The Terror and Trouble of the Tribulation, Part 2

For one more day to be able to examine your word and to worship you and to praise you, we ask Lord that tonight as we have the wonderful opportunity to look at what your word says about the end of the beginning, Father, we truly would be stirred in our hearts and that, Father, you would move us to be the kind of missionaries and the kind of preachers of the gospel that we need to be in these last days. And pray, Father, that you'd open our hearts and minds to be able to behold wonderful things out of your word, that truly, Lord, we might honor you through the things that we hear and see this evening, because truly it is the word of God that speaks to our hearts. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Our topic is the return of the king, and we're looking at what's going to happen before the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth. And we've been looking at the terror, excuse me, and trouble of the tribulation.

We began last week by helping you understand that it was the Lamb of God who was slain, who John saw standing, who would take the scroll, the book, that scroll that would be broken, and it would unveil itself throughout the book of Revelation. We saw in Revelation chapter 5 that those in heaven began to rise with praise and honor and glory to the Lamb that was worthy, because he was the only one who could break the seals. And therefore, we saw what God was going to do upon the earth.

And we began looking at the four horsemen of the apocalypse. We looked at, first of all, the white horse, which is what we call deceptive peace. And then we looked at number two, the red horse, which was destructive war.

And then we saw the black horse, which was devastating famine. And then we saw the pale green horse, which was definite death. And we told you that that was the first part of the tribulation period.

It was not the part which the Bible calls the great tribulation, because that's the latter half of the seven-year period. This was the first half of the great tribulation that was going to come upon the world. It's an awful time.

It's a horrible time. We told you what Zephaniah said way back in Zephaniah chapter 1 about this time called the day of the Lord, this eschatological term, a term used 19 times in the Old Testament, four times in the New Testament to describe for us the horrible terrors of tribulation that will come upon the entire world. Zephaniah said it this way, near was the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly.

Listen, the day of the Lord, in it the warrior cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and the high corner towers. And I will bring distress on men so that they will walk like the blind because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath and all the earth will be devoured in the fire of his jealousy for he will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth. Truly it is a terrifying day. We have told you as you go through the Old Testament, you will notice that this day is called in Isaiah chapter 13, the destruction from the Almighty.

Isaiah 13 verse number 9, it's called a time of fury and burning fire. In Ezekiel 30 verse number 3, it's called a time of doom. In Joel 2, it's called a great and very awesome time.

In Amos 5, it's called a time of darkness and a time of light. But I thought it very interesting that Jesus calls it in Luke chapter 21, which is a parallel passage to Matthew 24 and Mark 13, the Olivet Discourse. He calls it a day of vengeance, a day of vengeance, which is quite unique because we know that vengeance belongs only to the Lord.

He is the one who is able to enact his vengeance, but Jesus calls it a day of vengeance. Now think about that with me for a moment. We don't like to look at God as a God of vengeance.

In fact, if you go to a church today, very rarely will you ever hear anybody preach on the avenging God. It just doesn't go over well in today's society. But that's exactly how the Bible depicts Jesus.

In fact, the judgment of Christ, the fury of Christ, the wrath of Christ, the vengeance of Christ is what truly helps us understand him, listen carefully, more so than anything else. Listen to what the psalmist said. Psalm 9, verse number 16, the Lord has made himself known.

He has executed judgment in the work of his own hands. The wicked is snared. The psalmist says that God has made himself known in the time of judgment.

You will come to understand God more through his acts of vengeance, through his acts of wrath, through his acts of fury, more so than any other act that he performs. And that's what makes the book of Revelation such a unique book, because it is the time of his vengeance. And that's why it's called the revelation of Jesus Christ, the unveiling of the Messiah, because it unveils him in all of his beauty.

Because God is a holy God, because God is a just God, he is an avenging God. We must see him as holy, we must see him as just, we must see him as the ultimate judge, or we don't see him at all. And during the time of the tribulation, he will make himself known.

