Changing of the Guard

At Charlottesville, Thomas Jefferson's president, well, past president, his home. We had a chance to go up to Washington, D.C. We had a chance to go over to see Mount Vernon and George Washington and his home there. And of course, there they have a museum and they tell a little bit about the story of the man and about the history of the country at that time. Now, I don't know how many of you are really, you know, love history. You know, maybe some of you out there, but when I went through high school, that was not one of my favorite topics. Math was one of my strong suits, but history wasn't. But the older that I've gotten, I've begun to see the value of history and all the things that we can learn from history. And so, there's a reason why that's all there. But we began to learn there when we had these trips, we began to learn about the founding fathers of our country of the United States. And to learn more about the American Revolution. And as we went from historical site to historical site to historical site, we began to understand that the American Revolution, in a sense, in the eyes of the founding fathers, was a dream. It was a dream. It was a dream of the unthinkable. You know, if you, those of you that are students of history, can maybe remember, can you imagine 56 men, the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Can you imagine 56 men with no army, with no navy, with absolutely no military of any kind willing to take on, willing to challenge the most, well, the greatest military power of the world at that time. Can you imagine that? Being willing to take that on, that of Great Britain. And yet, these 56 men believed in their cause. They were willing to pledge everything.

They were willing to give their allegiance to this cause, their wealth, their honor, their lives. They were willing to give up everything for what they believed in. Can you imagine 56 people doing that today? You know, can you imagine 56 people doing that today against any nation?

You know, not just the number one military power, but the 18th, or the 43rd, or the 120th. And so that Revolutionary War ensued, and the people at that time had to decide which kingdom or government were they going to give their allegiance to. Because it wasn't a simple thing. It wasn't a simple thing at that time. You had Great Britain, which was an established government, and those who gave allegiance to Great Britain were known as the Tories. And those that wanted to give their allegiance to a new revolutionary government were called Patriots. And people, whether they liked it or not, were eventually forced to make a decision. Which kingdom were they going to give their allegiance to? Because it was eventually going to become impossible to be neutral. The history books tell us the result of the Revolutionary War that took place over 200 years ago. And history tells us that it was the changing of the Guard. There was a changing of the Guard. And so that's the title of the message that we have today here, that there is a changing of the Guard. So that's our topic for today's message, and we understand, particularly from the upcoming Feast of Trumpets, Holy Day, that there is going to be, yet future, a changing of the Guard. There's going to be a changing of leadership. There's going to be a changing of kingdoms. And that's part of the meaning that we're going to rehearse in the next few weeks when the Feast of Trumpets arrives. Because the Feast of Trumpets portrays the return of Jesus Christ to assume leadership, to assume control over the governments of this world. And we will see in a moment that that is going to be a changing of the Guard. Well, let's turn in Scripture for our first Scripture today, Revelation chapter 10, in verse number 7.

Revelation chapter 10, in verse number 7, is where we're going to start today. And I think most of us know that the book of Revelation, among other things, talks about trumpets. That there are seven angels who are given seven trumpets, and we see from this book, in fact, in Revelation chapter 8 verse 6, you don't need to return there, you can write it down, because that's when these trumpets are about to sound. And you know that feast that's coming up is called the Feast of Trumpets, plural, not the Feast of A Trumpet, singular. And all of these trumpets talk about what is going to happen, and they all have significance for what's going to happen in the future. But for the moment, let's focus on this last trumpet here, in Revelation chapter 10, in verse number 7. Let's take a look at what it says there. Revelation chapter 10, in verse 7. But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as he's declared to his servants, the prophets. You know, that's quite a remarkable statement, I think. It says, when the seventh angel is about to sound, then the mystery, the mystery of God, would be finished.

Now, we're going to see a little bit more about what this mystery is all about as we go along, because it is not well known. That's what a mystery is. Something that's not necessarily understood. This mystery of God's plan. So, let's jump over to Revelation chapter 11, in verse number 15. Revelation chapter 11, verse 15, a pretty well-known verse that's often quoted in reference to the return of Christ.

