The Perils of the End, Part 2

So good to have you with us as we study God's Word together. If you've got your Bible, turn me to Luke chapter 21. Luke chapter 21, we are looking at the last great or the next great event. In the history of the world, the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is a glorious topic to discuss, and yet it is a frightening topic. To discuss because of all the horrific judgments that will happen upon the earth. Because the king is going to come. The first time he came, he came to deal with sin.

The second time he comes, he comes to deal with the sinner. The first time he came, he came to redeem man.

The second time he comes, retribution will be poured out upon man. And so, we need to understand this next great event and all that's going to take place. And so, we've spent time studying this. And I know that it raises lots of questions. Because there's so many things to cover that in the brief time that we have on Sunday morning, we cannot cover at all. And in the amount of weeks we have in a year, we can't cover it. Cover it all. In fact, over the years, we have yet to be able to cover all that centers around the arrival of the Messiah, spoken of in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.

So, we're trying to whet your appetite. We're trying to keep you abreast as to what's happening. And so, we want you to understand this next great event: that number one, it is a sure event, it's going to happen.

How do we know that? Acts chapter 1, verse number 11. The angel said to the men as they stood on the Mount of Olives, They said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come. in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven. In other words, he will come literally. He will come personally. He will come visibly. He will come bodily. This is a sure event. This same Jesus is going to come again. That's why in the book of Revelation he says, Behold, I am coming quickly.

The veracity of God's word is at stake. And so it is a sure event. It is a surprising ev. It is a surprising event because in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, 2 Peter chapter 3, and Revelation chapter 16, it says that when Jesus comes again, he will come like a thief in the night. When they are saying peace and safety, then sudden destruction, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. It will be a surprising event, for no one knows the day nor the hour of the coming of the Son of Man. And so he's going to come like a thief.

He's going to come suddenly. He's going to come unexpectedly. He's going to come without warning, but he's going to come. He's going to It's a sure event. He's going to come. It is a surprising event. On top of that, it will be a sudden event. It will be a sudden event. Over in the book of Matthew, chapter 24, it says this. It says, For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance, if therefore they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness, do not go forth.

Or behold, he is in the inner rooms. Do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east. And flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Verse twenty-nine, but immediately After the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

It will be a sudden event as the lightning flashes from one in the sky to the other. We're with us in our study of the book of Revelation, which maybe a lot of you were not. It was a number of years ago. But when we talk about the arrival of the Son of Man and you go through the book of Revelation, you realize that when you come to Revelation 16, that the earth is completely black, it's dark. And we take those of you to Israel with us to Jordan and we go down to Petra. You know, when I preach in Israel, I'm up every day between 3:30 and 4 because I preach five, six, seven times.

A day, and I get up very early in the morning. But when we go to Jordan, I get up extra early because when you go out in the middle of the desert in the wilderness, the star shine so brightly. And I get up and I go out and I think to myself, you know what? One day all the stars are going to fall and it's going to be black. And the Son of Man is going to appear. And we take you down to Petra, we take you down to Jordan, we take you down to the place called Edom in the wilderness because that's exactly where Jesus is going to return, according to Isaiah 63 and five other occasions in the book of the Old Testament.

It tells us exactly where Jesus is going to come back to when he arrives. And to imagine the blackness of the sky and how, in that sudden event, As lightning goes from one end of the sky to the other, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. It is a sure event, it is a surprising event. It is a sudden event. It is a supernatural event because everything surrounding the coming of the king in the end is all supernatural. Everything that happens in the sky, everything that happens on the earth, everything that happens with the Son of Man coming and all of his glory on the clouds is all supernatural.

Because it involves a king who him is supernatural. But on top of all that, this next great event is a sober ev. It's a sobering event. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. I'm sorry, 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. He says this. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, it's a supernatural event. Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he comes to be glorified in his saints on that day and to be marveled at among all who have believed.

