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This evening, so Revelation chapter 14, we're going to be looking at the very first part of this chapter, but right now I want you to keep your place there and I want you to flip over to Revelation chapter 7. The title of the sermon tonight is the end times witnesses. We're going to talk about the witnesses tonight. You say what witnesses? So that's what we're going to look at this evening. The witnesses of the end times. The first witnesses that we're going to look at, we just read about in Revelation chapter 14, but there is also detail about these witnesses in Revelation chapter number 7. And what I'm talking about here is the 144,000. So very famous, you know, people are taught lots of different religions. And the Jehovah's Witnesses, of course, you know, talk about the 144,000 all the time. So we're going to study through this and just see if we can figure out what the 144,000 is all about, who they are, what they're doing, where they are, basically the who, why and where of the 144,000. So look down, you're going to keep your place in Revelation 14 and you're going to look down at Revelation chapter 7. Revelation chapter 7, we're going to start out in verse number 3. The Bible says, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their forehead. So Revelation chapter 7 is preparing for, we're right at this time in Revelation chapter 7, where the three and a half years or really the Daniel 70th week is coming to an end. The rapture is right here in front of us. And the wrath is starting right after within an hour of the rapture itself. So the rapture, of course, is found in Revelation chapter 7, we'll look at that in just a couple of minutes. But look at verse number 3, where it says, Hurt not the earth. Now that's talking about the wrath of God beginning. God is going to pour out his wrath for, I'm sorry, we're at the midpoint of the week. And I was still at the millennial reign already, all right. So we're kind of backing up in time from this morning. And we're at the midpoint of the week, where the great tribulation is coming to an end. The rapture is about to happen and right after the rapture happens, the wrath of God is going to begin for the final three and a half years of Daniel's 70th week. But first, in Revelation 7, the Bible says, Hurt not the earth, neither the seed nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And this is going to go into this 144,000. But verse number 3 is super important, because that shows you where the 144,000 are going to be. So, you know, who are they? We're going to look at it in just a minute. But right away here, we can see that they are sealed, and they are going to be on the earth. How do we know that? Because the Bible is saying, Seal them and don't hurt the earth until they're sealed. Meaning, we need to be able to differentiate who they are when God is pouring out His wrath upon the earth. We need to know that they are, who the sealed are and who the people are not, that are not sealed. All right? And then, of course, verse number 4. So that tells us right there that they're on the earth. These 144,000, whoever they are, are going to be on the earth during the wrath of God, because God makes sure that He seals them, He marks them, so they can be differentiated as He's pouring out His, basically, His seven trumpets and His seven vials. And look, there's some crazy wrath there, all right? There's a lot of different plagues that come upon the earth, and God just wants to make sure that He doesn't have any friendly fire incidents here. Okay? So He seals them in their foreheads. All right? And this, I've told you this before, but this is also why I believe the mark of the beast is either in your forehead or in your right hand, because Satan never really comes up with anything on his own. He just kind of copies what God does and just kind of twists it and changes it slightly. So it says, I heard, in verse number 4, and I heard the number of them which were sealed. Again, they were marked so they don't get hurt, making sure we mark them first. And they were sealed in 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. And then, of course, it goes into great detail here in Revelation chapter 7 about all the different tribes. It's talking about the tribes of the children of Israel, the 12 tribes, 144,000, the tribe of Judah, Assur, Simeon, Zebulon, and, you know, it's basically 12,000, so 12 times 12,000 is 144,000. All right? And then look at verse number 9. So this is the rapture in Revelation chapter 7 here. And now how, like, how anybody could think that the rapture is anywhere in Revelation other than Revelation chapter 7? It's in Revelation 14 too. But how anyone could think it's in Revelation 4 or Revelation 6 is just so confusing. I mean, I'm lucky in my life or I feel blessed in my life that I didn't have a lot of false teaching on end times doctrine because, really, Lutherans didn't have any idea about end times doctrine. So they just kind of either said, Lutheran pastors that I grew up with said, oh, we can't understand that. Or they just said, like, that's already happened or whatever. You know, they just kind of, like, give some answer where they don't have to explain any of this. But the rapture itself, I mean, just look at this in verse number 9, it says, after this I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed in white robes and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying, salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb. All right? So that's obviously, you know, the people that were raptured, that were taken up to heaven by Jesus Christ out of that great tribulation. So who are these 144,000? If we look at the verses between verse number 4 and verse number 9, it's literally telling you that it's 12,000 of everyone out of each of these 12 tribes of Israel. Now