But it starts also in this context to begin to shed a little bit more about what this mystery is. Alright, let's take a look. 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, once this changing of the guard takes place, how long is it going to last?

It says, He shall reign forever and ever. So, once this changing of the guard takes place, it's going to continue on. It's not going to end. It's going to be ongoing for eternity. And verse number 16, And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces. At this news, at this understanding of what's going to happen, they are so moved, that they fall on their faces, they worship God, and they say to God, 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 you have reigned.

You know, they were excited. They were excited. They were thankful. They said, wow! You know, they were excited at this last part of the plan that is going to be fulfilled, and it's eventually going to become a reality. You are going to come to this earth, and these physical nations are going to be under your jurisdiction. They're going to be under your rulership. They're going to be under your leadership. And we are excited that you have decided finally to do this. You've decided to reign and to be in authority. Brethren, this is the mystery. This is the mystery that God will reign on earth, and there will be a changing of the guard.

How do the nations react to this news? Let's go to the next verse, verse 18. It says, the nations were angry, and your anger, your wrath has come. And the time of the dead, so there's all kinds of things that are happening at this time, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name small and great, and should destroy those who have been destroying part of God's dominion.

They've been destroying the earth. That's part of God's creation. God created the heavens and the earth. This is His dominion here as well. Let's go back to verse 15 here in this context for a moment. We'll focus on one section of the Scripture here. It says that the seventh angel sounded, and there were voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. If the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, then...

Well, then whose kingdoms are they before that time? Because you see, this is a future event. The coming return of Jesus Christ, which trumpets pictures, is a future event, and it is at that time that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God, of our Lord and of His Christ. It's at that time. But we're not there yet. So whose kingdoms are they right now? Let's turn over to Luke 4 and verse 1. Whose kingdoms are they right now, today, in the world that you and I live in, in the world that you and I have been born into? And whose kingdoms are they in the life experience that we've had so far, from birth until now, whose kingdoms have they been?

This may come as a surprise to some, maybe not to most of us here, but maybe to some. So let's set the stage a little bit here in verse number 1. Luke 4 and verse 1. Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan, and he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

Remember, this story is about to embark on a spiritual encounter with our enemy. In verse 2, Jesus was tempted for 40 days by the devil. Remember, he fasted for 40 days, and in those days he ate nothing, and afterwards, when they had entered, he was hungry.

You can imagine. Verse number 3, and the devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. And Jesus answered him and said, It's written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Now, let's begin to focus here on verse number 5. Then the devil, taking him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. It's kind of like you compact a person's life into a two-hour movie.

You see all of this flashing, in a sense, before your eyes in a moment of time. So Jesus Christ could apparently see everything in a very short period of time. It says, The devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world. And then he says this in verse number 6. All this authority I will give to you, and their glory. For this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. That's an interesting verse there, brethren. You see what he's saying here? The devil is saying, this authority and this glory has been given to me. It's been delivered to me. These kingdoms here that I'm showing you here have been delivered to me, and I can give them to anyone that I wish.

You know, what's really noteworthy, I think, is that Jesus doesn't deny that. He doesn't deny the devil's present authority that these are his kingdoms. That he is ruling, that he has the authority. He doesn't deny that he has present domain. He doesn't argue and say, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know where you're coming from. These are the kingdoms of God. He doesn't say that. He says, these kingdoms that you have shown me, he doesn't say that they're a part of the kingdoms of God.

He doesn't say that. So Jesus does not deny Satan's present authority. He says in these verses that the one who has the authority to give these kingdoms away was the devil and Satan. In fact, he is offering them to Jesus Christ. As it says in verse number 7, Therefore, if you will worship me, then all of this will be yours. You know, we see here that the present leader, the one who has the present power and domain is Satan, and he has a desire to be worshipped.

Of course, Jesus Christ said we aren't supposed to worship anyone. Scriptures talk about we aren't supposed to worship anyone except the Lord our God. And so Satan is now asking to be worshipped, and so that he has this authority to give these kingdoms to Jesus Christ. I think he felt he could persuade Jesus Christ with this offer. That he would have a greater chance if Jesus Christ would accept his offer.

