God s Conquering King Revelation 4-7 Abe Stratton, Pastor Sunday Morning, November 16, 2016 Proposition: Jesus Christ, the slaughtered Lamb, is God s Conquering King. Purpose: (Asking God) To set our hearts and eyes on Jesus as King more than on our earthly circumstances Introduction Scenario 1: Fast forward 3 days to Wednesday morning, Nov. 9. Think of the worst possible situation you can imagine. Now fast forward 3 years to 2019. Think of the worst possible situation you can imagine. Is it relational, financial, political? Scenario 2: Rewind to Aug. 28 of this year. 12 Syrian Christians were captured by ISIS outside of Aleppo. 4, including a father and his 12-year-old son, were crucified. 8, including several women, were beheaded. "Villagers said some were praying in the name of Jesus, others said some were praying the Lord's Prayer, and others said some of them lifted their heads to commend their spirits to Jesus." http://www.christianpost.com/news/isis-crucifies-11-christian-missionaries-147317/ Scenario 3: Rewind nearly 2,000 years to 95 AD. An old man in his 90s sits in a bare room on an island in the Aegean Sea, not far from modern Turkey. Far away, the emperor Domitian sits in Rome, demanding to be worshiped as a god and persecuting any person who will not comply. A Roman soldier stands near the old man, keeping a watchful and curious eye on him as he kneels in worship to an unseen deity. He says it s the Lord s Day, after all. It is no accident that there is a merging of events on this Sunday, Nov. 6. Along with all of the personal issues which every one of us brings into this room, there are two big events: the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (today) and our national election on Tuesday. By bringing these things together, I think our Lord is mercifully helping us to see some eternal perspective. No matter what issues are weighing on your mind on this day (whether it is relational, financial, spiritual, or political), you need to see that Jesus Christ, the slaughtered Lamb, is God s conquering King. This morning I d like to read a longer portion of Scripture from the book of Revelation (4-7). I think it will help us to get an idea of the bigger picture in John s vision, and Revelation is the only book which proclaims a blessing both for those who read it and for those who listen to it. John begins by giving us a glimpse into the heavenly throne-room, and the scene is awe-inspiring crashing sounds, flashing lightning, blazingly brilliant colors, breathtaking creatures, and loud praises. We cannot discuss all of these things in detail, so I m going to leave some questions unanswered. However, there are key points which we must not miss. I. Because He is the eternal Creator, God is the Omnipotent Ruler of the universe (4). A. He lives forever and ever (4:8, 9, 10). Verse 8: Who was and who is and who is to come Verse 9: Who lives forever and ever Verse 10: Who lives forever and ever Implication: The eternal God is unlike any other ruler; He lasts forever. He does not have term limits; He does not get sick; He never dies. He rules over all things all of the time. B. He willed all things to be created, and He wills them to continue existing (4:11). Verse 11: He created all things. 1
By His will they existed. By His will they were created. Implication: Creation speaks of ownership. Will speaks of intent. God did not haphazardly create things; He brought all things into existence for a purpose His purpose. So He owns all of His created things, and they will serve His purpose. Things are not out of control no matter how tumultuous and chaotic they may seem. God has not abandoned the world, and it is indeed his world. He made all things and made them for his own purpose. [We] must not think that evil is in control. Evil is real. But the divine purpose still stands (Leon Morris, Revelation, 90). C. He sits unrivalled upon His heavenly throne (4:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10). Throne used 14 times in these 11 verses; 12 times it is used of God s seat. It s as if John is trying to make a point. =) A throne speaks of rule, authority, power. 1. God is glorious and powerful beyond description. John describes the throne and everything around it, but the closest he comes to describing the One on the throne is verse 3 (jasper and carnelian/ruby) and verse 5 (flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder). It s almost as if John can t stand to look at Him. 2. God rules invincibly. Several times John describes God as seated on the throne. He is not anxious or worried; He is not threatened by other forces; He cannot be assaulted or unseated. The poet, Robert Browning, said, God s in His heaven All s right with the world ( Song from Pippa Passes ). Because He is the eternal Creator, God is the Omnipotent Ruler of the universe (4). Therefore: We must worship God, the Sovereign Ruler, who alone is worthy of our