Prophecy, Part 4

Do you notice anything in common with these words?

This is not tough.

You always think I'm trying to flunk you. This is...

Some of you were in my school classes back in Imperial. Everybody got a good grade.

There's one thing in common. They all begin with, and you're a bright class. You're a bright class. But that's again why God has given us...

You have to have faith, Larry. There's 5D. You can't see it over at your end, but we'll be going through some of these words. That's one of the reasons why God has given us in Scripture the Olivet prophecy. We need to remember that we've been going through this series that we've entitled, Not One Stone, for a very specific reason. Some of you, for the very first time, are hearing sermons dealing with prophecy.

Others of you are versed in it, but it's always good to go back and look into this prism, perhaps through different facets, and come to understand deeper meanings about it. The bottom line that I want to share with all of you today is simply this. The Olivet prophecy is primarily written to covenant people. It's written to people in the faith community, and to people of the book, and that God is dealing with. Not everybody out in America today or around the world is turning open Matthew 24 or Luke 21 and reading it.

This is indeed for the church that Jesus is building, and that He is the foundation. We're calling it Not One Stone because at the end of His life, that last week in Jerusalem, He visited the religious community and chided them, and admonished them, and witnessed to them that they had been weighed in the balance, and they had indeed been found wanting. But then He wanted to talk matters over with His own followers, with His own students.

But His own students got a little overwhelmed with what was around them, being in Jerusalem and being able to see this incredible edifice called the Temple Mount, which was more than just the temple. It was an entire complex of facilities and buildings and edifices and monuments, etc., etc., and these were country boys from Galilee. They were fishermen. It was like they were in New York, and their mouths were just a gate. Wow! And Jesus had to remind them and challenge their thought and wake them up that indeed not one stone of what they were seeing was going to stand.

That their center of universe was going to be challenged. Their center of universe was going to need to shift from that which was of stone to the rock of Jesus Christ, and to what their lives would be built upon, not just simply an edifice that was on a mount, but on the Son of God who had come to earth. Now, we've been going through Matthew 24, and in this discussion we've tried to outline some different scenarios, basically using the similarity between the Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24 and comparing it to the description of the seals in Revelation 6 that slowly unfold and slowly come out to full revelation.

The message to the followers that first heard these words in 31 AD or later on in 85 or 90 AD, whether through the Gospel or whether through the book of Revelation, again follows a lot of what is up here on the board before you. The message to the followers, the message to you today here in Eagle Rock is simply this. Don't become distracted to this world. And which seems so permanent. That message resonates down through the ages. There is always the possibility, there is always the reality that even covenant people, God's people, can become distracted and mistake that which is temporary for that which is permanent.

To mistake that which is but a means to that which is an end and being with God himself, even when it came to the temple. Number two, to recognize that when we do become distracted that we can wittingly or unwittingly deny God's perfect will and ways in our lives. When we become distracted and thank God that we have his Sabbath day to observe every week to slow us down, to get our focus intact, to begin to once again understand what is important because distraction can lead to denial of God's perfect will because this can all seem pretty good around us.

This world of man. Absolutely. Because again, when we remember the tree of life, the tree of good and evil itself, there is good and evil. It's not all evil. It's not all bad. It is good and evil.

But it's not permanent. It's only temporary. And the Olivet prophecy tells us that it is going to perish this world. When we go into denial, we then begin to depart. Number three, we begin to depart from him, being number one in our life. You shall have no other gods before me.