since no one knows what tribe they would be of Israel today and we're talking about saved believers here, we're talking about saved believers here, so even if somebody could claim that they were the tribe of whatever, which, you know, most people who are Jewish have no idea what tribe they are today, and they may claim that they know but nobody knows, genealogies are long lost, especially for the 10 tribes in the northern kingdom of Israel since they were just kind of taken away and they just kind of all became like the Samaritans, right? They became this mixed people of the Assyrians and the 10 tribes in the northern kingdom. These are clearly Old Testament saints that have died. It's the only explanation I've ever heard that makes any sense is that they are Old Testament saints that are resurrected in that first resurrection. And God is giving them a task here, all right? It's the rapture here. Now remember the structure of Revelation, okay? Remember the structure of Revelation where Revelation chapter 1 through chapter number 11 is kind of the first telling of this story and it's kind of like the gospels, then Revelation chapter 12 through chapter number 22 is parallel to Revelation 1 through 11. And probably the biggest evidence of that is the seven trumpets and the seven vials, how all of those judgments and all of those plagues perfectly match up to each other but you can also see that in Revelation chapter 7 verse number 9 where the rapture is there and then the rapture is also in Revelation chapter 14 that we just read, talking about that reaping, you know, where the Son of Man comes back and he reaps the earth, all right? So we see Revelation chapter 1 through 11 and then it starts the story over with Revelation chapter 12 through chapter number 22. But go back and another proof of this is go back to Revelation chapter 14 now, now we get some more detail. It's very similar to the gospels actually because you get kind of a different telling of the same events but you get more detail, you get a different perspective in Revelation 12 through 22 and that's we get a different perspective on the 144,000 and we get a little bit more detail in Revelation chapter 14. Look at verse number 1 of Revelation chapter 14. So from Revelation chapter 7 we know that, you know, these are Old Testament saints that are being brought back to the earth, they're being sent to the earth during what? At what time? Right before God starts to pour out his wrath upon the earth. So you say what would be the point of that and that's what we're going to talk about tonight. We're going to talk about these witnesses and why God did this. Look at verse number 1 of Revelation 14. And I looked and lo a lamb stood on Mount Sion and with him in 144,000 having his father's names written in their foreheads. Here they've been sealed. And I heard a voice from Evan as the voice of many waters as the voice of a great thunder and I heard the voice of the harpers harping with their harps. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the elders and no man could learn that song but the 144,000 which were redeemed from the earth showing that these are saved people. These are definitely saints. Again I explained this morning saints are anyone who is saved, alright. Saints are not some, you know, weird application, you know, title that someone gets by some earthly false church, okay. Saints are anybody who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and is saved. I'm looking at a bunch of saints this evening, alright. So it's Old Testament saints from the tribes of Israel, alright. But now we get more detail. Look at verse number 4. And this just really backs up that these must be Old Testament saints. Look at verse number 4. It says, these are they which were not defiled. This is for the Jehovah's Witnesses too. Because not only did the Jehovah's Witnesses, so the Jehovah's Witnesses, this false cult, they actually teach that only 144,000 people will go to heaven, alright. So if you actually meet a Jehovah's Witness at the door and you know they're Jehovah's Witnesses you really shouldn't say, you really shouldn't use the words, you know, if you died today do you know if you would go to heaven. You really shouldn't say it that way because they'll tell you no. They don't even think they're going to heaven, right. So they're part of this false religion that doesn't even teach them that they're going to heaven unless, unless you've been lucky enough to meet one of the 144,000 because I have met a couple of different people who say that they're actually part of the 144,000 and they do think that they're going to heaven. The irony is, I can't remember when I did a sermon a couple years ago on the Jehovah's Witnesses and I believe they filled up the quota like a hundred years ago or something. So it's like no one has a chance, right. So at least if you're going to, you know, start a false religion, you know, make the, make the, you know, the hotel bigger for success, right. But anyway, so the Jehovah's Witnesses though, this is the problem and it's really interesting if you find someone that thinks they're part of the 144,000 and is a woman, alright. Because it's super interesting because if you go to Revelation 14, 4, look what it says. Not only are they of the tribe of, you know, the specific tribes, but look what it says here. These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins. For they are they which follow the Lamb which whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. Meaning they were set, they're set aside after the rapture, they're being set aside for specific purpose. So the Bible basically says these are male virgins, alright. So I mean that pretty much disqualifies probably any Jehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah's Witness that you talk to, you know, out there that thinks that they're part