MPC 21st March 2004.Revelation 8-11 - "Trumpets and Testimony"
Phil Campbell MPC 21st March 2004.
I wasn't sure what to think watching Jim Bacon on TV a few weeks back. Resigning as Premier of Tasmania. I mean, what can you say?
In one way it was deeply moving. Jim Bacon, resigning as Premier due to illness. Suffering from lung cancer, which he said he's been told was untreatable. Facing a press conference with considerable dignity. And trying to use his situation as a warning to other smokers.
He said, my friends all warned me, they said, give up smoking. And I didn't listen. He said my family warned me. I didn't listen. My doctor warned me. I didn't listen. And now it's too late.
And you've got to say when it comes to something like smoking, it's not as if there aren't other kinds of warning as well. Jim would have seen the messages printed on the pack every time he lit up. Smoking will kill you. He would have seen the ads on TV with the horrible pictures of dissected lungs full of black nicotine sludge.
And the most stunning moment of all. A reporter says, "So have you given up smoking now?" And Jim Bacon looks down and says, "No. No I haven't."
How many graphic warnings is it going to need? How many pictures of destruction? To make you turn around?
That's the issue here in Revelation 8 to 11. In fact, it's a theme that runs through all the way to chapter 19. John's vision of a series of warning shots. All with the same intention. And yet all futile. In our passage today... seven trumpets. Sounding terrible warnings to the world. A horror movie. Full of death and destruction.
And it's all summed up in chapter 9 verse 20.
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Here's a commercial more stomach churning than the worst anti-smoking ad. And yet people just won't take the hint. No matter what. They won't repent. And turn back to God.
It's important as we start out to get one thing in perspective. And that is, as we see in this vision terrible things being poured out on planet earth, as we see terrible things poured out on the sky and the land and the sea - that it's the sky and the land and the sea that God made. God gave it. Now we're going to see a picture of what happens when God takes it back. Which is something that is said at every Christian burial service. The Lord gave. The Lord has taken away. And that's what John's seeing in his vision.
It's an important perspective to keep in mind. And it's clear in chapter 10 verse 6. Where in the midst of what's happening John sees a mighty angel. And the angel, you'll see in verse 6 swears by the name of God there'll be no more delay. Take a look at his words. "Swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it."
This is God's creation.
And yet systematically in John's vision, God's taking it away. Piece by piece.
God who created the earth. Take a look.
Chapter 8. As the vision begins. Seven angels with trumpets. And the first angel sounds his trumpet in verse 7.
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
God who created the sea and all that's in it. Take a look at his second messenger. Verse 8. The second angel sounds his trumpet, a blazing mountain... thrown into the sea. Which turns to blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea are dead. And a third of the ships.
And the third angel compounds it in verse 10. As a third of the waters are made bitter.
God who made the heavens and everything in them. Take a look at angel four.
The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
Can you see the trend? Here's a picture that says the God who made the earth and sky and sea... is the God with the power to take it away. In ways that make the mightiest of men look absolutely puny.
The English writer C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts from our pains." Has he got your attention?
And so a drought. Who can control it?
A locust plague sweeping through Northern New South Wales this week. All we can do is watch it on the news.
An earthquake in Northern Iran. Who can stop it? And even the rescue efforts from all round the world seem so puny and ineffectual.
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts from our pains."
Is anybody listening? I mean, we watched it in horror on the news back in December. But who even remembers the name of the town that was wiped out? (Bam). And the fact that 41000 people died? Who remembers the earthquake in 1990? Where 35,000 people died? Who looks at the sort of stuff that happens in the world and marvels again at the power of God. Who gives. And who takes away?
Back to the vision. And it's a nightmare. Angels 5 and 6 pour out even more horrors. Nightmare Locusts. Nightmare armies of millions on fire-breathing horses of red and yellow and blue. And chapter 9 verse 18, a third of mankind... in John's vision, wiped out in plagues of fire and smoke and sulphur coming from their mouths.
