Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
I'd like to turn first of all to Proverbs chapter 29.
And verse 18 where there is no vision, the people perish.
Mr. Darby translates it, cast off restraint, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. We find in the Scripture that the Spirit of Prophecy came in as soon as there was a breakdown in man, and God always pointed on as soon as sin entered. He made the promise of the coming seed. Over and over again we see in Israel's history, as things broke down, God pointed on to a time when He could bless them without any hindrance.
And that's what he delights to do for our hearts, brethren. He would have us to be looking beyond. What we see now may often grieve us and perplex us. I was just reading a little bit in Habakkuk and noticing how he was so discouraged. He couldn't understand why God was allowing things to go on when he was so holy. How could he allow those kind of things to go on? And then when he got into the Lord's presence, he says, I'll stand on my watchtower and see what?
Lord has to say to me when I'm reproved. And he was the answer the Lord gave to him.
The judge shall live by his faith. The judge shall live by faith. If we didn't know that God was going to set everything right in his own time and way, every one of us would be discouraged. We'd be just like the men of the world. It says men's hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things that are coming. And the men of the world don't have they looking for some great man to do it. And there will be a man who will arise called the beast, and he will give them a certain measure of confidence that.
In disappointment and in the judgment of God. But, brethren, you and I have laid our hands upon one, laid our eyes upon one, our hearts by faith, upon one who's mighty, who not only tells us what is going to take place, but is able. That which He has promised, he is able also to perform. And so how blessed this is for us. And I say this for each one of us, young and old, perhaps particularly for those who are young, because.
I'm sure that everyone of the young people feels sort of disappointed as they look out and see the prospects in this world and sometimes see our own weakness too, as those who seek to go on in the path God has marked out. But there's one that I would like to, by the Lord's health, fasten your eyes upon who never fails.
Who is a friend that sticks closer than a brother? A friend. And I always love that verse in the, I think it's the 62nd Psalm. It says trust in him at all the times. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. There are few people you can pour out your harps. You feel they wouldn't understand and if they didn't understand, they might not be true to you, but there's a person that you can pour out your heart to. There's a person you can talk to who understands.
Perfectly and not only understands perfectly, but he has all power.
And one has enjoyed that passage in First Peter chapter 5, it says, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
And perhaps you've had the experience like I have. You come to the Lord with a care, you want to cast it on him, but you seem to carry it away again. You can't seem to leave it there. And I suppose perhaps you, like all of us, we wonder why this is. We really wanted to leave it there, but we couldn't, and it seemed that we carried it away.
And I'd just like to turn over and look at that passage, and perhaps it'll help us to see the impact of that portion first. Peter 1, chapter 5. And I'd like to read the verse before as well as after, because the first before is part of the sentence.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. This is not a new sentence, casting all your care upon him, or he careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, has a roaring lion.
Walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Perhaps you say, well, Brother Gordon, why did you read that verse before? Well, first of all, because it's part of the sentence. And I believe, brethren, if I might put it in this way, I think it solves the difficulty. I think it solves the difficulty when you and I come with a care to the Lord. Sometimes the reason we can't take the care, leave the care there is because we haven't submitted to His hand. We haven't submitted to His hand. And sometimes I've had to say to myself.
00:05:08
When I came with a care and found it difficult to leave with the Lord, I said to myself, Now supposing the Lord came to you, Gordon, and he said I could remove that problem. I could make it just the way you'd like it to be. But it isn't my will for you. It isn't my will for you. Would I say, well, please, Lord, make it the way I would like it. It would solve a lot of problems if you just make it the way I'd like it to be.
Or what I say, Lord help me to accept it from my hand.
Then you can leave it there. Not till then I found it. I couldn't leave it there until I first humbled myself under His mighty hand. Submitted. The Lord has allowed that circumstance. He has all power in heaven and in earth. He could have prevented it, but He allowed it. And He allowed it because He saw that I needed it, and that it might be to His praise and glory that I might profit by it, by what He has allowed.
