The Return of Death (The Seven Trumpets) | Revelation 9:12-21 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

It is said that one point eight to two people die every second worldwide. A hundred and six people every minute, six thousand three hundred and ninety two every hour, and just over a 100 and fifty thousand people every single day. The Bible, however, predicts something remarkable. It predicts a period in the future when these predictable statistics will come to a mysterious halt. The scripture foretells a moment in history that is unprecedented.

Death will be withheld from the world as the globe will be tormented by demonic spirits for a total of five months. And this will be by divine sanction. This will be permitted by God as a way to jolt the wicked in order to repent before it is too late. And this is what John saw when he had a vision of an angel blowing the fifth of seven trumpets, which have been appointed by God to declare the escalating acts of his wrath just before the return of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But that is not the only thing that John witnessed as an unusual phenomenon in this tribulation era.

There is something else that will happen. And after John finished explaining the events under the fifth trumpet, he says the following in Revelation nine verse 12. The first woe has passed. Behold, two woes are still to come. As if to say, as bad as this was, it's only going to get worse.

Now what can be more terrifying than the release of innumerable amount of demons who have been chained in the abyss for thousands of years to inflict unspeakable pain upon every person who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Well, we're about to be told. We're about to see exactly what will transpire because we still have three trumpets, one that we covered last week, two left, And each of them have been ascribed a woe. And we will look at now the sixth trumpet as we read Revelation nine verse 13 down to verse 15. Let's turn there together.

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. So the four angels who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year were released to kill a third of mankind. Let's pray. Lord, we ask as we always do humbly with your word before us that you would lead us through it, that we would hear your voice, That it would swallow up any other voices that contradict your will, your wisdom, your mind, your heart. We we want to be engulfed by the revelation of who you are.

And so Lord, apprehend us and take us deeper and draw us closer into your bosom that we may leave here knowing you more. This is our desire as a church. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. So the fifth trumpet was blown.

And what happened? There was the unleashing of demons who were given authority to torment, but not to kill. Now we come to the sixth trumpet. And there is also demons who are released. But this time, they have been called to execute in a staggering way.

John tells us that after five months of no death, no matter how many attempts to commit suicide, no matter how many attempts to try to kill somebody else, at the end of almost half a year, there will be the unleashing of mass casualties. A third of mankind in that future generation. Here's what you have to remember. When we looked at the seal judgments, the first set of judgments, we're now in the second with the trumpet, we have the bowls to come. In that first set with the seals, we learned that a fourth of mankind had already died.

Through wars and famines and all these different issues. And now we learn a third on top of it. So we have at least a half of the world's population that have already perished. This is unthinkable. This is hard to imagine.

But this is the reality of that future tribulation period. And this is essentially the summary of the sixth trumpet, that a third of mankind will be dead. But is that all the Lord intended to teach us through it? Most definitely not. We just read the first few verses about the sixth trumpet.

We still have the rest of the chapter. And if you look at the the entirety of this section, you'll actually notice three groups of persons. Three groups and each of them have something to offer us in terms of our spiritual maturity. And so this is just a helpful way to organize our thoughts, but we read the first few verses and that actually shows us the first group in focus. Under the sixth trumpet, what's highlighted immediately are the saints.

The saints. How do believers fit in this picture? Look back at verse one. Excuse me. Verse 13.

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God. So this trumpet blast, it sounded. It's alarmed. And right after, John hears a voice. But we're not given the identity of the commander.

Is this voice Christ? Is this voice an angel? It's unclear. But what is made known to us is the location of the voice. This command came from the four horns of the golden altar before God.

And this is an object that you and I have seen before in Revelation. Not too far back. Look back at Revelation eight very quickly, and look at verse three. John says here in Revelation eight verse three, and another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints rose before God from the hand of the angel.

This golden altar that was placed before the throne of God in heaven is intimately connected with the intercessions and the prayers of God's people. And this instrument reflects the very same altar that was located right before the veil in the temple. And this is a symbol of God treasuring and honoring our prayers and it wasn't just true in that temple, it's true to this day because he has his own heavenly altar that holds our cries and our requests. So we can't say this though, that the voice that John heard from the four corners of that altar are the combined voices of believers telling an angel what to do. That's not what's happening here.

