THE LULL BEFORE THE FINAL STORM

Intro: We are currently reading another one of Revelation's parenthetical passages. If you recall, one of these happened between the sixth and

seventh seals. Between the sixth and seventh trumpets, we now hear one. The Lord gives us these pauses in the action for a number of different reasons. To give the reader a break is one reason. We have been concentrating on horrible scenes of misfortune and passing. He gives us these breaks to help us refocus and process our feelings. The Lord is able to comfort and encourage us during these pauses. As you read about the horrors of the Tribulation Period, you might come to the conclusion that sin and Satan are in charge. Another reason He does this is to demonstrate to everyone who is truly in control. However, God intervenes to demonstrate to us that He continues to be the Sovereign God of the universe! God wants us to know that He is still seated on His throne and in charge of everything, no matter how dark the hour becomes or what the devil and his followers might do! The blessed Lamb of God is also brought into focus during these pauses. We desperately require being reminded of His great power in the midst of His wrath. There is, after all, a fundamental issue with the world today; Jesus is left out of the world's plans and calculations. In old times, space experts like Aristotle and Ptolemy accepted that the earth was the focal point of the universe. Everything fell into place and began to make sense only after Nicholas Copernicus and Johannes Kepler discovered that the sun was the center of the solar system and that everything else revolved around it. The world has omitted Jesus, the Son, and has substituted the United Nations and other erroneous human institutions for Him. The outcome has been complete chaos. Everything will make sense and fall into place when Jesus is given back his place as the center of attention for the human race. That is what God is doing here. ( Ill. That will also work in a person's life!) In this passage, the middle of the tribulation period is introduced. Additionally, it helps to restore Jesus' prominence. As we watch The Lull Before The Final Storm, let's pay attention to what's going on in the world. I. v. 1-3a THE VISION JOHN SAW (Ill.) John sees a "mighty angel" descend from heaven in this passage. The identity of this angel is not disclosed to us. It's possible that it's Gabriel, the archangel. Other people choose Michael. Simply put, we do not know. However, if you will permit me, I will suggest that this angel is the Lord Jesus Christ. In a moment, I'll give you several reasons. You may recall that Jesus appeared frequently in the Old Testament. "Theophanies or Christophanies" are the names given to these appearances before Bethlehem. Abraham was greeted by Jesus at the tent door. The parents of Samson appeared to Jesus. Joshua saw Jesus outside of Jericho. In the furnace, Jesus met with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Jesus helped Daniel in the Place of extreme peril. There is no reason to believe that He couldn't do the same in these verses if He showed up then. In point of fact, as these verses are examined, all of the evidence indicates that this is Jesus Christ Himself. Together, let's look at the evidence.) A. v. 1a reveals the location of his dwelling: this angel descends from the very place where Jesus Christ resides. "And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven," says John 3:13. Today, Jesus Christ is in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, praying for you and me, Heb. 1:3; 10:12. B. v. 1b–2a: His description: This angel's appearance is illustrated by a number of key descriptive phrases. 1. He Is Covered In A Cloud – Psa, the god, wears a cloud. 104:3, "Who layeth the light emissions chambers in the waters: who drives his chariot through the clouds: who travels on the wind's wings"! During the wanderings in the wilderness described in the Old Testament, the Lord Himself led His people through the trackless desert in a glory cloud, Ex. 16. He was with them at the time to protect and lead them. He is still with His people to guide and protect them even in the darkest times on earth. Foreboding shadows covered Sinai when Moses got the Law, Ex. 19. When God appeared to Moses on the mountain, He was covered in a glory cloud, Ex. 24, 34. Acts 1:9 records that a cloud greeted Jesus as He returned to Heaven. 1 Thes. says that He will return in the clouds. 4:16-17; Rev. 1:7. He has a cloud covering him! 2. The rainbow is a representation of God's mercy and faithfulness. He has one on his head. It first appeared in Genesis 9 following the flood to back up the Lord's promise that He would never again use water to destroy the earth. It is a sign of His steadfastness. It also appears in Rev. 4, where an emerald rainbow surrounds God's throne. It represents His mercy in this instance. As a result, the Lord appears as the trustworthy and benevolent One. Knowing that the Lord remembers mercy even in the midst of wrath is such a blessing, Hab. 3:2. 3. This is a description of His glory! His face sparkles like the sun! Jesus appeared to be a regular man as He traveled the world's dusty roads. Isa, He was so ordinary that His appearance alone did not distinguish him as special. 