WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:09.679 Well, we've only got a few Sundays left in our calendar year, and that is kind of a big deal, especially this year, because back in February, we launched something called the whole story. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:14.480 And I've done this little disclaimer at the beginning of virtually every message since February. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.679 We've gone through the entire story of the Bible in less than a year. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:24.719 We broke it down into 14 different series, and there we are, on the very last one called How It Ends. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:25.679 We've we've made it. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:34.719 I had some friends, by the way, not going to name names, Pete Zeffo, who told me there is no way that we're gonna get through this by the end of the year. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:38.079 And yet, and here we are, here we are, Pete. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:42.000 So um, Pete's a good friend. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:42.960 I'm just teasing. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:45.600 So, like, it's been a journey. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.600 And last Sunday we began our very last series. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:55.039 It's a four-week series, so we have three weeks left on the book of Revelation, which is how it ends. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.119 This is how the story ends. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:03.600 This is how God, this is how the Holy Spirit decided to tie the bow on scripture. 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:08.480 And it's powerful, it's amazing, it's mysterious. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:16.400 It is a beautiful and fitting end, but we can all be honest with the fact that it's an end that many people have had a difficult time coming to terms with. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.079 You know, sometime, sometimes the endings of things are controversial. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:23.840 Sometimes people get a little confused by endings. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:26.000 And that's definitely been the case with Revelation. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:28.959 I'm sure that there are many of us in the room that are very familiar with Revelation. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:34.719 Some of you are like, it's my favorite, I read it a lot, some of you have never read it on purpose. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.680 Because you're like, I don't want to, I don't want to open up that can of worms. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:42.480 I've known some crazy weird people who are really into revelation, and I don't want to become one of those people. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:44.560 So I'm just not going to read it. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.400 And some of us, we just haven't had the chance, we feel intimidated. 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:54.879 There's all kinds of places that each of us sort of is when it comes to this finale. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:03.359 But can you imagine being God and you reveal yourself to the world over the course of centuries? 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:19.840 You do all these amazing things in history, and you inspire people who hear from you to write things down, and people read these words, and and it changes who they are, and they understand you and they see you, but then you get to the very end, and this is the way you've chosen to wrap it up. 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:24.159 This is the way that you have decided to tie that bow and say, here, now it's complete. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:29.759 Now you see all that you need to see in terms of the word, and people go, like, I don't know if I'm gonna read the end. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.360 Like, I'm not God, but if I was, I'm like, I wouldn't be happy with that, you know. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:36.960 Like, no, please read the end. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:37.919 That's important. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:39.039 The end is so important. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:41.599 You would never watch an amazing movie, and then it gets to the last five minutes. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:42.319 Like, you know what? 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:43.280 I don't want to see. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:44.960 Don't want to see how it ends. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:58.639 No, we we have to be able to embrace revelation and get over whatever holdups, hangups, intimidation factors, assumptions, or maybe even kind of previous programming in terms of how we read it. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:02.240 We've got to get over all of that and just say, Lord, show me how it ends. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:04.400 I don't want to see you in it. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:06.319 Last Sunday was a primer. 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:20.159 If you weren't here, we we did sort of a primer on what Revelation is, what it is not, all the different ways that it tends to get read and interpreted, and it was kind of like a class session, and some of you were awesome, and and man, you were here and you came back. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:20.960 I'm just amazed. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:21.919 I'm just truly amazed. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:22.800 So thank you for that. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:28.000 Um, if you weren't here last Sunday, you want kind of a primer on Revelation, uh, definitely give it a listen. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:33.599 These next three, we're gonna answer three questions, three weeks, three questions, as we go through Revelation. 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:34.800 It's the question who? 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:40.000 That's today, where, and why. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:43.120 Who, where, and why. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.560 Now, as I said kind of at the end of last week's message, why not when? 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:47.680 Like, Justin, come on. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:48.639 Like it's Revelation. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:49.919 Look at what's happening in the world. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.639 I mean, there is a war in Israel right now. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:53.759 Like, I mean, when? 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:55.360 Like it's gotta be now, right? 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:56.080 When? 00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:59.680 That is a relevant question with with Revelation for sure. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:05.360 But, you know, Jesus actually said this in Matthew chapter 24. 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:16.800 He's hanging out with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, says that his disciples came to him privately, and this is after he's kind of been talking about some end times sounding stuff, and they say, Tell us, when will all this happen? 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:20.639 What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:22.480 Like, when is this going down? 