WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.359 I want you to turn with me this morning. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.400 Now, I don't need to tell you what this is all about. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.839 We do this every year. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:15.599 Franklin Graham, who I happen to know personally, I taught all his children in evangelism at Liberty University. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.320 And uh had the privilege of Dr. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.280 Billy Graham preaching Will Graham's graduation at Liberty. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:27.039 And I sat right there behind Billy and had a chance to meet him in person. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:28.160 That was something. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:29.280 It really was. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:39.359 But this is the shoebox Christmas gift that Franklin Graham's ministry sends all over the world. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.359 So please pick up a box. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:43.679 And I don't know what our goal is. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:45.280 Does anybody know what our goal is? 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:50.640 I know we blew it out the window last year, but just uh it's a blessing. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:51.679 It really is. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:55.679 And uh praise God for that ministry. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:02.079 Aren't you glad to be a part of church where somebody gets saved almost every, every yes? 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.000 Bring me the bring me the bag. 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:05.280 Bring me the bag. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.640 You should have seen Rosemary and Deedrum. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:18.799 The other thing we do during Christmas, and well, actually Thanksgiving, is we feed the hungry. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:19.920 Can I get an amen? 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.920 We feed the hungry. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.239 In fact, we do that all the time around here. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:26.239 And I'm so excited, I can't wait. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.959 Next Sunday, you'll see the area that I walk-in freezer. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:30.719 I'm hoping it's gonna be here. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:33.519 Uh get Lanny working on that for us next week. 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:35.359 And uh ETA tomorrow. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:37.040 ETA tomorrow. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:37.840 All right. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.560 So hopefully we'll have the, it'll be set up. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:50.159 You'll get to see how we uh we've been voted in with our association to become a satellite feeding uh place for this region for people. 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:53.840 So uh they'll train us and it's gonna be exciting. 00:01:53.920 --> 00:02:13.520 So if you're looking for a ministry, especially if you're retired, and uh we're gonna I I think we're gonna start out like twice uh a month to start with, or maybe more, but uh eventually at least once a week's the ultimate goal, where people come in and we counsel with them, we love on them, uh share Jesus with them, and then we feed them. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.800 We give them what we call the box, really a bag of food. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:18.479 That's what we give them. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:25.759 And so what we do is your goal is uh to go and fill this up with canned goods. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:26.719 Is that correct? 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:28.879 And list on the back. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:29.919 Thank you. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.159 The list is on the back. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.919 So what you do, you just go down the aisle and check your list. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:36.560 Amen? 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:37.680 And check it twice. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.240 And please don't be naughty, but be nice. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:49.039 So anyway, anyway, that's what we need to do, and they need to be turned back in by next week. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:56.240 In other words, get up every Sunday, fill it up, take it back, and we do this up to Thanksgiving. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:03:00.560 All right, so that's another great ministry. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.439 I get, you know what I love about this time of year? 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.439 It's about helping people. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:07.199 Tuesday night. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:13.120 Hey, Tuesday night is an alternative for kids to come to a safe place, but you know why we really do it? 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:21.280 To be a blessing to our community, to love on our people, to love on our kids, and to share the good news and watch kids and parents get saved. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:22.560 Can I get an amen? 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:24.319 That's what we do it for. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:28.240 And in fact, uh Anna Lee, I was sitting back, wave at me, Anna Lee. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:32.800 She got saved last Sunday after church in the four year. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.240 My wife let her to Jesus. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:34.960 Amen. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:35.919 Amen. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:41.680 And I had a young lady come up to me, Autumn, where's Autumn? 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:43.759 Wave at me, Autumn, right there. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:44.479 Love you. 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:47.919 She said, Pastor Danny, I got saved Wednesday night. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:48.639 Amen. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:50.479 That's what it's all about. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.159 Folks, that's what it's all about. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:01.280 And last Friday, a week ago, Rick preached to the football team, and we had four football players get saved. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:02.159 Amen. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:09.919 Now, if you want to be a part of a church that believes in keeping the main thing, the main thing. