What World Government Will Prevail?
True Believers Of Christ Will Be trAble To Stand Amidst The Tribulation.
Matt Stokes
Apr 18, 2021 38m
Before Chris returns there will be a time known as the tribulation. During this terrible time, while the world shakes and unbelievers tremble, true believers will be able to stand firm, knowing they are safe in Christ. Video recorded at Ocean City, New Jersey.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
Matt Stokes: 00:00 That being said, we've got communion today. So I've got to get right to this, which is really difficult for me, it's Revelation chapter 6. If you're watching online, we are so glad you're with us. I'd love to tell you some stories about how we're going to whole nother levels when it comes to people that are watching online, I'll tell you more later. But right now, Revelation 6 is where we are, you can open your app. And as Matthew said on Thursday night, please open your Bible, continue to bring the book that people have died to make sure it can be in your hands today, and open those pages and continue to read through, make notes.
Matt Stokes: 00:35 Revelation chapter 6, I wish I could go back and give you a refresher course, but we have to get right into this. There are seven seals, and these seven seals as they open reveals seven different ways that God is bringing judgment upon the earth. So we're looking right now, there's only two seals left before we move into the next parts of the Book of Revelation, we're looking at the six seal as we begin today. The sixth seal changes the scene back to the physical world, before that we were actually looking at things that were kind of very metaphysical, things that were taking place in heaven, the first five judgments were directed towards specific areas, but this judgment is universal.
Matt Stokes: 01:19 This judgment is universal, everyone will be afraid when the earth itself trembles. So watch with me, please read along, in Revelation, chapter 6 beginning in verse 12. And it says this, "As I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood." Please stick with me and watch the details, because I want to get into them as much as I can within our short time together, "Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. What? 15, "Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” Being a King James person, I know specifically it says, "Who is able to stand? I like rendering, I want to talk about that today, "Who is able to stand?"
Matt Stokes: 03:08 Do you see the contrast here? If you were with us the last time we were together in Revelation, you saw that there were these martyrs that were in heaven and they were crying out to God, and they were saying, because they were martyred for their testimony of Christ and for the word of God, they were crying, avenge us. But the unbelievers of the earth they're crying, hide us. The opening of the sixth seal produces worldwide catastrophes, including three great earthquakes, but with those earthquakes come also remarkable conversions to Christ. And we'll look at that as we continue to move into the Book of Revelation, opening of the sixth seal here offers a glimpse into how Christ is subduing all things unto himself. Which is one of my favorite verses in Philippians, near the end of the Book of Philippians, it says, "Now unto him, who has the power to subdue all things unto himself." That's Jesus Christ, that's what he's in the process of doing not only globally, but right down to you personally, he wants to subdue you with his love and have you surrender onto him.
Matt Stokes: 04:17 These cataclysmic signs are associated with scripture, and they're associated with what's called the day of the Lord. And Matthew and I were talking throughout the week, and even between these gatherings about, we could probably just do four weeks on just the day of the Lord. Matt probably is going to get into it more on Thursday, because Daniel and Revelation talk about this time, it's not just the day, the day of the Lord is not like Tuesday, the day of the Lord is a season, it's an epoch. And we'll talk more about that, the day of the Lord, when God's judgment is going to overturn the whole created order of the world. It's important as a student of scripture to realize this, what's being said in Revelation, is absolutely without question, no new revelation at all.
Matt Stokes: 05:14 Watch with me, just try to absorb this. I'm going to put some of it on the slides for you, but I'm also just going to read, and I want, what we focused on in those opening verses, those 12 through 17. Watch as I read thousands of years earlier, and watch what these ancient prophets said that had to do with what John said in the Book of Revelation. Isaiah chapter 13, "Hear the noise on the mountains! Shouting of many nations. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together. For see, the day of the LORD is coming— the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises." Here's Isaiah 34, "For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations. The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and their hosts shall fall down. And the leaf shall fall from the vine, as falling figs from the fig tree." Is that not exactly what John said?
Matt Stokes: 06:21 Joel chapter 2, "The earth shall quake before them, and the heavens shall tremble. The sun and moon shall be dark, the stars shall withdrawal thief shining, for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible. Listen, listen, "Who can abide it?" Is that not the same as who can withstand it? Who can stand? Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and rend your heart, and not your garments." In those days, a Hebraic expression of utter repentance and brokenness, they would actually rip their garment. It isn't like today where we all have a lot of clothes, like my wife is constantly telling me I have to clean out my closet because I have too many clothes. Which is crazy, does anyone else go through this? Because like, I wear the same thing all the time, but my closet is still filled with all these clothes that I just never wear even though they're in there. Does anybody to talk to their spouse about cleaning out their closet because there's just too much stuff you've got in there? Do you know what I'm saying? And even though I only wear this section, my closet's like this big, and so we all have a lot of clothes. But in these days to rip your garment was a big idea, because nobody had that many clothes, you had one garment, maybe two. And so here, he's saying, don't try and show your disgust by ripping your garments, he's saying, instead, rend your heart, let your heartbreak. "Rend your heart, not your garments, turn onto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, and slow to anger, and of great kindness."
Matt Stokes: 08:00 My point is, is he's like, umm listen, the world's coming to an end and a lot of people are going to die, and suffer, and it's going to be terrible. But I love you, and I want you to come to me, so I'm praying that your heartbreaks in the midst of this and that you see that I'm gracious and a merciful. And as you cry out for the rocks to fall upon you, just remember, I was slow to anger, like I waited, I'm of great kindness. It's important for everyone in this room, believer or non-believer, whether you're watching online, to see the great and terrible day of the Lord is integrated with great mercy and great grace and an invitation, it's all an invitation to surrender to him.
Matt Stokes: 08:46 This still coming from Joel chapter 2, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever (Here's the phrase again) shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved." Most of us know that Romans uses the same verse in chapter 10, it says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, shall be delivered." I'm bringing these points from the Old Testament scriptures, because if you haven't studied the whole counsel of scripture, you might find this to be new revelation. And some of it certainly is, it's called the Book of Revelation, but much of it isn't. It talks about how they will hide themselves from the face of the one who sits upon the throne of judgment. God told us in the scriptures 5,000 years earlier, that unredeemed people will be terrified and seek, did you see this with me, they seek a safe hiding place, but it will be completely in vain.
