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Now we're going to come right back to Revelation, but flip over to Philippians chapter number two. Philippians chapter number two, the title of the sermon tonight is Jesus in the Book of Revelation, Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Basically the sermon is about how Jesus is portrayed in the Book of Revelation. This is a significant book because it's the last book in the Bible. If someone reads the Bible, this is the last thing God leaves them with. As they finish the New Testament, he leaves them on this thought. And so it's very significant how Jesus is portrayed in the Book of Revelation versus how he's portrayed in the four gospels as he walked and talked among us on this earth. Look what the Bible says in Philippians two verse five, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Now in this passage we see that when Jesus Christ was on this earth, he humbled himself. He became obedient. He was meek, lowly, and humble. But now when he is exalted in heaven, the Bible says that God has given him a name that's above every name and that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You see, the first time Jesus came, he came meek, humble, lowly, a servant. But when he comes the second time, he will not come in that form. He will not be meek. He will not be humble. He will not be lowly. He will not be coming as a servant. He'll be coming to reign. He'll be coming to be glorified, not to be humbled, but to be lifted up and exalted and glorified and bowed down to. There's a difference between the first coming of Jesus Christ and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Flip over if you went to Matthew chapter number 11. Matthew chapter number 11. You see, I think a lot of people expect the second coming of Jesus Christ to be a repeat of his first coming, that he's going to show up and he's going to be meek and lowly and humble and a servant, but it's not the case. That's the Jesus we saw at the first coming, and I'm going to show you through the book of Revelation what Jesus is like in the book of Revelation, how Jesus is portrayed in the book of Revelation. But first I want to lay the foundation here. Look at Matthew 11 verse 28. This is what Jesus said while he's on this earth in the form of a servant. He said, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Make my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Look at chapter 21 verse 5. Chapter 21 verse 5. The Bible reads, tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. Also we don't have to turn there, but in the book of John the Bible records Jesus washing the disciples feet, ungirding himself, wrapping himself in a towel, and washing their feet, humbling himself. And here's what he said, I've done this as an example unto you. If I, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. So Jesus Christ on this earth was setting an example of humility, meekness, and being a servant, being a minister. That's what he was here to do the first time he came. But in his second coming that's not going to be the case. Look at 2 Thessalonians chapter number 1. This is the last place we'll turn before we get into the book of Revelation. 2 Thessalonians chapter number 1. Look what the Bible says in verse 7. And you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, this is the second coming of Jesus Christ, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. When Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time, he wasn't walking around trying to be glorified, trying to be exalted, looking to be admired, and he wasn't there to take vengeance on them that knew not God. I mean when his disciples said, hey, we should call down fire from God on this village of the Samaritans that doesn't want to receive you, he said, no, no, no, the Son of Man has not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. You know, I'm here to seek and to save that which was lost. I came to minister, not to be ministered unto, he said, I came to give my life a ransom for many, humble, meek, a servant, a minister, but wait a minute, in the second coming we don't see it, we see him ready to be admired, ready to be glorified, ready to be exalted, and ready to take vengeance on those that believe not. We see there's a difference between the second coming and the first coming of Jesus Christ. Now let's go to Revelation and get a view of Jesus in the book of Revelation because in the book of Revelation we have Jesus already glorified in heaven. He's already been exalted to the right hand of the Father and we have all the scriptures about him returning to take vengeance and so on. And we can get a view of the Jesus that we're going to meet at the second coming of Christ. And I'm not saying Jesus is different than when he came the first time, but I'm saying he had a different mission when he came the first time. When he came the first time, he came humbly, lowly, to set an example, to live a perfect life, to be tempted at all points like as we are yet without sin, to offer his life a sacrifice. But now that that's been accomplished, now that he's died and he's been buried and he's risen again and salvation has been made freely available to all, you know, when he comes at the second coming, he's not playing games. It's pretty much two things that you see in the book of Revelation when you look at Jesus. He's either there to reward and to comfort and to exalt his servants or he's there to destroy and to burn and to take vengeance on the wicked. But he is doing it with a rod of iron and he's not playing games whatsoever in the book of Revelation. It's too late for a lot of people by the time the book of Revelation rolls around. And they're