The Changing of the Guard

You know, it seems like every student has their favorite classes, you know. Usually it's the ones that they're good at, and the ones that they like, or the ones that God has given them a gift, and they may not even realize until later, oh, it came easy because God had blessed me in that regard. Now, I can tell you in my experience at K-12 that I was not a good student of history.

That was not my favorite class. I was strong with math skills, so I kind of liked the math class. I wasn't that strong in English. I was kind of right in the middle there when it came to English. But for some reason, I just didn't find history that interesting.

Now, maybe some of you are different, and you are students of history and fascinated by it. You know, several years ago, my wife and I went to some seminars for our county and tax practice, and we went to Virginia, and we had a chance to see Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson's home.

And, oh, I don't know, how do we pronounce it? Monticello, Monticello. I guess it goes both ways depending on which part of the country you're in. That was his home, and of course, a little museum that's there. We begin to learn things about what was happening in the early parts of our country. And my wife and I started to get a little bit more interested in history. By this time, I had matured. You kind of look at life a little bit different, and history becomes a little bit more not even more interesting for me.

It started to become more fascinating for me, because I realized that there were so many lessons that we could learn from history. We also went over to James Madison's home. We went up to, what is it, Mount Vernon, where George Washington's home was, and there's a museum there. And they began to share all these different stories about what was happening in the formation of the years of the country that you and I find that we are living in.

Fascinating information to me. And so we began to learn more about the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, and to learn about the American Revolution. Because that was a pretty big thing for our country. You know, in a sense, as we look at it through the eyes of the Founding Fathers, it was a dream.

It was almost an unattainable dream. If you think about it, can you imagine, I want you to imagine this, 56 people, you know, what do we got here? Maybe 17? Multiply that times 3 and 3 and a half. Can you imagine 56 people who so believed in their cause that they were willing to pledge everything? Their wealth, their honor, their lives. They were willing to give up everything for a cause that they believed in. I wonder if you can imagine 56 people doing that today. You know? And imagine 56 people with absolutely no military of any kind.

No Navy, no Army, you know, no air support, all of that willing to challenge and take on the number one military power at that time, Great Britain. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine 56 people doing that today? Can you imagine 56 people not going against the number one military power, but against the 25th or the 56th or the 120th power?

So, that Revolutionary War ensued. And you know, the people at that time that were in our country had to decide. They had to make a choice. They had to make a decision. Which kingdom are they going to give their allegiance to? Because it wasn't a simple thing.

It wasn't a simple thing. You had Great Britain, which was an established government at the time. They were the ones on the ground. This is where these people were born. They'd grown up in this country. That's all they'd never known, was they answered to, you know, the motherland over there in Great Britain. Who were they going to give their allegiance to?

You know, those that gave their allegiance to Great Britain. Remember what they were known as? The Tories. Okay? The Tories. And those who wanted to give their allegiance to a new revolutionary government. Remember what they were called? The Patriots. The Patriots. Not the New England Patriots, but the Patriots. And you know, people, whether they liked it or not, they had to eventually make a decision. It didn't seem to be any neutral ground here. You had to eventually decide which kingdom you were going to give your allegiance to, because it was nearly impossible to remain neutral.

Well, the history books tell us about this war, about the Revolutionary War. And it tells us, and we know, that it resulted in a change. It resulted in a change. A change of leadership. A change of government. Kind of a changing of the guard, if you will. Now, the phrase changing of the guard, what's that mean? You know, we throw that out.

Oh, there's going to be a changing of the guard. What's that mean? It's used to refer to a situation where there is a dramatic change. A big change. A monumental change. A changing of the guard is basically a time in which people, new people, are replacing other people in positions of influence and importance. It's a dramatic change. So we begin to see. It's a dramatic change in governments. It's a dramatic change in leadership. And if you've been a student of history, you know how much of an impact a leader has on a country.

As to where that country is going to go. As to which direction that they're going to go. For some of us old timers that have got gray here, we've had a chance to live through several different presidential leaders of our country. And you know, you can look back and you can say, wow, what a difference this one made. And this one, wow, what a difference they made in a negative way. What a difference this one made in a positive way. And some that didn't seem to make much of a difference at all. But normally a leader has huge impact on where a country is going to go.

We've been taught from Scripture, from God's Word, that one of the meanings of this coming Feast of Trumpets, it's less than two weeks away. It's a little over a week and a half. What we can have is that it portrays the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to assume leadership over the kingdoms and the governments of this earth, which we'll see in a moment as a changing of the guard.

Let's begin Scripture with Revelation chapter 10 and verse number 7. Revelation chapter 10 and verse number 7 is where we're going to start. You know, the book of Revelation is a prophetic book and it talks about trumpets. And of course, this coming Feast is not the Feast of a trumpet, which is singular, but it's the Feast of Trumpets.