Matt Stokes: 09:57 Listen again, Isaiah chapter 2, "And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth." Here's Hosea chapter 10, "They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us." Here's Jesus in Luke chapter 23, "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us." If I had the time, I could give you a fistful of verses that continue to bring revelation to you from the Old Testament scriptures, and the prophets who wrote thousands of years earlier. The prophets repeatedly warned that the great day of the Lord was coming, and this day would be a day of wrath, this day would be a day of judgment. And the ultimate question concerning the judgment is this, who is able to stand, who is able to abide, who is able to withstand the judgment of God? Again, Malakai chapter 3, "But who will abide in the day of his coming, who shall stand when he appeared?" And that's important for us to remember, because that's a big part of what I'm trying to communicate today. And I will, in the short time we have together, because we're going to move into communion.
Matt Stokes: 11:35 Here's the other side, we also have already seen that God's children, God's people, the redeemed, those who have surrendered their lives to Christ, they're rejoicing in chapter 5. Just before this passage, you have the last passage, and they're worshiping God, they're praising God, they're praising the Lamb, and the one who sits upon the throne. And they're singing. Holy Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. And they're giving worship, and they're giving praise, because they understand God's response to the martyrs cry for vengeance in that particular place in 9 through 11, in those verses, they themselves have nothing to fear from God's judgment. And neither to you, if you, you've surrendered to Christ. Are you listening online? If you surrender to Christ, you've got nothing to fear.
Matt Stokes: 12:28 Now, people look at this language and they wonder how much of this is metaphor. I'm going to tell you what I'm personally persuaded, that when it says earthquake, it actually means earthquake, right? Were you here last Sunday when pastor Chris Einwechter said that he studied the Greek and the word nothing means nothing, right? Earthquake is an earthquake. Be careful not to spiritualize anything, or everything. You know, Matthew often talks about mainstream Marxism, and I'm saying there's a danger in that. Let's come over here, because I've got a passion too about something, called Christian sensationalism. And both of those are dangerous, and we need to be very careful. Is the sky rolling back like a scroll, a nuclear bomb, because we've all seen when a nuclear bomb goes off, how that mushroom cloud goes up, and it actually looks like the sky gets rolled back, like a scroll. Maybe? People talk about this creature that seems like it is a scorpion type sting upon it, and apparently it inflicts people with a certain measure of pain for six months, later on as we read through Revelation, and people say it's this special helicopter, that's got this thing on the back. And then he saw what looked like a scorpion, it was really a helicopter with a stick. I don't know, right? Who knows?
Matt Stokes: 13:50 You know, so be careful today, you know, a couple of years ago, Donald Trump was the antichrist. Today, Joe, Biden's the antichrist, I'm saying watch out believers. Be very careful when you start throwing out that kind of language because you know what it does, it just deconstructs your legitimacy as a certified, bonafide, qualified, believer. Do you remember growing up, at least three times, I remember growing up, there were people that said Christ was coming, firs it was 1988, and then there was another one in the mid-nineties, and I remember there was another one by the name Harold Camping and this guy's prophecies. And it's just like going through all that, and like people were really getting ready, you know? So it's like the Halle Bop comet, don't you know, it's really.... I'm like, look, everybody's settle down, stick with the scriptures, and don't get into Christian sensationalism.
Matt Stokes: 14:43 I read many commentaries, I read a lot of books, I do a lot of research, Matthew and I, we love to research, right? So we always appreciate when you say thank you for studying so hard, honestly, that's like thanking us for eating chocolate cake. Right? Because we love to study, right, we love to research. One of the people that I really study in commentary, I'm not going to mention his name, but this is what he did with the earth shaking, listen to this, Constantine, who was the emperor of the day, Constantine's changes to the Roman government, as well as the world caused a lot of things to shake, and is therefore symbolized as a quaking of the earth. No, I mean, I know you're like a doctor of theology, but that's just not true. This was really a shaking of the earth, it really literally happened. So when it says sun, moon, stars, that's what it's going to look like.
Matt Stokes: 15:36 If you study John, and when you study Greek, and I took two years of Greek, when you study Greek, they study John. Do you know why? Because John only has a vocabulary of 500 words, which is remarkable because most people think that Revelations like the deepest book in the Bible, and actually is written with the most simplistic language of any of the gospel writers or the New Testament writers in general, he has a vocabulary of 500 words. He's trying to describe to you what he sees. So when he says that he sees the stars fall from the heavens, was there an nuclear explosion, did the earth get pulled off its axis, and it actually looked like the stars fell. Like, I don't know, but I'm saying to John, this is what it looks like. What's going to happen, I don't know. I'm good, I'm good with not knowing, I'm okay to be a pastor and actually have a degree in theology. My professor of theology was actually with us this past week was a wonderful time together, he actually was here on Thursday night and heard Matthew. And when he left, his wife said, we have a lot of questions. I'm like, so do. Thursday was great. If you weren't here on Thursday, you've got to listen to the message from Matthew Maher on Thursday night.
Matt Stokes: 16:47 But the point is this, there is some poetry that's integrated with history, I mean, you just can't deny that, but the Milky Way plunging into the earth, I don't think so, that would be the end of the Earth's existence, but that's what it looked like to John. John is a simple man, these are not scientific, technical, geological descriptions, it's just what John saw. I believe, and I'm personally theologically persuaded, that we're going to watch all this as well from heaven's balcony. But still, how's it going to happen? I don't know, I just know that this is the way that John is seeing it. The substance we consider to be the most stable in the entire universe, the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, they're going to be shaken, they're going to be loosened. We're going to see the wonder of the world, the creative order, out of order. At first gathering when I said that, someone brought their infant in here and the baby just went [baby screaming sound] right at that moment. Like cash, I literally could not have paid that baby for better timing, she's like [baby screaming sound].