doomed. And that's what we see when we look at the character of Jesus in the book of Revelation. First of all, let's get a physical description of Jesus from the beginning of the book of Revelation. It says in verse number 10, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last and what thou seest right in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea and I turned to see the voice that spake with me and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks for Revelation 113 and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man clothed with a garment down to the foot and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire. Now this is a pretty fearsome sight when you think about it. You know John had seen Jesus when he walked and talked on this earth among them and his hands had handled him and he had leaned on him at the last supper and when he looks at him he says, you know it was one like unto the Son of Man, you know it looked like Jesus but there's been a change. His face and his hair are white like wool and his eyes are as a flame of fire. But that's a pretty scary thought when you think about it I mean just white and then flaming burning fiery eyes. Look what the Bible says next it says in verse 15 his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. Think about how the ocean sounds when it just crashes in when you're really close to it. That's how his voice sounded when he talked I mean think about that. That's a powerful voice. It says his voice was as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance or his face was as the sun shineth in his strength. So when John's looking at him his face is so bright that it's like trying to look into the sun. His countenance as the sun shineth in his strength and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead. Now that's a pretty powerful image here. This is not the same way that Jesus came the first time. When he's meek, he's lowly, he's approachable, he's you know the little children are coming up to him and sitting on his knee and he's blessing them. Okay. You know this is Jesus coming back with a vengeance here. And even in Luke 21 when he when he preached about his second coming he says these be the days of vengeance you know when all things that are written shall be fulfilled. But look what it says in verse 17 and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead and he laid his right hand upon me saying to me fear not I am the first and the last. I'm he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore amen and have the keys of hell and of death. Back up a little bit to verse five it says from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and have made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. And so amen. Now they weren't weeping and wailing the first time he came were they? And he told them that they should have the ones who rejected you know the ones who wept for him as he walked to the cross to be crucified and he said weep not for me weep for yourselves weep for your children and he said blessed are those that weep now you know they'll be comforted but here we see that people will be wailing because I mean what does it mean to wail well anybody who has children they know what wailing is you know we constantly hear wailing from little you know I mean that's what it sounds like right that's wailing he says all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so amen and again did we see that the first time he came meek and humble when he came on a colt the full of an ass into Zion did we see weeping and wailing no but when he comes the second time those who are not saved those who did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will weep and wail because of him even so amen is what the Bible says right after that. Look what the Bible says in chapter two just to give you a few more images of Jesus in the book of Revelation the Bible says in verse sixteen repent this is when he's talking to the seven churches repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth remember that sword that's going to be coming out of his mouth says in verse eighteen unto the angel of the church of Thyatira write these things saith the son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass look at chapter two verse twenty one where he's rebuking the church at Thyatira about fornication he says and I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not behold I will cast her into a bed and then they commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds and I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works but unto you I say and under the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none of the burden but that which you have already hold fast till I come and he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my father and I will give him the morning star this is Jesus in his second coming he's going to come to rule and to reign and his servants will also reign with a rod of iron the Bible says let me just read it to you from Psalm 2 you can stay there in Revelation 2 but it's quoting Psalm 2 where it says in verse 8 ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel be wise now therefore oh ye kings be instructed ye judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling the Bible says now be wise now get saved now believe on him now serve him now rejoice and tremble before him now because there's going to come a day where he's coming to bring vengeance when it's too late for people and that's what we see in the book of Revelation look at Revelation chapter 5 it's sort of like what Paul said in first Corinthians chapter 4 when he said you know what what do you want me to do do you want me to come