In other words, when Jesus comes again, He's going to deal out retribution to all those who do not know God and to all those who do not obey the gospel of God. And over the years, I've talked to people about the return of Christ and his coming again. And inevitably, people think and they believe, well, you know what? It's okay because. I'll know when he's going to come, and I'll give my life to him, and I'll repent of my sins right before he arrives. The problem with that is because the event is so surprising and is so sudden, okay?

No one knows the day nor the hour. But on top of all that, the Bible says this in the same epistle, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, these words.

It says. Verse number seven. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to an end by the appearance of his coming. That is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who perish. Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved, the Antichrist.

And all of his deception is going to deceive you. So we say, well, he's not going to be able to deceive me. We'll read on. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence. So that they might belie what is false. You don't have to worry about Satan deceiving you. God is going to send you a strong delusion, so you can't believe. You can't believe. Now, granted, more people will be saved in the tribulation than ever before because the gospel would be around the whole world. But those who come to church and have heard about the end and know the truth God will send them a strong delusion so they will believe the lie of the Antichrist.

Why would he do that? He tells us, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. Why is it someone's not saved today? They will not believe the truth and they love their sin. They take pleasure in wickedness. And God says, Okay, I'll send you a deluding influence so you can continue to love your wickedness.

You believe the lie, and you will be judged. That's why it's a sobering event. As surprising as it is, as sudden as it is, as supernatural as it is, as sure as it is, it is so incredibly sobering. Especially for those of us who have loved ones who are not saved, who don't know the Christ, who have yet to give their life to the true and living God, to repent so as to be saved. It's a sobering event. On top of that, it is a sanctifying event. People say, why do you spend so much time on the return of Christ?

Because it's a sanctifying event. 1 John chapter 3 says that he who has this hope in him. purifies him even as Christ him is pure. What's the hope? It's the hope of the return of Christ. There is a sanctifying effect that takes place in the life of you and me because we know that Jesus can come at any moment and we want to be dressed. And ready for his arrival as a bride is on her wedding day for the arrival of her bridegroom. It is a sanctifying event. And lastly, it is a sovereign ev. It is a sovereign event.

It 's on a divine timetable. Everything is running according to schedule. Everything is on time in God's economy. Everything about the end is going to happen at just the right time. Time because it's all been orchestrated by the one true God who designed time, who controls time, and everything that happens in your time, in my time. It is a sovereign event. And that's what the Lord would tell the nation of Israel way back in the Old Testament when they would go into idol worship and worship false gods.

Listen to what the Lord God would say to the children of Israel through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 44. He says, Thus says the Lord, the king of Israel, verse 6, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me, none.

And who is like me? Let him proclaim it and declare it. Is there anybody like me? Let him say so now.

Yes, let him recount it to me in order. From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place. If there is another God. Let him declare everything in order that has already taken place, and everything in order that's going to happen down the road, that's going to come. Let him, whoever that is, articulate that. Because there is nobody like me. I'm the one who designed. The present, the past, and the future.

And I've mapped it all out. So, whatever God you're serving is, let them dec to you what is going to happen. He goes on to say in Isaiah 45, verse number 11: Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker, ask me about things to come. Ask me about the future. Go ahead. Ask me. I dare you. Ask me. Go ahead. Ask me. Lord, tell us the future. He says, For thus says the Lord who created the heavens, verse 18, He is the God who formed the earth and made it. He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited.

I am the Lord, and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret in some dark land. I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, seek me in a waste place. I, the Lord, speak in righteousness, declaring things that are upright. Verse number eight of chapter forty-six. Remember this and be assured. Recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past. For I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning. And from ancient times, things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all my good pleasure, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my purpose from the far country.

Truly, I have spoken. Truly, I will bring it to pass. I have planned it. Surely, I will do it. That's just so good. God says, Look, I've planned it, I'm going to do it.

I've decided it. I'm going do it. Ask me about the things to come. Go ahead, ask me. I'll tell you everything you want to know. And that's exactly what Jesus is doing in Luke 21. They asked him, what will be a sign at the end of the age? What will be the sign of your presence? They asked him. They know he's God. They believe he's God. They believe he's their Messiah. They ask him. So, what does he do? He tells them. He said, Go ahead and ask me. So they asked him. Now he tells them, You might be here today, you might not be asking, but guess what?