He'd have a greater chance to achieve his ends, his plan. Revelation 13, verse 4. Let's go there. Revelation 13, verse 4. Take a look that Satan wants to be worshipped. He wants you and me to be worshipped. He wants you and me to give allegiance to him and to his kingdom. Revelation 13, verse 4. It says, And I saw one of his heads as it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world marveled and followed the beast.

You know, this is quite a statement here. It says all the world. It's like every nation marvels at this beast, which of course Satan is behind. It says they marvel and they follow the beast. And so they worshipped the dragon. He wants to be worshipped, doesn't he? They worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. So he has the ability to give that to whoever he wishes. And they worshipped the beast. So the beast is being worshipped, the dragon is being worshipped.

And people are saying, who is like the beast? He is powerful. Who was able to make war with him? And he was given a mouth-speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 42 months. That's a three and a half year period of time. And then he opened his mouth and blasphemed against God to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. So it's taking it to a next level here. It was granted to him to make war with the saints to overcome them.

And authority was given to him, notice, over every tribe, over every tongue, and over every nation. We're talking about a world-ruling situation here of the beast power and the dragon who gave authority to the beast, and they're both being worshipped. Verse number 8, And all who dwell on the earth will worship him. Wow! Wow! Well, we know not everyone, but there is most everyone is eventually going to worship Satan the devil. And it says, whose names have not been written in the book of life.

In the book of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. So we understand how far this is going to go. He has present authority, he has present domain, and how far this is going to go. Let's turn over to Revelation 12, verse 7. If these present kingdoms are the kingdoms of Satan, he's got the rulership, in a sense. He's got sway, as we heard in the Beyond Today program. He's the prince of the power of the air, working among the sons of disobedience. And if the kingdoms of this world are his kingdoms for the moment of time, then let's explore a little bit about his leadership style. Let's take a look at this one who has world domination at this time, on this earth, on this planet. What is his leadership style? So let's see what we can find as we turn here to Revelation 12, verse 7. It says, In war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought. But they, referring to the dragon and his angels, the devil and his angels, did not prevail. So they're trying to take it to the next level, from the kingdoms of the earth to a universal situation against the throne of God Himself. It says, They did not prevail, or as it says in my center reference margin, were not strong enough, referring to the devil and his angels, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So they were cast out of heaven. They were booted out. They were booted out of that place. But then it says in verse 9, So the great dragon was cast out. And just so we know who we were talking about, that serpent of old. We're going right back to the very beginning of the Scriptures. That serpent of old, the one that deceived our first parents. So we know who the great dragon is. That serpent of old, and we know he is the devil, as it says, he's called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. So that's his leadership style. He deceives. And he's deceiving everyone that he rules over, everyone that he has dominion over. Quite a leadership style. And it says what happened to him. In the latter part of verse 9, He was cast to the earth. He's here with us. He's here, because that's where we are. He was cast to the earth, and also his angels, also known as demons, cast out with him, and they're here. Brethren, he is, what kind of a leader is he? He's a warring leader. He was trying to expand his territory. He was trying to expand his kingdom. He was trying to move off the earth and take it to the next level. That's his leadership style. He's a warring leader. He's a deceptive leader, even over those that are under his leadership. Notice, however, that he was cast down to the earth, as it says in the latter part of verse 9. Let's jump to verse 12 for a moment. I want to make sure I cover this point, because I think it's an important one. Because after he's been cast down from heaven, he's cast to the earth, and it says in verse 12, Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. You know, the righteous angels are rejoicing at the fact that he's gone. His influence is gone. The war is over for them. And he's been cast out of heaven. He is gone. He's been removed from that place. And they're joyful. Rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell with them. They were glad. They had joy. And it says, and they were happy about that. But then notice, while they're rejoicing, they have an understanding of what's going to happen to those who are below on the earth. Notice the second half of verse number 12.

Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you. Wow, he's here. While we're here. And he's having great wrath. He's angry because he knows that he has but a short time. He knows that something's going to happen in a short time that he might lose his dominion. He might lose what he has control over at this present time.

Brethren, they knew, God knew, His angels knew, that when this being and his cohorts were cast down to the earth, that he was going to bring woe to the inhabitants of the earth. That he was going to bring a negative influence to the kingdoms of this world.

Let's notice here, in verses as we've been reading here, that he makes war. Revelation here, chapter 12, verse 13. We've read verse 13 through 17. We see the context here. He makes war with those who obey God. He makes war with those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. You see that here in this context. Let's notice that these confrontations between two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, have been going on for quite a long time. Let's turn over to Daniel, chapter 10, and verse number 12. Daniel, chapter 10, and verse number 12. We're going to notice that these confrontations between two kingdoms don't just happen in heaven. These confrontations between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan also happen on earth. And they've been going on for a very long time. Daniel, chapter 10, and verse 12. We're going to see in this context that Daniel has a visitor, an angel that comes to talk to him about something. And he shares some information, even as an aside, as to why he was not able to get to Daniel on time, that he had intended to be there sooner. Daniel, chapter 10, and verse number 12. It said, Then he said unto me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. So Daniel was in the midst of a time of prayer and fasting. And the angel tells him that, you know, from the very first day that you started to pray and started to fast, God heard your words. And he said, And I am come. I've been sent by God because of your words.

Verse number 13. But notice, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia, interesting phrase there, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me.

So here's an angel of God being sent from God, from heaven, coming to this earth, coming to see Daniel because of Daniel's words.

But it says the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood this impressive angelic being.

You know, he withstood me for quite a long time, for 21 days. And he says, Below Michael, we know who we're referring to there, one of the chief princes, one of the archangels of God, He came to help me. He came to help me. For I had been left alone with the kings of Persia, with the rulers of Persia. Now this implies, since he had to, you know, we had this 21 day confrontation that we're not talking about the physical kingdom of Persia here, because a man couldn't withstand an angelic being like this. We're talking about, in a sense, the power behind the throne. The spiritual darkness power behind the throne of the kingdom of Persia withstood an angelic being of God for 21 days, and another angelic being for God had to come and help him, Michael, the archangel had to come. Because, as it says in the latter part of verse 13, I had been left alone. One of God's angels was left alone with the king's plural of Persia. I think we're talking about more than one spirit being that he was having to encounter. Verse number 14, now I have come to make you understand. What shall befall your people in the latter days, for yet the vision is for many days. Now the message that the angel brought to Daniel is one thing, but this reference to the aside reference to princes or kings of Persia is really astounding. Because it isn't something that really we should pass over lightly. This isn't an ordinary man that Daniel was talking about this angelic being. Yet he was pushed back for 21 days. Verse number 5, he says, then I lifted up my eyes, Daniel 10. I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of euiphaz. His body was also like barrel in his face as the appearance of lightning. So this is the angelic being that God sent to talk to Daniel. We see that he says his appearance was like lightning, his eyes as lamps of fire, his arms and his feet like a color of polished grass, and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude. So we're talking about an angel here, and a powerful one at that.

But the sobering thing to think about here is this account, is this powerful angelic being that God has to fight his way in to the Persian kingdom in order to speak to Daniel. It took him 21 days to fight his way through. And not only that, he couldn't do it by himself. It took Michael to help him.

So who, pray tell, was this fellow who was holding them off?

You know? Who was it? And who was it that did not want Daniel to hear the message of what was going to happen in the future and be written to be a part of the Bible?

He didn't want that word to be written to Daniel so that Daniel could write it down and it would be available for us today. And some of the prophecies of Daniel are some of the most inspiring and clear prophecies about the coming kingdom of God.

So who was it that didn't want Daniel to hear this message of what was going to come to pass in the latter days? Brethren, there's a spiritual dimension in parallel with our own. There's a spirit world where powerful forces are engaged in a great struggle. Spirit beings opposed to one another. Two kingdoms opposed to one another. There's a spiritual battle that was going on in Persia where Daniel was.