And all the world, they might reject him, and they might turn against him, and they might not like to face him for who he really is, but that's exactly who our God is. That's why when we talk to people about salvation, when you ask somebody, have you been saved? Saved from what? Saved from God. Saved from who? Saved from God.

Are you saved from God? Because that's what salvation is. Salvation is coming to grips with the Lord God of the universe, so that you are saved from God as judge. Because if you're not saved, he will judge you.

You will be damned forever, right? If you are saved, it's because he delivered you, he redeemed you. So we go and we proclaim a gospel, so people will be saved from the God who is a theme of the gospel we preach. And that's what the book of Revelation is all about.

So we need to understand God and his vengeance. Way back in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 32, verse 35, it says this. Vengeance is mine, and retribution, says the Lord God.

In due time their foot will slip, for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them. Verse 41. 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.

Verse 43. Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance on his adversaries, and will atone for his land and his people. Moses would explain that the God the nation of Israel serves is an avenging God.

The book of Micah, fifth chapter, 15th verse says, And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed. That's God's plan. That's what he will do.

The Bible speaks of imprecatory psalms. Psalm 35 is one of those psalms. Psalm 109 is one of those psalms.

They are the cries of the psalmist for God to enact his justice upon the wicked in order that he might demonstrate his holiness, that he might demonstrate his justice. It's always good to read those psalms because when you read them, you realize you never have to defend yourself because the Lord God of Israel is your defender. He will avenge those who slander you.

He will avenge those who come against you. You don't have to defend yourself. God will deal with that.

One of those psalms is Psalm 94. Psalm 94, verse number one, says this. Psalm 94, verse number one, O Lord God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth.

Rise up, O judge of the earth, render recompense to the proud. How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult? Verse seven, And they have said, The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed. Lord, how long until you enact your vengeance on those people who say, you don't see what they're doing.

You don't care about what they were doing. Verse 22, But the Lord has been my stronghold and my God, the rock of my refuge, and he has brought back their wickedness upon them and will destroy them in their evil. The Lord our God will destroy them.

That's how our Lord works. Listen to Isaiah chapter 59. Isaiah chapter 59, verse number 17, And he put on righteousness like a brushplate and a helmet of salvation on his head.

And he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself with zeal as a mantle according to their deeds. So he will repay wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies, to the coastlands, he will make recompense. In other words, God wraps himself in the garments of vengeance.

Listen to Isaiah chapter 61. Isaiah chapter 61 and verse number two. Remember Isaiah 61 verses one and two are the verses that Jesus quotes in the synagogue in Nazareth in Luke chapter four.

And as he quotes the purpose of his coming, because every Jew would know that Isaiah 61, verse number one was written about the arrival of the Messiah and what the Messiah would do when he arrived. And Jesus said in Luke four, according to Isaiah 61 says, the spirit of the Lord, God is upon me because the Lord has inordered me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.

And then Jesus stops. Remember that story? He stops, closes the book and says, today, this has been fulfilled in your hearing. He stopped because the next phrase says, and the day of vengeance of our God, because when he came the first time, it wasn't the day of vengeance.

Now, John the Baptist, he understood that he would, he would baptize with water, but it would be the Messiah who would baptize with fire, the fire of judgment, the fire of vengeance. And so that's the message that John the Baptist would preach. Remember that? Over in Isaiah 63, after Isaiah 62, it speaks about the glory of Israel and their restoration.

It says in verse number one, who is this who comes from Edom with garments of glowing colors from Bozrah. Isaiah sees the arrival of the Messiah. He sees the Messiah coming.

This one who was majestic in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength. It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to say, why is your apparel red and your garments like the one who treads in the winepress? Messiah answers, I have trodden the wine trough alone. And from the peoples, there was no man with me.

I also trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath and their life blood is sprinkled on my garments. And I stained all my raiment, listen carefully, for the day of vengeance was in my heart. The day of vengeance is in the heart of God.

