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2:17I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey. And when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. So we have before this important announcement. The angel that comes, he announces the end, the end of human history as we know it. Very bold, dramatic proclamation, but it is a bittersweet proclamation. You know, some truths are sweet. Some are bitter. Some truths that we read in Scripture are reasons to rejoice. Some truths, however, give us pause. And when they are fully understood, the implications and taken in, they are cause to mourn. And the heralds of truth are to proclaim both.

3:28The herald of truth is to proclaim the whole counsel of God, the bitter and the sweet. And as a student of the Word of God, you are to receive both the bitter and the sweet. And both. Both are reasons to turn to God. Both the bitter truths and the sweet truths are reasons to turn to God and give Him glory. And so there is in this passage this morning this announcement of the end, the announcement of the end of human history, a very important announcement in understanding the book of Revelation. It's a very important announcement. But just to give you a little review, you remember in chapter 8, we saw the futility of opposing God. You remember seven seals open. Up. The seventh seal becomes seven trumpets, and the first four trumpets really depict the futility. Whoa.

4:43Okay, amen. Wasn't that great? That's how we get through the bitter. That's how most preachers get through it, anyway, right? Just go through it real fast. Can you take me back to somewhere back to the very beginning? As they're finding it, we are, yeah, you're going to have to go way back. Just go back to the very beginning. There you go. Back to the very beginning. I don't know what happened. Push one button and it's got to go all the way back to the beginning. Anyway, that's good. I'll take it from there. Okay, so now, no, it doesn't want to work.

5:34I don't know what's going on. Well, maybe we just dispense with. There it goes. Okay. So the first trumpet, first four trumpets are actually depictions of the futility of opposing God. He is the creator of heavens and the earth. He is Lord and Master over all of it. And so there is a judgment against the vegetation, a judgment against the Sea judgment against the fresh water supply, light in the he is the Lord over the sun, the moon, and light. And so there is this awareness of just how futile it is to oppose somebody who has control over all of these things. We are very dependent upon our environment and to live, and he is the one who created it and gave it. And so we see the futility of opposing God in chapter 8. Then in chapter 9, we see the foolishness of serving Satan. On the one hand, we see the futility of opposing God, but then on the other hand, we see the foolishness of serving Satan. And we saw this both in the fifth and sixth trumpets. You've got the locusts, you've got this demonic cavalry, you've got a demonic army and a demonic cavalry, and they have absolutely no love for humanity. They don't love the image of God. They are completely at odds and want the image of God removed from planet Earth.

7:09They love to torment, they love to kill. So there's futility in serving Satan. So chapter 10, then, before the blowing of the seventh trumpet, one more trumpet comes, and yet there's going to be a little bit of an interlude. You just remember. When before we opened the sixth, or the sixth seal and the opening of the seventh seal, there was an interlude. That's what chapter seven was about. It was the sealing of the 144,000, and then there is this great multitude. And so there's the just between the sixth and seventh seal, there is this interlude that prepares us for what comes next. Likewise, before the blowing of the seventh trumpet and right after the blowing of the sixth, there is an interlude, an interlude that prepares us for what's next. And if you look at where the trumpet actually gets blown, it is in chapter 11, verse 15. So that's when this trumpet actually gets blown. But until then, there are a couple of visions that prepare us for what we are going to see in the seventh trumpet.

8:29And this interlude has two major parts. Chapter 10 is about the angel and the little scroll. And in the beginning, first half, roughly verses 1 through 13 of chapter 11, it's about the two witnesses that will take their place in Jerusalem. And so we're going to look at the first one this morning. We'll look at this vision of the angel with the scroll. And he's going to make a very important Announcement. It's concerning the end of history. But even as we begin, this scene is very different, as you'll start gathering very quickly. Chapter 9 was very dark. Torment, death. Chapter 10 begins in contrast to that. Light, beauty. This angelic being comes down from heaven, radiating the glory of God. And so a contrast, very stark contrast between light and dark and the beauty of God. Beauty instead of ugliness. And so we're going to look at this proclamation, this herald of truth that announces the end. And we're going to look at basically two different heralds. There's going to be the heavenly herald, the angel, and then there's going to be the commissioning of the human herald, John. And so that's where we're going today. We'll look at the heavenly herald, and then we'll look at the human herald. And as you know, Sunday mornings, I'm preaching through this, and I'll work through a lot of the details. I want to make sure you get the main point.