Matt Stokes: 18:08 In the Greek, the word in the Greek is luo, it's the first word I remember that we studied in class because it's a very simple word, luo, the verb, the noun, the adjective, loosen. It's the word used here, that the world is going to be loosened. Actually, Peter uses it as well, listen, as I read it very quickly, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, this is Peter speaking, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements show melt with fervent heat and the earth also, and the works therein, shall burned up. Seeing then that all of these things shall be luo, they shall be shaken, they shall be loosened. What manner of persons ought we to be in the way that we live, and in godliness, looking and hastening for the coming of the what, the day of the Lord, where in the heavens being on fire shall be luo. That's that word again, shaken, loosened. And the elements shall melt with fervent heat. I'm trying to bring this to you, because I want you to see this idea of the day of the Lord, and the earth actually being loosened, is thematic throughout the entire scope of scripture.
Matt Stokes: 19:28 So many thoughts, I wish I could get into so many more details, but we have to continue to move on. We're all going to know that the creator is behind this, they're not going to be like today on the news report, it seems like the sun turned to blood. Like, no, they're going to know that it's God, because it says it right here in the scriptures, they're going to say, this is the great and terrible day of the Lord, who can survive this. Along with 144,000 Jews who will be testifying about it, they're going to know that God is behind it. Because they're going to be there, these preachers, and we'll talk about them as we move through the chapters, they're going to be there in these last days, and the world will know what's going on, the what and the why. It's going to be the wrath of the Lamb, which is just like sacred irony, right? Because no one's scared of the Lamb. No one's like, I saw a lamb, and I just took whole running. I mean, it was right behind me, I was like, God. Like nobody runs from a lamb. No one says, yeah, so I was in the field, right? And I just looked at lamb right in the eyes, right like this, and I had no fear. It's like, dude, you're weird. Right? Like nobody's afraid of a lamb.
Matt Stokes: 20:46 But not how it's going to be on this day, no way. The ultimate sacrifice of the worst sinners are brought to salvation, and that is being rejected, and the ramification of that rejection, of that invitation, is going to be experienced by everyone, in opposition, for whatever wicked reason. And I love you, and all of you watching, enough to tell you that. That is just as much a part of the gospel, as God is saying, God, I'm love, God is love, but I'm also wrath. You want to see the wrath of my love, do you want to see the wrath of my love. What, the wrath of your love? Yeah, like my kids are grown now, right? Like Matthew's kids are still very young, practically newborns and infant toddler. Matthew can be very passionate, no, no he can, no seriously, you might not know that, Matt can get a little hot under the collar sometimes. But I'll tell you that's nothing, whatever you think you might've seen from this platform, compared to what would happen if someone touched one of his kids, The love of a father for his children, you won't see Matthew passionate or hot, you'll see his wrath, because wrath is a part of love. If I looked at someone touching one of my kids in a way that you never touched them, and I said, oh, I love you, I love you. Right? That would not be love, that would be impotence. And we're talking about the eternal God in heaven who sent his one and only sinless son to be tortured and crucified at the hands of men, and then to be rejected in his invitation of his love and forgiveness, there's going to be a consequence. And this is very much a part of the gospel, as much as every other part of the gospel. And I'd be amiss, and so would Matthew, or anyone else who stands on this platform, if we didn't say it.
Matt Stokes: 23:09 Do you understand? This is not hide me from the falling stars, hide me from the meteors, hide me from the moon, hide me from the suffering, hide me from the catastrophes, this is hide me from God. The one who sits upon the throne and the Lamb, you won't be able to avoid them anymore. So what's the ultimate question? The ultimate question that this passage is asking is this, who is able to stand, who can stand? Those who have persecuted God's people will quake in as they face the wrath of the Lamb.
Matt Stokes: 23:49 Listen again to chapter 6 verse 12, bless you, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood." Now watch this, I'm going to go to Revelation 11, "And at the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven." So in the midst of the earthquake, there's this huge conversion taking place at the same time, do you see this? Revelation 16, "Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath. All of nature is going to be effected, the sun, the moon, the stars, as well as the heavens and the mountains. And if you were watching carefully, it even says and even the islands.
Matt Stokes: 25:09 According to Daniel 9, seven years are assigned. And this is part of what Matthew talked about last Thursday, two times, times and a half time, seven years are assigned, particularly looking at the last second half of what's called the tribulation with Israel in this prophetic calendar that's being unfolded for you. Not just in Revelation, but all throughout the Bible, beginning at the signing, this is what you'll learn from Thursday night, and you're hearing here in Revelation, beginning with the signing of a global agreement with a global governmental leader. And this is what Matthew was saying, how can there be a global governmental leader, if there isn't a global policy, if there isn't a global currency, if there isn't a global democracy of some sort that's going to be laid out for us. This person will eventually become known as a tyrannical dictator, not just a global governmental leader, and he in the scriptures is referred to as the Antichrist.
Matt Stokes: 26:11 These years that I'm describing to you are known as the tribulation period, and it comes to an end with Christ returned to the earth to bring judgment and establish His own kingdom. So as we study these fourteen intense chapters, 6 through 19, 6 through 19, we should remember that John wrote this, hey, he wrote this to encourage us. Like, I don't know how you're feeling right now, I know how I felt on Thursday at the end of that message. It was like, whew, I need a towel to like dab myself, it's heavy stuff. But you have to remember these things were written to encourage every believer in every age of history. He was not only writing prophecy, that would be fulfilled in the end times, but he's writing great and practical theology, dramatically revealing the character of God and the principles of his kingdom. These chapters describe a cosmic conflict that's going on between God and the powers of darkness and the power of sin and the power of Satan, as well as the New Jerusalem and Babylon. Along with the day of the Lord, I wish I could spend three weeks on the concept of Babylon.
Matt Stokes: 27:24 But no matter what, listen please, no matter what, eschatological esoterical, metaphysical, theological, key you use to unlock any questions in Revelation, you can't help but see this. The exaltation of the one who sits upon the throne. The exaltation of the one who sits upon the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb/Lion, as he vindicates liberates, exonerates, emancipates, his faithful ones and proclaims them victorious. Can somebody say amen at the second gathering? And at the sight of God, sitting on the throne, all human beings, did you read this with me, king and criminal, wealthy, weak, and powerful, great and small, slave and free, all Christ rejecting humanity will be terrified experiencing His sovereignty. They will actually get to the point where they actually call for mountains to fall on them, so that they can be hidden, so that their faces don't have to actually look at the fear that they will have in experiencing the wrath of the Lamb.