There's going to come a day in Isaiah 63 is that, that prophecy about the arrival of the Messiah, that Isaiah sees him coming, his garments already stained with the blood of his enemies. He sees him coming from the wilderness. He sees him coming from Edom.

He sees him coming from Moab. He sees him coming from the wilderness and realizes that the Messiah has already been stained because he has trodden the winepress alone. He has enacted his judgment alone.

Why? Because in his heart, there is a day of vengeance. So in Luke 21, Jesus says that when he comes again, it will be a day of vengeance. See the Old Testament speaks quite regularly about the Messiah and his vengeance.

In fact, over in second Thessalonians chapter one, second Thessalonians chapter one, the apostle Paul describes it this way in verse number five. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which indeed you are suffering. For after all, it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well.

When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing that 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. Apostle Paul would write about that day of vengeance when the Messiah would deal out retribution against all those who do not know God and all those who do not obey the gospel of God.

That is the plan. That is the terrible terror and trouble of the tribulation, the great day of God's wrath, the day that's going to come because it was all prophesied by the Hebrew writers long ago. It was all proclaimed by Jesus Christ himself when he came.

And so what Jesus would say, John would see in the book of Revelation. He would see the vengeance of God being enacted upon man. In fact, in Revelation chapter 10, Revelation chapter 10, we realize that the scroll now is a little scroll.

When the lamb receives a scroll from the right hand of God the Father, begins to break its seals. Remember that Roman law required that every testimonial be sealed seven times. And so when he begins to break the seals and they begin to unfold for us in Revelation 6, by the time you get to Revelation chapter 10, it's just a little book now.

It's a little scroll because the seals have been broken. The trumpets have blown except for trumpet number seven. And when number seven blows, the seven vials pour in rapid succession.

And so when you come to Revelation chapter 10, it says in verse number eight, in 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. And I went to the angel telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, take it and eat it.

And it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth, it will be sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it. And it was in my mouth, 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. It was John who says, I took the book and when I ate it, it was sweet to my taste because it was sweet because God's kingdom is come to earth.

It's sweet because it demonstrates the holy justice of God. But when I swallowed it was bitter because the wrath of God would consume man. And the Bible says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

And the angel said, John, you must continue to prophesy. You must continue to tell the rest of the story. As bitter as the story is, as bitter as it is, it's still the sweetest story known to man because it's a story of God's redemption.

It's a story of God's retribution on those who are not redeemed. It's a story of the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end. It's a story that highlights all of history.

You must continue to tell the story. Even though it's bitter, it is a sweetest story because God's word is, because of its truth, because of its veracity, because of its pureness, it is the sweetest of all things. And yet, and yet it's bitter because of all those who do not believe, all those who do not obey the gospel, they will suffer the eternal consequences in hell forever.

That's why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. Be reconciled to God, he would plead. That's why the Bible says in 2 Peter 3, that God is long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

And that's why in Acts chapter 17, it says in verse number 30, therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom he has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. He has a fixed day. That fixed day is the day of vengeance that is located in the heart of God Almighty.

That is the God of the Bible. That's the gospel we are to preach. That's the truth we are to tell.

If we don't tell people the truth about the God of vengeance and his day of vengeance that is fixed in his heart, then we have not told them the entire truth and given them a composite picture of the Messiah we say we believe in. We must tell them the truth. Why do I tell you all that? Because that is the breaking of the fifth seal.

The breaking of the fifth seal is the cry of those under the altar for God to do what he has said he will do. The cries of those who have been persecuted. The cries of those saints who have died in the first three and a half years and will continue to die through the rest of the period, their cries.

Say how long? How long oh Lord? Holy and true. Let me read to you what it says. Revelation chapter 6 verse number 9. And when he spoke or when he broke, I'm sorry, the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained.

And they cried out with a loud voice saying, how long oh Lord? Holy and true. Wilt thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And there was given to each of them a white robe. They were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, should be completed also.

The force, listen, the force behind the day of vengeance in the heart of God is the faithful prayer of the saints who are persecuted in the tribulation. And that's the breaking of the fifth seal. Remember that when John saw the scroll in Revelation 5, there was writing on the front and on the back.