So in a sense, that's all part of the meaning of this coming day that we'll have here in just a week and a half or so. We'll see here that there are seven angels that, and I'm going to refer to this particular Scripture, Revelation chapter 8 verse 6 talks about that there were seven angels and they were each given a trumpet and they all blew the trumpets at their time that they were appointed to blow them and things happened.

And so in the book of Revelation, we talk about trumpets. And the Feast that we're going to be observing is the Feast of Trumpets. Again, plural, not the Feast of Trumpet. And all of these trumpets talk about what's going to happen on this coming Feast Day. But I'm going to focus right now on the last trumpet here in Revelation chapter 10 verse 7. It says, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when that angel is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished as he has declared to his servants the prophets.

That's a remarkable statement there. It says, when the seventh angel is about to sound, then the mystery. Of course, the mystery is something that's not well known. That's why we call it a mystery. Very few people seem to understand what it is. It says, then the mystery of God would be finished. We're going to talk a little bit more about what that mystery is all about because it's not well known, the mystery of God's plan. But let's go over one more chapter to Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15.

This is a pretty familiar scripture to a lot of us, but maybe not everyone. Let's take a look at that. It's a pretty well known verse that's often quoted in reference to the return of Christ. But it starts to shed a little bit of light on this mystery. Revelation chapter 11 verse 15, it says, then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

And how long is this kingdom going to last? It says, and He shall reign forever. So it's an ongoing thing once it begins. Verse 16, And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones, they fell on their faces and they worshiped God. When all of this is happening, the seventh angel is blasted. These voices from heaven saying, now the kingdoms of this age have become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ. And it says in verse 17, this is what these twenty-four elders say, it says, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned.

Wow! They're excited! They're saying, we are so glad that you have finally decided now to take your great power and reign. You're going to come to this earth and these physical nations are going to be under your authority. They're going to be under your jurisdiction. They're going to be under your leadership because you have decided to reign. You've decided to utilize this authority. So this is part of the meaning of this mystery here that God is going to reign on earth in the future. He's going to reign on earth. There's going to be a change of leadership among the nations of the world. How do the nations of the world react to this news?

Let's look at the next verse, verse 18. But the nations are not happy. They're angry, it says, and God's wrath has come. And the time of the dead, so all kinds of things are happening at this time, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.

Wow, there is a lot going on in verse number 18, isn't there? The nations don't react well to this announcement, to this trumpet blast proclaiming the coming of a king. God is angry. The time of the dead and the time that the dead should be judged, and you should reward. There's going to be a reward to certain people, God's servants and the prophets and the saints and those who fear God's name, small and great.

And God's going to step in and destroy those who destroy the earth. But let's go back to verse 15 for a moment here, because I like to focus on one section of the Scripture here. You know, it talks about the seventh angel sounded, and there were voices in heaven, saying at that time the kingdoms of this world or this age have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Because what's sometimes not understood well in Christian circles is the fact that it is at this time, prophetically, hasn't happened yet, but at this time the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God. So if it happens then, if it's future, then whose kingdoms are they right now?

Who do they belong to right now? Because this is a future event. This is a prophesied event. The trumpets picture something that hasn't yet taken place yet. It's future. A lot of the holy days have been fulfilled. We know that Passover, when the children of Israel took that lamb and they slaughtered it and put the blood on the posts of the door, that that ultimately had Christian meaning, Jesus Christ.

We know the wave sheep that was offered at that time, back in Leviticus chapter 23, pictured Jesus Christ being offered to the Father. It had more meaning. That wave sheep was the very first harvest of all of the agricultural products in the fall and it was to be offered to God before they could partake of anything of that harvest.

They had to offer that first wave sheep that pictured Christ being accepted by the Father as the Son of God. Then we go on to Pentecost and then there's two wave loaves that are offered. They're 11, but they picture also God's people being harvested. So that is still yet ahead of us in that sense and so is the Feast of Trumpets. Still future. But who reigns now? Well, I think most of us know whose reigns now, whose kingdoms are they right now?

You know, it says here in verse number 16 here of Revelation chapter 11, it says, And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and say, We give you thanks, O God Almighty, the one who is and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reign, but the nations weren't ready for that.

Let's see who reigns now. Let's go back to Luke chapter 4 verse 1. Luke chapter 4 verse 1 will set the stage a little bit here. It says that Jesus is being filled with the Holy Spirit, so he's about ready to have a confrontation. He's actually about ready to have confrontation with the present ruler of this age. It says, It says, So there's a confrontation. Let's notice verse number 5.

So it's like, you know, we see movies, you go, you cover someone's entire life in two hours, you know, and you pack all this in. It's like somehow, in some way, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And then he says this in verse number 6. He says this to Jesus. He says, Satan is saying, somebody gave this to me.

He's been given to me. All this authority, all this glory has been delivered to me, and I can give it to whomever I wish.

You know, brethren, do you see what's being said here? Do you see what's being said? He said, that's been delivered to me, and I can give it to you.

I can give it to you. These kingdoms that I've been showing you, I can give them to you. Whoever I wish.

