 Here we are in Revelation chapter 11. Let's begin a reading together at verse 15, and I'll read to the conclusion of the chapter verse 19, and what we're gonna do is we're gonna look at chapter 11 verses 15 to 19, then we're gonna move into chapter 12, and I prepared a study for the entirety of chapter 12, and prayerfully, we'll actually go through chapter 12. We'll see. I'm gonna kind of rush through verses 15 through 19, but let's just see how it goes. Verse 15, Revelation chapter 11. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, we give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, your wrath has come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that you should reward your servants, the prophets, and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven. The Ark of His Covenant was seen in His temple. There was lightnings, noises, thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail. And so we're resuming the judgments on the earth that are part of, as we've seen, what are called the trumpet judgments. Chapter 10 into chapter 11 verse 14 is what is called a parenthetical section. John was giving some insight, but now returns to writing of the coming judgments. When you looked at chapter eight, chapter eight contained the conclusion of the seal judgments and introduced what are called the trumpet judgments. This series of judgments is called trumpet judgments, as well as the judgment of thirds. Each judgment continues to escalate into greater judgment, building in, as we've seen, intensity. And so now we're at verse 15 here in Revelation chapter 11, and it says, the seventh angel sounded, and there is an immediate response in heaven. So heaven, notice with the heaven erupts with praise for what is sure to be done by the Lord in the near future. The rejoicing occurs because Satan's power is soon to be broken forever. And heaven begins to rejoice because Satan's rebellion is going to be ended, and Jesus's reign will soon occur. Now notice how it says, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. There are many world kingdoms, and they have one thing in common. They have been dominated by one ruler, and that ruler is Satan. In 1 John 5 19, we read, the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And so these kingdoms have refused to bow their knees to God, and they have been in opposition to His rule. And they're actually spiritually and philosophically energized by Satan. And they, as we've been studying on Sunday morning, we see that this is the system of the world. They are in opposition, hostile opposition to the ways of God. And that is just, in general, that's what you see. I remember when at one point we were meeting in the city of Ontario, and there is opposition to the rule of God. There's opposition to the things of the Lord, and sometimes you'll see that even in cities themselves. And I'll use this as an illustration, speaking of hostile opposition. And I still remember we found some property at one time, because we began our ministry in the city of Ontario. And I had plans to remain in the city of Ontario. To this day, we still have a great number of people in our fellowship who actually live in Ontario. And they come into Chino to come to church, but they live in Ontario. A great percentage of this church has people from Ontario in it. And we had a tremendous amount of influence when we were there in the city at all. And so we began to look for property at one time. And I wanted to find some property to use for the building of a building and for our ministry. And we found some property that was legally zoned for us to use as a church. And so we went before the city council. We had a lawyer who represented us. He was the one who helped us in our real estate matters and all. And so we went and had to speak to, I believe it was, and I don't want to give bad information, but it was a department that was related to land usage in Ontario. And I still remember, this was many years ago, but I still remember speaking to the woman at that time who was head of the department who had the say so yes or no. And we said we have found this property. We want to build on this property. It's zoned for a church. Everything is okay. And we just wanted to get some permits to begin a project because we're looking to purchase this property. Now, this was in Ontario. And the lady who was in charge said to us, you're not going to get that property. And the lawyer representing us said, you realize, of course, that that property is zoned. We have a legal right to use it as a church. She said, well, some city officials, some high dignitaries like to ride their horses on that property. And she said, and I can tell you, you're not going to get that property. And my lawyer says to her, we have a legal right. And I'll never forget how she responded by saying, you may have a legal right. But I promise you, I will fight you every step of the way. You're not going to use that property for a church. And so my lawyer takes me outside and says, so what do you want to do? And I said, let's beat her up in the name of Jesus. He said, we can we can take them to court and we could win, but it's going to take forever. And I said, it's obvious the Lord has other plans for us. There's no point in us struggling, working in any kind of flesh. And the next thing you know, this is where we ended up here in the city of Chino. And so I've seen firsthand, I could give you other stories. First hand, how how