He's going to tell you anyway because you're in church today. And you're not here by accident, by the way. None of you are here by accident. You're all here by divine sovereign appointment. You're here because God wants you here. And you might be saying, you know, all this stuff about the end times and two witnesses and fire coming out of their mouth and Satan being cast down to earth. And all this demonic deception happened. It seems like something some sci-fi kind of movie, something that Hollywood could conjure up.

No, it's what Jesus has said. And we take him at his word. We believe everything he says. And that's what Jesus is doing in Luke chapter 21. He is describing to them. The end. He doesn't give them every single detail of the end. He gives them all the information that they need that will enable them to represent his kingdom and to tell people about the coming kingdom of God in the future. Tells them everything they need to know because they asked. And here he is telling them. There will be many predictions I'm going to give you that will all be fulfilled.

There will be messianic deception. Military dissension and monumental devastation, unlike the world has ever seen. There will be persecution that will come your way. And it will happen with those who are closest to you, those who are members of your own family. It's going to happen. And the very fact that a lot of that has already taken place only leads to the veracity of the words of Christ because in the end, it happens at a monumental level. Happens at a mega level, happens way beyond anything we can ever imagine.

But it will happen because all you have to do is read the book of Revelation and understand the martyrs for Christ. Christ. Understand the earthquakes, the famines, the pestilence, the wars, the rumors of wars, and all that takes place in the end. Important. And then he says, but there is a peril that's going to take place at the end. Now he gets very specific. Up to this point, he's been very general about the predictions about the end and the persecution at the end. But now he gets very specific about a specific peril that will take place at the end.

Because he wants them to know. That's why Matthew's account says and Mark's account says, let the reader understand this. Understand it. Because this is the way it's going to happen. And so, this is what he says in verse number 20 of Luke chapter 21. This is where we were last week. And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize her desolation is at hand. Her desolation is a specific event. The desolation of Jerusalem is at hand. Now remember, Jesus predicted that the house, God's house, is des.

Three times, he predicted that in the last six months of his time on earth. We've gone over that with you. Your house is left to you desolate because it's no longer my house. It's no longer my father's house. It's your house. And therefore, it's left to you in ruins. And that happened in 70 A. But now Christ goes into a more specific event when he talks about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, then recognize her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in the Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let those who are in the country.

Who are in the country enter the city, not those not into the city. Verse 22: Because these are the days of vengeance. Now he gets even more specific. These are the days of vengeance. Let me explain to you the days of vengeance.

What are the days of vengeance? The days of vengeance is another title for what we call the day of the We talked to you last week 19 times in the Old Testament, the phrase day of the Lord is used, four times in the New Testament, right? It all refers to a specific period of time called the days of vengeance. O the time, according to Jeremiah 30, the time of Jacob's trouble. We read to you last week from Zeph chapter 1. Verses 14 and following: a day of darkness, a day of gloom, right? It's the day of the Lord, and the Bible describes it very much in detail.

The day of the Lord. These are the days of vengeance. These are the days in which the divine judge. Brings vengeance on all those who do not obey the gospel or believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why it's called the days of vengeance. He says, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, this is when her desolation is at hand. Know this. Let the reader understand that Matthew's account says that. And know this: that these are the days of vengeance. And then it says this. In order that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

So now we know that what has been written in the Old Testament Needs to be fulfilled during the days of vengeance when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies. Yes, Jerusalem has been surrounded by armies on many occasions all throughout its history. It's even surrounded by the enemy even today as we speak. That is not what Jesus is speaking of. He is speaking of a specific event at a specific time in history. So that all things that have been written about this will be fulfilled. You with me so far?

Okay, the reason I'm going back over this is because I had a lot of questions last week about what it is I talked about. And people are like, man, I was so confused, man. You were like all over the place reading this verse and that verse. And, man, I was like swimming, man. I didn know where I was. So I'm going to kind of bring it back together for you. So let the reader understand. Let the listener understand. You need to come to grips with this. So when will. These things written be fulfilled. What does that mean?