It's like a huge string of warning shots. I mean, in all John's seeing, there's still 2/3 left. Surely, they'll sit up and take notice? But it makes not the slightest bit of difference. Verse 20.
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
No matter what the warning, they just keep on exactly as they were before. Worshipping the stuff they've made. Instead of the God who made them.
Now if the world won't take the hint from disaster and war, what will they listen to? God says, I'll give them messengers.
And John in his vision sees a replay of something that happened in the Old Testament - to the prophet Ezekiel. Who was given a scroll to eat; with a message for Israel. A call to repent. Which in a sense is good news. And bad news. Good news, because if you do turn back to God there's a great future ahead. Bad news because if you don't... there's no future ahead.
We're in chapter 10. The huge angel stands straddling the sea. With a scroll in his hand. And the voice from heaven says in verse 8, take the scroll. And John says, I went to him and I said, give me the scroll. And he says, take it and eat it. Just like Ezekiel. But be aware... it's sweet and sour. It's good news and it's bad news. And John says in verse 10,
I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."
Take my message. And prophesy. Speak it out. Not just about Israel. But about everyone. Everywhere. Take my word. And spread it round.
Now remember - this is John. Who we saw a few weeks back is a prisoner on Patmos. The Roman penal colony. For doing exactly this. For speaking the word of God, for testifying about Jesus to an unwelcoming Roman world. And now the voice from heaven says, eat the scroll. You're going to do it again.
And the vision rolls on. Chapter 11. Measuring up the temple that's going to be destroyed. Trampled by the gentiles for 42 months. And then the strange story of the two witnesses. Who prophesy for 1260 days. Which when you divide by 30 is the same as 42 months. Or half a perfect seven years.
Now can I say before we dig any further, you need to make sure you've got your picture viewing glasses on. Because the problem is, I think for most of us, it's easy to say a vision of fiery locusts is somehow symbolic. But switch to a picture of two men in sackcloth like you've got here in verse 3, and so many people want to see it literally. And say who are they? Or who will they be?
When verse 4 goes on to tell us very plainly who they represent. With two clear images. We're looking at two olive trees, says John. We're looking at two of the lampstands... that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Now if you can't remember back to chapter 1 verse 20 turn back and have a look.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Which is I guess because they're the light of the world. And of the seven churches John's writing to, you might recall two of them are faithful and true and testifying about Jesus. Against growing opposition.
So picture in your mind two faitful witnesses dressed in sackcloth. Which is what the prophets always did in the past when they were calling for repentance. And tell yourself at the same time, these are the two faithful churches.
And they're speaking words of fire. They're invincible. Their words have power. Of life and death. They're like Moses and Elijah. Old Testament heroes. And nobody can lay a hand on them. Until, in verse 7, they've finished their testimony. And the beast from the pit, which we'll see next time is a reference to the power of Rome, finally overtakes them. And overpowers them.
Two churches. Calling the world to repent. And when they finish speaking... struck down and killed by the powers of the world. And not only that... their bodies... left on public display. While the inhabitants of the earth, verse 10, gloat over them. And celebrate... and send each other gifts. Kind of a reverse Christmas. Celebrating that the Christians are gone. With their uncomfortable message of Jesus. Saying they had to repent.
The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
Now do you reckon things are any different today?
Tony Abbott, the Federal Health minister, gave a speech titled, "The Ethical Responsibilities of a Christian Politician" [PDF, 155KB]. Tony Abbot is a Christian. It was a speech to the Adelaide University Democratic Club. Teasing out the tensions between his own Christian Faith and public life. And how the two interact. He raised at one point the problem of the issue of abortion. And why there are 100,000 abortions every year. With a few notable exceptions in the media in the days since his speech, Tony Abbot has been howled down. Even by his colleagues. For daring to speak as a Christian. And raise ethical issues... in political debate.
Why is it that a Christian voice is so unwelcome?
Far worse if you're in China. There was news a few weeks back of a crackdown against Christians in China. With a series of arrests and beatings of house church leaders. Being a growth group leader is pretty tough here. But in China it can get you in jail.