10:31The emphasis, the takeaway as it relates to us here and now, and how we are to respond. I'll deal a little more deeply with some of the issues and putting it all together in our study, Revelations on Revelation, our evening series. We'll keep that going here, but not tonight. But we'll play in, I'll bring in other scripture, but largely we'll look at this this morning and then relate a couple verses. But just start by looking at this heavenly herald. Look back. First of all, this herald is going to be described in chapter 1, or verse 1. Let me just pick up and read that. Verse 1, I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book, which was opened, literally having been opened. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. So we get a description of where he comes from, how he looks like, what he is holding, and how he speaks. He is this angelic herald who descends from heaven. With the message. The message isn't something that originated with him, it's something that he brings with him from being in the very presence of the Lord. It's also clear that this heavenly herald reflects the glory of the message giver. You can see this in the description here. He reflects the glory of the message giver. He reflects the glory of God Himself. He has been in the presence of God. This message has come down from God, and this herald brings it. You can see this with the fact that he is has this he's clothed with the cloud. You see, this cloud glory.

12:44A cloud often indicates God's presence, and certainly he is going to come on a cloud. So, this coming on the clouds, this cloud, this being clothed in cloud, indicates God's presence, his coming glory. You see also this rainbow glory, this rainbow upon his head, immediately a depiction of God's mercy and covenant faithfulness. He's coming from the presence of God, clothed or arrayed, God's mercy, God's covenant faithfulness to do what he promised. There's also this radiant glory. You see, this face was like the sun.

13:37This face shining like the sun. And throughout Scripture, you see that when a person has been in the very presence of God, that there is this radiant face reflecting the beauty and the glory of God. And so this happened with Moses as he came down to Sinai. This happened with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration. So there is this glory, this radiant glory that is associated with God Himself. This angel has been in the presence of God, and he has come with a message from God. And his whole countenance displays the glory of God.

14:19But he also comes in judgment glory. You see, these feet like pillars of fire. These feet, these pillars of fire, depict power, ability to trample, dominion, and judgment over wherever his feet stand. So he comes with this radiant glory, this glory depicting God's mercy, mercy, and judgment, all depicted in just the description of this heavenly herald. And in his hand, he describes what's in his hand. What's in his hand, a little scroll. Little scroll. I'm going to butcher Spanish here.

15:08But in Greek, the word is biblia, well, like biblia ridion, biblical, a biblia ridion. And I think in Spanish it would be something like a bibliasito. I'm sure I butchered it. But a little Bible, a little book, a little book, a little scroll containing part of the whole. But he has this authority that speaks about prophecies yet to come. There's a lot of conversation about, well, is the scroll the big scroll? Is it a little scroll? There's a lot of that. Well, it's certainly in the context it contains the prophecies yet to come that John is still to proclaim. And this becomes the whole focus of the chapter. And it is open, meaning its contents disclosed are to be known.

16:11It's opened. And look at his stance. Look at where he takes his stand, feet on the land and on the sea, depicting authority over, power over, judgment upon. And look at his voice. It's loud, like a It's when a lion roars. It's authoritative. All these, he can explain why. He's come from the presence of God, clothed with the glory of God, depicting the mercy of God, depicting the judgment of God. He's got the word of God, and so he comes and he takes his stand, and now he's proclaiming with authority the word of God. He comes in the authority of God.

16:54But notice, not only is this heavenly herald described, he's also endorsed. He's endorsed. Look back at verse 3. And he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. And when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices, probably in secession. One thunder, one thunder, one thunder, one thunder, probably not all at the same time, uttered their voices. Verse 4, when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write, and when I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them.