And then it says here that we have somebody who's working.
From the other side, your adversary, the devil, the devil was the first thing the enemy does is always raise a question as to the goodness of God. He started that in the Garden of Eden.
As soon as.
Adam was given the command of Eve not to eat of that tree. Then he tried to make them think that God was withholding something good from them.
He that he was holding back the best thing in the garden, and that it only reach out for what was forbidden, they would find something that would satisfy. They listened to the enemy instead of to the Lord.
They reached out. Well, what did it do? Did it bring happiness into their lives? No sorrow. Sorrow had brought into their lives. And it's had its effect on the whole human race. And I'm afraid it's because we all are tending to do the same thing and think that we're going to get something good by reaching out our hands for our own wills.
Mr. Darby once said.
How often does one forbidden thing hide from our view? 1000 blessings we read out. Reach out for something that God has forbidden, thinking we're going to gain something by it. But oh brethren, and you'll understand. I'm talking to myself as well as to you. We find it hard to humble ourselves under His mighty hand when we can't understand. But God's ways are past finding out.
Where no vision is the people perish if we don't look beyond what we see.
Is an obstacle or a hindrance and see that as we just mentioned in the previous meeting in the coming day, the whole 4 and 20 elders are going to say Amen to all God's ways. They're not growing to not one of us. When our lives pass into review. I'm going to say Lord, if that just had been different. Now we're going to see the wisdom of his ways, the failure of our own, but the wisdom of his ways.
In all that he has allowed to take place.
In our lives, and I believe that when by grace we seek to learn this lesson, why then there can be that joy and happiness as we look on. Because, brethren, what's ahead of us is so glorious, so bright for all eternity. Men of the world don't have this hope. I was just mentioning to a brother, we once took a motel out in British Columbia and we get up in the morning and we started to move on.
To where we're going to visit the dear Saints. And as we moved on, we saw a sign in front of another motel nearby. This is what it said. Have a good day. Don't turn on the news.
Have a good day. Don't turn on the news. The news of this world is disappointing. It's grieving. And the dwell might be too, because there's trouble ahead.
But you and I can turn on the news from heaven, brethren, and we'll have a good day if we do, for an old vision is the people perish. You and I can wake up in the morning. This may be the day when the Lord will come. This may be the day to the answer to all my problems and is not going to be that I get the answer and then the next day is going to be a difficulty because that's the way life often is, but not self.
In my presence is fullness of joy.
At thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore. God shall wipe away all tears from off of all faces. But we're still living in this world, and there are still difficulties. It was on my heart just to look a little bit at what we have in the Book of Revelation, because John was given a view of future events. I just also like to turn before we do to second Peter. Second Peter chapter 1.
00:10:07
Verse 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made no unto.
The power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty, For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with Him in the Holy Mount.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy, or the prophetic word made sure. For unto ye do well, that ye take heed is unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until a day dawn, and the day star or the morning star arise in your hearts. Paul was right, at least. Peter rather was writing to the remnant, the scattered people of God, of the nation of Israel.
And they saw all their national hopes dashed.
Because they saw that they were not going to. The Lord wasn't going to establish the Kingdom then, and I'm sure many of them were disappointed. But he said the Kingdom is going to come. Yes, the Kingdom is going to come. God is not slack concerning His promises. God is going to fulfill all the promises. And he said prophecy is a light that shines in a dark place.
It's just like as if some event that you've been looking for, somebody says to you.
You're looking in vain. That's never going to happen. And somebody says, oh sure, I know what's going to happen. I saw a preview of it. I saw a preview when they were on the Mount of Transfiguration. They saw a preview of the coming glory. And Peter said, he said that makes it all sure to us. We know. But he said we have to go through as it were.
A dark tunnel now, but there's a light that shines at the end of the tunnel.
It's a it's a blessed thing that the day of course, is for Israel and God is going to fulfill his promised blessing to this earth. The desert is going to blossom as the Rose. But as we've had very specially in these meetings, your hope and mine is not that this world in the setting of things right in this world. We're going to see it, but we're going to see it from heaven because before those awful judgments that come as a prelude to the setting up of the Kingdom.
