A New Testament lesson this morning is the eighth chapter of the revelation of Jesus Christ to John, the sixth verse and reading through the end of the chapter. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded and hailed and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up. The third of the trees and all green grass was burned up. And the second angel sounded and something like a great mountain, burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Then the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water, the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became Wormwood, and many men died from the water because it was made bitter. Then the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened, a third of the day did not shine and likewise the night, and I looked, and I heard an eagle flying through the midst of heaven saying, with a loud voice, woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth, because the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound. The word of the Lord, thanks be to God. Jesus rise for the reading of the gospel, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark, beginning at verse 1 of chapter 13. Then as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here. And Jesus answered and said to him, Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be put upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, tell us, When will these things be and what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? When Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name saying, I am he and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled, for such things must happen, but the end is not yet, for nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles, and these are the beginnings of sorrows. But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake for a testimony to them, and the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand what you will speak, but whatever is given you in that hour speak that, or it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Now brother will betray brother to death and the father his child, and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to the Lord, let us pray together. So in other words these Lord Jesus, and yet we know you now to be the Lord of history in whose hands are our lives, and indeed the life of the church and indeed all of history. And so we are not afraid, though history in our lives be littered with hardship and trial and difficulty, we glory in your faithfulness to us, and the prospect of eternity, behold in you, come to us in your Spirit O Lord, encourage our hearts and press home to our hearts the truth of your Word, that we might be helped, that we might be encouraged, that we might be enabled to go forth and serve you in our day. Come to us we pray, in your own great name, amen, and maybe seated. One of the things which you cannot avoid in dealing with a book of the revelation is what you could call theological symbolism.
It's important I think to have that qualifying word before it, theological symbolism. And the reason is that whenever you hear the word symbolism, it can cause a kind of a restlessness. For example, when people talk about for example the millennium, or for another example, the six days of creation leading to the seventh day of rest, and you say about the millennium, or about the six days of creation leading to the seventh day, that they have symbolical significance. People begin to fidget, and the reason they begin to fidget is because we take this Word of God seriously, and we take this Word of God for what it claims to be, namely the Word of God. And we affirm in our church a doctrine called the inerrancy and the infallibility of scripture. And what we mean by that is that the holy scriptures in their original form were indeed that. They were holy. They were without error. They were incapable of leading us astray. Now if you've been around the scriptures for any length of time, heard any Bible studies, been involved in any seminary classes or any classes on the Bible in a Christian college, you will know something about manuscripts. You will know that there are these branches of manuscripts all originating from this one trunk, all from this one root stock, which is the original manuscripts. Paul really did write a letter. Jeremiah really did have a prophecy. Moses really did pen almost all of the first five books. The only thing he probably didn't pen is the brief narrative at the end of the fifth book, which is a narrative of his death. He probably meant that. The point is that these things were written. And that is a whole subject in itself. There's a lot that's been written about the fact that these books were written. And there is a theological point to that. The people of God have always had the Word of God available. And it's interesting that after God has wed Israel to himself, gathered Israel to himself, out of her bondage in Egypt and at Mount Sinai, and after God has given her the ten commandments. Those commandments are etched in stone, and it is those commandments which are placed in the ark, and above the ark is the presence of God. And so the people are taught by that symbol, real tablets, with real writing upon them, placed in a real ark beneath the real presence of God. They are taught by that, that when they look to God, they are to look first to his Word. And they are not to look to their imaginations. But in everything, they are to be guided and directed by what Scripture explicitly says or necessarily infers. It is the Word of God which has always been central to the people of God. And we cherish it, and we