The Plowman

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An exposition of Revelation 15:1-16:21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, October 12, 2008.

Introduction:
We live in strange times. The world is changing rapidly. With the recent economic woes and the events of the last couple of weeks many are wondering if this is the beginning of the end. We face uncertain times and uncertain times tend to drive people toward prophetic questions. What’s in our future? Is our current crisis part of biblical prophecy? Will this economic collapse play into the hand of some yet to be revealed leader who will preside over a one-world government? What about the rapture? Does this mean we’ll be “taken out” soon? The fact is we are spoiled. We have enjoyed such a prolonged period of religious peace in the western world that we think we are entitled to peace. Weassume that we are not to suffer. That the church will not go through tribulation. Tell that to the Christians of the Sudan. Tell that to the Christians of China. Tell it to the Christians of North Korea. According to an article from World Magazine published in April of 2007 the North Korean government kills 300 people a year because of their faith. An estimated 50,000 believers live in the squalid surroundings of Kim Jong Il’s gulag. One Christian man was hung upside down by the local warden who demanded that he deny his faith in Christ. Refusing to do so, the warden “pushed him to the ground, ordering 6,000 prisoners to trample him to death.” Eight more had molten iron poured over them when they refused to deny the existence of heaven. Others are deliberately crippled, left naked, and starved. Why such violent opposition to non-violent prisoners? The answer is simple – Kim Jong Il is considered a god. The fact is God’s people have suffered from the beginning. Believers in every age have had to faced the wrath of the dragon and his beast. It is naïve at best to think we would never be forced to walk the martyr’s path. The promise of God’s word is not that we will never suffer but that we will never suffer alone. The promise is not that we will not taste the bitterness of persecution but that we will emerge victorious even if through death. John, the aged bishop of Ephesus and beloved apostle, was given a glimpse of things to come. He was told to write what he saw and send it to the churches of Asia Minor. It was a message of hope and encouragement from the Lord of the Church to his struggling saints. They were the victims of intense persecution. It seemed Rome could do whatever she wanted. Caesar seemed to live above the reach of justice. As far as the church could tell the world was going to hell in a hand basket and Rome was immune from prosecution. Rome marched on undaunted and the church was on the verge of annihilation. But the Lord of the church said, “Hold on. That’s not quite right. You’ve got things backwards. The church is on the march and Rome is heading to her doom.” The message to the church was – you will overcome. And you will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony. Chapters 15 & 16 of Revelation tell of the final pouring out of God’s judgment on the ungodly. Its vivid language tells a horrifying tale and it serves as our text this morning.

Text: Revelation 15:1-16:21
It has been my position all along that this book meant something to those who first received it. It was not just a foretelling of the distant future. Rather it was an encouragement and an inspiration to that first century audience. Yes it does speak to the end of the age. Yes it does speak of the final outpouring of God’s judgment and the end of the world, as we know it – but it says that in a context that spoke then as well as now. The spirit of antichrist was alive and well in the first century as John makes clear in his
other letters. That same spirit has reared its ugly head in every age and will until that ultimate and final appearance at the end of time. This is apocalyptic language its vivid images and fantastic sights are intended to convey a greater truth. The red dragon is not a literal beast with 7 heads it is the symbolic representation of Satan, the god of this world, who is hell bent on destroying God’s work in the earth. The beast is not a literal beast but represents men who, empowered and inspired by Satan dare to defy God. If we are not careful we will be so busy cataloguing trees we will fail to notice the forest! The book of Revelation is not intended to settle your curiosity about the future but rather to inspire you to live your faith in the face of hostility, confusion, heartache and struggle. It is a book for pilgrims reminding us that this is not our home. Our text today speaks to those who wonder if righteousness pays. It certainly seems that the unrighteous do quite well while the godly suffer. When you look around and see wickedness and immorality at every turn and yet you see godly men and women slaughtered for their faith it is natural to ask, “What is wrong with this picture?” It is understandable that some would think, “This is not right.” You would need some assurance that things are not as they seem. You would need to know that God has things under control. As we explore these two chapters we are going to discover that…

Thesis: The visions of Revelation 15 and 16 reveal the horror of God’s final and ultimate judgment and the stubborn defiance of man’s sinful heart.
Let me point out three things quickly.

