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So in Revelation 7 there, again we see that after these things, which if you look at verse 6 there, I'm sorry, chapter 6 verse 17, it says, for the great day of His wrath has come, who shall be able to stand? So we see here that what just happened? Well, we're in the great day of the wrath of God or the wrath of the Lamb that we're dealing with here, then it says after these things. So we're coming into after, you know, the sun and moon are darkened and the great day of His wrath has come. I believe we're in that day still, okay, but the idea there is that you can't say that the day of the Lord is happening after this or, you know, it's straight in order here. It says, and after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on any tree and I saw another angel ascending from the east having the seal of the living God and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God and their foreheads. So just like in chapter 6, if you remember, we had the fifth seal was open, we had the souls of men underneath the altar basically saying, how long, oh Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood and the answer is wait a little season. So he had not avenged their blood yet and in chapter 7 here, the day of the Lord's coming, right, it is come but he still hasn't started destroying the earth yet because he's telling these angels, these four angels saying don't hurt the earth yet. Not until they seal these servants of God and we're going to be getting into that 144,000 but who are these four angels, right? And it says the four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth and so I'm sure there's some flat tart out there, some flat earther that's going to be like see there's four corners therefore the earth is flat. It's, you know, other places talks about the four quarters, you know, of the earth and you know what, it talks about the corners of your beard, okay. Is my face flat right now? You know, it says not the mar the corners of your beard. So obviously when we're talking about corners, there's corners to like my head is roughly round, right, whatever you want to call it. It's a ball, no, it's but so that being said, you know, these people will pull this stuff out and be like see the earth is flat, there's corners. See if there's corners that doesn't mean it's flat, it's just, you know, talking about the quadrants. Anyway, I'll say you know why, you know why it says four corners of the earth? Because then it's talking about the four winds of the earth and what do you have north, south, east, and west, okay. You have the four directions, that's what we're talking about and then go to Zechariah chapter 6. Zechariah chapter 6. Now we went to Zechariah when we were dealing with the horsemen, you know, you had the four horsemen that were mentioned in Revelation chapter 6 and now we know that those horsemen are not of God, that is, you know, the tribulation, that's the Antichrist coming on the scene and you have basically the devil working in there, okay. And in Revelation chapter 12 we're going to see that that's the devil, he's working, the Antichrist is on the scene, he's working and then the devil is going to set up the Antichrist over the one world government. All that stuff is tribulation then going into great tribulation, that's not God doing that, okay. You say well, you know, God puts, you know, he's in control of everything. Really? Then why does it say that the dragon gave him his power and seat of authority when it comes to the Antichrist? Now I'm getting ahead of myself but the idea there is that it's not God who's doing all that but remember that the devil wants to be like God, okay. So if he wants to be like God he's going to try to imitate God and that's why the white horse, you know, he's going to be like Christ coming in on a white horse but there's obviously differences but even those four horsemen he's trying to be like God because you're going to see here that the four spirits of the heavens or I believe these four angels are represented by those four types of horses, okay. Notice what it says in Zechariah chapter six and verse one. It says, and I turned and lifted up mine eyes and looked and behold there came four chariots out from between two mountains and the mountains were mountains of brass and the first chariot were red horses and in the second chariot black horses and then the third chariot white horses and in the fourth chariot grizzled and bay horses. Sound familiar? Now it's in a little different order as far as Revelation 6 because you had what? You had the white, red, black and then you had pale but you can imagine that the grizzled and the bay horses would be what we're talking about with the pale horse, right. A pale horse is like it's not white but it's kind of like off colored if you will or you know grizzled and bay, you know, is what I would describe it as but the idea here is that the devil is pulling from what God has and trying to imitate it and we saw that the red horse, whether that represent, that the red horse, the red horses were going about seeking, you know, throughout the earth instead the earth is still, meaning that it's at rest and what does the red horse do? It takes peace from the earth in Revelation chapter six, okay. Now look at what it says here in verse four. So you have these, notice the difference though, chariot, a chariot of horses, okay. So God's spirits, these four spirits that we're going to see of the heavens or these four angels, they have, they're on a chariot with horses, so multiple horses. It says and then it says, then I answered, I'm sorry verse four, then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, what are these my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, these are the four spirits of the heavens which go from forth from standing before the lord of all the earth. Sound familiar? Because you have these four angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth. These are the four spirits of the heavens which go forth from standing before the lord of all the earth. It says the black horses which are therein go forth into the north country and the white go forth after them and the grizzled go forth toward the south country and the bay went forth and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth and he said get you hence to walk to and fro through the earth so they walk to and fro through the earth. Then cried he upon me and spake unto me saying behold these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country. Now I just read this to show you that they're kind of going through these different directions, right? These four angels or these four spirits are going throughout the earth in these different directions and specifically in Zechariah it's probably dealing with a specific situation dealing with back then. So Zechariah was after the the 70-year captivity and there's stuff going on, okay, when you're dealing with, you know, the Persian empire and the Grecian empire and all that stuff and and, you know, that goes into Daniel chapter 