with a rod or do you want me to come in love and in the spirit of meekness you know you can accept Jesus Christ when he comes to you meek and lowly and on the full of an ass or you know you can face the Jesus whose eyes are as a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass the Bible says in Revelation chapter 5 verse 1 and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof and no man in heaven nor in earth neither under the earth was able to open the book neither to look thereon and I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book neither to look thereon and one of the elders sayeth unto me weep not behold the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof and I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne see when he came to this earth the first time he was the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world but we see him returning as the lion of the tribe of Judah here it portrays him in a way that doesn't sound as as benign as the lamb that we would think of you know we think of a lamb as being a really gentle creature right but I've never seen a lamb that had seven horns and seven eyes you know that sounds like it would be a little scarier than just your typical regular lamb right I mean seven horns and seven eyes right and this is a more fearsome creature you know and and look what the bible says in verse eight when he had taken the book the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb having every one of them harps and golden files full of odors which are the prayers of saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth and I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands that's over a hundred million saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb forever and ever and the four beasts said amen and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever not the same meekness and lowly servant like spirit that Jesus came in at his first coming is it no he's receiving all glory and praise and admiration people fear and tremble before him and fall to their knees before him whether they be in heaven or on the earth or under the earth well who's under the earth people that are in hell is what that's talking about every knee shall bow the Bible says and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father you see even the most hardened atheist even the most God hating you know gay theists and fag Gnostics that are just totally depraved and wicked and hardened and reparate you know once they've spent a thousand years burning in hell and then they're brought out for a short respite you better know they'll be broken down I mean think about I mean I wouldn't even want to spend five minutes in hell but when they've spent a thousand years in hell when they've spent hundreds and hundreds of years burning in hell and then they're brought out of hell and hell delivers up the dead that are in it and they're put before that great white throne you better know they're going to be dropping to their knees and say Jesus Christ your Lord you know and giving him all the glory and all the praise and begging to be shown mercy but it'll be too late it'll be too late is the sad truth seek the Lord while he may be found look at chapter 6 verse 12 we're looking at Jesus in the book of Revelation how is he portrayed in the book of Revelation versus how we see him in the four gospels now of course Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever don't get me wrong same Jesus but here's the thing Jesus had a mission to fulfill while he was on this earth he had a certain role to carry out he came and he lived amongst men he lived a perfect life he was tempted at all points like as we are yet without sin he went about doing good the Bible says he healed the sick he raised the dead he cast out devils he preached the word of God he delivered himself unto them to be killed he was buried he rose again and he fulfilled that mission he showed us the example of how we should be humble because we're not God we should be meek we should be humble we should be lowly he taught us how to do that but now he's done with that now salvation is still available through grace to those who believe it's always available even in Revelation chapter 22 it's being made available in the last chapter but listen he's not going to come back meek and lowly if people think that the second coming of Christ is going to be him coming to this earth and doing the same thing he did the first time he came like he's just going to show up and submit himself to the authorities like he did the I mean the first time he came what did he do he submitted unto his parents you know he didn't go on some big campaign to overthrow Caesar he said my kingdom is not of this world he didn't care what you know here take the stupid coin and give it to Caesar he didn't care about that he didn't come and overthrow the government he didn't come and tell his parents I'm God kneel before me he came and he was meek he was humble he was lowly he was a servant he was a minister he preached the truth he showed an example for every pastor he showed an example for every Christian but when he returns he's not coming back the same way that he came the first time he's going to come back in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ this is what the Bible teaches look at Revelation chapter 6 verse 12 and I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black a sackcloth of hair and the moon became his blood and the stars of heaven fell into the earth even as a fig tree cast of their untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne watch this and from the wrath of the lamb they want to be in from the wrath of who Jesus Jesus in the book of