Thru the Bible

Steve Schwetz: Have you ever wondered what will happen when Jesus takes the church out of the world? How will those who are left behind hear the gospel? Well, according to our teacher, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, God never leaves himself without a witness. And that's what we'll hear in this study on Thru the Bible.

I'm Steve Schwetz, your host for this five-year journey through God's entire word, and I'm so glad that you hopped aboard the Bible bus with us. Before we jump into our study, though, I'm excited to share a few letters from our fellow Bible bus passengers. Here's what Lewis in California shared:

Almost 50 years ago, I began listening to Dr. McGee as a new believer and have been giving a few dollars every month. For some unknown reason, I only infrequently listened in later years. However, I kept promising myself I will try to listen more frequently. I have been a Sunday school teacher since the late '80s and have been teaching adults the last few years. I'm now 77 and I know in whom I have believed.

Thanks for your support, Lewis. Your seat is saved for whenever you can hop aboard. Now, Rick from Canada tells us this: Keep up the good work in getting the word of God to the world. Along with the world prayer team, we pray God will give you wisdom and guidance. May he bless, provide, protect you and your families. To all behind the scenes that make this great work possible, may God also bless them abundantly.

Thanks for your prayers, Rick. We see every day how God is answering. This letter, for instance, from Liberia is proof: Studying the book of Exodus has been one of the most powerful experiences of my spiritual journey. The story of Moses deeply touched my heart, especially the moment when God called him at the burning bush. Moses felt unworthy, fearful, and unsure of his ability to lead God's people, yet despite his doubts, God assured him that he would be with him every step of the way.

This lesson spoke directly to my own struggles. There have been many times in my life when God placed opportunities or responsibilities before me, and I felt too small or too weak to handle them. Like Moses, I was tempted to say, "Lord, send someone else." But through the teaching on Exodus, I learned that God equips those he calls. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Because of this, I am learning to step forward in obedience and trust, even when I feel unqualified. Moses' courage, built on God's promises, has inspired me to rely fully on the Lord in my daily walk. Your teaching has reminded me that God doesn't need my strength, he needs my surrender.

Let me repeat that so that it sinks in. God doesn't need our strength, he needs our surrender. I love that.

Our last letter comes from a viewer in Tripura, India: I used to struggle with constant fear. I could not trust myself nor could I fully trust in the Lord Jesus because I did not have a clear understanding of him and his power. I lived in fear all the time. I had no peace or joy in my life. Even though I attended church services, I didn't properly understand the word of God, so my fear never left me.

During that time, a friend encouraged me to watch your program. From the very day I started watching, I slowly began to understand the power and greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God began to work in my life. Now I can truly rely on him. The fear I once had is gone, and I no longer live in the same way as before.

Through watching Langdami Korang, which is TTB Kokborok by the way, I am growing more in the Lord each day. My whole family also watches this program regularly, and we are experiencing the true joy of the Lord in our lives.

We know this listener, or should I say this viewer, isn't alone. As we've been traveling through this great book of Revelation, has your heart also been burdened by what is to become of this world? Let's listen to Dr. McGee read an interesting poem about worry and then lead us in prayer for our study.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: For the benefit of those of you that feel like the book of Revelation is a book that's so mysterious and that as you read it, it worries you and you look at the world today and there's utter confusion in your thinking, may I say to you that someone has sent me a little poem from Wisconsin, and we're going to begin our study today by reading it. The title of the poem is "She Worries."

She worries, it doesn't matter what or why. She doesn't even need to try. It's natural for this soul to cry, "I'm worried." She worries about her friends who may be ill, about the storms that may maim and kill, about the weather if it's chill. She's worried. She worries because the world's in such a mess, because the poor are penniless. She has forgotten God, I guess, and worries.