11. You got the king of the north, king of the south and all that stuff, okay? I don't want to get deep into that but that being said is that they have a specific job. Obviously all of God's angels have specific jobs, okay? Notice what it says in Hebrews chapter 1. I just want to point out, you say well it says spirits there, it doesn't say angels. So go to Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 7. This doesn't really show you the meaning of what's going on in Revelation 7 but I just want you to see that, hey, this is, this fits hand and glove with what the Bible has already taught before we get to Revelation. It also shows you that, hey, we had the counterfeit, it's time for the real thing, right? You know, the devil's trying to do his thing and remember this, that the rights, that the token of the righteous judgment of God is to trouble them that trouble you or to, I'm gonna, I'm gonna mess up that quote really bad right now. Bear with me, I don't want to mess that up but the idea is that they're gonna reap what they sow and it's gonna come back upon them. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy to, counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye also suffer, seeing it as a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. That's it. Meaning he's gonna recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, that's what tribulation means. So, you know, we're going through tribulation, then great tribulation, but guess what? It's coming back on them, okay? And so the real thing's about to happen. The imitation failed, the imitation, you know, of the devil has failed and now it's Christ coming and the real thing's happening to them, okay? The true God with, with his ministers, with his army, all this stuff is coming back on them, okay? So you can see how that, but notice in Hebrew chapter 1 and verse 7, just to show you that angels are spirits, it says, and of the angels he saith, who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire, okay? So his angels are called spirits, you know, they're, they're inherently a spirit, they're not like in this physical world, right? So in this physical world, you know, we have flesh and all this stuff, we're not dealing with what we call the metaphysical, right? You think of metaphysical, but Hebrew chapter 1 and verse 14, it says, are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? So not only are angels spirits, but they're ministering spirits. They're ministering spirits, they're made to minister to us. That's the reason that God made them and he made them to minister unto God and they're obviously worshiping God and doing, you know, what God tells them to do, they're messengers, right? And the whole point of them is to basically give us messages and that's what angel even means. The word angel means a messenger. That's why at the very beginning of Revelation you have the seven angels of the seven churches and he'd speak unto the angel of a certain church, he's talking about the messenger of that church or the pastor or the leader of that church that's giving the messages, right? I'm giving you a message right now from the Lord. Obviously it should be from the Bible and not just my own message, but go to Revelation chapter 7 again. So that kind of gives you an idea, okay, you got these four angels on the four corners of the earth with the four winds of the earth, but they're commanded not to hurt the earth yet or the heaven or the sea or anything. So at this point has God dealt out any wrath yet? No, it's actually very clear that he hasn't. It's being very clear that he has not avenged the blood of the saints yet, that he has not actually even hurt the earth yet. So you can look at like these seals where you have the fact that, okay, there's famine, there's wars, all this stuff's going on, but it doesn't actually show anything that that's God. Actually it's being very clear that it's not God, that he has not done that yet. Now let's get into who these servants are, because he's saying that they have the seal of the living God, so this angel is coming out of the east having the seal of the living God. And in Revelation chapter 7 we see who this is for. Verse 4 it says of Revelation 7, and I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Now let's just read them. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Gad were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Asher were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Nephthlem were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Simeon were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Levi were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Issachar were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Joseph were sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed 12,000. Now when it says that it's 12,000 out of these tribes, I take that literally. Okay this is not, well it's just the Jews. Okay that he's gonna seal 144,000 Jews. Okay but you know if it was that he would just say well you know 144,000 Israelites you know or something like that or 144,000 Jews. Actually the only time Jews are mentioned in Revelation, it's always in a negative light. It says you know that Jews, they say they are Jews and are not but do lie but are of the synagogue of Satan. So if you want to look up Jews in Revelation, not going to find a good reference but in here we see that we're talking about Israelites. Now go to 2 Kings chapter 16. 2 Kings chapter 16. Now I want to show you that just because someone was of Israel doesn't mean they're a Jew. That term Jew is first mentioned here in 2 Kings chapter 16. Jew does not mean Hebrew. Okay Abraham was not a Jew and I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you why that doesn't make any sense because Jew was referring to those of Judah. Okay the southern kingdom of Judah. So in your homework you can read in 1 Kings chapter 16 I believe is where you have the split. Okay where you have the split where you had Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Okay so after Solomon died, Rehoboam was given the southern kingdom and Jeroboam took ten tribes with him. But Rehoboam, he took Judah and I believe Simeon went with him and so Judah is not just Judah but Judah is like Simeon, a lot of the Levites went down there so a lot of the Levites didn't have any inheritance or lot so they could go wherever they wanted any type of tribe but a lot of the Levites came down and other people came down later on as well and joined that nation of Judah. So when you after you get to when you get to Rehoboam and Jeroboam after that it's always the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah. The kingdom of Israel, the kingdom of Judah and you go through the Kings lines and you're like in this year of the king of Israel this this king and Judah have started to begin to reign. Okay there's an obvious split in kingdoms. In 2 Kings chapter 16, notice what it says here in verse 5, it says, then reason king of Syria and Pekah son of Remilai king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him. So