He's going to give the shout and take.
Home and that's why he says here until the day dawn prophecy is to tell us what's going to happen in this world until the day that is, until the time the day of blessing comes for this world. But the morning star comes before the day. And so he says as we look out on this world, we have the lamp of prophecy. It shines in this Dark World. We see what's happening in Europe. We see what's happening in the Middle East. We see these things and.
Men of the world, their hearts fail them for fear they can't see a solution to the problems. But you and I, we have a light that shines in this dark place. God has told us. He's brought us into his secrets and told us what is coming. And prophecy is a light that shines in a dark place. And what does it do? Are we waiting for the dawning of the day? Well, not first of all.
It says the morning Star, arise in your hearts and brethren, if we go away from.
This meeting encouraged and with a morning star arising in our hearts, the hope of the Lord's coming as the only answer to all that's coming, then we will be encouraged. We will be. We won't cast self restraint. We won't say, oh, that's no use. No, you're trying in that little gathering where I am to go on. There's something left and there's so many disappointing things.
No, we're going to say, Oh well, it's just for a little while. The Lord's coming.
And when he comes, everything's going to be set right, and I'm going to see all those brown again, and they're all going to be just like Christ. And that's what gives us hope. That's what encourages us. But in the meantime, that we might value the precious privilege that we have of keeping his word and not denying his name. And so here Peter is talking about this. Well, I'd like to turn on to the prophetic book and to Revelation.
And the first chapter.
Perhaps you'll begin at the fourth verse. John To the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you in peace. From him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, And from Jesus Christ to his the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God.
00:15:07
Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Now John is given a view in these chapters 2 and three of the church as a Candlestick. But before he's given that view, he is given to think of the Blessed One, the Lord Jesus.
And it's beautiful to see the contrast that is brought out here in these things.
He says in the.
Fourth Verse Grace be unto you in peace. What is often commented that the measure in which we enjoy peace is the measure in which we enjoy grace.
And that is, there are many sinners and when they come to the Lord, they still cling somewhat to their feelings and things like that. And they don't have settled peace. They don't see in the work of Christ that God has been fully satisfied and glorified. And they thinking of something in themselves. Did they make the right kind of a commitment? Not that we do have to, but I mean, that's where the what is in the mind of many people. Do they have enough faith? They're looking in.
But it's all of grace present. It's all of grace. The work was finished by the Lord Jesus and I don't have anything to do. It doesn't depend on my feelings, it doesn't depend on my attitude. It depends upon whether I take God at His Word.
As we saying God is satisfied with Jesus, I am satisfied as well. And you will never have that peace of salvation until you give up looking in your feelings and thinking of any worthiness or fitness of yourself, or whether you have made the right kind of a committal or what, until you see that it all depends upon the grace of God that has brought salvation through the finish, the glorious work of the Lord Jesus.
And so in the situations of life.
Very often our piece is disturbed because why does this happen to me? Why would they make an expression like that? Why does this happen to me?
Because I thought I was a little better than that. That should have happened to me. It might have happened to somebody else, but why should it happen to me? Oh, you see, we're looking in a little bit himself.
Every good thing that God bestows, not only salvation, but everything in our lives, everything that we're going to enjoy for all eternity is totally undeserved. And if he allows things in our lives, it isn't it isn't that he doesn't isn't dealing with us in grace. He wants us to appreciate his grace to know that it's all of grace. And I say.
Measure in which we see that every blessing that we're going to enjoy.
For time and eternity is undeserved.
Founded upon the work of Christ. And so he says, Grace unto you in peace. And this was to the seven churches.
We'll see how everything broke down as to the Candlestick that they should have been in the earth, but Grace is going to bring every true believer safely home.
But now I just like to notice here from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, because the Church has failed as a faithful witness in the earth.