thoughts, devotion, and praise. No other being is worthy of our time, our attention, our thoughts, meditations, and affections. We must set our gaze upon Him and drink in His glories. He sets all other things and people in proper perspective. Transition: But in the next chapter, John shows us a problem. The One on the throne holds a scroll, but no one can be found who is worthy to come and open it. A mighty angel shouts to the entire creation seeking to find someone who is worthy and qualified to be God s representative someone who can open the scroll. But no one is qualified or powerful enough to unveil God s plan for His creation. No person or being in the entire universe has the right or the ability to reveal God s judgment and His redemption. John weeps loudly. But there is good news (5:5)! II. Because of the Lamb s identity and saving work, He is worthy to be God s representative King (5:5, 9-10, 12). A. His identity 1. He is the powerful King. : He is first described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The title speaks of this Person s power and rule. He is the strongest of all the tribe of Judah, and Judah was the royal line the tribe of kings. So this One is the strongest of the strong, the most royal of all, the King of kings. 2. He is the promised King. : Israel s greatest king, David, was this Person s human ancestor; David foreshadowed a greater King to come. For God had made a covenant with David that the greatest King would come from David s family (2 Samuel 7). However, John also says that this 2
Person is the Root of David, his origin. Although the King came after David, He was before David (Matt. 22:41-46; Rom. 1:3-4). So John looks around to see this King; He looks for this Lion. But what does he see? He sees a Lamb. Not what he was expecting. But it is a picture of Jesus conquering work over the greatest need of humanity. B. His saving work 1. He has triumphed/conquered (5:5). 2. He was slaughtered (5:6). How absurd this seems conquering through being slaughtered! This is the word of the Cross; this is the folly and the stumbling block of the Gospel. The Lamb has conquered by dying. Why did He do it (5:9-10)? a. He bought people for God with His own blood. b. He made them into a kingdom and priests for God. He rescued hostile rebels, those who were unable to approach the throne of almighty God and unveil their own rescue. He died to gather to God people from every part of humanity. He didn t merely forgive and bring them into His presence; He has made them He has made us into a kingdom. He will rule over us, but He has also made us to be priests to God people who are set apart for God and living for Him. We will also rule on the earth under Him. Because of the Lamb s identity and saving work, He is worthy to be God s representative King (5:5, 9-10, 12). Therefore: Set your heart and mind on Jesus as God s redeeming and triumphant King. Before we even see the Lamb conquering his foes (ch. 6), we hear that He has conquered sin. He has conquered the hearts of rebels and drawn them to be His very own people. What triumph! Did you notice how the praise begins to swell and build when the Lamb took the scroll? First the 24 elders and the 4 creatures fall down and sing a new song (5:9-10). It is new because it is directed to the Lamb; they have already been worshiping God on the throne, but now they turn their adoration and praise to His Lamb to sing that He is worthy. As their song echoes outward, myriads of angels surrounding them begin to say that the slaughtered Lamb is worthy. Then every creature everywhere (heaven, earth, under the earth, sea, and all in them) cries out that God and His Lamb should be worshipped. Then the 4 creatures respond with Amen, and the elders fall down again and worship. This is worship building on worship! More than His strength and His power to subdue His enemies, this conquest should capture our hearts and grip our affections. We must remember early and often that Jesus is the King who bought us back and who conquered our sin in order to make us His own. Transition: But the scene of joy in heaven transitions quickly to one of devastation and horror. The Lamb begins to open the seals of the scroll. He begins to unveil and authorize God s plan for humanity. III. Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is God s sovereign Judge over all His enemies (6). A. The Lamb unleashes judgment on the earth by opening the seals (6:1-7). As He opens the first four seals, violence, murder, famine, epidemics, and vicious beasts are all released upon the earth. Death wreaks havoc upon the human race. The restrained consequences of mankind s sin are finally set free. God has been holding back the full weight of sin s horror, and now He allows it to roam free. Humanity and creation seem to be tearing themselves apart. B. He governs and avenges the suffering of His people (6:9-11). 1. The martyrs have been killed for the Word of God and for the testimony they kept. 2. They cry for justice. a. Sovereign Lord He rules supreme over all, and none can escape His judgment. b. Holy He maintains a perfect standard and holds all men to it. 3