the kingdoms of this world are in opposition to the things of the Lord. There's no doubt about that. We've seen in seen that in some very practical ways. And and these kingdoms are refusing to bow their knees to the Lord. And so Satan continues to oppose. He's going to continue to oppose the Lord God. But God is going to overcome his efforts and God will rule. This is so sure that John writes as if the event has already taken place. He says the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. In other words, there's there's you can say all you want, you can try all you want, you can fight as much as you want. But you have already lost is what he's saying. It's all done. God's rule is assured God's son will reign forever. Now in verses 16 and 17, it speaks of the 24 elders who sat before God and their thrones, and it says that they fell in the faces and began to worship. Now these elders were mentioned earlier in chapter four. They were found in verses four and 11, as well as in chapter five, verses eight through 10. And there they also are revealed as worshipers of the Lord Jesus Christ. And and they are eagerly awaiting Jesus Jesus's return. He's taken the earth away from Satan. And so they're rejoicing that the fact of Jesus's rule, which is what we by the way, as believers can do right now, is to rejoice because Jesus is the one who does reign. And so that prayer, thy kingdom come is about to be fulfilled. Now it says in verse 18, interestingly, notice the nations were angry. Your wrath has come. And the time of the dead that they should be judged. And that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. God's wrath has been pouring out. Remember in chapter six, this wrath was referred to as the wrath of the lamb. And God's wrath is being poured out. And it's being poured out in the tribulation. But his wrath has not yet been exhausted. Now people are becoming afraid of what they're seeing happening. But now they're enraged at the Lord and they're actually defiant towards him. Now, when his kingdom comes, judgment occurs, even as we just read, on the wicked dead. But the righteous, he's saying, will be rewarded. We'll look at that and I'm only touching on some things because in chapter 20, we'll see that more clearly and I'll spend more time developing that. Notice he says in verse 19, the temple of God is open in heaven, the ark of His covenant is seen. And so that's where God dwells. The ark symbolizes God's promises are now fully realized. Yet for those who reject God's judgment, well, reject God, God's judgment is now being poured out. And that's what we're seeing take place. Now that's the seventh trumpet. But notice we move into chapter 12. And this is interesting. And we're going to spend time now looking at chapter 12. I'll begin at verse one, read the verse six, we'll look at war in heaven. Now, a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head, a garland of 12 stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven, behold, a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadems or crowns on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her their 1260 days. Okay, here we go. Chapter 11 proclaims the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The effects are really seen more clearly in chapters 15 through 18. And so the chronological narrative of the tribulation is going to resume in chapter 15. Chapters 12 through 14 give us a deeper look at the events that have already been spoken of in chapters six through 11. And what we're seeing is Satan's attempt to resist the judgments of God. It reveals him attempting to circumvent God's purposes that are realized through the sun. So when we look here in chapter 12, we're getting a deeper look at things that we've already been touching on. So when he says in verse one, a great sign appeared in heaven, this sign in heaven, this is a sign notice with me that appears in heaven, but it's speaking of events that take place on earth. What you have, if you take notes, you might want to note this is what is called a panorama, a panorama of Jewish history, and it unfolds before our eyes. And so what we see here first, and we'll look at this in some detail in verse one, when he speaks of a great sign, the question has to be asked, what is this great sign that he's speaking about? Well, he says a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and on her head, a garland of 12 stars. The great sign that is being spoken of here is the miracle of the nation of Israel. It's the miracle of the nation of Israel. This is a nation that has truly been a sign and a witness of the existence of God, the nation of Israel. And I share with you often, I won't say this more than just a couple of seconds, but the fact that a nation like Israel has continued to exist all of these centuries, when all of these other biblical, most of the biblical names that you see of peoples that were referred to in the Old Testament especially, have ceased to exist, simply really awakens in us an appreciation of the incredible miracle of this nation Israel. And that's what's being spoken of here. And we'll see that. I'll develop that with you in a moment. But this is a nation that has been a sign and a witness of God's existence. In Isaiah 4310, he said to Israel, you are my witnesses, says the Lord, my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me, there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. You, your existence is a demonstration