Road signs for nearing the end
Key Passage: Revelation 16:12
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bible, if you would, to Revelation chapter 16. Revelation chapter 16 in God’s Word this morning. We have been doing the end-times series. This is about two months. This is our last Sunday on the subject for a bit, as the Lord leads, but we want to tie up a couple of loose ends, maybe, if you will, and hit a couple of things we haven’t gotten to hit. This may be a little random. Of course, every message around here is a little random, but we’re going to try to get a little bits and pieces here about the end times. We’re going to start over here with Revelation 16 and verse number 12. I did get to preach at a tent revival on Thursday, and one thing I liked about it, there was no clock in the back, amen. I mean, that was a good thing. We’ll try to be wise with time the best we can, but I’m excited about the day and excited about Carlos and Brittany getting baptized here in a bit. That’s exciting. Praise the Lord. We’re all excited about that. But we want to get some of God’s Word. This is when God’s family comes together, especially on Sunday morning, just kind of dining at his table, get a little bit out of his Word. So, Revelation 16.
Just one verse to get us going this morning: Revelation 16 and verse number 12. If you are able, would you please stand just to show the Word of God respect? Revelation 16 and verse number 12 of God’s Word. This here is in the tribulation period, what we’re reading about toward the end of it, I believe. Verse number 12: “And the sixth angel poured out his vial, and that vial is like a bowl, if you will, or just holding something pouring it out, poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
Now the River Euphrates, we’re going to talk about just a minute here. If I remember, it is about 1,700 miles long, one of the longest rivers there is. It’s massive at places it used to be, and it kind of is a divider from some nations. We’ll look at it. The Bible talks about it drying up in the end times during the tribulation period. But let’s pray before we get going in that. Would you pray that it wouldn’t just be random facts, but that it would be something that God would use in your heart? Would you pray that as we get going this morning? Lord, please give me your leadership. Lord, I am a little scattered on how to get it all in the amount of time we have, so would you guide? Lord, what I need to leave out, help me to leave out. Thank you, Lord, for later on the baptisms, for you working. We thank you for that.
Well, Lord, let us not miss this vital time. Father, would many get the encouragement they need and strength they need to stand in our day and time from this time, Lord, and the wisdom of what’s going on where we’re at. Father, would you bring your life? Father, would you say your Spirit enlightening your Word and applying to our lives? And Lord, we’ll thank you for what you do. Father, we’re asking for this in the name of Jesus. Father, so we’re asking in faith in Jesus, and we pray, amen.
I was born in Tennessee. I’m a Tennessean. Most of my teen years, I grew up in Central Florida. I went from Central Florida to Bible College up in northwest Indiana, just south of Chicago. That first winter, I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know what cold was. But, man, I loved Christmas break in summertime. I was so excited about that.
I love the way the Bible College did it during Christmas break. We would have chapel, and after chapel, everybody knew you’re dismissed. So often at Christmas time, myself and whoever was riding with me, we’d have my car loaded up, ready to go. Our president of the Bible College, his name is Wendell Evans, Dr. Evans, he’d get up, and at the very end of chapel, he would sing, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” On that last little line, he would pause and say, “Now!” Man, we’d take off. We had our cars packed, ready to go. We’d run to the car, and we’d take off. Here’s the problem: I checked it this morning. It’s 1,125 miles from there to home. And we worked second shift, or I did, and some of the guys, whatnot. You’re already tired, finishing midterms or finals and all that. And so, man, you got to drive to Indianapolis, that’s kind of like the big first step, that major city. And you get to Louisville, or Louisville, however you want to say it. And then to Nashville and Chattanooga. Chattanooga for me was like, we’re crossing over, we’re getting somewhere. And you start to see signs for Florida or for Tampa, some of these major cities. Tampa was about the mileage we had. Georgia can be the longest state in the world. And the highway patrolmen are not forgiving there either. I was young back then, all right. Grace, amen. We were singing about grace earlier. But, man, and you get past Atlanta, and you start seeing a lot of signs of Florida, Tampa. Maybe a little bit after Atlanta, it’s 300 and something miles, and then 200 and something miles, and you cross over that line, and you get down to Lake City, Florida. Anybody know what I’m talking about there? And man, you get to 100 miles, and then you get below the three-digit, get into two digits, and you’re like, man, praise the Lord, we’re getting closer.
