Why the Church Won't Go Through the Tribulation, Part 1

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you, Lord, for tonight. You truly are a wonderful God.

We thank you for bringing us together. I thank you for each person who's here. I ask, Lord, for an added blessing upon their life because of their desire to be here to understand your word.

And pray, Lord, that you grow them deep in their understanding of Christ. And Father, as we leave tonight, we will be encouraged because we are looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray in your name, amen.

We have been looking at the return of the king, and we began with some introductory comments concerning his return. We told you about the events surrounding the return of the king. Spent two weeks doing that.

And then we looked at why Jesus must return. We spent three weeks on that. Why Jesus is going to come back to earth.

And then we looked at the translation of the church into glory, called the rapture of the church. We talked about the promise that God gave in John 14. And then we talked about the plan, as Paul would explain to us, 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 13 to 18.

And then we saw the particulars of that translation in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the unveiling of that mystery that was once concealed in the Old Testament, now revealed in the New Testament. Tonight, we want to talk to you about why the church will not go through the tribulation. And this becomes a very crucial question, because the majority of theologians believe the church will.

And so we need to come to grips with why the church won't go through the tribulation. How do we know that? How do we know that we will be saved and kept out of that hour of trouble that will come upon the entire world? Well, my job as your pastor is to explain the scriptures to you so that you are well armed to talk to those people who don't believe the church will be raptured before the tribulation, or who don't believe in a rapture at all. So we're going to begin tonight by looking at Matthew 24.

And we're going to give you eight points over this week and next week that will help you understand why the church will not go through the tribulation. Now we at Christ Community Church understand that. Sometimes we can't necessarily articulate all the reasons why, so we want to give them to you this evening.

We're going to begin in Matthew 24 because this becomes a cornerstone text. It's on the Mount of Olives where Jesus speaks to his men concerning his return. If you've been to Israel with me on the Mount of Olives, it's a beautiful place and every time we go there we are reminded of how many times our Lord would be on that mountain with his men teaching them the truth of the gospel.

And on this occasion in Matthew 24, verse number 3, it says this. And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? They asked three questions in one. First is, when will these things be? What things? Well remember they were descending the temple and as they walked down the steps they asked a question about how large are these stones? How wonderful are these stones? Because Jesus had said that there will not be one stone left upon another because their house is ruined.

Not God's house, it's now their house. And so the disciples became very curious about this mammoth structure and how it would be that there would not be one stone left upon another. So they make their way down the temple steps, they make their way over the Kidron Brook and they ascend the Mount of Olives.

And privately they ask him, when will these things be? Jesus never answers that question. And the reason he never answers that question is because what was going to happen in 70 A.D. had nothing to do as to what would happen in the future with his return. So he never answers the question about the destruction of Jerusalem because the only relation they have to one another is this.

Jesus did what all the Old Testament prophets did and that is they prophesied about a near event and then prophesied about a further event. And if the prophecy about the near event came true, they became credible. And they could be counted on to understand that the prophecy they would talk about in the far future would come about.

So Jesus knew that. So he prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem. That was going to happen in 70 A.D. But the disciples, listen carefully, had no idea that that destruction that Christ had prophesied was going to come did not relate to the full revelation of his glory.

They didn't know that. We do because we have the New Testament. They didn't know that.

So the question is, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? In other words, what will be the sign of your parousia? That is your unveiling, your presence to this earth. The revelation of your full glory so everybody understands what we know about you. And the end of the age, a phrase used five times in the book of Matthew, always referring to the end when Christ returns and judges the world.

So Lord, when will that time be? So Jesus answers that question. Remember, he makes no reference to the things that he just talked about in Jerusalem because they were more than 2,000 years away. And so he talks about his full revelation, his parousia, his presence upon this earth and the end of the age because when he returns again, that's the end of the age, the end of man's age as we know it today.

So he says this, Jesus answered and said to them, see to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ and will mislead many and you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. Now let me stop you right there. Just because we had an earthquake in Pico Rivera yesterday, okay, doesn't mean it's a fulfillment of Matthew 24, okay? Just because there was an earthquake in Haiti and one in Chile over the last several weeks doesn't mean that this is a fulfillment of Matthew 24.

