Now, we're going to come right back to Revelation, but flip over to Philippians, Chapter Number 2. Philippians, Chapter Number 2. The title of the sermon tonight is Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Basically, the sermon is about how Jesus is portrayed in the Book of Revelation. This is a significant book, because it's the last book in the Bible. If someone reads the Bible, this is the last thing God leaves them with. As they finish the New Testament, he leaves them on this thought, and so it's very significant how Jesus is portrayed in the Book of Revelation, versus how he's portrayed in the four Gospels, as he walked and talked among us on this earth.
Look what the Bible says in Philippians 2, Verse 5. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a men, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father."
Now in this passage we see that when Jesus Christ was on this earth, he humbled himself. He became obedient. He was meek, lowly, and humble, but now when he is exalted in Heaven, the Bible says that God has given him a name that's above every name, and that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You see, the first time Jesus came, he came meek, humble, lowly, a servant. But when he comes the second time, he will not come in that form. He will not be meek. He will not be humble. He will not be lowly. He will not be coming as a servant. He'll be coming to reign. He'll be coming to be glorified, not to be humbled, but to be lifted up and exalted and glorified and bowed down to.
There's a difference between the first coming of Jesus Christ and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Flip over if you would, to Matthew, Chapter Number 11. Matthew Chapter Number 11. You see, I think a lot of people expect the second coming of Jesus Christ to be a repeat of his first coming, that he's going to show up and he's going to be meek and lowly and humble, and a servant, but it's not the case. That's the Jesus we saw at the first coming, and I'm going to show you through the Book of Revelation, what Jesus is like in the Book of Revelation, how Jesus is portrayed in the Book of Revelation, but first, I went to lay the foundation here.
Look at Matthew 11, Verse 28. This is what Jesus said while he was on this earth in the form of a servant. He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Look at Chapter 21, Verse 5. Chapter 21, Verse 5. The Bible reads, "Tell ye, the daughter of Zion, behold they king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt, the foal of an ass." Also, we don't have to turn there, but in the book of John, the Bible records Jesus washing the Disciples' feet, ungirding himself, wrapping himself in a towel and washing their feet, humbling himself.
And here's what he said. "I've done this as an example unto you. If I, your Lord and master have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet." So Jesus Christ, on this earth, was setting an example of humility, meekness, and being a servant, being a minister. Okay. That's what he was here to do the first time he came, but in his second coming that's not going to be the case. Look at Second Thessalonians, Chapter Number 1. This is the last place we'll turn before we get into the Book of Revelation. Second Thessalonians, Chapter Number 1. Look at what the Bible says in Verse 7. "And you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels."
This is the second coming of Jesus Christ, "in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day." When Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time, he wasn't walking around, trying to be glorified, trying to be exalted, looking to be admired, and he wasn't there to take vengeance on them that knew not God. I mean, when his Disciples said, "Hey, we should call down fire from God on this village of the Samaritans, that doesn't want to receive you," he said, "No, no, no. The son of man does not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
I'm here to seek and to save that which was left. I came to minister, not to be ministered unto." He said, "I came to give my life a ransom for many, humble, meek, a servant, a minister." But wait a minute, in the second coming, we don't see that. We see him ready to be admired, ready to be glorified, ready to be exalted, and ready to take vengeance on those that believe not. You see, there's a difference between the second coming ad the first coming of Jesus Christ. Now, let's go to Revelation and get a view of Jesus in the Book of Revelation, because in the Book of Revelation, we have Jesus already glorified in Heaven. He's already been exalted to the right hand of the Father, and we have all the scriptures about him returning to take vengeance, and so on. And we can get a view of the Jesus that we're going to meet at the second coming of Christ.
And I'm not saying Jesus is different than when he came the first time, but I'm saying he had a different mission when he came the first time. When he came the first time, he came humbly, lowly, to set an example, to live a perfect life, to be tempted at all points, like as we are, yet without sin, to offer his life a sacrifice. But now that that' been accomplished, now that he's died and he's been buried, and he's risen again, and salvation has been made freely available to all, you know when he comes at the second coming, he's not playing games. It's pretty much two things that you see in the Book of Revelation when you look at Jesus. He's either there to reward and to comfort and to exalt his servants, or he's there to destroy and to burn and to take vengeance on the wicked. And he is doing it with a rod of iron and he's not playing games whatsoever in the Book of Revelation.