So instead of looking at the church and its failure, isn't it lovely to see the faithful witness? The one who is faithful, God is faithful.
By whom you're called under the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ. Our Lord God is faithful. So the church has failed, but the Lord Jesus is the faithful witness. Let's have our eyes upon Him. He's the first begotten from the dead. Death came in through sin, but the Lord Jesus triumphed over death.
He's the first begotten from the dead.
Everything committed to man and responsibility. The kings of the Earth government that's been committed to man, it's all failed. But there's one who's the Prince, who's King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's going to take everything in hand and set everything right when he comes out of heaven written upon him. King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
So and then it says, and I think this is so beautiful unto him that loved us or loves us, brethren, He's not only.
Paid for our sins, shed his precious blood, brought us into this place of blessing, but he loves us, he loves us. A person might turn around and pay some debt that I couldn't pay, but that wouldn't be an assurance that he loved me. Bless the Lord Jesus loves us and how long I've loved thee with an everlasting love. For no vision is the people perish. If you're looking at the kings of the earth and expecting a new government to make things better, you may be.
00:20:12
Disappointed. But if you think of the one who is going to set everything right and all government has been committed to him, then you won't be disappointed. You'll be encouraged as you say, well, when he's comes, he'll set everything right. You see the church failing as a Candlestick who say, well, there's one faithful witness. I want to have my eyes upon him.
How blessed this is. And so he says unto him that loves us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Oh, what a cough. Let's never forget what it cost the Lord to bring us into this place of blessing.
And has made us kings. That is when he takes the Kingdom, we're going to reign with him. We're going to reign with him. What a place people try to get involved in setting things right in this world. You and I are going to reign in the first righteous government. The world has never had righteous government. It's failed at every time. But you and I are going to reign in the first righteous government. Isn't it worth waiting for?
Yes, he's made us kings and priests access into.
His presence access into His presence in Israel only the high priest once a year could go inside the veil. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way. So before this Book of Revelation, with all its warnings of coming judgment, the failure of the Church, He gives him to see our own portion, the unsearchable riches of Christ, how blessed we are in him.
And then we see the record of the seven churches here. And you know, to me this is a very solemn thing when we see what what happens when things are committed to us in responsibility. But it is encouraging brethren to see that in each one there is what the Spirit of God speaks of as the overcomer, the overcomer. What does it mean to be an overcomer? Well, I look at it very simply. You can go under the condition.
Things or you can get above the condition.
Are you under the condition? Am I under the condition of things in the assembly where I am? Am I under the condition of things in my home or something like that? Well, God wants me to be overcomer to be able to go up. I think that's why it says in Havok about He maketh my feet like Hind's feet. If you read that at the end of the prophet Habakkuk it says.
Though there is no herd in the stall, there is no figs on the vine and the.
Tree and there's no grapes on the vine, he says yet will I rejoice the beer. You don't have to open the gate for the deer. It's got a loft spring to just spring right up and go over the problem and ask what the Lord would have us to be overcomers. Thing was made not always improve. We see it's a downward grade in most of these assemblies only when God intervenes in grace as he does.
He he brought about a recovery and his wondrous match.
Spiritualist grace and just like he did in Israel and brought some back to his center at Jerusalem and I believe he gratitude recovery when the blessed truth that we have enjoyed in some measure here today was recovered for the Saints of God and we were brought in. But how has and what has happened? Have we continued in the blessed enjoyment of that we have to hang our heads and say no we failed, but can we be overcomers in spite of.
What we see in Christendom and among ourselves, yes, the Lord Jesus is the one who is the same yesterday and today and forever. His word doesn't change. He still provided the path for faith. We can hold fast. We can keep His word. We can be kept from denying, not denying His name.
And so how precious this as we go through here, we see, if I can put it this way, John being shown how he can look out on the breakdown of the church as a testimony in the world. He can see everything go to pieces in the world and he's still an overcomer. Why all he's learned and all the one who's the Prince of the kings of the earth, he's learned to know the one who is going to set everything right and best of all.