Why? Because he's talking about the end of the age. He's talking about his return, okay? He's talking about the time after the translation of the church, okay? He's talking about the time, the seven year tribulation period, Daniel 9 calls it Daniel's 70th week, so we know it's seven years long. He's talking about that time, okay, where many people will be misled.

There will be wars, there will be rumors of wars, there will be earthquakes, there will be famines. Listen folks, there has been earthquakes on this earth for hundreds of years. There has always been famine in this world, okay? But the times of the tribulation, the earthquakes are much more severe.

Read the book of Revelation. The mountains are moved and go out of existence because of those earthquakes. Those are earthquakes, okay? We have rumblings.

Those are earthquakes. Famine, unlike anything you've ever seen. Read about the Revelation 6 and the seals that are broken and the famine that comes because of the devastation of the world.

That's what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24, okay? So read on. But all these things, he says in verse 8, are merely the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, they 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 up one another and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and will mislead many, and because lawlessness is 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 witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. Now that's very important. Because people say, well, Jesus can't come back until everybody hears the gospel.

No, because the translation of the church into glory happens when the last person in the church age is saved. And there's no guarantee that the gospel will go to the ends of the earth before that time, but there is a guarantee that in the tribulation the gospel will go to the ends of the earth. How do we know that? Because there is an angel that flies around in mid-heaven preaching the gospel, Revelation 14.

How do you think the whole world is going to hear the gospel? There is an angel in Revelation 14 that literally flies in mid-heaven. There's an angel up there saying, fear God, worship him, preaching the gospel. See? That's when the whole world will hear the truth.

Plus you have the two witnesses in Revelation 2. As a result of their ministry, 144,000 Jews are saved and they go out all over the world and spread the gospel. And we know from Revelation chapter 7 that great multitudes are saved. We know that during the church age, narrows the way, few there be that find it, right? We know that because that's what Jesus said.

But we also know that during the tribulation there are thousands, literally tens of thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of people that get saved during the tribulation. So those seven years, I've said this before, that seven year span is the greatest evangelistic thrust the world has ever seen. And I personally believe that more people will be saved in that seven year period than have been saved in the history of the world.

I believe that because of what Jesus said that narrows the way and few there be that find that way. That's in the church age. And so the gospel will be preached.

Then it says this, verse 15, therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his 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 babies in those days.

But pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on a Sabbath, for then there will be a great tribulation such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now nor ever shall be. We'll stop right there. So here's the question.

Do we, do we get ready for the revealing of Antichrist by stockpiling guns and ammunition and building shelters and stockpiling clothes and water and all kinds of things because of what's going to happen in the world? Or do we look for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ? That's the question. Do we look in Matthew 24 for the revealing of Antichrist? We know from 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 that we will not know who the Antichrist is. Now he might be alive on the earth right now, we just don't know that.

The lawless one will not be revealed until the apostasy comes. And that won't happen until the translation of the church into glory. So we will never know who the Antichrist is.

But that's okay, we're not looking for Antichrist. We're looking for Christ, right? So it makes no difference to us who the Antichrist is, we're not going to be here. We're going to be gone.

We're going to be in glory with the Lord Jesus Christ. So the question comes for us is this. Will the church be involved in the famines and the earthquakes and the wars? Will they be involved in being hated by those around them and suffering great tribulation? Will they witness the abomination of desolation where the Antichrist sets himself up as God in that temple in Jerusalem because he will rebuild the third temple? Will we anticipate that? Do we look forward to that? Then will we know that Jesus is coming soon? Or will we be translated into glory? That's the question.

So, is there a rapture? Do we go into glory before the tribulation? People say, well, let me tell you something. The word rapture is never used in the Bible. Answer? True.

True. So, they say, because the word rapture is never mentioned in the Bible, there possibly can't be a rapture for the church of Jesus Christ. The answer to that is, well, because the word Trinity is never mentioned in the Bible, God must not be three in one then, right? No.

He is three in one. Even though the word Trinity or Triunity is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Yet, we know because of one key concept of biblical interpretation.

And that is the concept of biblical harmonization. Biblical harmonization is the hermeneutic that says, when the Bible speaks unequivocally about the events or individuals of a person or person, then you're able to understand by harmonizing different verses of Scripture and in result. For instance, we know that God the Son, God the Father, and God the Spirit are all God, all distinct persons, yet they are one.

And we know that in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Why is that? Because the Bible speaks about it in this verse and that verse and here and there. So, you have the harmony of the Scriptures.