And then we recognize that if we depart from him, this can lead to destruction, especially when God has something utterly marvelous in store for each and every one of us. And we're going to be discussing that during the Feast of Trumpets and during the Feast of Tabernacles and during the eighth day festival that we're going to describe the future that God has in store for each and every one of us. Last time, last message, we moved from the time of man regarding the four seals found in Revelation 6 to the time of the tribulation, also known as the time of Satan's wrath. Because the good news and all of that, even though it describes Satan's wrath, Revelation tells us that the time is short. In all of this, and then we're going to go into what I want to bring you today, there's something that we need to be confronted with, and this is what I would like to share with you. In the Olivet prophecy and some of these things that come out, whether it's a world that is apart from God since Eden, a world that is under a curse by its own choice, as is mentioned in Eden, whether it be that or whether we discuss the fifth seal, the tribulation, or the other things that I'm going to discuss with you today, there's one thing that we need to understand. That is, Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and he was looking over to Mount Zion and the temple, and saying that not one stone would stand upon another. There's one thing I want to share with you, and you might want to jot these words down. Jesus was brutally honest, brutally honest with his followers. What their new loyalty to him would entail. Brutally honest. You know, one thing that Robert mentioned in the first message is, God is always faithful. If we want to learn something today and put the two together, God the Father and Jesus Christ, God is always faithful. Jesus is always honest with those that are going to follow him. He lets you know what's coming. He said that this new loyalty that would be visited upon him by those that surrender to him, by the call of the Father, that there would be persecution, that there might even be murderdom in a world that is lawless, and warns that even their love, the love of the saints, the love of the firstfruits, those that have been called and chosen to be members of the body of Christ, might wax cold due to external pressures or due to cultural imprint. Last time we talked about a cry goes up in Revelation and saying, how long, O Lord? How long?

How long is this going to go on? When is it that you're going to return and rescue your people? Well, that's why now we open up the Bible and we continue here in Matthew 24. Join me if you would. Let's open up God's Holy Word and understand the words of Jesus Christ.

Question comes up, how long, O Lord? And sometimes we don't even have to be in a prophetic sense. We can be in a daily sense with some of the challenges that you and I are going through that are not necessarily what we might call the Great Tribulation, but when you're perplexed, when you're vexed, when things are happening in your life that you didn't understand, and you said, I've committed myself to God the Father. I've committed myself to Jesus Christ. I'm striving to obey their Holy Word. Why is this going on? This isn't what I signed up for. And sometimes in you and I, we don't have to wait to the future. In our mind or in our heart, we can be saying right now, how long, O Lord? And or am I the only one? But we notice something here that's very interesting, that we left off last time with two very encouraging prophetic notes. One is individual, and the other is a testimony about God. If you look at verse 13 again, notice what it says, as we've gone through these first four seals of man apart from God, history apart from God, because of man's choices from the beginning, but he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Brethren, I submit to you today that this is a promise to covenant people, that he who endures to the end. The same shall be saved. Now there's a couple highlight words. Let's look at it together in the sense as a class. There's a couple highlight words here. Endures, the end, and saved and or salvation. Let's look at that for a moment. He that endures comes from a Greek word. I'm not going to use too much Greek today. The Greek word there is hypo mino. It means he that abides under. He that abides under and or bears up. Well, any reading of scripture back to John 15 forward are abiding. The framework that walls us in is that life, that death, that resurrection, that ascension, and that understanding of the second coming, that this is what frames us. This is what molds us. To abide in Christ is not something that is passive at all. It is not just something sweet. Abide. Abide is a power phrase. hypo minimo. To abide under. To be able to, in that sense, to bear up. To abide under means that we will be able to bear up with that onslaught that comes to us in our life today and or to a greater onslaught that occurs in the future prophetically. Notice again it says, and shall be saved. Those that abide in Christ. That capsulated existence that God the Father sets before us as that example to abide in says shall be saved. Salvation. Spiritual salvation. Oh yes, there will be times when God miraculously will deliver a person and or deliver a people, perhaps even deliver a nation. But let's always set our sights on where God is setting his sights. It's about not only physical deliverance. God sent his son to this earth that we might know eternal life. And eternal life is God the Father and Jesus Christ and that we might ultimately have eternal salvation in that kingdom of God and eternity. That is the goal post. That is the goal line. Now, one thing you notice in verse 13, very interesting. If you join me there again, notice what it says. But he who endures to the end. Now there's two things that we've often heard. We've often heard sermons about hang in there, hold on, and then we'll hear sermons about hang in there, hold on, and get that Christian football over the goal post. Hang in there. Be an endure. But here's another thing. There is an end. Look at that. There is an end to this age of man. To this age that rejected the kingdom of God at Eden. That rejected the tree of life. There is an end. How long, O Lord? How long? The chant that's gone up for over 2,000 years. And right here in verse 13 it says, you hold on, you endure, you abide. There is salvation in store by God's grace. And by the way, there is an end to this which is around. There is a fini, as it says in French. There is a finish line. There is an end. It is going to all stop. And not one stone is going to stand. The kingdom of God is going to emerge on this earth. Now let's notice another thing here. Verse 14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations. That is a promise. That is God's assurance.