Revelation is filled with wrath toward the ungodly the Bible says for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand you know if we stop in at Revelation chapter 7 for example verse 16 we can see of course Jesus Christ coming being a blessing to those that are saved of course and the Bible says in verse 16 they shall hunger no more neither thirst anymore neither shall the sunlight on them nor any heat for the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them on the living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes of course when Jesus returns he's going to be kind unto believers he's going to lead them he's going to feed them he's going to wipe every tear from their eyes we're going to be excited on that day when when Christ returns if we're those of us who are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord we're going to be looking up and our redemption is going to draw an eye we're going to be praising God the world's going to be wailing yeah the unsaved will weep and wail because of him but to those of us that are saved he's going to be kind unto us of course he's going to gird himself and serve us the Bible says but the Bible says also in chapter 14 if you would flip over there chapter 14 and you know we're just hitting some highlights of the book of Revelation to get a picture of Jesus in the book of Revelation Revelation 14 9 and the third beast followed them saying with a loud voice if any man worship the beast in his image and receive his mark and his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever and they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast in his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name again we see the everlasting destruction the flaming fire the punishment of the unsaved the unbelievers the wicked of this world flip all the way to chapter 19 if you would chapter number 19 and chapter number 19 often referred to as being the second coming of Jesus Christ wrongly because Jesus Christ seconds coming is when he comes in the clouds and when the trumpet sounds and we're gathered together to be with him this is later this is after his wrath has been poured out this event is referred to as Armageddon it's not referred to as the second coming of Jesus Christ but that most people will wrongly identify that this is the they'll try to make a difference between the rapture and second coming because they'll wrongly identify this as the second coming no whenever the Bible talks about the coming of Christ the coming of our Lord is coming in the clouds it's talking about at the rapture which takes place immediately after the tribulation but before his wrath is poured out and I've done other sermons where I go into that but this event is known as the battle of Armageddon in Revelation chapter 19 verse 11 the Bible says and I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make war his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself now when he was on this earth the first time he didn't walk around wearing a crown the only crown he wore was what crown of thorns right that was the only crown that he wore while he was on this earth and not only that but it says here that he doth judge and make war I mean is that what he did when he was on this earth the first time when Jesus was walking the earth in Matthew Mark Luke and John you know we do see him judging of course but we don't see him making war do we no absolutely not but in this scripture it says he doth judge and make war verse number 13 he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God I mean just try to picture this here's a guy who's riding on a white horse his countenance is as bright as the sun white hair white head white burning fiery eyes and his clothing is dipped in blood I mean this is a pretty intense image in Revelation 19 isn't it I wonder if this is how what people think of when they think of the second coming of Jesus Christ today I wonder if this is what your average evangelical Christian today pictures when they think about the second coming of Jesus Christ when they think about him ruling and reigning on this earth and let me tell you something I don't think the Antichrist is going to be anything like what's being described in this sermon think about it you think the Antichrist is going to show up with his eyes like burning fire and his face and his head white like wool and wearing a vesture dipped in blood and a sword coming out I mean you think he's going to be ready to you know he's not going to be like this all he's going to be how people think Jesus is going to be at the second coming basically they picture this pot smoking hippie is how I mean that's how most people picture Jesus look he wasn't even like that the first time people but that's how people think of Jesus today I mean think about the pictures they draw of him they get these and those pictures those don't go all the way back to when Jesus walked on this earth folks the pictures of Jesus where he's very effeminate and he's very pretty and he has long hair those pictures were drawn about 500 years ago those are not even close to the time of Christ they come from the Renaissance and if anybody knows what the Renaissance is the Renaissance is when Europeans were rediscovering the wonderful culture of ancient Greece and the ancient Roman Empire that is what the Renaissance was it was a Renaissance of Greco-Roman culture and when we think of the culture of the ancient Greeks it was a faggoty culture for lack of a better word there is no better word look that's what it was I mean if you look back if you read the writings of you know Socrates and Plato and Aristotle and if you study the ancient Greeks and the Spartans and the Athenians they're