The Glorious Return of Jesus Christ, Part 3 B

Then suddenly it will be all over. In fact, there will be no war at all in the sense that we think of war there will be just a word spoken from him who sits astride the great White horse. Once he spoke a word to a fig tree and it withered away once he spoke to a legion of demons bursting at the seams of a poor man's soul and instantly they fled. Now he speaks a word and to warn unbelievers of the peril to come. The title of this fascinating study on history that yet to happen when Jesus comes. But before we look at the glorious return of Christ. John, you have a letter there that is a glorious example of God's faithfulness to the people he saves and it's also a wonderful example of the power of biblical truth to mold a life for kingdom purposes. There's quite a few details in this story. So take a couple of minutes and read this for us now. I'd love to. This is a very special letter.

It comes from Pastor Ray in Kokomo, Indiana. He writes I was saved in 1976 and soon found out that many churches had no idea what the Bible teaches there is a contradiction, many churches had no idea what the Bible teaches. He goes on I was told that when Jesus saves you your past sins are forgiven, but that doesn't mean your future sins will be forgiven. Needless to say I was miserable. One day a friend saw a bumper sticker for the radio station WY RD in upstate New York so he tuned in and heard a message from some California preacher named John MacArthur. Then I found out about a place called word of life campground in screwing Lake, New York, and learned that this same California preacher was going to be there speaking in God's providence. I was able to go there and drink from the word preached by John MacArthur. I didn't know how Thursday I was told that week was over amazing after one of the sessions I asked you, me what books you would recommend that I study you took down my address and you sent me a list of books that I should add to my library.

I devoured those books you point me to.

I fell in love with Galatians and my freedom from the law.

I understood from Colossians that in Christ. I had all I needed. In his first John, I found out that my sins were forgiven, past, present and future. For the first time I understood what was to grow in knowledge and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, now many years later I have purchased many of your books and your entire New Testament commentary.

I also am thankful for the resources you poured into the grace to your website.

Someone asked me recently where he should go to learn the Bible. I told him to go through the book studies the topical studies in the blog is a GQ Y.org well today I'm pastoring a small church that some might say is insignificant. We have worked in prisons and jails so much that some people in our town.

Call us the X church. We have so many ex-felons X substance abusers and so on, while others take that in a negative way. I am grateful beyond measure to have saints who are exes and then my three first Corinthians 6. Such were some of you is right. You've been washed, and then he closes by saying I don't know how much time I have before God calls me home, but it is because of your faithful service that I can leave saying, I have completed the course. I praise the Lord Jesus Christ for your ministry. It's a great letter signed his name Pastor Ray bless you Ray that is so encouraging and again it speaks to the power of the word of God. When you folks are listing support, grace to you you you don't know what impact you're having you you you may be directly impacting the pastor, like Ray, whose ministry is enriched and flourishes because of the input that's coming from. From this ministry and you can be sure the people from all walks of life are listing and growing, particularly prisoners. We get lots of letters from prisoners. We see many conversions of those incarcerated.

So thank you for praying for the work of grace to you and if you're able to stand with us, with support you'll make a difference in eternity for people's lives. Yes you will unfriend this verse by verse teaching transformed Ray's life. Nearly 50 years ago and by God's grace will be teaching people about Christ. For the next 50 years.

If that kind of ministry resonates with you. Contact us today and express your support. But first stay here and follow along as John MacArthur continues his study when Jesus comes.

Let me read you the text that we will address as we look together God's precious word. Revelation 19 in verse 17 and I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, symbol for the great supper of God, in order that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders in the flesh of mighty men in the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them in the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves in small and great, and I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against him was set up on the horse and against his army and the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. The rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of him who sat upon the horse all the birds were filled with their flesh. In spite of all of their efforts.

In spite of all of the attempts to victory and they're going to be terribly defeated. I just want to speak of two things, conquest, announced, and then conquest accomplished conquest unannounced and then conquest accomplished, the angel makes the announcement and when the announcement is complete and he is called the birds together to eat the flesh then the sun goes black son Matthew 24, 29 says will be dark and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky. The powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then appears the Son of Man. So first, the announcement then everything goes out and everything goes black and then comes the blazing glory of the son of man in heaven.