But when the seals are broken, nothing is ever read. It's only revealed, right? Nothing's read when the seals are broken. It's only revealed what will happen.

And when the fifth seal is broken, John sees something. So we have three questions we want to be able to answer with you this evening or ask and answer. And number one is centers around the identity of these people.

Who are they? Where do they come from? And what are they doing there? Then the intensity of their prayers. Why is it they're praying in heaven? And then the implications of God's promise. Those are the three points we want to cover with you tonight.

When it comes to the breaking of the fifth seal, it's important that we understand the chronology of Revelation. It's important that we understand the chronology of the end, because this is how it's going to happen. So we need to know how it's going to turn out.

No, we won't be here. No, we won't witness any of this stuff. We will be in glory with the Lord Jesus Christ.

But because we are to be faithful witnesses of the gospel, we need to tell people about impending judgment and the doom they will face unless they repent of their sins, because there's been an appointed day, a fixed day in the heart of God. It's called the day of vengeance. And the book of Revelation speaks of that day.

So who are these souls? Why are they here? These are the souls of those who have been killed through the breaking of the first four seals. These are the souls who have died, who are born again, who have been persecuted and have been killed because of their testimony throughout the breaking of the first four seals. We told you that first comes the white horse.

It's all about peace, right? The Antichrist is going to have to explain the absence of hundreds of thousands of people, millions of people around the world because they're after the church. So there will be peace. But the red horse comes and war envelops.

And once the war breaks out in the tribulation, it does not end until the great war at the end, which is called the Battle of Bozrah, which we will see in days ahead. And then comes the black horse because famine always follows war. And because of famine, pestilence and death, and Hades follows the green horse.

And a quarter of the population dies. Almost two billion people will die because of the breaking of the first four seals. Encompassed in them are people who have given their lives to Christ and die because of their testimony for Christ.

If you have a Bible, turn back with me if you would to Matthew 24. Matthew chapter 24. Remember we tried to explain to you that the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24 parallels the breaking of the seven seals in the book of Revelation.

We have told you that the seven seals span the entire tribulation in the book of Revelation. Because with the breaking of the seventh seal, you had the blowing of the seven trumpets and the pouring of the seven bowls that takes you all the way up to the very end. So the seven seals span the seven-year tribulation period.

It doesn't mean that seal one happens in year one and seal two happens in year two and seal three happens in year three and seal four in year four. It doesn't mean that. We don't know exactly when and how quickly they break, but we do know that at the end when the seventh seal is broken, the seven trumpets blow and the seven bowls pour out that seventh trumpet in rapid succession.

So we know that when the sixth seal breaks in Revelation 6, which we will see next week, you're at the end. And all that's left is for the seventh seal to be broken, the seven trumpets are blown and the seven vials to pour out upon the earth. We'll see that next week.

So when you come to the book of Revelation, you are able to see that in Revelation 6 it parallels with Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, the Olivet Discourse and what Christ had to say. And we covered with you verses four and following. Now I was asked this question this past week about Matthew 24, 34 and so I just want to answer that for you right now.

It says, truly I say to you this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. We told you that this generation is the generation that sees the leaves falling on the fig tree, the verse before that. This generation is the generation alive that sees the breaking of the seals unfolding before them.

This generation is not the apostles who are listening to Christ on the Mount of Olives. This generation is the generation that is alive during the seven year tribulation period. That's the generation that sees these things.

And we told you in verse number four, it says, see to it that no one misleads you for many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ and will mislead many. That's seal number one about peace. And you'll be hearing of wars and rumors of war, seeing that you are not frightened for those things must take place.

But that is not yet the end. That is the red horse, the second seal that is broken war. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.

And in various places, there will be famines and earthquakes. That's seal three and and seal four that are broken. And then it says in verse number eight, but all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

And then it says in verse number nine, then they will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations on account of my name. And at that time, many will fall away and will deliver and will deliver up one another and hate one another.