Knows that he's been washed in his blood and he's going to have part when the Lord Jesus takes that rightful place. And so we see this brought out and each one of the assemblies there's an encouragement given. And so you might say, well, brother Gordon, you don't know what the condition of things in the assembly where I come from, but you can be an overcomer. You can see grace from the Lord to go on.
00:25:14
And walk in that path of keeping his word and not denying his name.
And then before he has any view of the judgment that's coming on the world, he sees this blessed fact. Men's hearts are failing them for fear. But.
Isn't it beautiful here after reading the last church here, how they had become rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing and the Lord had to warn them that he was on the outside knocking and that he was going to have to spew them out of his mouth Immediately the door opens in heaven and what does he see? All the redeemed up there.
In the glory the door was opened in heaven, and he sees the Lord.
Jesus as the one who is going to take his rightful place. He first sees the Lord Jesus, who as the one who has rights, as the creator, the redeemed. You're acclaiming him as that one who created all things and for his pleasure. They were, are and were created a lot of movement in this world to try and save the earth, protect the environment.
They're trying to do it without the Creator. He's gonna set everything right. The desert's gonna blossom as a rose, and they won't need it All man's efforts to do it when the Lord Jesus takes his rightful place, we, we can leave those things. We're identified with the one who's going to set everything. I'm not saying that we should be careless in connection with the earth as God has given it to us, but I mean, we don't have to get involved in all this, this problem that's facing man.
How blessed to know.
I don't expect that all the movements they make are going to protect this earth. No, brethren, there's one who is. Thou hast made all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
God is going to find his pleasure in the creation and a people. You know, it's nice to read a little bit about that millennial scene when God will find his pleasure and it says they won't bring forth for trouble.
That's a nice little word for parents, isn't it? No. Is the day coming for this earth when parents won't bring forth for trouble? Sometimes parents have children and have a lot of trouble, but in the Millennium it says they won't bring forth for trouble. It shall not hurt nor destroy. The streets will be full of boys and girls playing in the streets, and there won't be any accidents. Oh, what a what a day is coming. Who's going to do it, man? By all his power? No, we know the one who's going to do it, brethren.
Let's lift up our heads. Our redemption draws nigh. Let's be a rejoicing people looking to the one and the only one who can do it. Of course I'm not saying that we don't try and fit in as best we can with.
Being careful for the world that God has made. But I mean, we don't join. They expect that man is going to do it. We look beyond all that. We see the one who's going to do it. And so this 4th chapter shows his rights as creator. He's going to take them. He's going to take his rights as creator and he, and he only is going to set things right in this troubled world. Then in the 5th chapter, we see his rights as Redeemer.
And oh, how blessed this is. I'm going to be there. You're going to be there.
To join in that song thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue. And people and nation won't have to look around and see the failure of the failure in Thyatira and the failure in TARDIS and so on. Now we'll see all the redeemed there, the Old Testament Saints and the New Testament Saints.
All recognizing the Lord Jesus as the.
One who is the Redeemer and who's going to bring about for us eternal blessing. And as I was mentioning, and I just mentioned it again, we're going to look back on our ways here and see that all His ways were perfect and wisdom and in love. Well, does that give us peace as we look on to the future. It's the light that shines in the dark place until the day, dawn in the morning.
Arises in our hearts.
I don't need to go over the intervening chapters because they bring before us how God is going to bring judgment. I'd just like to mention one thing that I especially enjoyed in the end of the 11TH chapter. I read from the 15th verse and the 7th Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and 20 elders which sat before God.
00:30:16
On there's on their seats fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and was an art to come, because I was taken to thee, thy great power, and were hast reigned.
And the nations were angry, And thy wrath is come the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants, the prophets, and to the Saints, and to them that fear thy name small and great, and shouldest destroy them, which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of His testament, and there were lightnings and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. The time has come. The Lord Jesus is about the Kingdom.