Let's remember that even in the book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus Christ is the theme of this book. It's all about him. It's not about horses riding, it's not about beasts, it's not about Antichrist, it's not about even judgments on the earth. It's about the Lord Jesus Christ. If you keep him before you, you're not going to worry too much, my friend, and the book will become meaningful to you.

We left off last time in the seventh chapter and we put in today at verse five. Shall we look to God in a word of prayer? Our gracious Father God, make real and living thy word to our hearts today, for we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

This very wonderful chapter answers the question of whether anyone's going to get saved in the great tribulation. The facts are that it will be probably the greatest period in the history of the world. That is, you could not find a similar period of the same time when this many people were saved.

We have called attention to the fact that the Holy Spirit left the world to present the church to Christ, but he's back in the world doing the same thing he did before the day of Pentecost. When somebody says the Holy Spirit is not here, my answer is: Where'd he go? Because he never did leave. He's omnipresent. The church was taken out of the world and we were sealed until the day of redemption—the church is. He'll see that the church gets into the presence of Christ, and then he continues his ministry, which has always been one of taking God's creation and renovating it.

The Spirit of God, we're told at the beginning, brooded over the waters. The Spirit of God broods over this earth today and has from the very beginning and will after the church is removed from the earth. We saw that there are two great companies that are saved. We just got a glimpse at the first company, and it was of the children of Israel. When it says children of Israel, it doesn't mean any other people than Israel.

The number's given: 144,000, and they're out of 12 tribes. He's going to give it in detail of the tribes, and I want to read to you now beginning with verse five, read down through verse eight. It says, "Of the tribe of Judah were sealed 12,000. Of the tribe of Reuben 12,000, tribe of Gad 12,000, tribe of Asher 12,000, tribe of Naphtali 12,000, tribe of Manasseh 12,000, tribe of Simeon 12,000, tribe of Levi 12,000, of the tribe of Issachar 12,000, tribe of Zebulun 12,000, of the tribe of Joseph 12,000, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed 12,000."

12,000 out of each tribe, so that the 144,000 are divided by 12, and one-twelfth is in each tribe. We know we're talking about the children of Israel. I don't see how anyone can spiritualize this and attempt to appropriate either to themselves or to some other group than the children of Israel.

Because God had promised, as we've seen again and again in the Old Testament, that he would bring them through this time of trouble, this great day of the Lord, and he would come and establish the kingdom, which we're going to see is first a thousand-year kingdom, for it's a time of testing and then it moves right into eternity.

We have here given these 12 tribes. One writer says there are 13 times in the Bible that the 12 tribes are given, and another writer says 18. I don't know which it is. I frankly didn't feel like that was worthwhile determining, but in every case where the 12 tribes are given, it's always 12 tribes. Sometimes changes are made, and I can't always determine what the change is. I can in some cases, but in some I'm not always clear in my own thinking, but I know God had something in mind when he did.

There are these peculiarities here, and I'm going to call attention to them. I hope this is not nitpicking; I think it's important and significant, but I don't think it's essential to go into detail concerning these 12 tribes. First of all, you will notice that Judah heads the list. The tribe of Reuben should come first, for Reuben was the oldest. But because of his sin—and if you want to check on that sin, it's back in Genesis the 49th chapter, verse 4—and because of that very gross immorality on the part of Reuben, he lost first place.

But he didn't lose out altogether. The question arises: When a Christian sins, does he lose his salvation? No. But he may lose his reward. Very frankly, there will be many Christians that they are saved, but they indulged in sin and they'll lose their reward. Reuben here is a very good example of how God deals, and this principle is set down here. Reuben lost first place. He lost the place of honor, but he didn't lose out altogether because he's given here but he's number two. He should have been number one. It was from the tribe of Judah that the Lord Jesus came.

Then we find here that the tribes of Dan and Ephraim were omitted from this list. Both of these tribes were guilty of going into idolatry. I'm not going to take time again for this because I don't want to go into too much detail. But if you would turn to Deuteronomy the 29th chapter, verses 18 through 21, you would find that the tribe of Dan went into idolatry, and the tribe of Ephraim, because there in Moses' great prophecy, that is mentioned. Then in history you will find that Dan was the first tribe that fell into idolatry. That's found in Judges the 18th chapter, verse 30.