And many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. And because lawlessness has increased, most people's love will grow cold, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations.

And then the end shall come. Now listen carefully. In verse number nine or verse number eight, it says that what is taking place previously in the breaking of the first four seals is not the end.

It's just the beginning of the end. It's the, it's the birth pains. And as a woman is in labor and she gets closer and closer to her delivery, the birth pains grow with intensity, with, I'm trying to think of a good adjective to use.

I've never been pregnant before, so I don't know, but I know it's pretty bad. And so they just get with intensity and, and, and ferocity, or that's a good word, ferociousness. That's a good word.

They just get, they just get worse as time goes on. Well, this is just the beginning of birth pains. And then he says this, he says, then they will deliver you to tribulation.

Who's, who's they? That's this generation who is, who's listening to, to what's happening. The, these believers will be, be delivered to tribulation. So the breaking of the fifth seal, okay, although it happens in order, happens in the first half of the three and a half years and crosses over to the second half, which is the great tribulation.

And it all happens before, listen carefully, the abomination of desolation, according to Daniel 9, 27, which is where the Antichrist comes into the temple, sets himself up as God. He makes a covenant with Israel, a peace covenant with Israel for one week or for seven years. And according to Daniel 9, 27, he breaks that covenant in the middle of the week.

Well, the middle of the week, according to verse number 15 in Matthew 24 says this, therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel, the prophets standing in the holy place, let the reader understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. So we know that the tribulation is going to break out against the persecution against believers is going to break out in the first half of the tribulation. Why? Because we saw that the rider of the red horse had a great sword and the great sword is emblematic of capital punishment.

So the persecution of Christians will begin early on in tribulation, not just at the end, but early on in the tribulation. And therefore we know that the tribulation is going to have with it severe persecution for those who love the Lord. And so Jesus says, be, be aware.

Don't let people mislead you. The love of many will grow cold. They will go cold.

You see, there's something in persecution that makes it so beautiful. It purges out all the tears from the wheat, because if I'm an unbeliever, I'm not going to, I'm not going to lose my head because of Jesus Christ. I'm going to preserve my life.

You will know that the mark of the believer in the Bible, because that's the standard by which we measure our lives, never is afraid to lose their life for Christ. They just aren't. They'll lose their life for Christ.

They'll give their life for Christ. That's why Jesus said, if any man come to me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. That's the essence of Christianity.

The Christian is unafraid to lose his life. He's willing to give his life away for the sake of Christ. He's not ashamed of the Christ.

He will confess the Christ, but many people's love will grow cold and they will fall away. They will prove themselves not true believers. They will prove to be the false believers.

And therefore, those who are the true believers, they themselves, they're going to die. They're going to be persecuted. And with the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24, 15, that persecution increases tremendously.

But before we get there, look what it says. It says, the one who endures to the end, verse 13, he shall be saved. See, the mark of a believer is perseverance.

It always has been. They endure, they persevere, not because of their own willpower, but because of the spirit of God enabling them to keep on keeping on for the sake of the gospel. The one who endures to the end, that's the one who's going to be saved.

That's how you know who the true believer is. They don't crumble under the persecution. They don't crumble under the tribulation.

They stand strong for Christ. They endure to the end. And then he says this, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

The end's not going to come until the whole world hears the gospel. Now, how's that going to happen? Simply this, in Revelation 7, there is the testimony of 144,000 Jewish believers. God will save and seal 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from every tribe.

How will he save them? Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God, right? We know that in Revelation chapter 11, there are two witnesses, one like Moses, one like Elijah. Those two witnesses are instrumental in the conversion of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. And we know that they cannot be killed, those two witnesses in Revelation 11.

And by the way, the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who are saved, according to Revelation 7, they can't die either, because God puts his mark upon them. What that mark is, we don't know, but God seals them, God preserves them, and they are able to endure the entire seven-year tribulation with all the earthquakes, and all the famines, and all the wars, and all the persecution. They survive, because when you come to Revelation 14, they all are standing on Mount Zion, all 144,000 of them.