get the picture here, you have the king of Syria and the king of Israel that northern kingdom that has most of the tribes is going against Jerusalem and against king Ahaz who's king of Judah. Here's the first mention of Jews. Verse 6, at that time recent king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria and braved the Jews from Elath and the Syrians came to Elath and dwelt there unto this day. First mention of Jews, who are we talking about? Those that were of Judah and the same thing applies in the New Testament. When you're talking about Jews you're talking about those of Judea. Okay Judea, Judah, that's why they're called Jews. Okay and so to say this is 144,000 Jews is just to be ignorant of what the Bible teaches because you're telling me the tribe of Reuben is a Jew? You're telling me Abraham's a Jew when he's the one that fathered Isaac, Jacob, and then Jacob fathered Judah. Okay so that means that you can't you can't go back with that and be like well they're Jews. Be like they're of Judah? That doesn't make any sense. Now I know that that Levi gave tithes through the wounds of Abraham and that's another subject for another day. Okay meaning that but the idea of the say that Levi's you know that Abraham's of Levi would be weird, that doesn't make any sense. And the same thing with Judah and so that being said is that Jews are referring to the southern kingdom. Now in Jesus' day that's pretty much all that was left. You had Samaria, right you had Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. And Judea and Galilee were kind of considered Israel and then you had but really more so Judea. Samaria was not considered Israel, they're just like that's not Israel. And if you know the story, when Israel was taken out, Samaria was that north the capital city of that northern kingdom. You know what happened is they took all the Israelites out and put all their people back in and they they basically took the religion of of the Jews and for lack of better terms bastardized it into their you know polytheistic type of views. So when you're in Judea in Jesus' day you're dealing with the fact that Samaritans basically kind of have this hybrid religion that has a little portion of the you know the true religion if you will of the Bible. Okay so a little history lesson there to say that these 144,000 are Jews it's just not biblically accurate. And when you're in the Old Testament talking about Israel like King David and the Israelites to call them Jews is not biblically accurate. Okay but after that if you're talking about the king of like you know Hezekiah and you called them all Jews that would make sense because they're of the kingdom of Judea or Judea. Okay so that being said we're talking about physical people from these tribes. So this stuff is future. Okay even if you're a Preterist this stuff had to be after 70 AD right. Even if you believe in like something like that this is still like after Jesus was resurrected all that stuff. Show me today the tribe of Reuben. Show me any tribe and talk to any Jew and ask them if they know what tribe they're from. None of them know. And some of them will claim that they know that there are Levi of the priestly line or whatever but they don't know and the New Testament says to avoid genealogies that we're not supposed to be looking back into this endless genealogy to figure out what tribe you're from anyway and in the end it doesn't matter because in Christ there's not a Jew nor Greek. We're all one in Christ. So the idea of needing genealogies is out the door. That stopped when Jesus was born and Jesus came into this world and Jesus died for us and He rose again and He is on His throne. There's no more need for genealogy. The only genealogy that matters in the New Testament is the genealogy of Jesus. After that you might as well throw it out the door doesn't matter. You say okay well if there's no if you take this literal that these are 12,000 of each of these tribes and there's no tribe today then who are these people and where did they come from and what are you talking about right? Well go to Revelation chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14 gives us some light on the 144,000 who they are. So Revelation 14 and Revelation 7 happen exactly the same meaning that what you have in Revelation 7, 144,000 and then you have the rapture. Then in Revelation 14 you have 144,000 then the rapture. Okay so these are parallel you put them together and see exactly what's going on here. Where are these 144,000 when they're sealed? That's the question you have to ask yourself. Are they here on earth? Are they in heaven? And what I'm going to show you here is that I believe they're actually in heaven before we're even raptured out. Okay before God starts pouring out his wrath meaning that we're dealing with Old Testament saints and listen throughout the history of the children of Israel you could find what I'm going to show you here is some pretty strict requirements to be the 144,000 to be these people of these to be the servants of God. It's not just that you're of that tribe that you're picked okay or that you're in this number okay. In verse 1 here of Revelation 14 it says, and I looked and lo a lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with him 144,000. Everybody's looking at me like I needed I needed some coffee though but that coffee always dries out my throat. So he's on the Mount Sion with him at 144,000 having his father's name written in their foreheads. Now before I read any further in Revelation 7 it says don't hurt the earth the sea or anything until the servants of God are sealed. Does that make sense? Basically time timeline is don't touch anything until these servants are sealed. In Revelation 14 they're already sealed right does that make sense? Having his father's name written in their foreheads. So it's already happened where are they at? Well it said that they're on the Mount Sion now you can argue and say well I think that's the physical Mount Sion in Jerusalem physically on this earth. Well let's keep reading. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of great thunder and I heard the voice of 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 notice it you say well that's the angel singing it. Okay keep reading. And no man can learn that song but the 144,000 which were redeemed from the earth. Where are they at? They're at the throne of God. Well maybe the throne is down here on Mount Sion. Well what's the Bible say? The Bible says this in Psalm 11 verse 4 it says the Lord is in his holy temple the Lord's throne is in heaven. Heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool. So if they're at the throne on Mount Sion then they're in heaven. Go to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 just to show you what we're talking about here. So get the picture here. You had these four angels over the four winds of the earth that are told don't hurt anything yet until we seal these servants. And then we see in Revelation 14 that these servants are sealed but they're still in heaven. The reason for the sealing is so they don't get hurt by the wrath of God. Okay and in Hebrew chapter 12 I just wanted to show you Mount Sion and talking about this is in heaven because there's a Mount Sion in heaven. It says in verse 22, but ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels to the general assembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediator the new covenant into the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. So when it says that you see the the lamb stood on the Mount Sion and they're before the throne of God we're in heaven and they have the seal already upon their head so we know that Revelation 7 they must have been in heaven when they got when they got sealed that wouldn't make sense if they're not sealed and they're on the earth and then they're in heaven and they're sealed and then they come back down to the earth they're just going up and down up and down up and down or are they already there which makes sense because in the history of Israel notice these requirements. Go to Revelation chapter 14 again. What's the requirements you know as far as who are these people is it men women like or or what and again I take this literally I'm not going to spiritualize this I believe it's a literal 12,000 of the tribe of Reuben it's 12,000 Reubenites and 12,000 Gadites and notice what it says in verse 4 there it says these are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the firstfruits of the God into the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault for the throne of God. Now we know that just say people in general you know it says in whose spirit is no guile meaning that when you get saved who's sort of born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he's born of God so we know that they're saved obviously we're not talking about like he just you know because that that's where you know it goes off the rails with this 144,000 they're like well you know when Jesus comes back the Jews are gonna see that and then they're gonna all believe you know the Bible says that when Jesus comes back he's gonna send strong delusion that those which believe not the truth may all be damned who had pleasure and unrighteousness and did not believe the truth okay so it's actually opposite of what they're saying because by the way if they see Jesus coming in the clouds that's not faith because you know faith is a substance that things hope for the evidence of things not seen it's no longer faith if they see it if they have to see it to believe it but it also would just you're basically just kind of throwing out the the physical meaning of what's being said and you're just basically making up stuff all this is Jews and you know or virgins you'd have to say what so what we're saying here or what we're seeing here is that these are virgin men that were Old Testament Saints that were say you know they were saved right but they were virgins okay so that being said that's who you're dealing with there so David is not in the 144,000 right because he obviously wasn't a virgin he was married and all this other stuff so anybody that you see in the Bible that was married that was in these tribes they can't be a part of that I don't know who all this would be but at the same time I take it literally I believe you're dealing with 12,000 virgin men of the tribe of Ruben 12,000 virgin men of the tribe of Gad 12,000 virgin men of the tribe of Manasseh that are in heaven right now that God is going to seal and and they're gonna come down to the earth and a sit down so you say well this is that's weird that they would the God would send down someone from heaven to the earth well we haven't got to this yet but they're the two witnesses that stand before the God of all the earth notice that they're standing they're standing before the God of all the earth are going to come down and be a witness for three and a half years we'll get to that in Revelation chapter 11 when you're when you're dealing with these two witnesses which I believe is very clear that it's Moses and Elijah it even says that in the days of their prophecy meaning that it's pointing back that this is when they prophesied in time past you know these people that they're from time past okay so if Moses and Elijah have this ministry or this witness that they're doing in Jerusalem I believe the 144,000 are going to be there after were raptured to preach the gospel it's interesting because what's the next thing stated act when we see the 144,000 mentioned who they are that they're sealed in their foreheads look at verse 6 of Revelation 14 verse 6 of Revelation 14 says this and I saw another angel 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 saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea in the fountains of waters so get this in Revelation 7 and Revelation 14 these 144,000 are sealed then were taken up into heaven what about everybody else that's on the earth they say well they can just read Bible get safe really how should they hear without a preacher you know the Bible says that you know that there was an Ethiopian eunuch reading the Bible and he said understand this without readers he said how can I accept some man should guide me the Bible is very clear that you need a preacher that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith so you need a safe person a believer to show someone how to be safe so if all the believers are taken out who's getting anybody saved during that time you say well no one's getting saved during that time I don't believe that actually I do believe people get saved during the wrath of God obviously no one takes the mark of the peace is going to get saved okay but not everybody's gonna take the mark of the beast and there's people that were children during that time that are growing up you know that are you know in those years that are like the three and a half years that are going by there that may get saved and there's gonna be people going into that thousand year rain that are living okay so I believe that's their purpose just as much as the two witnesses their purpose is to preach and be a witness and what happens at the end of their witness they're taken up they die they're killed by the the false prophet so they can't be in glorified bodies okay because you can't kill something that's immortal okay so what I believe about this before we get into well I'm gonna get to another subject there but before we get into the rapture and again this doesn't really tell us about them we know the two witnesses are going to literally be killed and then God's gonna say come up hither and then they're caught up in a cloud and go up into heaven okay meaning that when we are raptured we're all changed okay but what about the two witnesses what about Moses and Elijah at that point I don't believe they're in glorified bodies yet in the same thing with 144,000 I believe that 144,000 will be like the two witnesses that will be changed at that moment and that's why I don't believe you see it talks about the first resurrection after everything's done up till when Satan's put into into the bottomless