His Perfect Love

Matt VanderVen: God uses cosmic disturbances to get man's attention, still wanting to save during the tribulation period. We'll tell you all about it next on His Perfect Love. The Bible speaks of angels very often serving as messengers or heralds. And Revelation chapter 8 is one such place. We're in the midst of the trumpet judgments, and at the end of the chapter, an eagle appears flying at the highest point of heaven. Pastor Matt Vanderven believes this is an angel, and he'll explain why in a moment. He'll use this as a springboard to talk about the role of angels both in heaven and on earth.

We begin with this question. Why is the fourth judgment affecting the entire world? Well, for the same reason, because he wants everyone everywhere to see what's happening so that they can turn around and do what? Fear, as I said earlier, pain's a good motivator. Fear, anxiety, it gets your attention. It's a great motivator. It makes you stop dead in your tracks often. And what do you start considering? Why is this happening? What can I do to change? Is there a way to escape this? Is there some And isn't that a good place to begin in humility?

And especially if you know it's from God, because they already said it's the lamb in chapter 6. It's a good opportunity for people to humble themselves and to come to Christ. And that's not a coincidence. That's exactly what Jesus is trying to do here in this fourth trumpet judgment. Even in his judgment, he can't help but bring love, truth, mercy, and grace so that anybody in any situation at that very moment can call out to God and say, God, I blew it. I missed the first one. I'm in the grave. But God, please save my soul.

And you know what God would say? Yes and amen. That's the whole point. So, I'd like to quote a quote from Warren Wiersbe. Many of you guys know him. I love reading him. He's the pastor's pastor, right? We call him the pastor's pastor. I'll read a quote from you in regards to this section, why the cosmic disturbance is the way they are as well. He writes, because it gets to the very source of earth's life and energy, the sun. With 1/3 less sunlight on the earth, there will be 1/3 less energy available to support the life systems of man and nature.

Think of the vast changes in temperatures that will occur and how these will affect human health and food growth. That'll get everybody's attention. It is possible that this particular judgment is temporary. And I think that makes a lot of sense. And we'll it'll make more sense to us when we actually get to Revelation 16 because we're going to read about a fourth bowl judgment. And you know what the fourth bowl judgment does? It reverses this very thing we're reading right here right now. It goes to the point of where there's not the darkness. You get the sun to the point of it's so strong that it literally is going to cause blisters upon the skin and people overheating and dying of dehydration and all kinds of terrible things.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Things are coming. So, he goes on to say for the fourth judgment will reverse it and the sun's power will be intensified. Isn't that interesting? Not the just the s u n, but the s o n will also be on display. Okay, so maybe that explains why this judgment's so horrific. But what about what's the significance of the eagle, right? I did mention I told you I would come back to that or or angel I prefer because of the Greek term. And what does it mean the miss of heaven? I think before we go on, we got to kind of understand these things.

God doesn't waste his time. He doesn't waste any jot or tells. So, why does the eagle or angel give advance warning of the coming woes? Well, let's start with the idea of the eagle. What was an eagle symbol of? I want you to remember back to when Jesus Christ walked the earth. The disciples and the believers at that time came to Jesus and they they said to them, we believe you're the king. As a matter of fact, John 6 describes and highlights that portion in scripture. And they want to come up and they want to put a crown on his head.

But Jesus, do you remember what he does? He actually sends them into the midst of a storm and then he goes up to the mountain and prays for them. That's the moment right after that Peter walks on water when Jesus beckons him. Why did all that happen? Because Peter blew it. Peter was doing in that moment what he wanted to do. Go back to John 6, read it. You can connect the gospels. There's a harmony of the gospels for a reason. If you go back to John 6 and you'll see and you can look at Matthew's again, what was happening is they were going to get ready.

The multitudes wanted to crown him king. It doesn't say anything about the disciples not wanting to go along with it. Did Jesus come to be crowned king or did Jesus come to die? We all know the answer to that, Calvary. Calvary tells us the answer to that. And so while it might seem like it's pleasurable or good or a good thing to want to crown him king, it was out of the will of God. That's why it doesn't matter the motive of heart. In some circumstances, you can still be zealous for God and get it completely wrong because it can be out of the will of God.