By that time, you’ve put the window down and stuck your head out of the window, even though it’s freezing, just trying to stay awake. You turn the radio all the way up loud. Your friends are sleeping in the car, so you swerve and slam on your brakes and scream, and they think you’re going to wreck, so they all jump up. Literally, you hop out of the side of the interstate, way off the side, and do push-ups to get your blood flowing. Just trying to, man, let’s get home. And, you know, 50 miles into 30, and finally, man.
And that’s a little bit like us Christians are. We have been studying the road signs as we’re getting closer and closer to going home. Friend, we’re not stagnant. We’re traveling somewhere if you’re saved. We’re on a trip, and God has given us so many road signs along the way. Here’s the thing: the closer you get, the more frequent you see the signs, and we’re seeing all kinds of signs. We’ve covered so many of them the last couple weeks, whether it be the one-world government and the World Economic Form and the Great Reset. We’ve covered that. We’ve covered Israel and how it’s all primed and pumped there in the Battle of God. I mean, we’ve covered all these things. Everywhere, God’s just getting all the props in place ready for the curtain to come up. And we’re going to look at a couple random ones this morning.
Look back at that verse, verse number 12, and let’s just get another sign in here. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates.” Can we get that map up? Let’s just look and see where the River Euphrates is at, and that way you’ll get a visual. That map there, it’s got today’s date on it. And we’re going to get that thing going so you can see where the River Euphrates is. You see it? It’s right there, right through the middle of that. That’s the river. Over here is Israel. That’s the epicenter. We’ve discussed that. And this river starts up here over in Turkey, and it flows down through Syria into Iraq, and it ends, if anything’s left nowadays, into the Persian Gulf. And it’s a great divider of Israel and the things over on the east.
Would you look back at that verse? Look back at verse number 12 right there: “And the water thereof was dried up that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Now watch: to the east of Israel, if you go, if you got Iraq, you got Iran—they for sure both, but they for sure hate Israel. Afghanistan, same. And you keep going, and you got this country over here called China. I think probably the biggest leader of the Kings of the East is China, with their two-million-man military, and their updated military, some think. Some of you men are going to gristle up this. I’m not saying this, but some will say their Navy is the strongest Navy in the world today. I understand. I don’t know if it’s true, but some say that. But they’ve updated a whole lot, and they’ve got a whole lot of ships, no doubt about that. But you see how this river really has made a barrier from the Kings of the East?
Well, remember towards the end of the tribulation, can we go back over the hat diagram? It should be on there, the end-times hat diagram. Over here at the end of the tribulation period, we’re going to have the Battle of Armageddon. And, of course, Jesus Christ is going to come in and save his nation of Israel. But they’re going to gather there at the Battle of Armageddon right outside of Jerusalem. And much of these armies are coming from the east, you see. But they’ve had a natural barrier for years and years called the River Euphrates. And they have modern equipment; they can overcome it somewhat, but we can bomb bridges, and Israel can, so on. But if there’s no river there, it takes out a barrier. So one of the prophecies of the Bible, written about 2,000 years before today, has been that the River Euphrates will dry up so the kings of the east are prepared for them. Well, it’s this thing fulfilled for over almost 2,000 years. They said, “Well, how about the River Euphrates flowing pretty good? Is the Bible really true?” Let’s check it out. Can we watch that clip number one, please, sir?