Matt Stokes: 28:41 So here's the practical point to take from this passage and put into your heart today, in the midst of all of this content, a lot of verses. This vivid picture that I'm painting for you, that actually is coming right out of scripture is not intended to frighten believers, for them, the Lamb is the gentle Savior. However, God is going to give man over to his decision to try to create what, if I had the time, to try to recreate what's called Babylon. It's been done many times, and it's going to be attempted to be done again, and he's going to give them over to Babylon, he's going to give them over to their creature comforts, and their fallen nature. But for those generals, and for those emperors, and Kings, and even peasants, and pontificating politicians who previously showed no fear for God and arrogantly flaunted their rebellious unbelief, they will tragically and infinitely find out they were wrong about the God of eternity. And they will have to face God's wrath, no one who has rejected God can survive the day of his wrath,
Matt Stokes: 29:55 But those who belong to Christ will receive a reward, glorious praise. Like really, God's going to praise me? I mean, that sounds like blasphemy, except that's what the Bible says. The Bible says that God's going to look at me and be like, well done, you're a good servant, you're a faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. And he's going to rejoice over you, he's going to sing over you. So the question is, is like, do you belong to Christ? Like, that's the ultimate question right now is like, do you belong to Christ? If so, you do not need to fear these final days.
Matt Stokes: 30:33 So who shall be able to stand, listen to this, First Corinthians 15, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand." Romans chapter 5, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." Ephesians chapter 6, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, therefore ye stand." The reason we can stand is because Jesus stood. Can you say amen to that? The reason we can stand is because Jesus stood. Jesus stood in our place, so who shall be able to stand? We are, we're able to stand because we've trusted in Jesus Christ, and the same thing is true for everyone who trusts in Christ, even in the midst of this tribulation.
Matt Stokes: 31:44 There's going to be revival in the nation of Israel, and they'll be able to stand as well. That's this invitation, it's going out to everybody. And I consider the intensity of what's happening here, and what these people are going to be going through in this period. We receive the grace of God, so we're already able to stand because of Jesus Christ, but we need to think about those who are going to stand and experience this in these days, and we need to pray now, pray for revival now. Let's also be thankful now, and be encouraged for the grace of God that's already been given to us. The forever question that I'm going to ask until I see God face to face, and maybe I'm going to ask it into eternity is, why me? Why does he love me? Why did he give his grace to me? Why not someone else? I don't have the answer to that question. As much as I ponder it, there are some questions I can't answer no matter how many books I study, preachers I listened to, commentaries I've read, why me? I don't know, but I do know that God has chosen me to be one that has drowned. I've drowned under the waterfall of his grace, and I've been washed in the blood of the sacrifice of his son.
Matt Stokes: 33:06 Here's the gospel, if you're watching today, maybe for the first time, if you're visiting with us, here's the gospel. You can let the wrath of God, his perfect infinite justice upon sin be executed upon his own son, and Christ becomes forgiveness for you in some kind of sacred exchange. This sacred, mysterious, gracious exchange in which Christ absorbs the judgment of every sinner upon the earth, and exchanges that for your forgiveness. And he gives that invitation to anyone, from anywhere, who's done anything, at any time, in any place, because he's the eternal one that stepped into time to pay the debt for everyone in the realm of humble humanity who has searched for true forgiveness and found Christ, or every sinner can pay the price by themselves. Every sinner can pay the price for themselves, the choice is yours.
Matt Stokes: 34:02 But if you choose number two, my question for you, what are you paying with? What will you be paying with? See, Isaiah chapter 64 says, "That your righteousness, is as filthy rags before God." Paul says in Philippians chapter 3, "Whatever things were gained to me." And if you knew the apostle Paul, he's got a lot of things that he could say about his religious pedigree, and who he is as a religious person, and also who he is nationally, as well as his spiritual pedigree. He says, "Whatever things were gained to me, I count them all but loss." In fact, he actually says, I count them but dung, you know, like poop. You know, that's what dung is, like when my mom told me to put on my dungarees, right? You know, a dungarees, are there the pants that you wore when you went to work with the horses out in the manure, they were your poop pants. That's why they called them dungarees, you were really wearing poop pants. Paul says, I count everything about me that you might think is really impressive of my pedigree, I counted dung. "I count it all but loss, for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, of whom I'm willing to suffer the loss of all things that I might gain him."
Matt Stokes: 35:24 So let's wrap it up, what's being said is absolutely, without question, no new revelation. The world, this whole world, is going to be shaken. The ultimate question in this passage is, who was able to stand? John wrote to encourage God's people in every age and from every land, worthy is the Lamb. We're going to sing that new song, the arrogant rebellious will find out they were wrong, But you need not fear these final days if it is Christ to whom you belong. We're going to move into a time of communion right now, let me say these last words today, are these the final days of the tribulation? No. Are these the final days before those final days? Sure seems like it. Is the vaccine the mark of the beast? No, but watch out for Johnson and Johnson, but are the other ones about as good as the flu shot? Sure seems like it. Is Joe Biden the Antichrist? No. Don't laugh at that, please, I didn't do that at first and I won't do it at third, but I will receive emails that were like, you thought it was funny when you shook your head like that, but I won't be coming back no more. Signed, anonymous.
Matt Stokes: 37:06 Joe Biden is not the Antichrist, okay, this is what I'm talking about, it's what Matthew and I talk about when we're talking about Christian sensationalism, beware. However, do we see the government enforcing restrictions that have a specific effect on Christians? Sure seems like it. Was Adolf Hitler a hater of Jews and the nation of Israel, attempting to conquer the continent of Europe, looking to rule the world. Yes. Did Saddam Hussein attempt to rally the middle East and make war against the Jews in Israel, sending a hail storm of intercontinental ballistic missiles into the city of Jerusalem when I was about 19 years old? Yes. Is everything I just said to you a symbolic reflection, and a foreshadow precursor example, of just how easily governments can manipulate the world on a global level? Absolutely. How about an Antichrist philosophy that could take over nationally, take over globally, take over immediately? Absolutely.