Sometimes we can say, well, here we are in 2012. What merits me? What merits you to continue in this way of life, to even be participants in the gospel of work? And everything seems to be coming in, pushing against Christianity, pushing against God, an age that's becoming more secular, more humanistic. And later on, when the great tribulation comes and the beast emerges and the false prophet emerges, and God puts a promise here, you've got to look through it. You've got to believe.

This good news of this emerging kingdom will be preached. That is a certainty. The gates of hell, the gates of grave, will not prevail against the kingdom of God. Oh, will people go down here and martyr them? Yes. Will people die in the faith? Yes. But at the end, at the end, and there is an end again, notice at the end of verse 14, then the end will come. The end of what? The end of this age and the emergence of the glorious kingdom of God, that you and I are going to rehearse and celebrate this fall through the festivals of trumpets, the Feast of Tabernacles, the eighth-day festival, that we're going to center that on that which is permanent, that which is eternal, and understand that in that sense, we are pilgrims now on this earth and simply passing through. This now takes us on to verse 15, because even as it says there's going to be an end, again, Jesus is brutally honest. He says there's some stuff coming. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, when you see this abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand. Now, it's very interesting here, an abomination of desolations is mentioned. Oftentimes, the question comes up, what is this sacrilegious object that causes desecration that's mentioned both in Daniel and here in the Olivet prophecy?

I submit to you that rather than just one specific object or time, it could be seen as any deliberate attempt to mock, to deny, the reality of God's presence and purpose. Daniel, let's go over to Daniel 9 for a second. Daniel is mentioned here. Daniel 9, join me if you would for a moment.

And let's pick up the thought in verse 27.

In Daniel 9, verse 27, let's notice the phraseology here. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall bring to an end to sacrifice and offering, and on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate. On the wing of abomination shall one who makes desolate, even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate. Again in 11, verse 30. In Daniel, because Jesus mentioned it, verse 30.

It's not actually what I wanted there. I'm kind of looking down here a second. Okay, yeah. Verse 30. For ships from Cyprus shall come against him, and therefore he shall be grieved in return and rage against the Holy Covenant, and do damage against the Holy Covenant, against those matters, things that are of God. And so he shall return and shall regard for those who forsake the Holy Covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress. Then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolations. When we look at history, and remember what I've mentioned to you over the previous three messages, you might want to jot this down if you haven't yet. Jerusalem is the bullseye of biblical prophecy. It's not West Covina.

It's not Sierra Madre. It's not even Alhambra. It's not Hollywood. It's Jerusalem. Jerusalem is that piece of real estate in the Middle East where God has determined that the will of heaven touches earth, and things happen. It's a very, very special spot. And it talks about this abomination of desolation. You know, when you look at the course of Jerusalem from 586 forward, you recognize that Nebuchadnezzar sent the Chaldeans, and they created sacrilege against the temple, the one that had been built by Solomon. Later on in 168 BC, under the Hellenistic Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes, once again the temple was entered. And on that mount, can you imagine that this Greek king, this person that took up a portion of the Alexandrian empire, sacrificed a pig to Zeus on the sacred temple altar. Later on, Pompey the Great would come. Pompey the Great, before the time of Christ, and again would enter Jerusalem. They always had to go up to the temple mount and figure out what was behind that veil. What makes this Jewish people so zealous for this God? There must be something behind that veil! Oh, oh.