Cuz none of us here would say it would be wrong to crown Jesus king. Every one of us would be like, absolutely. I would have been right in that group. I would have. I would have been right in the group saying, yeah, let's crown him king. And what was the first thing they wanted him to do after they crown after they would have crowned him king? Who did he want who did they, the Israelites, want to overthrow because they had been oppressing them for hundreds and hundreds of years? Rome. You You know that. We just have to think contextually in scripture.

This is written in 80-95. This has been given to the original audience at that time, John on Patmos. We just got to put on our Jewish cap and go back to the context and think originally, how would this have come across to a Jewish mind? Well, an eagle in the majority of the manuscript sort of makes sense because what was the Roman insignia that the uniformed soldiers wore on them? An eagle. Interesting. Have you ever wondered why people believe that in the last the last days that there will be a revived Roman Empire? Some people have even tied this eagle insignia in the Great Tribulation to describe how that will signify even though it's an angel.

People have tried to say, well, maybe that's communicating to the people that were the oppressors again. I think that's a stretch. Nonetheless, the idea of the eagle here, it's a symbol of Rome and it was on their insignias. But what else was the eagle symbol of? Throughout scripture, Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 49, it's a symbol of vengeance. Vengeance is the Lord's. You know, Moses recites the curses that will befall Israel if the people break their covenant with God. He says, the Lord will bring a nation against nation, you from afar, from the end of the earth, and swift eagle as a swift eagle flies, a nations whose language you will not understand.

In Hosea 8:1, the Israelites are told, set the trumpets to your mouth. He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. Habakkuk or Habakkuk, if you prefer, chapter 1 verse 8, the Lord tells his people that he is raising up the Chaldeans as an instrument of what? Wrath. Wrath is what again? Judgment. We all know that's exactly what God was doing through Nebuchadnezzar to the people of Israel, the the the southern tribe, right? The northern tribes already been taken into captivity by Assyria and became a mixed people we know as the Samaritans.

That's how that Samaritan group came from. And then you take the northern tribe, you had Judah. And because of their sin a couple hundred years later nonetheless, we know that they're going to be bringing brought in the judgment and it's not till Daniel's Daniel gets the vision in 70 weeks. Jeremiah, excuse me, I meant to say. And then he says, when is the 70 weeks over? Ezekiel arrives on the scene. He starts writing about how there will be a future rebuilt temple. All this makes sense in harmony. Well, look what it says in Habakkuk 1:8, their horses are also swifter than leopards and more fierce than evening wolves.

Their chargers charge ahead. Their cavalry comes from afar. They fly as eagles that hasten to eat. Eagles are mentioned many times in scripture. They're symbolic. They're illustrative. I'm just going to go over a few more just quickly. They convey the idea of gathering God's people to himself, Exodus 19:4. They can mean swiftness, 2 Samuel chapter 1, Jeremiah 4, Lamentations 4, prophetic significance, I think a Daniel chapter 7 verse 4, parables, Ezekiel chapter 17 1 through 4, we find eagles, youth and the young, kind of a comparison. That's Psalm 103, Deuteronomy 32. What about flying toward the heaven nesting in the heights?

Interesting cuz this angel's up in the midst of heaven. So, maybe there's some connection there. Well, Job 39:27, Proverbs 23:5, Jeremiah 49:16, feasting on carcasses. Boy, judgment and wrath. Job again 39, Proverbs 30, Matt Matthew 24:18. The Lord bringing destruction. I think we are getting closer and closer now. Jeremiah 48, 49 chapter 49 and Hosea 8:1, we already read that. The Lord renewing strength. Many of us know that, right? That passage in Isaiah, right? Chapter 40 verse 31, you know, renewing your strength on eagle's wings, right? I don't think that's how he's using that in this passage right here.

God's people being delivered from Satan. Revelation chapter 12 verse 14, creatures with four faces. We read about that in Ezekiel 1 and chapter 10. And what about being in heaven and around the throne? Some people believe that original translation of the anglos word in chapter 4 of Revelation verse 7 was actually pointing to an eagle. So interesting. So, if in fact this is an eagle in the passage fills the Old Testament passage of how eagle has been used, what is the role of this eagle? Again, we already said he's not the one bringing the judgment.