God was saying to that nation, your existence is a demonstration of my existence. The fact that I have brought you into existence and sustained you is a testimony over history. You see, the woman symbolizes the nation of Israel. This woman as the nation of Israel is common. It's a common what is called metaphor. It represents her that the woman represents Israel often in the Old Testament. And notice how it says she's clothed with the sun. When it says she's clothes with clothes with the sun, that reveals the glory of God, the glory that God gave to the nation. When it speaks of the sun, moon, and stars, you have to think for a moment, where did you see anything like that illustrated? And that is something you see in the book of Genesis in chapter 37, verses nine and 10, which is reminiscent of a young man by the name of Joseph, who had a dream that is recorded in that portion of scripture. It says that Joseph dreamed another dream, told it to his brothers and said, Look, I've dreamed another dream. This time the sun, the moon and the 11 stars bowed down to me. So he told it to his father and his brothers and his father rebuked him and said to him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you? So they recognize those symbols in Genesis 37 and those symbols once again are being utilized as a picture of the nation of Israel. So it says the moon is under her feet on her head of garland of 12 stars, the 12 stars representing the 12 tribes of Israel. This is a picture that you have of the nation of Israel. So a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and her head a garland of 12 stars. This is a picture of Israel. Verse two, then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. Well, the nation has a history of pain, painful persecution. We see that even to this day, don't we? Painful persecution and Satan is continuing his onslaught against the nation of Israel. During the tribulation, the persecution against Israel is going to grow even more intense. And so she's with child, she cries out in labor and in pain to give birth. Verse three, another sign appeared in heaven, behold, a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads, 10 horns, and seven diadem. The word diadem speaks of a crown on his head. Well, later on in verse nine, we see that this is a picture of Satan. The dragon is Satan, red with blood and destruction. And so what we have here when it speaks of this great sign appearing this great fiery red dragon is a revelation of the power that is behind the antichrist. The antichrist is going to be a world ruler. We will see him and we'll develop the subject of the antichrist later on in Revelation. But the antichrist is a world ruler who is going to be, well, they'll say things like who can make war with him who is like him. But he derives his power from Satan and you'll see that. So the power behind the antichrist is now being revealed and that power is Satan. Jesus in John 844 said this, he said, you are of your father, the devil, at the desires of your father, you desire to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there's no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it. So this murderer, this liar is the one who empowers the antichrist who is also murderous and is also a liar. Notice how it says he has seven heads, 10 horns, seven diadem crowns and that reveals his kingdom. Now the seven heads with seven crowns represent world empire, world empires that have been energized by Satan. And you can look in your Bible and you can see these empires spoken of, the empire of Egypt, the empire of Assyria, the empire of Babylon, the empire of the Medo Persians, the Greek empire, the Roman empire, and then you have a seventh empire that will rise its antichrist future kingdom and he will be over these 10 horns, a 10 nation Confederacy. Again, we'll be looking at that in detail when we get to the portion of Revelation that speaks about that. But this is the power behind the antichrist. Now it's satanic. So notice in verse four, his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who is ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. Now his tail drew a third of the stars. The reference to angels in verses seven and nine reveals that these stars are actually angels. It does not say, and here's something for you that's very basic, but it doesn't say how many angels there are. You really know where in Scripture does it say that there are X amount of angels. Very few times you'll even see numbers that are spoken of. And so we don't know for sure. It's not in the Bible how many angels there are, but we know it's a huge multitude. And we also know that the enemy Satan, and this is a picture of the fall of Satan in verse four, who does energize antichrist, but this is a picture of Satan in verse four. We know that he falls and when he fell, he drew with them a third of the stars, a third of the angels. And so this dragon that has drawn these angels to follow him in his rebellion has a purpose. Notice it says he stood before the woman ready to devour her child. So that's a picture of his constant attempt to destroy God's people and to resist Messiah. Satan, and we'll make this practical and we'll speak about this for a moment. Satan has a special hatred for the nation of Israel. You know why? Because God loves the nation of Israel. And from the nation of Israel came Jesus Christ. Satan has always hated Jews. As long as there's been a Jewish nation, he's hated