Well conquest is announced.

Let's look quickly then at the second point, the conquest is accomplished. Verse 19 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against him was set up on the horse and against his army and John is looking at this incredible vision and he says I saw the beast was that the antichrist is the world ruler, one introduced in chapter 11 verse seven and then describe in chapter 13 verses one through eight. The beast and the kings of the earth who are they will back in chapter 17.

You remember that there are 10 kings and that the antichrist is somehow divided the world into 10 sectors and he has put somebody over those sectors to answers to him. So the antichrist rules the world and those who are immediately under him.

These who are ruling over the 10 sectors of the world. And then he says their armies. That's that's everybody was whose collected their member.

Now the six ball chapter 16 the deception of the demons to come out of the pit, gather all these armies choices.

I saw the antichrist. I saw the 10 kings I saw the armies from all over the world, assembled to make war against him who sat upon the horse and against his army. They have armies. He has an army singular there assembled for the purpose of making war against Jesus Christ. As I said they'll be armed to the gills armed to the teeth and the battle is set in Zechariah 14. Five describes Christ army as quote all the holy ones with him all the holy ones with so his enemy succeeded in killing him when he came in humility and grace because it was the plan of God for salvation that he die they hated him when he healed and showed mercy.

Imagine how they're going to hate him when he is been judging them and is now ready to return to execute and so there armed and they're ready, then immediately it happens.

Verse 20 the beast was God's SHIRT and wit of the false prophet. The first thing you do is take the leaders and now you've destroyed the head and so the beast is captured overseas and within the false prophet, you remember him he performed the signs in the presence of the beast, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Remember the description of the false prophet back in chapter 13 verses 11 to 13 how he performed signs and wonders to convince people that the beast was a God then you remember in chapter 13 verses 16 and 17 how everybody who worship the beast was given a mark. The mark of the beast and their header in the back of their hand and by that they could they could buy and sell and function in the society. Then in chapter 13 verses 1452 describes how they worship the beast so the beast was seized, and the false prophet who did the signs and wonders to deceive those who receive the mark and who caused people to worship his image. Other words the Army loses its leadership.

These are two men, by the way, only to lose sight other two human beings there demonically empowered and indwelt, but their human beings. One is the political leader of the world. The others, the religious leader who is turn the religion of the world toward the antichrist, so he is both King and God there captured first. The armies lose their leaders immediately and these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire. Apparently they don't even dieter. There has to be some kind of transformation but Christ just takes them and pitches them into the lake of fire. This is the first mention of that place which is the final eternal flaming hell.

There is a Heller always has been a hell being separated from God. It is always a place of torment, but this is its final form. It's called the lake of fire any place separated from the presence of God is is a hell of some kind.

But this is the final form of that hill in the first two to populated by the Antichrist and the false prophet Daniel 711 he saw the same thing. I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire so Daniel sees some kind of destruction.

John says they were cast alive into the lake of fire.

Their bodies may literally have been killed.

But, of course, their spirits go alive and to hell for its hard to resolve those two texts, but the Lord knows the significance of the but nonetheless certainly they have to be altered or changed as they go into that hell in order not to be instantly consumed so maybe there is remaining flesh in the world, as they are executed in their spiritual being is somehow transported to hell. This is not Hades. Hades is a is a temporary place. This is the final lake of fire. Later on, by the way, will find in chapter 20, but the devil and all his demons will be sent there because it was prepared for them and sad sad so will all unbelievers at the end of the great white throne judgment taken and sent into the final lake of fire. This lake of fire tells us something several things that are important. It's good evidence that there's no such thing as annihilation of the ungodly.

Some people say when the ungodly died or annihilated. Doesn't make sense because these two people. The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. There thrown in, then the kingdom begins down in chapter 20 verse 10, the devil, who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone at the end of the thousand year kingdom where the beast and the false prophet are also so they didn't get annihilated when they arrived there today. They're still there thousand years later, in verse 15 anyone's name is not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the same lake of fire. Isaiah looked at this lake of fire. Chapter 66 and says it's a place where their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched Jesus Christ with the displacement called everlasting fire where the worm dies not in the fire is not quenched: Gehenna. That was a smoldering constant fire in the city dump at Jerusalem, but never went out. Jesus said, is therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it should be in the end of the world sentimental send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and then the do iniquity, and cast them into a furnace or farther should be wailing and gnashing of teeth, chaff he will burn with fire on unquenchable Matthew 2541.