Of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever time has come 4 and 20 elders fall in their faces and rejoice and give him the glory that's due to him. I think this is so beautiful. But what I especially wanted to notice the nations. They were offended about this interference. They they were looking to the beast and the Antichrist. They thought that they could set things right and they could.
Improve this world and they're angry because the Lord is stepping in. But what I want to notice was particularly this 19th verse. And the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. To me, brethren, this is so touching. Time has come that God is going to act in the character. He doesn't want to act in the character of the judge. And So what does God let this world see? There was the mercy. See, there was the blood.
He is the propitiation for our sins, but not only for our sins, but for the whole world.
The propitiation is the mercy seat.
The blood was there and God said you made me be a judge. I didn't want to be your judge. The blood was there for you.
Let's never forget the heart of God.
Whenever we tell out the gospel, God wants to bless the Sinner. His heart is full. The only reason he resorts to, shall I say, to election is because man left to himself, would never choose Christ unless God acted. There be no blessing because our hearts are so bad, so wicked. So he has to act that way because of the righteousness of our heart, but he doesn't want to act that way. I think this is beautiful.
Here, right in the midst of the time when he's about to bring those crushing and awful judgments upon this world.
He says I didn't want to act. Judgment is God's strange work. And I say this for us as Christians. The Lord doesn't want to have to deal with us in discipline. He wants to encourage our hearts. He loves us too much to let us go our own way. He loves us too much to not step in. Just like that man when he saw that Mister Hart was missing his way.
The Indian guide was there and he said I'm coming and he wants to. He doesn't. He doesn't want.
Us to miss the way brother, and he's willing to guide us.
He's the captain of our salvation, bringing many sons to glory.
Picture and then we have another little picture in the 14th chapter.
I won't go into it in detail, but says in the 14th chapter in the first verse. And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood in on the mountain Zion, and with him in 140 and 4000, having his father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great Thunder. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps.
And they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne.
Before the four beasts and the elders.
And no man could learn that song but the 140 and 4000 which are redeemed from the earth.
Then the 13th verse. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yeah, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their laborers, and their works do follow them.
Even amidst all these judgments, God has those whom He has parked out for blessing. And in this 14th chapter we have those who are martyred for Christ during the Tribulation there. And we know that when the Lord Jesus comes, all who have heard the gospel and rejected it will be doomed. There's no other second opportunity given to them.
00:35:09
But there will be those who will.
Be born and those who perhaps had never heard the gospel of the grace of God and God will pick out from them for those who will be brought into blessing. And so we have in this 14th chapter. Those who were faithful wouldn't receive the mark of the beast wouldn't go on. And as it were John, as it were, it says in judgment, remember mercy.
This awful severe judgments are calling that God has those whom He's purpose to bless.
And John gets a little view of them, so encouraging for them, gets a little view of them up up there and singing Lord's praises. And they're the ones who have died in the Lord, and they're brought into blessing. And so we see the grace of God shining out. How encouraging this must have been for John when announcing those awful, awful judgments. They're going to fall upon this world.
He he has a little view of the goodness of God.
But even in the midst of this, then in the next chapter, we have.
Another company brought before us.
15th chapter in the first verse and I saw another sign in heaven. Great and marvelous. 7 angels having the seven last plagues.
For in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw, as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire. And then that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the hearts of the hearts of God. And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are thy ways, thou king of Saints, who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name. For thou only art holy, for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest. Here we see those who are going to be brought into the earthly blessing. When the Lord has dealt in this world in judgment, there's going to be a preserved remnant, and when the Kingdom is set up, there's going.
To be a great company that have been saved through the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom in the Millennium, and they're going to be blessed upon the earth. Well, how wonderful.
In the midst of all His judgment, I think the reason I seek my grace to bring these thoughts before you is to see.
What will cheer us when we see everything that might tend to discourage is the view of God's wonderful grace.