And there's something very disturbing about the pervasive and increasing spirit of evil that we're beginning to see even in our time and in our culture and of a hatred that exists in the world. Let's notice Revelation 12 and verse 10. How is it, brethren, that people can come to the point in time where they believe for religious reasons or their God gives them the right to take the life of a young child and behead them? I don't know if you've seen some of the terrible glory pictures that have been on the Internet. You know, we give our allegiance to a God that says, you don't murder. You don't take the life of an innocent person that you don't even know. God, the God that we serve, values life and says, it is not your right to murder somebody else. And yet we've got people. There is a hatred in the world. There's a spirit that's working in the world, a spirit of murder that's becoming more prevalent, that will take the life of somebody that they don't even know. They'll take their own life. They'll blow themselves up in the suicide bombing situation and they'll take the life of people that they don't even know. They don't know their life. They don't know that person's life history. They don't know that person's character. They don't know that person's relationship to their Creator. They will take their life. Revelation 12, verse 10, it says, 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 anointed One, His Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. So here's another leadership style characteristic of the present ruler of this age. He's an accuser. He accuses other people of wrongdoing. It says, for the accuser, our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. It's like he's on God all the time. Look at these people. He's nonstop accuser day and night. Verse 11, they, bring to God's people, overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb. So there's no other way that we could overcome. There's no other way we could be able to win this warfare. There's no other way, other than the help of Jesus Christ. The blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they love not their lives to death. Verse 12, therefore, rejoice, and we get into this other part here that we've already read about. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and to see the devil has now come down to you. So as a leader, and it says he's got great wrath. As a leader, his leadership style, he's angry. Right now, he's angry. That's part of his style. He's an accuser. He's a deceiver. Now you would expect then, as one gets down towards the end of the time, and the end of the age of the devil, amongst us knowing his time, and short would be particularly wrathful, particularly angry. And what all this brings to mind is this. We've got two opposing kingdoms, and one of the leaders is insane. There's no truth in him. There's no light in him. He's got a powerful mind, though. He still has a wisdom, but it's been twisted, and it's been corrupted. But it's still there, and he still uses it. It was given to him originally by God. He was full of the right type of wisdom. But now it's been twisted. It's been corrupted. And he's still at large in the world, and he is the main leader of the world's kingdoms. He's the main leader.

Now, I know, probably not so much here, but I know outside of this room, it's not necessarily, as we heard even in the Beyond Today program, it's not necessarily the normal things who even admit that he's there. And of course, that's part of the deception, isn't it? You know, if you don't think there's an enemy, you don't worry as much. You're not on guard. You're not prepared. You don't take precautions. But it's not fashionable to speak of a devil among many today. But that is exactly what we're dealing with. That's the reality of what God tells us in the Scriptures. And He's mentioned the devil and Satan over and over again in Scripture. God says he is a conscious, deliberate adversary of life and truth. He's deceiving. He's conniving. He's lying. He's a murdering demon of the first order. Turn with me to John 8 and verse 44. I think this was also mentioned in the Beyond Today. It was quoted, I think, by Mr. McNeely. John 8 and verse 44. We are being influenced by two different kingdoms that couldn't be more different. Two different kingdoms. And who are we going to give our allegiance to? Because the Scriptures talk about you can't serve two masters. We'll try, but you can't do it. You're eventually only going to give your allegiance to one master. And there's going to be no neutral ground. In this context here, Jesus on this occasion, He encounters this raw type of hatred that we talk about in some of the men He's dealing with. So this, John 8 and verse 44.

He said, you are of your father, the devil. And the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he abode not in the truth. Because there is no truth in him. Wow, what kind of a leader are we dealing with? What kind of a world-ruling leader are we dealing with here? There is no truth in him at all. And when he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own. For he is not only a liar, but he's the author of lies. He is the father of it, one of the main Ten Commandments. You know, where God says, you shall not bear false witness.