Matt Stokes: 38:06 As your pastor, my calling is not to be creative, my calling is to be clear. More than anything else, clear, clear about Christ, clear in regards to Christ, clear about the message of the cross, clear to Christians about the inevitable coming crisis. But also clear about the inevitable coming King, about the all-powerful coming King, the immortal coming King, the eternal coming King, the indomitable coming King, the kind, patient, loving King, the mysterious, matchless, mighty King. The all wise, all powerful, ever present, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And with that, we're going to a whole nother level.
Recorded in Ocean City, New Jersey.
Matt Stokes: 00:35 Revelation chapter 6, I wish I could go back and give you a refresher course, but we have to get right into this. There are seven seals, and these seven seals as they open reveals seven different ways that God is bringing judgment upon the earth. So we're looking right now, there's only two seals left before we move into the next parts of the Book of Revelation, we're looking at the six seal as we begin today. The sixth seal changes the scene back to the physical world, before that we were actually looking at things that were kind of very metaphysical, things that were taking place in heaven, the first five judgments were directed towards specific areas, but this judgment is universal.
Matt Stokes: 01:19 This judgment is universal, everyone will be afraid when the earth itself trembles. So watch with me, please read along, in Revelation, chapter 6 beginning in verse 12. And it says this, "As I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood." Please stick with me and watch the details, because I want to get into them as much as I can within our short time together, "Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. What? 15, "Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” Being a King James person, I know specifically it says, "Who is able to stand? I like rendering, I want to talk about that today, "Who is able to stand?"
Matt Stokes: 03:08 Do you see the contrast here? If you were with us the last time we were together in Revelation, you saw that there were these martyrs that were in heaven and they were crying out to God, and they were saying, because they were martyred for their testimony of Christ and for the word of God, they were crying, avenge us. But the unbelievers of the earth they're crying, hide us. The opening of the sixth seal produces worldwide catastrophes, including three great earthquakes, but with those earthquakes come also remarkable conversions to Christ. And we'll look at that as we continue to move into the Book of Revelation, opening of the sixth seal here offers a glimpse into how Christ is subduing all things unto himself. Which is one of my favorite verses in Philippians, near the end of the Book of Philippians, it says, "Now unto him, who has the power to subdue all things unto himself." That's Jesus Christ, that's what he's in the process of doing not only globally, but right down to you personally, he wants to subdue you with his love and have you surrender onto him.
Matt Stokes: 04:17 These cataclysmic signs are associated with scripture, and they're associated with what's called the day of the Lord. And Matthew and I were talking throughout the week, and even between these gatherings about, we could probably just do four weeks on just the day of the Lord. Matt probably is going to get into it more on Thursday, because Daniel and Revelation talk about this time, it's not just the day, the day of the Lord is not like Tuesday, the day of the Lord is a season, it's an epoch. And we'll talk more about that, the day of the Lord, when God's judgment is going to overturn the whole created order of the world. It's important as a student of scripture to realize this, what's being said in Revelation, is absolutely without question, no new revelation at all.
Matt Stokes: 05:14 Watch with me, just try to absorb this. I'm going to put some of it on the slides for you, but I'm also just going to read, and I want, what we focused on in those opening verses, those 12 through 17. Watch as I read thousands of years earlier, and watch what these ancient prophets said that had to do with what John said in the Book of Revelation. Isaiah chapter 13, "Hear the noise on the mountains! Shouting of many nations. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together. For see, the day of the LORD is coming— the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises." Here's Isaiah 34, "For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations. The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and their hosts shall fall down. And the leaf shall fall from the vine, as falling figs from the fig tree." Is that not exactly what John said?
Matt Stokes: 06:21 Joel chapter 2, "The earth shall quake before them, and the heavens shall tremble. The sun and moon shall be dark, the stars shall withdrawal thief shining, for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible. Listen, listen, "Who can abide it?" Is that not the same as who can withstand it? Who can stand? Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and rend your heart, and not your garments." In those days, a Hebraic expression of utter repentance and brokenness, they would actually rip their garment. It isn't like today where we all have a lot of clothes, like my wife is constantly telling me I have to clean out my closet because I have too many clothes. Which is crazy, does anyone else go through this? Because like, I wear the same thing all the time, but my closet is still filled with all these clothes that I just never wear even though they're in there. Does anybody to talk to their spouse about cleaning out their closet because there's just too much stuff you've got in there? Do you know what I'm saying? And even though I only wear this section, my closet's like this big, and so we all have a lot of clothes. But in these days to rip your garment was a big idea, because nobody had that many clothes, you had one garment, maybe two. And so here, he's saying, don't try and show your disgust by ripping your garments, he's saying, instead, rend your heart, let your heartbreak. "Rend your heart, not your garments, turn onto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, and slow to anger, and of great kindness."
Matt Stokes: 08:00 My point is, is he's like, umm listen, the world's coming to an end and a lot of people are going to die, and suffer, and it's going to be terrible. But I love you, and I want you to come to me, so I'm praying that your heartbreaks in the midst of this and that you see that I'm gracious and a merciful. And as you cry out for the rocks to fall upon you, just remember, I was slow to anger, like I waited, I'm of great kindness. It's important for everyone in this room, believer or non-believer, whether you're watching online, to see the great and terrible day of the Lord is integrated with great mercy and great grace and an invitation, it's all an invitation to surrender to him.
Matt Stokes: 08:46 This still coming from Joel chapter 2, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever (Here's the phrase again) shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved." Most of us know that Romans uses the same verse in chapter 10, it says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, shall be delivered." I'm bringing these points from the Old Testament scriptures, because if you haven't studied the whole counsel of scripture, you might find this to be new revelation. And some of it certainly is, it's called the Book of Revelation, but much of it isn't. It talks about how they will hide themselves from the face of the one who sits upon the throne of judgment. God told us in the scriptures 5,000 years earlier, that unredeemed people will be terrified and seek, did you see this with me, they seek a safe hiding place, but it will be completely in vain.