It's too late for a lot of people by the time the Book of Revelation rolls around, and they're doomed, and that's what we see when we look at the character of Jesus in the Book of Revelation. First of all, let's get a physical description of Jesus from the beginning on the Book of Revelation. It says in Verse Number 10, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, 'I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last and what thou seeth write in a book and send it unto the 7 churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.' And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned I saw 7 golden candlesticks." We're at Revelation 1:13.
"And in the midst of the 7 candlesticks, one like unto to the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire." Now this is a pretty fearsome sight, when you think about it. You know, John had seen Jesus when he walked and talked on this earth among them, and his hands had handled him, and he had leaned on him at the Last Supper. When he looks at him, he says, "It was like unto the son of man." You know, it looked like Jesus, but there's been a change. His face and his hair are white like wool and his eyes as as a flame of fire. Now that's a pretty scary thought when you think about it. I mean, just white and then flaming, burning, fiery eyes.
Look what the Bible says next. It says in Verse 15, "His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many water-" Think about how the ocean sounds when it just crashes in when you're really close to it. That's how his voice sounded when he talked. I mean, think about that. That's a powerful voice. It says, "His voice was as the sound of many waters, and he had in his right hand 7 stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp, two-edged sword, and his countenance," or his face, "was as the sun shineth in its strength." When John's looking at him, his face is so bright that it's like trying to look into the sun. His countenance as the sun shineth in its strength.
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead." Now, that's a pretty powerful image here. This is not the same way that Jesus came the first time, when he's meek, he's lowly, he's approachable. The little children are coming up to him and sitting on his knee and he's blessing them, okay? This is Jesus coming back with a vengeance here. And even in Luke 21, when he preached about his second coming, he says, "These be the days of vengeance," you know, "when all things that are written shall be fulfilled." But look what it says in Verse 17. "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, 'Fear not. I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen, and have the keys of Hell and of death."
Back up a little bit to Verse 5, it says, "From Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and have made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Now, they weren't weeping and wailing the first time he came, were they? And he told them that they should have. The ones who rejected, you know, the ones who wept for him as he walked to the cross to be crucified, and he said, "Weep not for me. Weep for yourselves. Weep for your children."
And he said, "Blessed are those that weep now. They'll be comforted." But here, we see that people will be wailing because ... I mean, what does it mean to wail? Well, anybody who has children, they know what wailing is. We constantly hear wailing from little ... You know? (screams). That's what it sounds like. That's wailing. He says all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Again, did we see that the first time he came, meek and humble? When he came on a colt, a foal of an ass into Zion? Did we see weeping and wailing? No. But when he comes the second time, those who are not saved, those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, will weep and wail because of him. "Even so. Amen," is what the Bible says right after that.
Look what the Bible says in Chapter 2, just to give you a few more images of Jesus in the Book of Revelation. The Bible says in Verse 16, "Repent." This is when he's talking to the 7 churches. "Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." Remember that sword that's going to be coming out of his mouth. It says in Verse 18, "Unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things sayeth the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass." Look at Chapter 2, Verse 21, where he's rebuking the church at Thyatira about fornication, and he says, "I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works, but unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which you have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star." This is Jesus in his second coming. He's going to come to rule and to reign, and his servants will also reign with a rod of iron, the Bible says.
Let me just read it to you from Psalm 2. You can stay there in Revelation 2, but it's quoting Psalm 2, where it says in Verse 8, "Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now, therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling." The Bible says now, be wise now. Get saved now. Believe on him now. Serve him now. Rejoice and tremble before him now, because there's going to come a day where he's coming to bring vengeance when it's too late for people. And that's what we see in the Book of Revelation.
Look at Revelation Chapter 5. It's sort of like what Paul said in First Corinthians, Chapter 4, when he said, "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to come with a rod or do you want me to come in love and in the spirit of meekness?" You know, you can accept Jesus Christ when he comes to you meek and lonely and on the foal of an ass, or you can face the Jesus whose eyes are like a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass. The Bible says in Revelation Chapter 5, Verse 1, "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?' And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
And one of the elders sayeth unto me, 'Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne." See, when he came to this earth the first time, he was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. But we see him returning as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Here, it portrays him in a way that doesn't sound as benign as the lamb that we would think of.
We think of a lamb as being a really gentle creature, right? But I've never seen a lamb that had 7 horns and 7 eyes. You know, that sounds like it would be a little scarier than just your typical, regular lamb, right? I mean, 7 horns and 7 eyes, right? This is a more fearsome creature, and look what the Bible says in Verse 8. "When he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, 'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and have redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;" That's over 100 million. "Saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.' And the four beasts said, 'Amen.' And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever."