know that we're in a dark place without lights if we do not have the Word of God which is a lamp for our feet. And out of that root stock, out of those books and letters which were really written, copies were made, and those copies, because the Word of God is so precious to the people of God, those copies of those books were disseminated, distributed all over the Mediterranean Basin. And there were some in Coptic, and there were some in Greek, and there were some in various other kinds of languages, Latin among them. The originals are gone. And you might say, oh, darn, I wish we had the originals. But if you think about it, though in a certain sense it is a sad thing that the originals are gone, it is probably a very wise thing that the originals are gone because look at what we do, or what we have a tendency to do, we may not do it, but there are those who do it, and in there doing it they represent the tendency which is present in each of our hearts. Look at what we do with something which is as uncertain as the shroud of tyranny. This thing which Jesus was supposedly wrapped in at some point at the time of his death. We end up venerating these things. We end up worshiping these things. We end up engaged in idolatry. It's really probably a pretty good thing that we don't have the originals. Because we would in all probability put them under glass, and have an inordinate, inappropriate affection for them. We would probably end up worshiping them. So we don't have the originals, but we do have lots and lots and lots of copies. While we might wish that we had the originals, the fact is that we don't, and so we study these copies of the originals. What we have before us is the word of God preserved wonderfully in his providence and a sure and certain guide for our feet. I hope that isn't troubling to you, but that is the truth of the matter. Rather than being concerned that we don't have the originals to go back to in order to see what exactly might have been said. Rather than having to study these various copies, we would prefer again to have those originals. We don't have them, but what we have bears the stamp of divine authority. And Christians in all ages have recognized that God has done a marvelous and glorious thing in preserving this, in keeping this for us. And all of these manuscripts, when studied, reduce us to a text of scripture in which we may have confidence. And so when we start talking about the symbolical nature of things, people get nervous and restless and they think, what is he saying? And we get nervous because we have such high regard for the word of God. But if we are going to have high regard for the word of God, it is important for us to come to the word of God on its own terms. And this takes us all the way back to one of the first sermons from the book of the Revelation, where I suggested to you that what we need to do is study our Bibles and learn our Bibles and be very familiar with our Bibles so that we might know the language of the scriptures. So that we might know what is historical narrative, what is poetry, what is apocalypse. Literature like the Revelation, which is dependent very much upon the prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel. But even before that is very much dependent upon imagery of the Garden of Eden. And to study that and to familiarize ourselves with that language and with that culture is tremendously important so that when we come to the Revelation we are not confused about what we are reading. And I am convinced that we are confused in our day because we have not come to the word of God on its own terms. And quite frankly we take things literally where the word of God does not intend for us to take them literally. Now there are obvious examples of that. Obvious examples of literature which is not to be taken literally. When Psalmist says and Psalm 114 verse 4 that the mountains shall skip like lambs, I don't know very many people who want to take that statement literally. We understand that that is figurative language. I also understand that there are points at which when dealing with the literature of the Bible it isn't quite so clear. But what I am anxious for you to see is that there is a real difference between saying something is theologically symbolical and saying that it is allegorical or mythical. I may have the view. I may be of the opinion that the millennium this thousand year reign of Christ is a symbolical number. But don't for a minute think that I mean by that that there is no real reign of Christ because there is. And it is eternal. I may suggest to you that the six days of creation leading to the seventh day of rest have real theological symbolical significance. But don't hear me saying in that or anybody else who might suggest that that I or they don't believe in a real and literal creation. If we get on a time machine and go backwards we'll run into it. And there will be these moments of the creative activity of God they will be there that to suggest that there is a higher theological significance to all of that is not to say that it is allegorical or that it is mythical. There is a real reign of Christ there was a real creation at the beginning of time. But again there is real theological symbolism and when the Psalmist says in Psalm 114 verse four that the that the mountains will skip like Rams what he is talking about is this incredible theological thing where the whole of the creation is finally released from her bondage and celebrates in the revelation and disclosure of the children of God the sons of God. The apostle talks about it in Romans 8 and there is finally freedom and it is cosmic in scope. It is a