of the 144,000. But I mean I'm kind of saying this tongue in cheek, it's not going to help to show this to them in the Bible because if they cared what the Bible said, they would not be Jehovah's Witnesses in the first place, alright. So verse number five and it says in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God. So what do we know? Who are they? They're of the specific tribes, they're male virgins, they're Old Testament saints. Look at verse number six. The next question we're going to ask is this, they're being sent to the earth, they're sealed and they're sent to the earth right before God pours out his wrath, what is their purpose? Why would God do this? Why send them there? Verse number six answers that question for us. This angel, in verse number six and verse number seven, I kind of have a bracket around those two, around those two verses and it's kind of like the marching orders for the 144,000. Look what it says in verse six and it says I saw another angel flying, fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. Sing with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water. This angel is basically telling you what the 144,000 are going to be doing. They're going to be telling people to fear God, they're going to be carrying the gospel, the everlasting gospel during the time of the wrath of God. I mean it makes perfect sense. I mean here comes the wrath like within minutes of what we're talking about here and God sends these witnesses down to the earth to carry the gospel. The gospel is still important during the wrath of God and that's why I love how the Bible calls it here, the everlasting gospel, meaning as long as there is breath and on the earth the gospel is important. So then we have the rapture. We have the seven trumpets, the seven vials for three and a half years. Think of it. This just wrath, these plagues being poured out and I don't want to give away you know the plagues but it's bad. You know it's bad. The plagues in Revelation are terrible. I'm glad we won't be there to be part of it but God's pouring out his wrath for three and a half years. It's not like it's going on for two weeks but God makes sure that he has these 144,000 there to catch the repentance of people. What do I mean by that? I mean to catch, I mean I'm thinking that after the rapture, that after you know the wrath of God, after the first plague, after the second you know vial and trumpet and after the third and fourth, I'm guessing that there's going to be people all along the way that are like hey we're on the wrong side of this thing. They're going to change their mind about where they're at. I mean I imagine that there's going to be a lot of people right after the rapture after Jesus comes and takes the saints to heaven with him, they're going to change their mind after just that one thing before the wrath even begins. That's why the 144,000 are sent to the earth. They're going to have that job of preaching the gospel during the wrath of God. What a job that would be. Turn to Revelation chapter 11. Turn to Revelation chapter 11. Talk about you know exciting soul winning. These guys get to go soul winning you know during the wrath of God. You know all these flying scorpions running around like tormenting people that where do they come from? They came out of hell you know people are just hiding and just fearing for their lives they're just being tormented by all these plagues and earthquakes and the water's turning to I mean just crazy stuff happening and you know the earth's being burnt up and they're soul winning during that time. They're not hurt. You know they're protected by the Lord and they're soul winning during that time. But there's even more. God even provides more you know witnesses during the wrath of God. Look at Revelation chapter 11 and look at verse number three. Now let's talk about the two witnesses. Let's talk about the two witnesses of Revelation. Look at Revelation chapter 11 and I want to kind of show you tonight you know of course we have the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and Revelation chapter 14 but in Revelation chapter 11 you know the Lord points out these two special witnesses that are going to be in Jerusalem and I want to show you how those two witnesses kind of play together with the 144,000 during what? During the wrath of God. All right look at Revelation chapter 11 verse number three. Look what the Bible says here it says and I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth. If you divide that out it's you know it's almost you know it's like 3.45 years. It's almost three and a half years and we're going to see that it's not really three and a half years because something happens to them you know towards the end of the three and a half years but pretty much the entire section of God's wrath that three and a half years these two witnesses will be on the earth. Look at verse number one actually go back to verse number one. They're going to be there they're going to be there in Jerusalem and they're going to be explaining the why what and the who of God's wrath. Look at verse number one it says and there was given to me a reed like unto a rod and the angel stood saying rise measure the temple of God and the altar and them that worship therein but the court which is without the temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall be tread underfoot forty and two months. That's exactly three and a half years. Forty and two months. So during this time and then of course we get into you know the witnesses that are going to be there and they're going to be telling you know everybody what's going on and God says I'll give power to my two witnesses. Now look at verse number four. It tells us you know what these witnesses are going to be doing in Jerusalem. These are my these are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed. So these guys are going to be in the holy city in Jerusalem and they're going to be you know preaching the word of God. They're going to be explaining you know you know why this is happening. I mean they're basically going to be doing what every prophet in the Old Testament did just warning that you know of course they're going to be doing it when God's literally pouring out his wrath. All right. And people are not going to like them. You know. Shocker. Right. They're not going to like when the man of God is standing there preaching the word of God and they're going to want to be they're going to want to kill them. But it says if anybody tries to hurt them they're going to have fire come out of their mouth and they're going to burn up anybody that tries to kill them. God's going to protect them. Look at verse number six. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. So look it's not just the revelation plagues. These guys can do whatever they want. God's giving them power to stop rain when it says shut heaven it means you know cause a famine basically. All right. Look at verse number seven. It says when they shall have finished their testimony the beast. This is the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them. The Antichrist is going to kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. That's just like that spiritual Babylon. That's that that same type of language. Where also our Lord was crucified. So we're talking about Jerusalem here. And they of the people and kindreds they are of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half. So everyone's going to see this. I mean so this is going to be like on the news is going to be broadcast over you know the whole world that these guys have been killed and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. So at this point they're pretty hated. These guys have been preaching for three and a half years during these terrible plagues and everyone hates them and they're glad they're dead. They finally you know the beast the Antichrist is finally able to kill them and everyone's happy about it. Look at verse number 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry and shall send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. So these guys I mean they're going to have just there's just going to be this massive party because these guys are dead. I mean just think these people are people that have burred up against the Lord even during God's wrath. These are the people that are going to party over the prophets dead bodies. They heard a great voice from heaven saying oh and after three days and a half sorry verse number 11 the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood up on their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them. I mean it's interesting that they're you know they were kind of in the grave for about the same time as Jesus was in the grave. But they're going to be resurrected from the dead and you know great fear I mean everyone's going to be afraid of them. I mean you think and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascend up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them. So I mean you would think I mean think about this for a second. These guys are going to be preaching against these people I mean this for people that don't believe the reprobate doctrine I mean you really just kind of have to picture this whole scene right here. You have to picture this scene where these two witnesses these two prophets the Bible says are preaching against this city and against the people of the earth for three and a half years. They are preaching like this is why this is happening to you. You turned against the Lord basically they're every you know the minor prophets you know they're just like going after you know the people of the earth and saying you've forsaken the Lord you know and this is why this is happening. This is the wrath of God. That's what they're going to be saying. Everyone but think about it I'm sure some people will get saved. So when you look at the two witnesses and the 144,000 it's kind of like you know bad cop good cop you know the two witnesses are like this is what you deserve and this is God's wrath all this and some people are going to repent and get right and they're going to you know turn to the Lord and that's where the 144,000 they go and they preach the gospel and they pick up the pieces. But look at this in verse number 11 where you know these in verse number 10 these people are just partying over their dead bodies and then they literally come back to life. They literally this is so similar to the story of the miracles of Jesus. How could you not believe the reprobate doctrine? Look these people just saw God raise dead people from the grave to life and do they believe? No they don't believe. They don't believe they burn up more against the Lord and so what you have to understand is like they did the same thing to Jesus. Jesus went and did all these miracles he literally raised Lazarus from the dead and the Pharisees they didn't say oh man he raised Lazarus from the dead they're like we need to kill Lazarus and we need to kill Jesus. I mean they dismiss the fact that he actually did the miracle. They dismiss it. Why? Because they could not believe. They could not I mean it's not that they could not believe Jesus was God they could not trust in him. They could not put their trust in him they didn't want him. They they what is different from not knowing. There's a lot of people in the middle that don't know. There's a lot of people in the middle that maybe they've been you know taught a false religion and they don't know the truth of the Bible but these people know the truth and they reject it. It's a different thing. It's a different thing altogether. Look at verse number 13. In the same hour was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven. Yeah