Clip number one: “Euphrates is one of the most important rivers in the world. Spanning from Turkey to Syria and then Iraq, this long stretch of river has been the major source of water in the region for over 10,000 years. But now this ancient river is drying up, caused by terrifying circumstances and plunging millions into an era of unprecedented drought.” Did you hear that? Could you understand that? Everybody understand that? Yeah, this river, how good it says, mighty river. You see pictures of the back of the day. Surely drying up. Kind of reminds you of something God said over Revelation 16:12. Yeah, Bible being fulfilled for years. Turkey, where it originates, really, they have 20 dams. And they have not been letting those dams flow like they’re supposed to in some cases. It’s almost caused wars to happen, but just over the years, it’s been going on and getting worse and worse. Let’s look at clip number two, please. This is the Euphrates River in 2020, and this is the Euphrates River now. So why is this the most searched term for Christians right now? By the way, praise the Lord, a lot of Christians are researching it right now. Because it’s drying up, friends, and been drying up for years, but the last year or so just drastically—I mean, boom, you’ve seen the picture. But it’s there, friend. I’m simply saying, it’s all ready to go. And the Kings of the East—China, Iraq, Iran, others—the kings of the East, probably specifically China, the big one, man, they’ve got a, they don’t have to worry about bridges because the Bible is being fulfilled. And it’s ready to go. And just so many signs all across the Bible.
Look over in Revelation, would you please. Revelation chapter number 17. We’re just kind of doing some random different signs of the time. I want you to see them. We’re going to talk about religion. We’ve mentioned it. We’ve showed it during this study about the false prophet. He’ll be the leader of the one-world church during the tribulation period. The Bible talks much about him. But we’re going to do what a lot of people won’t do. We’re going to actually describe, I think, who is the leader of the false church, the false prophet. And we’re going to look at what the Bible says about it just briefly. Boy, time’s going to get us this morning. But I want you to see this, and we want to see if it’s being fulfilled today. Okay, all right? Don’t get mad at me. But I am going to preach the Bible. I can think it all to be preached. All right, so just look at it, withhold your judgment till we finish it up here.
Revelation 17, look in verse number one, if you would, please. “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” Now the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, uses this term “great whore.” It stands for a false religion. And for a false religion that is mixed with many waters, or many people, many nations, really nations, people of the world, all right? So it’s a false religion and it sitteth upon many waters, many people, many nations.
Verse number two: “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.” Time out for just a second on that. He’s talking about a religion that has been a state religion or a government religion that is yoked up with the government or the leaders or the kings or the presidents of countries. Let me just go ahead and say it: for years and years, the Roman Catholic Church has yoked up with many, many governments. Sometimes the president or the leader of the country has been really the top. Sometimes the Pope has been the top. There’s been many wars over that. You all know this is true. Study of history. All right. But it’s a state religion.
By the way, when we came to America, that’s what they wanted freedom from: the Church of England. That was to split off the Catholic Church because they had been a state religion. That’s why we wanted—not what they talk about in our day and time, separation of church and state where they don’t want the Ten Commandments in the courthouse. No, no, no, no. We don’t want a religion running the government. That’s what they’re talking about. We don’t have that, of course. But they wanted religious freedom from the Church of England. That started with the Catholic Church. Don’t get quiet. Let’s keep going. We’ve got a long way to go, amen. Let’s keep going.
Verse number two: “With whom the kings of the earth had committed fornication. And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” And we know what had… Let me just give a little church history lesson real quickly here. The church after Jesus’ time, when he died and rose again, ascended, and that first-century church, man, they were just growing. And Rome—Nero at first—he was killing the Christians and just slaughtering them. Nero, they say he used to light his gardens with the burning Christians. They were just torturing, persecuting Christians. They used to—their mile markers at some point leading to Rome would be the heads of Christians on stakes. You study this stuff up. I’m not making it up. Didn’t have a bad dream. This is history, friend, all right? Now, you know. But they persecuted, persecuted the church, but it’s amazing: even in persecution, the church grew. That often happens. And sometimes it really purifies the church so God can work through the church greatly.
And so a new emperor came on the scene, 312, and actually 313, this man named Constantine. He said, “Well, if you can’t beat them, let’s join them.” And he had a dream, a vision of a fire-red cross in that vision. He saw this fire-red cross, and he saw this: “By this, thou shalt conquer.” And Constantine, he said, “Well, I can’t beat the church.” So by this, by the Roman power and might, and by the church uniting, and the church and the government married, united—that was the beginning of the Catholic. Catholic means universal church. That’s when the Roman Catholic Church started, 313 A.D., Constantine.