The same is true about the translation of the church into glory. Because there are verses that speak to it, the harmony of Scripture speaks to the catching away of the church. Now, we've told you the word rapture is from the Latin word rapere.

No, it's not used in the Scripture, but the Greek word harpazo is. Okay? That's important. It's used in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 13 to 17, where it says this, particularly in verse number 15.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds.

Okay? That word harpazo is used to speak of the catching away of the church. We are caught up together. That same word is used of Philip in Acts chapter 8. In Acts chapter 8, it says this.

When Philip spoke to the Ethiopian eunuch, remember the spirit of God told Philip to go and speak to this man who was in his chariot. He was reading Isaiah 53. He had no idea who it was speaking about.

But Philip was an evangelist and he would preach to him Jesus because Jesus, excuse me, is the fulfillment of Isaiah chapter 53. And there it says that, verse 38, and he ordered the chariot to stop and they both went down to the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away.

Again, he was caught away. And the eunuch saw him no more but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus.

And as he passed through, he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. So Philip was translated from one location to another by the spirit of God. Just all of a sudden, bang, he was gone.

That's harpazo, to catch away, to snatch away. Same word is used over in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, I'm sorry, 2 Corinthians 12, to speak of the apostle Paul who says, I know a man, verse 2, in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know or out of the body I do not know, God knows, such a man was caught up, same word, harpazo, to the third heaven. And I know how such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows, was caught up into paradise.

So the apostle Paul was translated from this earth into the third heaven, into paradise. Philip was translated from one location to another location. Also, turn to Romans, I mean Revelation chapter 12, Revelation chapter 12, same word is used here.

Verse number 5, and she gave birth to a son, a male child who was the Christ, who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to a throne. The Bible speaks of the incarnation of the child.

The Bible speaks of the crucifixion of the child, the coronation of the child, the ascension of the child. Remember, Revelation chapter 12 is a chapter that deals with the history of the world from the beginning to its end. That's very important.

So let me add this little tidbit for you. The word harpazo is a word that means to be caught away, to snatch away. It can be used of a violent snatching.

Now I think that's important. Why? Because listen to what the book of Revelation says in chapter 12, verse number 7. And there was war in heaven. Now when was the war in heaven? Sometime after the ascension of the Messiah into heaven.

Okay? And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels waged war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war.

And they were not strong enough. And there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. Now the dragon is Satan.

Okay? There was no longer a place found for them in heaven. People say, where is Satan? He's in heaven. You say, how can that be? Read on.

The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old, who was called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying.

Now stop right there. People say, well this goes way back to before Genesis chapter 3 when Satan was cast out of heaven. No.

This is a different event. Satan was cast out of heaven morally. Here in Revelation 12 he's cast out geographically.

Remember, Satan has access to the throne of God. Right? That's what Job 1 is about. But read on.

I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come. For the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. Satan is in heaven accusing the brethren day and night, right? Listen.

There is a voice out of heaven that our Lord says, come up here. There's a trumpet of God and there is the voice of the Archangel Michael according to 1 Thessalonians 4.13. The voice could be the voice of him throwing Satan out of heaven with all of his angels geographically. Because he's been cast out morally but he hasn't been cast out geographically because he stands before the throne of God accusing the brethren day and night.

Well, because we are now coming to heaven, right? There's no need to stand there and accuse the brethren day and night anymore. Because we have arrived in glory. Now read on.

It says, and they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb. Who's that? The brethren he accuses day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony and they did not love their life even to death.

That is the child of God. We are the overcomers. We overcame Satan because of the blood of the Lamb.

We are now translated into glory. That's why Harpazo is a violent seizing away. We are seized away, we are snatched away from this earth to go into glory.

At the same time, right before that happens, there's a voice of the Archangel that throws Satan and all of his angels out of heaven geographically now. Listen carefully, read on. It says, for this reason rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them.

Now listen carefully. Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you having a great wrath knowing that he has only a short time. Satan knows he only has a short time.

A short time to do what? To deceive the whole world. See? Satan has been in heaven. But now during the seven year tribulation, he is cast down to earth.

He can't be in heaven any longer because the church has been translated into glory. So the ones he accuses day and night, he can't accuse anymore because they've obtained the fullness of their salvation. Glorification.