17:40The voice. So he, as this angelic heavenly herald speaks, there is these thunderous voices, and it's clear they're voices, they have articulate speech because John understood what they were saying and was about to write them. And then a voice speaks, probably the voice of God, seems to be the voice of God coming saying, Don't write. Don't write. But these thunderous noises, when the angel speaks, there is this thunderous echo. And as you can imagine, a lot has been speculated about these seven thunders. Who are they? They are the seven. Who are they? And why would God keep them quiet?

18:36Why must John conceal them? Well, we know that the living beings have a voice of thunder from 6:1. We also know for the rest of Revelation that thunder is associated with the judgment of God as it's about to unfold in a new development. You see this in chapter 6, verse 1, with the opening of the seals. You see the thunder. You see this again in 11:19. And just as God is about to finish judging Babylon, you see it again.

19:12But he gives them a command to conceal. And the way he conceals it is by not writing it. So John heard them, could understand what they say, and then concealed it by not writing it. And they are concealed because there wasn't anybody else to heard. Them, so by virtue of not writing them, they are concealed. These utterances are not for us to know. And this reminds us that there are some things, perhaps many things, regarding the end times that we don't know. And so, certainly, we must put on a cloak of humility in even approaching the subject because we don't have all of the information, but we do have what is sufficient.

20:02And so, it's interesting to see the one who inspires speech is also the one who inspires restraint at certain times, sometimes to speak. But it is clear that this thunderous echo is endorsing what this herald, this angelic herald, is saying. It's like an amen at a minimum. It's hearty approval. And so, you have the heavenly herald. He's described, he's endorsed. And then I want you to see his announcement because that really gets to the heart of this.

20:49It's a very important announcement. It's a solemn testimony. Look at verse 5. Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted. Up his right hand to heaven. So get this scene. Look at this posture. We've got the scroll in the left hand, and our right hand is lifted toward heaven. Look at verse 6. And swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it.

21:29He's swearing by God Almighty, by the Creator. This is serious. He takes an oath. This is a very important announcement. You see, the seriousness seen in his posture, it's seen by whom he swore. He is making a very truthful declaration. And this truthfulness of his declaration is based upon the authority of the creator of heaven and the earth and the sea. He is the one who created everything in heaven. And there are certainly going to be judgments that are going to come that involve everything in heaven. He has the prerogative and the authority. And he's given the information about what's going to take place in the heavens. He's also the one who created the earth and the things in it, everything in it.

22:23And judgments are going to include the earth and everyone and everything in it, and the sea and the Things. This is the one who has complete authority. He has authority over all spheres, and he is revealed in the open scroll what is to come and given it to John. And it is about days of vengeance. As I read earlier, Deuteronomy 32, verse 40, Indeed, I lift up my hand to heaven. This is God speaking. And says, as I live forever, if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on my adversaries and I will repay those who hate me. This is the prelude to the Lord putting his hand on his sword and bringing it out. And he said, And there is no one that can stay my hand. I am God. There is no other.

23:27It is I who put to death and I who give life. We don't see this kind of testimony in Scripture where someone is swearing to heaven, especially an angelic being and God Himself. Very rare. So when you see this in Scripture, it is very solemn. It is a very important announcement. In fact, we see something like this again in Daniel chapter 9. It's interesting. Context very similar to ours. In Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1. It's the very last chapter in Daniel, after all the things he's seen. I'll just read a few verses. Chapter 12, verse 1. Now at that time, Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress, such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time. And at that time, your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. So Daniel's like, what's going on? And then in verse 4, but as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time.