1. God’s final and ultimate judgment flows from His holy character and is His righteous response to the violation of His holy law. (15:1, 5-8)
   What will be made abundantly clear as we walk through the bowl judgments is that God’s mercy is forgotten, His compassion is withheld, and His patience is suspended. The seals and the trumpets allowed for the possibility of repentance but no more. God is coming in judgment of the unrighteous in answer to the prayers of the saints and in the execution of His divine wrath! God’s love is not without limits. His grace is not boundless. You cannot live in open rebellion to His will with impunity.
2. The judgment of God will come swiftly with devastating consequences. (16:1-9, 12-20)
   This is not a slow pouring of dripping but a sudden splash. These plagues are given in rapid fire and carry great devastation. Picture it as a fighter who staggers to his feet only to be felled again! Again I think we need to be careful of trying to make each image correspond with something physical on the earth. This is apocalyptic and its intent is to speak of devastating and debilitating judgment. When I say this may be figurative rather than literal I’m not suggesting it won’t be as bad – quite the contrary I think reality is always worse than a sign! There is no escaping. God’s judgment is swift, devastating and universal. The judgments before were limited. The seals touched a fourth of the earth; the trumpets a third of the earth; the bowls affect the whole earth. God will settle every issue of justice. No rebel, no unbeliever will escape. The only place of refuge from God’s wrath is where God has already spent His wrath – upon His Son at the cross.
3. The devastating judgment of God will not penetrate the hardened heart of the ungodly. (16:10-11, 21)
   This is one of the most disheartening passages in the Bible for me. In spite of repeated blows. In spite of God’s severe judgment the stubborn heart of man refuses to yield to God’s rule. Sinful man’s only hope is the call of God’s grace.

Quickly before I close look back in chapter 15 at verses 2-4 for a contrast with the state of the ungodly. This is another of those texts that force you to deal with where you stand in relation to the living God. Which future is yours? A future of judgment and cursing or of joyful worship?

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An exposition of Revelation 14:1-20. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, October 5, 2008.

Introduction:
I’m an old fashion kind of guy. I liked it better when good guys wore white hats and bad guys wore black. I enjoyed watching movies were you didn’t spend the first half of the movie trying to figure out which character was the good guy and which one was the villain. In other words I like the days before the “anti-hero.” I know life is more complicated than that. I understand that we are all complex human beings and there are varying degrees of good and bad. It get that. But there is something to be said for clear lines marking good and evil. In our gray world people do not like black and white but we cannot deny that black and white exist! There is right and there is wrong. There is good and there is evil. Truth and error. One of the things I appreciate more and more as I study the book of Revelation is its clarity. Throughout the book, in the midst of its vivid images and fantastic sights, there is a clear understanding of good and evil. There is an unmistakable clarity between holiness and unholiness, between righteousness and unrighteousness, between God and Satan. One passage that drives that distinction home in a vivid way is the 14th chapter.

Text: Revelation 14:1-20
John the beloved apostle and bishop of Ephesus found himself exiled to the isle of Patmos for his faithfulness to Christ and His Gospel. There along the shore, on the Lord’s Day, he had an encounter with the risen Christ. He was caught up into the heavens through an open door and given a vision of things to come. The church was suffering from severe persecution. Those troubled saints feared the end was in sight. The Lord of the church had something to say to his struggling saints and he would say it through John. Thus Revelation was intended as an encouragement and an inspiration to first century believers and to believers in every age until the Lord comes again. How do you live like a Christian when there is nothing Christian around you? Everywhere those Christians in Asia Minor looked wickedness abounded. The book of Revelation speaks to how we live for Christ in a Christ-less world. How do you maintain faithfulness when the whole world is in turmoil? John kept bringing them back to see the victorious Lamb. And in this text he makes it very clear the glory that awaits the people of God and the terror of the judgment that awaits the ungodly. As we explore this chapter we will discover that…

Thesis: The visions of Revelation 14 draw a clear line of distinction between the glory that awaits the redeemed and the wrath to be poured out upon the ungodly.

Though this chapter opens with this glorious scene in the heavenly Zion it is, in many ways, the darkest chapter of the Revelation. In vivid language John contrasts the glory of heaven and the shear terror of hell. The text forces you to come to grips with where you stand. You cannot passively consider this chapter. This chapter portrays your destiny. You will either enjoy the glory of the heavenly worship described in the opening verses or you will know the torment of God’s wrath unmixed, undiluted and in full measure.