What is happening here is that the Holy Spirit wants us to see how the intercessions and the supplications of the saints throughout the ages plays a major role in the unfolding of these events in the last days. That's the heart of the matter. Or else, why mention the golden altar. Right? It's as though the Lord wants to tell us through this vision that all the cries and the longings of his people over the centuries for true justice, for the return of his son are now being answered.

And we've been given this vision ahead of time to realize that God will indeed answer those prayers one day. But let's think about this more deeply. Isn't it profound to witness in our Bibles how there is a connection between the prayers of God's people and events that can affect the world, that can make history, that can transform nations. This is remarkable that the children of God's prayers being given to him are taken into consideration to actually intervene in our world in ways that we've never seen before. Prayer is a mystery for many reasons, yet scripture makes this thing one clear.

That it has the ability to pierce into the spiritual realm and influence things. And I can't think of a stronger example than this, and of this, than with Daniel in Daniel chapter 10. You remember Daniel, a man of great prayer. Now, for those who come here every single week on Friday nights, we're studying Ezra. Do you remember what year it was under Cyrus king of Persia that he released the Jews to return back to their homeland?

It was the first year. In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia. But in the beginning of Daniel 10, we're given another time stamp. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, Daniel made this decision. I am going to mourn and I am going to pray for three weeks.

Now the question is, why? Why did Daniel decide to consecrate himself in this manner? What took place for him to make this decision? We're not told in Daniel chapter 10, but we can speculate. Daniel was a high official in the government, was he not?

And the people had already been released a few years prior. His own people, he chose to remain back. We're gonna study some of the reasons why on our Friday nights. Why did Daniel stay back when there was an open door for all the remnant to return? Isn't that interesting?

Well, he chose to remain. And as a high official, it's very likely that he received updates of what took place in Jerusalem. In the attempt of the people of God to rebuild the temple, you have to remember that there were great obstacles. A lot of opposition. A lot of persecution.

To the point where the project was put on pause. And it could be that Daniel learned about this update and it troubled him deeply. Because he read in the scriptures that the people of God would be recovered, restored, and that they would move on. Seventy years had passed. The exile is finished.

Why are things not moving ahead? And I'm persuaded that this disturbed Daniel so much that he chose to fast. And he began to pray and inquire of God, Lord, what is happening here? What's going on? And as he decided to set apart that time and his energy, something astounding took place.

A heavenly messenger appears before Daniel a few days after that three week time of consecrated prayer, And he gives him one of the most profound and detailed prophecies in all of scripture. We can't get into into detail now, but what I want to bring to your attention is what this heavenly messenger said to Daniel initially. So go to Daniel 10 and look here with me in verse 11. Daniel 10 verse 11. And he said to me, oh, Daniel, man greatly loved.

Understand the words that I speak to you and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, fear not Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, Your words have been heard and I have come because of your words. Now many who teach on prayer love to come to this passage, yet they tend to rush past the opening words of it. Before Daniel was given any kind of explanation of what was going to take place with the people of Israel, what was he told?

O Daniel, man greatly loved. The Lord saw it necessary that Daniel would be reminded of the great affection that he had for him. Why? I think there's a clue in the context. Right before this, Daniel fainted at the sight of this heavenly being.

He collapsed. And it could be that the Lord right away wanted to reassure the prophet, wanted to strengthen him by doing what? Setting before his eyes the great love that this great God had for him. And I think even in that we have a lesson for each of us. Oh, the people that I've met over the years before ministry and especially in ministry who doubt God's love for them, Who who whose hearts race at the thought of one day standing before them, even though they proclaim him to be to to be their savior and and and their deliverer and their redeemer?

How do I know if I'm doing enough to please him? Is my status truly set? Is it sealed that I am forgiven? I am his own. The the troubles and the weakness that brings.

I offer this truth to you in the same way that it was prescribed to Daniel. You must set before your heart the love of God until you're able to be confident in your stance. And this truth even applies to those who are weak in their faith, who are weary in this journey. Do you see the remedy here? Understand and meditate on the strong, consistent, steadfast love that God has for you and I on a personal level.