24:44It's not for you to know, Daniel. You're going to have to conceal this because this involves the end of the days, the end of time. And then, verse 6: there's one who's dressed in linen, a being, an angelic being. And the one who said to the man dressed in linen who was above the waters on the river, How long will it be until the end of these wonders? There's that question of how long? How long is it going to take until all these things are fulfilled that you have described in the book of Daniel? And this is the response. Verse 7 of Daniel 12, I heard the man dressed in linen who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven. And swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times and a half a time. And as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. As for me, I heard but could not understand. So I said, My Lord, what will be the outcome of these events? He said to Daniel, Go your way. For these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.

26:05And so now you have this angelic testimony. Once again, this angelic being lifting his hand to heaven and swearing, this time with an open scroll. What was concealed in Daniel's day is now opened and given to John. And it concerns. There's this announcement, solemn testimony. By now, I think you get the idea. It is a solemn testimony. Well, here's the content of it. Look at the end of verse 6: that there will be delay no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he preached to his servants, the prophets. What is his message? The delay is over. When the sound begins, there will be no longer a delay.

27:08In other words, there's been a delay. Why has there been a delay? Since the very beginning, why? So that the gospel would go out, so that people would come in and respond. And even at the opening of the very first seal, there is a delay to give earth inhabitants time to repent, time to turn, to recognize the futility of opposing God and the foolishness of serving Satan. To give them time to repent, God gives them a testimony. He leaves a testimony. It was the testimony of the martyrs under seal number five that are lifting up their voices saying, How long are you going to let this injustice continue going on?

27:57How long? He leaves testimony. Then he seals 144,000 from the tribes of Israel to be a continued witness. God keeps his witnesses. He gives people time. He displays his power so that people would turn. He gives us time. He gives you time. He gives me time. Today, if you hear his voice, you turn to him. It is futile for you to oppose him. It is foolish for you to serve his adversary. So turn. That is the cry that is going out now. That is the cry that will be going out then. The response that he is looking to then is the response that he is looking to now, that you turn with your heart totally to him.

28:46Where are you with your relationship with the Lord? What is the condition of your soul this morning? That I ask you. Because there is coming a time when there will be no more delay. There will be no more time. No more delay. And so what's being depicted here is this that the age has final come, finally come. The end of the age has finally come. And the answer to the how long question is being answered. Even Daniel is asking how long? Or the angel in his vision, how long? How long? And then here again, you see this question being asked, how long are you going to allow this to go on? And here this angel is saying, no more. With the sounding of the final trumpet, the time is over. The delay is over.

29:48Notice, though, the angel is concluding this. God is going to bring his vengeance. What he has begun is going to come. In waves, still giving time, but at some point there is a conclusion to this vengeance, and this conclusion is what the angel is declaring. The end. He's announcing the end. But notice, notice this, but in the days, verse 7 of the voice of the seventh angel, in the days. Notice that even in this conclusion, there is a duration. The seventh trumpet is days, a time period. So it's not like, pow!

30:40What just happened? No, he's given the world time to even understand there is a duration even then. In the days of the voice of the trumpet, when he is about to sound, when he is on the verge of sounding, at that very moment, that is when the end comes in. And so the angel is telling us what to expect. He's given us, in this interlude, he's helping us understand the significance of the seventh trumpet. And what's going to happen? Look back.

31:16Then, in the sounding, during that duration, those days of that angel sounding, when he sounds, then the mystery of God is finished. Comes to conclusion. Mystery. What is mystery? Well, mystery in the Bible refers to that which man cannot know or doesn't know unless God tells him. We can really not know our origins unless God told us. We know where we've come from. We know how human history ends because he's told us. We can't know those kinds of things unless he tells us. So there's things that are kept secret until God chooses to reveal them. There are things that he gives us so that we can understand.