pit okay so that's kind of getting a little deep there on okay well what these 144,000 Old Testament Saints are they are they in glorified bodies can they be killed same thing with the two witnesses I don't believe that they are in that glorified state yet or else why would they need to be sealed to not be hurt by the wrath of God and how did the two witnesses die they literally die for three and a half days right so that being said is that you know that has to be the case that they're not in their glorified bodies but when those two witnesses are taken up before the seventh trumpet blows or sounds that's when they're in that resurrected state okay it doesn't tell us what happens with 144,000 doesn't tell us that the that the Beast or anybody can kill them we know that when they try to kill the two witnesses fire and brimstone comes out of their mouth and destroys anybody that tries to kill them but that the Beast will eventually overtake them and kill them and they're gonna die and they're gonna see their bodies in the streets and then the spirit of life is gonna come back in them and they're gonna go up into heaven and I believe that that moment is when they're in a resurrected state okay so I know it's a little deep but if you think if you want to see okay well what's the purpose of the two witnesses I believe that's the same purpose of 144,000 it's just that the two witnesses have a local ministry in Jerusalem but what about the rest of the world so the rest of the world I believe these 144,000 servants of God will be spread around throughout the whole world to be a witness and to preach the everlasting gospel and by the way that everlasting gospel is the same gospel we believe it's the same gospel that Abraham believed it's the same gospel that Adam believed and Abel believed and Seth believed and Noah believed and it'll always be that way and it'll be the same gospel that all those that are in a thousand year reign will believe because if any man preach any other gospel unto you then that which you have received let him be accursed and that'll be true to the end of time there's only one gospel and that's the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that is the fact that you believe on the Lord for salvation that is how you're saved it's never been by works it never will be by works and that's what they'll be preaching now look at Genesis chapter 49 I'm going to touch on something really quick where is the tribe Dan in that 144,000 okay so when you read that list what you're going to see is you're going to see Manasseh and Joseph mentioned now Manasseh is the son of Joseph so Joseph had two sons Ephraim and Manasseh right Manasseh was actually the older but Ephraim ended up being a greater nation okay and you can go back and see the whole story about how Jacob blesses Ephraim above Manasseh and saying Manasseh is going to be blessed but not as much as Ephraim even though he's the younger okay and but the thing is is that Dan's not mentioned in this in this list so you had either Joseph or Manasseh taking his place there now Joseph a lot of times in the Bible is Ephraim right it'll talk about it's kind of like Judah the southern kingdom will be likened unto Judah and sometimes the northern kingdom instead of saying Israel just say Ephraim or Joseph because that's the major tribe in there same thing with Judah Judah was the major tribe that's what made up most of that that kingdom although there was other tribes sprinkled throughout but in Genesis chapter 49 we kind of already hit on this when we were talking about that Jesus was the line of the tribe of Judah and how it prophesied about that and it says in verse 1 there that that Jacob called unto his sons and said gather yourselves together that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days so we're talking about last days or events here look at verse 16 when we're talking about Dan now this is just a theory okay but again it doesn't really matter God says these are the twelve tribes that are going to be there if Dan's not there he didn't want him to be there but here's the theory Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel Dan shall be a serpent by the way an adder in the path that biteth the horse heels so that his rider shall bet fall backward I have waited for thy salvation the Lord so think about in the the New Jerusalem there's two different sets of 12 names right you have the 12 tribes of Israel then you have the 12 apostles well it doesn't say what the names of the apostles are but I guarantee one name that's not going to be there and that is going to be Judas Iscariot okay it's Matthias right he was replaced so think about that logic and the fact that he's likened them to a serpent and an adder by the way and what what's he biting at the horse is what heals and talks about the serpent in the Garden of Eden that the serpent is going to what bruise his heel and he shall bruise his head talking about how that Jesus is going to bruise Satan's head okay so it could be the fact that Dan was replaced just like Judas okay that's a theory okay in the end does it really matter do I really do we really need to figure out why Dan's not there but apparently when we go to the door some people that's all they care about right I mean I remember this guy that we give him the gospel and he's just like but what about the tribe of Dan it's like who cares about the tribe of Dan if you're unsaved you need to get saved okay but the funny part about that story or the sad part however you want to look at it is we went back like a year or two later ran into the same guy same thing he's like what about the tribe of Dan I'm like you're on that same hobby horse get a new subject but it's like you know what salvation is more important than why Dan's not mentioned in the 144,000 okay so that being said that's a theory here's another theory God can't force anybody to get safe and Dan is a very small tribe okay if you if you study the tribes of Israel Ephraim was obviously huge right Manasseh is pretty big because it's got half tribe of Manasseh on one side of the river Jordan and another half on the other side right Judah is obviously big it's called the whole nation of Judah so there's some tribes that are bigger than others and Dan is just not that big of a tribe in general so it could be the fact that you know what there just wasn't 12,000 of the tribe of Dan that were saved virgin men and time passed and so he had to pull it from another tribe okay because God doesn't force people to get saved or stay pure or anything like that okay and actually if you want to think about it Dan doesn't have a good reputation of being pure because when you think about the tribe of Dan the first person I think about is Samson. Samson was of the tribe of Dan and by the way the historian judges about Micah you know the guy that basically was like the priest and and went around you know the images and all that stuff Dan so I'm not saying I'm not here to just brag on Dan brother Dan you got a good name I'm not here to just be like Dan is just an adder and a serpent and