some people are going to get saved. Some people are going to get saved through all of these miracles and the wrath of God that's being poured out. But the two witnesses work hand in hand with the 144,000 because they are there with the harsh message and the 144,000 are there with the everlasting gospel. So the question is and I think the key to who they are is in verse number six. If you go back up to verse number six, who are they? I mean this is a big you know debate and many people ask me this and I don't even know if I've really ever answered this question but I mean I mean I don't know exactly who they are I guess is really the is really the answer but I mean the smart money says it's Moses and Elijah. I mean that's the that's basically the probably it's I mean if you want to have some you know offshoot you know this isn't going to get you kicked out of church if you think it's Samuel and you know Jacob or something. That would be weird but anyway I mean I've never actually heard that combination but I mean if you think it's somebody else it's really no big deal but I mean just the biblical context lends you to believe it's Moses and Elijah. Really from verse number six and really verse number six is kind of the key because when you look at Moses and Elijah turn to Exodus chapter seven. So Moses of course turned water to blood you know in the plagues in Egypt if you look at Moses or Moses in Exodus chapter seven look at verse number 20. This is why you know just the kind of the mainstream biblical knowledge will say it's Moses and Elijah. Moses and Aaron did so in verse number 20 as the Lord commanded and he lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river and in the sight of Pharaoh and the sight of his servants all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. So of course Moses did similar miracles to what the two witnesses are going to do and of course Elijah really fits because Elijah I mean in first Kings chapter 17 in just the very first verse basically Elijah like shuts up heaven. He does exactly what these two witnesses are going to do and he causes this great famine that makes Ahab just hate him. You know and Ahab is hunting him and looking for him and of course first Kings chapter 18 the famous you know showdown with the prophets of Baal is when basically it rains you know when he basically he comes and he shows himself to Ahab and then goes and kills all the prophets of Baal but what does Elijah do? You know when he calls when he has this big showdown with the prophets of Baal he literally calls down fire from heaven. He calls down fire from heaven and burns up the sacrifice that they just soaked in water and built the you know the big trench with the water and then of course in second Kings chapter 1 Elijah literally burns up all of Ahaziah's captains you know the fifty men that they just kept sending just burns them up just burns them up just burns them up very similar to these witnesses here all right. So you know some say it's Enoch and Elijah because Enoch and Elijah were both you know taken up to heaven but you know God did you know take Moses' body so it's probably you know Moses and Elijah that's that's where the common knowledge is really not too important to me who they actually are it's kind of like I'll let you know when we see it from heaven or you know when we're watching this whole thing but it's more important not so much who they are more important is what their role is more important is what their role is than who they actually are. It's really interesting because the two witnesses are really kind of a one-two punch when it comes to the the wrath of God. You've got these guys and it's also interesting that when you look at the two witnesses in combination with the 144,000 it is very similar to our soul winning presentation of the gospel because our soul winning presentation when you think about it it's a one-two punch it's a one-two punch. I mean you're not giving people the gospel for the first five minutes six seven eight minutes of the gospel presentation you're not really telling them nice things you're not really telling them that you know you're great and you know you're gonna go to heaven and everything's wonderful what are you telling them you're telling them hey you're a sinner you know for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God you're kind of given the bad news that's what these two witnesses are doing and that's why everybody hates them because they're in Jerusalem when this terrible time is coming down it's kind of like you know Jeremiah he was given this message that people just didn't want to hear you know if you're a you know this this just diehard you know you know beer drinking conservative guy they're just America American flags freedom you probably didn't want to hear the sermon this morning because you know that doesn't really jive with what what you think is reality so you know when we step to someone's front door and start giving them the gospel we're kind of like those two witnesses for the first few minutes we're sitting there and we're saying like hey man here's the situation you're in the wrath of God abideth on you and they're like oh you know it's look some people are offended by that and that's as far as you get that is the way it is some people don't like to hear that the humble person though will get to the hundred and forty four thousand the humble person will get to the point where you can go okay now do you think God loves you do you think God wants that to happen to you do you think God you know you do deserve it you got to tell them because they got to know they deserve it they got to know they deserve it otherwise what's the point what are they being saved from nothing so they need to know that this is why God sends the two witnesses and 144,000 they work together you got the two witnesses out there just