This is what this man heard and what's so remarkable to me, it's not the first time Daniel heard it. In Daniel nine, when another heavenly being appeared before him, he was also told the same thing, man greatly loved, beloved of God. And at this point in the section of Daniel, he's quite old. He's an elderly man. And even as an elderly man, a seasoned saint, he needed to be reminded of God's love.

This mighty prophet, this holy man, this individual who's who's impacted an entire empire, more than one empire, needed to rehearse God's love, not just for Israel, not just for his house, not just for his own name, but for Daniel. And that is a resounding exhortation in your New Testament of mine. Do you remember what John wrote in first John three one? See what kind of love the father has given us. That's the first part of that verse.

See what kind of love the father has given us. Other translations say, behold what manner of love the father has given. That first word is so important. See it, behold it, pay close attention to it. Don't just let it skip over you.

God loves me. Okay. No. No. No.

Sit there. What do you mean this God loves me? Does he actually have feelings? Does he actually have emotions? Or is it this stoic, loyal, covenantal love?

I made a promise and I'm gonna love you. Or or is there actually a heart behind it? What do you know about this love? And understand this, it will be your fuel. It will be your source of energy in this walk.

Daniel needed to stand upright. You're gonna need it as well and so does the preacher. Look at this love. This is the first thing that Daniel learned about or was reminded of at least, but it's not the only thing. Look at the end of verse 12.

This heavenly messenger tells Daniel that his powerful arrival was what? Because of his words. I have now come because of your words, Daniel. Implying what? Implying this, that if Daniel had never opened his mouth, this heavenly messenger would never have arrived and opened his mouth.

And so Daniel prays for three weeks and it was delayed for longer. The answer did not come till after a few days beyond that time. But what does this angel teach him and teach us? The moment you set your heart to see God about this matter, God heard you. God heard you.

And not only did he hear you, there is a delay because there is this invisible war taking place, but your prayers, look at this, put angels to work. I wonder how many angels are not working because we're not praying. And we see the same thing in Revelation nine, do we not? That it was something about that golden altar, though the voice we can't mark out, we can't say clearly what that voice was. That altar that symbolizes our prayers made that angel do something on the earth.

And Daniel didn't just receive an answer to his prayers, he received insight that there was an all out scrimmage. There was an all out fierce battle among angelic beings in the heavenlies. And we may not have the detailed explanation of how prayer intersects with the spiritual realm or how invisible dimensions intervene in our material world, but you know what the Bible does make clear? That prayer is not merely a psychological exercise or some form of self help therapy. Prayer has power.

Prayer has the ability to change things. Prayer can move principalities. Prayer can push back the forces of evil. Prayer invites God's grace into our homes, into our churches, into the streets of our neighborhoods, into our nation. Prayer has power.

And Daniel was told this and it's been left in our bibles for us to see it, and this is a consistent testimony throughout scripture of how much God honors the prayers of his people. Even the weakest in the church, even some of the most inconsistent in the church, If they have the faith to pray, oh, the things that God will do with those prayers. You know, with all that's going on in our own nation, one of the scriptures that keep coming to mind is what Jeremiah we learned this on Fridays not too long ago, what Jeremiah told the exiles while they were in Babylon. Can I remind you what he said in Jeremiah 29 verse seven? But seek the welfare of the city where I've sent you into exile and pray to the Lord on its behalf for in its welfare, you will find your welfare.

What a profound verse. Imagine this, Jeremiah is calling the exiles in Babylon to do what? Pray. They're at their lowest in terms of their spiritual stature. They are at their lowest in terms of their testimony.

They have been removed from the promised land. How much more of a rejection do you want than that? And yet, God says, if you choose to pray, I'll still listen to you. Paul asked the Corinthians to pray for him. The Corinthians?

If I had a choice of which church in the New Testament letters I would have pray for me, the Corinthians would be near the last. And yet Paul says, if you pray, I believe that God will hear you. What kind of grace is that? Pray. And when you pray for the city, the city that is holding you captive, the city that's oppressing you, it's gonna benefit you.