them. Years ago when I was teaching on a Sunday morning, I mentioned how that I was in Lourdes, France. And and I was sharing a few things about when I was in Lourdes and and all. And I remember as as I finished the study and I was speaking to people, somebody walks up to me an older gentleman. And he says, so you were in Lourdes? And I said, Yeah, I've been in Lourdes. And he goes, Yeah, he says, Did you know the Jews owned the whole city? And he's anti Semitic. He said, did you know that the Jews owned the whole city? And I smiled at him. He says, I wouldn't doubt if they owned the church. And he smiled at him. And I said, Well, let's see now. I said, Jesus is a Jew. He shed his blood on the cross. He purchased the church. I said, You're right. A Jew owns the church. You know, a Jew owns the church. But you know, anti Semitism is not something that some people suffer with. There are many who do. When you have more see the Egyptian president saying that Jews are apes and pigs. You don't see that reported by the way on NBC CBS or ABC News. But he said that there are quotes with him saying that the Jews are apes and pigs. That hatred for Israel hasn't gone away. And I'm getting ahead of myself because we're really looking at this slowly develop and I'm jumping ahead. But bottom line is there's been a hatred for Israel from Satan from the beginning. Remember all the way back in the Old Testament days of Moses, how Pharaoh hated the Jews. And he sought to kill them. And Moses being a beautiful child was placed into a little basket and floated on down in this in the river and was basically saved by Pharaoh's daughter. But a decree had gone out to kill all the Jewish children, the Jewish males. And and you see this hatred all the way back in that day. You see it with in the book of Esther with an individual by the name of Haman who hated the Jews, hated them so much that he got King Ahasuerus to make a decree that that the Jews could be annihilated in his land. And so you see anti anti-Semitism in in the history of Israel from almost the beginning. When Jesus was born through Herod, Satan went so far as to try to kill Messiah. When it's recorded in Matthew chapter two in verses 13 and 16 that the children were all slaughtered. He was trying to get Messiah. He tried to get Jesus killed for healing on the Sabbath and for declaring himself God's son. And you see that in John chapter five verses 16 and 18. You see him provoking people to try to stone Jesus to death in John eight fifty eight and John ten thirty through thirty three. He has always had a desire to destroy to destroy Israel and he has a special hatred of course for Messiah. And so this is speaking about Israel and Satan's hatred for the nation and his desire to destroy the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne. So it says she bore a male child who was to rule all nations in in Romans chapter nine verses three through five. Paul said it like this. He said I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brother and my countrymen according to the flesh who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the law the service of God and the promises of whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh Christ came who is over all the eternally blessed God. Amen. And so he's speaking here of her bearing a child a male child who is to rule all nations. So Israel gave to us Messiah. Keep that in mind. You may not think that's practical. It is when I was a younger believer a younger man to I used I don't know how to put this because it's going to sound wrong. Okay let me think it through. I enjoyed discussing I still do but with a different spirit. I enjoyed discussing who Jesus is and I enjoyed doing that discussing that with people who were members of cults. That's that was something I enjoyed doing. One of the reasons we're having veritas here is because if I weren't a pastor I'd be an apologist because that's really what I really really enjoy is the subject of apologetics the defense of the faith. And so as a young believer I began reading material on on cults and things you know so I could see what is true and how do you defend what faith is and clarify it for those who are confused about it. And so I got so caught up for a long season in my life that I actually looked for opportunity to engage in argument and conversation. And I was in a parking lot. Marie had gone in to buy something in a store in a grocery store. And I was just seated in the car and I saw somebody going through the parking lot putting pamphlets or something on windshields and I started thinking I wonder what that I wonder what they're doing. So I knew that she'd probably come to the car before I'd find out. So I started the car and drove and got closer. So I knew for a fact this guy's going to come to my car and he did. And so I had my window rolled down and I was just waiting and he comes to tell me I said what are you doing man. He says oh I'm just putting these in these tracks out on people's cars. I said oh really I say you Christian. He said yes I am I said really what church do you go to. He goes the unification church. I follow Reverend Son Young Moon. I said really he said yeah he said he's the Messiah. Now did you know that. Did you guys know that. I don't even know if they're really around much anymore. But he said that he was Messiah. Reverend Son Young Moon believed that Jesus failed in his task here on earth and because he didn't get married in