A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Pester John Randall with a question for you to mull over. Are you a thankful person? Are you a complaining person? Are you thanking God for what he's done in your life? Are you complaining to God? What kind of a person are you? What kind of worship comes from your lips, comes from your heart, comes from your life?

Welcome to A Daily Walk. Isn't it great to take a timeout in the middle of a stressful day and get a breath of fresh air? In a way, that's what we're going to do as we continue our study through the book of Revelation. The last part of chapter 11 provides a chance to step back. We're about halfway through the great tribulation, a time of unprecedented destruction and suffering.

In chapter 11, we will learn about the third woe or the seventh trumpet judgment, and this results in a point where God is worshiped. There's plenty going on in this section of Revelation. Join us in chapter 11, beginning in verse 15.

John Randall: Revelation chapter 11 verse 15 reads this way: "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 he shall reign forever and ever.'" Can I get an Amen to that?

Presently in this world, there are nations, kingdoms, political powers with rulers, despots, tyrants, dictators, presidents, prime ministers. We see regimes, armies, military forces, and even terrorists, all seeking to secure their power, their dominion and influence.

Yet the Bible says that one day, all of the kingdoms of this world will come to nothing, and the only kingdom that will remain is the kingdom of God. The Bible tells us in Philippians chapter two that there is coming a day that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on the earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

It was back in Revelation chapter 8 in verse 1, where we read of the seventh seal being opened in heaven. Following its opening, there was a complete uncharacteristic silence in heaven for 30 minutes. Yet here in chapter 11, in stark contrast, when the seventh trumpet sounds, the response is not silence, but joy and elation and worship.

And what is the difference? The difference is that we are coming to the end of the tribulation period, which will in turn usher in the ultimate reign of Christ's kingdom upon the earth. It's as if we've arrived at the home stretch, the last leg, the finale. And even though there are still seven final plagues in the form of the bowl judgments that will come upon the earth, the wrath of God will ultimately culminate in completion.

You see, the sounding of the seventh trumpet marks a major milestone in the book of Revelation. It sets in motion the final events leading up to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the establishment of his earthly millennial kingdom. The seventh trumpet sets in motion the final part of God's redemption plan for the world.

During this period of time will come the final portion of the day of the Lord's judgments, the final harvest of judgment on the earth, and Jesus defeating the kings of the earth, culminating in the final climactic triumph of Christ at the battle of Armageddon, recorded in Revelation chapter 19. When the seventh trumpet sounds, all of heaven breaks forth in worship and in expectation of what they know is about to unfold.

And the Apostle John hears a loud voice and voices proclaiming in glorious union and unison this phrase: "The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever." As believers in Jesus Christ, this should be one of the reasons that we worship God as well, for we know that our king is coming. We know that he will fulfill his promises that he has made. And in light of this, we should worship God with all of our heart.

In the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel, which by the way is one of the keys to understanding the book of Revelation, there was a king named Nebuchadnezzar. And he had a dream of a large statue. But the statue represented all kingdoms of the world, the dominating empires. The head of gold was the Babylonian kingdom. The chest and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian empire. The belly and thighs of bronze, the kingdom of Greece. The legs of iron, the kingdom of Rome.

And finally, the feet of iron and clay was the restored kingdom of Rome or the kingdom of the Antichrist. But in the midst of his dream, a rock made without hands rolled in and crushed the statue. And this rock grew into a mountain that covered the earth. Daniel was able to interpret the dream and he revealed to the King of Babylon that in the future all the kingdoms of the world would be crushed and cease to exist and that only the Lord's kingdom would last forever.

In Daniel chapter 2 and verse 44, Daniel said it this way: "In the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Later on in Daniel chapter 7, Daniel had another vision of this coming kingdom of God.

In Daniel chapter 7, he said, "I was watching in night visions, and behold, one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. All peoples, nations, languages should serve him. And his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed."

Daniel was not only given a glimpse of the coming kingdom, but also the prophet Isaiah was given a similar insight into the future of the king and his kingdom. A passage of scripture that we often quote around Christmas time in Isaiah 9, it says, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulder." What a great day that will be when the government is on his shoulder.

Right now, the government's on the shoulders of men, and they're ruining it. But the day when Christ reigns, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end, the Bible says. Upon his kingdom, he will order and establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even forevermore.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 103 verse 19 that the Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all. Throughout the ages, believers in Jesus Christ have had an expectation and an anticipation of this kingdom that is coming. Within the New Testament, the subject of the kingdom of God is repeatedly mentioned and referenced in the gospels, the epistles, as well as the entirety of the New Testament.

The kingdom of God is also referred to as the kingdom of heaven. They are synonymous with one another. And the concept of the kingdom of God takes on various shades of meaning depending on which passage of scripture you are reading. First of all, in a narrow sense, when talking about the kingdom of God, the Bible refers to it as a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God's authority.

