israel failed in OT era, but God's sovereign hand will demonstrate His glory by fulfilling His promise and command for that nation to be a "light to the nations" (Isa 45:22; Joel 2:28-32).  Just as God's promise to save the nation of Israel in spite of its sin is trustworthy, so is God's promise to save you in spite of your sin.

Rom 11:26-12:3  "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:  "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;  For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."  Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience,  even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.  For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?"  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Philip 1:6 ". . . being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; . . . ."

The Great Multitude:  
        (This is not a symbol for the church.  They are tribulation believers in Messiah Jesus?)

*  They are referred to as a group that cannot be numbered.
*  They are said to be from "all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues,".
*  They are standing "before the throne and before the Lamb".
*  They are "clothed in white robes", with palm branches, thanking God for salvation.
*  They had "come out of the great tribulation" (Literal Greek = "the tribulation the great one").
*  The Lamb is not called their husband, but a shepherd who will lead them to living water. (Joh 10:10)
*  Ch 19 reveals the great multitude talking about the Bride of Christ in the second person.
*  Palm Branches point back to Jesus' first entrance into Jerusalem
    The first time, Israel misunderstood the need for Messiah to be "cut off" (Isa 53; Dan 9).
    Only at Jesus' second and final coming will He physically confront this rebellious world.
    And He will bring physical deliverance to national Israel.

The Point:  God is good, wise, and in absolute control.  Not only will the 144,000 and the two witnesses proclaim Jesus as the true Christ, but Mat 24:14 promises that during the Tribulation, the gospel will be preached to whole world.  Revelation says that God will even have an angel fly across the world and proclaim the good news, so that no one has an excuse.

The Great Multitude are an innumerable group of Jews and Gentiles.
The Gentiles saved during this time of "Jacob's Trouble" will be saved as proselytes to Israel.
They are not the Bride of Christ, which was already rescued up to heaven before the time of "Jacob's Trouble".
The multitude here are believers in the Messiah of Israel.  They stood strong in the Tribulation and rejected the false, harlot, Church/Babylon, that claimed to be the true Bride.  (Isa 2:2-4; Mic 4:1-5; Zech 8:20-23).  

Who is your Lord?  Is Jesus really the Master over your heart attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions, or have you become self-deceived and are following something less than true and living God? 
(self-love and self-esteem, money, the spirit of ante-christ . ..???)

What kind of church do you really want?  Do you want to be an active part of the real Body of Christ who sacrificed Himself to serve others, or are you looking for a group that promises to pamper your personal pleasures?  Remember that if the lost "Laodicean" church of Rev. 3 is left behind after the rapture, then its members must have been on the earth right before the rapture too.  Yep, the harlot, pseudo-church is here and mixed like leaven throughout the loaf that calls itself "Christianity" today.

Remember, every warning, struggle, temptation, promise, strategy, and victory in the Revelation can also play out in your life, your family, and your church!  
The choice is yours ................
What do you need to change?

(The final question to ask God, whenever you study God's Word)
Lord, how am I doing on your conflict meter, for your glory?
Giving Up < < < < Standing Firm > > > > Blowing Up

Remember there are only two modes for a believer:
* Marching forward with the gospel.
* Standing firm when conflict arises!

Return to related articles from "The Bible:  One Bite at a Time" -

Biblical Prophecy:  A Jigsaw Puzzle with Pieces Throughout the Bible
How to Interpret Prophetic Passages: Four Different Views with Important Consequences
Why "Normal" Interpretation is the Key to Prophetic & Apocalyptic Passages
Daniel's 70 Weeks: The Heart of God's Prophetic Puzzle 
      (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Mat 24, 2 Th 2)
Introduction & Outline of The Revelation
 . . . . . . . 

For further study of prophecy:

Prophecy Today - http://www.gospelcom.net/shofar/pp/htm/report.shtml
Soulcare's Recommended Materials on Prophecy (books, audios, videos, etc.)
http://www.soulcare.org/Resources_Biblical_Authority.htm#Prophecy
Booklet:  The Rapture, by Thomas Ice & Timothy Demy
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565073924/qid%3D980349983/104-6768955-3395119
John MacArthur, D.D., The Second Coming of Jesus: Signs of Christ's Return & the End of the Age.
     - Book: This text is an excellent overview, placing the puzzle pieces together until the picture is clear.
   *- Audio Set (9 tapes): This tape set is the best I've heard yet. Nothing beats the spoken word for clarity.
J. Vernon McGee, B.D., M.Th., Th.D.,, Thru the Bible Commentary Series, Revelation.  Dr. McGee's commentaries are probably the simplest, most practical, yet thorough and biblical that are available on the Bible.
_______, Reveling Through Revelation.
Chuck Missler, Revelation Commentary in MP3 on CD.  Chuck's commentaries on Daniel, The Revelation, etc., on CD not only contain extensive study notes, but also many hours of audio teaching.
Dwight Pentecost, Ph.D., Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology. This is a 600 pp encyclopedic reference to all of the major passages, topics, and issues involved.
_________ Thy Kingdom Come:  Tracing God's Kingdom Program & Covenant Promises Throughout History.  1995.
Randall Price, Ph.D. Jerusalem in Prophecy (Th.M. graduate of   Dallas Theological Seminary and holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of  Texas at Austin. He has done graduate study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and  conducted archeological excavation in Israel with the University of  Texas in conjunction with the   teaching of courses in biblical archaeology and the history and culture of modern Israel.)
Renald Showers, Th.D., Maranatha, Our Lord, Come! A Definitive Study of the Rapture of the Church.  [Dr. Showers, a graduate of Grace Theological Seminary, serves with Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, as well as the Institute of Biblical Studies.]
John F. Walvoord, Every Prophecy of the Bible.  This reference commentary is over 600 pages long and is an invaluable tool for those studying prophecy regardless of their perspective.  When studying eschatology, nothing is more important that having a comprehensive awareness of all that the Bible says on the subject.  This new work is more than comprehensive.  It is exhaustive.  Dr. Walvoord was on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary for 50 years, and is recognized even by those who do not hold to a premillennial perspective as being one of the most knowledgeable scholars in the area of prophecy and eschatology.

Audio Message: "The Rapture: The Great Escape", John Ankerberg
http://www.khouse.org/media/conferences/steeling/stmankerberg98.html
Article:  "The Great Snatch", by Chuck Missler
http://www.khouse.org/articles/prophetic/19950101-35.html
Article:  Byzantine Text Discovery & the Rapture
http://www.khouse.org/articles/biblestudy/19950601-39.html