this is why this is happening to you can you imagine it's like a country being invaded like Jeremiah the country is being threatened you know by this empire that's just encroaching on their borders being threatened and he's like yeah they're gonna win I mean imagine he's not popular imagine the wrath of God being poured upon a the entire earth and some two guys standing there saying we deserve all this you all deserve this you know most people are like gonna be like ah we should fight this and we're against this and trying to save everything and come up with their own solution these guys are just standing there saying this the wrath of God you all deserve it and the people that listen to them are the ones that are gonna get saved through that everlasting gospel the people that burn up they're gonna be the ones that are at the battles that we talked about this morning they're gonna be the ones that show up to the Battle of Armageddon they're gonna be the ones or the people like them are gonna be the ones that show up to the Battle of Gog and Magog and you know Jesus is just gonna take care of business in both both instances because why because it doesn't matter what they see they can't believe they're they're they're just they're done they hate the Lord and God's just gonna take care of it at that point so look all that to say this this is not a this is not a super complicated message tonight but witnesses let me just now we see these these two witnesses we see the 144,000 witnesses you're like that's kind of neat but you know what that's kind of like the way God has always been that's been God's philosophy that's why the nation of the 144,000 being Old Testament Saints you know I think the first person I heard it from was Pastor Anderson it makes the most sense but it also fits with how God operates because God operates even today with what with witnesses he expects witnesses turn to Malachi chapter 3 turn to Malachi chapter 3 it's not it's not a new philosophy but guess what God doesn't change in Malachi chapter 3 in verse number 6 the Bible says this it says for I am the Lord I change not so it makes sense that we see a philosophy in the end times that's the same philosophy that we saw in the Old Testament that's the same philosophy that we see today turn to Ezekiel chapter 22 turn to Ezekiel chapter 22 God has always operated this way God has always relied on witnesses to pass his word along look at verse number 26 of Ezekiel chapter 22 so here we see you know God is rebuking a nation here it says her priests have violated my law and profane my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and the profane neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from my saddest and I have profaned among them it's talking about you know that his people haven't separated same message as the New Testament her prince is in the midst there over like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood there's that violence we talked about and to destroy souls to get dishonest gain those those false prophets just like the Pharisees that are just what they're making merchandise of people second Peter chapter 2 it's all the same thing and God is the same philosophy towards it and her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar seeing vanity and divining lies unto them saying thus saith the Lord God when the Lord had not spoken so he's just talking about false prophets making merchandise of people just as Paul and Peter and all the Apostles were warning everybody about in the New Testament it's all the same the people of the land have used oppression exercise robbery it affects the poor and the needy yet have oppressed the stranger wrongfully and look at verse number 30 this is God's philosophy right here he says and I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge he's he's talking about he's saying you know what I'm looking for a man to stand up this is what I talked about this morning I'm looking for a man to stand up and actually say what my word is and actually tell the truth and I eat but in this case and stand in the gap for me in the land that I should not destroy it but I found none look at this for a minute this is this gives you some optimism about America right here because here he's saying for one guy and I can't find one I'm looking for one guy to stand in the gap and I believe just as I said this morning that America probably has the most safe people on planet earth this nation right here so we do have some people in America that are standing in the gap today I talked to a conservative person a conservative person about several weeks ago and in they started like they're not from California and they started like lambasting California and I'm like you know what there's some people there's some real Christians standing in the gap in California as a matter of fact it's the state no offense to Arizona but it's the state where I know the most people that are standing in the gap and I kind of got a little a little hot under the color but don't stand there in Virginia or stand there in Tennessee or some red state or whatever it is and tell me about standing in the gap because we're doing something here there are people standing in the gap in California in Arizona in Texas in Washington all over the country there's people standing in the gap there's people doing stuff and that's some optimism about America right there because the Bible says and God not just Genesis 19 but right here he says I'm looking for one man and I won't destroy we got way more than one here we got way more than one in the United States of America there's some positive news for you tonight so God has always relied on saved believers to stand in the gap to be what to be those witnesses that will speak his word that will go out and preach the gospel look folks there is a lot of people preaching the gospel in the United