I think what's noteworthy here is Jesus Christ doesn't say, he doesn't disagree with him. He doesn't say, well, you know what? I beg to differ. He doesn't argue. He doesn't say, I don't know where you're coming from because these aren't your kingdoms, these are the kingdoms of God. He doesn't say that. He doesn't deny Satan's present authority. He doesn't deny Satan's present dominion. He doesn't deny that he is the present leader of the kingdoms of this age. He doesn't deny any of that.

It says in these verses that the one who has the authority to give these kingdoms away was the devil, the saint. In fact, he's actually offering them to Jesus Christ at this time.

Notice verse 7. Therefore, if you will worship before me, then everything that you have seen, all the kingdoms of the earth in a moment of time, everything you have seen, I'm going to give to you. It will be yours. So we see here that the present leader, the one that has the present power, the one that has the present authority, the one that has the present domain, is Satan, the devil. And then we see in verse 7 that he wants to be worshipped. That in effect he says, if you worship me, I will give all of these kingdoms, all of this authority, all of this dominion to you.

He wanted Jesus's allegiance.

He wanted Jesus's allegiance to his kingdom.

He was tempting Christ. I said, Christ, you don't have to go through all of this.

I can just give it to you right now. He was trying to persuade Jesus Christ to accept his offer. That if he would, and he felt if he would, I suppose Satan felt he had a chance to achieve his ultimate ends, that Christ would say yes. Let's turn over to Revelation 13, verse 9. Revelation 13, verse 9.

There's a present kingdom on this earth.

And there's another kingdom.

Revelation 13, we'll pick it up in verse 4. Satan wants to be worshipped. Of course, Jesus Christ in that very encounter said, you shall worship only the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. That's how Christ responded as we have these two people knocking heads here for the spiritual engagement. Revelation 13, verse 4, though, we see that Satan wants to be worshipped. Let's take a look here. We'll see that he has some success, and we'll have success in the future. We'll pick it up in Revelation 13, verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed, and all of the world marveled and followed the beast. So we're going to see a time in the future when it says all of the world begins to marvel at this beast power. We'll see in a moment that Satan, the devil, is the one that's behind this beast power. But it says all the world marveled and followed this beast. So it's in a leadership position. Verse 4, so they worshipped the dragon. So we begin to see who gave authority to the beast. So Satan has this authority to give, at least for the time being, and he gives it to the beast. But ultimately Satan is being worshipped as well as the beast here, as we'll see. Verse 4, so they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast. It's almost like a counterfeit between the Father and Jesus Christ, isn't it? You know, we've got these two beings that are being worshipped here. Verse number 5, and he, referring to the beast, was given a mouth. Excuse me, yeah. Was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 42 months, a three and a half year period. Then he opened his mouth against God, in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, to blaspheme his tabernacle, and to blaspheme those who dwell in heaven, the righteous angels, I suppose. So they're blaspheming everything about God and his tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven, whether it be Christ or the angelic realm. Verse 7, and it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to him. And notice over every tribe, over every language, and over every nation. This is going to be a worldwide ruling thing. And notice verse 8, And all who dwell on the earth are going to worship him. This is how far it's going to go, except for those whose names have not been written in the book of life, from the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. So not everyone is going to worship him, but those whose names have not been written in the book of life. Verse 9, if anyone has an ear, let him hear.

For the notes, also notice Revelation chapter 12. We're right here in 13. Let's go back one chapter to verse number 7 and Revelation chapter 12. If these present kingdoms are kingdoms of Satan the devil, and the kingdoms of the world are his, then let's take a little time and a little moment to explore his leadership style. Because we've talked about and touched on already how major an impact a leader has. So let's take a look a little bit about his leadership style. So we'll pick it up here in chapter 12 and verse number 7.

Let's see what we can find. It says, in war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought. We've got these two kingdoms going at it here, in a sense. Verse 8, but they, referring to the devil and his demonic angels, they did not prevail. Or as it says in my center margin, that they were not strong enough. So God is more powerful, more powerful. He made me smile. God is more powerful. And it says, nor was a place found for them any longer. So they were booted out. Satan and his angelic realm tried to rise from the earth to the heavens to try to take over the throne. But they were cast out. It says in verse number 9, so the great dragon was cast out. And just so we know who that is, it says that serpent of old, so we know who it is. He's got many names. That serpent of old, the devil, Satan, the dragon, they're all talking about the same being who deceives the whole world. And he was cast to the earth. And his angels were cast out with him. So we begin to see some of his leadership style. He's a warring leader. He was trying to expand his territory. He was trying to expand his dominion, expand his kingdom. He was trying to move off the earth and take it to another level, to take it up to a much bigger level. That's the leadership style that he's exerting here. And as it says in verse number 9, he deceives the whole world. So another part of his leadership style is he deceives. He doesn't tell the truth. He paints things in such a way that it's different than what the actual underlying meaning is.