Not the same meekness and lowly servant-like spirit that Jesus came in his first coming, is it? No. He's receiving all glory and praise and admiration, people fear and tremble before him, and fall to their knees before him, whether they be in Heaven or on the earth, or under the earth. Well, who's under the earth? People that are in Hell is what that's talking about. Every knee shall bow, the Bible says. And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. You see, even the most hardened atheist, even the most God-hating gaytheists and fagnostics, that are just totally depraved and wicked, and hardened and [inaudible 00:19:24]. You know, once they've spent 1,000 years burning in Hell, and then they're brought out for a short respite, you better know they'll be broken down.
I mean, think about it. I mean, I wouldn't even want to spend 5 minutes in Hell. But when they've spent 1,000 years in Hell, when they've spent hundreds and hundreds of years burning in Hell, and then they're brought out of Hell, and Hell delivers up the dead that are in it, and they're put before that great white throne, you better know, they're going to be dropping to their knees and saying, "Jesus Christ. Your Lord." You know, and giving him all the glory, and all the praise, and begging to be shown mercy, but it'll be too late. It'll be too late, is the sad truth. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Look at Chapter 6, Verse 12. We're looking at Jesus in the Book of Revelation. How is he portrayed in the Book of Revelation versus how we see him in the four gospels?
Now, of course Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Don't get me wrong. Same Jesus. But here's the thing. Jesus had a mission to fulfill while he was on this earth. He had a certain role to carry out. He came and he lived amongst men, he lived a perfect life, he was tempted at all points, like as we are, yet without sin. He went about doing good, the Bible says. He healed the sick, he raised the dead, he cast out devils, he preached the word of God, he delivered himself unto them to be killed. He was buried, he rose again, and he fulfilled that mission. He showed us the example of how we should be humble, because we're not God. We should be meek. We should be humble. We should be lowly. He taught us how to do that, but now, he's done with that.
Now, salvation's still available through grace to those who believe. It's always available, even in Revelation, Chapter 22,it's being made available, in the last chapter. But listen, he's not going to come back meek and lowly. If people think that the second coming of Christ is going to be him coming to this earth and doing the same thing he did the first time he came, like he's just going to show up and submit himself to the authorities like he did the first ... I mean, the first time he came, what did he do? He submitted unto his parents. He didn't go on some big campaign to overthrow Caesar. He said, "My kingdom is not of this world." He didn't care. Here, take the stupid coin and give it to Caesar. He didn't care about that.
He didn't come and overthrow the government. He didn't come and tell his parents, "I'm God. Kneel before me." He came and he was meek, he was humble, he was lowly, he was a servant, he was a minister. He preached the truth. He showed an example for every pastor. He showed an example for every Christian, but when he returns, he's not coming back the same way that he came the first time. He's going to come back in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the Bible teaches. Look at Revelation, Chapter 6, Verse 12. "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne,'" Watch this. "'And from the wrath of the Lamb.'" They want to be hidden from the wrath of who? Jesus. Jesus, in the Book of Revelation, is filled with wrath toward the ungodly. The Bible says, "For the great day of his wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?"
You know, if we stop in at Revelation, Chapter 7, for example, Verse 16, we can see, of course, Jesus Christ coming, being a blessing to those that are saved, of course. The Bible says, in Verse 16, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore. Neither shall the sun light or them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Of course when Jesus returns, he's going to be kind unto the believers. He's going to lead them. He's going to feed them. He's going to wipe every tear from their eyes. We're going to be excited on that day when Christ returns, those of us who alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. We're going to be looking up and our redemption's going to draw him out.
We're going to be praising God. The world's going to be wailing. The unsaved will weep and wail because of him. But to those of us that are saved, he's going to be kind unto us, of course. He's going to gird himself and serve us, the Bible says. But the Bible says also in Chapter 14, if you would flip over there. Chapter 14, and you know, we're just hitting some highlights of the Book of Revelation to get a picture of Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 14:9, "And the third beast followed them saying with a loud voice, 'If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark on his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.