But that was the spot. That was the magnet. Later on, after this, as these words began to reflect just 40 years after Jesus' life, we know that this patient and his son Titus would come up against Jerusalem and once again they would go in and would create sacrilege, an abomination, a desolation on that which was holy, in that holy place, most holy place, the holy of holies. In 135 AD, under Hadrian, there would be one last Jewish revolt, the Barkofa rebellion, and after that, everything would be just literally obliterated. And it's very interesting, maybe some of you don't realize this, but that what Hadrian did is he renamed Jerusalem. He named it Aelia Capitalina. Aelia was his family name and Capitalina was the mount, seven hills of Rome, the hill in Rome, upon which the temples rested, upon which Jupiter's temple rested. And can you just imagine that on the holy spot that a temple to Jupiter was raised up. May I say to you that is an abomination of desolation. But these are types. When you look at prophecy, we often use the term dualism and or we might say layered, that layer upon layer upon layer to a crescendo in the future towards the end of the age of man. And there's some verses here that are very interesting. I'd like to share with you for a moment and we're going to go to them. Let's go to 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2, because this is going to lie off in the future. You know, so often we think of Paul speaking about the Christian life, but he was also in that sense of prophet. In 2 Thessalonians and picking up the thought in chapter 2 and in verse 1.

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or trouble either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. Now, notice verse 4. In this line of abomination and of desolation, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

That's an incredible statement. Revelation 13 gives us more color to Paul's words. Join me if you would in Revelation 13. In Revelation 13 and picking up the thought here further in verse 11. In Revelation 13 it describes two beasts. One is since state or secular, conjoined with one that is religious, a church-state union that is going to emerge further in the future. And then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. Horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon. And he exercised all the authority of the first beast in his presence and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. This form of Babylon that comes down through the stream in the time of history, opposed to Jerusalem, that which is above, and he performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth and the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. And he was granted power to give breath to the earth and to the beast and give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, most small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. Now, this is speaking of the second beast of Revelation 13, who was aligned with the first beast or the empire beast, and that no one may buy or sell except one who is the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his name is 666. When we understand this, this is yet to occur. This is not a fairy tale, and we have been proclaiming this as a church from the Scriptures of the Bible, as a people for over 80 years, that this is yet to occur, and it's going to be an incredible situation. This ultimate abomination of desolation. Here's what we want to share, though. Verse 18, here is wisdom, and that's got to be a wisdom that we don't have here below. It's got to be a wisdom that comes from above. It says, and let him have understanding. It's very interesting. I'm not here today to tell you who the beast is. Others have done that, and others have failed, to be frank. But we do know that this system that is bestial, this system that is opposed to God, opposed to everything that comes from Jerusalem above, that stems from Babylon, is yet going to emerge in human, not godly, but in human greatness. One more time. Six, six, six. Six is the number of man. Three is the number of finality. There is going to be this kingdom of man that seems to be dress wrapped in God's clothing, like this beast. Not everything that glitters is gold. And the Scriptures even say that even the elect themselves might be deceived.

Let's go back to Matthew 24. When I say all of this, brethren, may I share something, even as my voice goes up and I begin to illuminate scenarios in the future, it is not to in any way scare you. It is to warn you.

It is to encourage you to stick to the way. It is to make sure that you don't become distracted, that you are not in denial, that you're simply going to be a lone ranger and depart, because that can lead to destruction when God Almighty above only wants to deliver those that have been called and chosen. Let's finish the thought here in Matthew 24 and go through it.