In heaven with Christ. So Satan is cast down to earth. The Bible says woe to the earth.

Why? Because now the tribulation, the seven year tribulation upon this earth is so wicked and so strong because Satan now has full run of the earth. Because no longer is there a restrainer upon this earth. No longer is the church here and the spirit of God working through the church on the earth.

Satan has full reign of the earth and that's why it is demon infested during that seven year tribulation period. See, I think that's important. When you look at the rapture of the church, the catching away of the church and the harmonization of scripture and how it details for us all that takes place.

Now, in spite of all that, people still believe that there's going to be a post-tribulation rapture. That is you are translated after the tribulation is over. That means as a Christian you go through the entire tribulation.

Okay? Is that true? Up to the 20th century that was the number one view of the church. That the church will go through the tribulation. At the end of the tribulation, the church will be translated into glory and then immediately come right back down to the earth in Revelation 19.

The question is, is that true? How do we disprove that? They also believe, the post-tribulationists believe that the church is spiritual Israel. We don't take a post-tribulational view here at Christ's Community Church. There's also then the second view which is a mid-tribulational view.

That is that the church will go halfway through the tribulation. During the birth pangs of the tribulation. Before the great and terrible day of the Lord which happens after the abomination of desolation when Satan demands to be worshipped.

And then the church is translated out and goes into heaven. That's called the mid-tribulational view. From that in the mid-90s came a view called the pre-wrath rapture.

That is the church goes through about three quarters of the tribulation. And then it's translated out into glory. It was popularized by a man by the name of Marv Rosenthal who used to be a pre-tribulationalist.

But now became a pre-wrath rapturist. Whatever that means. And to be honest with you I think that people come up with all these ideas because they want to write books and make money.

To me it's all confusing. We are pre-tribulationalists. That is we believe that the church will be translated before the tribulation.

Before the breaking of the seals. Before the blowing of the trumpets. Before the pouring of the seven vials.

And all that takes place in the book of Revelation. Revelation 6 and 19. And then we come back with Jesus in Revelation 19.

He sets up His kingdom. We rule and reign with Him for a thousand years according to Revelation 20. Because there's a thousand years six times mentioned.

So we know the length of that kingdom. And we rule and reign with the Messiah. I guess there's a fourth view.

It's called the pan-tribulational view. That is everything is going to pan out in the end anyway. So what are you worried about? But that's not our view.

Our view is a pre-tribulational rapture. Now how do we know that? And how do we know the church won't go through tribulation? I'm going to give you eight reasons. I'm going to give you probably two, maybe three tonight.

But to me as I go through them. As I was going through them this week. I realized that I'm more pre-tribulational today than I was last week.

In other words, I am so pre-tribulational that I don't even eat post-toasties. So you need to understand what the Bible has to say. So I'm going to give you eight points.

Point number one tonight and that is this. The location of the church in the book of Revelation. The location of the church in the book of Revelation.

This is important. This is where we will begin. Okay.

The location of the church in the book of Revelation. If you've got your Bible, turn with me to Revelation chapter one. Revelation chapter one.

Remember, Revelation one is the revelation of the Christ. The revelation of the glorified Christ. Revelation two and three is the examination of the churches.

Revelation four is the adoration of God in heaven. Revelation five is the exaltation of the lamb in heaven. Revelation six is the tribulation upon the earth.

Okay. So when you come to Revelation one verse number nineteen. It says these words.

Write therefore the things which you have seen. And the things which are and the things which shall take place after these things. That is the outline of the book of Revelation.

The Lord says to the apostle John. Write therefore the things which you have seen. What did he see? Well, if you go back to Revelation one verse number eleven.

It says, as he heard the voice, the loud voice behind him. Write in a book what you see. And send it to the seven churches.

So John was to write what he saw. And when he turned around in verse number twelve. To see the voice that was speaking with him.

He turned and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man. Clothed in a robe reaching to the feet.

And girded across his breast with a golden girdle. And we'll stop right there. And it's a picture of the glorified risen Christ.

And so when you come to verse number nineteen. It says write therefore the things which you have seen. So John has to write what he just saw.

About the revealed glorified Christ. And then it says. And the things which are.

The things which are. Are chapters two and three. And then it says.

And the things which shall take place after these things. That is after chapters two and three. Now how do we know that? Well go to Revelation chapter four.

