Revelation 1:11 – If They Only Knew… – Bible study

Revelation 1:11 If They Only Knew This past week, I saw an article which was published on DailyMail.com on November 11, 2019. The article was written by Stacy Liberatore. I have no idea who Stacy Liberatore is, and I understand that anyone can publish anything on the internet, but the story seems to have caught a foothold, being reprinted and circulated by several other "media" sources. The lede on the articles stated that mankind has a 1 in 14,000 chance of going extinct during any given year, more likely than the odds of any given individual being struck by lightning. While I am sure that is a sensationalized lede, when I read it I thought, "If they only knew." https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7673963/Humans-1- 14000-chances-going-extinct-year-getting-struck-lightning.html You see peopleeven scientistshave no idea what really did happen, what really is happening, or what really will happen, but Jesus does. Jesus said of Himself that He is the Alpha and the Omega. Those are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. He went on to say that He is the first and the last, meaning He knows everything that has happened, everything that is happening, and everything that is going to happen. As I was thinking along that line, a thought came to me. What do people think they know compared to what the Bible says> Lets consider a few thoughts this morning. I. If they only knew how the climate will really change. A. Climate Change is and has been one of the main news features for many years. 1. We need to understand that science has not exactly mastered their understanding of Climate Change. 2. In the 1970s, the fear was not Global Warming but Global Cooling. 3. I like what Wikipedia says on the topic of Global Cooling: Global cooling was a conjecture, especially during the 1970s, of imminent cooling of the Earth culminating in a period of extensive glaciation. Some press reports in the 1970s speculated about continued cooling; these did not accurately reflect the scientific literature of the time, which was generally more concerned with warming from an enhanced greenhouse effect. The current scientific opinion on climate change is that the Earth underwent global warming throughout the 20th century and continues to warm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling 4. Obviously, Wikipedia believes that some reports of cooling in during the 1970s was inaccurate, but todays reports of Global Warming are and have been the right "scientific opinion" all along. B. I have shared before that I do not doubt our planet is having a Climate Change. 1. Whether Climate Change is man-made or whether it is the natural cycle of our planet, I do not know. 2. I have always thought that our planet is a gift to us from God and we should use its resources wisely and clean up after ourselves. C. However, the Bible tells us that our climate will most definitely change and that it will be "warming up." Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 1. Interestingly, this "Global Warming" will not be caused by conditions on the earth, but by a condition of the sun. 2. God will do something to the sun that will make it burn hotter toward the earth than it ever has. 3. Remembering that everything from Revelation 4:1 to Revelation 20:3 takes place in just seven years and that all of these events will begin shortly after the church is removed from the earth by the rapture, this event is potentially very, very close to happening. Maybe as close as seven years. 4. Unlike many others, I believe that the book of Revelation is written mostly in chronological order. a. If I am correct, the half-way point of the tribulation is the end of Revelation 12 and the beginning of Revelation 13. b. That would be 3 1/2 years into the 7 years of tribulation. c. Revelation 16 would occur in the last half of the tribulation or the last 3 1/2 years of itand most likely toward the end of the 3 1/2 years. D. The Bible speaks of other heavenly irregularities during the tribulationthings that will no doubt have an effect on our climate. 1. One of the first is described in Rev 6. (Remember, that I believe this book is written in chronological order so to me, this would be happening near the beginning of the tribulation.) Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. a. Jesus gave a similar event as a sign that the tribulation will have ended: Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: b. So like bookends, these cosmic signs mark both the beginning and the end of the tribulation and indicate that all the galaxies of creation will be shuttering and failing during the tribulation. c. Picture this: (1) At the beginning of the tribulation, the sun ceases to shine. We know at least some heat will be lost from that as just the rotation of the earth to the dark side of the sun forces us to lose some heatand the earth may lose more heat that that! (2) Then by Revelation 16, men are being scorched. (3) Only at the end of the tribulation to have the sun going dark again! d. Granted, mankind is able to do some pretty marvelous things but as of yet, I know of no way that mans carbon emissions can cause that much damage. 2. But according to the scientific community, man can and HAS knocked the earth off its axis. a. In an article published on October 12, 2016, in the Explainer Geoscience entitled, "Why is the Earths axis shifting?", Karl Kruszelnicki explained that "humanity has now burned enough fossil fuel to tip the planet slightly." https://cosmosmagazine.com/geoscience/why-is-earth-s-axis-shifting b. NASA backed this up in an article released on September 26, 2018 in which they state mans climate change has caused 7.5 trillion metric tons of ice to melt and the shift in weight has helped to throw our planet off-balance. https://www.outerplaces.com/science/item/18893-earth-wobble-spin- climate c. Yet, the Bible prophecies something much bigger. Isaiah 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. (1) Again, I dont know if mankind has had anything to do with the slight shift in earths axis or not; nothing that I know of which man has done or will do could cause what Isaiah described to happen, but happen it will. (2) With the concern, fear, even hysteria that is being raised today concerning Climate Change, I wonder what mankind would do if they only knew what will really happen to our climate and, what I believe, will be happening soon. II. If they only knew who they will one day vote for. A. We are still almost one year away from voting for the next US president, but the politicians have been busy collecting money and promoting themselves for months. 1. In fact, the first Democratic candidate was John Delaney who announced he would run in July, 2017. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Delaney_2020_presidential_ campaign 2. The President of the United States should be the candidate for the Republican Party, but thedepending on when and what pollthe Democratic lead has belonged to Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Pete Buttigieg. 3. To be honest, based on the platform, promises, and practices of some of the candidates presently running for office, it should not surprise anyone who the people will eventually vote into office and who they MAY be voting into office even now. 4. Who? B. The Antichrist 1. I am not saying that any candidate running for office is the antichrist. (a) I am saying we could be voting him or her into office. (b) And I am saying that based on what many of these candidates are saying and doing, it should not surprise us to learn that the human race will one day vote the antichrist into power. 2. The antichrist is the incarnated devil. As Jesus is God in flesh, the antichrist will be the devil in flesh. (a) This individual will be against God, Gods Word, and even the laws of nature that God has ordained. Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (b) And he will be very successful at it for 3 1/2 years. (c) Sadly, there are many candidates who fit that description. 3. Even so, the Bible teaches us that the antichrist will not seize powerat least not at the beginningbut will placed into power by the people. Daniel 11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. (a) The antichrists rise to power will not be by force, but peaceably and largely due to his ability to flatter the people. (b) That sounds to me like modern-day politics at work. C. Even more interesting is that the antichrist will have the highest approval rating of any politician until Jesus Christ returns to destroy him! 1. The last reference I see in Revelation to the peoples response to the antichrist and his regime is: Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 2. The word "wonder" means to admire, to have in admiration. 3. Most of the unsaved world will NEVER see anything wrong with the antichrist! a. When he blasphemes God, the people will like it. b. When he legislates sin, the people will like it. c. When he persecutes the tribulational saints, the people will like it. d. When he sets himself in the Jewish temple and proclaims himself God, the people will like it. e. When he seizes control of the markets of the world and demands everyone be marked with a number in order to buy or sell, the people will like it. 4. While there will be some religious and political fractures within antichrists political regime, the people as a whole will think he is god in the flesh! D. People wonder, "Where will the antichrist come from?" 1. In todays mobile world, the nations and races are so mixed, that almost everyone has mixed roots. 2. That mixing is going to continue so that I am less concerned about a birthplace in a particular location of the world. E. Oh, if the people only knew who they might be voting for! III. If the people only knew how the world will really end. A. Getting back to the article that started me on this thought. 1. The article published by the DailyMail.com which said the chances of the human race becoming extinct in any given year is greater than the changes a given person will be struck by lightning. 2. If they only knew how the world will end. B. Men certainly have their opinion of how the world will end. Some think the world may end. 1. Because of a nuclear destruction. 2. Because of climate change. 3. Because of over population. 4. Because of asteroids. a. In a November 15, 2019, article published in The Telegraph, a British online magazine, it was reported that the European Space Agency has joined with NASA to see if they can produce a means to alter the course of incoming asteroids. b. The joint program is referred to as Aida, standing for the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2019/11/15/scientists-back- -planetary-defence-mission-nudge-asteroid-orbit/ 5. But what does the Bible say? a. The last mention of the human race in the Bible is one of rebellion and judgment. Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (1) This is after the rapture, after the tribulation, and after the millennial reign of Jesus. (2) What a sad "last word" concerning the human race. (3) However, our demise will not be caused by any of mans best theories. b. As for the planet itself, the earth will be dissolved with fire. 2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? C. But this article is not just dealing with HOW the world might be destroyed. It is also dealing with WHEN the world might end. 1. Did you know there is a Doomsday Clock? a. I have heard of it for several years. b. Scientists manually adjust the clock based on how close they think we are to the end of the world. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/24/doomsday-clock- how-close-we-midnight/2666319002/ 2. Currently, the clock reads two minutes to midnight, midnight being the end of the world. a. I would not let that disturb me too much. b. The Doomsday Clock has been in single digits until midnight since 1998 and was as close as 3 minutes before midnight in 1984. https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/past-statements/ 3. And yet, on this one, I would agree with the scientists. a. In fact, I believe we are closer to the end of the world that most people can even imagine. b. Paul wrote: 1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. c. I have often wondered what God meant by "safe." (1) Today there is fear of terrorism, ashtroids, Climate Change, international war, and more. (2) Does that mean Jesus cannot come now for people are NOT saying peace and safety? (3) I dont think so. (4) The safety God was referring to might be the false notion of safety they feel about God. (5) People must think they are pretty safe to be running their mouths off at God like they do. (6) I am pretty sure the Lord Almighty is not going to put up with that much longer! d. If they only knew. Conclusion: A. Mankind is wrong on just about everything. 1. They are wrong on how the galaxy began. 2. They are wrong on how life began. 3. They are wrong in saying there is no God. 4. They are wrong in thinking there are many gods. 5. They are wrong in thinking everything will be all right. 6. They are wrong on how the world will end. 7. They are wrong about what happens after death. B. If they only knew 1. Would they change anything? I dont know. Some have already been blinded by the devil and the spirit of strong delusion. Unless God powerfully intervenes in their lives, even knowing that the truth is the truth may not help them. 2. But even closer to home, what about you? Is knowing what the Bible says going to change you? a. Will it cause you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior? b. Will it cause you to surrender to Jesus as your Lord? c. Will it cause you to turn from sin and selfishness to serve and obey the living God? I certainly pray that it will and that it will do so today.