statement which is pregnant not literally pregnant of course but theologically pregnant and so when we come to the scriptures in particularly a book like the revelation it is important to keep in mind. This idea of theological symbolism different kinds of symbolism in the scriptures there is what could be called the repeat of patterns or in Hebrew poetry it is parallelism might look at some 24 in the first couple of verses as an example there is a parallelism in verse one. The earth is the lords and all of its fullness the world and those who dwell therein and then verse two there is another parallelism where he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Is God saying two different things no that is a Hebrew parallelism he is saying the same thing using two different phrases God is through the Psalmist David. In the book of Amos in the first chapter of Isaiah, Joel, Amos and that H.J.A. O.J. that is how I remember it. The book of Amos, the first chapter in verse three thus says the Lord for three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not turn away its punishment because they have thrashed Gilead with implements of iron. And then for six for three transgression of Gaza and for four I will not turn away its punishment because they took captive the whole captivity there is another kind of symbolism theological symbolism. The numbers three and four put together they express about Damascus and about Gaza and later about tire that their sin is complete and because their sin is complete the long suffering and mercy and kindness of God will not delay any longer. But he will visit his judgment upon them has there been in Gaza or entire or in Damascus seven only seven transgressions for three and four total seven clearly not it is a theologically significant number it points to the fact that God is done with Gaza and Damascus entire. They have tested his patience far too long and as was true of the Canaanites before God sent Israel into that land to purge it of its uncleanness so it is true in Damascus so it is true entire so it is true in Gaza that their sin is full up and God will withhold his judgment no longer. It's complete Jesus picks up on this kind of language the repeat of patterns and parallelism and the uses of numbers throughout the gospels and whenever you have that sort of repetition it is with a purpose it is with a reason and the reason quite frankly is that repetition or symbols get our attention. Michael Wilcock in his little commentary on the book of the revelation says this the mind of man is incurably centrifugal the mind of man is incurably centrifugal you remember on the playground playgrounds there was little merry go round things and you remember how the bullies would always come on to the playground and the little kids would be on this little merry go round and the bully would come and he grabbed hold of that thing and he'd spin it as fast as he could to see how many. The little urchins he could get the fly off that is the effect of centrifugal force it throws things away from its center or from their center. And Michael Wilcock says that repetition parallelisms the use of significant numbers these things are attention getters which we need because our minds are incurably centrifugal being cast away from our center who is Christ and these things bring us back. Jesus taught a lot you've heard this illustration used before but when he said verily verily truly truly amen amen I say to you he said it twice the disciples listened with both ears not just with one he was taking them back to something central foundational and these kinds of symbols have deep significant importance. For us already alluded to numbers I've already suggested something about the number seven. That it has to do with something in its entirety or perhaps something in its completeness or perhaps another way of looking at it is to say that seven reflects things as they are seven reflects things in their essence. And so when we hear of seven spirits which are before the throne there are not seven different spirits but there is the one holy spirit who is represented by this number which refers to something as it is something in its essence. When Jesus stands among seven lamp stands to be sure there were seven different churches at that day and in that time but those lamp stands represent the church as the church is in her fullness in her entirety. And when there are seven seals on the book or on the scroll the scroll being symbolic of the word of God which to this point is wrapped up bound up and sealed shut but which now with the ascended king of glory ruling and reigning at the right hand of the father the one who in his earthly ministry interpreted the word of God to the people of God. And now in his ascended capacity is opening that scroll in order to disclose to and interpret for his church things which will most certainly happen one by one those seals are broken. And when the last seal is broken then those events which are contained in that scroll are about to be disclosed and so those seven seals suggest to us that it's all open now. It's all lay bare there's nothing more to be said don't listen to Joseph Smith don't listen to Sun Myeong Moon don't listen to anyone who claims to have an additional word because it is all been spoken and there is nothing more to be said and the one who has spoken it is the ascended king of glory. And if you add to his word you are exposed to his awful judgment seven refers to this sense of completeness or something in its essence and then the opening of those seven seals gives way to these trumpets these seven trumpets the first four of which we have looked at or