It says. And after these things I looked and behold the door standing open in the heaven. And the first voice which I had heard.

Like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said. Come up here. And I will show you what must take place after these things.

After what things? The things he said to write about. After he wrote about the things he just saw. And the things he was going to see.

And the things that were going to happen after the things he just saw. Do you get me? So when he comes to chapter four. He says.

Now I'm going to tell you what's going to happen. In the future. So from chapter four.

All the way to the end. Is the third part of the outline. The first part of chapter one.

The second part of chapter two and three. And the third part of chapter four. All the way to the end.

You with me so far? Okay listen carefully. So. John.

Receives. From the spirit of the Lord. What he needs to write to seven churches.

It says in. Verse twenty. As for the mystery of the seven stars.

Which you saw in my right hand. And the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.

And the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Now people say. Well I read the book of Revelation.

I get all confused. Because there is so much symbolism there. Let me tell you something.

The book of Revelation. Interprets the book of Revelation. If you read it long enough.

And you look at it. Hard enough. Then what you see is the translation.

Of all that happens. Here is the risen glorified Christ. He is standing in the midst of seven golden lampstands.

Holding in his hands seven stars. Why? Because the seven stars are the angels of the churches. And the seven lampstands.

Are the seven churches. What churches? The seven churches that John is going to write seven letters to. Okay.

And there are seven literal churches. In Asia Minor. Seven literal churches.

That receive seven literal letters. But no. Those seven churches.

Are representative. Of every church. In every age.

During the church age. So that's why the spirit of the Lord says. He who has ears to hear.

Let him hear. What the spirit says. To the churches.

If you got an ear. Listen. Because this applies to the churches.

The church of Ephesus was the cold church. Right? They lost their first love. Their life became cold.

Ephesus was the cold church. Smyrna. Was the crushed church.

They were the persecuted church. Pergamon. Was the compromised church.

They compromised their Christian beliefs. Thyatira. They were the corrupt church.

Sardis. Was the corpse church. It was called the dead church.

Then there was Philadelphia. That was the crowned church. And then there was Laodicea.

That was the counterfeit church. So. The Lord is concerned about the churches.

And it says. Chapter 2 verse number 1. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write. So the angel is not an angel as we would think of an angel.

Angelos is a messenger. A leader. So we look at the angels in each church.

The angelos as a messenger. As a pastor or elder of that church. A leader of that church.

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write. The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand. The one who walks among the seven golden lampstands says this.

In other words. Christ says. I am in the midst of your church.

And I'm in the midst of perfecting your church. I'm in the midst of purging your church. I'm in the midst of protecting your church.

I'm in the midst of your church preserving your church. That's what I do. And so he says.

I stand in the midst of the churches. With the all seeing eye of God. I know everything in your church.

Everything. And John I want you to write to everybody. These seven churches.

Seven little churches. That are seven churches representative of every church. In every age.

To some degree. You've fallen to one of those categories. And those who have ears to hear.

Need to listen to what the spirit has to say. And then. Listen.

In Revelation 3 verse number 20. It says this. We all know the verse.

Behold I stand at the door and knock. What door? That's why the word behold is used. The word behold means stand amazed.

Be astonished. He stands at the door of the church of Laodicea. The apostate church.

The counterfeit church. He stands at the door of the church and knocks. And says if anyone hears my voice.

In other words he says. As we said on Sunday. Is anybody in there listening? Because if you're listening.

And you hear my voice. If you open the door. I will come into your church.

And I will dine. With you. In that church.

And you. Will dine with me. There's an invitation given.

Why? Because. The end is coming. And because the end is coming.

You must be ready for the return of the Messiah. You must be ready. And so.

In Revelation 4. John is transported into heaven. And in chapters 4 and 5. He's in glory. Chapter 6. The tribulation begins.

Now listen carefully. Between chapter 6 of Revelation. To chapter 19 of Revelation.

There is never. One mention. Of the church of Jesus Christ.

Not once. There is no exhortation given. To the church of Jesus Christ.

In Revelation 6. To Revelation chapter 19. Revelation 2 and 3. There are. Because the church is on earth.

But in Revelation chapter 4. The church is in heaven. So the location of the church. In the book of Revelation.

Is extremely important. It's significant. To consider.

That there is no mention of the church anywhere. In Revelation 6 to 19. And that's because the church.

