Final Warning Revelation 22:18-21

It's like our screen is, oh, there we go. Welcome everyone to our study on the book of Revelation. We're going to be looking at the final warning. I want to thank all of you for going on this journey with us. And now we're at the close of the journey. You know, for a long time, I didn't know if we'd ever arrive, but we have finally arrived and looking forward to this message. Of course, it doesn't come without complications. One, I had to change my printer ribbon out because it went out a day ago and I got new ribbon for it, new cartridges, and it doesn't print. And then secondly, my phone that I use Evernote on for my backup, for some reason, that's not working. So I'm going to have to write to them and find out why it's not. I was doing some lessons on last night and the last couple lessons or the last one I did wouldn't work. And now this one this morning is not showing up on my phone. So here we are with the last message and we're still dealing with complications in terms of using the technology, but we're going to go ahead and proceed. Also want to thank those of you who have purchased the book, Did Jesus Get It Right? And want to encourage you if you haven't gotten it to get it. I'm getting some good feedback from it and really appreciate that. So let's go ahead and get into our message this morning. We're looking at a final warning from Revelation chapter 22, verses 18 through 21. And whatever the case, I'm going to finish this because it's only a few verses left and I'm not going to carry this into another week. So this will be the wrap up for our study on Revelation. He starts in verse 18 saying, for I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life and from the holy city and from the things which are written in the book. He who testifies these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now, in last week's lesson, we saw the final invitation of the bride and the spirit. It was an invitation to come from without into the kingdom, into the holy temple, into the heavenly city, not made with hands. Into that inheritance that God has given to man for their faith, loyalty, and their suffering on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the spirit's invitation has Joel's prophecy behind it, which ended, of course, with an invitation as well. When you look at Joel's prophecy in the last couple of verses, it says the sun should be turned into darkness. And the moon into blood before the coming of the great and the awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, there should be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. Now, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved is a statement that's made in Romans 10 in verse 13. And it shows that that's connected to the invitation of the gospel, because it says, how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent as it is written? How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. Now, once again, I'm unable to see your comments. I would love to see them, but I can't see them until after this message is over. And because of the limitations I'm working with today, it makes it even worse. But we're going to go on through the lesson. Just understand that if I've not been able to acknowledge you or to see your comments live as you post them. But don't let that hinder you from entering your comments. So what this is, is the invitation by the spirit that also demonstrates that the book of Revelation was written prior to 70 AD. The spirit's invitation is a reminder of the dating of Revelation. Now, there are so many people who believe that it was written after 70 AD. But when you understand the eschatological spirit, as it was poured out in the last days, according to Joel's prophecy, but also according to Micah 7 and verse 15, that was the eschatological spirit poured out for 40 years. And that 40 years beginning in the ministry of Christ, particularly, but formerly for the church and for the apostles, starting on the day of Pentecost. Furthermore, it was poured out until the end of the age, Matthew 28 and verse 20. When Jesus said, after giving the great commission, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, he was not particularly speaking of the relationship that we have with God and with Christ. But in that instance, he was talking about the work that he was doing in confirming his word with the apostles, which would be confirmed until the end of the age or until his return. And in Mark 16, 15 through 20, as he told them to go into all the world or the cosmos and preach the gospel to all the creation, he said, and these signs will follow those who believe. In my name, they will cast out demons. In my name, they will speak with new tongues. They will heal the sick, raise the dead. If they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. And then the scripture says, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming their words with the signs following. So this was Jesus confirming the words of the apostles who taught the gospel, who preached the gospel, who laid hands on those and imparted the Holy Spirit. But how long was he going to be doing that? Until the end of the age. And Matthew 24, verse 3 through 34 tells us that the end of the age ended with that generation because he said, surely this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled. We also have the text in 1 Corinthians 1, verses 6 through 8, that says, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. So here is this message, just like he said in Mark 16, 20, that was being confirmed in the Corinthians. But notice, he also said, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the coming or the revelation, the apocalypsis, which is the same word used for the book of Revelation, that's the word apocalypsis, waiting for the revealing or the unveiling, I should say, of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now watch, who will also confirm you to the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the day that Joel prophesied. That