And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.'" Again, we see the everlasting destruction, the flaming fire, the punishment of the unsaved, the unbelievers, the wicked of this world. Flip all the way to Chapter 19, if you would, Chapter Number 19. Chapter Number 19, often referred to as being the second coming of Jesus Christ, wrongly, because Jesus Christ's second coming is when he comes in the clouds, and when the trumpet sounds and we're gathered together to be with him. This is later. This is after his wrath has been poured out. This event is referred to as Armageddon. It's not referred to as the second coming of Jesus Christ, but most people will wrongly identify that. "Hey, this is the ..." They'll try to make a difference between the Rapture and the second coming, because they'll wrongly identify this as the second coming.
No. Whenever the Bible talks about the coming of Christ, the coming of our Lord, his coming in the clouds, it's talking about at the Rapture, which takes place immediately after the Tribulation, but before his wrath is poured out. Okay, and I've done other sermons where I go into that, but this event is known as the battle of Armageddon. In Revelation, Chapter 19, Verse 11, the Bible says, "And I saw Armageddon." In Revelation, Chapter 19, Verse 11, the Bible says, "And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, and He had a name written that no man knew, but He Himself." Now, when he was on this earth the first time, he didn't walk around wearing a crown. The only crown he wore was what? The crown of thorns, right? That was the only crown he wore while he was on this earth.
And not only that, but it says here that he doth judge and make war. I mean, is that what he did when he was on this earth the first time? When Jesus was walking the earth in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you know, we do see him judging, of course, but we don't see him making war, do we? No, absolutely not. But in this scripture, it says, "He doth judge and make war." Verse Number 13, "He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." I mean, just try to picture this. Here's a guy who's riding on a white horse. His countenance is as bright as the sun, white hair, white head, white, burning fiery eyes, and his clothing is dipped in blood. I mean, this is a pretty intense image in Revelation 19, isn't it? I wonder if this is what people think of when they think of the second coming of Jesus Christ today.
I wonder if this is what your average, evangelical Christian today pictures when they think about the second coming of Jesus Christ, when they think about him ruling and reigning on this earth. And let me tell you something, I don't think the Anti-Christ is going to be anything like what's being described in this sermon. Think about it. You think the Anti-Christ is going to show up with his eyes like burning fire, and his face and his head white like wool and wearing a vesture dipped in blood and a sword coming out his ... I mean, you think he's going to be ready to ... No. He's not going to be like this is all. He's going to be how people think Jesus is going to be at the second coming. Basically, they picture this pot smoking hippy. I mean, that's how most people picture Jesus.
Look, he wasn't even like that the first time, people, but that's how people think of Jesus today. I mean, think about the pictures they draw of him, and those pictures, those don't go all the way back to when Jesus walked on this earth, folks. The pictures of Jesus where he's very effeminate and he's very pretty, and he has long hair, those pictures were drawn about 500 years ago. Those are not even close to the time of Christ. They come from the Renaissance, and if anybody knows what the Renaissance is, the Renaissance is when Europeans were rediscovering the wonderful culture of ancient Greece and the ancient Roman Empire. That is what the Renaissance ... It was a renaissance of Greco-Roman culture, and when we think of the culture of the ancient Greeks, it was a faggoty culture, for lack of a better word. There is no better word. That's what it was.
I mean, if you look back, if you read the writings of Socrates and Plato and Aristotle, and if you study the ancient Greeks and the Spartans, and the Athenians, they're a bunch of Sodomites, a bunch of weirdos. I mean, this people in Sparta, and it's amazing how some of you will glorify Sparta today, in American culture. I've even seen schools where the team is called the Spartans. Even at a Christian school, the Spartans. These people were wicked, horrible people. Oh, it's so great. They stopped the Persians from invading. Maybe the Persians should have invaded. I mean, the Greeks were so bad, okay, but it's just the winner writes the history book, you know, and so the Greeks, they won. I mean, Alexander the Great was such a wicked, filthy, perverted person. His dad, Philip, was a wicked person. I mean, these are bad, bad people.
You know, you think of the Spartans. First of all, there was a whole bunch of sodomy that went on, number one, if you study the Spartans. Not only that, but amongst the Spartan culture, the women had short hair and were manly and made the rules. By the way, they had no respect for human life. Oh, they were these brave warriors. No, they just had no respect for human life. It was like a death cult in Sparta. You know, all the other Greek cities all hated them because they were just these evil, warrior, death cult. Oh, they're so strong and so mighty. Well, so what? Is that what we glorify now? Evil, violent people because they're mighty warriors, as they kill and slaughter innocent people for their own glory and power? This is what the Greco-Roman wonderful culture ... It's a bunch of nude statues, is what it really is. It's a bunch of paintings of nude people, a bunch of nude statues, bunch of Sodomites, a bunch of men in dresses, and this is where we get the idea that Jesus wore a dress, when Jesus wore pants, like every man has worn throughout history.