order that he could have perfect children and continue this race of gods. And that's what part of what the unification church taught and believed. So he says so I'm a follower of Messiah Reverend Son Young Moon. And I said Reverend Son Young Moon is not Messiah. Yes he is. I said no he's not. Well what makes you say that. I said well Son Young Moon is Korean. And Jesus is Jewish. The Messiah is a Jew. And his response was your prejudice your prejudice. I don't think so. Because the Bible makes it very clear Messiah is from the tribe of Judah. So what tribe does Reverend Son Young Moon come from. And see it's just very simple. There's just simple ways of knowing what Scripture says. And this is one of those very special verses just remember Revelation chapter 12. It speaks concerning Messiah. Jesus Christ is Jewish. The Messiah is Jewish. Satan hates the Jews. And God is given to us in Romans nine. God is given to us. Jesus Christ who was Jewish. And he is the Messiah who came from the tribe of Judah. Now Jesus is to rule with the rod of iron. Now when it speaks concerning him ruling with the rod of iron that's a picture of strength as well as authority. His being caught up to God and to his throne speaks of his ascension. Now Jesus was ascended to heaven. And you see that in Acts chapter one verses nine through 11 as well as Hebrews chapter one verse three. It says in verse six. The woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days three and a half years. So she flees into a wilderness. We're going to see a little bit more in a moment in verse seven war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan. Notice who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him. Satan is going to be finally cast out and no longer have access at all to heaven during the last half of the tribulation. From this point on he will have no more entrance before God. Now I want you to see this in verse nine. He is the one who is guilty of deceiving the whole world. I've been sharing this with you as we've been going through Ephesians. Let me remind you Satan is behind the spiritual blindness of man. There are those who will say religion is fine but you Christians are too exclusive. I was a brand new believer. Maybe less than a month old in Jesus. I'm at a friend's house. Some guy comes to do some plumbing or something. He's doing some work on the house and I'm a new believer and I'm taught you need to share your faith with people which incidentally it's a good thing whether you're a new or old believer. You need to share your faith with people. And so he comes walking in. I'm brand new. I don't know anything. I was lost. I'm found. I was blind. Now I see. That's pretty much it. So I start talking to him and I say you do you have faith. You have faith in anything. He goes. Yeah. Yeah. I go to the church of religious science. Yeah. I never heard of that. I said really. And what is that. I'm thinking a bunch of scientists with microscopes have a Bible study. I mean what do I know. What is that. Well he says well we believe that that that there are a series of of divine teachers and I said oh really. He said yeah there's a variety of them. I said and you believe all of them. He said oh yes I believe all of them. I said completely because I'd never heard of it. So explain this to me. I'm a brand new believer explain this to me. Church religious science you believe that and I said it. You mean like Buddha and Hamid and and and those guys. He goes yeah they all brought divine light. And he said and do you believe the things they say. He goes yeah. Do you believe Jesus too. He goes yeah I believe in Jesus too. I believe I said you believe everything he said. He goes yeah. I said so when Jesus said I am the way the truth in life no man comes to the father but by me. How can you believe in Buddha. And how can you believe in in in Islam. How's that work. How can you believe all things and discard the substance of others. How's that work. And it was it was a curious question. I wasn't wanting to argue with him. I wanted to know how can you do that. That didn't make any sense to me. You know what I'm saying. It's like when a woman a woman never says I'm a little pregnant. Either she is or she's not. She's got to be fully committed to one proposition. So I'm just wondering how can you be fully committed to Christ and deny what Christ says. How can you. If Jesus said and that was the only scripture I could remember at that time. But it was given to me and they said you need to read the Bible and you need to memorize and I memorize that. I am the way the truth in life no man comes to the father but by me. Now if Jesus said no man I said doesn't that mean all men. And if he said no man I said so how can you get to God through Muhammad. How can you get to God through. Any anybody else. How's that work. I didn't come here to argue with you. I said man I'm not arguing. I'm asking for your answers. I said that confuses me. And he wouldn't get. He didn't have an answer. Because there is no answer. Because he's wrong. But see when we when we say that. People think that were intellectual hillbillies. That that we were. Idiots. Jared had mentioned earlier about watching the program science and evolution and all. Francis Schaefer if you guys like to read deep things Francis Schaefer. Gives a lot of good. Solid. Information in Francis Schaefer once was speaking concerning evolution in this way. He said. He said imagine for a moment that you're