is the confirmation that was being done for those first century saints. The Corinthians who were there present in the first century were being confirmed, but how long would that occur until the end of the age? Now, the Spirit was also there to confirm the true sons of God as they endured those persecutions leading up to the end of the age. That's a part of what the book of Revelation was about as well. And it was necessary for two reasons for the Spirit to confirm them as true sons of God. First of all, was so that they could receive the inheritance that had been promised to them. And the second was to confirm them and encourage them through the persecutions. The apostles' lives, along with those of the saints, as we can see with Stephen and James and others, were threatened. They would have to testify before governors, kings, and in the synagogues where their lives were threatened. Remember on occasion, Paul was stoned and taken up for dead. It was a very treacherous and violent sometimes experience to preach the gospel in those settings. And, you know, under the hostile conditions that they were to face with the people that they were taking the message to. Even Paul, before his conversion, remember? He said he thought verily that he would destroy the church of God, that he would wipe it from the face of the earth. That was his intention. And he was going, you know, from throughout the land, all the way as far from Jerusalem to Dan persecuting the churches. And so bringing them, you know, into prison or committing them to prison and persecuting them as well. So that was his aim. But multiply that by the myriads of Jews who resisted the Lord Jesus Christ, and you see why this message of the Spirit was so important. Because the Bible says in Matthew chapter 10 and verse 18, you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. And one account says as a testimony against them. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you shall speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who is in you. So the Spirit was given to them so that they could be protected from these hostile situations that they would find themselves in to be able to testify under oath with truth and not have to worry about perjuring themselves or saying anything that was out of line because the Spirit was with them in that. But that's precisely what we see unfolding in the church before the Parisian. In Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 beginning, the scripture says, for you did not receive the or excuse me, verse 14 says, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. So there was the Spirit confirming them as the true sons of God. Think about that in light of Galatians chapter 3 when Paul asked the question of the Galatians, he said, did you receive the Spirit through the hearing, through the works of the law or through the hearing of faith? And then he asked them, have you suffered so many things in vain? If in fact they were in vain, but he's letting them know that it was not through the law that they received the Spirit, but it was through the gospel and the grace of Christ. But that demonstrated that those who received the Spirit and who were led by the Spirit were the true sons of God. It was a way of authenticating them as genuine and authentic sons of God. And at the same time, separating those who were not. This is what 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 14 says, but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned, but he who is spiritual judges all things and yet is judged of no one. And again, in Jude 1, 18, when he talks about the markers who came in the last days, he said, these are those who separate themselves being natural, some translations will say sensual, not having the Spirit. So the Spirit definitely was very important in that first century, last days eschaton to demonstrate that they were true sons of God. And so back to our text in Romans, he says, for you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out of a father. Well, what is adoption all about? It's they're becoming the children of God, the adopted sons of God. And he says, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children then heirs. So there's where the inheritance comes in. The Spirit was essential in order for them to receive the inheritance. This holy city, the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven, where death is defeated, where there's no more crying and tears in this heavenly temple, it's not made with hands. And so he says, if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this appointed time, this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which is about to be revealed in us. Do you see that eminence there? So the Spirit was marking out things that were imminent in the first century. And we have to get that when we're studying the book of Revelation so that we're not trying to string it out across the centuries in times and places and events that have no bearing whatsoever on this book. And we're being given a final warning not to do that. And particularly, they were in the first century. Many of the saints had suffered martyrdom, among other tribulations at the hand of their enemies. Their cry had been long in waiting for vengeance, like in Luke 18 with the unfortunate widow who cried out to get justice from the judge who seemed to be totally aloof and would pay no attention to her. But because she continued persistently in her cries and in her prayers, of course, the judge finally gave in and heard her. And the Bible says, shall not the Lord also avenge those speedily his elect who cry out to him day and night? So we have to see the urgency of this message. And in addition to that, when we look in Revelation 6, starting in verse 9, when he opened the fifth seal, he said, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth or on the land? Well, they're crying out for that vengeance that had been mentioned in Deuteronomy chapter 32, verse 35, verse 41 and verse 43, when the Lord would avenge his