32:12And there are many things that he has announced. You look at this. He has announced at this time during this, when this seventh trumpet has blown and run its course, the mystery of God is finished as he preached to his servants, the prophets. So whatever God has left hidden is going to be done with being hidden. It's finished. The mystery of God, the disclosure has come. And there are many things that have been announced in Scripture that full disclosure has not occurred. Some of that is due to our limitations. For instance, the Trinity. God, three and one. Yeah, we can get our minds around it. It, but even then, where there's a limit to which we can go really getting our minds around it, because still mystery, maybe other points of theology, maybe how God can take up on flesh. There's a human ability that we can only go so far. We see it in Scripture, and then we must say, okay, beyond this point, I can't get my mind around it. It's mysterious, remains the same. God's sovereignty, man's free will, and man's responsibility to God, and how all that plays out. There's tension, mystery. So, there's all these points of theology that certainly could be in view here, or certainly be an implication for them.

33:52But what is certainly clear here, the mystery that's being spoken of in this context involves the times of the end. How is this thing going to end? God has promised His Messiah will come. When is He going to come? When is He going to return? When is He going to judge? What is that judgment going to look like upon the nations? How is He going to reign? What is all that going to look like? That is the mystery that is still not yet fully disclosed. It's been announced, and there's a lot we can know about it, but there's a lot that we still are left guessing and wondering: well, what? When this trumpet is done, no more. It's clear.

34:37Messiah will come, Messiah will reign, who his people are. So all those things that have already been announced are going to find their complete disclosure in the sounding of this final trumpet. Whatever's left. And it's during the time period of this last trumpet, the mystery of God will have been finished, disclosed, his purposes done. And this is why I believe Revelation, one reason why I believe Revelation is yet future, because of this statement, that this sworn, incredible testimony, the text has gone to great lengths to lay this out.

35:27He is saying, look, he is putting his hand up, and he is saying, when the seventh trumpet has run its sound, it's complete. There isn't mystery anymore. You're not going to be left wandering if these events are something that has taken place in the past, we've got a problem. Why can't we. There's a lot left. Disclosed. The second coming hasn't occurred. If this trumpet is something that's blaring right now and has been blaring throughout history, we also have a problem because it seems to be a very quick in response, relatively quick days, relatively quick.

36:29So I, one reason why I see that Revelation is future, because after the blowing of this trumpet, as I take this just right off the page of Scripture, this is how I, one reason, that mystery is done. We're not left wondering who the people of God are. We're not left wondering how the Messiah is going to come. We're going to, did he really stand on the Mount of Olives? All that stuff's done. And that's what this angel with solemn testimony is saying to John.

37:04So that's the heavenly herald. He's described the glory of God, the splendor and beauty of God. He is endorsed from heaven, and his announcement is very important. The delay is over. Now I want to talk about the earthly herald, the earthly herald. First of all, he is commanded to receive the truth. Look at verse 8. Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land. So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.

38:05So the voice which I heard from heaven, so here's John. He is hearing. Now he steps into this drama. This is one of the few times where he steps in. He's been a spectator, watching this revelation, and now he is a participant in it. The voice says, Go. It's God commanding him. Same voice from heaven. You be going. Go now and take the scroll. Go take the little book which is in the open hand of the angel.

38:42I'd have to say that might be a little scary. I mean, that's a big angel. That's a strong angel. Go up there and take it. So he does. He goes and he obeys and he requests the scroll. So he obeys God's commands. Then he comes to verse 11. 9. And then the angel gives him some commands. So I went to the angel, telling him, probably requesting him is probably a better way to say it. He went to him. Scroll, please.

39:12But he goes. He's not demanding. It's an expression of requesting. And the angel says, Take, eat. So the angel commands him. You take this scroll, you eat this scroll. You devour this scroll. You take it in. You receive its contents. That's this, that's what the earthly herald must do. John is going to have to proclaim this. And first, he must receive its contents. He must receive the truth before he can proclaim it. And then the angel promises, it's going to make him bitter. It's going to make your stomach bitter. And that's an understatement. It's going to make it extremely bitter. Remember, we talked about wormwood with the star coming down, affecting the fresh water supplies of earth and just how potent that wormwood herb is and how it... Well, that's the idea. It's going to make the truth that you're about to read in this, once you've taken it in and really get your mind around what is being said, it's going to turn your stomach, John.