Not one of them is lost, not one of them is dead, because God sealed them, God protects them. So you have 144,000 Jewish evangelists. That's one way the whole world is going to hear the gospel.

They're going to come to Christ, because there are two witnesses in Revelation 11, one like Moses, one like Elijah, when they speak, fire comes from their mouth, no one can harm them, no one can touch them until the beast overcomes them. And when the beast overcomes them, according to Revelation 11, they will die, they will be slain in the streets of Jerusalem, and they will lie there for three and a half days. And then they will rise again for all the world to see.

In Revelation 11, you have the greatest party in the history of the world. It's the greatest Mardi Gras ever existed, because the whole world celebrates the death of these two witnesses. And the celebration goes on through day one, through day two, and people give gifts to one another.

Can you imagine? These two witnesses are dead, let's give gifts to one another. They do. And after three and a half days, they rise from the dead, and all the world will see them.

The Bible says everybody will see them. How will they see them? Satellite television, how else are they going to see them? Okay? And all the world will see them rise from the dead. Outside of that, in Revelation 14, verses six and seven, you have an angel that flies around in midheaven, proclaiming the gospel.

Is this a literal angel? Yes, it is. Is it Christian radio? No. Is it Christian television? No.

It is an angel that flies around in midheaven, proclaiming the gospel to the world. You have three avenues in which the world will hear the gospel. Two witnesses, one like Moses and Elijah, the angel that flies in midheaven, and 144,000 Jewish evangelists that cannot die, that will be sealed by God, and will proclaim the gospel all around the world.

And Jesus says, then the end shall come. The whole world will not hear the gospel before the rapture of the church. It will not.

The whole world will not hear the gospel before the rapture of the church. Because before the rapture of the church, the way is narrow, the gate is very, very small, and very few ever find it. That's what Jesus said, right? Few there be that find it.

But in the tribulation, the way is still narrow. The gate is still small. But according to Revelation chapter seven, there are multitudes upon multitudes upon multitudes upon multitudes upon multitudes of people who come to saving grace.

There are more people saved I believe in the seven-year tribulation than in the history of the world up to the rapture of the church. I firmly believe that. I firmly believe that that seven-year period will encompass the greatest revival in the history of the world because of those two witnesses, 144,000 Jewish evangelists, and the angel that flies around them in heaven, and people from every tongue, every tribe, every nation will hear the gospel in their language, and great multitudes will be saved.

Which, by the way, I must add one little footnote. For those who are in Bible-believing churches and hear the gospel today, and do not receive the gospel today before the tribulation, once they enter the tribulation, they will not believe the gospel. They will not get saved.

See, how do you know that? Because people always say, well, you know, I have no chance. If I'm raptured and I'm gone, they're going to know. And once they finally know, they'll get saved.

No, they won't. How do we know that? The book of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 tells you. It says this.

It speaks about the lawless one, the antichrist who will rise to power, who will set himself up as God. It says let no one in any way deceive you, verse 3, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first. And the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

That's what the antichrist is going to do. It's called the abomination of desolation. He will set himself up as God.

He will demand the whole world worship him. And Israel will not worship him. And he will persecute Israel unlike they have ever been persecuted before.

If you think the holocaust and the slaying of six million Jews was bad, that was nothing compared to what's going to happen in the tribulation. And the antichrist will go after them. He would set himself up as God.

He would demand the whole world worships him. Revelation 13, we'll talk about it in days ahead, about the beast and how he rises to power and how the world is seduced. He deceives the whole world.

Verse 8, and then that lost 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 the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And here's your verse, for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

They will be deceived. They will be duped by the antichrist because they did not believe the obvious truth when presented in the evangelical church today or by some loved one who preached to them the gospel. Once they enter the tribulation, they will be deluded.