He's a deceiver. We see here that he was cast out of heaven to the earth, as it says in the latter part of verse number 9. And I'll jump to verse 12 here for a moment. I want to make sure I cover this point because I believe it's important. After he was cast from heaven down to the earth, it says, verse 12, Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. In other words, they were glad that he was gone, him and his angels. They were glad that he was cast out of heaven because they most likely had peace, they most likely had joy. And it says here, he's gone. He has been removed from this place. He's gone. It wasn't a pleasant experience, I'm sure, that they have to go through war. I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant experience to have his influence there in heaven at that time, and he's gone. So they're rejoicing in heaven. But notice the second half of verse number 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for now the devil has come down to you. So now you have to deal with him in a sense because, and he's angry also, by the way, he's just lost the war in a sense. He's lost this battle with God and the angelic realm, and he's angry.

And now he's come down to the inhabitants of the earth, and he's angry because he knows he has but a short time.

His kingdom's not going to continue very much longer.

And he's angry. He knows the prophecies. He doesn't agree with that's how it's going to come out. But he knows what God says.

He still feels, I'm sure, he has an opportunity to do his will instead of God's will coming into play and ultimately being fulfilled. And so woe to the inhabitants of the earth because now he's come down to you. Brethren, they knew, God knew, his angels knew, that when this being was cast down to the earth, that it was going to bring woe to the inhabitants of the earth, that he was going to bring a negative influence to the inhabitants of the earth. They were so glad that he was gone that they rejoiced. But they said, we understand what's going to happen to those that are on the earth, which just happens to be where you and I are.

In fact, we were born here. We were born, and it really been under his influence our entire lives.

It's a much more powerful influence than we know.

He's a very, very powerful being. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth. So let's take a look here as we look here at Revelation 12. As we read here, let's pick it up here in verse 13. The dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth. What does he do? He persecutes the woman who gave birth to the male child. So he has particular focus on the church of God, the people of God. Verse 14, but the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she's nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. That implies a three and a half year, 42 month period. Verse 15, so the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. Wipe this thing out before it gets too far down the road. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth, swallowed up the flood, which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth, and the dragon was enraged. Now he's angry with the woman. He was angry that he was cast back to the earth, that he'd lost the battle. Now he's angry with the woman. It seems like she's been protected. The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring. Notice who keep the commandments of God, and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. So, brother, we see again some of the leadership style. He makes war.

He wants to expand his territory. He makes war with those who obey God.

So we're in a war. We often don't think of it that way. But we are. We're in a war. He makes war with those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Confrontations here between two kingdoms.

Let's turn it over to Daniel 10, verse 12. Let's notice these confrontations between two kingdoms. The kingdom of God on one hand, if you want to put it in the actual reality, the kingdom of Satan. On the other hand, these confrontations have been going on for a long time. Let's go over to Daniel 10. Daniel 10, which is a wonderful book. It's a prophetic book. Much of what is in Daniel is astounding. It reveals so much. Here you can see why Satan the Devil would not have wanted the book of Daniel to even be written. It gives us such an insight of what God's plan is and what's going to happen. Daniel 10, and we'll pick it up here in verse 12. We're going to notice here that these confrontations between these two kingdoms don't just happen in heaven, but they can actually happen on earth. These things can happen on earth. In fact, they've been going on for a while. Let's pick it up here in Daniel 10. The context here is that Daniel has a visitor. He's been fasting and praying to God. God sends an angelic being to him. The angelic being comes to talk with Daniel and he wants to share some information with him. Almost as an aside, there's some other information he shares. It says in verse 12, Daniel 10, Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel, from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come for your words. God sent an angel to Daniel because of the prayer that Daniel was making. He was fasting. He was praying to God. The angel being says, you know what? From the very beginning, when you started to pray, God said, I want you to go talk to Daniel. Notice verse 13, though. But the kingdom of Persia, which is the kingdom that Daniel was residing in that time, withstood me for 21 days. Below Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me, for I had been left alone with the kings, plural, of Persia. You know, the prince of the kingdom of Persia, probably the most powerful being. And then he talks about kings, plural, of Persia in the latter part of verse number 13. He says, now I'm come to make you understand what shall be. Fall your people in the latter days, forget the vision, is for many days. So Daniel had a vision, but he didn't know what it meant. And God was going to give him interpretation of the vision, so he sent this angel. And this angel, it says, we see this, in verse 13, he says, the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me. I don't think we're talking about the human leader of Persia here. There's no way that he could have withstood this powerful angel of God that had come to give a message to Daniel. Okay. So, I mean, it wasn't an ordinary person that appeared before Daniel. In fact, in verse number 5, it talks about that angel that God sent to Daniel. It says, Daniel says, I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man. So he had the shape of a man, clothed in linen, probably white, whose loins were girded with fine gold of ufaz, and his body was like barrel, and his face as the appearance of lightning. So this was not a normal human being here that God the Father sent to Daniel, Jesus Christ sent to Daniel. It says, his eyes were like the lamp of fire, his arms and his feet, like in color of polished brass, and the voice of his words were like the voice of a multitude. And sometimes when an angel would speak, that's what it sounded like. There was more than one voice. They were saying the same words, but it was like a whole multitude of people speaking the voice of a multitude.