he's cursed you know what I'm saying though is that those are two valid opinions as far as why Dan's not mentioned in that list okay but in the end does it really matter it's just here's what it is there's gonna be 12,000 of Manasseh there's gonna be 12,000 of Joseph which I believe particularly would be Ephraim right and that's the way it is Dan's not mentioned Dan doesn't have 12,000 that are representing God as the servants of God and it's not that big of a deal when you think about that that Jesus did I not choose you 12 and one of you is the devil that's there's there's a I don't know if there's a precedent because obviously the tribes came before the Apostles but we're in Revelation so there's a precedent to the fact that that you had the 12 apostles and one of them had to be replaced okay that's just a theory in the end I believe what it says I believe it's 12,000 of each one of those tribes and that's the way it should be the next thing that happens is clearly the rapture and for someone to say that this isn't the rat because people are like oh the rapture is not in the book of Revelation that's interesting because the day of the Lord is mentioned as far as Jesus coming in the clouds it seems to be a big event to not be mentioned in the probably the most crucial book on end-time prophecy the rapture is just not mentioned well let's see if it's mentioned the reason they don't think it's mentioned is because of what it says okay but let's see what we see here verse 9 after this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands now for the life of me I like to know how Jehovah Witnesses get away with this the Jehovah Witnesses believe that the hundred forty that there's only a hundred forty four thousand people that will be in heaven and everybody else will be on the earth okay but here it says that there's a multitude which no man can number that's at the throne of God okay so if there's a number that no one can number and he just mentioned 144,000 it's literally in the chapter of the 144,000 and they're saying no it's only 144,000 everybody else has to be down here on the earth it's actually the opposite the hundred forty four thousand are being brought to the earth and a great multitude which nobody can number can be in heaven it's gonna be in heaven isn't it funny how these false cult you know religions actually have it completely backwards you know it's like salvation is always backwards you know oh you got to be a good person you got to live a good life what's the Bible say it's not by works at all it we therefore we conclude that we're just by my faith and not by the law you know like it's completely opposite of what they say and it's quite amusing to see how off they are now obviously they don't believe the Bible they have their watchtower and they have their new world translation and they obviously are going off man's wisdom and man's teachings and not the Bible but we see that there's a great multitude which no man can number and the question you have to ask yourself where they come from who are these people right it's interesting because that question is answered and it says so keep reading it says in cried with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb now you know what I want you to think about this for a second we're gonna be in that group you ever want to have the Bible personalized to you know this is that we're gonna be in that group because we're alive right now and when Jesus comes in clouds it's gonna be the dead of Christ that are gonna rise first and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds that's gonna be us that is literally writing what we're what we will be doing at the throne of God it says we cry we're gonna cry with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb and all the angels stood round about the throne and about the elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worship God saying amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever amen so I love thinking about this because you know what it's awesome to think you know that John could literally be looking at one of us now it's a great multitude okay so let's give him a break he's probably not gonna be like a lock but but he could very well be looking at one of us I mean and saying here's a great multitude and seeing because you're gonna be seeing everybody from Adam up to where they're at when the rapture happens that's who was always going to be standing there and it's just awesome to think about the fact that 2,000 years ago when this is being written down he's seeing this vision of future events and people that haven't been born yet that he's standing before the throne of God in that event okay sometimes I just what you just need to step in there and see okay we're in this this is gonna be us right here it says in verse 12 I'm sorry verse 13 this is where it's funny I always read this and laugh okay it says and one of the elders answered saying unto me what are these which are a raid and white robes and whence came they and I said in him sir thou knowest isn't that that how is that not funny that he's literally seeing this vision he sees a great multitude and his angels the one that's telling her this elders telling him these things right and these angels showing him these things and all this stuff and the elders think who are these people to John who doesn't know right he's like basically like sir thou knowest it was like but it's kind of like he's bringing up the question so he can answer it does that make sense because John's not asking the question so the elders bringing up the question so that he can answer the question but it's still funny right because he's kind of like you know who are these people I don't know you tell me so anyway I always think it's funny but let's see the answer here it says he says it said unto him sir thou knowest and he said to me these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb so we're talking about people that are washed by the blood of the Lamb we're talking about those that are saved by the blood by faith in his blood those who are all is this great multitude and what why they don't want this to be the the rapture is because they came out of great tribulation that's why they don't want this to be the rapture because how in the world could you not think this is the rapture when there's this great multi which no man can number just suddenly appears before the throne of God out of every tongue kindred nation everything that they're standing there praising God for salvation well they can't be that because they came out of great tribulation we know that we don't go through the tribulation well the question you got to ask yourself is well why do you know that why or what gives you the idea that we're not going to go through great tribulation well because God's not a wife beater and he said that we're not going to go through you know wrath well let me ask you this is tribulation always God's wrath actually most time it's not and so they equate tribulation with God's wrath because the Bible says in first Thessalonians chapter 5 