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:23.839 That's the question they have when. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:30.399 And if you keep reading in Matthew 24, Jesus says a lot of different stuff, and it's like there's gonna be wars and rumors of wars, and there's gonna be like earthquakes. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:33.199 He actually talks about birth pains as an illustration. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:37.680 Like right before a child is born, there are birth pains, and they intensify and they become more frequent. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.720 We're gonna talk a little bit more about that next next Sunday. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:44.319 But Jesus gets to the conclusion of this conversation and he says this to these men. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:49.120 However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen. 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:52.720 Not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:55.519 Only the Father knows. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.360 Only the Father. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:07.360 And so it's good for us to be watchful, it's good for us to see the world and see things happen and go, Lord, it seems like there's things that you've talked about in your word, and this seems like it lines up, and that's great. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:11.120 By the way, Jesus' followers have been doing that for thousands of years. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:17.519 But sometimes our obsession with when leads us to some really silly places. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:26.560 And if if Revelation, guys, was only about the when, that would mean it's only relevant to those who might happen to be living at the end. 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:28.319 And there will be an end. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.399 We talked about that last week. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:33.360 Even our secular world, like Hollywood, is obsessed with the end. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.279 Half the movies that come out every year are about the end of the world. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:39.120 It's like something inside of us knows one day this is gonna end somehow. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:45.920 But if if that's all revelation's about, you might as well go back to anyone who was living, you know, in the past and say, hey, don't even read it. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.519 It has nothing to do with you. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:49.279 Because it's just about the end. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.319 It's just about it's only relevant to those people who are in that moment. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:57.120 But no, clearly, this is a book that's been meant for all people, for all time. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:03.839 The early church was inspired and encouraged and spurred on by this book. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:08.240 And here we are 2,000 years later, and we're meant to be the same. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:10.480 When is is not the primary question? 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:14.160 I'm not saying it's not an important question, but I'm telling you, it is not the primary question. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:15.759 It's the question we just naturally want to ask. 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:23.439 And even Jesus says to his disciples, hey, don't become too obsessed with that question, because it's just not for you to know. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:28.079 And so today, we're gonna explore who. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:36.079 Because if you read Revelation and you walk away only thinking about what and when, and you miss the who, you miss the point. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:41.120 Today we're gonna look at the who of Revelation, and it is Jesus. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.079 And it's powerful and it's amazing. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:46.079 And I'm so glad that you're here. 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:47.839 Like I'm so glad that you're here for today. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.839 And those watching online, I'm so glad you're with us as well, because this is this is important. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:07:04.720 It's funny that this last week, a couple days ago, actually, I had a very odd like memory, like an odd random moment in my life that popped in my mind related to what we're talking about today, and it's gonna seem so random, guys. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:11.920 Like, just I'm gonna apologize on the front end for how out of left field this story is and how there's no way this connects, but that's how my brain works. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:19.439 And and it's like God used this random memory to help help something click for me when it comes to revelation related to Jesus. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:22.560 Okay, so so just go with me and trust me a little bit, all right? 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:26.240 About a year ago, I was uh hanging out with my oldest. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:30.560 He'd had a he'd had a basketball tournament um somewhere south of Atlanta. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:32.639 He plays basketball, not many people know that. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:37.439 And so um we were on our way back, and it was just the two of us, and it and he he needed to eat. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:46.240 He had played, I was hungry, it was lunchtime, and traditionally, and many of you who have children know this, that like the tastes of children don't always line up with the tastes of parents. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:53.040 And as a parent, you're either selfish and you just make your kids eat what you want, and let's be honest, sometimes you do. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:58.240 Or what happens more often than not, you sacrifice what you would desire for what they want and you just settle. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:03.120 But this day, he said something to me that just was like, seriously? 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:04.399 Like, yes, yes. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.439 He saw a Publix and he said, Dad, can we get pub subs? 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:12.000 And I was like, Yeah, like oh, here we go. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:12.720 You know what I mean? 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:13.920 He'd never asked for that before. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.240 That's like grown-up food, you know, like pub subs? 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:17.040 Come on. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.800 So we we park in this Publix, we get out, I go first, you know. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.519 I'm looking at like all the options, and I'm sitting there like, yeah, here we go. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:29.040 And so I went with uh I went with multi-grain bread, I went multi-grain, and I said, I want I want turkey. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:39.039 This is my my normal turkey, ham, salami, uh, I want pepper jack cheese, lettuce, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, mustard, mayo, salt, and pepper, a little bit of oil and vinegar. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:39.600 Right? 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:40.639 Put it all together. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:41.519 It's like, whew. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:42.399 Here we go. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:43.279 Someone said amen. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:44.080 I like that. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:44.720 Okay. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:46.879 So I get mine. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:57.360 Next is is my, you know, at the time, 12-year-old, and he just goes, uh white bread, turkey. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:01.759 And the lady looks at him like, and? 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:03.759 And he's like, No, that's all. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.399 And she says, Do you want cheese? 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:07.759 He went, no cheese. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:10.080 Do you want any lettuce or any any veggies? 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:10.639 No. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.120 Condiments? 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:13.759 No. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:24.879 And so here I am with my like fully loaded, perfect, like year, by the way, years of like handcrafting exactly what I want in it in the right quantities. 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:25.919 And here he is. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.960 And I was like actually sort of offended as a human being. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:31.919 Like, you, dude, like you have all of this in front of you. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.720 You you're looking at all of these ingredients, and you just pick the most basic thing. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:45.759 And also, as a dad, I'm not paying$9 for like two pieces of white bread and a few slices of turkey. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:46.559 You know? 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:49.519 And I remember what I said to him, I said, that is that's not even a pub sub. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.080 And he said, Technically, it is. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:54.799 And he was right, because they charged me for it. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.440 So technically, it is. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:00.559 But it was so, it was so boring. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.080 He ate it and he said it was wonderful. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:03.679 Whatever. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:12.639 But but it was just so, it was basic and it was boring, and to use a non-technical term, it was dinky. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.080 It was just like a dinky sandwich. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:21.440 And here's why this memory, I'm telling you, I don't think on this often. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:22.399 It's not like I'm journaling. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.320 You know, I was thinking about the pub sub again today. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:25.919 It's not something I've thought about in a long time. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:30.720 But here's where this came out of left field as I'm reading Revelation and I'm preparing for this message. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:57.919 I I have watched, I'm just gonna be honest, I have watched in the last 20 years, the, at least what I believe, what I've seen in the American church, a massive effort to try to reduce Jesus down into the most basic, boring. 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:06.480 Technically, it's still Jesus, but it's like the lowest level version of Jesus that you can you can have. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:11.919 I've watched that be the Jesus that the church wants to present to the world. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:17.600 And you know, even the most just like my son, even the most dinky pub sub was good, according to him. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:20.480 Like it's still bread and turkey, it's good bread and good turkey. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:21.840 So it tastes good. 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:27.039 Like even basic reduced down at his most fundamental level, Jesus is awesome, right? 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:35.360 A lot of times the way it works in the church world is like, hey, he was a great man, a great teacher, loved people, said amazing things, did amazing things, and he died and rose again. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.039 And that is true, and that is awesome. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:42.559 Like, even if you reduce Jesus down to the most basic version of Jesus, it's still great. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:45.440 But that's not Jesus. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:51.759 Like that's that's that's the basic Jesus. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:12:12.159 And it's it might be palatable, and it might be the version of Jesus that's least likely to offend or least likely to cause people to have to pick a side on, but like here's what I'm saying: revelation does not allow us to settle for basic Jesus. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:25.600 Revelation presents us with the most complete, awe-inspiring, multidimensional, layered, bigger than we can possibly put into words Jesus. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.000 Because that's who he is. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:34.639 And revelation begs us, begs us to take Jesus as he is. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:45.440 And it shows us who we're dealing with in a way that if we can see it and wrap our minds around it, the only thing we can do is like fall down and worship. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:56.000 And so my hope is as we as we roll through a lot of revelation this morning and we look at the who, we look at Jesus, we recognize that man, I don't want dinky Jesus. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:59.519 I want I want all of him. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:03.039 I want to I want to grasp as much as I can all of Jesus. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:04.159 Does that make sense? 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.879 So we're gonna start in Revelation chapter one. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:15.519 The writer John is exiled on an island called Patmos because he's a Jesus follower. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.120 This is a part of his persecution. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.639 The church at that time is unbelievably persecuted. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:28.080 The the apostles, other than than John, they've all been killed and martyred for their faith, along with thousands of others. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.919 Being a Jesus follower is a difficult thing in this time. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.600 And John writes, it was the Lord's day. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:42.320 And I was worshiping in the Spirit, and suddenly I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet blast. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:52.879 And it said, Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatirus, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:57.120 And when I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:01.279 Standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:05.679 He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:18.799 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like flames of fire, his feet were like polished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:25.759 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:29.919 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:33.360 But he laid his right hand on me and said, Don't be afraid. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:36.159 I am the first and the last. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.080 I am the living one. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:46.639 I died, but look, I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death in the grave. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.120 Alright, that's by the way. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.480 Yeah, okay, let's go. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:52.720 You guys are in it, and I'm in it with you. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.639 This is how Revelation begins. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.279 This is how it starts. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:09.279 Right off the bat, like John turns around and he needs us to know we are dealing with, well, he says the first and the last. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:14.240 In other places in Revelation, the Alpha and the Omega. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:16.879 This is this is Jesus. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.720 And my goodness, there's so many. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:20.879 We could spend months just on this one section alone. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:24.480 We really could, because this is so layered with references to scripture. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.039 If you didn't know this, Revelation, ooh, it's so interesting. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:29.440 And this is a bit of a tangent, so I can't spend much time on it. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.519 We'll have a conversation about this another time. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:37.759 Revelation is interesting because John never directly quotes another verse in the Bible in Revelation. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:43.360 There's not one moment where John actually, like word for word, copy-paste, directly quotes, which is actually sort of odd. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.399 That happens a lot in scripture. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.159 There's all kinds of cross-references. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:54.960 However, even though he never directly quotes, virtually every line in Revelation uses Scripture. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:59.120 Like it's, it's, it's why it's both new and familiar. 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:05.679 It's that John is so inspired by the Holy Spirit, and he has such a depth of knowledge of the Old Testament, the New Testament. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:08.799 I mean, this is not some random add-on at the end of the Bible. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:09.759 Sometimes it's viewed that way. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:10.320 No, no, no. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:15.600 It is incorporating almost every single major image, major piece of symbolism. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:21.360 All these, it's like it's painting with colors that we've seen before, but in a picture we haven't seen quite yet. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.159 It's amazing. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:23.039 Let me give you an example. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:23.919 You'll see this. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:26.240 Just this section alone and what it's referencing. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:27.360 Daniel chapter 7. 00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:28.320 This is the Old Testament. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.600 Daniel is a prophet. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:30.799 He has a vision from God. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:37.039 And he says, I watched as thrones were put in place, and the ancient one sat down to judge. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.480 His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:47.120 He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:53.039 Millions of angels ministered to him, many millions stood to attend him, and then the court began its session, and the books were opened. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:17:00.399 And he goes on in Daniel 7 to say, As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:03.039 He approached the ancient one and was led into his presence. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:10.000 He was given authority, honor, sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:14.079 His rule is eternal, it will never end, his kingdom will never be destroyed. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:19.519 You see in the Revelation language callbacks to some of this imagery. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:24.720 And then it tracks with us to a story that we find in Matthew chapter 17. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:30.480 It says, Six days later, Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and he led them up a high mountain to be alone. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:38.319 And as the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:44.319 Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus, and Peter exclaimed, Lord, it's so wonderful for us to be here. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:49.680 If you want, I'll make three shelters as memorials, one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:52.880 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:57.279 And a voice from the cloud said, This is my dearly loved son who brings me great joy. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:17:58.400 Listen to him. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:03.039 And the disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:14.160 There's been all these moments all throughout Scripture that have given us these pictures of who God is and what he's like, and it's it's intense stuff. 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:19.200 You know, eyes like fire, and there's light and it's shining, and you can't handle it. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:26.000 And this is John turning around, and it's like in that moment he recognizes, oh, it's Jesus, and it's always been Jesus. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:33.759 All those prophets of old and those moments where they they had visions and they saw someone and they tried their best to describe what they're seeing, they were trying to describe Jesus. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:41.680 And on that mountain that Jesus took his disciples to, and for a moment, just for a moment, they saw who he is, not who he was. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:45.039 Jesus was a man for 33 years. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:59.759 But Jesus is the eternal first and last, the one who has all the authority in heaven and on earth, the one who holds the keys of death and the grave and all that you want to say. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.960 That's who he is. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:10.000 And it's easier for us sometimes, makes sense, to remember who he was than who he is, but John's letting us know, no, it's always been Jesus. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:13.200 And there's just layer after layer of symbolism. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.759 Like it says that a two-edged sword comes from his mouth, and some of you are like, that is freaky and weird. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:19.039 It's not literal, okay? 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:22.960 I'll just let you know it's not literal, like he's not opening his mouth and a sword is coming out. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:23.519 Right? 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:25.920 This is again, this is John using scripture. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.319 Every line almost is painted with scripture. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:32.640 Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 says, For the word of God is alive and powerful. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:35.680 It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:41.440 Cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow, it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:43.119 The word of God is like that. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:49.519 And this is John realizing that when Jesus speaks, Jesus' words cut through all the lies in our world. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:50.960 They cut right through it. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:55.039 We live in a world that is so full of lies, we get lied to all the time. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:20:08.160 The people in power in this world, they tend to think that we're stupid, that we're idiots, that we'll fall for it, and they just say lies, it's all spin, and Jesus, Jesus can say one word and it can cut through all of that. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.839 No lie can withstand it. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:15.440 So when Jesus speaks, it is true. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:23.599 The clothing that Jesus is wearing in this description, it's clearly a callback to the clothing that the high priest were supposed to wear. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:31.839 And this is this reminder that Jesus is our high priest, and in the Jewish culture, that's the one who stands before God on your behalf. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:36.480 And Jesus is both God and man. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:40.960 And so he is both the king of kings and the Lord of Lords, but he's also our priest. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:50.079 He's one of us, and he allows us by his grace and his mercy and his sacrifice on the cross and the fact that he paid for our sins, he allows us to be in the presence of God. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.200 Now we're family with God. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.000 It's awesome. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.400 And this is how Revelation starts. 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:59.680 Let's look at another picture of Jesus that we see in the Revelation. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.920 I'm going to read Revelation chapter 5, the whole thing. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.119 It's pretty short. 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:04.480 Here we go. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:08.880 John continues, then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:12.160 And guys, remember as I as I go through this, if you weren't here last week, symbolism. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:20.480 Like Revelation is a certain type of literature, and it is just jam-packed with symbolism, and all these things have deeper meanings, and just try your best to stick with it. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.519 Here we go. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:29.440 I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne, and there was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.279 And I saw a strong angel. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:33.599 I love that it's a strong angel. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.680 I didn't know there were other types. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.559 Who shouted with a loud voice, Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it? 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:46.960 But no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:52.240 And then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:59.200 But one of the 24 elders, in Revelation chapter 4, will tell you what all that's about says, Stop weeping. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.200 Look, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, he has won the victory. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:08.079 He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:13.039 And then I saw a lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:22.960 But it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings, and among the twenty-four elders, and he had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold spirit of God that is sent out to every part of the earth. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.720 He stepped forward and he took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:31.200 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings, and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:40.240 Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with encense, which with incense, which are the prayers of God's people, and they sang a new song with these words. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:57.039 And you have caused them to become a kingdom of priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth. 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:15.759 And then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne, and of the living beings and the elders, and they sang in a mighty chorus, Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:21.759 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:29.599 And they sang blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:32.160 And the four living beings said, Amen. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:36.160 And the 24 elders all fell down and worshipped the Lamb. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:38.000 Alright, there's a lot there. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:40.079 This is just chapter five. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:42.319 The lamb. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:44.079 This lamb that's worshipped. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:49.440 Okay, again, the symbolism and the meaning, it's it's so rich, it's so powerful. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:55.759 The word that John actually uses for lamb in Revelation is a different word for lamb than is used anywhere else in the New Testament. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:01.039 It's this Greek word Arnion, and it literally means like a little lamb. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:06.480 Like it emphasizes how small this lamb is. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:12.640 And it's this really interesting kind of surprise because the angel says, look, the lion of Judah. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:16.319 Jesus was from the tribe of Judah in the nation of Israel. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:19.200 And he's called the Lion of Judah. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:24.880 So, you know, if an angel tells you, hey, look, behold, the lion of Judah, and you turned around, what do you expect to see? 