Well, we took you to Matthew's account in Matthew 24, right? And we defined it for you because Matthew says this in Matthew chapter 24. Verse number fifteen. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of Through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, let the reader understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Why? Because this is the great tribulation, he goes on to say. So he says the same thing Luke says, but he adds more details. He tells us that the days of vengeance are the days when the abomination of desolation happens, as was spoken by Daniel the prophet.

So now we know what Luke is saying when all these things that have already been written must be fulfilled. What things have been written that must be fulfilled? Answer Daniel 9:2 to 27, the abomination of desolation. What is the abomination of desolation? It is when the Antichrist Sets himself up in the temple of God during the tribulation and demands to be worshipped as God. Remember, Daniel said there are 70 weeks that have been predetermined and ordained for Israel. 70 weeks. He gives us the first 69 weeks.

They are 70 weeks of seven years. They are 490 years. He tells us that the first 69 weeks of that prophecy have already been fulfilled.

They began. He tells us exactly in Daniel 9 when they begin. They begin with the decree to go back and rebuild Jerusalem that was given by Artaxerxes in the book of Nehemiah so we know the exact date. Till the time Messiah the Prince shall arrive in Jerusalem. We know the exact day he arrived in Jerusalem. It was 173, days, or exactly 483 years from the time the decree was given. So we know exactly all those times. That's already been fulfilled. It's happened. That leaves one week left or seven years left to equal 490 years.

And he tells us that the Antich, the prince who is to come, the false Christ, is going to make a covenant with Israel. For one week, seven years. And in the middle of that week, three and a half years in. He's going to break the covenant and he will commit an abomination in the holy place by making that place desolate, the abomination of desolation. By demanding that everybody worship him as God. With me so far? That's what Luke was referring to. As the days of vengeance, where everything must be fulfilled, because Matthew interprets that for us by telling us it's the abomination of desolation as spoken of by Daniel the pro.

Now, why is God doing it this way? Understand. You got to forgive me. There is so much information in my brain. And I leave things out at different times, but when it comes to speaking about end times and the coming of the Messiah, I mean, it's a definite passion for me. Because I live in anticipation of the coming kingdom of God. That's my whole life. That's why I preach the kingdom of God. Because there's coming a king who has a kingdom. And so it just consumes me. And so you have to understand why is God doing it this way?

Remember, back in Daniel 9, he said, There are 70 weeks that have been decreed for your nation, Israel. Sixty-nine of those weeks have already been accomplished. 483 years. Sixty-n weeks of seven years. There's one week left, the seventh week of Daniel's prophecy, which encompasses seven years. All right? Now, know that. Jeremiah calls it the time of Jacob's trouble. What is God doing? God is enacting vengeance upon those who dwell upon the earth. And the tribulation, primarily, is all about Is. It's all about Israel.

Let me show you how this happens here. It's all about the nation of Israel. Number one, because there are 70 weeks decreed for your nation, Israel.

And there's one week left, 7 week of Daniel's prophecy, seven years. The tribulation described in Revelation 6 to 19. So It's the time of Jacob's trouble. I've been to the Holocaust Museum, and some of you who've gone to Israel with me have been there as well, Kad Yad Ves. It's a memorial to. The n. Okay, so one day I asked one of the people there at the memorial: why do you call it Yad Vish? Well, they say it's a memorial to all the names of those who died in the Holocaust, the six million Jews that died in the Holocaust.

I said, it's a memorial to what? To the names of all those who died in the Holocaust. I said, okay, so why is it called Yad of Hashem a memorial to the name? It's singular, not plural. So, why is it a memorial to the name? Because you see, in your mistaken title, you've honored God. Now the person I was speaking to took offense to that, but I said, listen, here's the deal. You have the memorial for this purpose, and one purpose only, and they tell you, so that it never happens again. I'm here as a representative of the kingdom of God to let you know, oh, it's going to happen again.