Failure of the church, but all the redeemed are seen in heaven singing his praises. And John realizes that he's the object of his love and he's given us this place of access into his presence might feel, oh, everything's over now that awful judgment is going to fall. Now even in the midst of the judgment, he remembers mercy. And there will be that preserved remnant who will be blessed on the earth, and there'll be those who are martyred for Christ for his testimony in in the tribulation.
Period. And they're brought into blessing in heaven. Oh how.
Brethren, God wants us to have a view of the bright side, so I can speak in that way. He doesn't want us to be discouraged.
I believe many of God's people are being discouraged. They see everything going to pieces in the world. They see so much that grieves us even in Christendom and in the assembly. But all, brethren.
If we lose sight of what is ahead for us and what is ahead through the grace of God, we're going to get discouraged. We'd say there's no use. There's great use, brethren. Let's keep His word. Let's not deny His name. Let's keep our eyes upon Him and know that if I can use the expression, we're on the winning side. We belong to the One who has all power, and we can walk in the midst of it all in the enjoyment of Himself and the.
Assurance that His grace is going to accomplish it. The man of God's counsels is going to fulfill all that God has purposed.
Let me see more of the judgments of God. And then we come to the 19th chapter, And in the seventh verse let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, For the fine linen is the righteousness or righteousnesses of Saints.
And he saith unto be right. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not, I, thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren, which have the testimony of God, of Jesus, worship God for the testimony of Jesus.
00:40:24
Is the Spirit of Prophecy here He gets another view. Oh brother, this is what's ahead of us.
You and I are living in a very, very wonderful time in the history of this world. If we had the choice of the time that we could live in, could we choose a better time than right now? Would you say with all the things that are happening? Yes.
The Lord may come at any moment, and this event that we're reading about here in the 19th chapter may not be many years away.
And all the church presented A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. He'll joy over us with singing. He'll rest in his life. Marriages don't always turn out the way they begin with all the happiness. But this is a marriage that never, never will end its fullest and eternal enjoyment. The bridegroom and the bride.
Brethren, what a prospect is before us. He, he saw this. I just viewed a whole lot of judgment and he was so overwhelmed. He fell down at the feet of the breath of the Angel that showed him, and he said, don't worship me.
Let's get not get our eyes on man, not even on an Angel. Don't get her eyes on man. Let's get her eyes on the Lord, David said. I've seen an end of all perfection. You've got your eyes on any man, you're going to get disappointed. You're going to get disappointed. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. And we all, as our brother brought out to us, we still have it in us, sad to say, and it's not one bit improved when we're saved, but thank God we're going to be rid of it forever.
And this wonderful event.
Is perhaps much closer than many of us think. Well, might John be encouraged as he saw what was ahead for the Church of God? I just say another thing is to me it's quite interesting that when we read in the 4th and 5th revelation, we read about the elders, but after this event we never read about the elders. And I believe the reason for this is that the elders represent all the redeemed, the Old Testament Saints as well as the new and that is.
Represented but after this event then we always see the bride she's the center of the whole scene there's others there there's going to be many families in heaven and Mary but the brine that of which you and I form a part occupy that unique place that wonderful place that we're going to occupy brethren for all eternity. So how it love me this is.
The heavenly city is seen as the bride, the Lamb's wife.
What a what a glorious future. Well, this sustained the heart of then there was judgment followed again, and we see Satan has to be bound. But then we have brought before us first of all, a view of the eternal state and the beginning of the.
Of the 21St chapter. And then he goes back to the millennial picture, the blessing that will come to this earth when Christ takes his rightful place. We have also the solemn picture of the judgment that's going to come upon those who have rejected the grace of God. Oh, I hope there's no one here that's going to stand at that great white throne. Why is it a white throne?
There's no blood there. That's the only way that our sins.
Could be put away. There's no blood at the Great White Throne. There's anybody here that's not saved. Now is your opportunity.
Him that cometh to me, the Lord Jesus said I was in no wise cast out the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us small sin. I say again as if heaven was opened and God said I don't want to be your judge, but if you won't have my pardon, then I'll have to be your judge. Well, this is Solomon yet a blessed thing.