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:12.479 And the main thing is exalting Christ. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:16.959 Jesus said in John 12, 32, if I be exalted, I'll draw men unto myself. 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:18.160 So that's what we do. 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:21.839 Everything we do has one purpose: the exalt Christ. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:23.680 But you know why we exalt Christ? 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:24.639 We love Christ. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:26.240 He's our all. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:31.199 But when he's exalted, he draws men and women and boys and girls to himself. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:33.279 And that's what we do around here. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:34.959 And boy, it gets excited. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.639 This is my favorite time of the year. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:41.600 This time in Easter, but this time from now to the end of the year and Christmas. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:50.959 And again, you know, in December, uh we'll take a break out of the book of Revelations 2, and I'll preach, I always preach three messages on Christmas. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:55.360 That's very special, and then we'll jump right back into Revelations in January. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:02.480 But one good thing about the book of Revelation is it takes to for takes uh for an eternity to go through it. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.959 But uh you can, the way I'm doing it, I'm doing it a chapter at a time. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:14.399 That way we can, if I need to like next week, the message will be four friends every but every person needs. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.720 So for Friend Day, it's gonna be great. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:18.240 You'll love the message. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.160 Because you want to be one of those friends. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.279 You want to have those friends, but you want to be one of those friends. 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:25.360 And uh, so it's gonna be good. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:27.680 Revelation chapter 7. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:35.519 Does anyone have, does is there anyone that does not have a worship guide? 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:37.120 All right, right here. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:38.000 All right. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.639 I've had a lot of comments. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:54.160 People have uh the number of people watching us are picking up on our online, so we praise God for that, and how God's using that as well. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:01.920 We praise the Lord for that, but I've been getting a lot of comments on the study in Revelation, and I praise the Lord for that. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:17.040 Uh but you know, when we look at the judgments, and we started last week and we looked at the seven, well, actually, the six sealed judgments, there's seven of each. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:21.120 There's seven seal judgments, seven trumpet judgments, seven bold judgments. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:33.680 But it's amazing in between the six seal, the six trumpet, and the six bold judgment, there's a parenthesis. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:35.279 There's a pause. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:49.199 And we see God jumps in and brings salvation to people, even in the midst of the most horrible time on earth. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:52.240 That shows me that God's grace is always sufficient. 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:53.519 Can I get an amen? 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.639 And that his great is made perfect in our weakness. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:04.000 And it's easy to think that the tribulation period is going to be nothing but darkness and horror on earth, but it's not true. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:17.920 God anoints, feels, and sets aside during this tribulation a hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish evangelists. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:25.759 And they run rampant, screaming during the tribulation, preaching the gospel. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:32.079 So it's not going to be all just gloom, darkness, and gloom during the tribulation period. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:33.600 Now the church is gone. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:42.879 We're, hey, during this seven years, remembered the beam of judgment seat, and then we're still there in heaven and uh enjoying that. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:56.720 But as we see the tribulation taking place, and then after the seven years, we see God and we come back with the Lord, and He takes care of the Battle of Armageddon, and He wipes them all out, and we set up the millennial reign. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:11.600 But there's just so much that goes on during those times, and we're going to be looking at probably the greatest revival ever, even greater than Pentecost today in chapter 7. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:20.800 The Great Tribulation is referred to in the Old Testament as the time of Jacob's trouble. 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.720 The time of Jacob's trouble. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:31.360 And while it will be a time of purification and deliverance for Israel and what? 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:38.240 Thousands of others, but mainly Israel, chapter 7 is divided into two sections. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:42.399 Verses 1 through 8 deals with the Jews. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:55.039 And then the next section, verse 9, we see in chapter 7, verse 9, through the end of the chapter, verse 17, deals with the Gentiles, basically. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:01.440 So we see right here that there's two things that happened to Israel during the tribulation. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:03.919 Israel will be disciplined. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:07.279 One, for her rejection of the Messiah. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:08.799 Remember John 1.11? 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:10.799 He came unto his own, the what? 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:13.679 The Jews, and they received him not. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.200 They rejected him. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:26.399 And then secondly, hey, the Jews will be prepared and ready to receive Jesus as their Messiah. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:30.399 See, most of the Jews today do not believe Jesus has come yet. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:32.159 They do not believe that. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:37.919 They don't understand Isaiah 53, or maybe they understand it, they just don't accept it. 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:45.120 So we see, and let's begin by looking, number one, on your outline, the setting of the great revival. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:48.480 Revelation 7 here is that parenthesis. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:58.000 It's, hey, it's a pause in between the sixth seal judgment and the seventh seal judgment. 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:00.159 And we see that there's a pause. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:07.759 There's a parenthesis between also the six and seven trumpet judgments and the sixth and seventh bowl judgments. 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.159 There's parentheses between all three of those. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:13.919 These are periods of God's grace in the midst of judgment. 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:15.759 That's what you need to realize. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:19.759 This is the time of God's grace in the midst of judgment. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:21.039 And I started thinking about that. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.919 Go back and study history in the Word of God. 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:29.600 Every time before God brought a great judgment on the earth, what? 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:34.399 There was an outpouring of his grace and mercy right before it. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:36.399 Every, every time. 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:41.919 In fact, Revelation, we see in chapter 7, there are two divisions. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:45.120 And we see those divisions clearly marked. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:47.360 Look at the beginning, verse 1. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:11:01.440 And it says, And after these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on the trees. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:10.879 Here we see John sees four angels restraining the winds of judgment that are about to blow upon the earth from every direction. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:17.840 The winds of judgment are being held back until the chosen from Israel have been gathered in. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:23.600 And I thought to myself, angels, do you realize angels are always a part of God's work? 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.039 Always, always. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.159 In fact, I couldn't help but remember Hebrews 1.14. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.360 Listen to what it says. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:33.440 Are there not all ministering spirits sent forth? 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:37.679 Look there, to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:46.960 God's angels are always a part of being a part of God, hey, using them to bring, hey, salvation to people. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:48.960 And again, we see that here. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.159 They're holding back the judgments. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:57.840 And then notice the second thing: the seal servants of the great revival. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:11:59.840 Look at verses 2 through 8. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:11.840 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:20.559 And saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:22.080 That's interesting. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:24.080 We'll talk about that in a little bit. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:26.559 And I, hey, just watch this. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:34.399 Just as Satan will have the mark of his people, 666 in Revelation 13. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.799 God marks his special people. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:40.720 He marks them also. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.159 So, with that said, look at what else it says. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:55.360 And I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed, now watch, 140 and 4,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:56.799 Notice what he said. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.519 All the tribes of the who? 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:02.159 The children of Israel. 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.600 Now remember, the church is not here. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:07.679 He's not talking about the church. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:15.200 Go back to Revelation 4, 4, the 24 elders that represent the church that are sitting around the throne of God. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.039 They're already in heaven. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.000 Okay? 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.120 Now this is where a lot of people miss it. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.360 So it's not the church. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:26.159 Who is it? 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:36.320 It's the Jewish, it's the 12 tribes of Israel, and there's 12,000 from each tribe that God is calling out. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:38.159 And watch what takes place. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.159 Boy, it gets really good. 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:43.120 For of the tribe of Judah were sealed 12,000. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.240 And then he goes through the tribes, all the tribes. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.679 Again, Israel, not the church. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.399 And then verse 6, he goes through the tribes. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:56.879 And of the tribe, he names all the tribes through verse 8. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.519 So, here's what we see. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:01.120 And it's very important. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:05.600 It is easy to see that the judgments that are being restrained. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.039 We talked about those judgments last week, how bad they were. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:14.639 And if you go over to chapter 8, verse 6 and 7, and you see it beginning to take place. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:22.159 I meant one, there's one whole mountain on fire, and it falls into the sea, and the water becomes red blood. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:23.919 I mean, it's horrible. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:30.240 But before all that begins, God's angels are holding back to judgment right now. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:37.679 And all of a sudden, there's a calling out of 144,000 Jewish evangelists. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:39.279 And look what happens. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.080 Now here's the question on your thing. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:43.600 What is the seal? 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:47.600 What is the seal under the seal service? 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:48.960 What is the seal? 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.480 This is not the first time God has sealed or protected people. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:55.200 Now watch, from impending judgment. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:15:02.000 For example, think of Noah and his family before the judgment came of the mighty flood. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:07.919 Hey, he put them in the ark and he shut the door and he sealed the door. 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:09.039 Amen. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:15.120 From the judgment of God and saved Noah and his family. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.720 Oh, and listen to this. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:22.080 What about Rahab and her family in Jericho through the red scarf? 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:26.480 He saved their family before the judgment of God. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:30.639 And then what about if there's just ten in Sodom and Gomorrah? 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:31.840 I will save it. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.720 And he did save Lot. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:43.600 Hey, I meant, hey, he saved Lot and his family, even though his wife decided she had to look back one more time and was turned into salt. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:45.840 That means something right there, ladies. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:47.120 Don't ever look back. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:48.480 Amen. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.240 Just keep pressing. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.519 Don't look back. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.879 Keep pressing. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.879 And so we see that. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:55.759 We see that. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:03.759 And then, hey, what about the the before the death angel came through Egypt and killed all those babies? 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.279 There was a mark of the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:15.039 There was a, hey, that was sealed the safety and security of those natives and slaves. 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:15.919 Wow. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:28.559 So we see every time there's great judgment about to happen, God throws that parenthesis in and he sends his mercy and his grace. 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:37.279 And just as Satan marks his own, we see those who refuse the seal of the Antichrist will be martyred for their faithfulness to God. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:44.080 In Ezekiel 9, 3 and 4, the prophet spoke of a man, listen, with an ink horn who was commanded. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.440 Now listen to what it says. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.559 I think I've had it there. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.360 There it is. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:47.919 Yeah. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:17:03.919 Know that the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from cherub where it had been to the threshold of the temple, and he called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer's ink horn at his side. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:15.039 And now the ink horn, right here, we see that he is commanded to set a mark upon the foreheads of those who watch, hate wickedness. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:24.000 Those who hate wickedness and come out, and those that are set aside, and those that have a heart for God, mark them. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:25.200 Mark them. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:34.880 Now, when you use and go back and look at the Hebrew word, and it would take me 10 minutes to take you through the word studies that I did, but let me just abbreviate it for you. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:42.960 Literally, what that mark means in the Hebrew and down for mark of God, when you translate it down to who we are, it's an X. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:49.839 So basically, God's people were marked with the X of God. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.680 With the X of God. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:53.440 Unbelievable. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:18:00.160 In this powerful, when I saw that acorn, I had to, it took me about three hours to do a word, but it was it was phenomenal. 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:07.599 But we see, now, again, we don't know exactly what the seal will be, but we think that it was possibly an X. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:12.079 That's my research that I think, and a lot of commentators think that. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:13.599 The X of God. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.880 I kind of wished it would be a stamp of Jesus is awesome. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:17.359 Boom. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:19.119 Stamp it right on my head. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:19.839 Amen. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:22.160 Or God is awesome, bam. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.799 Or maybe you'll let me have my band. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:30.240 My Jesus Awesome would be on my wrist, and it'd be Jesus is awesome instead of 666. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:30.960 I don't know. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:34.799 But uh, I was thinking about, I told Lord in my prayer time, I said, that'd be good, Lord. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:38.000 Just stamp us all in our skin with Jesus is awesome. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.960 You know, just a thought, Lord. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.480 But but anyway, that's that's what he's talking about. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:49.359 And then, though, it it took me back to when you and I get saved, what an example. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:58.000 When you and I get saved, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1.13, we are, I mean, Ephesians 1.13, we are sealed by the Spirit of God. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:04.160 And then he goes on in Ephesians 4.30, it says, we are sealed unto the day of redemption. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:14.160 So what a beautiful picture we see right here in the tribulation, that God is again sending his marvelous, unbelievable grace. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:29.279 And I started also thinking about if we compare what happened in the wake of the 12 apostles who were sealed with the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost, can you imagine those 12 turned the world upside down? 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.440 Acts 17, 6. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:39.039 Can you imagine what 144,000 sealed of Jewish evangelists are gonna do in the tribulation? 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:45.119 Now, hey, Gentiles, you know, I consider myself pretty, pretty bold in witnessing. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.559 I'm a pretty bold witness. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.160 I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:50.720 But have you ever seen a converted Jew? 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:53.440 Oh my goodness, Jacob Donakani. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.599 Oh, we were in Israel. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:58.799 And Jacob said, Oh, we got to go down to the old town. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:00.000 I said, What does that mean? 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:03.839 He says, All the all the tourists stay in Jerusalem. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:08.160 He says, I'm gonna take you down where they stone you for your faith. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:11.440 I said, huh? 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:16.400 I mean, Jacob, I want to see the real thing, but I don't know if I want to go quite that far. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:18.240 I don't want to be stoned. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:22.240 And we had these t-shirts that said trumpet of salvation? 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.960 Isaiah 53. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:31.039 And so here we go, walking through the whole town in shops that you've never seen before. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:36.400 And next thing we know, there's about six or eight of us. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:40.799 Next time we know, we hear these Orthodox Jews. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:53.680 They had their hats and their pigtails, and they're upset, and they're starting to follow us, they're starting to surround us. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.599 Jacob said, uh, this is not good. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.119 I said, You think? 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:05.440 And I thought to myself, well, I may even take three or four out, but I can't take all of them out. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:11.119 And so I said, What in the world are we gonna do? 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:15.599 And about that time Jacob said, Okay, see the person with the camera. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:17.279 With two or three of us had cameras. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:23.119 He said, Camera people, pull your cameras up, get your cameras up, get them up, and start shooting pictures of them. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:27.519 Made sense, so they won't have their faces if something happens. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:28.960 And then he saw this shop. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:31.279 He said, This is an American shop, let's run in. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:34.400 So we went in and we let it die down. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:38.559 And they burst before we went back out. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.839 And then we went back. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.480 I said, Can we we've seen enough down here? 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:44.480 Or take your shirts off. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.079 Amen. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:50.160 One or the other. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:52.640 Because I'm not ready to die today. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.839 But that's what hey, but Jacob was that fearless, he said, Oh, Pastor Nat. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.240 Let him die for Jesus' honor. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:05.279 I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:07.839 But do we have to die today? 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:12.559 Yeah, I still got a lot of preaching to do. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:18.960 So, but these converted Jews are unbelievable. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:23.279 And here's the exciting thing with these 144,000. 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:25.359 God anoints them, God fills them. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.640 And I know what you're thinking. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:28.160 Well, the Holy Spirit's gone. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:29.039 It's been taken out. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.640 The restraint's been taken out. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:33.279 But it's just like it was in the Old Testament. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:36.000 It's taking place again during the tribulation. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:38.880 Remember in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit didn't fill people. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.039 The Holy Spirit came upon people. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:45.519 And uh the New Testament covenant was for the Holy Spirit took up residence in our heart. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:52.160 So we revert back to the same presence of the Holy Spirit that was in the Old Testament for a purpose for God. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:58.079 When God had a special person, he would anoint them with the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit would come upon them. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:05.119 And here we see the Holy Spirit comes upon these 140, I'm about to have a spell, 144,000. 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:12.000 And they start preaching everywhere they go with fearlessness, unashamed boldness. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:15.359 And they can't be touched. 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.799 They can't be touched. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:23.920 As they lead a lot of the people to the Lord, they're martyred, they're killed. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:29.920 But these 144,000 preached throughout the seven years of tribulation, and they're not touched. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.519 You know what it reminded me of? 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:34.079 Woo! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:41.759 Oh, they preached and they were thrown in the fiery furnace, but not one flame touched them. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:50.319 Same protection and security that they had, these 144,000 house. 