Matt Stokes: 09:57 Listen again, Isaiah chapter 2, "And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth." Here's Hosea chapter 10, "They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us." Here's Jesus in Luke chapter 23, "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us." If I had the time, I could give you a fistful of verses that continue to bring revelation to you from the Old Testament scriptures, and the prophets who wrote thousands of years earlier. The prophets repeatedly warned that the great day of the Lord was coming, and this day would be a day of wrath, this day would be a day of judgment. And the ultimate question concerning the judgment is this, who is able to stand, who is able to abide, who is able to withstand the judgment of God? Again, Malakai chapter 3, "But who will abide in the day of his coming, who shall stand when he appeared?" And that's important for us to remember, because that's a big part of what I'm trying to communicate today. And I will, in the short time we have together, because we're going to move into communion.
Matt Stokes: 11:35 Here's the other side, we also have already seen that God's children, God's people, the redeemed, those who have surrendered their lives to Christ, they're rejoicing in chapter 5. Just before this passage, you have the last passage, and they're worshiping God, they're praising God, they're praising the Lamb, and the one who sits upon the throne. And they're singing. Holy Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. And they're giving worship, and they're giving praise, because they understand God's response to the martyrs cry for vengeance in that particular place in 9 through 11, in those verses, they themselves have nothing to fear from God's judgment. And neither to you, if you, you've surrendered to Christ. Are you listening online? If you surrender to Christ, you've got nothing to fear.
Matt Stokes: 12:28 Now, people look at this language and they wonder how much of this is metaphor. I'm going to tell you what I'm personally persuaded, that when it says earthquake, it actually means earthquake, right? Were you here last Sunday when pastor Chris Einwechter said that he studied the Greek and the word nothing means nothing, right? Earthquake is an earthquake. Be careful not to spiritualize anything, or everything. You know, Matthew often talks about mainstream Marxism, and I'm saying there's a danger in that. Let's come over here, because I've got a passion too about something, called Christian sensationalism. And both of those are dangerous, and we need to be very careful. Is the sky rolling back like a scroll, a nuclear bomb, because we've all seen when a nuclear bomb goes off, how that mushroom cloud goes up, and it actually looks like the sky gets rolled back, like a scroll. Maybe? People talk about this creature that seems like it is a scorpion type sting upon it, and apparently it inflicts people with a certain measure of pain for six months, later on as we read through Revelation, and people say it's this special helicopter, that's got this thing on the back. And then he saw what looked like a scorpion, it was really a helicopter with a stick. I don't know, right? Who knows?
Matt Stokes: 13:50 You know, so be careful today, you know, a couple of years ago, Donald Trump was the antichrist. Today, Joe, Biden's the antichrist, I'm saying watch out believers. Be very careful when you start throwing out that kind of language because you know what it does, it just deconstructs your legitimacy as a certified, bonafide, qualified, believer. Do you remember growing up, at least three times, I remember growing up, there were people that said Christ was coming, firs it was 1988, and then there was another one in the mid-nineties, and I remember there was another one by the name Harold Camping and this guy's prophecies. And it's just like going through all that, and like people were really getting ready, you know? So it's like the Halle Bop comet, don't you know, it's really.... I'm like, look, everybody's settle down, stick with the scriptures, and don't get into Christian sensationalism.
Matt Stokes: 14:43 I read many commentaries, I read a lot of books, I do a lot of research, Matthew and I, we love to research, right? So we always appreciate when you say thank you for studying so hard, honestly, that's like thanking us for eating chocolate cake. Right? Because we love to study, right, we love to research. One of the people that I really study in commentary, I'm not going to mention his name, but this is what he did with the earth shaking, listen to this, Constantine, who was the emperor of the day, Constantine's changes to the Roman government, as well as the world caused a lot of things to shake, and is therefore symbolized as a quaking of the earth. No, I mean, I know you're like a doctor of theology, but that's just not true. This was really a shaking of the earth, it really literally happened. So when it says sun, moon, stars, that's what it's going to look like.
Matt Stokes: 15:36 If you study John, and when you study Greek, and I took two years of Greek, when you study Greek, they study John. Do you know why? Because John only has a vocabulary of 500 words, which is remarkable because most people think that Revelations like the deepest book in the Bible, and actually is written with the most simplistic language of any of the gospel writers or the New Testament writers in general, he has a vocabulary of 500 words. He's trying to describe to you what he sees. So when he says that he sees the stars fall from the heavens, was there an nuclear explosion, did the earth get pulled off its axis, and it actually looked like the stars fell. Like, I don't know, but I'm saying to John, this is what it looks like. What's going to happen, I don't know. I'm good, I'm good with not knowing, I'm okay to be a pastor and actually have a degree in theology. My professor of theology was actually with us this past week was a wonderful time together, he actually was here on Thursday night and heard Matthew. And when he left, his wife said, we have a lot of questions. I'm like, so do. Thursday was great. If you weren't here on Thursday, you've got to listen to the message from Matthew Maher on Thursday night.
Matt Stokes: 16:47 But the point is this, there is some poetry that's integrated with history, I mean, you just can't deny that, but the Milky Way plunging into the earth, I don't think so, that would be the end of the Earth's existence, but that's what it looked like to John. John is a simple man, these are not scientific, technical, geological descriptions, it's just what John saw. I believe, and I'm personally theologically persuaded, that we're going to watch all this as well from heaven's balcony. But still, how's it going to happen? I don't know, I just know that this is the way that John is seeing it. The substance we consider to be the most stable in the entire universe, the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, they're going to be shaken, they're going to be loosened. We're going to see the wonder of the world, the creative order, out of order. At first gathering when I said that, someone brought their infant in here and the baby just went [baby screaming sound] right at that moment. Like cash, I literally could not have paid that baby for better timing, she's like [baby screaming sound].
Matt Stokes: 18:08 In the Greek, the word in the Greek is luo, it's the first word I remember that we studied in class because it's a very simple word, luo, the verb, the noun, the adjective, loosen. It's the word used here, that the world is going to be loosened. Actually, Peter uses it as well, listen, as I read it very quickly, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, this is Peter speaking, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements show melt with fervent heat and the earth also, and the works therein, shall burned up. Seeing then that all of these things shall be luo, they shall be shaken, they shall be loosened. What manner of persons ought we to be in the way that we live, and in godliness, looking and hastening for the coming of the what, the day of the Lord, where in the heavens being on fire shall be luo. That's that word again, shaken, loosened. And the elements shall melt with fervent heat. I'm trying to bring this to you, because I want you to see this idea of the day of the Lord, and the earth actually being loosened, is thematic throughout the entire scope of scripture.