53:2-3. Phil, He hid His celestial fame within His earthly form. 2:5-8. Matt. notwithstanding, there was one occasion when His glory emerged. 17:1-8. One that the glory that was inside became visible on the outside, and Matthew says that Jesus shined brighter than the sun! Jesus was brighter than the noonday sun when Saul of Tarsus met Him on the way to Damascus, Acts 9. Moreover, men adore darkness, but when the Light illuminates their transgressions, they bow down before the glorious Lamb of God. 4. This is a representation of His judgment: His feet resemble fire-pillars. Jesus will not appear as the Savior when He appears. He is returning as the universe's Sovereign Lord. He is coming to punish all those who have turned away from Him! "Points of support" likewise creatures to mind pictures of solidness, steadiness and strength. We are dealing with a God who is steadfast and capable of carrying out His mission. No one will be able to stop Him from carrying out His plan to judge the world, its sinners, and Satan himself! C. v. 2b–3a: We Are Told Of His Dominion—This is a beautiful representation of our Lord. He is remaining with one foot on the land, one foot on the ocean and He has a little book in His grasp. This portrays His rule over the entire world. In ancient times, if someone wanted to take control of something or someone, they put their foot on it. According to Joshua 1:3, when God gave Israel Canaan, He told them, "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said unto Moses." As a sign of complete dominance, one king would place his foot on the neck of the defeated king whenever he ruled over another king. He also "cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth," as we are told. It is said that even the bravest person can be scared by a lion's roar. The roar of an adult male lion can be heard up to five miles away. Lions typically roar shortly after dusk. They do this to declare a location to be their territory. We are witnessing that in these verses. The Lord declares, "I am the Lion of the Tribe of Judah," as if to stake His claim. My world is this one. Keep your hands off of my property! We see that in this instance. Jesus, the victorious one, stakes his claim to the earth. The book, which is the planet's title deed, is in His hand. He is standing with one foot on the ocean and one foot on the dry land. Jesus has shown up to take over the world. He has arrived to take control! Our Lord reigns now and forever, so let the word and the devil do as they please. As the end draws near, this truth will become increasingly apparent. I. The Vision John Saw II. v. 3b-7 THE VOICES JOHN HEARD A. John hears seven thunders speaking in v. 3b-4 There Were Voices Of Mystery. John got ready to write down what they were saying because it appeared that they spoke a language he could understand. However, the Lord intervened and instructed John to enclose what he had heard the thunders say. All in all, what did they say? I'm not sure! No one else does either! If we are not told what they say, why write about it? God wants to keep some things a secret for the time being. Paul describes in his writing a time when he was taken into the third heaven. He was taken into very presence of God and He was not permitted to expound on it, 2 Cor. 12:4. I believe God placed this there for a very straightforward reason. He intends to impart a profound lesson to us. He wants us to be aware that there are certain aspects of life that will remain a mystery. Consider Deut. 29:29. According to that verse, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God:" But the things that are revealed belong forever to us and to our children, so that we can follow this law's instructions. You and I don't know the answers to thousands of life's questions. Why do good people experience pain? Why do infants become ill and die? Why does our world have so much evil? Why is it so hard to live holy? This side of heaven, we will never have the answers to these and ten thousand other questions. Ill. Gen. 18:25 says that the best thing we can do is leave the mysteries to the Lord and trust Him to do the right thing. Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor 4:17. No, we are looking at the carpet of life from the bottom up, and it appears to be a tangled web. We will one day be permitted to view the carpet from above. Then it will make sense! Paul says, "For the time being, we see through a dark glass;" but then in person: I now partially know; but then I will know, just as I already know,” 1 Cor. 13:12. B. v. 5-7 There Were Voices of Manifestation – The next voice that John hears conveys a message that is crystal clear, despite the fact that the voices of the thunders remain a mystery. John saw a person who makes a huge promise and raises His holy hands. He informs John that the waiting days are over. God is getting ready to finish His work and finish His Word. God is getting ready to finish His work of judgment and redemption. In case you have forgotten, God operates differently from us. His schedule differs significantly from ours. We believe we are experiencing a delay. We believe that the pace of things is so slow. We believe that God will never fulfill all of His promises. We're wrong, then! 2 Peter says that God wears a different kind of watch than we do. 3:8. You