that we're not appointed unto wrath and amen to that but according to Revelation 7 has God's wrath started yet no revelation 6 says that he has not yet avenged the blood of his Saints and revelation 7 says he hasn't even started hurting the earth yet so how is coming out of great tribulation God's wrath it doesn't make any sense but the Bible does say that yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution that we must through great tribulation or much tribulation I'm sorry enter into the kingdom of God that the Bible says that we're gonna that in the world you should have what tribulation but in me you shall have peace but be of good cheer I have overcome the world and so it's completely biblical that will go through tribulation actually you know what the Bible says it says that we're appointed unto tribulation and afflictions in first Thessalonians 3 it's like they didn't read first Thessalonians 3 and it's interesting because what do we believe you have the tribulation rapture rap first Thessalonians 3 says we're appointed unto afflictions and tribulation chapter 4 is the rapture most famous rapture passage in the Bible chapter 5 says we're not appointed unto the wrath I have zero problem with that that lines up with everything that we believe because we're not appointed unto God's wrath because we're gonna be saved out of great tribulation and then he's gonna pour out his wrath lines up perfectly how about Matthew chapter 24 Matthew 24 I know we hit this last week but let's hit it again Matthew 24 verse 29 it says immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and a star shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken now where did we see that I feel that sounds familiar oh yeah and Revelation chapter 6 and verse 12 it says and I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake and the Sun became black a sackcloth of hair and the moon became his blood and the stars of heaven fell into the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind okay okay well you know what I guess the next thing that we should see if Revelation 7 is talking about the rapture we should see the rapture right well look at verse 30 then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other it's interesting because he even mentions four winds which is exactly how Revelation 7 even starts with the four angels on the four corners of the earth with the four winds of the earth and I didn't even mention the fact that at the end of Revelation chapter 6 it talks about the tribes of the earth mourning it literally happens like point by point by point exactly the way it says in Matthew 24 and you have to have an agenda to believe otherwise you have to have some preconceived idea or some doctrine you're trying to fit into the Bible for you not to see this the Sun and moon are darkened after the tribulation chapter 7 says that this great multitude came out of great tribulation how in the world are saved people brought out before the tribulation show me chapter and verse on that this is so clear it's ridiculous it's ridiculous that people don't believe this at you know like on mass people believe that we're raptured out before the tribulation and the Bible is very clear that we're gonna go through great tribulation if we're here when it happens okay but even as a Christian in general you're gonna go through tribulation if you don't then you're not living a godly life Anna get your feet off that so the idea of not going through tribulation is just not a biblical concept that's that's biblical Christianity right there go to 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 13 because again I just want to show you in 1st Thessalonians chapter 3 I know I kind of mentioned it to you but I want you to see it and 1st Thessalonians chapter 3 and I'm not I don't have this in my notes so turn there 1st Thessalonians chapter 3 and look at verse 3 it says that no man should be moved by these afflictions for yourselves know that we are appointed there to there unto for verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass and you know so we're appointed on the affliction and we're and it says we should suffer tribulation go to chapter 5 chapter 5 and verse 9 for God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ okay well if our model is correct that you have tribulation you have the rapture and wrath then the rapture should be found between chapter 3 chapter 5 oh wait the most famous rapture passage in the whole entire Bible is in chapter 4 seems to line up doesn't it that it says in chapter 3 we're appointed unto affliction and that we should go through tribulation chapter 5 says we're not appointed unto wrath chapter 4 notice in verse 13 but I would not have you'd be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from the from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel with and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words how can you see this any other way I mean even in an epistle this is stating tribulation rapture wrath and it fits hand in glove and when you compare Matthew 24 with with 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 you see everything is mentioned there you see a sound of a trumpet you see you see the angels gathering together his elect you see being caught up into the clouds you see all these different things that are exactly what is mentioned in the rapture so for someone to say well Matthew 24 30 that's not the rapture or 31 that's not the rapture and in Revelation chapter 7 that's not the rapture why is it not the rapture because it comes after the tribulation that's their only argument and their argument is well we know that he can come at any he can come at any moment do we so you got to ask these questions that they keep it's like well we know do you know do we know that is that settled it's like the science today well we know that the science is settled do we know that the science settled are you just saying that why'd you prove that to me and you know what you know what I'm gonna show you I'm not gonna say well we know that it's after the tribulation just take my word for it you know I'm gonna show you I'm gonna show you where it says immediately after the tribulation the sun moon or darkened and then shall you see the son of man coming in the clouds you know what I'm gonna show you I'm gonna show you Revelation 6 where it says that the sun moon and darkened are darkened before the great terrible day of the Lord and then there's a great multitude found in heaven I'm gonna show you that I'm gonna show you that in chapter 8 is when he starts pouring fire down on this earth that's what I'm gonna show you because that's how it works because it's thus saith the Lord it's line upon line here a little there a little you know comparing spiritual things of spiritual not well we know that this is the case no the only reason I know this is the case because thus saith the Lord because I have a Bible verse that attached to that if you don't have a Bible verse to attach to your doctrine that I don't want your doctrine it's the Bible that that I'm gonna