And so we see this view of the heavenly city. And then in the closing, I'd just like to notice a little bit in the closing, in this last chapter, the 22nd of Revelation, the seventh verse, the Lord says, behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book, the 12TH verse, and behold, I come quickly.
And my reward is with me to give.
To every man, according as his work shall be.
And in the 16th verse. And I, John, I Jesus, have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root of the offspring of David, and the Bright, and the morning Star, and the Spirit, and the Bride. Say, Come, and let him that heareth say, come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 20th verse.
00:45:24
He which testifieth these things saith, surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Someone has made the comments and I must say I enjoyed it. The three times in this chapter we have behold, I come quickly. The first one he says, behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. John doesn't reply. He says in the 12TH verse, behold.
They come quickly and my reward is with me. John doesn't reply.
But in the 20th verse where he says surely I come quickly. John immediately replies and says Even so come Lord Jesus and his brother suggested I rather enjoyed his thought. He said when it says blessed behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this prophecy. I think John how many said he said I'm a failure. I'm afraid I haven't always kept this and when he says behold, I comfortably.
My reward is with me, he says. What have I done to merit a reward for one? He just said, Behold, I come. He said, ah, he himself come, Lord Jesus.
And perhaps that's the way we feel that we couldn't say that we want him to make manifest everything in our lives. We want to hang our heads if we think about that. But when he says I just want to be with you, I want to have your company for all eternity. John says Even so come Lord Jesus, that's what he wants, brethren. He wants our company. His heart will never be satisfied until he has our company for all eternity. And so.
I just.
Comment also here. The Spirit and the Bride say come, let him hear us say come. I think this is lovely too. Spirit of God indwells the believer. He's like the servant bringing us through the wilderness and so he says come.
But we lookout on this world and brethren, let's never lose a warm heart for the gospel. Let's never lose a warm heart for the gospel.
As soon as he thought of the Lord's coming, that he thought, Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely. How long are we to occupy or to give up? Because it's hard to get people into gospel meetings and it seems that people don't want to listen.
It says Occupy till I come, and so here he says, let him that is a thirst come. And whosoever will that word is never going to lose it sweetness until every ransom St. of God.
Save to send no more. Let's not give up.
I think that's why, and I've enjoyed this thought, that in Second Timothy we see the breakdown of the church. Everything fails.
And it's in that epistle that he says through the work of the Angelus.
Do the work of the evangelist, just say everything is going to pieces. Do the work of an evangelist. Let's never flag that wonderful message that we have. It's filling the heart of God ought to fill our hearts. The sinners whosoever will that and take the water of life freely. And so when the Lord Jesus says surely I come quickly he says.
Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. And could I also make a little comment on those two verses?
This is a day when it seems very often the Word of God is losing its authority over the hearts of even some of God's people. Isn't it rather solemn to you that just before the closing of this book says don't add, don't take away from what God is saying, Don't add, don't take away from what God has said. It's the Word of God. It lives and abides forever, and a lot of our problems forever come because we either add to or take away from what God has said.
But the Lord valued in Philadelphia, they kept His word and didn't deny his name. So we have these precious things before us. There's much to encourage us. There are warnings, too. May the Lord keep us. May we have a vision of that coming time, and may we be living in view of us. I believe there's four things the Lord has asked us to do until He comes. He's asked us to occupy till I come. That's Luke 19.
He's asked us to remember him until he comes.
He's asked us to be patient until he comes and he's he's asked us to remember him until he comes.
00:50:06
Precious privilege occupied holdfast. Remember him and.
Remember him, and also to hold fast his precious word and be patient, because we'll always have something to bear.
I always like what our brother Brown said. He said if my brethren can be patient with me, he said I ought to be patient with them.
Let's not forget our growth and have something to bear with it in US. And if we think we have something to bear within them, let's think a little bit of the other side.
There's nothing for us them to bear in us too. And so he says, be patient there for my brethren under the coming of the Lord.