Now here’s the thing I want you to note about that, and we don’t have time to get it all into it. So much there. If you read the Trellis Blood, we teach in the foundation class a wonderful pamphlet book we give out in that class. But if you just read that, let me do so much, but let me just try to narrow it down. There was a group of people that said, “No, no, no, we don’t want any leader being over us, even if it’s trying to give us an umbrella of protection and even a way to propagate the gospel, not by the power of God, but by the power of the sword. We don’t want that. Our leader, our emperor, is Jesus Christ.” And they did not yoke up with that. By the way, that’s where you can trace back the Baptist roots to that. A lot of different names, a lot of different people. Anabaptist is specifically what I’m talking about, but there’s others, though. And I’m saying, no, we don’t want to join up with that. But you understand, that was the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church. And for years during the Dark Ages, not thousands, but millions of Christians were slaughtered because they said, “No, no, no, our emperor is Jesus Christ. We don’t accept infant baptism once you get saved.” Praise the Lord, Carlos and Brittany got saved a little bit ago. Now they’re going to get baptized. And of course, you know, all these babies had been baptized, but then they got saved, praise the Lord, by those that were preaching the gospel and said, “We need to baptize now.” And they began to call us Anna or rebaptizers. And actually, Anna dropped off. That’s how it became Baptist. But I give you all that to see how the Roman Catholic Church—the Dark Ages—they say the Roman Catholic Church probably killed about 50 million. We studied out the Spanish Inquisition and so many others. And so you understand here how we’re getting back to this. This is over here in Revelation chapter 17.
Now, let me just say it weren’t. But then the Reformation came along. You all with me out there? You thought, man, I thought we were in church, not in history class, you know. Well, you know, a little history in there too, you know. But the Reformation, people split off for good reason. Martin Luther, 95 theses, so on and so on. Typically for salvation, good things. That’s where the Protestant churches got started from. You understand? By the way, are you Catholic or Protestant? Neither are Baptist, amen. You can’t protest something you’re not, never a part of. You understand all that, you know? But so the Protestant churches, isn’t that kind of, you know, all these years later, this is where we’re at.
Let’s keep reading. Let’s go back to Revelation 17 because you’re looking at me weird a little bit. Some of you are there. I’m teasing with you here. Look at this thing. Look in verse number three: “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman.” Typically, that’s a false religion. “A woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast.” Now, listen, we can get a little bit more description of the woman. Look down in verse number 18: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city.” There’s a city associated with this false religion, this woman. “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”
All right, let’s keep going. Let’s go back to verse number three here: “And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” So we know it’s the city associated with that; it’s got seven heads. Look at verse number nine: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman [remember the city] on which the woman sitteth.” Now help me out, help me out. What city do they say is the city built on seven hills? Rome. Anybody studied much of history at all? We’ll know that. Now, all the religions don’t fit all these descriptions of the Roman Catholic Church.
Let’s keep going. Verse number four: “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” By the way, the Roman Catholic Church, they estimate—many say we just don’t know, but some will say it’s worth about $73 billion. I think maybe a little bit more when you go to the third-world countries and they’re all the ones with gold around and so on and so on. Some say the Roman Catholic Church makes up the biggest denomination of our day and time.
Let’s keep going. Verse number five: “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints.” I talked about the 50 million and so on and so on. “And with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” I believe he is speaking of the Roman Catholic Church there.
Now here’s the thing. So many split back in the Reformation—Protestant churches for good reason. They split. So, no, no, salvation is through Christ alone and so on, not through the sacraments and all those things. And they split, but as we get closer to the end times, those babies of the church they split off of, if you will, begin to come back up underneath the mother. And that’s why the Bible calls her the mother of harlots. And you see these Protestant churches, so many of them lowering their standards. Toleration has become the religion of our day and time. You know, we’re all, we all serve the same God. Y’all went there this morning?
And so now they’re slowly beginning to come back up underneath the Mother Church. And who’s the leader of the Catholic Church? The Pope, up underneath the Pope. And you see that so much. I think it’s a great sign of our day and time, the signs of the time. The religions, the one-world religions are forming. And by the way, Mohammed’s wife that funded so much of what he did was a Roman Catholic. That’s an interesting twist of all, but we won’t have time to dive into that one.