40:32But it's going to be sweet in your mouth. It's going to be sweet at first. Sweet at first. You know, I remember one time, 20 years ago, my wife and I were invited over to this wonderful dinner, some friends, and I had no idea dessert was coming. And the meal was first-class, first-rate. This lady just did the most beautiful job of doing a meal, and I ate and I ate and I ate. And then, thinking, just about ready to go, she brings out dessert. And that was the great show of the whole evening. I didn't know that. I'd like to have known that ahead of time. And she brings out a chocolate mousse cake that was massive. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little bit, but it is bigger than any double-decker cake I've ever seen. I mean, it was big. It was a big chocolate mousse. And I learned something that night.

41:41Chocolate mousse and me do not work well together. And so, but it was so big and beautiful that I took a big and beautiful piece. And I worked my way through it, and it was. So good, and I just kept eating it because it was so sweet in my mouth. It tasted so good. I kept eating it and eating it. And then shortly afterwards, it got done. And, you know, chocolate mousse will get you sick. If you don't believe me, go eat two pounds of it. It'll do it.

42:18And so I sat there a minute and just like, you know, I'm not feeling so well. My stomach started saying, What were you thinking? And so, not too long after that, I was like, Nancy, it's probably time to go. So we got in the car, we drove off, and I was hurting on the inside like I had not ever, that I can ever remember. And so I said, Nancy, I got to pull over. I'm sorry for the details.

42:52I'm just going to pull over on the side of the road because everything's not going to go home with us. And so, sure enough, and you know, since then, that was my experience, but it tasted so good in the mouth, but after a while, it just didn't set well. And so, that's basically what this angel is saying to John: take this in, it's going to really, but when it gets there, it's going to turn your stomach when you get your mind around what's being proclaimed. And so, So, what is being proclaimed? Well, the scroll includes the truth regarding the final things to come. And so, the earthly herald must receive the truth. Second, the earthly herald is going to have to be impacted by the truth. Not only is John going to receive the truth, but he is going to be impacted by the truth, the whole truth. Verse 10, I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey, and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. John did as he was told, and he experienced what the angel promised. Sweet. What was the sweet? Ask yourself, what was the sweet side and what was the bitter side? Well, we can speculate, probably good confidence that we're close to the target. There's a sweetness in just hearing the words of God, just knowing that you are favored enough to hear and understand the words of God, just giving that understanding and the aha. Oh, so this is what, so there's a sweetness in just the fact that God is in proximity and communicating with us, telling us things from his word.

45:00There's good news that there is no more delay, that finally we're at the end of human history, and soon all is going to be made right in heaven and on earth. So there's a sweetness in this proclamation. All the good things that have been prophesied throughout the ages are going to meet their fulfillment. That is sweet. That is good news. There is a glorious kingdom. There is a glorious king. There is all that is coming. Things are going to be made right upon earth.

45:29But then there's a better side. What are the better? Well, that's certainly associated with the difficult times that are ahead for humanity from this point. A distress like no other. And it involves the immediate future. With that sounding of that seventh trumpet, there are going to be horrors for God's people on earth during that time. As Satan takes his last stand, there is going to be pain and mourning with the coming of judgment, seeing mass of humanity lost forever.

46:11That is a hard truth to stomach. There's a bitterness. So the earthly herald, John's going to have to receive the truth. He's going to have to be impacted by the truth. And then he's going to have to go and proclaim the truth. Look back at verse 11. And they said to me, You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. You can imagine, just in the context here, John was just silenced as he heard the thunderous voices and he starts writing down, and then all of a sudden, don't write. You might think there's a connection here, even with this context, that now he's got to be recommissioned. No, you've still much more to say.

47:07Specifically, the things regarding the peoples, the nations, tongues, and kings. Kings is new to the list. But it's important to understand that God has given him the whole truth to declare the whole truth, the sweet and the bitter, and that God has a purpose for both. John would fail his commission if he just announced the sweet and never got around to the bitter. You know, many in our world today like to preach about heaven, but then when it comes to hell, we fall silent.