heard about in the text for today. And number four is an interesting number for rivers in Eden for corners on the sheet which came down from heaven in Peter's vision for horsemen riding throughout the earth for winds from the four corners of the earth for seems to represent the earth. And here we have heard from four angels and these trumpets which sound are blown by these angels these trumpets refer to judgments which are temporal which as you can read in the text will consume the heavens and the earth. The first trumpet has to do with the earth the second has to do with the sea the third has to do with rivers and springs and the fourth has to do with the sun the moon and the stars everything which God has created these first four judgments pertain to earth. The seven judgment the seven trumpets sound forth the warnings of judgment which will touch everything they touch the earth first but they will touch everything that's interesting also to think about what is communicated to us. With the symbolism of trumpets these seven trumpets which sound the warning anticipating the pouring forth of the wrath of God in its entirety in its essence in its purity from the four bowls which are to come. The trumpets serve several purposes in Old Testament Israel you will remember in Joshua chapter six that as the people marched around Jericho and carried the ark in procession with priests and all of the people marching doing this apparent foolishness. And around the city you will remember that they were accompanied on that last day by horns and it was as those horns were sounded that the walls of the city fell down. The sound of trumpets accompanies the ark the sound of trumpets in that particular instance warns of judgment on the pagan canonite nation. And the ark in the midst of the people is a symbol of God's trial so there are trumpets or horns which accompany the ark as God makes his advance as God moves in to take back what is rightfully is. And right alongside that almost as another layer of significance or meaning if you look at Psalm 45 verses five to seven that's the wrong refer for the white hate of men happens. Psalm 47 verses five to seven God has gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet sing praises to God sing praises. Sing praises to our king sing praises for God is the king of all the earth sing praises with understanding trumpets accompany and herald the inauguration of the reign of the king another interesting bit of theological symbolism associated with trumpets.
And then if you look at Jeremiah the fourth chapter verses five through eight you learned that God's judgment is not only a judgment which comes to the pagan nations announced by trumpets and trumpets don't only herald the inauguration of the reign of a king. But trumpets also warn of the judgment which God will bring upon his people declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say blow the trumpet in the land cry gather together and say assemble yourselves and let us go into the fortified cities set up the standard toward Zion take refuge do not delay for I will bring disaster from the north. And the disaster from the north and great destruction the lion has come up from his ticket and the destroyer of nations is on his way whenever I hear that lion language. And this little scene in beaver's house where Lucy asks Mr beaver whether or not Aslan is safe. And Mr beaver responds and says safe good heavens know he's the king I tell you he is good but he is not safe. Israel who had trifled with God learned that while God is supremely good he is not to be trifled with because he is not safe and so trumpets accompanying the arc herald the judgment of the coming king the reigning king who pronounces his judgment upon the pagan nations but it is also a warning to the Israel of God. That she herself may experience that judgment then all of the symbolism and there are other things that could be said about it all of this symbolism is taken up at a place like Exodus 19 verse 16 where when God descends at Mount Sinai and Israel is gathered at the base of Mount Sinai. It is the call the sound the voice of a trumpet which shatters the stillness and rocks the earth and the most significant thing about this symbolism is that the trumpet represents the voice of God himself declaring his intentions. Then it is sevenfold it is evident evident that this is the final consensimate essential heralding of God's judgment and after that seventh trumpet is sounded farther on in the book and the bowls are poured out. Folks all of this paints for us a picture a wonderful picture a glorious mosaic of the character of God and the intention of God which he has communicated to his people that he does know what is going on in history and history is in his hands and he is serving his church and he will bring final judgment and in that judgment he will vindicate his own name and his own people. So his people need not be afraid though the horsemen run riot across the face of the earth though they rape and pillage and bear the sword though blood flows though they themselves you remember as the fifth seal is open though they themselves suffer as these horsemen run riot across the earth and there is conflict and there is deprivation and there is death. They need not be afraid because the God of heaven and earth the God whose voice sounds forth like a trumpet will will inaugurate judgment and will vindicate his own name and will vindicate his people at the same time that is where this book is leading judgment may be represented symbolically in this book. But the fact that it is represented symbolically is not to say that it is mythical or allegorical