So we see this was an angelic being and probably a powerful one. But that's not the sobering thing. What's hair-raising in a way is that this angel sent from God had to fight his way in to the kingdom of Persia. The prince of Persia withstood him and apparently was powerful enough to withstand him for three weeks, 21 days. And not only that, but then he couldn't get in by himself. He needed help. He needed an archangel by the name of Michael to come and help this angel so that he could get through, he could get in and deliver a message that God had for Daniel.

Brethren, there's a spiritual dimension that is parallel with our own. These are forces that are working. There's a spirit world that has powerful forces that are going at it with each other. We don't often see it, but it's there. Spirit beings opposed to one another. Kingdoms opposed to one another. There's a spiritual battle going on in Persia at the time of Daniel.

Let's go to Revelation 12, verse 10. Revelation 12, verse 10. Maybe you, like me, are becoming increasingly disturbed or alarmed about the pervasive and increasing spirit of evil and hatred that you are seeing out there.

Could be because of this here, Revelation 12, verse 10.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accuses them before our God day and night, and overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, they loved not their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell on them. We've talked about this. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, but the devil has come down to you having great anger, wrath, because he knows he has but a short time. Furthering again, just an aside, as another leadership style, he's angry. And he's an accuser. He accuses other people.

I guess when you would expect as we get down to the end of the age, that the devil amongst us, knowing his time is short, is going to be particularly wrathful and angry, and pulling out all the stops. So what all this brings to mind is this. Kind of thinking about it here, we've got two opposing leaders, two opposing kingdoms that we have here. And one of the leaders here is irrational, angry, has a powerful mind, and he is presently the leader of the age, the leader of the world, in a sense. Now, I know sometimes out there, outside particularly of our circles, that it's not chic to think of a devil, but that's exactly what we're dealing with. That's exactly what Scripture talks about over and over again. That he's a real being. He's out there, and he presently has a dominion. Let's notice John 8 and verse 44. John 8 and verse 44.

God speaks pretty clearly about not only the fact that he exists, he speaks pretty clearly about his leadership style. You know, God has a way of calling a spade a spade. You know, you know how names are important to God? God calls people what they are or what they're becoming. He talks about Jesus Christ gets pretty firm here on this occasion. He kind of encounters some of the raw hatred in some men that he's dealing with here. Let's see what he says here in John chapter 8 and verse 44. He's talking to some of the religious leaders of the time in this context. But he says this, John chapter 8 verse 44. You are of your father, the devil. And sometimes you wish Jesus Christ would just speak what's on his mind. You are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father you're going to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he did not abide in the truth. There was a time when he did. But eventually he did not. He didn't stay there with the truth. He didn't abide in the truth. Why? What's happened? Because he's come to the point where there is no truth in him. That's hard to imagine to me that there is no truth in him at all. Can you imagine having a leader of the kingdoms of this age? This is the type of leader we've had that's been influencing us. Casting his thoughts, his desires, his will. There is no truth in him. And when he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own. Because he's the author. He's the father of lies. He was the first one that probably lied. He started to plant the seed in the other angels. You know, can we really trust God? Does God really have our best interests in mind? Doesn't seem to make sense some of the things that God has been telling us. What do you think? He's the first one that had those thoughts. Started with him. Wow. There's no escaping what Christ is talking about. He's not talking about some vague spirit out there of hatred. Or some vague spirit that seems to be out there where people lie.

He's talking about a personal being that authored a lot of this. Who's the father of murderers and liars. Let's go over to John 3, verse 20. Some of the leadership style of the present ruler of this age. John 3, verse 20.

We're seeing here that God calls him what he is. He's an adversary of life and truth. He's deceiving. He's lying. He's a murderer. Deliberately. He does it deliberately. John 3. Pick it up here in verse 20. Let's pick it up in verse 19 for some of the context. And this is the condemnation that light has come into the world and men have loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Notice verse 20. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. We've got a ruler of darkness here. A ruler of darkness. This is verse 20. Everyone who practices evil, he hates the light, he does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. Verse 21. But he who does the truth, and we've already seen that the devil has no truth in him. But he who does the truth comes to the light. And his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God. Brother, we're beginning to see the difference between these two kingdoms. One is darkness and one is light. Jesus Christ says, I am the light. I'm bringing the light to you, the truth. I'm bringing you the truth. I'm not lying to you. I am telling you the truth.

It's quite a difference in these two opposing kingdoms. When Jesus Christ said through John in the book of Revelation, which we've already read, that Satan deceives the whole world, he wasn't exaggerating. He wasn't exaggerating. Again, God speaks clearly and plainly, and he tells it like it is. He has been deceiving the whole world. God says the world, or the age that we live in, has been infested with evil, and it's manifested almost everywhere that you look. It's characterized by lies. It's characterized by deception. It's characterized by hatred.