a fish in a fishbowl. That's your entire universe you know nothing else except for that fishbowl in the water. Think about that for a minute. That's true. You're a fish in a fishbowl. The only thing you know is that universe. There's no other universe just you as a fish in a fishbowl. He said and then one day that fish has lungs. He said why. Why would that fish suddenly have lungs when his entire universe was to take his oxygen from water. How's that work. He said it doesn't make any sense because you have to take huge leaps of faith in that kind of theory in order to embrace that. And so what today seems to be sophisticated is really foolishness. It's foolishness. There's no reason for for evolution. There's no reason for it. And we could talk a little bit about that but I won't because that's not my Bible study. But there is a blindness in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verses 3 and 4. If our gospels veil it's veiled to those who are perishing whose minds the God of this age is blinded who do not believe. When he says who do not believe there's a there's what that's literally saying is who refused to believe. Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God you shine on them. They are willfully rejecting. They hear it and they reject it. They hear it and they reject it. And so Satan is the one guilty of deceiving the whole world. He keeps the world in spiritual darkness and blindness. That's what's being referred to here. In verse 10 I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brother and who accused them before God day and night has been cast down and they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death. So I heard a loud voice. Verse 10 now salvation strengthened the kingdom of God has come salvation deliverance from the tribulation and the completion of judgment is occurring. And in this panoramic view it's not chronological. It's just given an overview here. The millennial reign is what he's referring to where Jesus rules and reigns on planet earth. Again we'll see that later on in detail. He speaks of Satan in this way as the accuser the accuser of the brethren. You might find this interesting. God is the judge. Jesus is also referred to as a judge but Jesus is also referred to as our advocate. Our advocate Jesus the righteous. The word accuser here is a legal term. It's what is called a forensic term. The word accuser is a prosecuting attorney. That's what the accuser does. He accuses. He prosecutes. And so what you have is you have a picture of the prosecuting attorney and the prosecuting attorney has built a case against believers. And so Satan may not be personally involved in observing me. He has larger fish that he follows after. But he does have a portfolio on me. And his demonic spirits that are throughout this world do observe and make reports in one form or another because you see that in Ephesians chapter 6 when he speaks concerning his principalities and powers and world rulers. So there's a governmental system and the enemy does have a way of obtaining information concerning you. And we see that because in Job when God questions Satan Job has been making observation rather Satan has been making observations concerning Job and is able to speak concerning him to God. And God said what are you up to and he said this is what I've been doing. And that's why Peter would say your adversary Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. So he's looking for some weakness in you that he can bring, here's your picture, before the throne of God in accusation against you. And that's what's being referred to when it says the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down. As a believer the enemy has been making accusation against you. That one supposedly belongs to you. Did you see how they spoke to their wife a moment ago? That one says they belong to you. Did you see how she treated her friend? That one supposedly belongs to you. Did you hear the things they were saying about their neighbor? That one says they belong to you. But look how cruel they are to their children. That one says they belong to you. But look how they treat people in traffic. One thing after another. I once read this. How would you like your sins? Think of it this way. Take it in personalize this for yourself. How would you like your sins? Everyone that you committed today, just today to be put on a screen for everybody to read. This is what went on in your mind today. These are the things that you looked at today. These are the things that you said today. Line upon line upon line. Think about that. Just one day. How old are you? Multiply that. Multiply that. Page after page after page after page of filth and sin. Page after page after page. Accuser of our brethren. That one, that one, that one. Now all of us, when evidence is presented like that, can you plead guilty with an explanation to God? No. You just plead guilty. That's all you can plead. Guilty. I did it. I thought it. I said it. And picture Satan bringing up page after page after page of your life, my life. One thing after another. And you're standing there in court and God, the righteous judge, is listening to everything. And the more you hear, the more guilty you are. You can't deny it. You were caught red-handed. It's like that videotape. You see it. You can't deny it. You can lie all you want, but it's on tape. Isn't that you doing that? Imagine how you'd feel. And then imagine, because a prosecuting attorney says, I close my case, then the judge turns and looks and here comes Jesus. And he walks in and he touches that page and his blood covers it and the father says, not guilty. Salvation. Not guilty. Because we're covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Because we have an advocate. We have an advocate. Jesus Christ the righteous. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. By the washing of regeneration, the renewing of the Holy Spirit. And the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. So while you may have an adversary, you have an advocate. Jesus Christ. And by the way, he never loses a case. He never loses a case. Never. It says in verse 11, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And it also makes it clear that they did not love their lives to the death. The blood of the Lamb, salvation. Because salvation nullifies Satan's accusations. The word of the testimony combats Satan's lies and false promises. And they love not their lives. Just speaks of their total dedication to Jesus as his disciples. Therefore verse 12, rejoice O heavens, you who dwell in them, woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea. For the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has short time. He's going to work harder. The great tribulation is about to begin. And he knows I've only got three and a half years left. Now verse 13, and we'll close. When the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time. That's three and a half years. A time represents a year. Time and times two, that's three and a half years from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth, swallowed up the flood which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. The dragon was enraged with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. So Satan unleashes his fury in Israel's direction. His desire exterminate the Jews. So Israel flies off to a place of protection. Now when it speaks concerning the woman, in verse 14 she was given two wings of a great eagle. It speaks of her flying off. It speaks of her fleeing. It speaks of going off to a place of protection. There are many who believe that the place that has been prepared for this woman is in the land of Jordan in a place called Petra. And all of you have certainly heard of Petra. Jordan's ancient name was Moab. In Jeremiah 48-47 it says I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the last days. Which seems to speak that God is going to show some mercy in some way to Jordan. Daniel 1141 reads that the Antichrist shall enter the glorious land of many countries shall be overthrown but these shall escape from his hand. Edom Moab which is Jordan and the prominent people of Ammon. When you read Isaiah 16 verses 1 through 4 it says this send the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela which is Petra. From Petra to the wilderness to the mount of the daughter of Zion for it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest. So shall be the daughters of Moab at the Fords of Ammon. Take counsel, execute judgment, make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day. Hide the outcasts. Speaking to Petra, hide the outcasts. Do not betray him who escapes. Let my outcasts dwell with you, O Moab. Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler for the extortioner is at an end. Devastation ceases, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And so Petra is being spoken of here and so there are many conservative scholars who believe that God is going to make provision for them in Jordan in a place called Petra. We've been to Petra before when we've gone on our trips to Israel. It's called the Red City and it's a beautiful place and we've given Bible studies there in Petra. Just the idea that the Lord is going to open up this place. The whole point that is making is that God is going to protect them. This dragon is enraged. He wants to go and take care of those who are believers in Christ. But the fact is that he cannot have victory. Satan hates believers. He is working overtime in Iraq right now. Okay I'm going to close with a couple thoughts. I put this. The United States, a nation I love and I served in the military, is in need of revival. I'll put it that way. Revival begins in the church because the word revival's root is revive and revive speaks of becoming alive again and therefore revival begins in the church. We can't expect a nation to revive if it's dead. So the nation that is dead spiritually needs to be given the word of life, right? And that's what the gospel is all about, right? We have to go out and take the word out. That's what we should be doing. Take the word out. But God wants, I believe, the church first to wake up in order that we might be able to reach out. And so here's the thing. We as believers need to be very careful that we are part of the world in the sense of living here. But that we're really not of the world. We're in the world. You know, Paul makes it very clear he says, listen, God's not going to take you out of it. You're supposed to be permeating it. You're supposed to be light. You're supposed to be salt. You will be removed when that rapture happens. We'll be taken and praise God. I look forward to that. But until that moment, we're in spiritual warfare. And we need to understand that. Sometimes we wake up and think, what's going on? Well, the darkness is becoming palpable. You can actually feel it now. It's that dark. And part of