a bunch of sodomites a bunch of weirdos a lot I mean these people in Sparta and it's amazing how some people will glorify Sparta today in American culture I've even seen schools where the the team is called the Spartans even at a Christian school the Spartans these people were wicked horrible people you know oh it's so great they stopped the Persians from invading maybe the Persians should have invaded I mean the Greeks were so bad okay but it's just the winner writes the history book you know and so the Greeks they won I mean Alexander the Great was such a wicked filthy perverted person his dad Philip was a wicked person I mean these are bad bad people you know you think of the the Spartans first of all there was a whole bunch of sodomy that went on number one if you study the Spartans not only that but amongst the Spartan culture the women had short hair and were manly and made the rules and by the way they had no respect for human life oh they're these brave warriors no they just had no respect for human life it was like a death cult in Sparta and you know all the other Greek cities all hated them because they were just these evil warrior death cult that you know nobody oh they're so strong and so mighty well so what is that what we glorify now evil violent people because they're mighty warriors as they you know kill and slaughter innocent people for their own glory and power you know this is what the Greco Roman wonderful culture it's a bunch of nude statues is what it really is a bunch of paintings of nude people a bunch of nude statues bunch of sodomites a bunch of men in dresses and this is where we get the idea that Jesus wore a dress when Jesus wore pants like every man has worn throughout history but yet they get this idea from the Greeks because the Greeks wear these togas in a lot of their artwork and everything so if you study the Renaissance they're bringing back that culture of the ancient Greeks that's what it was a Renaissance of and so they basically did Greek style paintings of Jesus and his disciples making them look like unto you know the ancient Greek and Roman gods and goddesses and Caesars and people I mean some of these pictures if you look at some of these biblical pictures from the Renaissance I mean they're they're ridiculous you know basically all Jesus his disciples all the Old Testament characters are these like snow white blonde haired Europeans and they're dressed in clothing that's not anything like what they would have worn in Bible days and it's just it's just ridiculous some of these pictures and everybody's really effeminate and everything is really sensual and it's just weird artwork you know I mean the weirdest one is Michelangelo the weirdest one I mean if you look at you know I remember one time I looked at a book of Michelangelo's artwork the stuff that we've seen the famous stuff of Michelangelo that's like his most normal work I mean it's just so creepy and weird his artwork if you look through you know and and you know Leonardo and all the other Ninja Turtles are no better you know they're all these weird all this bizarre you know effeminate just creepy pictures so you know we need to make sure that that's not where we get our image of Jesus you know and then they'll show you a picture of like Caesar Borgia from that same time and it looks identical to Jesus you know because they're patterning and after famous people of the day okay the Jesus of the Bible is not this long haired effeminate blonde haired dude that people think of but in the Bible we see him at his second coming even even different than he was at his first coming now what did he look like at his first coming well the Bible teaches that he basically looked like everybody else there wasn't something special about him where he stood out in a crowd in fact when Judas wanted to betray him he had to tell them it's the one that I kiss now why didn't he just say oh he's the guy that's a foot taller than everybody else you know like Josephus tried to claim he was like head and shoulders taller than everybody else why did he say oh it's go get the guy that's a foot taller than everybody else no why didn't he say go get the guy with the long hair you know go get the guy because no the Bible says a shame for a man to have long hair you know but a woman's hairs are glory you know Jesus looked like just your average person the Bible says you know there's no beauty in him that we would see him and desire him he just looked like your average guy he was just a meek humble normal person when he was on this earth and when he returns he's gonna look completely different in the sense that he's gonna have the same you know visage but he's going to be in a glorified form that's going to be fearsome where John saw him and fell on his face as if he were dead I mean think about just like this I mean that's think about like when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead I mean that's like basically think about what if you were standing up and you just died I mean think about that that's what happened I mean John saw him and just went you know and and Jesus had to lay his right hand upon and say fear not you know I'm he the liveth and was dead and behold I'm alive forevermore amen and have the keys of hell and of death let's read here in Revelation 19 it says in verse 14 the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nation's and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God now think about that image of treading the winepress this is where they would step on grapes in order to create wine treading to tread means to step on okay so he treaded the winepress if you imagine someone stepping on grapes you know that's where we get the term the grapes of