God hates lying, and He knows the damage that it does. So there's no escaping what Jesus is talking about. He's not talking about some vague spirit out there, some vague spirit of lying that might exist in the world. He's talking about a personal, real spirit being, who is the father of murderers and liars in the world. When Jesus said through John in the book of Revelation, we already talked about Revelation 12, verse 9, that Satan deceives the whole world. He's not exaggerating. He's telling it like it is. He deceives the whole world. God says the world that we live in is infested with His influence and His corruption and His evil, and it's manifested everywhere we look.

And we're beginning to see it beginning to accelerate here in our age. It's characterized by lies. It's characterized by deception. And even by the destruction taking the murderous way, taking the life of another human being. He's a murderer. And we're seeing more murders committed now. There's a scripture in Hebrews 2, verse 14. Let's go ahead and take a look at that. Hebrews 2, verse 14. I've read it many times and never really fully understood the impact of what it was saying.

It's Hebrews 2, verse 14. The Apostle Paul, most likely the writer of the book of Hebrews, speaking to the brethren, the people of God scattered abroad. It says in chapter 2, verse 14, for as much then as the children, we're talking about God's children now in this context, are partakers of flesh and blood, and He, referring to Jesus, also Himself, like I took part of the same, that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death.

That is the devil. I don't know why I've overlooked it. The devil is Him that has the power of death. He's got a lot of different leadership styles, a lot of different characteristics here. So in addition to being the prince of the power of the air, or the prince of this world, of this age, or the prince of darkness, now we can add another title. It's the prince of death. This is contrasted with another kingdom and another leadership style.

Jesus Christ's title is not the prince of death or the prince of the power of darkness. His title is the prince of life. That's found in Acts 3, verses 14 through 15. Let's look at John 12 and verse 50. John 12 and verse 50. The leadership style of another kingdom. And I know His command. It's everlasting life. Rather than death and the power of death, we're talking about the power of life. We're talking about the power of everlasting life. This is God's desire. Verse 49 says, I haven't spoken, Jesus said, of my own authority, but the Father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak, and I know that His command is everlasting life.

That's what I speak, just as the Father told me. And so Jesus Christ is the prince of life. The Father's command is everlasting life. And we know from Scripture we're not to take anyone's life. Life is valuable. You know, the evidence of Satan is around us.

It's all around us. And His presence is pervasive in the world. And sometimes it's hard to spot, maybe necessarily, from a human point of view, but if we look a little more carefully, we can see His tracks. It's going to be a little bit more obvious as time goes on.

And there's not only evidence of that in this country, but it's all over the world. It's all over the world. Where is a righteous nation right now? Where would you look? Where would you turn to for leadership, for an example of the truth, for an example of morality, for an example of integrity, of character?

You know, it used to be the English-speaking peoples. It used to be Great Britain, it used to be the United States. But where do you look? He's making inroads, has made tremendous inroads into those nations as well, and there's increased activity. The persistence of the increased and accelerated attacks on the family?

Wow! We talked about that, haven't we? There have been greater attacks and greater successes, I suppose you could say, with His attack on the family. That will eventually be reversed. But right now, He's made great inroads into destroying the integrity of the family, which of course affects the nation. Why is this happening? John 12, verse 23. We're here in John 12. Let's go to verse 23. Before we read it, you and I have been asked to make a decision.

Who are we going to give our allegiance to? Because Jesus Christ even said, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of God. Because it's really the way that we live our lives that tells someone who is receiving our allegiance, the way we live, the decisions that we make on a daily basis when we are confronted with issues of character, how we decide begins to tell who we give our allegiance to. John 12, verse 23. Because there are two kingdoms and they're opposed to one another. Our enemy, Satan the devil, has a leadership style.

It's evil, destructive, deceptive. He wants you and high deceased to exist. And he'd be happy to be the one to do the killing. But Jesus Christ, in the other hand, has a different leadership style because of his love. In fact, his style was that he was murdered.

So that we could live. So that we could be rescued. So we could be in his kingdom. John 12, verse 23. But Jesus answered and said, The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. And I'm telling you the truth, most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. Jesus Christ knew by His death that there would be fruit that would be born of other spiritual sons of God.