States of America there's a lot of churches that are still and there's a revival of soul winning happening in this country and that's what God wants to see that's what God needs to see where he won't destroy the land so I mean you know you're welcome all you conservative red states as we stand here in California you know fighting the fight you know what I think about that anyway I think it's a I think it's a cowardly philosophy to be like oh you know there's there's liberals there let's get out of there what what how tough is that you know it's like oh there's people that don't agree with us here let's run away and hide in a cave let's go and hide in Alaska where nobody else wants to live you know population 4 or whatever so look no matter the nation God needs witnesses he always needs a man turn to Ephesians chapter 2 you know what this really done the second thing so the first thing that the two witnesses and the 144,000 demonstrate is that God has always operated this way it's just proof of him just continuing the same philosophy of using man to deliver his word especially the gospel okay but the second thing it shows is this think about it God is pouring out his wrath now his wrath is his his indignation is full you know God is he's like he's had it at this point during when the wrath of God after the rapture God's like I've had it here comes the wrath he seals them and he sends them down but look at Ephesians chapter 2 look at verse number 4 the second thing that it really shows with the two witnesses in the 144,000 is it shows God's just undying mercy even during his wrath God is not like just burn them all up just if they didn't get it by this point just forget about him even during his wrath he has mercy look at Ephesians chapter 2 look at verse number 4 it says God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead and sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved so of course you know Romans 5 8 you know I mean God commandeth his love toward us and while we were yet sinners Christ died for us it's just more of that same philosophy not only did did God you know send Jesus Christ to the earth to die what I mean we didn't get right nobody got right when Jesus came here I mean it wasn't like I mean before Jesus came it's not like he's waiting for the nation of Israel or God's people to like get you know as right as they possibly can then he's gonna send Jesus no he sent Jesus when they were an absolute mess in an absolute disaster while we were yet sinners and he's gonna send the witnesses the 144,000 and the two prophets in Jerusalem while he's pouring out his wrath even in his fury he has mercy even in his the execution of his wrath he has mercy but still at that point he tells people to do it he has bodies saved believers that go do it look at Romans chapter 10 in verse number 14 I know you know this verse very well but the point is it's always it's designed this way is designed to work this way Romans 10 14 it's talking about how people will get saved you know what it's talking about how people will get saved here it's talking about the mechanics of salvation how does salvation actually work okay I get it somebody has to trust on Jesus right somebody has to trust on take the trust off themselves trust on Jesus and they're sealed for eternity they're sealed by the Holy Spirit you know everlasting life forever there's nothing they could ever do to lose their salvation we get that but what are the mechanics of it the mechanics of it are right here how so then they call on him and who they have not believed so it's kind of like showing you the process backwards here you know it's basically saying once people have believed on Jesus they will call on him and how so they believe in him or who they have not heard the only way that they'll believe the gospel is if someone tells them the gospel because the Bible is a spiritual book the Bible says it is spiritually discerned a saved person has to go with the Bible and show the gospel to someone you know you're not just going to sit down I've tried it I've tried it I mean somebody asked me the other day out soloing how many times did you read the Bible before you were saved I'm like none I'm like I couldn't get through it I tried I read Genesis 1 a bunch of times but it just especially the New Testament I can still remember the confusion of it I don't know if you can see I don't know if you any of you have this similar similar experience but when I would try to read the New Testament the Bible was a mystery to me I really wanted to know what it said I wanted to know and so I would try to read my new King James that I had since I was a kid I tried to read that especially the New Testament many times I was very very confused and look we need to remember that when when we talk to people and we give the gospel to people it's very simple it's very simple to us but you have to remember and this is by the way why you will hear so many people you give the gospel to they will say to you well when you explain it like that it's it's really simple it is simple but just thinking about not I mean cuz I I couldn't get through it because I would just be like that sounds like we're spaced salvation that doesn't and what is it and what in the world and I just I couldn't understand it so I would stop so the answer was never that I never read the Bible cover to cover not even close before I was saved so whenever people tell me like whenever people aren't saved and they're like I've read the Bible ten times or whatever I'm just like whatever I mean you're you're a dedicated individual to sit down and read the entire Bible cover to cover and not understand anything that you're reading I really I don't believe it when people tell me that right the Bible is one of those books it's like the only book that people will claim to know everything about and they've not read