This abomination of desolation is going to arise. Whoever reads, let him understand. And when we read the Scripture, here's the encouragement that I want to share with you. God says, out of Amos 3, He says, surely I will do nothing but that I don't first give it to my servants, the prophets. God is going to give us a sure map to the future and towards eternal salvation. But He does say here, when these things do occur, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Now that's a mouthful. That's a heartful to think about. This coincides very much that that God is giving you and I a message. He's speaking to us through the words of Jesus from the Mount of Olives. And he says, I'm going to be brutally honest. I'm going to tell you what it's going to be like. But I want to tell you something on the other side of all of this. There is incredible salvation and existence with God the Father, my Father, Jesus' Father, and myself.

And that we might be in that kingdom of God. But until then there's going to be some tough human sledding. I'm not going to leave you alone. I'm going to give you enough to consider. And when the time emerges I will by my spirit give you the comprehension that you need. But when it comes you will need to know. You will not be able to when this ultimate abomination of desolation rises, this vestural system, you're not going to be able to play both ends against the middle. You're not going to be able to put your foot over here and you're not going to be able to put your foot over here and see how long you can remain balanced. The reason why this is inspired of God is to simply let us know this. There are only two options for human beings, not three. There's either submitting and surrendering to the will of Jerusalem above to God the Father and to Jesus Christ and to surrender ourselves completely to Him and to His grace and to His love and to His commandments and to His Word.

Or you submit yourself to that which comes down from Babylon.

There is the story of the Bible is simply this. I think I mentioned it last time you can write it down again because repetition is the best form of emphasis. In God's way, there is no third option.

There is no third option. You must make a decision today in your life in LA and in the future for these saints that are going to be visited upon by this system that is going to emerge. And when it comes, you're going to have to know what you're going to do. It says, it's very interesting, it says, don't go back. You're going to have to leave. Remember how when in Luke 9 when the people came to Jesus and they said, well, we'll follow you? Jesus, oh yeah, sure. But they said first of all, let us go back. Let me go back and take care of pops. Let me go back and take care of... I'll join you when it's convenient. There's a whole thought in that story. And or let me go back and just have a little bit more time with my friends. What Jesus is telling us here is simply this. There is going to come in our life, whether it's things that are being visited upon us now, in our lives, as God deals with us now, and as we are in this world now, and or in the future in a grander, macro prophetic way, that when the window opens and the voice of God reaches into our hearts and into our lives, and the prompting of the Spirit is real and dynamic, you must move.

You must not dally. You must not trifle with the prompting of God's Spirit. The course of history is simply this. The door remains open only so long. The window that was shut and is opened by God alone stays open only so long. Now you say, well, how do I know that? I'm a little scared.

Don't be scared. God has not called any or any one of us to fail but to succeed.

You say, well, you're talking about this beast, and you're talking about the other beast, and you're talking about the abomination of desolation, and you're talking about Roman emperors. How do I know that God doesn't want me to fail? How do I know that he really loves me?

Always goes back to what Paul said. You doubt I gave you my very own son.

You doubt my love? You wonder about it? You wonder if it's packed away? I gave you my son. I gave you my son. I gave you my all. I gave you everything that I could and no less than a member of the Godhead. When I think about that, dear friends, I know that I can't make it through humanly, but I know that I can make it through by God's Spirit. And he will allow me to understand, and he will allow you to have the wisdom, and he will allow you to move from consideration to comprehension, whether it's in this lifetime now in Los Angeles or as this system emerges in full. But when that comes, do not deny the gifts of God. Respond to them. There cannot be no looking back. There cannot be being misses a lot, and looking back and wondering what you're missing. Let's continue the thought here. Matthew 24.