He's doing something. He's picked up a trumpet. I know it's weird to think of an angel blowing or an eagle blowing a trumpet. Just go with me here. If that's what he's doing, what do we call that? Someone that's a herald or how about this? He's a harbinger of judgment. This angel's harbinger of judgment or an eagle if you prefer, excuse me. Why? Because he's pronouncing three rows which are the final three trumpet judgments that are going to be on the earth. If this being an if this is an angel however, I think it speaks in a manner consistent with the angels in Revelation who are heralds and delivered God's wrath.

So, whether you hear this morning and you subscribe to the majority manuscript and you think this is an an eagle or you use a Texas receptus which I think is a trustworthy manuscript you have in your lap, King James New King James, that word's anglos, we know that this angel and I believe because it's anglos, it's saying angel. We know that this angel is flying in mid heaven or the midst of heaven. Now, I know there there's somebody here this morning that's going to say, you did it now. What do you mean this angel's flying?

Can angels fly? I And I thought I I saw this really funny quote from G.K. Chesterton. He says, angels can fly because they take themselves lightly, right? Some of you are still awake. Know that that doesn't satisfy us here this morning. Okay. I don't use to tell jokes. It's the best I got. Did you know that the most common image of an angel is actually a human being with wings? Most common. But if you want to be very biblically accurate, the Bible often presents angels as appearing really as human beings. They look like human beings.

How do you know if you have not been visited by an angel, right? You couldn't tell the difference. What if I told you that many of the angels actually resemble human beings you know and I I don't mean they're flesh like we are. They're spirit. And I'll talk about that in a minute. But the Bible actually very rarely defines angels as having wings. There are some that do. There's only two types of the Bible through all 66 books. If you ever study angelology systematically, there's only two types of angels that are ever given wings in the Bible.

Do you know what those are? Cherubim and seraphim. Cherubim, do you know who was Satan Lucifer? Was he a cherubim or seraphim? He was a cherubim. He was actually a worship leader in God's throne room before he fell. He cherubim and seraphim are high order of angels just like we might in our military have rank in order. Angels have rank in order. So does the principalities and powers have rank in order. Like we use the term archangel. Well, we read of cherubim in Exodus 25, Ezekiel 10. We see of seraphim in Isaiah chapter 6. Cherubim and seraphim again two types of angels, highest orders.

And they do have wings. However, we need to read the scriptures in totality. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14 tells us that that angels are what? Spirit beings. They're actually not humans. They're spirit beings. So, why am I making a big deal about this? Because I want I want us to understand. But two, it's going to give us an additional meaning because there are some people that come to this portion of scripture and say, first of all, all angels don't have wings. So, this can't be accurate cuz how could this angel fly? It didn't say it was a cherubim or seraphim, did it?

It didn't say it was of this natural order. So, this might be an inaccuracy of scripture. But I think I think it's important that we look at the scriptures. It says in Hebrews 1:14, they're spirit beings. Now, when I think of spirit beings, it's unclear to me why anybody would think a spirit being requires wings to fly. I will turn it over turn it on its head and ask that question that way. A spirit being does not need wings to fly. The angels are not bound by the laws of this physical universe. Someone here this morning might go, oh, I got it now.

I want you to think about this. So, do angels have wings? Yes, some do have wings. However, it shouldn't limit what the angels can or cannot do based on the limited understanding of wings and angels as described in the Bible. After all, I would just yield this to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Before he was glorified, he didn't he didn't necessarily break physical attributes. He didn't walk through doors and walls and all kinds of things like that. But very canny and interesting is that after he is resurrected, was he limited by any physical matter?

No, he wasn't, was he? He could walk through that. He could appear to 500 people at any one time, and he did. And he could turn around and do all of these other things. Not that he couldn't do miracles before that. Of course he could. But he didn't it wasn't before his glorified body. Now, I have a question for you this morning. You and I are told that whether we're raptured now, right? Or if we should die, when we're you united with the Father in our in heaven, we are going to be given what? Glorified bodies.

Jesus was the embodiment of a glorified body. Amen. He had one because he was resurrected and he was the first fruit. He says it very clearly, he was the first fruits of the resurrection. He no doubt had a glorified body. As a matter of fact, they even got to see the transfigured aspect of that when he was on the mountain temporarily. But then afterwards, people would walk next to him and did they recognize him readily? No, because he appeared differently, didn't he? The two men walking on the road to Emmaus. Why didn't they just recognize him?