one page I don't know any other book where people do that but the Bible is definitely one that many many people claim that all right but the point I'm trying to get at is this it says look at verse 15 it says and how shall they preach except they be sent you see that what does God do with 144,000 he sends them to preach as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace showing that they need to be sent and they need to go just like us just like the Old Testament just like Ezekiel 22 where God was looking for the man to stand up and preach his words and it says and bring glad tidings of good things you know what that is that's the good news that's the gospel right there that glad tidings of good things so yeah we might be that the two witnesses at first the two prophets we might be Ezekiel or Elijah and Moses for the first eight minutes but after that we've got we've got glad tidings of good things for you you know so we're kind of there we encompass that entire thing but the point I'm trying to get at is the witnesses the preachers they've always been baked into the cake they've always been necessary for the gospel because that's how God designed it to be that's how God designed the the earth to get the gospel is through men through people all right so you know why during the rat why during the wrath think of the wrath I kind of mentioned this already but you know some people there's a lot of people out there so we got the people who are saved and you got the people who just hate the Lord but most people are in the middle there the vast majority of people are in the middle and those are the ones that we're trying to what as Paul said we're trying to persuade right we're trying to persuade them of the truth you think about people that are not interested in the gospel somebody said at men's preaching night on Friday it seems like in one of the sermons this was another I love men's preaching nights because there's so many different you know kind of angle coming at things and I really appreciate you know how different people view different I mean we're not talking about different doctrines just just things people pick up out of the Bible and one of the guys said this he said he said it's like sometimes that we're more concerned for people's souls than they are exactly you know I mean we all walk away from those doors where we meet that guy or that gal and they're just really nice people and they're just they have no turn for their own soul and you walk away and you're just like ah why am I the only one that cares about that person's soul why don't they care about their own soul or the soul of their families but you know what some people are just too comfortable they're too comfortable in their life they're too comfortable in their life and you know what the wrath of God you say why have the witnesses in the wrath of God because a lot of people are gonna be made uncomfortable in the wrath of God a lot of unsaved people who are just too comfortable to care about their own soul are gonna be very uncomfortable during those three and a half years a lot of people are too proud you know there's a lot of people that you know a good prayer if you have somebody that you you love or a loved one in your life that's that's not saved and maybe they're just too comfortable they're too proud they think they got everything figured out I think we probably all know somebody like that a good prayer is that you know what maybe God God is make them a little bit uncomfortable make them uncomfortable enough to where they'll listen to your word that's a good prayer you say I should pray for bad things no pray for people to get uncomfortable or get their pride removed from them whatever God has to do you know ask God to intervene to humble somebody so they could be saved that's a good prayer but that's what's going to happen to a lot of people during the wrath of God a lot of people that pride is gonna knock down you know when things are too good for them to care about heaven or hell things aren't going to be good for anybody during that time all right so when circumstances change a lot of times people will go I know so many people that have heard the gospel that they got the gospel multiple times before they got saved the guy standing right here didn't get saved the first time the guy standing right here went to faithful word Baptist Church and somebody turned around and started you know giving him the gospel and the guy standing right here argued with that guy and didn't get saved the first time but it made me uncomfortable and it made me think about you know the cognitive dissonance that I had and how I wasn't really making sense with some of the beliefs that I had but it was somebody that told me it was a witness somebody turned around and witnessed this is why God sends witnesses and as he's gonna he's gonna send them during the wrath is as those pushes happen that's when you know that uncomfort comes and that's when there's gonna be people that wouldn't have received it before that will now receive it and God sends the witnesses to pick up the grain and that's why you know pastor Anderson years ago I heard a sermon and he talked about the first resurrection and the second resurrection what we're talking about with 144,000 and the witnesses we're talking about people that are going to be in the second resurrection we're talking about people after the rapture that are gonna be part of that second resurrection he talked about it you know from a perspective of a harvest you know the first resurrection being that main harvest and then the second resurrection being what the gleanings when you go back and you pick up the stuff that you missed and that's what the 144,000 and that's what the two witnesses are going to be doing. They're going to be picking up the glenies, which are that second resurrection. What's Bowerhead's recovery? You