Matt Stokes: 19:28 So many thoughts, I wish I could get into so many more details, but we have to continue to move on. We're all going to know that the creator is behind this, they're not going to be like today on the news report, it seems like the sun turned to blood. Like, no, they're going to know that it's God, because it says it right here in the scriptures, they're going to say, this is the great and terrible day of the Lord, who can survive this. Along with 144,000 Jews who will be testifying about it, they're going to know that God is behind it. Because they're going to be there, these preachers, and we'll talk about them as we move through the chapters, they're going to be there in these last days, and the world will know what's going on, the what and the why. It's going to be the wrath of the Lamb, which is just like sacred irony, right? Because no one's scared of the Lamb. No one's like, I saw a lamb, and I just took whole running. I mean, it was right behind me, I was like, God. Like nobody runs from a lamb. No one says, yeah, so I was in the field, right? And I just looked at lamb right in the eyes, right like this, and I had no fear. It's like, dude, you're weird. Right? Like nobody's afraid of a lamb.
Matt Stokes: 20:46 But not how it's going to be on this day, no way. The ultimate sacrifice of the worst sinners are brought to salvation, and that is being rejected, and the ramification of that rejection, of that invitation, is going to be experienced by everyone, in opposition, for whatever wicked reason. And I love you, and all of you watching, enough to tell you that. That is just as much a part of the gospel, as God is saying, God, I'm love, God is love, but I'm also wrath. You want to see the wrath of my love, do you want to see the wrath of my love. What, the wrath of your love? Yeah, like my kids are grown now, right? Like Matthew's kids are still very young, practically newborns and infant toddler. Matthew can be very passionate, no, no he can, no seriously, you might not know that, Matt can get a little hot under the collar sometimes. But I'll tell you that's nothing, whatever you think you might've seen from this platform, compared to what would happen if someone touched one of his kids, The love of a father for his children, you won't see Matthew passionate or hot, you'll see his wrath, because wrath is a part of love. If I looked at someone touching one of my kids in a way that you never touched them, and I said, oh, I love you, I love you. Right? That would not be love, that would be impotence. And we're talking about the eternal God in heaven who sent his one and only sinless son to be tortured and crucified at the hands of men, and then to be rejected in his invitation of his love and forgiveness, there's going to be a consequence. And this is very much a part of the gospel, as much as every other part of the gospel. And I'd be amiss, and so would Matthew, or anyone else who stands on this platform, if we didn't say it.
Matt Stokes: 23:09 Do you understand? This is not hide me from the falling stars, hide me from the meteors, hide me from the moon, hide me from the suffering, hide me from the catastrophes, this is hide me from God. The one who sits upon the throne and the Lamb, you won't be able to avoid them anymore. So what's the ultimate question? The ultimate question that this passage is asking is this, who is able to stand, who can stand? Those who have persecuted God's people will quake in as they face the wrath of the Lamb.
Matt Stokes: 23:49 Listen again to chapter 6 verse 12, bless you, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood." Now watch this, I'm going to go to Revelation 11, "And at the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven." So in the midst of the earthquake, there's this huge conversion taking place at the same time, do you see this? Revelation 16, "Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath. All of nature is going to be effected, the sun, the moon, the stars, as well as the heavens and the mountains. And if you were watching carefully, it even says and even the islands.
Matt Stokes: 25:09 According to Daniel 9, seven years are assigned. And this is part of what Matthew talked about last Thursday, two times, times and a half time, seven years are assigned, particularly looking at the last second half of what's called the tribulation with Israel in this prophetic calendar that's being unfolded for you. Not just in Revelation, but all throughout the Bible, beginning at the signing, this is what you'll learn from Thursday night, and you're hearing here in Revelation, beginning with the signing of a global agreement with a global governmental leader. And this is what Matthew was saying, how can there be a global governmental leader, if there isn't a global policy, if there isn't a global currency, if there isn't a global democracy of some sort that's going to be laid out for us. This person will eventually become known as a tyrannical dictator, not just a global governmental leader, and he in the scriptures is referred to as the Antichrist.
Matt Stokes: 26:11 These years that I'm describing to you are known as the tribulation period, and it comes to an end with Christ returned to the earth to bring judgment and establish His own kingdom. So as we study these fourteen intense chapters, 6 through 19, 6 through 19, we should remember that John wrote this, hey, he wrote this to encourage us. Like, I don't know how you're feeling right now, I know how I felt on Thursday at the end of that message. It was like, whew, I need a towel to like dab myself, it's heavy stuff. But you have to remember these things were written to encourage every believer in every age of history. He was not only writing prophecy, that would be fulfilled in the end times, but he's writing great and practical theology, dramatically revealing the character of God and the principles of his kingdom. These chapters describe a cosmic conflict that's going on between God and the powers of darkness and the power of sin and the power of Satan, as well as the New Jerusalem and Babylon. Along with the day of the Lord, I wish I could spend three weeks on the concept of Babylon.
Matt Stokes: 27:24 But no matter what, listen please, no matter what, eschatological esoterical, metaphysical, theological, key you use to unlock any questions in Revelation, you can't help but see this. The exaltation of the one who sits upon the throne. The exaltation of the one who sits upon the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb/Lion, as he vindicates liberates, exonerates, emancipates, his faithful ones and proclaims them victorious. Can somebody say amen at the second gathering? And at the sight of God, sitting on the throne, all human beings, did you read this with me, king and criminal, wealthy, weak, and powerful, great and small, slave and free, all Christ rejecting humanity will be terrified experiencing His sovereignty. They will actually get to the point where they actually call for mountains to fall on them, so that they can be hidden, so that their faces don't have to actually look at the fear that they will have in experiencing the wrath of the Lamb.