But let’s just watch a couple videos. Are the religions of the world coming back up underneath the mother of harlots, the Roman Catholic Church? Let’s find out. There’s so many of them we could watch. We can only watch a couple of them here. And let’s go to… there it is. Pope Francis alone. Listen real close. He placed a rose to top the etched names of the 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks. His goal: bringing people together. The Pontiff chose this place to promote worldwide peace. The Pope joined hundreds of leaders of different faiths to talk about healing. Together, he led a prayer of peace for a violent world. “Peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations.” He says he witnessed Pope Francis gracefully combining two contrasting passions in his effort to bring all religions together. To bring all religions together. Words may sound different, but the Pope gathered them into one voice. Okay. Did you notice that? Bringing all the—that’s his passion—bringing all the religions together. By the way, this was about seven years ago, and Obama, President Obama, met him when he flew in and all that, and he’s here in America, of course, 9/11, but bringing—that’s his goal. And he said that’s his passion. He’s very more tolerant. He’s very accepting and dismissive of homosexuality. And his goal is to, hey, I want to unite the religions of the world.
Now watch this next one. I want you to really listen to the sound. I want you to hear all that’s said in this next clip. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” We need to remember that we are followers of Jesus Christ. And his life, humanly speaking, ended in failure. Ended in failure. The failure of the cross. The failure of the cross. I’m not preaching where I’m saying Roman Catholics are an enemy. No, I love them. I want to get saved.
And you’re quiet on that. I may explain it for a moment. Roman Catholic—I’m not saying every Roman Catholic is not saved, but the church teaches works salvation. And the Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” And it’s not Jesus plus my good works. Look over if you go, let’s make it clear. Look over if we’re at Romans 11 in verse number six. I don’t know if it’s a different type message, but let’s just hit it for a second. Romans 11, look in verse number six. And I want you to see, can you mix—you’re doing these sacraments, you’re doing all these sayings and grace? Do they both go together? Well, let’s see what the Bible says about that. Romans 11, look in verse number six, if you would please. Romans 11 in verse number six: “And if by grace, what grace is to us is getting something we don’t deserve? God’s riches at Christ’s expense, grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works? Otherwise grace is no more grace. I have to work for it. I’m not getting something I don’t deserve it. I just work to deserve it. Look at it. And if by grace, it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more of grace, otherwise work is no more work.” You can’t mix the two. No, for by grace are you saved through faith. That of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Now once I’m saved, created in Christ Jesus, I’m created unto good works. I ought to work for him because he saved me, but I don’t get saved by works.
You see, and that’s a problem of the Roman Catholic Church. They’re teaching salvation by works. And I want you to see, it’s the Mother of Harlots, and are they coming back up underneath the Mother Church? Oh, left and right. I can show you other videos of many Protestant leaders coming in and bowing down before the Pope. That’s about 10 years ago. This is about 70 years. So much. But I want you to see how it is being fulfilled. Really the mantra today is, “Well, we all believe the same thing. We all serve the same God.”
No, I serve the God of the Bible. I serve the God that gave His only begotten Son. He shed His blood on the cross of Calvary so I can go to heaven. That’s the God I serve. And it’s not all the same. They’re not my enemies. I’m not—I don’t want you to go out and hate those people. Then you get saved. But I’m different than those people. And I don’t want to come up underneath that one-world religion that is forming today. We’re just looking at some signs of the time. You see the river dried up. The one-world religions are forming all around us.
And let me just get this last one in here real quickly, and we’ll change gears for just a minute at the last part here. But I think maybe the greatest sign of what point of history are we living, how close to the rapture are we living, is really just the fact that in every arena you go to, the signs are there. Right. It’s not like you can just go to one arena and find it, but not over there. Every arena you go to, whether it be the global world, one-world economic form, whether you go to the natural disasters—it’s there, we’ll talk about them just a minute—just every arena you go to. The Bible, in 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 5 in other places, compares it to a lady giving birth. And the closer she gets to the due date and actually the delivery, the closer together those labor pains become. And the more intense they become. Remember at first you have some labor pains and they’re not the real ones. I can’t say the right name, so I just call them the Briggs and Stratton contractions. What’s the right name of them? Help me out. Yeah, those right there. That’s a country boy right there, I’ll tell you for sure. But as you get closer to the delivery, they get closer together and more intense. And we’re starting to see those signs. It’s not like we just see road signs every 100 miles. We’re seeing road signs everywhere we look. And they’re getting more intense and more intense. We could go on with this series forever.