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:26.640 I don't know about you. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.000 I'm thinking lion. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:33.200 Like that's my, or maybe it's a metaphor, you know, like a lion, like a like a strong dude. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:38.000 I want to see like, you know, some guy just jacked, walking, like, oh, that that's the lion. 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:38.960 I get it. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:48.559 But he turns around, he doesn't see an actual lion or even some really strong warrior, he sees a little lamb. 00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:52.720 And not like, oh, oh, how cute. 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:53.119 Right? 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.200 No, this lamb has been slaughtered. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.000 This lamb has been murdered. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:05.519 And that, that is the picture we're given of the one who is worthy to open the seals. 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:12.480 And if you know Revelation, opening of these seals and the trumpets and the bowls, it's judgments pronounced on the earth. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:25.519 And it's this reminder that the only one who's worthy to judge is the one who's lived as one of us, died in our place, the one that we actually judged. 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:32.640 And who went through all of that, and who else could be worthy to judge the world? 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:39.680 And there's there's again all this symbolism, all this stuff that you read, and you're like, weird, what is going on? 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:43.039 Like this lamb happens to have seven horns and seven eyes. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:46.480 And you may have never seen a seven-horned, seven-eyed lamb before. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:48.559 But again, it's it's symbolism. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.519 Like, what is this all about? 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:54.160 Well, in the Old Testament, remember, John's always, he's painting every picture with scripture. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:56.880 Like Zechariah chapter 1. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:03.519 Zechariah's a prophet toward the end of the Old Testament, and he says, Then I looked up and I saw four animal horns. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:05.039 What are these? 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:14.240 I asked the angel who was talking with me, and he replied, These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:26.400 Horns are often a symbol in the Old Testament of power, but not just like singular individual power, like national power, earth-influencing power. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.319 And it says that the lamb has seven horns. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:35.119 Seven is a number in this form of literature, apocalyptic literature that we talked about last week. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:36.720 The numbers are even symbolic. 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:38.480 Seven is a number of perfection. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:40.319 It's the number of completeness. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:49.920 And so this is this is like John saying this lamb has perfect, complete power. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:56.079 Power over all the nations, power over all the earth. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.559 And it says, seven eyes? 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.480 That's strange. 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:02.160 Seven eyes. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.480 Well, Zechariah, again, it's a callback. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:10.160 Chapter 4 says, Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me as though I had been asleep. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:10.960 What do you see now? 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.440 He asked. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:16.079 And I answered, I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:22.960 And around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts and wicks, and I see two olive trees, and on each side of the bowl. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.839 And then I asked the angel, What are these, my lord? 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:27.119 What do they mean? 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:28.799 And we go on to verse 10. 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:34.400 It says, The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:39.440 It's this understanding that Jesus sees everything. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:41.920 That he sees all. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:48.400 That as he looks out at the world, there's nothing he doesn't see, there's nothing he doesn't understand. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.440 He sees everything. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:28:03.759 So he has total power, total authority, and he also has complete and total knowledge, understanding, and vision. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:08.000 There's nothing he doesn't see, and there's nothing that he doesn't understand. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:17.599 So we have Jesus, this eyes of fire and mouth sword, and voice like roaring rivers and thunder and all this kind of crazy stuff. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.400 And then also, also, we have this lamb slaughtered. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:23.359 Again, we're just getting multiple looks at Jesus, all these different layers. 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:24.559 Are you good to continue? 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.680 Alright, let's go on. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:27.680 Let's go to let's go to Revelation 19. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.799 This is this is whew. 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:30.160 Alright, here we go. 00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:38.160 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there, and its rider was named Faithful and True. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:41.839 For he judges fairly and he wages a righteous war. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:44.240 His eyes were like flames of fire. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.920 Sounds familiar, right? 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:48.079 And on his head were many crowns. 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:54.880 By the way, ancient kings would sometimes wear multiple crowns to signify that they had authority in multiple places. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:59.920 And so this is Jesus, who has authority everywhere. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:03.759 It says a name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:07.599 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:16.079 And the armies of heaven dressed in the finest of pure white linen followed him on white horses, and from his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.880 And he will rule them with an iron rod. 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:28.960 He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress, and on his robe at his thigh was written this title, King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:37.440