The tribe of Dan became later on the headquarters for calf worship. Because we're told Jeroboam made Israel to sin. That's found in 1 Kings the 12th chapter, 28 to 30. They are given top priority in the millennium, and in Ezekiel the 48th chapter, you will find out that the tribe of Dan is in the millennium. But they weren't sealed for the time of the great tribulation. That reveals that the grace of God can reach down and meet the need of any sinner. Though they were not sealed for the purpose of witnessing—and I think again, this tribe lost out a great deal.

Ephraim was also guilty of idolatry. Many of you will recall not too long ago when we studied Hosea that Ephraim was given over to idols. In fact of the matter is, God says, "Let him alone," because of the fact he had turned and had gone into idolatry. I think probably I will turn and read that verse. It's found in the fourth chapter, verse 17 of Hosea. "Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." That has reference to the northern kingdom, but remember that Ephraim was the leader there and Ephraim was the tribe which led in the division of the kingdom in 1 Kings 11:26.

In this list, Joseph takes the place of Ephraim, and we have to take the place of Dan, Levi. I think the reason that Levi's given is because Levi was the priestly tribe and they are going to be witnesses in the great tribulation period. It's quite proper for them to be witnesses in the great tribulation period.

I trust that we can understand and see here that now God has turned again to the nation Israel. He'd not given them up. He'd said to Ephraim, "Oh, Ephraim, how can I give thee up?" God says, "I can't do it." God didn't give them up. They are going to make it through the great tribulation period, even though they lost out as witnesses for God during that period.

The 144,000 are sealed especially because they're going to witness during this period. It's going to cost them a great deal, and if they weren't sealed, they sure wouldn't be able to make it through. You see, God never leaves himself without a witness on this earth.

We are brought before us another company of redeemed. It's a redeemed multitude of Gentiles. I'm going to read verses nine through ten, and I'm going to read them in my translation, which I do not recommend, but we're going to get the literal here. Will you listen to this? "After these things I saw"—and remember he is seeing as well as hearing at this particular place—"After these things I saw and behold a great multitude which no man could number."

Someone says, "You mean to tell me that men couldn't count that crowd?" It doesn't say that. It says no one man could number these. It doesn't say anything about a computer, but he says no one man could number this crowd because it's such a large crowd, and I wouldn't dare to venture any number whatsoever.

But it must be a very large crowd or they couldn't be numbered. "Which no man could number, out of every nation and out of tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the lamb, arrayed in white robes and palm branches in their hands. And they cry with a great voice saying, 'The salvation to our God who sitteth on the throne and to the lamb.'"

Obviously, the size of this multitude is stupendous. It's not a one-man job to number them. These are Gentiles, people from every tribe and nation under the sun. That means that the gospel of the kingdom in the great tribulation will be preached throughout the world.

I want to repeat this: The witnesses, these 144,000 in the great tribulation period, are going to do in seven years what the church up to the present has not done in 1,900 years. So don't boast about your missionary program. None of us are reaching too many. But during the great tribulation there will be a great company of people.

I personally want to add this, and it's my own private judgment and you can take it for what it's worth, which is not very much. But I do believe that before the church leaves—and I don't think he says it anywhere because nothing has to be fulfilled before he removes the church—but it looks to me like now he's going to let the world hear the gospel before the rapture of the church.

I believe that radio is one of the mediums that will be used. I think there are other mediums that are being used today that are fantastic—the printed page, and then the evangelism today. Many evangelists are just reaching multitudes of people today, and other radio programs are doing a much bigger job than we're doing. But you put us all together, we're making quite an impact on this world in which we live.

