August 19, 2007
"The King Is Coming and He Shall Reign Forever and Ever"
Revelation 11: 15- 19
There once was a CRC pastor, who was pretty good preacher and pretty good man. He was also avid deer hunter. Now that wasn't a problem most of the time. But, one year it was. Deer season began on Sunday. He lived pretty far north and the weather forecast that week was predicting a beautiful day on Sunday. But on Monday there was 80% chance of snow, possibly a blizzard, and that would be followed by some pretty steady snowfall that entire week. He tried another channel on TV. But the forecast was the same. It was already Saturday. He was cleaning his rifle grumbling when a thought popped into his head. He called his friend the pastor of Baptist church. "I'm just feeling sick. I don't know if I can preach tomorrow. Can you help me out?" He wasn't lying. He did feel sick. And the only cure was to go hunting. Well, it worked. The Baptist pastor agreed. He called the chairman of the worship committee and he agreed. So, that Sunday, early in the morning, before anyone was up, he slipped out of the parsonage and took off for the woods. Now you might suspect that he would have had a terrible time. He didn't. In fact he bagged the biggest buck he had ever seen.
His guardian angel had been watching this whole thing develop. He was shocked. He came straight to God and said, "Lord, why did you let this wayward preacher have that big buck? How is ever going to learn his lesson, when you bless him for being so dishonest?" The Lord smiled and simply said, "Who's he going to tell?"
We might chuckle at that. But I wonder, "How do you understand God's rule?" What does it mean to you that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father-in other words that he is ruling? What does it mean that everything happens according to God's will? And if our Lord Jesus is ruling today, then how is his rule today different from the rule he will he will have after Judgment Day? That's the time that words of our text will fulfilled
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
Now these are more interesting questions to think about. These are questions that often come to our minds when something tragic takes place, either in world- for instance when we think about the terrible earthquake in Peru, or in our lives when we or a loved one is suffering. Certainly these were questions that on the minds of people who were in the seven churches to whom John first wrote. (See Revelation 2- 3)
These churches were undergoing horrendous persecution and suffering. John was the only apostle who was still alive and he was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. Jesus had promised to come quickly. Yet, one by one the apostles had been martyred for faith and he still did not come. Not only did the church face persecution, but it also was striving to exist in society of gross immorality. As the second generation of the church was coming to adulthood they faced many temptations that had the potential of ripping them from the faith and leading them down the road to sin and unbelief. It was to a church faced with such turmoil that Jesus spoke using the vision he gave his servant John.
The scripture today is a scene in a larger vision. To unde The scripture today is a scene in a larger vision. To understand what it means for us and our lives we must see it in that context. The vision begins back in chapters 4- 5, where John sees a scroll that is sealed with 7 seals. If you have your Bibles open you might want to take a look back at those chapters. Now the scroll and the seal represents God's plan for this world. You might note in chapter 4: 1 the angel says to John, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." After that John has a vision of God's throne in heaven. And then look at chapter 5: 1- 2 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? Now the only one who can open the seven seals to scroll is the Lamb Jesus Christ, who is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus, by his death resurrection and ascension into heaven is the one who fulfills God's plan to save his world and sets in motion the events that are to follow. And as each seal is broken John is given understanding as to what will take place after Jesus came. Now look at chapter 6. The first seal is broken and John sees a rider on a white horse riding to conquer the world. That rider with his crown represents the spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ and conquering power of the gospel. Beginning in the time of the time of the New Testament we see how the gospel has conquered the hearts of people and how it continues to spread Christ's kingdom throughout the world. That is God intention for the entire New Testament age-for all years after Jesus has come to our world. But, does the fact that God's purpose is succeeding mean that our world is today what God intended it to be? Certainly not. That becomes evident when seals 2- 5 are opened. Each of these seals represents part of the reality that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24: 6- 8, when he said, You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains. People of God, the fact that Jesus has died and arose and is now reigning in heaven does not mean that our world is anywhere close to what God wants it to be. Yes, his plan is unfolding. But much of what happens here in this world still grieves the heart of God. Yet God allows these things to happen. He doesn't take away from people their right to act freely and to make decision for which they are responsible, even when their decisions are destructive, hurtful, and cause great suffering and death. He also doesn't take away the results of human rebellion and sin. And although he restrains evil so that life is possible in this world and so that there can be a measure of joy and peace, he has not yet removed it. And he doesn't tell why he allows some things to happen and not others. But, one thing we can be sure of: He will make certain that his loving purpose will be fulfilled. In addition to all of this is reality that spoken of in 5th seal. Revelation 6: 9- 10, 9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Satan, his demons, and all powers of evil and their human accomplices are specifically targeting the people of God. Certainly this includes the horrific tortures Christian endured in the 1st century-being thrown to lions, burned as torches, hacked apart by gladiators. And it includes the terrible persecutions that brothers and sister endure today in places like Sudan, North Korea, and parts of the Middle East. But, it also includes those tortures and tragedies that try our faith-from diseases like cancer, to mental illness, to the disappointments and disasters that seem at times to overwhelm us. While it is true that many people-even non-Christians undergo these things, Satan and his minions use them to target the cracks and weakness in our faith. And God does not take them away. Rather, he allows them to go on and on. And we join the cry of all God's sufferers, "How long???" God's