It's called everlasting fire. Revelation 1411 says the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. John says this lake of fire burns with brimstone. Chapter 20 verse 10 says the same thing.

It burns with brimstone. Chapter 21 verse eight says the lake that burns with fire and brimstone just to make a more graphic description brimstone sulfuric kind of chemical thing that makes it explosively hot. That's what's going to happen to the rest of the people of the world, not just these two. They have the privilege of being the first to to populate the final final place the final place of destruction, the eternal hell said how tragic, but then after although the two most blasphemous human beings who ever lived there. The two who had the greatest exposure to preaching in miracle power and judgment in their the first to be given the distinction of being eternally separated from the presence of God. The rest of the world will follow and that takes us to the last verse, verse 21 and the rest all the rest of these armies were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of him was set on the horse all the birds refill their flesh member now. Chapter 19 verse 15 says out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with that he will smite the nations. This is his word is in it. The whole world of sinners is killed not just the armies but whatever sinners are left all over the globe and not all of Moby gathered there. The armies will be there, but the be some people remaining.

And they'll all be killed as well will smite the peoples. Chapter 19 verse 15 says Swift devastating death comes as he speaks. John Phillips is written, then suddenly it will be all over. In fact, there will be no war at all in the sense that we think of war there will be just a word spoken from him who sits astride the great White horse.

Once he spoke a word to a fig tree and it withered away once he spoke a word to howling winds and heaving waves in the storm clouds vanished and the waves fell still. Once he spoke to a legion of demons bursting at the seams of a poor man's soul and instantly they fled. Now he speaks a word in the war is over blasphemous loudmouth beast is stricken where he stands, the false prophet. The miracle working windbag from the pit is punctured and still the pair of them are bundled up and hurled headlong into the everlasting flames. Another word in the panic stricken armies really staggered fall down dead field marshals and generals and admirals and their commander soldiers and sailors rank-and-file one and all. They fall in the vultures descendent cover the scene just an incredible incredible picture of how it's all going to wind. Zechariah 14 describes it with these words.

Verse three the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fights on the day of battle, and in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east of the Mount of olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain man may move toward the north and the other half of the South you will flee by the valley of my mountains and other words, God's people will be able to flee from antichrist and from the devastation right through that valley phase L yes you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah Lord my God will come in all the holy ones within the will come about in that day there will be no light luminaries will dwindle and will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night. But it will come about that evening. There will be light. It's all going to go dark and then boom the light of Christ coming will come about the living waters will flow out of Jerusalem. Half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea.

It will be in summer as well as in winter somehow the whole typography of Israel's interchange hits amount about us puts a thing wide open.

The people all flee than the water flows through that new valley and creates a blossoming desert and the Lord will be king over all the earth, and that day the Lord will be the only one in his name the only one in this will be the plague.

Verse 12 says which Lord will strike all the people of going to war against Jerusalem. Here's how they're going to die. Listen to this flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, just like their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in the mouth it will come about in that day the great panic from the Lord will follow them. It will seize one another's hand in the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another is the rotting away to kill each other, strike each other, the frightening seemed certainly not something to be relished.

Something to be dreaded and feared.

This is going to come at the end. Daniel chapter 12 verse 12 extends it out. Actually 75 days if you had it all up past the end of the tribulation. Some kind of time.

It may well be that that 45 days and ultimately 75 days as the days when birds eat the feast of flesh followed by the burial and then this passage closes the chapter all the birds were filled with their flesh. Can you imagine John seeing all this vividly before his eyes manually read all that and you're reminded of what Peter said. He said, and it's it's it's just hard to imagine he said no. This second Peter three in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, saying, where is the promise of his coming. There will always be deniers always going to be those who are going to deny that Jesus is coming where is the promise of his coming.