And it's going to happen in a way you can't even begin to imagine. No, no, it'll never happen again. Oh, yes, it will. Have you read the Old Testament? Because they're big on the Old Testament. Have you read the book of Zephan? Have you read the book of Zach? Have Read the book of Isaiah. Because it's going to happen again because God is going to purge the nation. There's a purging that's going to take place. Zach chapter 13. Let me read it to you.

Book of Zach chapter 13 says this, verse number 8, and it will come about in all the land, declares the Lord, that two parts in it will be cut off and perish. but the third will be left in it, and I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver as we find, and test them as gold is tested They will call on my name, and I will answer them.

I will say, They are my people, and they will say, The Lord is my God. That is the salvation of Israel. And God is going to purge out two-thirds of them. You see, the purpose of the tribulation is to purge out unbelieving Israel. To save a remnant, a third of Israel, and to purge out all those false believers and false Christians.

During the tribulation, so that only the true believers make it through the tribulation to the end. All those who will not be martyred, of course, during that time. There's a purpose behind all this. That's why it's called the time of Jacob's trouble, a time unlike the world has ever seen. And so, what happens is that the Lord gets very specific. God is so good to us. He's very specific about, let the reader understand, that when you see this happen, the abomination of desolation, you have three and a half years.

How do we know that? Well, if you go back to the book of Daniel, the 12th chapter, remember, Daniel speaks of the abomination of desolation in Daniel 9, Daniel 11, Daniel chapter 12. Okay? So Daniel 12, it says this. And I heard the man dressed in linen. This is Daniel receiving a vision from an angel. Who is above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven and swore by him, he lives forever, that it would be for a time, tim and a half a time. What will be the abomination of desolation?

It will be for a time, that's one, times, that's two, two plus one is three, and a half a time, which is three and a half. Okay? In the middle of the week, the Antichrist commits the abomination of desolation. He destroys the sacrifice of Israel. He demands that he be worshipped as God. He sets himself up as God and demands that if you do not worship me and receive the mark of the beast, you will die. How will you die? You will be beheaded based on Revel chapter 20. You will die. And it will last for three and a half years, a time, times, and a half a time.

And all this is consistent. Go back to Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11. This is what is said in Revelation chapter 11 as John receives his vision on the island of Patmos somewhere around 96 A. The Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A. Okay, and in Revel 11 it says, And there was given to me a measuring rod, like a staff, and someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God. What temple? There is no temple. John knows the temple's been destroyed, but in the future there will be a temple.

In the tribulation, there will be a temple because Israel will think. They're building it for their Messiah, but instead, they're building it for the anti-Messiah. They just don't know that yet. And so they're going to build the temple, and he tells John to measure the temple. And then he says. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations, and they will tread underfoot the holy city for 4 months. How long is 42 months? Three and a half years.

Then it says, and I will grant authority to my witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,2 days. How long is 1 days? 42 months. How long is 42 months? Three and a half years. They're 1,260 days based on the Jewish calendar of 3 days, not 365 days. Okay? So if you go over to Revelation chapter 12, it says in verse number 6, and the woman fled into the wilderness. When does the woman, who is Israel, flee to the wilderness? Well, according to Luke 21, Matthew chapter 24, it says, When you see the abomination of desolation, run.

Get out of there. You got to leave. Don't go into the city. Leave. And they will flee to the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for 1, days. How long is 1,260 days, 42 months. How long is 42 months? Three and a half years. So God already has a place. Prepared for Israel in the wilderness. Where is the wilderness? Always in the Old Testament, it is Edom and Moab. Where does Christ return? He returns. Down to Boz in Edom, according to the book of Isaiah, chapter 63, and five other passages of Scripture in the Old Testament.

They will flee to the wilderness. They will flee to Edom. Then it says in verse number 13 of Revelation 12: And when the dragon, who was Satan, saw that he was thrown down to the earth, He persecuted the woman who was Israel, who gave birth to the male child who's the Messiah, and the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman. What is that? An airplane? No. It's not an airplane, it's supernatural. Say, how do you know it's supernatural? Because everything that's happening in the tribulation period is supernatural.