the problem is, I think, and I don't want to come off wrong with this because this is kind of fresh on my mind. And I'm just trying to share with you a few things. I think that we just have to guard ourselves against the the numbing effect of the world spirit. And we can. And we can be numbed by what's going on in the world. Because after all, we live in this world and we're sensitive to the things that affect other people. And I understand that completely. And I'm not in any way making a statement that that's a negative. Because in reality, I do feel the infirmities of others. I live in the same world they do. And I have the same temptations. And so, in no way am I trying to present myself as being, oh, so perfect. And everybody's not. Though that's true. I didn't know Robin Williams. Did you? Maybe somebody in here did. I didn't know him. I didn't know him. I was touched. I was touched. I feel sorry. I feel sad. I'm sad. I'm sorry. That life for him was what it was. And that he felt, apparently, apparently felt was no hope. I feel sorry for him. I think all of us who are aware of him. I, being older, can remember him when he first came on the scene. You know, when he was unhappy days and he was this alien, morke from orc or whatever. I remember that. That's how old I am. And I remember morke and Mindy and Pam Dobber and all of that. I remember that. Marie and I watched it together. Oh. And I thought he was a genius. I thought he was amazing. Intellectual. He was very bright. People with that kind of humor that is so insightful and so quick. The geniuses. And so I appreciated his humor, like everybody in the United States. And it is painful to see somebody that you didn't know and yet you, you saw enough to feel like you did know when they get to the end of their life and they ended the way that they did. So I was watching the news and I was taken by the fact that there is such grief over Robin Williams and I think that that's understandable. But in the same news bite, there are babies on a mountain in Iraq that are laying on a blanket crying because they're hungry and they're dying and they're, they could be my grandbabies. And I look at these babies. You get a couple minutes of that news and 30 minutes of a celebrity dying and then I say, you know, there's something unbalanced about this. I changed the channel and there are these two very handsome young men and a beautiful young woman who flip houses for a living, who are discussing spending $13,000 for a front door. I'm not knocking them if they got it, they got it. I don't, you know what I mean? I'm trying to be careful. I'm not, I'm not saying they're bad people. I just, I turn to my wife and I say those babies need water. But we live in a society that'll spend $13,000 on a front door. I'm not, I'm not condemning them. Forgive me if it sounds that way. I'm not, I'm observing. I'm observing. And I'm saying what world do I really want to belong to? What world do you want to belong to? I want to belong in a group of people that care about the babies on mountaintops, needing water, blankets and food. I want to belong to a group of people who, if God has blessed you financially and you spend money on doors, that's between you and the Lord. I'm not condemning you. Please don't misunderstand. I'm not. I'm just asking myself, is that the way I want to use God's resources? Or are there other things I can do that might help somebody? I performed a funeral yesterday for a member of our church who's been here since 1986. A young woman raised her kids. We dedicated her babies here. She went home to be with the Lord. And the way it was all her friends and family who spoke, her husband, she was so very crippled at the end of her life. She had a disease, I don't even know how to pronounce the name of it. She had three of them, but it had caused her to be bowed over. And she would force herself out of her bed in the morning. And she'd hobble very early in the morning to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee for her husband. Every morning. And he'd be there in bed and she'd come with this, honey, don't do that. I can make my own coffee. You know what she said to him? Don't you take the joy from me of being your wife and serving you. Don't you take that joy from me. She isn't in the newspaper today. She was crippled and she was going to work and she was working in her cubicle every day even though her body was breaking down so that she could continue having insurance so her husband who is ill can still go to the doctor to the end. And she was still serving in this church. When Frank Pastore went home to be with the Lord a couple years ago, she was already becoming crippled and you could find her on a serving line serving people at the funeral. That was this woman's life. And that came because she loved Jesus Christ and that's what God wants us as believers to understand. Satan hates genuine believers because genuine believers make eternal impacts in people's lives. But Christians who really play with the world more than they walk with God, he has no problem with at all because they influence people away from Jesus Christ, not to him. But the enemy knows his time is short and I'm praying that God will wake up the church for revival. And when that happens, hell does break loose. The enemy does come after you, but greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world and we were, we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. Let us forget that.