1. In the midst of ungodliness and unholy turmoil the righteous find peace and security in their identification with the victorious Lamb. (14:1-5)
   The first thing we note is the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion. This is not the physical city of Jerusalem but rather the heavenly Zion referred to in Hebrews 12:22-24. This is the dwelling of the people of God. This is were we “abide.” The Lamb is standing – fixed, immovable. And who is with him? The 144,000 who have been redeemed from the earth. These are the redeemed. Those who have yielded to Christ. It is the redeemed community. This is the gathering of all the saints. Not an elite group. Not a spiritual Special Forces unit who’ve fought their way through the tribulation but all the redeemed. (12 X 12 X 10 X 10 X 10 = 144,000) The complete people of God from both Old and New Testament. In contrast to the mark of the beast they have the name of God on their foreheads. And note they were singing a new song. One that only the redeemed could sing. They were singing the song of redemption. Note how these worshipers are described:
   1. Have not defiled themselves with women: celibate? Are these eunuchs? Taken in context I think it means they have not played the “harlot”. They did not commit spiritual adultery by declaring Caesar is Lord.
   2. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes: discipleship. They are devoted to the Lamb.
   3. They are “firstfruits”: they are offered to God – Romans 12:1-2
   4. In their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless: they speak the truth. They did not participate in the lie of emperor worship. Dear saint this is who you are. This is your identity. Regardless of how things seem. Regardless of how difficult things may get – this is your destiny. To be gathered with the saints from every generation around the throne of God in the presence of the Lamb singing the song of redemption. Now the rest of the chapter is in stark contrast to this scene. From their perspective it looks like they are on the loosing end of things. It seems as if Rome and those who march to the beat of her drum prosper while faithfulness to Christ leads to death. But in reality it is the other way around.
2. Those who have made peace with the wickedness of this world are clearly and passionately warned of the wrath to come. (14:6-11)
   In this section we are introduced to three heralds or messengers. The first in verses 6-7 proclaims the Gospel. The second messenger comes announcing the doom of the ungodly in verse 8. The third messenger vividly portrays the torment that awaits the ungodly in 14:9-11. The message is clear: If you refuse the mark of the beast you will face the wrath of the beast If you take the mark of the beast you will face the wrath of God Take your pick. This is a horrifying picture. There is no one of making this come out nice. “The wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger…” Full strength = unmixed, undiluted, not watered down. John, under the inspiration of the Spirit, makes it abundantly clear in this text that your only hope is in the Gospel. But we are not through yet.
3. All men are made sober by the certainty and the severity of God’s judgment. (14:14-20)
   The time of judgment has come. It is appointed unto man to die once and face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment is portrayed in this passage as the harvest. First the grain harvest which speaks of the inevitability of judgment. Judgment is unavoidable. When the time is right according to God’s schedule there will come a reckoning. This judgment is also portrayed in terms of a grape harvest. Look at 14:17-20. These images are drawn from Old Testament passages like Lamentations 1:15, Isaiah 63 and Joel 3. This speaks of the violent thoroughness of God’s judgment. This ought to go a long way in destroying the myth that God was wrathful in the OT but loving in the NT. He is both loving and wrathful in both Testaments because that is who He is! Wrath is the outworking of God’s holiness when He confronts rebels. We ought to fear His wrath. Our problem is that we fear temporal judgment. We are afraid of sickness and disease. We are afraid of financial ruin or embarrassment. We ought to fear God! But we no longer believe in hell therefore we do not fear it. I would submit to you there is nothing difficult about understanding this section of Revelation – there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun!

The visions of Revelation 14 draw a clear line of distinction between the glory that awaits the redeemed and the wrath to be poured out upon the ungodly. What does your future hold?

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An exposition of Revelation 13:1-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 28, 2008.

Introduction:
It seems like a reasonable question to me. The kind of question that one would naturally ask given the context in which we live. “If Christ has finished his redemptive work and if he has conquered – why is the world in such a mess?” “If Satan has been defeated – how does he exercise so much power? Why does it appear that he is having a field day?” Doesn’t that seem to be a legitimate question? If what the Bible teaches and what we believe is true – why does there appear to be such a struggle between good and evil between righteousness and unrighteousness? The Bible is clear God is the creator of all things. That includes the devil. Satan and God are not equal powers struggling to gain mastery of the universe. God is the eternal, infinite, uncreated one. Satan is a created, finite creature. Thus it is not a “fair” fight. God is in control of all things. Everything is held together by the power of His might. But life doesn’t always reflect that – does it? There are those times when it seems that God has little or no control. There are those moments when you think He is not even paying attention.

What are you supposed to do when living righteously doesn’t “pay off”? How are you to live when your faith seems to create problems rather than guarantee peace? When unrighteousness runs rampant and godlessness prevails what then? The churches of Asia Minor at the close of the first century found themselves in great distress. Because of their faithfulness to Christ and their refusal to acknowledge Caesar as Lord they were stripped of their possessions, lost jobs, were imprisoned, tortured, tormented and martyred. The more faithful they were – the more they suffered. There was no end in sight Rome marched on and everything in their world said, “Give up.” But the Lord of the church had something to say to those struggling saints then and to unsteady believers now. “Things are not as they seem. Hold on. Victory is sure. Righteousness will prevail and I’m still in charge.” Our text this morning is found in Revelation chapter 13.

Text: Revelation 13:1-18

There are two great threats to the people of God – brute external force that seeks to conform us to the ways of this world and subtle deception that seeks to woo us from the worship of the True and Living God to the worship of that great pretender – the red dragon, the old serpent – Satan who is called the devil. The thirteenth chapter serves to remind us that…

Thesis: In a world of increasing hostility and mounting unrighteousness the people of God endure the most difficult hardships and crushing oppression by simple faith and trust.

By simple I do not mean easy. I mean it is not complicated or complex. The choice is clear. The options are distinct. Endurance and eventual triumph demands that I take God at His word and put my trust in Him. I want to point out just two things.

1. The people of God do not cower before the show of brute force and overwhelming strength knowing God’s Sovereign purpose and seeing His providential hand. (13:1-10)
2. The people of God do not fall victim to powerful deception and lying signs because they know the truth of God in Christ. (13:11-18)

The point is Satan and his horde are determined to destroy the work of God on the earth and bring an end to God’s people but we will endure the most overwhelming calamity and stand our ground in the face of unbridled wickedness. Hold on dear saint. Stand firm uncertain believer the Lamb is victorious and we will overcome.