Those who are part of the kingdom of God are those who have acknowledged Jesus Christ as the king of their life. You're a part of that kingdom. They've given Jesus the rightful place on the throne of their heart. It's a kingdom where we submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. But in a broader sense, the kingdom of God refers to the literal rule of Christ on the earth during the millennium.

The Bible tells us in Zechariah chapter 14 verse 9, "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth. And in that day, it shall be the Lord is one and his name is one." Jesus is the king and the Lord of the church and has set up his spiritual reign in the church on the earth. He is the head of the church. And he will one day set up his physical reign upon the earth. And the Bible says that he will rule and reign from Jerusalem upon the throne of David.

When studying through the life and the ministry of Jesus, you come to find that the kingdom of God was one of the themes of his preaching. The Bible says that Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. Jesus talked about how a person could gain access and entrance into the kingdom. He said in Mark chapter 10 verse 15, and listen carefully to this, friend. Jesus said, "Most assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

He's talking about faith like a child that believes what God says. If you don't believe what God says, listen, you're not yet a part of the kingdom of God. Jesus said in John chapter 3 to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, that is, born spiritually, you cannot see the kingdom of God." If you have never submitted to the Lordship of Christ, if you've never received him as your savior, you are not on your way to the kingdom of God. You're not a part of it yet.

The Bible tells us in Luke chapter 9, Jesus said, "No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." It's a life of commitment and trust in God to be a part of his kingdom. Jesus went on to say in Luke chapter 17, "Nor will they say 'See here' or 'See there,' for the kingdom of God is within you." Ultimately, from heaven's perspective, folks, listen, there are only two kingdoms. There is a kingdom of light and there is a kingdom of darkness.

And you are either part of one or the other. The ruler of the kingdom of light is the Lord Jesus Christ, but the ruler of the kingdom of darkness is the devil. He is behind the world system of evil. And the Bible tells us that one day, the devil came and tempted Jesus. And as a part of the temptation, it related to the kingdoms of this world. Do you remember?

In Matthew chapter 4 verse 8, the devil took Jesus on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And then he said to Jesus, "All these things I will give you if you will fall down and worship me." Now at that moment in his humanity, Jesus did not debate with the devil about the fact that he was behind the present world kingdoms. The Bible tells us that the whole world is actually under the sway of the wicked one.

And all you have to do is look around and you can see that it is so. But when the devil said, "All these things I will give you if you will bow down and worship me," essentially he was saying to Jesus, "I got a shortcut for you. You don't have to go to the cross. Just bow down and worship me and I'll give you all of these things that are presently in my hands."

You see, Adam in the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, he forfeited his right to rule. He gave it over to the devil when he sinned and death passed to all men. But Jesus came to take it back from the devil. So the devil said, "You don't have to go to the cross. There's a shortcut." And Jesus refused to take the offer of Satan. He would not bow before the enemy.

The reason that he would not bow was because he knew there was coming a day, as we read here in Revelation chapter 11, when the kingdoms of this world would once again belong to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Here in Revelation 11, we observe believers in heaven as they see what's about to unfold on the earth. And they realize that all of the kingdoms of this world will belong to the Lord once again and that he's about to rule and reign forever.

And all that they can do in light of what's coming is break forth in praise and worship. Now when you read the words "have become the kingdom of our Lord," it indicates the absolute certainty about Jesus coming and reigning, even before the fact is accomplished. It describes a future event that is so certain that it can be spoken of as if it's already taken place.

In verses 17 and 18, the Apostle John records the song sung by the church around the throne of God. It was back in Revelation chapter 4 in verses 10 and 11, that we saw the church celebrating the God who created and sustains all things. Then in Revelation chapter 5 verses 8 through 14, they worshiped the lamb who was slain and redeems the nations through his blood and through his sacrifice on the cross.

And now they give thanks to God who brings history to its climactic end and begins his cosmic and eternal reign of glory. Notice the response of worship in verse 16: "And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and they worshiped God saying, 'We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is, who was, and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned.'"

Here we see mentioned again the 24 elders falling down on their faces and worshiping God. The 24 elders have previously appeared seven times in Revelation in a similar context. And I believe, and many scholars would agree with me, that the 24 elders is a representation of the glorified, raptured church of Jesus Christ in heaven while the tribulation period is taking place on the earth.

And the church begins to worship God because of all the prayers that they have prayed for centuries are being answered. Think about it. Think about this for a moment. Believers throughout the centuries have prayed what Jesus encouraged them to pray in the Lord's Prayer. Do you remember it? You might have said it many times. Matthew chapter 6 verse 10, part of that prayer was "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

When you look at the world at the present time, you don't see that prayer being answered. Nothing in the world today gives us any sense that Christ's kingdom has yet come from heaven to the earth. In fact, when you turn on the news, it sometimes feels like the only kingdom that is advancing is the kingdom of darkness, and it's advancing quickly, I might add.