Is in heaven. Now how do you know that? That's point number 2. The identification. Of the 24 elders.

In the book of Revelation. Now I don't want to get technical with you. But this one.

Point right here. Is iron clad. So is the next point I guess.

Point 3. To me they're all iron clad. But this is important because. I told you before that a good friend of mine.

David Hawking was asked to speak at. The funeral of John Wolvard. Who was used to be the president of Dallas Seminary.

Wrote many books about. The return of the king. Many many books.

He was renowned as a prophecy speaker. And when before he died. He asked David to speak at his memorial service.

And he asked him to speak. On who are the 24 elders. In the book of Revelation.

And David said you must be kidding me. How can I speak at your memorial service? But he was concerned. That the seminary he was associated with.

Was beginning to turn. From a pre-tribulational. Pre-millennial view.

Of the return of Christ. And it all hinged on. The identification of the 24 elders.

In the book of Revelation. That's important. So that's what he spoke on.

For thousands of people. He said turn with me to your Bible. To Revelation.

We're going to speak on who the 24 elders are. In the book of Revelation. That's a great memorial service.

So we need to understand that. So turn with me to Revelation chapter 4. We know that in verse number 1. Here's a voice. Come up here.

Some people think that that is symbolic. Listen carefully. Symbolic of the church coming up into heaven.

Why do they think that? Well because Revelation 2 and 3. The church is on earth. Revelation 4 the church is in heaven. John is asked to come up into heaven.

In Revelation 11. The two witnesses who die. Remember that? They lie in the streets of Jerusalem.

For three days. And then they hear a voice from heaven that says. Come up here.

And they rise up. And they ascend into glory. John hears those same words.

Come up here. Okay. Maybe that's the verse or the words.

That Christ used. When we are translated from this earth. To glory.

Maybe he says come up here. We don't know. We know he's going to speak to us.

He's going to give us a command. Whatever it is. The sheep of his listen to him and obey him.

So John is up in heaven. Okay. Now.

He's in heaven. Listen to verse number 4. And around the throne were 24 thrones. And upon the thrones I saw 24 elders.

Sitting clothed in white garments. And golden crowns on their heads. Who are the 24 elders? Three phrases.

Help you understand. From this verse. The first one.

Is. Thrones. The second.

Are white garments. And the third. Are crowns.

Whoever the 24 elders are. They're on thrones. Whoever they are.

They're clothed in white garments. Whoever they are. They have crowns on their heads.

That's pretty much self explanatory, right? So. As we always say. The Bible is the best interpreter of the Bible.

So when you go back. To. Revelation chapter 3. Verse number 21.

It says this. He who overcomes. I will grant to him to sit down with me.

On my throne. As I also overcame. And sat down with my father on his throne.

Now who is the overcomer? This is very important. Remember Revelation 12? We talked to you about. Those in heaven.

And those in. The angels rejoiced. Because the accuser.

The brethren are those who overcame. The lamb. Satan because of the blood of the lamb.

Remember that? A Christian is an overcomer. Based on 1 John 5, 3 and 4. Which states these words. Whoever is born of God overcomes the world.

Who is the one who overcomes the world? But he who believes. That Jesus is the son of God. Folks this is extremely important.

So bear with me. Because as I get through this. I'm going to conclude with that point.

They are the overcomers. There's a promise to every church. In Revelation 2 and 3. To the overcomer.

To the true believer. The one who believes. That Jesus is the son of God.

One of the promises given. Is in verse 21 of chapter 3. He overcomes. I will grant to him to sit down with me.

On my throne. As I also overcame. And sat down with my father.

On his throne. Where are the 24 elders? On the thrones. Look at chapter 2. Verse number 26.

It says. And he who overcomes. He who keeps my deeds.

Until the end. To him I will give authority. Over the nations.

And he shall rule them. With a rod of iron. As the vessels of the potter.

Are broken to pieces. As I also have received authority. From my father.

And I will give him the morning star. So whoever the 24 elders are. They're on thrones.

And they have. Rulership. That's important.

Do you know the bible says. In 1 Corinthians 6 verse number 2. That you and I the overcomer. Will judge the world.

And we will judge angels. Now if I'm an angel. I got a problem with that.

But I'm not an angel. Well my wife thinks I'm an angel. Awe.