But in this last week, it's gone one step further. With three Christian leaders arrested for passing news of the crackdown to church groups outside China. And through the week, secretly tried, on charges of "providing intelligence to organizations outside of China." For which they're facing prison for between ten years and life.
In a world that needs nothing more than to hear about the Lord Jesus and repent... no matter what the warning, no matter how clear the messenger... the world just doesn't want to listen.
Which is why the next part of John's vision has some good news. That puts it all in perspective. Because what happens to the two faithful churches in the vision, it's like a re-run of what happened to Jesus. They're killed. But after three and a half days, verse 11, God breathes life into them again; and they stand on their feet. And a voice from heaven says come up here. And they go up to heaven in a cloud. Exactly like their Lord Jesus did.
At which point the earth shakes... and at least some finally give glory to the God of heaven.
Six trumpets have been blown. It's time for number 7.
Which brings us to the question how will it all end?
There's the picture of the world around us. And no matter how many times God reminds the world with signs of his judgement, no matter how many natural disasters and wars, no matter how much the turmoil... people still don't repent. No matter how much God takes away the things he's made... in John's vision, the world still won't repent.
And no matter how faithful God's messengers, the world still mocks them and hates them and celebrates their demise.
Time for Trumpet Number 7.
And in verse 15, loud voices announce "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. And he will reign for ever and ever."
And notice something interesting. Back in chapter 4 they called God the one who was and who is and who is to come. Look what's changed. Because here's a picture of the final judgement. The four elders, verse 16, fall before God. And say this. Verse 17. "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was.... because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
at last! No longer the one who is to come. Because justice has finally arrived.
They say, the nations were angry, but now it's your turn. Verse 18...
The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
It's time. Time for judging the dead, time for righting the wrongs. Time for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
It's time... for the destroyers to be destroyed.
And John says, verse 19, "Then God's temple in heaven opens up"; a replacement for the temple on earth. Which was just a shadow anyway. And inside the temple, the golden box from Israel's past. The reminder of God's contract to be faithful. So long ago lost. There it is; safe. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm... pounding down the final judgement.
Now I wonder how you feel as you hear those words?
Depends I guess on where you stand with God. Depends I guess too on how comfortable you're finding things in this life. As to whether you're looking forward to the time of God's justice. Or whether you'd much rather avoid it.
The point is though, for all of us, hard times will come. And if you're still someone on the run from God, I wonder what he needs to do to attract your attention?
I wonder how much he'll have to take away... before you'll notice everything he's given you. And you're not self made after all?
I've got a friend who's chaplain to a sports club. He said one of the rising young stars who thought he was invincible last week said to him, I've realised I'm in a mess. And I need to get things right with God. What did it take to get him there? It took a night of drunken stupidity followed by theft charges from the police. And the humiliation of a day in court. To make him realise. That what he thought was his freedom from God was actually his ruin. And that sound he could hear was a trumpet. A trumpet of warning.
Another friend of mine, it took the almost total breakdown of his family. He'd been thumbing his nose at God all his life. But when his teenage daughter ran away from home he realised. things were a mess. And the sound he could hear was a trumpet. Andrew did something about it.
So I need to ask the question, what about you?
By and large, with everything thrown at them in John's vision, the world refuses to repent. Still wants to worship their toys. No matter how big the reminder, no matter how clear the message of the faithful church. Which given the fact that God wins... is absolute stupidity.
How is it with you? And what will it take? C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts from our pains."
If you're a Christian already, you're not exempt. But at least we know where it's headed. And can look forward with confidence to a day when things are going to get better. Where wrongs are put right. And tears are wiped away.
But if you haven't done business with God, let me tell you this world is as good as it's going to get. And all the wishful thinking in the world isn't going to change anything. And all you can do close your ears to the gospel, and watch as the world shakes, watch as the wars rage, watch as the epidemics come and go... and pretend the world's under our puny control. When it's not under our control at all. And you're really just doing the same as Jim Bacon. Not listening. When the warnings are loud and clear.