c. True He is faithful and trustworthy; He will come through even if His verdict seems delayed. 3. The Lamb knows their number and will bring justice when it is completed. Illustration: Stephen, Peter, Paul, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Perpetua and Felicity, John Huss, William Tyndale, Jim Elliot, the Syrian believers crucified and beheaded in August, and millions more are those who rest and wait until their number is complete. C. He pours out wrath on all who have rejected Him (6:12-17). His wrath is described in cataclysmic terms. All that we ve come to know about nature and earth is coming undone because the Lamb is pouring out His wrath upon those who have rejected Him. 1. Great and famous (6:15) 2. Common and insignificant 3. Everyone They would rather be buried alive than face the wrath of the One who sits on the throne and the wrath of His Lamb. The question they scream ( Who can stand? ) has no hopeful answer. The ultimate Judge, the Sovereign ruler of all mankind allows none to escape. Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is God s sovereign Judge over all His enemies (6). Therefore: Commit wicked men to the judging Lamb. Let us not hastily misapply this. It could be easy for us to use this in a vindictive nature, Those crooked politicians will get what s coming to them. That obnoxious co-worker is going to catch it one day. That insurance company is going to have payback on an epic scale. Before we too quickly condemn others, let us remember who we were and who we are. We too were the crooked and perverse; we too were the selfish and the arrogant; we too were the deceitful and the abusive. But the Lamb has changed us; He has washed us by His blood and made us a kingdom and priests to our God. We are His people; we are set apart for Him; and we are to live and speak in a way that reflects our new identity in Him. We can and should cry for God s justice for His church, however. Throughout the centuries, God s chosen people have been the object of abuse, scorn, torture, and injustice. But the Lamb is the sovereign Judge (not us), and He (not us) will make all things right. Transition: The contrast between the Lamb s treatment of unrepentant sinners and His chosen people could not be more stark. Before the Lamb opens the final seal, John sees another vision. One filled with joy, hope, and promise. IV. God and His Lamb eternally care for their people (7). A. God knows and identifies His chosen ones (7:1-8). 1. Destruction is restrained until God s chosen ones are identified (7:3). a. God is sovereign. He determines when the destruction is withheld and when it is unleashed. b. God is merciful to identify those who are His. He is not carelessly or indiscriminately dealing out death and judgment. It is all planned. 2. Specific people are chosen. a. Specific numbers (144,000 and 12,000 from each tribe) b. Specific tribes Every name is listed. There is no generality with God; He is intentional and specific in His dealings with humanity. B. God and the Lamb save countless people (7:9-12). 1. The crowd is beyond number (9). 2. The crowd is diverse and comprehensive (9). : From every nation, tribe, people, and language an expression which describes the extent of God s salvation. It has reached every group of humanity in every part of the world through every period of history. 3. The crowd recognizes where their hope comes from (10). 4
Their statement is similar in form to the crazed cry of the condemned who wanted to be buried alive. The difference, however, is that God is their God; and that difference makes all the difference. It makes the difference between damnation and salvation. The rebels would not have God as their own, so they could not have His salvation. But these were chosen by God; they chose Him as their own in response, so they can say, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! C. God and the Lamb live with their people forever (7:13-17). 1. The Lamb is their Redeemer (7:13-14). a. His people go through great tribulation. b. Because they have been washed in His blood, He carries them through all danger. Even though chaos and tumult and death and destruction swirl around them, they can never perish eternally; for their greatest problem has been solved. 2. God is their shelter (7:15). a. The Lamb s people exist in God s presence (before the throne of God). Who can stand before this God who sits on the throne? Remember John s first description in chapter 4? Now the thunder and lightning and blazing colors are tempered by the relationship which allows once-hostile and repulsed rebels to be His willing servants forever. b. God (the One on the throne) lives/dwells over them. : Shelters them with His presence (σκηνόω) communicates that He dwells among them. John also uses this word in his Gospel (1:14) when he says that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Here, God dwells over His people. He is with them and over them, showing His personal presence and relationship and also His protection. 