Look over Matthew 24 real quickly here. Let’s just read off a couple of verses here. Every angle you go at, there’s signs. We’re getting close to Jesus coming back. We’ve got to go quick. We’re going to run out of time. Carlos and Brittany says they’re going to leave and not get baptized if we’re too long here. We don’t want that to happen there, you know. Look at Matthew 24. Look at verse number 6. Matthew 24, look at verse number 6 real quickly here. Once you’re there, would you say amen? Amen. Matthew 24:6: “And ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” For nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, there shall be famines. Is famine on? Famines going on in our day and time? They say about 30 million people are suffering from hunger right now.
What’s the next thing? After famines, what’s the next thing? Pestilence. We don’t have to show you any slides. We just had this big thing called what? COVID. Pestilence around the world, brought the world together. COVID-19. They say the next, you know, what’s going to happen, 2025, maybe, you know, is what they’re talking about. We’ve talked about that. But we’ll keep going. We’ll keep going. Verse number six right there. We got famine. We got pestilence. I’ve done lost… Earthquakes in diverse places. Hit that in the next one right there.
All right, well, is there earthquakes? The National Earthquake Information Center now locates about 20,000 earthquakes around the globe every year. Wow. Approximately 55 a day. By the way, sometimes we mix it up. It’s not just a number, but it says earthquakes in diverse, all kind of different places. They’re having earthquakes in places they say they never had earthquakes before. That’s specifically what the Bible talks about is being fulfilled. I’m just saying every arena you go to, here it is: the famines right here. UN warns 345 million people face starvation worldwide and so on. I’m just saying you can look on the news and see all around. We’ve got famine. We’ve got all these things fulfilled.
Let’s go to another arena, see if it’s being fulfilled. Moral decline. Moral decline. We won’t read it. You can read it some other times. Second Timothy 3:1 through 5. Do we have moral decline in the end time? Have you ever heard of good sound hospitals mutilating children? I’ve never heard of such. Wow. It’s just crazy. There’s videos out there, friend. And it’s just, I’ve not watched them. I don’t want to watch them. I’ve heard there’s videos out there of homosexuals actually enticing children, and the parents are there clapping for it. Sexually enticing them. Wow. I mean, that gets my blood boiling. I’m like, how in the world? You’re talking about moral decline. Friend, only about 30 minutes away, we had a school shooting of an elementary Christian school. You’re there, you understand the moral decline is there. We don’t even have to go there. Just turn the TV on for about five minutes, you’ll figure it out; it’s there, you know? It’s all over, moral decline.
Technology. Look over Revelation 9, verse number 11 real quickly. Revelation 9, verse number 11. There’s so many angles we could go at this thing: AI and all the rest, the mark of the beast, we’ve already covered that some month. But look at this, we’ve not covered this. We’re just trying to hit some random things this morning. Revelation 11 in verse number 9… Revelation 9, verse number 9. This is where during the tribulation period there are two witnesses, and they’re preaching the gospel, and they’re standing for the truth. The Antichrist takes all his forces and just eventually kills them. Eventually God raises them up. But I want you to see this in Revelation 9. We’re looking for the number 9. “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall [what’s the next word?] see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in a grave.”
Well, a thousand years ago, could people around the world, all the countries and nations, see their dead bodies? No. Nowadays we not only have TV for everybody around the world to see it, but we have cell phones, we have internet, some are trying to put it around the world. I’m simply saying technology is up to date where everybody in the world can see these dead bodies at the same time. Nobody? That could be fulfilled a thousand, a couple hundred years ago. It’s fulfilled today. It’s ready to go as far as the technology. So much about technology, the digital currency, we’ve covered that.
One more place. Look over in Daniel, Daniel chapter number 12. It’s just a random one, but there are so many signs. We’re just going to close it down after this. Say a few words and be done. Because Carlos and Brittany says they’re going to leave and not get baptized if we don’t hurry up here, you know. And they’re going to say, “Thanks a lot for putting me on the spot.” They didn’t say that. I’m joking. I didn’t say.