So pray. So the first thing that we see with the saints in Revelation nine is that God takes our our prayers seriously. And the question we have to ask is this, do we? Do we? Oh, there's so much more to say, but we have two groups left to look at.

We looked at the saints in this vision of the sixth trumpet, but now let's look again at the demons. Come back to Revelation nine and we'll read down from verse 15 to verse 19. So the four angels who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year were released to kill a third of mankind. Pause. I have to just say this.

For those who don't believe in the futurist interpretation, how do you spiritualize this one? A third of mankind, did they die in seventy AD? How do you prove that historically? Just have to get that out there. Verse 16, the number of mounted troops was twice 10,000 times 10,000.

I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them. They wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues, a third of mankind was killed by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses in was in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads and by means of them they wound.

So like the fifth trumpet, the sixth calls for the liberation of demonic beings. Four of them to be exact. And they seem to be like four high ranking fallen angels. And we know that these are fallen angels because verse 14 tells us that they are bound. You don't bind holy angels.

These are vicious evil spirits. And unlike the angels that we looked at last week, these shackled spirits are not bound in what? The abyss. That that's what we would anticipate. We looked at the bottomless pit and how that is something that we find throughout the scriptures.

The the holding place of the worst of the worst demons. But now when we come to the sixth trumpet, unlike the fifth, these demons are not found in the abyss, they're actually located and confined at the great river Euphrates. Now the Euphrates River is is one of the most important rivers in The Middle East historically and even agriculturally. It begins there near the Eastern Mountains of Turkey, and it flows through Syria, and it touches Iraq, and it comes and joins the Tigris River before emptying into the Persian Gulf. And this is a 1,700 mile kind of body of water and it's been crucial to the rise and development of many civilizations throughout history, but we have to ask this question, what relevance does it have in our biblical worldview?

What what does what does it have to offer us in terms especially of understanding prophecy? Because the the the river Euphrates appears a different amount of times in the Old Testament but only twice in the New. And both times, guess which book? Revelation. Well I want to give you a few reasons why I believe understanding the great river Euphrates is important.

Number one, the Euphrates River marked the eastern boundary of the land that was promised to Abraham and his descendants. So if you read Genesis fifteen eighteen more carefully, you'll realize that the eastern boundary is marked by the Euphrates River. And throughout the Old Testament, what you find is that some of Israel's most fiercest enemies had to cross the Euphrates River in order to conquer the people of God. So there is a consistent testimony of the Euphrates River in the Old Testament being a symbol of enemy invasion. And that's what John seems to be doing here by the help, obviously, and the inspiration of the Spirit.

There's this anticipation of an enemy invasion. We find it here in Revelation nine, but look at Revelation sixteen twelve, the only other time Euphrates is mentioned in the New Testament. Look at this in Revelation 16 verse 12. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. So again, remember the book of Revelation is dripping with Old Testament allusions and references.

So we've been looking at the Old Testament, Euphrates, Euphrates, Euphrates. And now we come to the new, and we realize, uh-oh. There must be an enemy invasion coming, And there is. And it's going to be one of the greatest ones against the people of Israel, which will set the stage for the intervention of Christ to defend them and establishes millennial reign. This is one of the reasons.

But we have a second reason why, understanding the Euphrates River, is helpful. It reminds us that biblical prophecy centers around a particular part of the world namely the Middle East. There are many prophecy enthusiasts who try to forcefully place current regimes and politicians and governments and movements into biblical prophecy, failing to realize that the scriptures and the author of the scriptures is not interested in trying to place or code things about modern realities. Prophecy in the Bible centers around Israel and her neighboring nations. So be careful of prophecy teachers who say, I found The United States in the book of Revelation.

And this is the role that The United States, symbol of the eagle, and this is what's gonna happen, and this is how they're gonna integrate with the Bible doesn't go there. The Holy Spirit doesn't go there, and we shouldn't go there either. But with that understanding, there's another warning and it is this, to become overly sensational and fixated on current events in The Middle East. And there are other people who are in that camp. Pastors in fact, who consistently and constantly interrupt their sermon series because of the newest headline of what's happening over there in The Middle East.