servants, when the Gentiles came in to the faith. And so they're crying out for this vengeance that Luke talked about in Luke 21, when he said, When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who in the midst of her depart and let not those who in the countries enter her. Why? For these are the days of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled. So there again is the statement that all things written would be fulfilled in connection with the fall of the temple and the city in AD 70. And he says, And all of those things would come to pass within that first century generation. So that's what we're looking at as far as time is concerned regarding the book of Revelation. And so as they cried out, the Bible says, Then a white robe was given to each of them. And it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, not a long time, as these dispensationalists are telling us, not a long time as these futurists are telling us, not a delay as they're crying out. The Bible says an evil and wicked servant says that the Lord delayed his coming. According to the scripture in Hebrews 10 and verse 37, he says, For yet it is a little while, a very, very little while, according to the Greek, and he who is coming will come and will not delay. So we should not be imposing delays on the scripture because these things were for an appointed time that had been predetermined and would not fail, would come to pass. And in fact, did come to pass as the Lord had stated. And so he told them to wait a little while longer, rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were until they filled up that measure of guilt in martyring the saints. As Matthew chapter 23 talks about, fill up the measure of your father's guilt. They kill the prophets and now you're killing the prophets. You're stoning those that I'm sending to you. You're crucifying them. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barakar, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. And so he says they were about to be killed just as they were and when that would be completed. So the Spirit's invitation signaled that the judgment was near. Now we have the severe warning. The book of Revelation could also be seen as coded language, a kind of top secret information for the church's survival. It was only directed to the servants of God. This was not a message that was particularly for everyone. It was a message specifically for the servants of God. In Revelation 1 and verse 1, the Bible says the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his servants things which must shortly come to pass. And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John. Now watch what he did. He sent and signified it. He sent the message in codes and signs so that it could not be detected by the enemy. This involved military warfare. And you don't go around throwing your military secrets to the enemy. In Revelation 22 and verse 6, he said the same thing. That these were things that he sent to his servants concerning that which must shortly be done. There was urgency, but there was also coded language, secrecy, to keep the message from the enemy so that the disciples would come safely through this time of trial and tribulation. And that's why the message of the book of Revelation is so coded and why most people and many don't understand it, and those of us who have some understanding, struggle with the meaning of these words because it was written to a particular people at a particular time in particular circumstances for a particular purpose. And that is so important for us to grasp. They were top class. This is top classified information, if you please. Highly confidential material in terms of the circumstances that they were going through. So you can call them a sort of military secrets as the church would engage in the battle for its very survival. The war against the dragon and his angels, the battle of Armageddon, the battle of Gog and Magog. That's why those who are unfamiliar with the culture struggle with the book of Revelation. For example, let him who has wisdom count the mark of the beast. Now, wisdom was one of the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. That's another reason why the spirit was essential in revealing this message and in aiding them along this. See, they would have had no problem decoding the message of the beast. People are still asking. I had someone ask me last night, who is the beast, et cetera, et cetera. We ask these questions because we don't live in the time they live. The message wasn't sent to us. We don't have the culture they had, and we don't have the gifts they had to enable them to decode the message, to use it for their benefit in the circumstances that they were undergoing at the time. And so let him who has wisdom count the mark of the beast. That's the work of the spirit. And then we also have the MOADs. In other words, the Hebrew calendar festivals that are a major part of the book of Revelation and many other passages in the New Testament. But particularly in Revelation 11, for example, as it relates to the two witnesses. I have to give a tremendous amount of credit to my good friend. I guess I can call him my son in eschatology, Elvin Israel, who has done a masterful job of understanding, applying these MOADs to the language and unlocking these keys, both in the book of Daniel and also in the book of Revelation. At any rate, the feast of feast days, such as Passover, the feast of Purim mentioned in Revelation 11, the feast of tabernacles and how some of the most puzzling and enigmatic statements and chapters are easily unlocked when you understand the book is working from Israel's MOADs that apply to their culture, their times, and the times mentioned in the book of Revelation. But as Elvin says, the first thing we do is we pick up the calendar and try to calculate or our calculators trying to calculate this. And we are totally unaware that all of these things are written within the culture and code of Hebraic culture. Now, thus to change or alter the message and