Somehow, some way, God with the two wings of the great eagle is going to transport Israel to the wilderness. Say, come on, you believe that? Yeah, I do. I believe that. And the l is this. In order that She might fly into the wilderness to her place where she was nourished for a time and times and a half a time. That's exactly what Daniel said in Daniel chapter 12. A time is 1, times is 2, 2 plus 1 is 3, and a half a time is a half of a time, which is 3. Three and a half years. The Antichrist will commit the abomination of desolation in the middle of the 70th week.

What's the middle of seven? Three and a half. leaving three and a half left to go. 1,260 days, 42 months, a time, times, and half a time. And then it says in Revelation chapter 13, these words. Verse number 5. Verse 4. And they worship the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast. And they worship the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? And who is able to wage war with him? And there was given him a mouth, speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act. For 4 months was given to him.

Christ gives the Antich a prescribed amount of time. To do his devastating work. 42 months, 1,260 days, three and a half years. And he opens his mouth and blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and that is those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him. Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the land's book of life.

How long does he do this? For three and a half years. Now, God is gracious, he is so good. To tell us a specific time that this abomination is going to happen. That's why he says, let the read understand. You must know when this is happen. Now, the Bible does say, and we will cover this in weeks ahead, that no man knows the day nor the hour of the coming of the Son of Man. True. No one knows the date nor the hour. You can speculate, you can add, you can kind of determine an approximate time. But no man knows the day, and no man knows the hour of that day that the Son of Man will come because Coming, although it is a sure event, is a surprising event, is a sudden event, it is a supernatural event.

And everything happening in the tribulation is supernatural already. And because it is a sovereign event, it happens on God's divine timetable. And because it's a sobering event, we need to tell people the truth about the coming of the king. And so Jesus tells them, when you see these things, you got to run. Now, having said all that, here's the good news. If you know Christ, you're not going to be there. How do I know that? How do we know that? Am I making this up? Am I coming up with something that nobody else has come up with?

No. I will tell you that our view of Going to heaven and the rapture of the church is a minimal view, not a popular view today. But I believe that the Bible teaches that the church Church will be translated into heaven before all this takes place. How do I know that? We have a tape series called Why the Church Doesn't Go Through the Tribulation, and we give you 10 ironclad evidences. To show you why the church won't go through the tribulation. And they are absolutely irrefutable. They are. And we take you through the scriptures.

But we know because there were three passages, John 14, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Three passages that speak, did I say four? I meant three. Three passages that speak specifically about the translation of the church. Church into glory. And none of those three passages deal with the vengeance of God, the judgment of God, or the punishment of God, because none of them deal with that. It's called the church being caught up, according to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And those who are alive and remain shall be caught up.

It's the word harpaz. Which means to snatch violently. There's a violent snatch of the church. That allows us to miss the tribulation. Why will we miss the tribulation? There are 70 weeks decreed for Israel. Since Daniel 9, 69 have already been accomplished. The church was not in the first 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy, were they?

Nope. The church wasn born to Acts chapter 2. And the 70 weeks decreed for the nation of Israel are decreed for the nation of Israel, not for the church. If the church wasn't in the first 69 weeks, they will not be in the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy.

How do we know that? Simply listen to this. Jesus writes seven letters to seven churches. Seven churches that truly existed in Asia Minor in 96 A. And these seven churches, although they literally existed. Are representative of every church that has ever existed in the history of the church age. And so he writes seven letters to seven churches, five of them he tells to repent. And in this letter, Revelation chapter 3, to the church of Philadelphia, he says this, verse 10. Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing.

That hour which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell upon the earth. I will keep you from the hour of testing. There is a specific hour of testing that's going to come upon the whole world. Okay, that's just not part of the world, a portion of the world, it's the whole world. And the only hour of testing that comes upon the whole world is the tribulation of Revelation 6 to 19. And by the way, the church is spoken of in Revelation 2 and 3. In Revel 4 and 5, the church is in heaven, and in Revelation chapter 6, the tribulation begins on earth.