For then will be great tribulation, such has not been since the beginning of the world, until this time, no, nor ever shall be. Now, that's quite a statement. Jesus is brutally honest. There have been incredible, incredible episodes in human history. Some of you were in one of the greatest of all in your early lifetime in World War II. The greatest war that ever occurred is only two generations back. Some of you that are younger, some of you that are 10 or 11 or 12, you're great-grandfathers. We're a part of the greatest war that ever occurred on earth. It's not back in Roman times. It's not back in the time of Babylon. It's not back in the time of Egypt. It's in the living memory of some of us that are here. This is going to be war. But there's a reason, because as we discussed last time, Satan is going to be down on this earth. He knows that his time is short. And like any wounded beast, they become more dangerous. But the book of Revelation, remember what I said? The time is short in comparison to what God has in store for us. It says here, "...and unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." Now, that might be a very small verse to all of you, but as one that grew up under the threat of thermonuclear war—and I see many baby boomers out here and remember the stories and remember what we did—and we did not know, perhaps, what the next day might be as the Soviet Union faced off the United States. When I began to look at this verse back in 1962 and 1963, just as a youngin at age 12, I want to share something you may I. This gave me incredible hope.

The Scriptures give us a wisdom that you and I humanly don't deserve, and yet God grants to us that we know that man is not headed for destruction but deliverance. How many people out there know that and take the word of God with joy and understanding that no matter what is coming in our own personal life and or in the macro life of humanity, there is a way, there is a rescue. Bob again mentioned that wonderful horse in Revelation 19, and the one that sits on it is faithful and true. So often humanity wants to focus on the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In paint, have you ever noticed the scariest pictures of all of them? All the booklets that you see out there on the, you know, spooky.

I don't think I'd want to invite one of them over for dinner.

But that's where man focuses, rather than on that great fifth horseman of the apocalypse, of the unveiling. The one that is faithful and true in Revelation 19, the one that is not just simply coming over the hill, but sent by his father down from heaven to this earth.

And there is going to be an end, but not the end of humanity, the end of this age, the end of people that are opposed to the tree of life, those that are the ancestors of Adam and Eve, that simply want to be a part of a world that you taste and touch and feel and smell, rather than have faith in that tree of life. Do you really understand the incredible calling that you and I have, as those called out of season ahead of time, to have these precious truths? Are they as precious to you as when you first heard them in 1992 or 1982 or 1952 for some of you? It is not further away. It is closer than ever. Deliverance is on its way. And the same deliverance that God Almighty through Christ is going to demonstrate on this earth is available to us in our own personal world today with the challenges that you and I are going through. Matthew 24, again saying, then anyone says to you, look, here it is, the Christ who are there, do not believe it. For false Christ and false prophets will rise until great signs and wonders to deceive, and if possible, even the elect. Even the elect. And that's why, dear brethren, we have to always, always recognize that it's not by our might or by our power or by our intellect and or our putting together a bunch of prophetic charts that seem to fit, but to recognize we have no strength on our own, that we can be deceived, that without God's perfect will and guidance, we can make mistake, means for an end, rather than recognizing that there are and worship the means rather than the end. To recognize that even those in Judea, the Jews of old, in a sense, wittingly or unwittingly, were worshiping the temple and worshiping the law, rather than the one that is the rock and the one that gave the law and the one that Solomon said is not boxed up in human ativices or temples of man, but rules the heavens and rules the earth, that you can't box in the God that you and I worship.

So as we move forward in these days, we must move both in humility and, do you hear me, boldness. Boldness in that God is working in a work in us, and yet humility that any deliverance is not by any working of our human hands or our human imagination, but only by the purpose and the love and the will of God. Notice what it says, for as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is there, the eagles will be gathered together. One thing that is made very clear here, there are people that sometimes, even back in that day, religious people would say, well, you come over to my valley, you come over to my safe haven, you come onto my compound, you hang around me, and these words that I am the closest thing to God, or if you're here, you're going to be okay, and or there'd be all sorts of, in a sense, mysticism, ethereal meanings. What Jesus is telling you and me here is simply this. When he comes, you're not going to miss it. I think all of us as Americans love the Fourth of July. Thank you, Mr. John Adams, because he's the one that started the fireworks. Old Dowers soured John Adams as the one that gave us fireworks. But the greatest crescendo of fireworks that we've ever seen is going to be paled into insignificance when the heavens open, and the clouds roll back, and the Christ emerges with the armies of heaven, and the trumpet sounds, and we're not going to miss it. It's going to move from east to west. It's going to be... what do I dare say? Bigger than widescreen. It's going to be global encompassing. It's going to be fantastic, and you and I are invited to that. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. Very important. Would you do me a favor for those of you that are bold. You might want to circle Son of Man. That was Jesus' favorite self-reference to Himself. He loved, he can call the Son of Man. And of course, it also goes back in a sense to the type of Ezekiel before him. This Son of Man, this Son of Man, born of woman, lived as a man, but killed by man. Killed by man thinking that they were doing God a favor. That's always interesting how people get murdered sometimes by other people that think they're doing God a favor. Killed by man.