I mean he's Jesus. He's Jesus. He's resurrected cuz there's a difference between resuscitation and resurrection. Are you all with me? So, he had a glorified body. How I know he had a glorified body? Because clearly he walked through walls. If that's true and my understanding is accurate, that means when you and I get to heaven, what should we expect and be able to do? Should we be limited by the physical aspects of this law and nature of the universe around us or do you think that when we humble ourselves before Jesus Christ, we kiss his feet, we adore him as we should, then we might think guess what?

I wonder how mom, dad or somebody else we might have known who's in heaven at that time is doing. Maybe a baby, maybe maybe there's a miscarriage, maybe that baby's gone on. You don't have to lose that baby. You never lose that. That baby's with Jesus. And so when you get to heaven, you're going to watch that little baby run right up to you. I have no doubt, right up to your arms and recognize and know who you are exactly who you are. And I think at that moment when you want to visit, you're not going to turn around and go, I need to get in the car and drive.

I don't read about heaven having cars. Jesus is pretty detailed. He didn't mention cars up there. He didn't talk about flying like that. You know what he said? He was very clear. When he wanted to appear to 500, what did he do? He just appeared. Have you thought about heaven in that regard that when you're up there, any one of you if you ever want to visit me, I don't know if you will. You said, why I heard enough of that guy for all the times on the earth. But you know what? I'll miss you and I want to see you.

And all I have to do is close my eyes in a moment I will be able to be in your fellowship. And I'll be able to talk about things on this earth, things that we went through. Many of you I have counseled things privately, different things I've been through with you in your life. And to think about that won't just end here. We'll still have a relationship in heaven and it'll be beautiful. And it'll be convenient in that regard because if you don't want to see me, maybe I'll close my eyes and all of a sudden I'll open them and you won't be there cuz you'll close your eyes at the same time.

I've thought through it all. I'm kidding. Let's get back to finish our study here this morning. The point is is this angel's flying in the midst of heaven. And I asked the question, what does that mean? If I said to you the midst of heaven, probably many many of us don't know what that really means because we don't use that word in the midst of heaven. We know that the Bible teaches there's the word heavens can be used for the word firmament. And there's multiple firmaments. It can be used for the third heaven. Paul described that the heaven where actually God dwells.

But then there's a second and first and so we have the atmosphere, you have the exosphere. And then you obviously have the heaven where God actually dwells. And is that our per permanent dwelling? No, because we're given a new heaven and a new earth. So, we know that we're temporary. We come back with Jesus, Revelation 19. Then we're given a new heaven where we truly will be our final abode. But anyway, this word is It's G 33 21. When you see that in your Bible there where it says miss in verse 13, it's and it can be translated very high or mid heaven.

Well, that doesn't give you an eye anymore detail. Some versions render it mid air, air directly overhead, mid heaven, midst of the heaven or sky. My favorite translation is right from my Greek lexicon which holds the definition in place. It says the highest point of the heavens, the sky, which the sun occupies at noon, where what is done can be seen and heard by all. Isn't that fitting for an angel that's going to be a herald to blow a trumpet and to say whoa, whoa, whoa so that everybody on this earth can see what God is saying and and proclaiming.

It would be fitting to say that he's going to occupy that same place where the sun would be and everybody anywhere will be able to see him. So, it appears he'll be soaring in the atmosphere, maybe hovering, circling, as maybe one circles his prey, maybe he'll circle the earth. I don't know. But we know this, the angel does not attack. Those that alive at that time, he doesn't attack. He's not an instrument of judgment. And that's what I want to point out because that's what's significant here. He's a herald. And he's warning those on the earth that there's still time to repent, but not much time.

And I just think that that's significant. God doesn't make mistakes. And the angel cries out whoa, whoa, whoa to those living on the earth. And I'll leave you with some of these last thoughts here. The two words in the Greek language, look in here where he says whoa, whoa, whoa in verse 13 to the inhabitants of the earth. Please circle that word inhabitants. It's a very significant word that gets lost in translation. If I use that word to you today, that word, I say you inhabit the earth. You might think what? I live here, maybe I go over there.