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:52.400 Wow, that's awesome. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:55.200 And we see that taking place here. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:57.440 Unbelievable. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.599 So, secondly, who are the sealed? 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.599 Who are they? 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:06.640 All right, let me give you four things. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:11.920 One, they are not the same as the multitude at the end of this chapter. 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:15.680 At the end of the chapter, we'll see about the multitude. 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:23.200 A great multitude in verse 9 is seen in heaven from every kindred, every tribe, every tongue. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:28.640 And it is obvious that these are not the 144,000. 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:34.000 They are Gentiles from every nation. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:42.559 And I personally believe these are the converts won by Christ by the 144,000 evangelists during the tribulation. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.319 That's what I believe. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:48.559 Number two, they're not the church. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:56.319 The church is already in heaven, which we established in either, you know, in chapter 4 with the 24 elders. 00:24:56.400 --> 00:25:05.279 In Revelation 14, though, we have both the elders and the 144,000 presented as two distinct groups. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:08.079 So they're not the same. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:23.519 One of the greatest, I think, damaging interpretation errors is to try, as you're studying, whether it's Revelation or the New Testament, to substitute, now listen to me, this is important. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:32.400 To substitute the church in the blank of where God is dealing with Israel. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:39.920 That can lead you down a road that can be very confusing. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:42.079 So you gotta be careful there. 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:43.200 Very careful. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:44.720 And it's easily done. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.920 Very easily. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:50.960 But we see, we see, nowhere, hey, is more damaging than that. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:58.960 They must be kept separate in order to avoid spiritualizing and allegorizing many parts of the scripture. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:19.359 So this is definitely, you have, hey, the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, and you have the church that was established in Revelation 4, 20, uh, the 24 elders sitting around the throne in Revelation 4, and now we have the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, so we got two groups. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:22.880 You got the church and then these evangelists. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:24.960 Now, the third thing. 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:30.000 Now you'll now you're gonna start hearing parts of the, yeah, I've heard that. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:32.640 They're not the seven-day Adventists. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:35.519 Hello, they're not. 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:39.839 The Seven-day Adventists, here's what they believe. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:47.920 They believe there are 144,000, hey, uh, in Revelation. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:59.119 They believe that that is the seven-day Adventist people that have been faithful to God and have basically lived a sinless life. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.720 That's what they believe. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:09.119 They believe that the 144,000 are members of their church who were found faithfully observing, and by the way, faithfully observing the Sabbath. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:11.920 Worshiping on Saturday. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:14.720 That's what they believe, really. 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:17.200 Now, the problem with this is this. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:21.519 They would have to be all Jews. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:24.480 All right, listen to me. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:36.000 They would have to be all Jews since the 144,000 are plainly, look at verse 4 through 8 that we just read. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:41.839 They are plainly Jews from the 12 tribes. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:42.799 That's it. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:47.200 So, whoo! There's that spiritualizing I was talking about. 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.960 So you've got to be careful. 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:52.720 And then, number four, they are not the Jehovah's Witness. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:28:03.279 A lot of people have believed that that's the 144,000 of the Jehovah, the faithful Jehovah's Witnesses that have been out evangelizing the world. 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:05.279 The original, listen to this. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:10.240 The original Jehovah's Witness believed that they were the 144,000. 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:11.519 But here's the problem. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:20.319 When their group grew to more than that number, they changed their theology. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.680 You reckon. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.200 You reckon. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:24.480 They changed their theology. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.599 And here's what they said. 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:28.559 And they called the extras the overcomers. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:37.200 They try through their works to be promoted into the 144,000 who will be sealed through the tribulation. 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:46.079 So then they say, now, if you work hard enough, you go door knocking hard enough and give out our literature, you could be one of the 144,000. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.640 Now you see why they're so zealous about going door to door. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:29:02.240 It's a mystery to me why when a passage is as clear as this one, that people try to interpret it and reinterpret it to mean something else. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:12.079 The 144,000 or 12,000 Jews from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, just as the text states in verses 4 through 8. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.359