And we were born into it. We were born into it. Let's turn over to Acts 26 and verse 18. Acts 26 and verse 18.

We've been enslaved by it. You know, there's a reason when Jesus Christ started his ministry. Remember the first Scripture that he stood up in the synagogue and read? He talks about, I think it's Isaiah 61, how freeing the captives. Came to bring light to help us to see. Acts 26. We'll pick it up. I think we'll pick up some of the context here. I don't know if we covered this in the Bible study or not. The last time we talked about Paul, but this is in the context of the Apostle Paul before he was called. And God is beginning to deal with him. Acts 26.

And we'll pick it up in verse 14. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goats, or go against the grain, or the tide, or against the pricks, I think some translations say.

Well, he got Paul's attention. Verse 15, he said, Who are you, Lord? I think he understood who he was dealing with. And Jesus answered, he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, but rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose. I'm going to make you a servant, a minister, a witness, both of the things which you have seen and the things which I am going to reveal to you yet future.

And I'm going to deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to who I am now going to send you. Why? Verse number 18, to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light. God said, you know, I'm going to begin to bring light and truth into the world. And Paul, or Saul, as his name was back there, I'm going to send you to open people's eyes to turn them from darkness to light, in a sense also to the truth.

And notice, and from the power of Satan to God. That's part of his power, his blindness, his darkness. That's part of his power. And Jesus Christ said, we're starting a revolution here. And from the power of Satan to God, and that they may receive forgiveness of their sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified, which means to be set apart for holy use by faith in me.

So, let's turn over to 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4. These two kingdoms could not be more opposite. You know, we often talk about the forces of good and the forces of evil, and the age-old story in the movies sometimes that are out there. Boy, this is very much that type of a tale. 2 Corinthians 4, and we'll pick it up in verse 4. One is a kingdom of darkness, one is a kingdom of light. 2 Corinthians 4, and we'll start here in verse number 4.

It says, but even if our gospel, which is the good news, by the way, of a coming kingdom, even if our gospel is veiled, it's veiled to those who are perishing, those who are dying. Verse 4, whose minds the God of this age, and we've talked about this in the past, we're referring to Satan the devil, and it's a small g here, not a capital G.

And notice what he does. He blinds people. That's his leadership style. He keeps them in the dark. The God of this age has blinded, who don't believe, lest the light, or the truth, of the gospel, of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them so he doesn't want anyone to know about this other kingdom. Verse number 5, for we do not preach ourselves, but we're preaching Christ, who is the king of that kingdom.

We're preaching not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves, your bondservants, for his sake, for Jesus' sake. Notice verse number 6. For it is the God, we're referring to the Father here, for it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ, remember, he said, I am the light of the world, and the Father sent him so that we could see what light was in the face of Jesus Christ, the image of the Father.

He was to bring light, he was to bring truth. And so, this is a kingdom of light. It gives light. It brings people to the light. It doesn't deceive. It doesn't lie. It doesn't try to cover up the reality, but it actually exposes the truth. Let's go over to John chapter 1, verse 1. John chapter 1 and verse number 1.

Talking about light. Talking about these two opposing kingdoms. Let's talk about the kingdom of God here for a moment. John chapter 1 and verse 1.

Fascinating chapter, John chapter 1. It says, in the beginning was the Word. We know verse 14 tells us that the Word became flesh and be dwelt among us. So we're talking about Jesus Christ here. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, referring to the Father. So Jesus Christ was known as the Word prior to His human coming, first time. And He was with the God that we know as the Father. And we also know that the Word was God. So there are two God beings, the Father and the Word. Verse 2, He was in the beginning with God. They started it all. They started it all. It says, verse 3, all things were made through Him, through the Word. The Father made all things through the Word. That includes the heavens, that includes the earth, that includes the angelic realm. We know that they were created, including Lucifer and all of the angels. They were all made through the Word. So God is the author of everything. Verse 3, all things were made through Him, referring to the Word. And without Him, nothing was made that was made. And notice, in Him, referring to the Word, was life. We're talking about just not a temporary existence. We're talking about living forever. Eternal life. In Him was life. Doesn't say anything about, in this other kingdom, having that. And the life was the light of men.

Your destiny, the truth of why you were born, and why I was born. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness. It's shining now. Jesus Christ came as a light to the world. It began to shine. The light shines in the darkness, verse 5, and the darkness did not comprehend it. It can also be translated, did not overcome it. Darkness is not going to overcome light. Light is going to overcome darkness. Verse 6, and there was a man sent from God. His name was John. We're talking about John the Baptist. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light. So this is a kingdom of light that all through Him might believe. Verse 8, he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which gives light to every single human being. That's what God is bringing. Light to every man. Cut comes into the world that's born. Verse 10, he was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. They didn't even recognize the one that created everything. Verse 11, he came to his own, according to the Israelite nation, and his own did not receive him. But, verse 12, as many as did receive him, he gave them the right, or the authority, as the center margin also says, to become children of God, to those who believe on his name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Verse 14, and the word became flesh. The Creator became flesh, the one that the Father used, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, notice full of grace and truth. He's filled with truth. And we know the leader of the other kingdom has no truth in him. And John bore witness of him, referring John the Baptist, bore witness of him, and cried out, saying, This was he of whom I said, who comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness we have received, and grace for grace. So we begin to see some of the fact that Jesus Christ is the King of a kingdom that's going to bring light. Let's go over to 1 Peter 2, verse 9. 1 Peter 2, verse 9.