Who constantly put things together at pieces to try to say, here's a fulfillment. Instead of putting that energy and that focus on what Christ has revealed clearly and what he demands from us now. So beware, although Israel is much in focus, especially in prophecy, don't become overly fanatic with what's happening in current day events. Here's the last thought to consider about the Euphrates River. It reminds us also that there are fallen angels and there are principalities who assign and are occupied by operating in certain regions of the world.

We didn't explore this in Daniel 10, but when we continue from this heavenly messenger appearing before Daniel, he goes on to explain that his message to the prophet was resisted by one of the leaders, the the prince of the kingdom of Persia. And that even Michael, the archangel, had to now intervene and help overcome this king in order for this prophecy to be brought be brought forth before this man of God. Now, there is no way that you can interpret this as actual kings of our own realm fighting against each other. It's clear that we're talking about spiritual rulers. And you find this in Ezekiel, you find this in Daniel, you even find it in the the book of Revelation where you have demonic beings who actually hold different positions and ranks, and even are designated different parts of the world to do certain things.

Do you remember when we studied the seven churches? And what Jesus actually said to one of them in Revelation two when he said that the throne of Satan is in your midst? So at that point, Satan's headquarters was in a certain city in Asia Minor of John's day. And that's what you see here. You see that there are these four angels who are in a specific location on the earth.

Not more is given to us, but it is a reminder of how the things that are going on in our world behind our entertainment, behind our politics, behind different elements, there's a very real evil presence at play. And that's important to understand so that we know what our battle is really up against. Not flesh and blood, but invisible forces who are very organized, very sophisticated, very vicious. But with this awareness, listen, you can't you can't be too too too caught up with the evil that's going around because in the very same passage that we just read about these demonic beings, it doesn't take much time before we are reminded strongly about God's sovereignty. Look again at verse 15 of Revelation nine.

So the four angels who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year were released to kill a third of mankind. Released by who? Not by Satan. God's sovereignty presides over all things including these powerful forces and let's not limit his incomparable knowledge and power to demons. Understand, this is what I take from this verse.

You and I worship a God who is fully aware of every second, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year that is lived by every person, on every side, in every corner of this planet from this day until the end. He knows everything. And this truth is not merely meant to impress you. It's meant to inspire you. It's meant to grant you this unshakable confidence.

It means that nothing that surprises me in a single hour, nothing that takes place in an ordinary day, Nothing that piles up in a very busy month of the year. There's not one thing that seems to be delayed in terms of my desires that span over years that escapes the compassionate knowledge of God or his schedule for that matter. Do you see how I mean how much more specific can this verse be? The day, the hour, the month, the year. God had that plan long ago when these four specific angels would be released to do his bidding.

Does he not give you and I more careful attention? He does. And he is more aware and he is more mindful of the things that you take for granted. What a comforting truth from a very unlikely place in the Bible, but there's more comforting truths from it. Look again at the detailed description of these terrifying beings, these four fallen angels that were released.

They again seem to be high ranking demons, but they're portrayed as soldiers riding on horses. And they're arrayed with colors and symbols that are hellish. Sulfur and red and all these things are meant to describe destruction and judgment. And we're even told the way that they will eliminate a third of mankind. Look again at verse 18, by these three plagues, a third of mankind was killed.

They will bring disease. They will bring viruses. They will bring different forms of corruption that will erode the population in such an alarming rate. Now you might be wondering what's encouraging about this. Here's what's encouraging.

Remember the last thing that was numbered on the earth in terms of persons before this text? I told you that other translations read 200,000,000. 200,000,000 of these demons will be let go and loosen upon the earth. And I thought, I've read a big numbers before in this context, and the last time persons are numbered were the 144,000 servants from the tribes of Israel. Do you remember them?

A 144,000 who are still on the earth at this time even under the sixth trumpet. Are they outnumbered, do you think? Yeah. They are. In fact, they don't stand a chance.

