XXXII The Nations in Revelation
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Transcript of XXXII The Nations in Revelation
XXXIV: THE NATIONS
In which we meet the objects of God’s wrath and grace.
A Production of
the skOG
Workshop
The so-called ‘nations’ play a distinct and powerful
role in Revelation and the Apocalypse. In the popular
imagination, they serve largely as targets of God’s
wrath. In reality, they also serve as targets of God’s
mercy and love.
I will turn the spotlight on the fifth of six Tribulational
protagonists whose fates Revelation portrays. The
fields are ripe and God’s harvest will be souls without
number . . .
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THE NATIONS: “ETHNOS”
Unsaved gentiles in general
Often meant “peoples” as in ethnic groups.
Gets used this way 100 or so times in NT
Occasionally equates to ‘nation-states’ of today
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2253/2228668286_5216064f44.jpg
CONSTITUENT PARTSOF THE NATIONS: NOW IN 2014
Some Accept Christ-now ‘out of the nations
Actively Reject Christ
Ignorant of Christ
DESTINIES OF THE NATIONS: NOW IN 2014
Accept Christ-now ‘out of the nations
Reject Christ
Ignorant of Christ
HADES
HEAVENto be with Christ
HELL, HEAVEN AND HADES
HELL is the place of eternal damnation–not yet open for business till end of 70th Week.
HEAVEN receives the spirits of Christians now
HADES contains the unsaved departed spirits waiting the Last Judgment (Rev 20:12-15)
Abraham’s Bosom and Paradise (Luke 16)
Place of torment for lost (Luke 16)
See: http://www.biblequestions.org/archives/BQAR162.htm for more info
THE NATIONS LATER IN THE 70TH WEEK
Some Accept Christ-now ‘out of’ the nations
AntiChrist
False Prophet
Mark of Beast Group
Help Saints
Ignore Saints Needs
<--------------------------------70th Week------------------------>
FATE OF THE NATIONSas the Tribulation ends
Accept Christ-Tribulation Saints now!
Mark of Beast Group
AntiChrist
False Prophet
Help Saints
Ignore Saints Needs
HEAVEN
Millennial Earth[––––––––––––––––––––>
Sheep
Goats
HELL
HADES
Judgment Sheep/Goats
<--------------------------------70th Week------------------------>
THE NATIONSMindset 1: The Case For Fear
By now, you KNOW the drill!
Large Scale Violence
Drought
Locusts
Famine
DEATH
Seals
Trumpets
Bowls
God righteously judges a world that rejected His
Son and spurned its own salvation.
and yet . . .
THE NATIONSMindset 2: The Case For Hope and Courage
Even to the end of the Great Tribulation, we find a persistent endurance of unexpected ‘normalcy’ amidst chaos.
“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah, For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus in Matthew 24: 37-39
This unexpected endurance of fragments of the normal supports these (perhaps)
unexpected biblical passages:
Text
Text
“Then (after the return of Christ) it will come about that
any who are left of all the nations that went
against Jerusalem will go up from year to year
to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts . . .” Zechariah 14:16
1. Some among the nationswill survive the 70th Week!
“. . . the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues (to Armageddon). I will set my sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations . . .to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the nations . . .” Isaiah 66: 19
2. Some among the nationswill even survive Armageddon!!!
“. . . The King will say to those on His right,(to the
Sheep Nations). ‘Come, you who are blessed of My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. For I was
hungry and you gave Me something to eat. . .” Matthew 25:32
3. Some among the nationsinherit eternal life!!!
“I looked, and behold, a great multitude which
no one could count, from every nation and all
tribes and peoples and tongues, standing
before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed
in white robes . . . and they cry out with a loud
voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God . . .” Revelation 7:9-10
4. A HUGE number from the nationsbecome believers–Christians like us!!!
HOW’D SO GREAT A
SALVATION HAPPEN?
1. NEW CLARITY ABOUT WHO GOD IS: The nations experience God’s supreme power.
God fulfills Bible prophecies about the 70th
Week in every detail, broken Seal after broken
Seal, Trumpet after Trumpet.
AntiChrist cannot shield his followers from God’s wrath.
God exempts His sealed Saints from His wrath.
The choice for nonbelievers is black and white.
2. EVANGELISM: God fills the world with His gospel.
An angel flies through the heavens having the eternal gospel. His loud voice calls out to fear God, give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come! Rev 14:6
Emboldened believers witness to frightened
nonbelievers throughout the world.
Elijah, a la John the Baptist, prepares the hearts of the lost to receive the gospel. Malachi 4:5
The whole world hears the gospel at last.
3. GRACE: God’s gracious and righteous character calls for salvation-always.
“I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore repent and live!” Ezekiel 18:32
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in the whole world as a testimony to all the
nations and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14
“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would be saved. Matthew 24:22
God intends that the lost repent-even here!
AND HOW DID SO GREAT A
SALVATION HAPPEN?
-LY
DELIBERATE-LY
PURPOSEFUL-LY
METHODICAL-LY
GLORIOUS-LY
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Why must the Tribulation/70th Week
last for seven years???
70th Week:
Horrible?
Judgmental?
Wrathful?
Certainly–and yet . . .
70th Week: A triumph of Gracefor those who would be saved.
70th Week: A just indictment on any who refuse the free offer of Grace
God’s redemptive purposes for the 70th Week– to complete His Bride,
– to shake all Israel loose from stubborn pride, – to call a fallen world to repentance–
these purposes find a seven years’ attainment.
God accomplishes more than vengeance for the Church, more than judgment on the pride of man, more than
victory over the Adversary.
God spreads His wrath and judgment over seven frightening years. The resultant fear of God saves souls beyond numbering, makes believers bold witnesses unto
death, and makes wretched the unrepentant.
God’s redemptive purposes for the 70th Week– to complete His Bride,
– to shake all Israel loose from stubborn pride, – to call a fallen world to repentance–
these purposes find a seven years’ attainment.
God accomplishes more than vengeance for the Church, more than judgment on the pride of man, more than
victory over the Adversary.
God spreads His wrath and judgment over seven frightening years. The resultant fear of God saves souls beyond numbering, makes believers bold witnesses unto
death, and makes wretched the unrepentant.
JUDGMENT’S UNEXPECTED PURPOSE
REALIZED IN FULL
“For when the Earth experiences your judgments,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”
Isaiah 26:9
Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:
The Creation
XXXV: The Creation in the Tribulation
Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:
The Creation
XXXV: The Creation in the Tribulation
Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:
The Creation
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