But the church is not here. And by the way, in Revelation 6 and 19, the church is never once mentioned. You'd think if it was here, it'd be mentioned, but it's not. Why? Because God made a promise: I will save you, I will save you out of Tere Ek. Not through. That would be Tere D. I will save you. I will keep you through the hour. Or Tere N, which is, I will keep you in the hour. No, it didn't say that. He said, Tere E, I will keep you out of the hour. You'll be removed from the hour of tribulation that will come upon the whole world to test those.

Here's our phrase again: who dwell upon the earth. A phrase used how many times in the book of Revelation? Oh Jesus, how long will I be with them and they still understand? Twelve times in the book of Revelation, always referring to the unbeliever. They're earth dwellers. Their whole life is wrapped around the earth and all that the earth can give them. And the hour of twest comes upon all those who dwell upon the earth. And we who are the church who believe in Christ will be translated. Say, okay, so if we're going to be translated home and we're not going to be here, why even talk about it?

Well, I know my time is gone, but I might die today, so if I do, I want to make sure I get this to you. Okay, that's always my excuse, but here it is. 2 Peter chapter 3. If you got your Bible, turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. We'll finish in the next five minutes. Lord willing. 2 Peter chapter 3. Four times Peter uses the word bel. Okay? Four principles given to the beloved. Okay, number one, be mindful.

Number two, be watchful. Number three, be dutiful. Number four, be faithful. First of all, he says, be mindful.

This is now, bel, the second letter I'm writing to you, in which I am stirring you up. Stir up your sincere mind by way of reminder that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. What's that? It's the return of Christ. It's all about the re of Christ. I'm going to stir you up by way of reminder because I don't want you to forget. Listen, beloved, be mindful. You can't afford to forget. You need to remember what?

Everything about the return of the king, and everything centered around the retribution of that king, and everything centered around those who reject that k. And that's what he goes on to say. Scoffers will come, mockers will come. Where is the promise of his coming? He's not coming back again. Oh, and it escapes your notice.

Oh, it escapes your notice. That God is going to judge the world. He gives the illustration of No in the flood. Beloved, be mindful, be mindful of the king's return. Be mindful of the king's retribution when he returns. And be mindful that until that time, many will reject the promises of the king's coming. Number two, make sure you be watchful.

Verse 8. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, bel. That with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slown. But is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord, that's our phrase about the tribulation, will come like a thief. In which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

See, I didn't make that up. Jesus said it. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning? And the elements will melt with intense heat. But according to his promise, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Why did we talk about the coming of Christ in His arrival upon the earth?

Because we need to be mindful of all that takes place when he arrives. And we need to be watchful, living and looking for the coming of the king because we want to be where righteousness dwells. Amen. And then you need to be dutiful. Dutiful. Therefore, beloved, verse 14: since you look for these things, be diligent to be found in him in peace. sp and blameless, and reg the patience of our Lord to salvation. In other words, you need to be dutiful. That is, you need to be diligent. To make sure you are at peace with God, you are pure before God, and you proclaim the message of God.

Then you need to be faithful or careful. For he says, bel, verse 17, know this beforehand, be on your guard. Lest being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Be careful. Be faithful. To what? To guard your heart. To grow your heart and to glorify the God who reigns in your heart. Those are Peter's words based on the coming of the king.

Jesus was good enough and gracious enough to tell us You want to be specific? Let me give you a specific.

Let me talk to you about the days of vengeance. Let me talk to you about the fulfillment of all things that have already been spoken.

Folks, we are looking for and hastening the coming of the king. This is our hope. This is the blessed hope of the believer. That's why we spend so much time talking about it. It's what we anticipate. And if you're here today and you don't know Christ and you've never experienced a relationship with the living God, today's the day you need to give your life to Christ. Let me pray with you.

Father, we thank you for today, and we thank you for the truth of your word, and we thank you for the opportunity to study it. We pray for those who might be among us who do not know you as Lord and Savior. The sobering event that will take place upon this earth, they must give their life to Christ today. For the Bible says today is the day of salvation.

And so we pray, Lord, that you would save their souls. They might give their life to Christ and thus experience the j of your kingdom. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.