That's the point. They actually overcome. Even with all of hell belching out its forces, these 144 servants will still be effective in their ministry, will still be able to testify of the gospel, will still be flickers of light sprinkled across the globe. And the point that you and I are supposed to take from this is that the Lord does not need much to accomplish his will, does he? He doesn't.

And he always works through a remnant. He performs his greatest works against all odds. And that was helpful to me because, I don't know about you, I feel the darkness surrounding me growing. And I feel more and more, especially if you look at what's happening in churches in America, and leadership, and movements, and agendas, and all these heresies, old heresies coming back, new ideas coming back. I mean we're losing guys here.

At the same time, in the future, in the worst moments of history, when really the people of God will be the most outnumbered, they will succeed. They will be untouchable. They will perform God's will and Satan and all his army can't do anything about it. I'm encouraged by this. God will always protect and he always will use a faithful remnant to advance his purposes.

This is what we learn about the demons. Well, we come to the last group of Revelation nine under the sixth trumpet and that is the wicked. We didn't read these verses from verse 20 down to verse 21. The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the work of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood which cannot see or hear or walk, nor do they repent of their murders, of their sorceries, or their sexual immorality, or their thefts. I argue that what we just read in those verses is scarier than the description of the demons and the devastation they will cause.

What we just read, to me, is more terrifying. What am I referring to? The white knuckled commitment to sin even though God is judging you for it in this way. Staggering. Striking.

You know what disturbed me? That the rest of mankind who weren't slain were still choosing to worship the very things that were killing them. Did you see it? In this list of vices are included what? The devotion to demons.

Idols, which are impersonated by demons, and sorceries. We'll get to this in another point in Revelation. The word sorceries, by the way, is where we get the word pharmacy, pharmacia. We'll get to that in a few weeks. But this is a vivid display of the insanity of the depraved heart.

People refusing to let go of the very practices that are destined to destroy them or are already killing them slowly. And before we assume that this is a future defiance, this is one kind of kind of like the end time characteristics. Remember, it's very much a reality today. That there are those maybe even in this room listening to this message who show a terrifying loyalty to something or some things that are killing you. And you can't seem to shake free from it.

And it may disturb your conscience from time to time, but it still clutches. It has a grip on you. And here's the thing that I want to say as lovingly as possible. What will it take for you to do everything in your power with the truths that are at your disposal in the word of God, to put to death the thing that is trying to strangle your soul? It's searing your conscience.

Do you realize that? It's ruining your marriage. It may have generational consequences. You think it's just affecting you and not knowing that there's a spiritual law in your home, you're the head of your house, and your children are watching you, and they need you more than ever, and you're willing to let that thing eat up your life, not ever taking into consideration that it will come perhaps for those that you love the most. It's robbing you of testimonies.

It's it's taking away your joy. It's displacing you from the rightful due of God from actually being able to use you the way he has called you to be used. And yet, here you are sitting in another service, under another message, knowing full well that you're gonna go out these doors and go back to the very same things that are eating up your soul like a cancer. How senseless. And my question is what will it take?

How much erosion needs to take place become you've become fully invested to eliminate that thing? Let him who has an ear hear what the spirit says through his word. I gotta admit though, looking at this is disturbing. Right? I mean, you have these these people, these men and women who will not repent.

I mean, there's gonna be no denying that what what happened in these series of events, five months of no death and then one third of mankind being slain. This is spiritual. This is not normal. And they'll go right back to their demons, and they'll go right right back to their witchcraft, and they'll go right back to their sexual sin, and they'll go right back to killing people and stealing from people. How?

How? How? How? How? It's disturbing and we can apply it spiritually to our own war against sin, but I'm impressed.

I gotta admit, I'm impressed. This is impressive because again, you're being afflicted. You're being tormented. You're being threatened and you still choose to worship. The very things that are doing this to you.

And you know what came to my mind? How dare we then, if God in his perfect wisdom and love should afflict us, ever entertain the thought that we will walk away from him for whatever pain that he has allowed in our lives. This is Satan tormenting his own followers, and they don't walk away from him. But then when there's when there's some tribulation, when there's a delay to months, maybe years of prayer, when there's something that doesn't make sense to you because you've been serving God and the thought comes to mind, just give it all up. It's not really worth it.