Granted, as believers, we are here, we are advancing or at least attempting to advance the kingdom of God through the preaching of the gospel, through gathering in this way. We are standing as salt and light in the midst of a dark world. But the day is coming when all aspects of the Lord's Prayer will be fulfilled literally. Jesus will one day reign over all the earth. The world will be transformed. Sin and death removed.

And ultimately God's purpose will be accomplished on earth as it is presently in heaven. What a day that's going to be. I wonder if there's anybody looking forward to that day. Folks, in other words, the prayer "let thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" is finally being answered. And it's for this reason that praise and worship proceeds there in heaven.

Consider for a moment the song, the lyrics that are mentioned here as the church sings, because I believe that the lyrics that are mentioned also provide for us reasons to worship God. Notice it begins with thanksgiving because of who God is. They cry out giving him thanks. It's not a song of complaint, but it's a song of praise and thanksgiving. And when it comes to worshiping the living God, it should always begin with praise and thanksgiving.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 100 verse 4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and enter into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him and bless his name." Are you a thankful person? Are you a complaining person? Are you thanking God for what he's done in your life? Are you complaining to God? What kind of a person are you? What kind of worship comes from your lips, comes from your heart, comes from your life?

This Hallelujah Chorus in heaven acknowledges the character and nature of God. Notice verse 17, that this song of praise acknowledges the power of God. They say he is Almighty God, meaning God is all-powerful. He's omnipotent. Nine out of ten times the word Almighty is used in the New Testament in association with God, and nine of those ten times is in the book of Revelation. God's power is on display for the world.

Did you know today that there is nothing too hard for God? That he isn't limited in any way like you and me? Nothing is impossible for him. That he is Almighty. That he has power to change your life today if you'll turn to him. There's no one like the true and the living God. And so they praise God for his power. Where does your strength come from today? Who do you rely on? Who do you depend on and look to when you come to the end of your days?

Will you be looking to God? Now you may not be thinking about that at this moment, but one day you'll be confronted with it. Who is your strength? Who are you depending on? Do you trust in the Almighty God or do you trust in yourself? Not only is he all-powerful, but also the church praises and glorifies God because he is eternal. It says in verse 17, "the one who is, who was, and who is to come." God has no beginning and no ending.

He has always existed. He's not a created being. He is the creator. The Bible says in Psalm 90 verse 2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you formed the earth and the world from everlasting to everlasting, you are God." He's always existed. As human beings, we measure everything in time, and so it's hard for us to conceive of something that had no beginning but has always been and will continue forever.

But the Bible doesn't try to prove God's existence or his eternal nature but simply begins with the statement in Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God." Indicating that at the beginning of recorded time, God was already in existence. From duration stretching backward without limit to duration stretching forward without limit, from eternal ages to eternal ages, God was and forever is.

The Bible tells us something in Romans chapter 1 verse 20. It tells us that God's eternal nature and his eternal power are revealed to us through his creation. Looking at the order of creation, the sun and the heavenly bodies continuing in their orbits century after century. The seasons coming and going in their appointed time. The trees producing leaves in spring and dropping them in the fall year after year after year.

These things continue and no one can stop them or alter God's plan. All of this and more only demonstrates and proves God's eternal power and plan for the earth. And yet for all the evidence that we have in front of us, some choose not to see it, take it for granted or ignore it. The world system loves to keep us on a constant spinning wheel only being concerned about self, distracted with ourselves in order that we would never ask the question: "Is there more to life than just this?"

The answer to that question the Bible gives us: Yes, there is. There is eternity. There is heaven. There is hell. There is Christ. There is the sacrifice. There is forgiveness. There is salvation. There is redemption. All of these things are real. And today, whether or not you want to acknowledge it, there is a real God. And he is all-powerful and eternal. He has always been. He will always be. He is coming again and he loves you.

Guest (Male): You're listening to A Daily Walk with Pastor John Randall and part of our through the Bible study. Hear A Daily Walk online at adailywalk.org or wherever you get your podcast. Have you seen Pastor John's A Daily Walk devotions? We post the daily devos at adailywalk.org. So grab your Bible, watch these encouraging daily devotions. They're short enough to watch as you're getting ready in the morning or on your lunch break.

It's not hard to point out all that's wrong in this country, and at times we may wonder if there's any hope. Well, this is the time to be praying for our country and its leaders. And so we'd like to suggest a helpful little prayer guide written by Jack Countryman. It's titled If My People, based on a verse you're probably familiar with, 2 Chronicles 7:14.

With biblical and historical reminders of the power of prayer, this will show you how to make a difference on your knees as our country heads into another election season. It's available for the cost of $8, and you can order it online at adailywalk.org or by phone at 877-242-0828. That's 877-242-0828. We'd also very much appreciate your partnership.

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