3. The Lamb is their Shepherd (7:16-17). a. The people will not suffer any longer (hunger, thirst, scorching heat). b. He is leading them to places of eternal nourishment. What more tender and sweet imagery could we ask for? How precious is the Lamb s care for His little lambs! How full is His provision for them as He leads them to the living fountains! How strong is His protection as He preserves them from any harm! 4. God is their comforter (7:17). a. Tears speak of sorrow, loss, frustration, grief, pain, anxiety, despair, trouble, death. b. All of these will be no more. God and His Lamb eternally care for their people (7). Therefore: Believers, entrust yourself to God and to His Lamb. This is not merely a future experience, for through great tribulation God preserves His people. Can you not trust your God and the Lamb to preserve you now since they will eternally care for your soul? Non-believers, would you run to this God and His Lamb, Jesus Christ? Today is not yet the day of judgment; the day of wrath is not yet here. There is time for you to know the God of the throne as your shelter; there is time to know the Lamb as your Shepherd. All you need to do is run to Him, ask Him to wash you with His blood, ask Him to cleanse away all of your sin, and He will welcome you in as one of His people. Transition: We ve talked almost completely about the future this morning. It could be easy to say, That s nice, Abe, but what good does all that do us today or this week? It is short-sighted to think merely of what will happen in the end times, for the end shapes and informs the past and the present. Knowing how history ends helps us understand how we are to fit into it now (Carson, Moo, and Naselli, Introducing the NT, 162). What does all of this mean for us now today? 5
Conclusion Jesus Christ, the slaughtered Lamb, is God s Conquering King. So we must remember Remember that God is the Omnipotent Ruler of the universe and Jesus is His King. As you prepare to vote on Tuesday, do not let your heart be overwhelmed by anxiety and fear. Do not speak or type thoughtlessly and in panic. Pray. Pray to be reminded of God s power and His sovereignty. Pray to know His peace and joy. Do not vote out of fear. Do not refuse to vote because of resignation. The God who was ruling over the emperors Nero and Domitian in the days of the early church, the God who was ruling over the crucifixion and beheading of our Syrian brothers and sisters, is the same God who is ruling over us. So type and talk and vote with confidence that God is in His heaven and He is ruling over all. God is more concerned about His eternal kingdom than He is about the preservation of the United States of America. Jesus died, first and foremost, to buy and to cleanse sinners, not to preserve the rights listed in the Constitution. While we can be grateful for those and seek to preserve them, we must always be more intent on pursuing the eternal kingdom which Jesus drew us into. We should spend more time praying for and engaging our unbelieving relatives, neighbors, and friends than we should spend talking and worrying about the temporal kingdom which will pass away. Commit wicked men to the judging Lamb. Where do you see injustice and persecution? While you can pray, How long, O Lord? we must still wait upon the Lamb who will bring vengeance and make all things right. But, Abe, we may lose our freedoms. Yes, and we may get to join our brothers and sisters from North Korea, China, Africa, and the Middle East who are already pleading with the Lamb to avenge His people s blood. Entrust yourself to God and to His Lamb. What are you walking through right now? Some of you do not yet have a relationship with the God we ve been talking about. You have not experienced the cleansing of Jesus blood for your sin. But He invites you to come. He is at work to rescue rebels from every nation. Won t you come to Him? Believers, some of you are in great need. You are hurting and don t know how you can get through another day, let alone another week. Some of you are facing death, or you have a relative who is facing death. What can you do in these situations? You, once again, entrust yourself to the God who is your shelter and the Lamb who is your Shepherd. For all eternity, they will be caring for you, but they have already begun to do so now. Whether we are facing loneliness or growing cultural persecution or ISIS or death, a passage like Revelation 4-7 reminds us that we can truly and confidently say Praise the Lord, our Mighty Warrior Praise the Lord, the Glorious One By His hand we stand in victory By His name we overcome. 6