But then, to recognize that the courts down here below on earth did not get it right. They put a perfect man to death. But to then recognize that the Supreme Court of heaven overturned and overruled that verdict that was made by man. About one that was born of woman, lived as a man, was a man, died as a man, slain by man, and yet the heavenly court big overturned, big overruling, brought him up out of the earth and now sits at the right hand of God.

That is why those three words are there. Maybe you didn't know that before. Now you have the full story. Jesus is not only the Son of God, he is the Son of Man. And that same Son of Man, who was in flesh like you and I, is coming back in all glory as Robert brought out in his message today. Let's continue the thought here for a moment. Immediately after the Tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from heaven and the power of the heavens will be shaken and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven and power and great glory. When you look at verse 29, where it talks about the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. This can be likened in Revelation 6 to, you might want to jot this down, this is an allusion to what we would call the sixth seal. The sixth seal is known as the heavenly signs. Very simple. The sixth seal is known as the heavenly signs in Revelation 6. I like to put it this way and I always have. The heavenly signs are no more than a cosmic doorbell ringing by God Almighty. It's a wake-up call to this earth.

God is about to demonstrate an incredible entrance into time and space and into human history.

So all of this occurs to get man's attention. To move him out of distraction, to move him out of denial, to understand that because they have been distracted by the ways of this world and the God of this age and the one that sounds like a, looks like a lamb but has the heart of a dragon, has departed from God, and here now this whole society is being destroyed and yet deliverance is at hand.

And he will send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds and from one end of the earth to the other. Verse 32. Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branches has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So he's saying look at nature for an example to recognize the times and the changes and the seasons. So you, you of Eagle Rock, also when you see all these things, know that it is near and it is at the doors. Assurely I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. And many of these items that Jesus mentioned regarding an abomination of desolation, the fleeing from Jerusalem. And which again is a very interesting story if you ever go and read Josephus about how God did allow those Jewish Christians that were in Jerusalem, gave them signs, gave them utterance, even coming out of the temple, and that there began to be a migration of the Jewish Christians out of Jerusalem over a period of time, not just by a stopwatch, but over a period of time to where they moved into the Foothill community of Pella. That God and that sins did give a warning, did give an utterance, did give a word, and said, this is the way. I'll walk you in it.

Let's conclude here. I just want to read through this, we'll conclude. But of the day, end of the hour, no one knows. Not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. It's very interesting. It says, no one knows. Not the day, not the hour. I want to share something with you as a student of the Bible. You want to look at verse 33. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near. This was indeed the wisdom of God in Christ. He never set a date, but he had the wisdom to always say for you and I to understand that it is indeed near. Near is not necessarily a Monday or Tuesday or a Roman numeral or even a 19 whatever or 2015 or 16, but to always live as if it's near. No one knows that time. And brethren, you know, and I'm just going to tell you as your pastor, there are times when people go trespassing into that domain, which is only that of the Godhead, and tamper with the people of God and titillate them with dates and numbers and that I am the sure cure. And I now know when Jesus Christ is coming back, and he's going to come back here, he's going to come back here, and he's going to come back right now. And then when their calculation is wrong, they say, well, not quite wrong, and they just move it down the old calculation scale.