Isn't that sweet. Yeah a fallen angel. But.

We will judge angels. Because we will be on thrones. And we've been given authority.

To judge the nations. That's important. Notice also.

The bible says. Oh by the way 2 Timothy 2 verse 12 says. If we endure we will reign with him.

Also it says. That these 24 elders. Were clothed in white garments.

White garments. Look at chapter 3 verse number 5. Chapter 3. Verse number 5. Simply states these words. He overcomes.

Shall thus be clothed in. What? White garments. White garments.

If you go back to Revelation chapter 19. It says in verse number 8. And it was given to her. Okay.

That is a bride. To clothe herself in fine linen. Bright and clean.

For the fine linen is the righteous acts. Of the saints. The fine white linen.

Verse number 8. I'm sorry. Verse number 14 of chapter 19. And the armies which are in heaven.

Clothed in fine linen. White and clean. We're following him on white horses.

Who's that? That is the saints. Coming back with Christ. At his return.

In white clothing. So we know the 24 elders. Are on thrones.

The overcomer in the book of Revelation. The true believer. Is given the right to sit on the throne.

With Christ. We know that the believers. Clothed in white garments.

That's according to Revelation 3 verse number 5. The 24 elders are clothed in. White garments. Note this.

It says that they had crowns. On their head. The word for crown is not.

Diadem. The crown of a king. It's Stephanos.

The crown of a victor. And over in Revelation 2 verse number 10. It says this.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to cast. Some of you into prison.

That you may be tested. And you will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful until death.

And I will give you the crown. The Stephanos of life. Or the crown which is life.

2 Peter 4. The crown which is righteousness. 1 Corinthians 9. The crown which is imperishable. 1 Peter 5. The crown which is glory.

And that's what we receive. As believers in heaven. But that's just the beginning.

That's just the beginning. Listen to this. Go to chapter 5. Verse number 8. Stay with me now.

And when he had taken the book. The four living creatures. And the 24 elders.

Fell down before the lamb. Having each one a harp. And golden bowls full of incense.

Which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song. So the 24 elders sing a new song.

Here is a song they sing. Listen carefully. Worthy art thou to take the book and to break its seals.

For thou was slain and it's purchased for God. With thy blood men from every tribe. And tongue and people and nation.

Verse number 10. Follow carefully. And thou hast made us.

To be a kingdom and priest. To our God. And we will reign upon the earth.

Listen carefully. To what I'm going to tell you. I read it the way it's supposed to be read.

The New American Standard. As great as it is. Has made one big blunder.

And it's right here. For the New American Standard reads. And thou hast made them.

Not us. To be a kingdom and priest. To our God.

And they. Not we. Will reign upon the throne.

The translation of the New American Standard. Is wrong. How do I know that? There are 95 different manuscripts.

On Revelation 5. New Song. Okay. Over 90.

Of those manuscripts. Translate the pronouns. Us and we.

Not them and they. That's one. Okay.

So. The majority of the evidence is overwhelming. It's not them and they.

It's us and we. But. Go back to Revelation 1. Remember the Bible interprets the Bible.

Right? Revelation 1. Verse number 5. Jesus Christ. The faithful witness. The firstborn of the dead.

And the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and releases us from our sins. By his blood.

And he made us to be. Here we go. A kingdom priest.

To his God. And father. Who did he make to be kingdom priest? The church.

Right? So it says in verse 10. Revelation 5. And thou hast made us to be a kingdom. And priest.

To our God. The people. The 24 elders.

Are the ones that sing the new song. In Revelation 5. That is the church. In heaven.

Okay? Because of Revelation 1. Verses 5 and 6. And because they have crowns. They're clothed in white raiment. And they sit on thrones.

Now that's not too hard to understand. Right? To me it's pretty simple. So.

Someone's going to come along and say. Okay. Why does it say 24 elders? Why doesn't it say the church? Well.

I'm not God. It's an inspired word of God. But.

I do know this. The number 24. Is the number of representation.

How do we know that? First Chronicles 24. First Chronicles 25. The number 24 is the number of representation.

And the number of representation. In First Chronicles 24. Is 24 priests.

Who are representative of the entire priesthood. Who is representative. Of the entire nation of Israel.

So the number 24. Is the number of representation. So.

Whatever 24 is representing. It's representing the body of people. Right? You following me so far? It can't represent Israel.