They will believe that which is false because they would not receive the love of the truth, because they would rather practice their wickedness than believe the truth. God's judgment will come upon them, and God will blind them and harden their hearts, and they will believe that which is false and will die in their sins. Now, folks, that should cause us to realize the urgency of today, the urgency of today.

There are many people in the evangelical church today who hear the gospel but don't believe. That's why the Bible says today is the day of salvation. That's why the Bible says today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the day of propagation in the wilderness.

Don't do that. Don't just say, I've got tomorrow. I'll do it next week.

You know what? I'll do it in the tribulation. I'll know then that you are right, and then I'll do it. No, you won't, and the reason you won't is because the Bible says you will not receive the love of the truth, and the reason you don't is because you love your wickedness.

You love your sin, and the author of sin, Satan himself, will delude you and cause you to believe in him more so than the God of the universe. That's what will happen, and that's what makes the terror and the trouble of the tribulation as bad as it is because those who heard the truth and did not believe the truth will fall prey to Satan's evil devices, and they will worship the beast, and they will worship along with the false prophet all the activities of Satan because they did not believe the love of the truth. Isn't that sad? But that's what will happen.

Someone's got to tell them. So these people in Revelation chapter 6, it says, and folks, the only recourse you're going to have in verse 16 of Matthew 24, then let those who are of the Judea fleet of the mountains, let them who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in the house, and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak, but woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days, but pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath, for then there will be a great tribulation such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now nor ever shall. Why? It's the great tribulation.

The only thing you can do is run. Flee. Pray you're not pregnant because it'll slow you down.

They'll catch you. They'll kill you. Pray that if you're on your house, you don't go into your house to get the things that belong to you.

If you do, they'll get you, and they will kill you. They will do that. Only thing you can do is run.

Flee, run, but you, for the most part, will be caught, and you will die. How will you die? Revelation 20. You'll be beheaded.

That's how they're going to execute you. They're going to cut off your head. Not you.

You're going to be gone. You're going to be with me in heaven, but those who are there, here, those believers, they're going to be beheaded. They're going to lose their head for the sake of the gospel, and so the Bible says in Revelation chapter 6, verse number 9, it says, and when he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain.

Why were they slain? Because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. That's why. They were slain because they were true believers.

If you read Revelation 1, John was on the island of Patmos. Why? It tells us because of the word of God and because of the testimony that he maintained for Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter 1, verse number 2. Revelation chapter 1, verse number 9. That's why he's there.

He's there because he believed in Christ. He lived for Christ. He suffered for Christ, and that's why these people are there.

They're under the altar. What altar? What altar are they under? Well, I believe it's the altar of incense. It says in Revelation 5, verse number 8, the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Under the altar of incense where the prayers of the saints are offered. Because when you come to Revelation chapter 8, look at Revelation 8 for a second. Revelation 8, it says this, and another angel came, verse 3, instead of the altar holding a golden censer, and much incense was given to him that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.

And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel's hand, and the angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth, and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. This is at the breaking of the seventh seal. At the breaking of the seventh seal, the angel takes those prayers and takes them on that fiery spear and throws it to the earth, and there's great peals of thunder that happened.

Why? Because the answer to those prayers is now going to be fulfilled in the blowing of the seven trumpets and the pouring of the seven bowls. See? These people who suffered. According to Revelation 9, 21, there are many murderers that take place, and the unbelieving world does not repent of their murderers.

Who's murdered? Those Christians who believe the truth and stand for the truth. That's who these people are. And John says, I saw the souls of those who had been slain.

They hadn't received their resurrected bodies yet. They don't get those until Daniel 12, along with the Old Testament saints. But he sees their souls, and they were there because of the Word of God.

They were there because of their conviction, and they were there because of their confession. That's why they were there. That's why they died during the tribulation.

Point number two, the intensity of their prayers. Better hurry. I only got eight minutes left.

The intensity of their prayers. They cried with a loud voice. Remember the angels, the angels in Revelation chapter 5, verse number 12, loudly praised God, and now they loudly petition God, these saints do.

And their prayer plays a vital role in the vengeance of God. Listen to what it says. They cried out with a loud voice.