the warning of the book would have been detrimental to the church, threatened its very survival and success. And such little respect is shown for the message of Revelation when we seek to force the message into our future, totally separated from the temple cultus, the Hebrew festivals, the appointed times or MOADs, and the apocalyptic literature of that historical period, so typical of the writings of that era. Now, the penalty for changing the message were the plagues and the covenant curses of the law. He said, for I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to the or adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. Now, those plagues that were written in the book come largely out of Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28, Deuteronomy 32. They are the covenant curses that Moses pronounced on the people for their breaking the covenant, for their being disobedient. And we understand them through that. The prophets spoke the same messages. You can read Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea, and all of them and see how these covenant curses are woven into the fabric of their messages against the people for breaking the covenant of God. And so he says that if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. They would be abandoned to suffer the fate of the enemy. Their end would be a total loss. Their name stripped from the book of life, marked out permanently. Eviction from their place in the holy temple that has been prepared for them, as John 14 talks about, the many abiding places or rooms, theirs would be empty. They would have an eviction notice on that room. They would be removed from the holy city and viewed as aliens and foreigners. And so he says, and from the things which are written in the book, all the blessings to the seven churches, eating of the tree of life, the crown of life, the hidden manna, the rule over the nations, the permanent dwelling in the temple of God, the new Jerusalem, the new name of God, the white garments, all of those blessings sitting down with Christ on his throne would be forfeited for altering this message, for changing the things that were designed for their salvation and for their safety. And then as we move to a close, a final reminder that the Lord's coming was imminent. So often mentioned in the book of Revelation, some people, because of their futurism, have tried to turn all these mentions of the coming of the Lord in the book of Revelation to many comings. They're trying to avoid the fact that there was only one day of the Lord, that there was only one coming that the Bible talked about, because see, they see these statements that say that the Lord was coming, his coming was at hand, that it was shortly to come to pass, that it was imminent. So they go to the seven churches and they look at the Lord saying he was coming to this church or that church. Well, that's a different time. That's a different coming. That's a, no, it's not. It was the same coming. It was just how he was going to deal with that particular congregation when he came. But it's only one coming of the Lord. Just as Jesus said in John 14, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will come again. He didn't say again and again and again and again and again and again. He would come one time. There's only one coming in apposition to his going away, and we see Hebrews chapter nine and verse 28 that talks about the Lord was once offered to bear the sins of many and to them who eagerly waited for him, he would appear a second time apart from sin for salvation, not many times. So this idea of many comings is a figment of the futurist imagination. It's their escape valve from the true teachings of scripture that they can't handle because they're too weak. They're too jelly backed and jelly boned to accept the plain teaching of the word of God. And thus every single message of the Lord's coming in the New Testament, and especially in the book of Revelation says he's coming quickly. It was about to happen. It was imminent. He who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. And thus we have that reminder of the imminent coming of Christ in the first century, all to be fulfilled when the temple failed. And then finally, we have the great expression of God's unmerited favor and his love for the church. As the message of the book of Revelation closes by saying the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. That's God's unspeakable gift of salvation. That's his unmerited favor for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. Lest any man should boast. That's the grace that has been given to all and the riches of that grace that is expressed to those who are willing to obey the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Well, that's our journey through the book of Revelation for this time. I learned a lot through this process, a lot of things that I didn't know. There's still things that I don't know, but I know more than I did know. And I'm going to study even further because of what I have learned and the things that I don't know, because I do at least have a better foundation than I did starting. So I appreciate all of those of you who made the journey with us and we look forward to possibly being back with another study. I don't know whether I'm going to take some time off. It's been a long journey and looking at the book of Revelation. Once again, I want to remind you, if you haven't subscribed, I'm going to post some links. So please come back. And if you have not subscribed to our newsletter, subscribe to it. If you have not purchased the book, when did Jesus get it right? Go ahead and purchase that. It's a very easy to read study of Matthew chapter 24, and people are giving me that feedback. And so if you're looking for a good resource that you can read and understand and then share with your friends and be confident that they will understand the message too, be sure and take advantage of that as well. So once again, thanks to you all for being with us. And we will be back on next.