Again, looking at these two different kingdoms, and we see the leadership style on one hand of the kingdom of Satan, and we see the leadership style on the other hand of the kingdom of God. 1 Peter 2. We'll start in verse 9. It says, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who has called you out of darkness. We were all in darkness before God called us. We were all in darkness. He's called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. We've got a big change that's coming, a big change that's coming in this world. The age of Satan as the God of this world is going to be terminating. It's going to end. That's really what the Feast of Trumpets is all about. It talks about an alarm of war. It talks about a changing of a guard. It talks about the changing of rulership, the changing of leadership. There's no coincidence that the Feast of Trumpets, which is going to be coming up this Thursday, September 25th, that there's going to be a new moon. Most of us, I think, know what a new moon is, but if you don't know, it means you can't see the moon. It's when it's dark. It's the darkest time. It's going to be total darkness. So it's not going to be a very, very good time just before Jesus Christ says, enough is enough. I'm going to come back. This is part of my dominion. We've made it. We've given it to Lucifer for a while. His name has been changed to Satan, but his time is up. He's not worthy to continue to rule. So we contrast these two kingdoms. When Jesus Christ, which begins to come back, it's the darkest time ever, and at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, we have a full moon, no way. Things are set up. Light is beginning to shine again. You can't contrast those two points anymore. At the very end of Satan's age, it's totally dark. And when the kingdom comes, it's being set up, and the fruits of it are beginning to see we have a full moon, full brightness. The kingdom of God comes in its fullness. It's going to be like a full moon with Christ as King of Kings. You may have heard the saying, it's darkest just before dawn, and that's going to be the way it's going to be. There's going to be a very dramatic event, though, that's going to take place. Jesus Christ is going to come to a very, very dark place, a very, very dark age, a very, very dark world. It's called the Day of the Lord when he begins to intervene, and he is about light.

The coming Feast Day of Trumpets depicts a very significant pivotal point in the turning point of God's plan of salvation. When God intervenes in a time of total darkness in order to bring light.

I don't think we can imagine how big of a change that's going to be.

In a sense, you know, we look through a glass darkly, so we have a chance to see a little bit. God gives us glimpses of what it's going to be. But on the other hand, he says, but I hasn't seen nor has here heard what God has in store for those that are willing to embrace seeking his kingdom first.

Let's notice Hebrews 2.14. There's a scripture that I've read a few times, but never maybe understood it in its fullness here of the impact of what it's trying to tell us. Hebrews 2.14.

I had to look at the characteristics of these two leaders, these two kingdoms, their leadership style.

Hebrews 2.14, for as much as the children, and we're referring in this context to God's children, are partakers of flesh and blood, he, referring to Jesus, also himself took part of the same.

Can you imagine the other leader of that other kingdom doing that?

Divesting himself of his spirit, essence, to come in flesh and blood, and to die for you and for me? For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he, referring to Christ, also himself took part of the same death. Through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death. That is the devil. So there's another title. We've already talked about Prince of Darkness, a murderer, a liar. Now we see Prince of Death. He had the power of death.

Power of Death, Power of the Year, Prince of Darkness, now Prince of Death. Contrast with Jesus Christ being the Prince of Life. I'll just refer for the sake of time to Acts 3, verse 14. Brethren, the evidence is all around us that our enemy's presence is pervasive and throughout the world it's all around us. And even though we've never seen him, we see his tracks everywhere, particularly now in the culture of our time. Boy, that is exhilarating. You see tracks all over the place now of where he's working. He's had some success. It's temporary. You see the increased and accelerated attacks on the family in our generation? Wow!

John chapter 12, verse 23. John chapter 12, verse 23. I know I need to start going towards a conclusion here.

Brethren, his influence is more powerful than what we know. Our enemies, referring to the present leader of this present age, this present world.

And we have to be reminded, God reminds us from time to time, that we have to decide who we're going to give our allegiance to.

You know, in a way, it seems like a simple thing. Why would you want to give your allegiance to him?

He wants it. He wants you and I to worship him. He wants you and I to obey him. He doesn't even mind if we've got one foot on one side of the fence and one foot on the other. That's good enough for him.

