But now, if you will


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THE LAMB AND THE 144,000 REVELATION 14 Pastor Dennis Clanton Woodland Church Wednesday, January 23, 2019 “But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!” (Exodus 32:32, NLT) ISRAEL IS MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE ETHNIC / NATIONAL JEWS. “With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.” (Romans 9:1–8, NLT) 1. THE ADOPTION. 2. THE GLORY. 3. THE COVENANT. 4. THE LAW. 5. THE WORSHIP OF GOD.

6. THE PROMISES. 7. THE MESSIANIC LINEAGE. PAUL SAYS A TRUE JEW IS ONE WHOSE HEART IS RIGHT WITH GOD. “For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:28–29, NLT) “And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.” (Romans 4:12, NLT) “Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. They have told no lies; they are without blame.” (Revelation 14:1–5, NLT) 1. THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS, THE LAMB, GIVES US JOY! 2. MT. ZION IS IN HEAVEN.

3. THE 144,000 WITH THE NAMES OF GOD ON THEIR FOREHEADS. a. They are a first fruits offering, purchased. “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you enter the land I am giving you and you harvest its first crops, bring the priest a bundle of grain from the first cutting of your grain harvest.” (Leviticus 23:10, NLT) “And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9, NLT) b. c. d. e. f.

All of the positive attributes you read are because of Christ. Live purely. Live honestly. Live blamelessly. Follow Christ. “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.” (Mark 8:34–35, NLT)

4. ONE DAY OUR SORROW WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO SONGS OF JOY! 5. THREE ANGELS “Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution

patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:6–12, NLT) a. FIRST ANGEL – WORSHIP GOD! “And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.” b. SECOND ANGEL – BABYLON THE GREAT IS FALLEN! “Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.” c. THIRD ANGEL – THOSE WHO REJECTED THE LAMB TO FOLLOW THE DEVIL WILL HAVE THEIR WISH. “Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9–11, NLT) God will never send anybody to hell. If a man goes to hell, he goes by his own free choice …. God has done everything within His power to keep you out. He even gave His Son to die on that cross to keep you out…. You can go to heaven or to hell. The choice is yours. Billy Graham

6. ONE DAY WE WILL EITHER BE SAVED OR DAMNED. a. Avoid the world’s values and systems. b. Use our time talent and treasure to be witnesses and extend the Kingdom of God. c. Following the Lamb promises you and me a glorious eternal future. 7. ONE DAY GOD WILL REST FROM OUR HARD WORK. “This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.” (Revelation 14:12–14, NLT)

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