wrath okay so stepping on these grapes and squeezing out the the wine from the grapes and what is that referring to well if you just go back a few pages to the end of chapter 14 there's mention of this it says in verse 19 and the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth obviously this is very figurative language here about it you know vine a great vine grapes and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God and the winepress was trodden without the city and blood came out of the winepress even under the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs now a furlong is a block like a city block like for example in Phoenix Arizona here we have this wonderful system of streets and avenues where every eight streets is exactly a mile because every numbered street is an eighth of a mile so if we want to go from 48th Street to 32nd Street it's two miles 16 blocks okay so it's an eighth of a mile per number so we are 48 furlongs from Central Avenue because a furlong is an eighth of a mile and a mile was a measurement that existed at the time of Christ okay they had miles it's a Roman measurement that's where we get our mile obviously it's not exactly the same mile but it's close so we have you know 48 furlongs to Central Avenue that's because we're on 48th Street well if you think about this it's saying that there's blood up to the horse bridles okay so think about a horse where his mouth would be where the bridle would be on a horse okay and then think about a river of blood that flows this deep okay a river of blood flowing this deep to where if a horse rides in it it's up to its bridle in blood and it goes for a thousand and six hundred furlongs so basically a 200 mile long river of blood this deep I mean that's pretty scary thought isn't I mean that's this is intense carnage these are the deaths of millions and millions and millions of people you know God's coming back to judge this earth Christ Jesus is coming back to judge this earth and the Bible discusses it here now go back to chapter 19 if you would and look at verse number 15 it says he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God so who is it that's producing if you think about this what does it mean that he's the one who's treading it he is the one who is responsible for right he is the one who's carrying out the judgment that brings forth a river of blood 200 miles long up to the horse bridles and it's Jesus that's treading that winepress so who's the one who's pouring out the wrath here Jesus it's the wrath of the Lamb he treadeth the winepress of the wrath of God so it's not this image people awful you know God the Father just loves to pour out wrath and Jesus is always trying to talk him down isn't that kind of the image that some people have or how about this image Oh Old Testament God is just you know and the New Testament's like come unto me I'll give you rest they're saying that God is always the same the Father is always the same and Jesus is always the same and you know what Jesus knows how to pour out wrath too it's not just the Father that's up there angry with the wicked every day and Jesus is begging him not to pour out his wrath no Jesus is like I'll tread that winepress I mean he's the one treading it so we need to understand that Jesus is a more complex figure than just this idea that some people have where he's just real accepting of everybody and if he was here today he'd smoke pot with us and he'd hang out with fags and he'd be so accepting and he just you know he would never judge anybody I mean there are preachers who are getting up and preaching stuff right now you know it's true hey God's not up judging us he's he's cheering for us he's rooting for us and no matter what we do or like there's a whole book put out by this Joyce Meyer called God is not mad at you whoa what's this river of blood about she's like no matter who you are God is not mad at you know God is mad at you a lot of people I'm not saying he's mad at you tonight that are here but he's mad at a lot of people and it's not just anger it's wrath which is another level of anger let's keep reading in Revelation 19 here it says on his vesture verse 16 and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I saw an angel standing in the Sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven come and gather yourselves together under the supper of the great God that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bonds both small and great and I saw the Beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army so basically the US armies they're lined up you know the Chinese army the Russian army you know I mean the armies of the earth they've got their blue helmets on you know the United Nations peacekeeping force and they're all lined up and marching and all the armies of the earth and basically there's just a great angel just inviting all the animals saying there's gonna be a lot of dead carcasses pretty soon just inviting all the fowls to come and feast and it says in verse 20 the Beast was taken the Beast is the Antichrist and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast and them that worshipped his image these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and the remnant meaning all those armies of the earth that are gathered there were slain with the with the sword of him that sat upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh flip over to chapter 20 are you getting the image tonight of the Jesus of the book of Revelation it says in Revelation chapter 20 verse 4 and I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished this is the first resurrection blessed and holy is he that part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years now