answer: (Revelation 6: 11) Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. And what do the white robes signify? The fact that even through all of this suffering, the blood of Jesus Christ will keep us pure and holy and acceptable to God. In fact, he often uses our suffering to purify us to be more like he saved us to be. In 1 Peter 1: 6- 7 we are told, 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed "When Jesus Christ is revealed." That is what the 6th seal is all about: Revelation 6:12: Judgment Day. Our great hope is that there is an end coming when the King will come and set everything right. That is the day spoken of in our scripture. On that day all opposition to his rule will end. Yes, Jesus rules today. But, he rules over a world that is still rebelling and refusing to recognize God's loving purposes-in fact many are fighting against God and his will. Notice what our scripture says about Judgment Day in chapter 11: 18, The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." In his patience God has waited for the salvation of some who are bent on destroying our world. As I think about the patience of God I think about some of the teachers I had in school. I was always thankful for teachers and professors who gave me the time I needed to finish my exams. I almost always did very well in their classes. Whereas the time conscious teachers who believed that knowing the material meant being able to write your exam quickly often pulled away my paper before I was able to give a good account of what I knew. As Christians we should be so glad that God is one who gives all of us the time we need. And he's a God that is willing to wait until the last brother or sister comes to salvation. But, on that day his patience will end. To make this world the place of life, joy, and peace that he intended God must destroy all those who are bent on its destruction. Yet, until that day comes we too are called to be patient. But, he doesn't just give us the command to wait. That is what the seventh seal is all about. When the seventh seal is broken John sees seven angels blowing seven trumpets. Now I realize that some preachers today interpret the seven trumpets to refer to certain specific wars and other disasters that will come at the end of time. It is not our purpose here today to evaluate those interpretations. Rather, we wish to focus in on what the significance of those trumpets is. No matter what specific interpretation might believe about each trumpet, God's Word to us today is the same message that it spoke to the 7 churches to whom Jesus commanded John to first write this letter. It is a message of hope to all God's people who have commanded to wait until the king comes and words of our scripture become reality.. So, why is there this vision of angels blowing trumpets. Let me answer this way: What would happen today if President Bush would plan to come to Beaver Dam? Probably they would announce his trip on the news. Some of us would hear about it on radio on TV or read about it on the internet or in the paper. And we would tell our friends. Back they didn't have TV, radio, internet, and even newspapers to announce the coming of an important leader. Instead they used trumpets. And before would come the trumpet would sound and a crier would announce, "The king is coming." And the people would line the streets to meet him. The events spoken of beginning in with the first trumpet in chapter 8: 6 and ending with the last trumpet in our scripture this morning chapter 11: 6 are events that cry out to us that THE KING IS COMING!!! But notice the nature of the events that make up the first 6 trumpets. Chapter 8: 7, 7The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water-11the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter And other trumpets were sounded and similar tragedies occurred. What is happening? Why? How do these tell us that the king is coming? Certainly these are desperate attempts of the devil to destroy the world God intends to save and destroy the faith of the people he intends to save. But where does the hope come in. The answer is found in what is written about the 6th trumpet. That covers a lot. But please quickly turn to chapter 11: 3 3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. Now these two witnesses represent the spread of the gospel-Jesus calls his disciple to go out two by two. And as we were saying his gospel is very effective and his kingdom spreads. But, look at chapter 11: 9, Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Satan will kill them. He will use whatever he can to take away their lives and destroy their life work. In some ways he will be successful. Christians will die and for a time it might seem like he is winning. But, look carefully at the first part of the verse, "when they have finished their testimony..." when their work is complete. Satan will never destroy what God intends to accomplish through his people. This reminds me of a statement Corrie Ten Boom makes in her book The Hiding Place. You might recall this book is Corrie's account of the terrible time during the Second World War when she and her family were arrested by the Nazi's for hiding Jews. Corrie writes the painful story of when her sister died in the German concentration camp. And after she gives account of her turmoil over Betsie's death, she writes these words, at the beginning of chapter 15, "The beauty of Betsie's face sustained me as I went from one to another of the women who had loved her, describing to them her peace and joy." People of God, these terrible events, including the killing of saints, are trumpets announcing the king's coming, because as terrible as they are they have not extinguished the message of the gospel. In the faces of those who have suffered and in some case died we see the conquering power of Jesus Christ and the peace and joy of his kingdom. Al of these events represents Satan's best attempts to destroy God's purpose. The fact that he does not succeed is a trumpet announcing that his end sure and that King Jesus is still on the throne in heaven and that he is coming again. Brothers and sisters, I know that some of you have suffered much more than I can imagine. And we hear stories of brothers and sisters in other countries who suffer trials and challenges to their faith that we will probably never know. We hear of a world in turmoil. We hear of wars and rumors of wars, of famines, of earthquakes, of terrible events. Satan hopes that all of these will cause us turn from faith to fear. And he and his demons target us with specific suffering that he hopes will destroy our faith. Yet, despite his best efforts Satan has failed and the kingdom of Christ has spread. And Christians still die in peace and joy. This morning God calls again to wait and trust him. And he tells us that the triumphs of the gospel in the midst of these terrible events are trumpets announcing that Jesus is King and that someday the 7th trumpet will sound and he will come and our waiting will be over and our joy complete. Dear friend, do you hear the trumpets??? AMEN!