Just like I inhabited Boiling Springs, right? I can mean a couple things. It can mean I live in Boiling Springs, but I've also lived in Rochester, New York. Right? So, I've inhabited Rochester, New York. Does that imply permanency? No. It can be used to say I'm a sojourner, right? But then in the Greek, there's a word called And it's a very interesting word because that word in the Greek signifies permanency. Permanency. It's not like what I just said, oh, I you know inhabit Boiling Springs. No, that would not be correct. I was born and raised in Rochester, New York, lived in New York City, I've lived in Rochester, and then I came to live in Boiling Springs, but not permanent, right?

No. This is what he's trying to tell us with this word inhabit. It means there's people that have made the earth their permanent home by choosing to dwell there. You see this is significant about the people that are dwelling on the earth at that time. The latter word is trying to illustrate those whom upon judgment is to fall is firmly who are firmly attached to this world and prefer this world to the throne room of God. You know, they they they're not going to inherit heaven not because a place in heaven is unavailable, but because they won't have it.

Their home is the sinful and fallen earth. The treasures are here, their hopes and dreams are here, their desires are here. So, the angel tells them three times, whoa, whoa, whoa, wake up. It's all going to burn, man. It's all passing away, right? And the word he the word whoa he uses 110 times. He uses in scripture and often as expression of grief and lament for deplorable conditions. I think of just the way Jesus used it. Matthew chapter 24 19, he said and whoa unto them who are with child and to them who give nurse in those days.

Talking about this every time. He was expressing concern for the vulnerable when they abomination of that causes desolation occurs. And yet there are times that are harsher. This meaning can be harsher in the scriptures that Jesus used the same word. And I think of Matthew chapter 23 when he went to the scribes and Pharisees, he pointed out their, you know, condemnation especially since he repeated and called them what? Three things. Hypocrites, snakes, and brood of vipers. Interesting. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hypocrite, snakes, and brood of vipers. I don't think there's any coincidence there. Three. He tells them plainly, how can you escape being condemned to hell?

That's what he's really saying to them. So, what's the meaning of whoa in Revelation 8:13? Again, the the angel isn't speaking directly to the earth's inhabitants although they can no doubt hear him. Rather, he warns that there's even more of a deadly judgment that is about to fall on the earth which is the domain of Satan. And perhaps this warning is to uttered with a a shade of God's mercy that the next judgment has not fallen and there's very little time. Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He's been saying that over and over again.

Put your faith and trust in my son. There's only one way to the Father and that is through the son. But of those who hear and to to fail, you know, they fail to heed the warning, the angel's words are going to echo in the empty hearts for eternity to come. And as the apostle Paul wrote in Corinthians, we then as workers together with him so also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. There's nothing cheap about grace. There's nothing cheap about his love. 2 Corinthians 6:1. And for this reason the fifth, sixth, and seventh angels, the sorry, the trumpet, that's why they're referred to as the three woes.

Guest (Male): That is Pastor Matt Vanderven on His Perfect Love. We're going through Revelation at the present time. And I'll remind you that you can hear the program again when you visit His Perfect Love dot org. That's His Perfect Love dot org. We're also at oneplace.com. And look for us wherever you get your podcasts. We also offer a mobile app. This is a great way to take Pastor Matt's teachings with you on the go. You can learn more about the mobile app and start your download when you visit our website, His Perfect Love dot org. We can't thank you enough for your prayers for this ministry.

Please pray that as God's word goes forth that lives will be greatly impacted for the glory of God and people would grow by his grace and love or even enter into a relationship with him. And if you have a prayer request, please send that our way. You can email that to us through our website at His Perfect Love dot org. If you live in the Mechanicsburg, PA area, we hope you'll stop by for a visit. Just like you hear on the radio, Pastor Matt teaches verse by verse through the Bible here at Calvary Chapel, Harrisburg, West Shore.

Sunday morning services begin at 8:30 and 10:30. We have a midweek gathering on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. We're located at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg, PA. Go to ccharrisburg.org for more information. And then join us next time when Pastor Matt will pick up where we left off in Revelation here on His Perfect Love.

Matt VanderVen: His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel, Harrisburg, West Shore.