flip over to chapter 21 chapters 21 and 22 take place after the millennial reign of Christ this is after Jesus and the Saints have rained on this earth for 1,000 years rained with a feather duster rained with a wet spaghetti noodle you know rained with no rained with a rod of iron and the Bible says in chapter 21 verse 3 this is the new heaven in the new earth and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with man and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and he that sat upon the throne said behold I make all things new and he said unto me right for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done I am alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be as God and he shall be my son but the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death see the dichotomy there look at verse 7 he that overcometh shall inherit all things I'll be as God and he shall be my son I mean isn't that great inherit everything be his son he is your God you inherit all things and what does it mean to overcome well the Bible tells us in 1st John chapter 5 it says this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Bible says you overcome by believing that Jesus is the Son of God 1st John chapter 5 verses 4 5 and 6 and the Bible says here there's a dichotomy there's those who've overcome those who believe and then there's the damned and that's the whole way the book of Revelation is horrible consequences for those that are not saved great blessing and rejoicing for those that are saved look at the last chapter chapter 22 verse 10 and he sayeth unto me seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be what's he saying you decide you want to be filthy be filthy you want to be righteous be righteous but but here's the thing I'm gonna come and give every man according as his work shall be it's up to you which side of things you want to be on then he says this I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city for without our dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches I am the root in the offspring of David and the bright and morning star and the Spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely let's just look at the last few words of the Bible verse 20 he which testify at these things saith surely I come quickly amen even so come Lord Jesus the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all amen powerful book you know we didn't have time to read the whole book tonight but we read a lot of highlights from Revelation there's a lot that we could have read but we get a picture of Jesus of the book of Revelation the Jesus of the second coming and of course don't get me wrong there's one Jesus Jesus the same yesterday and today and forever but he's not coming as a lamb in the sense that he's not coming meek and lowly as he did the first time he's coming to conquer he's coming with a rod of iron he's coming to rule and to reign and if you're not saved tonight you are going to be doomed and if you are saved tonight this is something to look forward to it's a time of rejoicing but you say well if I'm saved I'm in like Flint of course you are because we have everlasting life and and no man can pluck us out of his hand but here's what he said behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be and let me tell you something I don't want to just be empty-handed at the second coming of Jesus Christ to me it's not enough just to greet Jesus Christ when he comes you know I want to be rewarded I want him to say well done thou good and faithful servant and I want to receive a reward you know I want to rule and reign with him I want to be given authority with him and I want to be glorified with him that's what we should look to the Bible teaches that we should try to earn those wages and try to to gain rewards with our Lord in heaven because you know what it's gonna be an exciting time but I think it's gonna be the most exciting for the people who did the most for Christ you know that's true the people who did now look it's gonna be great for I mean look blessed is he that eateth and drinketh in the kingdom of heaven you know no man I mean even if you did no works just to be forgiven and just to escape hell is a major blessing just to be in heaven but you know what when we get there though we're gonna want to have given it our best you know and and done as much as we could for the Lord Jesus Christ and if you know if we love people we don't want people to face this doom we should want to go out bring the good news that people can be saved and bring them the good news of the of the Jesus that's saying to them right now come unto me all ye that are labor and are heavy laden and I'll give you rest that way someday they don't have to face the wrath of Jesus someday the Jesus of Revelation that's there to carry out vengeance on those who believe not let's get him the gospel before it's too late let's power eyes and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much Lord for your word and we thank you for the book of Revelation Lord there there are those who attack this book and say it's it's it shouldn't be in the Bible it's it's too mean take it out but Lord you said that if they take it out you'll take their part out of the book of life Lord so help us to realize the importance of this key book and help us to study Matthew Mark Luke and John to get to know you as you manifested yourself on this earth so that we can learn from your example Lord but help us also get to know you through the book of Revelation Lord so we can get a well-balanced view of things and so that we can understand what your role will be at your second coming that we may glorify and admire you in that day and in Jesus name we pray Amen.