there is a day coming and God will vindicate his own name and he will vindicate his people and God's people are to rest in that knowing that the final outcome is in God's hands and we go about our business pursuing our business doing our business. Prosecuting the cause of the kingdom knowing that our labor is not in vain because the judge will come and sound forth and bring all of the earth and the nations of the earth before his own throne or judgment. The judgment is real this last week at camp we spent some time talking about this we spent some time talking about it because we're frivolous and we're careless in this world in which we live we think that because we don't see God God doesn't see us. We had an experience this last week at camp someone we don't know for sure if it was someone in the camp or someone from the camp staff or somebody from completely away from the camp someone came in to the personal belongings of people and stole in the neighborhood of $220 and stole another $100 worth of personal possessions. And Thursday night I had to preach and talk about the seventh commandment thou shalt not steal. And at one point in that talk I said I don't have any idea whether or not the thief is in this crowd but if the thief is in this crowd I don't want to ride home from camp sunshine with you in my car. Because for the whole week I have been talking about the reality of the righteousness of the law and God's love for his law and God's determination to punish every law breaker and I have said that that judgment breaks forth sometimes and you don't know when it breaks forth and if you are a non Christian today in this room not in that room with camp sunshine I would say the same to you and would implore you that you give serious consideration. To this fact that God is in his heaven and he holds the world in his hands and lawbreakers will be punished and he will visit his judgment upon them and he may not withhold that judgment through the rest of this day but if he does it is a mercy and don't trample on that mercy by rejecting his offer to come to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. If you are not a Christian today if you don't know you are standing before God you are that thief you are that adulterer you are that one who has profaned the name of Christ and you are exposed to this judgment and it may break forth and it would be wrong of me not to tell you that. I mentioned to those kids after reading Revelation 14 beginning at the 9th verse where a third angel follows and says with a loud voice if anyone worships the beast and his any image if anyone receives the mark of the beast on his head or his hand that is if anyone anyone has aligned himself in his mind and with his hands with the entirety of his being with the beast the adversary of Christ then he himself refers to. Verse 10 will drink of the wine of God's wrath which is poured out in full strength into the cup of his indignation and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the beloved merciful compassionate lamb whose wrath knows no limits. Verse 11 the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever and they have no rest day or night. I mentioned to those kids question which I had heard addressed the RC scroll RC you don't really think that that language in the Revelation is to be taken literally do you in RC said no of course not it's figurative language and the figure never exhausts the reality it's far worse if you are not a Christian today you are exposed. And this judgment to which all things lead may break forth upon you at any moment and you will have nothing to say and I will say to you congregation beloved. But I said to those kids this last week that if you are a Christian meditate upon this reality that this day is coming this consummate judgment sounded by these trumpets the essential voice of God calling the nations and individuals and all of heaven and earth before the bar of justice that he might hear his judgment with respect to them if you are a Christian today know that when you go to that bar of justice know that this judgment has been visited already upon Jesus and you are safe. Give thanks what glory what wonder there is what warnings what expressions of long suffering and patience where are you today into which camp do you fall are you a Christian you thanks if you are not give heed and appeal to Christ the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world appeal to Christ. And the him alone for the forgiveness of your reprehensible your reprehensible God offending vile despicable behavior don't hear me shouting you down don't hear me being critical of you hear me encouraging you to turn from it all and come to Jesus. Let's pray together. Lord you know in this room those who are yours I do pray that you would press home to them yet again but a wondrous thing it is that they have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Oh encourage them that your work is sufficient encourage them to give thanks to you that they have been spared the awful consequences of their sin they have been delivered from judgment and need not be afraid. I pray oh God if there is one in this room who does not know you that you would trouble that person and frightened that person and terrify that person in order that he or she might be driven to Christ whether man or woman or child. And may that person know that you the God of heaven and earth are glad to receive sinners and gather that one or two or three to yourself by your spirits and mighty drawing that they might taste and see that you are supremely good. Here are prayers for them. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.