see, it looks like Satan and sin are willing to fight. The reality is quite different. Ill. I once heard about these boys playing baseball outside. A man was riding by when he stopped to take a quick look at the others playing. He turned around and asked one of the young people, "Son, how's your team doing?" He continued, "Well, we're not doing so well." He asked, "Well, son, what's the score?" "They're beating us 23 to nothing," he said. "Boy, that is bad, son, that's just real bad," he said. "Aw, yes sir, but it's not too bad, we ain't got in to bat yet," he replied. Listen, the devil is at bat right now, but God's half of the inning will come up one day, so there won't be any more delays. Consider Heb. "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry," says Matthew 10:37. That's great! Jesus has only been absent for two days in God's calendar. God will soon close the book, instruct Gabriel to sound the trumpet, and Jesus will return to His church. Then, God will rule over the earth, punish sin, and the devil, and eternity will begin. Soon, it won't be! Hallelujah! I. The Vision That John Heard II The Sounds John Heard III Heard v. 8-11 THE VOLUME JOHN TOOK (Ill. John is instructed to remove the little book from the Angel's grasp. He is instructed to consume it, but he is cautioned that the book will taste sweet and bitter to the stomach. John does as instructed and discovers that the Angel's words are accurate. He liked the book because it was as sweet as honey; However, it was bitter in his stomach. John is then instructed to convey the message he has received to those who require it. A strange little section of Scripture can be found here. However, there are a few lessons about the Bible that we need to hear right now. A. God's Word Must Be Swallowed—The Bible is spiritual nourishment. According to Matthew 4:4, Jesus stated, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." "Thy words were found, and I did eat them," Jeremiah declared. also, thy word was unto me the delight and celebrating of mine heart: because I am known by your name, O LORD God of hosts," Jer said. 15:16. According to Job 23:12, "I have regarded the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." According to 1 Peter, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow by it." 1:22. This book has something special about it! It is nourishment for the soul. It is an emollient for the stinging soul. It is meat for the developing soul. We are to enter the book and eat if we are all that God wants us to be. We are to wait there and brush there. We are to drink profoundly of its words with the goal that our spirits can develop further in the things of the Ruler. Every day, we must read the Bible for ourselves! Do you properly savor the lush pastures of this Word? Keep in mind that you are what you eat! (Note: John discovered that the Book was both a blessing and a burden when he swallowed it. It had both sweetness and bitterness at the same time. The parts of this book that talk about our God's grace, love, and mercy are what make it so delicious. It is so sweet to read about Jesus's death and resurrection for our sins. As we read about Heaven; It's so adorable. When we read that He will fulfill our requirements; never abandon us; and come one day to take us home, which is also so sweet! It is sweeter than words can describe when a sinner reads that Jesus will save him if he only comes to Jesus by faith. This book is full of sweetness! However, it is also a book of bitterness. The Hell that awaits the lost is described in this book. The Holy Spirit of God uses this book to convict both saints and sinners of their sin. This book describes judgment, wrath, and hell. It's also a bitter book. When I read my Bible on occasion, I am delighted, blessed, and helped. Different times I read it and I'm brought to tears over something it has uncovered in my life. The book is bittersweet! Nevertheless, when we consider the entirety of the Book—its blessings and curses, sweetness and ignominy—we are able to say that it all fits together so well. It identifies our issues, but it always directs us to the appropriate solution. Thanks be to God for His Word!) B. The Word of God Must Be Disseminated John was instructed to disseminate the book's message to others. The same burden is currently being carried by us. Matt, we are obligated to share the message contained in this book with a lost and dying world, accepting its blessings and its challenges. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15. God did not just give us His Word to use; He gave us His Assertion to impart to the world. Let us go out into the world proclaiming to a lost world that "Jesus Saved;" with the Word of God in our hearts and on our lips. Jesus Redeems”! Conc: We are going to enter a time of tragedy unlike any other when we finish this chapter. We praise God for providing us with this new glimpse of His Son. We praise God for reminding us that He is in charge. We praise God for reminding us of the significance of His Word. Is there a need right now? Do you require salvation? Is it necessary for you to return to the Father? Is it necessary for you to come and make a commitment to reading your Bible and preaching about Jesus? In the event that there are requirements, this special raised area is open.