But He was going to have to die. Unless that grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it's going to remain alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. And then He tells us something that's maybe not quite easy to understand. In verse 25, He says, He who loves his life will lose it. And he who hates his life in this world, in this age, will keep it for eternal life.

If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me. In other words, let him give his allegiance to Me, to trust Me, to allow Me to come into his life or her life and to lead them. Verse 26, If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am there My servant will be also. We'll be together. We'll be as one. If anyone serves Me, let him My Father will honor.

And then, certainly, human tendency in verse 27, Now My soul is troubled. So Jesus was flesh and blood too, man as well as God. I am troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. For this purpose, I came to this hour. I came to die. I came to be murdered. There are a couple of Scriptures that come to mind. Recently, the first one we covered in Hebrews 2, showing the devil as holding the power of death.

And the other was the close of the end of the Lord's Prayer. Do you remember how it goes? Let's turn it over there. Matthew 6, verse 9. Remember how it goes? Our Father who art in heaven. Matthew 6, verse 9. The example prayer that Christ gave to us here. It says in verse 9, In this manner therefore pray, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come.

So Jesus Christ's will and desire and His example for us was that God's kingdom come here. It's not here yet, but it's coming. And pray that His kingdom come and that His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. It's happening in heaven right now. He goes on to say, And give us this day our daily bread, Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, And do not lead us into temptation.

But notice the middle of verse 13, But deliver us from the evil one. He talks about give us our daily bread, And then He says, but lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil is what some translations say. The New King James, I think, is pretty good here. I think the end of it, he says it too. Deliver us from the evil one.

God says there's a personal devil who holds the power of death. He's the present ruler of this age, And from the beginning, He was the author of lies, The culture of death, And an underwriter of hatred, Rather than love, everywhere in the world. So, brethren, where does that leave us? Where does that leave us? Here we are on the earth.

We are the children of the kingdom to come. That's what he's called us to be. Let's notice Deuteronomy 8, verse 2. Sometimes the question arises, why does God allow us to live under His domain? To live under His jurisdiction?

Why must we endure for so long a time? Why must we live our lives out in the midst of two opposing kingdoms, building to a head-to-head confrontation at the seventh trumpet? Maybe there's some clues here in Deuteronomy 8, verse 2. Deuteronomy 8, verse 2. And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to prove you, and to confess us what some translations say, and to know what was in your heart, and to know whether we would keep His commandments or whether we wouldn't.

Verse 3, so He humbled you. He allowed you to hunger as part of the plan. No, He didn't allow you to starve to death. He did feed you with manna, which you didn't know. Neither did your fathers know. Why? A very important lesson. That He might make you to know that a man or a woman does not live by bread alone, but lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Does a man live? Now, Jesus quoted this in a sense when He had His confrontation with the enemy, with the kingdom that is eventually going to be overthrown, with the leader who is eventually going to be cast out. He said, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the God of this kingdom that's coming is what He told Satan and what He also told the children of Israel, His congregation in the wilderness at this time. God has to know. God has to know who we give our allegiance to. When Satan was cast out of heaven, it says the inhabitants of heaven rejoiced. It says they rejoiced that he was gone.

But then they said woe to the inhabitants of the earth. But thankfully, brethren, let's notice something very important here in John 12, verse 31. In our final Scripture, John 12, verse 31. Jesus Christ said this. We've got a red letter Bible. You'll notice that these are His words. John 12, verse 31. They had told us in Revelation, woe to the inhabitants of the earth.

But thankfully, we have the information here. John 12, verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. There's been judgment that's been passed, in a sense. The sentence hasn't been carried out. But the judgment has been made. This present kingdom is going to be and has been judged. The present kingdom at this age has been judged. Notice it says, now is the judgment of this world or of this age.

Now, the ruler of this world is going to be cast out. Now, that hasn't happened yet. He was cast out of heaven, but the good news is, He's eventually going to be cast out of the earth as well. The seventh angel sounds in the kingdoms of this world.

They will, at that time, become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. And there will most definitely be a changing of the guard.