Matt Stokes: 28:41 So here's the practical point to take from this passage and put into your heart today, in the midst of all of this content, a lot of verses. This vivid picture that I'm painting for you, that actually is coming right out of scripture is not intended to frighten believers, for them, the Lamb is the gentle Savior. However, God is going to give man over to his decision to try to create what, if I had the time, to try to recreate what's called Babylon. It's been done many times, and it's going to be attempted to be done again, and he's going to give them over to Babylon, he's going to give them over to their creature comforts, and their fallen nature. But for those generals, and for those emperors, and Kings, and even peasants, and pontificating politicians who previously showed no fear for God and arrogantly flaunted their rebellious unbelief, they will tragically and infinitely find out they were wrong about the God of eternity. And they will have to face God's wrath, no one who has rejected God can survive the day of his wrath,
Matt Stokes: 29:55 But those who belong to Christ will receive a reward, glorious praise. Like really, God's going to praise me? I mean, that sounds like blasphemy, except that's what the Bible says. The Bible says that God's going to look at me and be like, well done, you're a good servant, you're a faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. And he's going to rejoice over you, he's going to sing over you. So the question is, is like, do you belong to Christ? Like, that's the ultimate question right now is like, do you belong to Christ? If so, you do not need to fear these final days.
Matt Stokes: 30:33 So who shall be able to stand, listen to this, First Corinthians 15, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand." Romans chapter 5, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." Ephesians chapter 6, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, therefore ye stand." The reason we can stand is because Jesus stood. Can you say amen to that? The reason we can stand is because Jesus stood. Jesus stood in our place, so who shall be able to stand? We are, we're able to stand because we've trusted in Jesus Christ, and the same thing is true for everyone who trusts in Christ, even in the midst of this tribulation.
Matt Stokes: 31:44 There's going to be revival in the nation of Israel, and they'll be able to stand as well. That's this invitation, it's going out to everybody. And I consider the intensity of what's happening here, and what these people are going to be going through in this period. We receive the grace of God, so we're already able to stand because of Jesus Christ, but we need to think about those who are going to stand and experience this in these days, and we need to pray now, pray for revival now. Let's also be thankful now, and be encouraged for the grace of God that's already been given to us. The forever question that I'm going to ask until I see God face to face, and maybe I'm going to ask it into eternity is, why me? Why does he love me? Why did he give his grace to me? Why not someone else? I don't have the answer to that question. As much as I ponder it, there are some questions I can't answer no matter how many books I study, preachers I listened to, commentaries I've read, why me? I don't know, but I do know that God has chosen me to be one that has drowned. I've drowned under the waterfall of his grace, and I've been washed in the blood of the sacrifice of his son.
Matt Stokes: 33:06 Here's the gospel, if you're watching today, maybe for the first time, if you're visiting with us, here's the gospel. You can let the wrath of God, his perfect infinite justice upon sin be executed upon his own son, and Christ becomes forgiveness for you in some kind of sacred exchange. This sacred, mysterious, gracious exchange in which Christ absorbs the judgment of every sinner upon the earth, and exchanges that for your forgiveness. And he gives that invitation to anyone, from anywhere, who's done anything, at any time, in any place, because he's the eternal one that stepped into time to pay the debt for everyone in the realm of humble humanity who has searched for true forgiveness and found Christ, or every sinner can pay the price by themselves. Every sinner can pay the price for themselves, the choice is yours.
Matt Stokes: 34:02 But if you choose number two, my question for you, what are you paying with? What will you be paying with? See, Isaiah chapter 64 says, "That your righteousness, is as filthy rags before God." Paul says in Philippians chapter 3, "Whatever things were gained to me." And if you knew the apostle Paul, he's got a lot of things that he could say about his religious pedigree, and who he is as a religious person, and also who he is nationally, as well as his spiritual pedigree. He says, "Whatever things were gained to me, I count them all but loss." In fact, he actually says, I count them but dung, you know, like poop. You know, that's what dung is, like when my mom told me to put on my dungarees, right? You know, a dungarees, are there the pants that you wore when you went to work with the horses out in the manure, they were your poop pants. That's why they called them dungarees, you were really wearing poop pants. Paul says, I count everything about me that you might think is really impressive of my pedigree, I counted dung. "I count it all but loss, for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, of whom I'm willing to suffer the loss of all things that I might gain him."
Matt Stokes: 35:24 So let's wrap it up, what's being said is absolutely, without question, no new revelation. The world, this whole world, is going to be shaken. The ultimate question in this passage is, who was able to stand? John wrote to encourage God's people in every age and from every land, worthy is the Lamb. We're going to sing that new song, the arrogant rebellious will find out they were wrong, But you need not fear these final days if it is Christ to whom you belong. We're going to move into a time of communion right now, let me say these last words today, are these the final days of the tribulation? No. Are these the final days before those final days? Sure seems like it. Is the vaccine the mark of the beast? No, but watch out for Johnson and Johnson, but are the other ones about as good as the flu shot? Sure seems like it. Is Joe Biden the Antichrist? No. Don't laugh at that, please, I didn't do that at first and I won't do it at third, but I will receive emails that were like, you thought it was funny when you shook your head like that, but I won't be coming back no more. Signed, anonymous.
Matt Stokes: 37:06 Joe Biden is not the Antichrist, okay, this is what I'm talking about, it's what Matthew and I talk about when we're talking about Christian sensationalism, beware. However, do we see the government enforcing restrictions that have a specific effect on Christians? Sure seems like it. Was Adolf Hitler a hater of Jews and the nation of Israel, attempting to conquer the continent of Europe, looking to rule the world. Yes. Did Saddam Hussein attempt to rally the middle East and make war against the Jews in Israel, sending a hail storm of intercontinental ballistic missiles into the city of Jerusalem when I was about 19 years old? Yes. Is everything I just said to you a symbolic reflection, and a foreshadow precursor example, of just how easily governments can manipulate the world on a global level? Absolutely. How about an Antichrist philosophy that could take over nationally, take over globally, take over immediately? Absolutely.
Matt Stokes: 38:06 As your pastor, my calling is not to be creative, my calling is to be clear. More than anything else, clear, clear about Christ, clear in regards to Christ, clear about the message of the cross, clear to Christians about the inevitable coming crisis. But also clear about the inevitable coming King, about the all-powerful coming King, the immortal coming King, the eternal coming King, the indomitable coming King, the kind, patient, loving King, the mysterious, matchless, mighty King. The all wise, all powerful, ever present, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And with that, we're going to a whole nother level.
Recorded in Ocean City, New Jersey.
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