stand on that's the foundation that's the rock man's wisdom could go jump in a lake and so we see that it's very clear that this great multitude which is found in heaven that's all the safe so at that point all the safe from those that were that died from Adam till everybody was alive that's who's in that great multitude okay now let's read a little further here and just finish off the chapter here so that's the crux of the chapter is the 144,000 and then the rapture okay and we'll hit on this again because when we get to chapter 14 it's repeating it but it's giving different elements in there okay but in verse 15 there says therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them and they shall hunger no more neither the thirst anymore neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall shall feed them and shall leave them until living waters or fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes so the thing that I want to show you here is that some of this isn't happening the moment we're raptured okay some of this is basically saying this is happening but then this shall happen I want you to see the distinction here in verse 15 it says therefore are they before the throne of God so obviously that are before the throne of God is great multitudes there they're serving him and it says serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them okay notice that that's not are that shall sit among them and the reason that this there's a distinction here is because I want you to notice that it says they're going to serve him day and night in his temple okay go to Revelation chapter 21 because the phrase where you know the tears are wiped away I don't believe that happens until after the thousand year reign after the great white throne judgment and when you have the new heaven the new earth okay so everything from halfway through on chapter 15 or verse 15 on chapter 7 to the end is dealing with new heaven new earth things that are going to happen after that okay but all that whole multitude that's going to happen to them okay it's not like it's not going to happen it's just at the moment of the rapture I don't believe all tears are wiped away and some of this stuff is happening until later okay and notice what it says in Revelation 21 and verse 1 it says and I saw a new heaven in the new earth for the first heaven and first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and they shall be there should be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away so when does this happen when a new heaven new earth happens that God himself shall dwell with us and that's what it's saying that he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them that's talking about the Father okay that God the Father is going to dwell with us and notice in Revelation 21 the thing that I want you to notice there is in verse 22 when you have the new Jerusalem coming down and God him you know obviously Jesus is God you have the Trinity the Father Son only goes but at this point God the Father no one has seen his face you know he obviously God is light and I believe that glory of the Father is so bright that even people that are in heaven don't see his face yet okay because in chapter 22 it says we shall see his face okay and that's a significant event so we will see his face he will dwell among us and but notice what it says in verse 22 and I saw no temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it so that's kind of the key when I see what's the break what's the the break point here as far as what's happening at the after the thousand year reign and what's happening before the thousand year reign is the fact that in verse 15 when it's saying we're gonna serve him day and night in his temple that can't be the new heaven new earth because it says there's no temple and then when it says he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them the fact that that's future tense like shall dwell among them and the fact that he's saying he's gonna wipe away tears leads me to Revelation 21 okay where it says he shall wipe away all tears and there's no more temple and he's gonna dwell with us and all that okay that was maybe a little too deep for the end sermon but that's that's kind of you know what I see going on at the end there and all that's true meaning like it's not like well this this only applies to that group no this applies to that group holistically it's just the fact that some of that isn't gonna happen until a thousand years later okay and being in glorified bodies I don't think a thousand years gonna be that all that that bad okay we're gonna be ruling and reigning with Christ in a glorified body you know like it's not like man I wish that was happening then at that moment you know I don't think we're gonna be that's you know in a state of sorrow because we had to wait a thousand years for that though we'll be looking forward to it I'm sure okay it's kind of like at that point we still have we still have this to look forward to where the new heaven a new earth and New Jerusalem comes down and there's just no one dying when we're rolling and raining there's still gonna be people living and dying on this earth you're gonna be dealing with sorrows and all these different things that are going on you have new earth all that's done away you just have the saved that are new have a new earth and then you have all the loss that are in the lake of fire so but revelation chapter 7 to me you know revelation 6 and 7 just completely debunked the pre-tribulation rapture and ultimately it just shows you a clear timeline of events so what are we seeing so far we saw the great tribulate we saw the tribulation the great tribulation and we saw the rapture next you're gonna see the wrath of God and so revelation 8 9 10 and 11 wrath of God okay so buckle your seat belts for that but the thing is is and we were kind of talking about this is that revelation 6 and 7 they're exciting chapters because they're chapters that apply to us or could apply to us if it happens in our day revelation 8 9 10 11 they're interesting but we know we're not going to be here for that so it's one of those things where you're not like like hanging on oh what do we got to go through you know like what what's gonna happen to us when we're in this in the state no we're obviously gonna be in heaven we're gonna be witnessing this happening so when you read those chapters you know it's you're kind of thinking that's gonna be bad but no we don't have to deal with that because we're not appointed on the rap okay let's end with a word prayer down heavenly father we think for today thank you for your word and just pray to you to be with us throughout the rest this week as we go back to work and come back at the point of time we thank you for the book of Revelation thank you for how clear you've shown us these events that are going to happen in the future and Lord just pray to help us to understand it as we keep going through the book and Lord just pray that you'd give us understanding and help us to bring glory to your name in Jesus Christ name amen