Because Israel is on earth. In fact there are 12,000 from every tribe. That are chosen.

Revelation 7. It can't represent. Tribulational saints. Because that doesn't happen until.

Revelation 7. So it's got to be another group of people. It can't be angels. Because some people say.

Well the 24 elders are angels. No. They can't be angels.

Simply because. The Bible says. In Revelation chapter 7. Verse number 11.

They are distinguished from angels. It says. And all the angels were standing around the throne.

And around the elders. And the four living creatures. So the elders.

The elders are distinguished. From the angels. And distinguished from the four living creatures.

Plus. Elder is never a term used for angels. Because elder is a term.

Of. Of age. And angels have no age.

So it would be inappropriate to use the term elder. To apply to angels. They are also distinguished.

From the four living creatures. So whoever the 24 elders are. They are not the angels.

They are not the four living creatures. They are representative. Of a body of people.

Because number 24 represents that. And Charles Ryrie says this. In his book in Revelation.

In the New Testament. Elders are the highest officials. In the church.

And represent the whole church. According to Acts 15 and Acts 20. And in the Old Testament.

24 elders were appointed by King David. To represent the entire Levitical priesthood. 1 Chronicles 24.

When those 24 elders met together. In the temple precincts. In Jerusalem.

The entire priestly house was represented. Thus it seems more likely that the elders. Represented redeemed humanity.

The church is included. And is thus in heaven. Before the tribulation.

Begins. Now listen carefully. I have seven minutes.

Oh I got six. That was one quick minute there. The overcomer.

This is so important. Jesus said. Matthew 16.

I will build my church. And the gates of hell. Shall not prevail against it.

Did he not say that? Sure he did. We according to Revelation 2 and 3. 1 John 5, 4 and 5. Are characterized as overcomers. We read already in Revelation 12.

That Satan. Who is the accuser of the brethren. And the accuser of the brethren.

Are defined as the overcomers. Because they overcame Satan. Because of the blood of the Lamb.

We are the overcomers. But I want you to notice. Revelation chapter 13.

Verse number 7. Revelation 13 verse number 7. Revelation 13 is about the rise of the Antichrist. The beast. And it says.

In verse 7. And it was given to him to make war. With the saints. And what's the next phrase? And to overcome them.

And to overcome them. You see. Satan is able to overcome.

The tribulational saints. But he can't overcome. The church aid saints.

Can't. Because we are overcomers. Right? Notice also.

In Revelation 17. That in Revelation 17. The false church is called the harlot.

The true church is called a bride. The true church. Is characterized by purity.

It's the bride of Christ. But the false church is called a harlot. And Satan has control.

Over the false church. Jesus Christ said. I will build my church.

And nothing Satan does. Can overcome it. He'll never prevail against.

My church. My people. Because they're protected by me.

They are the overcomers. Therefore. We can't be saints in the old.

In the tribulation period. Because. That would mean that what Jesus said.

Wasn't true. Didn't happen as Jesus said. Satan overcomes us.

We're not overcomers. But because. We are a part of the church age.

The bride of Christ. We are overcomers. And the promise given to the overcomer.

In Revelation 2 and 3. Is fulfilled in the 24 elders. In Revelation 4 and 5. That tell us about. We'll wear crowns.

We'll be clothed in white raiment. We will sit on thrones. Because the promise given to the overcomers.

That we will rule and reign with him. Forever. We've been cleansed by the blood of the lamb.

And we will wear crowns. And we will cast those crowns. At his feet.

And thus the church. Will not be on earth. Through the tribulation.

Because the tribulation doesn't begin to. Revelation chapter 6. And when John sees heaven. We're already there.

See. We're already there. So the location of the church.

In the book of Revelation. The identification of the 24 elders. In the book of Revelation.

And we're just getting started. Because next week I've got to cover six more points. And they are more powerful.

Than the first two points. To prove to you why the church. Is not on earth.

During the tribulation. Let me pray with you. Father thank you for this evening.

The truth of your word. The opportunity we have to study it. What a pleasure Lord.

To know how the Bible interprets the Bible. And to have that assurance. That Lord.

You will save us from the hour of tribulation. That will come upon the whole world. Why? Because you said in Romans 16.

That you are soon to crush Satan. Under our feet. What a powerful testimony.

To the authority. And sovereignty. Of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.