Brethren, that's not what Jesus tells you and me as people of the covenant. He gives us enough to know, appreciate what he gives us to know, it is enough, and to recognize that the kingdom of God is near, and not to fall for going to this place or that place, I am here, I am there, it's now, oh, no, it's not, oh, I made one mistake, oh, no, now it's, and it keeps on going.

If you go that way, you will only be worshiping a man. You will not be worshiping God. You will be worshiping human calculations rather than the divine will of God that comes to him in faith, knowing that we only know so much and we give our lives over to him and know it's going to be all right. But as in the days of Noah were so also will be the coming of the son of man be, for as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered, life was just going on as is and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the coming of the son of man be. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken, the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, not with a date, not with knowledge alone, but with a surrendered life, with a heart that is being made readied by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, by the lead of God's Spirit, by the indwelling of that Spirit that allows you and me to be his child and to come to him in absolute faith, that no matter what happens to recognize the greater the need, the greater the grace, and that God will supply that. Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Let's conclude verse 45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. We just read this, we hear a blessing. A blessing was a beautiful, beautiful visitation from one person to another on behalf of God when a child was blessed. We think of the blessing of the children of Israel. We think of the blessing of Abraham upon Isaac. We think of this blessing, that blessing, and it says here, there is a blessing. Blessing is the servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all of his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, my master is delaying his coming and begins to beat his fellow servants, this is speaking to the church. This is speaking to the covenant people. That's speaking to the world. It's speaking to the family of God here on earth. Do I make myself clear? Am I speaking to the right audience?

That there is this possibility that when we get our eye off the ball on what God is doing, and that his kingdom is coming, and that we are a people of pilgrims that are in preparation for that kingdom to arrive, we're not here to beat our fellow servants, and or to eat with those of drunkards, those that are delirious, that have no knowledge of the ways of God. The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with hypocrites, and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The one thing I want to share with you, brethren, is simply this. Let's conclude. Go on a little bit over time. Join me if you would in 1 Corinthians 3. In 1 Corinthians 3.

We have gone through four messages that I hope have illuminated somewhat of the Bible. But allow me to bring this to point. When Jesus said in Matthew 24 and verse 2, that not one stone shall stand. And that was a temple.

Is to recognize... Remember what I told you? That Jesus was wanting to shift their awareness and move it to something else. Here is what you and I, as people of covenant, people under the new covenant. People that God is building his temple from.

This is the stone. This is the rock. For we are, in verse 9, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, for we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field. You are God's building. According to the grace of God, which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid out the foundation and another man builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation, not even on Zion, one of those hills in Jerusalem, but on this foundation with gold and silver and precious stones, wood, haystraw, each one's works will become clear, for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. He that endures to the end, indeed, shall be saved. And if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as to fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? The word there for temple is naos, n-a-o-s. That is the holy, the holy place where God would come down and abide behind the veil. We're not talking about the porch of Solomon, we're not talking about the court of the Gentiles, we're not talking about the court of the women. God is very specific as to what he is doing. That his center of activity is moved from rocks and stones on the Mount of Jerusalem to what he is building in you and me through his grace, through faith and belief in him. And if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. And when we go through prophecy, we thus understand two things. Prophecy is not just simply about prophetic charts, it is about the chart of your heart. When you and I go through prophecy, we are reminded of the words of Peter. Now I haven't gone through this. Discussed it some. Comprehend it what we can.

Hit some high points, midpoints. The question always comes back because we have read this, therefore, what manner of man, what manner of woman, ought you to be?

Going to look forward to coming back to you on the Feast of Trumpets. We'll continue to discuss meet and do season. We're going to be joining our wonderful Garden Grove brethren down there. Susan and I are looking forward to joining you there. Next week, Susan and I will be in Bakersfield. Always appreciate your prayers as you have ours. And now, Mr. Shim it, would you please come forward.