Because he knows, can't serve two masters, so he knows he's got half a chance if we're trying to keep one foot on each side of the fence. Brethren, the way that you and I live our lives, that tells him and that tells God and Jesus Christ where our allegiance is. The way we live our lives, that's how they know. The decisions that we make, the thoughts of our heart, the thoughts of our mind, the choices that we make, that shows where our allegiance is. God wants everything. Satan doesn't care. I'll get you any way I can. God wants our full commitment. You know, I gave a sermon on the first commandments. We should love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our strength. And it's another way that Jesus Christ and God the Father are saying, look, it's with everything. Gary Petty said, if you haven't had a chance to see what he said on Wednesday night, he talked a little bit about that, about how God wants everything. He says, I've never figured out what part of something is not part of everything. Because we'll find a way that we won't give him everything. We'll hold something back. We can't hold anything back. God wants to give us everything, but he wants everything too. The way that we live on a daily basis, and we are confronted with decisions of character, tells us against to tell God who we're giving our allegiance to. Because there's two kingdoms, and they are opposed to one another. They are not even close. All the one who finds to be thought of as an angel of light, deception, couldn't be any farther apart. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is a very different leadership style, so does the Father. John 12, verse 23.

But Jesus answered and said, the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. He was still in the flesh. He was talking to his disciples. He hadn't been killed yet. He says, I tell you the truth, and that's what he does. That's what most assuredly could also be translated, the truth. This is the truth. I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. If that seed doesn't get into the ground and get planted, it's just going to stay a single seed. But if it dies, it reproduces much grain. He's talking about himself dying so that you and I could be also part of the family. Then he says something that's not easy to understand, verse 25. He who loves his life will lose it.

We want to love our life, but if we do, we'll lose it. And he who hates his life in this age will keep it for a long time.

Eternally. No, Paul said, I die daily. Remember that scripture? Verse 26. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Let him give his allegiance to me. To serve me, to follow me, to trust me, and allow me to come into his life and to lead him. If anyone serves me, let them, my father will honor. The father says, I want you to serve my son. I want you to follow my son. I want you to follow his lead. And then I'm going to honor you. And then Christ himself has a human tendency in verse 27, but now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? Father saved me from this hour. So he's faced with the fact of his impending death. But this is why I came to this hour.

Brethren, I'll just refer to the Lord's Prayer. It's a scripture that's come to mind here. You know, most of us could probably recite it. It's a model prayer, though. It talks about our father addressing that we pray to God, our Father. Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. We're talking about that kingdom. That we're to pray that it comes to the earth. Not that we go up there to it, but pray that it comes here, because that's where it's going to be.

And that God's will be done on this earth right now, even while the present ruler is still here. But then he says, lead us not in temptation, give us our daily bread. Then he says, but deliver us from the evil one. That last phrase is something that, you know, the Greek can be translated and is translated, again, the New King James and other translations, the NIV, as the evil one. Not deliver us from evil, but deliver us from the evil one. He's powerful. He's more powerful than you and I are. We need to be delivered from him with God's help. God says he's out there. He's a personal being. He presently rules. He's got a leadership style. He doesn't want to give up his rulership. I'll refer to Mark 1, verse 14. Well, let's just go there. Mark 1, verse 14.

The ruler of the coming kingdom begins to introduce the fact that it's coming. He's a prophet. He's making an announcement here. It hasn't come yet. But he says in Mark chapter 1, verse 14, now after John, referring to John the Baptist, was put into prison, that Jesus came to Galilee preaching the good news, that there's a different kingdom that's on its way. And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Not here yet. It's close. It's coming. And by the way, I want you to be a part of it. That's not in the Scripture. It's in other places. But Jesus Christ says, since you know it's coming, repent. Change your life. And believe the fact that it's coming. Believe in the Gospel. Believe in the good news of this coming kingdom.

One last Scripture, John chapter 12, verse 31. John chapter 12, verse 31. When Satan was cast out of heaven and said, the inhabitants of heaven rejoiced. Wow! He is gone, and we are so grateful. But then they said, woe to the inhabitants of the earth. But thankfully, let's notice here what is prophesied to take place. John chapter 12, and verse number 31.

Jesus uses the word now, here, in this verse. John chapter 12, and verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Jesus Christ says, the ruler of the kingdoms of this age has been judged. Boy has even found to be wanting. He's going to be replaced. Now, that hasn't happened yet, but that judgment has been made.

His present kingdom has been judged. Now is the judgment of this age or this world. Now, the ruler of this world is going to be cast out. That hasn't happened yet, but that judgment, that's the judgment. He's been found wanting, and he's going to be cast out. Not only was he cast out of the heavens, he is going to be cast out of the earth.

He'll no longer be able to influence anything on the heavens or the earth. His kingdom is going to cease to exist. Whose kingdom are we going to give our allegiance to? Seems pretty obvious. His kingdom is going to cease to exist. It's not even going to be here.

But it's not an easy road, is it? Not an easy road. To give our allegiance completely to the coming kingdom. When the seventh angel sounds, the kingdoms of this world will at that time become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

There is going to be a changing of the guard.