They are mockers you know what their argument is it's the argument of ridicule is not an intellectual argument is the argument of ridicule. They play on the disappointment of people who been waiting and waiting and waiting and hoping and hoping their mockery comes out of the ridiculing hearts and then their mockery comes out of the love of sin. It says they follow after their own lusts, and anybody who follows after zoning lasts doesn't want a day of reckoning right they want to pursue their sexual pleasure, pleasure, and they do not like evangelical eschatology they want and eschatology that suits their behavior and want to hear about judgment on sin, so they argue from ridicule. They argue from morality or immorality and then they argue from uniformity.

They say for ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation what their argument is well. It'll never happen because it never has. Like saying I'll never die. I never have seen argument from uniformity. There can't be a divine judgment like that. There never has been one why you anybody understands evolution we been around for billions and billions of years in this deal. Jazz teams go on a long and it it's just always been the same note, you just know God, no judgments, no eschatology, no accountability is that's what evolution is and that's that's what natural natural approach to the world is it's just a way to escape accountability. Petersons I think they forgot the flood. I think they forgot that escaped their notice that God created an immense catastrophe when he turned loose the heavens and the flood.

Their foolish arguments. Notwithstanding, Jesus will come in one of the argument of believers. The argument from Scripture he says.

Remember the word spoken before by the holy prophets in the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles, in spite of what the what the mockers say in their ridicule and their love of sin in their leaf and uniformity. Your argument is Scripture. Secondly, your guy argument is history the flood. Thirdly, your argument is eternity. What is that mean God is not bound by o'clock folks don't let this one fact escape your notice that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day God is not operating by your watch and if you look at your watch and your little calendar and say will never has happened. It certainly never will.

God's not confined to your timetable and then you can argue from grace.

The Lord is not slow about his promise, he's just patient because he wishes, not any to what the parish we argued from Scripture history. We argue from eternity. We argue from grace.

Jesus is coming.

Then Peter says, second Peter 310, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements and be destroyed with intense heat, the earth, the works be burned up and since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be.

That's the question is not, I think you want to be the kind of person who escapes this judgment. That's only sensible by God's grace, I pray you will be father thank you for this time as frightening as it is as fearful as tragic as horrifying to think about people in eternal punishment. Journal Hell. Yet Lord, we know that this gives you glory and brings you honor and we know that this comes at the end of the greatest expression of the preaching of the gospel in the history of the world. This comes at a time when you have demonstrated your power over and over your miracle power your judgment power.

You've shown your mercy.

You've shown your grace you've shown your justice, your wrath you put it on display at day after day after day the gospel has been preached to every person from preachers and evangelists to angels flying through the heavens and your grace is extended itself patiently all the way to absolute obstinacy and hardness of man and then when all they do is shake their fist and curse you, the judgment falls or father. We know you're not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

You have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. We know that's why you sent your son Jesus Christ because you so loved the world that you wanted to provide Savior way of escape wanted could bring the forgiveness of sins so that sinners would never have to experience your judgment. I would pray in the hearing of this message, you would be gracious to sinners and save them from the wrath to come.

Thank you father that we don't look for this event.

We look for the rapture when you collect us out of this world and take us to the place you prepared for us in heaven place of bliss and joy, not a place of eternal punishment. May this message grip our hearts.

Those of us are Christians. Maybe be filled with joy and a sense of responsibility. Like Paula said, knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men may give us a desire to speak the truth. For those who perish.

Bless you for this day and all that it is brought to praise Christ. This is grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us. John's current prophecy study is showing you what will happen when Jesus comes well before the lesson John read a letter from a man named Ray who credits grace to use verse by verse teaching with opening his eyes to the gospel. He's now a pastor with a thriving prison ministry, we are able to reach people like Ray because of the support of friends like you to partner with us in a ministry that changes lives. Contact us today. You can mail your tax-deductible gift to Grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 or call us at 855 grace.

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Our email addresses letters@tty.org. That's letters@tty.org or if you prefer regular mail right to box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to join us tomorrow when John looks at the Amazing Way, Christ will change the world when he establishes his kingdom be here for John's continuing look at the second coming with another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on racing. You