How dare we even think for a moment maybe that is the best option in my response to what God has permitted in my life. I remember Job, when everything happened to him in a matter of minutes, Satan had the right to take everything away from Job. Everything. But you know what's so striking? Satan left his wife.

And this woman, he lost all his kids, he lost his business, but Satan left his wife. And you realize early on in the book of Job why? Because she looks at Job and says, are you still holding fast to your integrity? Curse God and die. Some helpmate.

And Job says this in chapter two verse 10, you speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God and shall we not receive evil? Now, this man Job has been given to us according to James as an example of how to patiently endure suffering. Read that in James five. But you know who really does not like Job?

Prosperity preachers. Cause they can't really reconcile Job's story and what they claim to be the will of God for every single Christian. If you confess enough and say enough, you'll be healthy continually, you'll be rich continually. In fact, you'll grow, grow, grow, grow in these areas. And if you don't, it's because you have the lack of faith.

So how do you deal with Job? Well they say the reason why Job This is real. I've heard it with my own ears, with my jaw dropped. The reason why Job experienced all of this is because Job made negative confessions, And he wrongfully blamed God for the atrocities that he experienced. To which I respond, did you finish Job two ten?

Because after he said to his wife, shall we receive only good from God and not receive evil? The Holy Spirit leaves this commentary in all this Job did not sin with his lips. He wasn't wrong in his assessment. He didn't sin. This isn't negative confession.

This is faithful understanding that sometimes God does allow adversity and he does allow things to happen that don't make sense to us. Oh, the Puritans, they're good friends of mine. John Flavel said this, affliction is a pill. Being wrapped up in patience and quiet submission may be easily swallowed. But discontent choose the pill and so embitters the soul.

Profound. When God places the pill of affliction in our mouths, what you do with it will determine your experience. Here's what I wanna say in light of that. One of the secrets of enduring suffering is not focusing so much on the why of the pain, but on the who who permits it. It was a psalmist who said in Psalm one nineteen verse 75, I know, oh Lord, that your rules are righteous.

So what is he addressing? The the character of God. Your rules, oh Lord, are righteous. And then he finishes the thought in the following way. And that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

So how is he translating the affliction? The righteousness of God. He he's good. He it's impossible for him to do wrong. It's impossible for him to perform evil.

It's impossible for him to do anything and allow anything in my life for my hurt, for my pain. There's always something redemptive that God has in mind even in this. And so David could say, if he wrote Psalm one nineteen, in faithfulness you afflicted me. So let me tell you how I finished studying the sixth trumpet when I looked at what the rest of mankind did. I said, if this is how sinners will be devoted to their sin, God by your grace make me devoted to you in all things, no matter what comes my way.

And though you slay me, I will hope in you as Job said. And that's the thought that I want to leave with you. Remember, what we're doing here in Revelation is not just looking at future events. All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for our development now. So when we look at the saints, what do we learn?

Oh, prayer has power. When we look at demons, what do we realize? Well, all of them can line up against a 144,000 and God's purposes will still prevail. So what does it matter whoever is elected mayor of this city or this president? Okay.

One with God as majority. And lastly, with the wicked. I refuse by the grace of God to allow the wicked to outperform and out serve and out love their sin in comparison to my savior. By his grace, I wanna cling to him and stay close to him no matter what. Because in faithfulness, he afflicts us.

And maybe that's a word for some here who who walked into this place bruised and wounded not knowing what to make of it. Here's what you make of it. You are greatly loved as Daniel was, and there's not one thing God permits outside of his compassionate knowledge and schedule for the purposes he has for our lives. Lord, we thank you for your word, And we ask that you would help us write these truths on the table of our hearts. And as the book of Proverbs says, treasure up my commandments.

Lord, help us to take these jewels and to put them in the depths of who we are and to lock it in that treasure chest, and to never fail to revisit them when we need to. We bless you, Lord, for the service. We thank you how you have graciously led us all the way to this point in Revelation. We trust you have so much more in store for us. For now, Lord, we meditate and we rejoice and we give you glory in response and song.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Why don't we stand and worship the Lord together?