Daniel 12, look at Daniel 12, look at one verse, verse before. Daniel 12, verse before. Daniel chapter number 12, look at verse number four. Y’all there, amen? Amen. Amen. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” He’s talking about the end times. What’s going to be happening in the end times? “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
We just flew to Oregon a couple weeks ago to see family, grandbabies, amen, and flew back. It used to be, at least when I was younger, if you flew, that was a big deal. You must be rich, you know. But nowadays there’s no big deal. Everybody flies. Today, we tried to get one of our WWII veterans to do it years ago, Mr. Jackson. So look, Mr. Jackson, they can fly you to D.C. You can see that memorial. They’ll have nurses and people on the plane ready to serve you, and you’ll fly back. You’ll go to D.C., fly out there, see the memorial, and fly back that night all in one day. You don’t have to sleep in anybody else’s bed, Mr. Jackson. You can be home here. Run to and fro. We’re all around the world. The Bible talks about that in the end times. We’re running to and fro. I mean, you can go anywhere. I mean, just fly it all over the place or driving all—it’s happening. It used to be they used to have horseback; man, you can’t go very far. Nowadays you can go anywhere. My wife’s car will go real fast. Oh, my goodness. She’s listening, you know. But you can drive and run to and fro. You can go anywhere flying. Now all that.
What’s the last part of the verse talking about? Knowledge shall be increased. You want to know anything about anything, Google it, YouTube it. How do you repair that weed eater? Well, I’ll watch a video. How do you put that tile out? I watch a video. Now, that could be very deceiving; can get you in mighty big trouble, folks. It’s easier on YouTube than in real life, you know, repair that, take that engine apart, put it together. What am I saying? Someone said, “What would you do if you didn’t have Google?” I don’t know. Let me Google that and find out. Knowledge is increased.
I’m simply saying every arena, the signs are there, the Bible’s fulfilled. I mean, just the props are in place all across the stage, and the curtain’s about to be pulled up. Jesus is coming back for it. Nobody knows the day or the hour, but afraid every arena you look at it, it’s all prepared and ready to go. So what do you do about it? Three things very quickly.
Number one, if you’re not saved, get saved. And I mean that if I thought it would help, I’d come down and personally beg you. You said, “Would you do that?” I really would. If you truly would get saved, friend, don’t play around this thing. If you’re not a born-again Christian on your way to heaven, you don’t want to play games with that. Get saved. Oh, I beg you. There are so many people here that would love to help you get saved. Take a Bible and you’re studying the Bible how you could know for sure if you were to die the next moment, you’d wake up with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
Number two, what do we do about it? We’re living these last times. Spend your life living for the Lord. This lifetime down here is just a drop in the bucket. This is not the big picture. Spend your life living for Jesus. You say, “Man, it bothers me all this stuff that has happened.” Friend, it is just showing and proving that the Bible is true. Spend your life living for Jesus. You won’t regret it in eternity. And these young people, my goodness, if you’re young, I’d start from the time you’re young, living for the Lord. Spend your whole life living for the Lord. Lord, Lord, Lord, what do you want me to do with my life? Just spend all your energy, your time living for the Lord Jesus Christ. Time is short. Let’s do all we can for him. One day it’s going to be too late. Spend your life living for the Lord Jesus Christ. By the way, all this stuff down here is temporal. It’s not going to satisfy you long term. It’s not going to satisfy you long, and then you’ll wake up wanting more. Live for something eternal.
Number three, we’re going to be done. Let your light shine so brightly. It is not time to dim the light and say, “Oh no, it’s getting bad. You know, we’ve got to hold on until Jesus comes back.” Hey, friend, it’s time to turn the light up. Say, “Whoa, we’re about to go home,” amen. Man, let’s shine for Jesus in our day and time. Get the gospel tracts out. Stand at work. You said they’ll call me some kind of name. That’s all right. You’re going home. You’re on the winning side. Don’t let them intimidate you. I’m not talking about being mean and hateful and obnoxious, but I’m talking about you let the love and the light and the glory of Jesus Christ shine through you brightly. I’m so glad I get to live for Jesus. I know what’s going on in the world in this day and time. The Bible told me about all that. Let’s shine for him.