47:52In fact, schools of thought have ruled hell out because they cannot stomach the bitter. They throw it out. Many like to speak about the love of God, but do not want to speak about the wrath of God. Many want to speak about positive things and neglect the negative things. They want to proclaim that love ultimately wins. Yes, love for God's people, love for the earth, love for truth, love for righteousness, that wins for sure. But there is a hell filled with the enemies of God.

48:44That's the truth. And here is another truth. If you are not in Christ, you have an eternal place of horror and torment and isolation waiting for you. If you embrace Christ, sins forgiven, life becomes new. You have a glorious future awaiting. That's the good news. Many, I think many of you here today may even feel like you have to apologize for the difficult truths of Scripture. Where's that coming from? No, the herald of truth must proclaim the whole truth, and God has a purpose for both. Even if we can't fully understand or fully see, we don't apologize for God. We declare with authority what he has spoken.

49:48That's what this angel did. And heaven gave it aloud, amen. Earthly heralds are to be no different. Oh, Revelation is a bitter, sweet proclamation. The whole book is an occasion to rejoice, an occasion to mourn. And both the heavenly herald, the earthly heralds of truth, are to rejoice over that which is good. We are to mourn over the calamity that is ahead. You cannot come to Revelation and delight in the destruction of the wicked because God doesn't.

50:45God does not delight in the destruction of people, and neither do his people who've really been counseled by the truth. The soul in Christ has nothing but the soul without. Christ has nothing but hell ahead. The soul with Christ has everything glorious ahead. You know, as we think about this big picture, what's left in Revelation? Or let's just think about verse chapter 9. Get the big picture here. What's left at the blowing of the seventh trumpet? A largely unrepentant Gentile world. Look at verse 9:20. The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands so as not to worship demons. And the idols of gold and silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk, and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts. So you have left a largely unrepentant Gentile world. You have largely what's left an unrepentant Israel. And the focus in this next chapter is going to now take us to Jerusalem and two witnesses. And God is going to deal specifically with this nation, Israel.

52:08And it's going to be significant what God's going to do there. You know, because during the first Advent, Israel didn't like the idea that God would include Gentiles in the blessings of Abraham. That God would actually save sinners. That God would rejoice in turning Gentiles to him and make them co-heirs. They didn't like that idea in the first advent. Well, just before the second advent, Israel is going to experience a Gentile world hostile to God, which is inevitably going to express itself toward the Jewish people.

52:52And then they're going to understand. And through these events, they're going to come to understand the reconciling effects of Christ's blood. Bitter hell fury is about to be released upon Jerusalem. Christians, ethnic Israel, and certainly those ethnic Israel who become Christian. Judgment of God is about to rain down upon humanity. The bitter. But then there's the sweet. Christ's kingdom will come. Justice will reign. Ethnic Israel will turn. And all the nations will be one in Christ.

53:47That's the salvation. God has a purpose for planet Earth. God has a purpose for you and me. Today is the day of salvation. Today is a day to rejoice. Rejoice in your salvation, even if you are saved. Today is a day to continue this proclamation, the bitter and the sweet, of what is to come, because God has a purpose for both. He has a glorious future for those who are in Christ. He has a horrible place separate for everything good for those who reject Him. So let's continue. Continue with the work. Whenever these happen, these events that we're reading about happen, they're going to happen. Let us now live in light of their truth and let us respond. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do come before you, thanking you for these truths, for giving us a picture and an understanding of how human history is going to end, even if all the details haven't been given to us like we would be curiously interested in. We know enough. It's sufficient what you've given us. Sufficient to know what you expect of people then, and sufficient to know what you expect of us here today. Help us to respond to you in sincerity and in truth.

55:19Father, we thank you for all this. We thank you for your revelation. We thank you for the truths, both the bitter and the sweet. Help us to respond. In a way that most pleases you. In Jesus' name, amen.