Here is a great company that have come out of the great tribulation period. This great company, they are rejoicing in their salvation, and they've been saved during the great tribulation period. Again, may I say, the greatest days of God's salvation are in the future. They're standing before the throne and before the lamb. That indicates that they're redeemed, and it indicates they've made it through the great tribulation period.

The white robes here set before us the righteousness of Christ in which they're clothed, because we couldn't stand before God in our own righteousness; our righteousnesses are filthy rags. I don't think you're going to have filthy rags in the presence of God.

And the palm branches here, literally in the Greek that's palm trees. That is the sign of victory. Victory in Christ. This multitude is part of that great triumphal entry when Christ returns to the earth. Really, the triumphal entry has never taken place. That actually was more like a triumphal exit when he came into Jerusalem.

He was getting ready to leave the earth because he was on the way to the cross at that time. But since then, there's been a great company. In the great tribulation there's going to be another great company. When he returns to the earth, this great company that were martyred for him, that died for him in the great tribulation and we're going to see later on they're included in the first resurrection, they're going to be there.

Notice verses 11 and 12, and I'll read them in my translation. "And all the angels were standing around the throne and about the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying, 'Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever.'"

You know, this is a fabulous, fantastic scene that's before us here—this universal worship of God by his creatures. The angels join in on it. The church is here, the Old Testament saints are here, and these are different companies, and the tribulation saints are here.

The angels join this. Now there're just one or two things I'd like to say about the angels, and I don't want to labor the point, and I wouldn't contend with anybody about it. But you know, nowhere in scripture does it say that angels sing. I like that because I can't sing either, but I'm no angel. But the point is, I think I'm going to stand with them. They're saying this here. I'm not going to contend with you if you think angels sing, you just keep right on thinking, it's perfectly all right.

The important thing to note here, and this is important, the other company, they thank God for their redemption—the salvation of our God. But the angels don't mention it. Why don't they mention it? They praise God for his attributes and goodness, but not for salvation. Why? They're sinless creatures, not redeemed sinners.

I don't think they're going to be able to sing, but I do believe Vernon McGee will be able to sing in that day. I can't do it now, but I sure will be able to sing with that great company. Friends, I hope that this will begin to broaden your vision and your comprehension of what heaven's going to be.

A great many people think that the only folk going to be in heaven is their little group, their little church, or their little denomination. My friends, they're going to be other redeemed people there besides even the church. I think that's going to surprise a lot of the saints to discover that when they get to heaven. I wish we could discover it down here. It would give us a greater love for God and lead us to worship him more in a very real way, worship him in spirit and truth today. Our time is up. So until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.

Steve Schwetz: If you've missed a study, you can download our app or visit our website at TTB.org where you can listen anytime. If you'd like to expand your study of Revelation, you can download Dr. McGee's digital booklet, God's Grand Finale: An Introduction to Revelation. In it, Dr. McGee reminds us that ultimately, Revelation is about Jesus and God's intention and purpose for him to reign through eternity.

It's a great introduction for diving deep into a study of this often misunderstood but oh-so-important book. Don't wait. Get your free digital copy in our app or at TTB.org. Or if we can help you, just call us, 1-800-65-BIBLE. When you're in touch, be sure to sign up to receive our monthly newsletter. Each issue is filled with updates from the ministry as well as teaching from Dr. McGee and some helpful prompts to deepen your time in God's word.

We'd also love to send you a free pack of our Bible bus passes. These little cards are designed to give you a fast and easy way to share Thru the Bible with people that you meet out and about in your daily life. Each one's got a QR code that points folks right to our app, which is one of the best ways to keep on top of your Bible bus journey.

If you'd like some of these passes to start handing out, let us know. The number is 1-800-65-BIBLE. I'm Steve Schwetz, grateful for your company on the Bible bus and your partnership in taking God's whole word to his whole world. Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow. Our journey on the Bible bus today is supported by the prayers and gifts of fellow passengers as we travel through the Bible.