I remember that song. You remember that song? You remember that song? If you know it, sing it with me: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine.”
Would you bow your heads for just a moment right there where you stand and say, “Preacher, I need to get saved? I want to go to heaven. I don’t know when the Lord is going to come back, but I don’t want to play games with this thing. I need to get saved. I need to get saved. I need to trust Jesus alone as my Savior.” Anybody like that? Just a minute. I want to play games with Jesus. I need to get saved. I need to get saved. I’ll be a man standing down front here and a man standing to the back. If it’s a lady, they’ll get a lady. They’ll take the Bible and show you from the Bible how you can know for sure you’re going to heaven.
Maybe you here this morning you say, “Preacher, man, I want to shine. I feel the devil in the world trying to oppress me and trying to make me dim my light by the grace of God. I want to shine brightly for the Lord.” God spoke to my heart. I want to shine brightly for the Lord. Anybody like that this morning? You slip up a hand to preach you? I want to shine brightly for the Lord. Just slip it up. God bless you. Me too, me too. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful.
Maybe here this morning you say, “Preacher, I want to spend my life living for the Lord.” There might even be a young man and a young lady here. You say, “I want to surrender to the ministry. I feel the hand of God in my heart. I feel like he wants me to be in the ministry for him.” That would be a wonderful thing. But you say, “Preacher, I want to spend my life living for—my life living for him.” But you said, “Preacher, I want to spend my life living for him.” Oh, that’s exciting. That’s exciting. I want to spend my life living for him. Oh, that’s exciting. That’s exciting. I’m glad you’re here. That’s wonderful. God bless you. God bless you. If you’ve never surrendered to the ministry, you feel that call this morning, come down and let our men know here. We’ll be rejoicing. It’ll be a wonderful, wonderful thing.
When we have a word of prayer, we’ll sing. Would you come? Just spend some time with the Lord. Would you let him know that? “I want you to shine through me.” He’s the light of the world, but he shines through his people. Would you let him know that? “I want you to shine through me up until the last second Jesus comes back.” He’ll be answering prayers. His promises are true. We’re more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loved us. Last thing that’s going to happen, somebody be saved according to 2nd Peter 3. God’s going to be building churches. He’s going to be building marriages. He’s going to be raising children of the Lord to the very last second. We’re not children of darkness, Peter says. We’re children of light. We know what’s going on. Let’s let his light shine to the last second before he comes. What you’re saying is God’s lead.
You can be seated at this time. And take your hymn book, if you will, and we’re going to sing hymn number 202, 202, 202, Amazing Grace. And praise the Lord for that message. 202 Amazing Grace. And we’ll sing while they prepare for baptism. 202 Amazing Grace. 202 Amazing Grace.
This is Carlos, and Carlos has been coming to church on and off for a bit here. And it’s just kind of need to see God working in his heart. And I guess about four weeks ago, Brother Josh, his dad went over there, and they spent a couple hours talking about the Lord. And at the end of that day, he asked Jesus Christ to be his Savior. Carlos, you know for sure you’re saved? Amen. Amen. In obedience to the command of our Lord and Master, and upon your public profession of faith in him, I baptize you, my brother, in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, buried in the likeness of his death, raised in the likeness of his resurrection. Amen. God’s proud of you, dear. Amen.
This is Brittany. And Brittany’s been in church a lot here and there. But when they first started coming, months ago, she came forward and she settled it. She made sure, and she asked Jesus to be her Savior. Kind of just settled it that Sunday morning. So, Brittany, you know for sure you’re saved? Amen. Amen. And I’m so excited. You can just see kind of, I think the first Sunday you can see God working in her heart. It was awesome. And praise the Lord for it. And God’s very proud of them. This doesn’t save anybody, but they’re obeying the Lord now that they are saved. And God’s so proud of them for getting baptized. And we are too. What a blessing it is. Thank you. In obedience to the command of our Lord and Master, and upon your public profession of faith in him, I baptize you, my sister, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Buried in the likeness of his death, raised in the likeness of his resurrection. Amen. Amen.
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Road signs for nearing the end - Sunday AM 04302023