Kradzo is the word. It means a loud, ferocious, intense crying. How long, O Lord? Despotas, not Kyrios.

Despotas means sovereign ruler of the universe. Holy and true. Holy and true.

Wilt thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Now, when you first read that, you think, well, why would they pray? They're in heaven. Why would they even pray that? Because that is the plan of God in the fulfillment of his day of vengeance and the breaking of the fifth seal. This is not some kind of vengeful prayer on behalf of those who have died already.

They're in heaven. They've already obtained glory. They're in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.

They're not saying, oh, man, go get them, God. Put them in their place. Knock them out.

Kill them all. That's not their attitude. Their attitude is one of the holiness of God, the justice of God.

That's why they appeal to him based on who he is, his character, his nature. He's a holy, just God. They just ask the question, how long? How long until you enact your vengeance? Because you are an avenging God, and there is a day of vengeance in your heart.

When is that day going to take place? They begin to cry to the God who is holy and true, how long? How long? They have a holy desire to see sin squelched. They have a holy desire to see Antichrist demolished. They have a holy desire, listen carefully, for thy kingdom to come to earth.

Thy will be done on earth. That's their desire, and that's the intensity of their prayers. They are so intense with the purity and holiness of God and his kingdom ruling and his justice being preserved that they can't help but cry, how long? How long? Here come the implications of God's promise.

Oh, by the way, those who go on the earth, that phrase used over 10 times in the book of Revelation to describe the unbeliever, right? They're the earth dwellers, those who love the earth and all that happens here. Verse 11, it was given to each of them a white robe, white signifying holiness and purity and righteousness. And they were told that they should rest for a little while longer.

Remember Revelation 14, 13, blessed are those who die in the Lord for they rest from their labors. Rest, rest, be comforted for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, should be completed also. It's almost as if, you know, more have to die.

What? Yeah. More of your brethren are going to be persecuted. More of them will die a little while longer.

Remember Revelation 12? When the abomination of desolation occurs in Revelation 12 and the antichrist sets himself up as king, demands to be worshiped as God, Israel says no. And Israel flees to the wilderness on the great wings of an eagle. No, it's not an airplane, but they get to the wilderness.

God supernaturally gets them to the wilderness, which is Moab and Edom. And somehow, somehow Satan goes after them. He goes after them in Revelation 12.

He wants to kill Israel. If he kills Israel, if he kills the Jew, Messiah has no purpose in coming because the tribulation is for Israel, right? It's for Israel. And so in Revelation 12, it says this, and the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman who is Israel in order that she might fly into the wilderness, to her place where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent, which is three and a half years, right? 1260 days, 42 months.

The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman. In other words, he wants to kill the woman who is Israel so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. And the earth helped the woman that is Israel.

And the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river, which the dragon, who was Satan, poured out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with Israel and went off, listen carefully, to make war with the rest of her offspring. Who's that? Those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

The answer to how long, oh Lord, is a little while longer, because there are more of your brethren who are yet to be beheaded, who are going to be, who are going to be killed and will join you and your prayers at this altar for the day of vengeance to come upon man unlike he has ever seen before. That's the breaking of the fifth seal. That's what God's going to do.

The wrath of God, listen carefully, the wrath of God is real. The wrath of God is real. The work of God is that which rescues you from his wrath.

The work of God at Calvary. He came to this earth to die for your sins and mine, and he bore in his body the whole wrath of God upon himself so you wouldn't have to. That's why the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Tonight, if you're here, you've never given yourself to Christ, tonight's the night to do that. Don't wait another day because if the rapture happens tonight and you're left behind, you will not be saved. You will believe a strong delusion, you will believe a lie, and you will die in your sins and experience the day of God's vengeance.

Let's pray. Father, thank you, Lord, for your word, the truth that's there, and pray, Lord, that all of us would rise to glorify your name. Thank you for your word, the truth that's there.

May we live for your glory and honor. In Jesus' name, amen.