But yet, they get this idea from the Greeks, because the Greeks wear these togas in a lot of their artwork and everything, so if you study the Renaissance, they're bringing back that culture of the ancient Greeks. That's what it was a renaissance of. They basically did Greek-style paintings of Jesus and his disciples, making them look like unto the ancient Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, and Caesars and people. If you look at some of these biblical pictures from the Renaissance, I mean, they're ridiculous. Basically all Jesus, his disciples, all the Old Testament characters, are these snow white, blonde-haired Europeans, and they're dressed in clothing that's not anything like what they would have worn in Bible days, and it's just ridiculous, some of these pictures. Everybody's really effeminate and everything is really sensual, and it's just weird artwork.
You know, I mean the weirdest one is Michelangelo. The weirdest one. I remember one time I looked at a book of Michelangelo's artwork. The stuff that we've seen, the famous stuff of Michelangelo, that's like his most normal work. I mean it's just so creepy and weird, his artwork. Leonardo and all the other Ninja Turtles are no better. They're all these weird, all this bizarre, effeminate, just creepy pictures. We need to make sure that that's not where we get our image of Jesus. You know, and then they'll show you a picture of like Cesare Borgia, from that same time, and it looks identical to Jesus. You know, because they're patterning it after famous people of the day, okay? The Jesus of the Bible is not this long-haired, effeminate, blonde-haired dude that people think of. But in the Bible, we see him at his second coming even different than he was at his first coming.
Now, what did he look like at his first coming? Well, the Bible teaches that he basically looked like everybody else. There wasn't something special about him, where he stood out in a crowd. In fact, when Judas wanted to betray him, he had to tell them, "It's the one that I kiss." Why didn't he just say, "Oh, he's the guy that's a foot taller than everybody else." You know, like Josephus tried to claim he was head and shoulders taller than everybody else. Why didn't he say, "Oh, go get the guy that's a foot taller than everybody else." No. Why didn't he say, "Go get the guy with the long hair?" You know? No, the Bible says it's a shame for a man to have long hair. You know? But a woman's hair is her glory. Jesus looked like just your average person. The Bible says there's no beauty in him that we would see him and desire him. He just looked like your average guy. He was just a meek, humble, normal person when he was on this earth.
When he returns he's going to look completely different in the sense that he's going to have the same visage, but he's going to be in a glorified form that's going to be fearsome, where John saw him and fell on his face as if he were dead. I mean, think about just like this. Think about it. "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead." Think about, what if you were standing up and you just died? You know what I mean? You just go crashing down. I mean, think about that. That's what happened. I mean, John saw him and just went ... Jesus had to lay his right hand upon him and say, "Fear not. I'm he that liveth and was dead and behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen, and have the keys of Hell and of death." Let's read here in Revelation 19.
It says in Verse 14, "The armies which were in Heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of His mouth goeth the sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. And He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and He treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Now think about that image of treading the wine press. This is where they would step on grapes in order to create wine. To tread means to step on, okay? He treadeth the wine press. If you imagine someone stepping on grapes. This is where we get the term, "the grapes of wrath." Stepping on these grapes and squeezing out the wine from the grapes, and what is that referring to? Well, if you just go back a few pages, to the end of Chapter 14, there's mention of this.
It says in Verse 19, "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth." Obviously this is very figurative language here about a vine, a grapevine, grapes. "And cast it into the great wine press of the wrath of God, and the wine press was trodden without the city. And blood came out of the wine press even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." Now, a furlong is a block, like a city block. For example, in Phoenix, Arizona, here, we have this wonderful system of streets and avenues, where every 8 streets is exactly a mile, because every numbered street is an eighth of a mile. If we want to go 48th Street to 32nd Street, it's 2 miles, 16 blocks, okay? It's an eighth of a mile per number, so we are 48 furlongs from Central Avenue, because a furlong is an eighth of a mile.
A mile was a measurement that existed at the time of Christ, okay? They had miles. It's a Roman measurement. That's where we get our mile. Obviously it's not exactly the same mile, but it's close. We have 48 furlongs to Central Avenue. That's because we're on 48th Street. Well, if you think about this, it's saying that there's blood up to the horse bridles, so think about a horse, where his mouth would be, where the bridle would be on a horse, okay? Then think about a river of blood that flows this deep. A river of blood flowing this deep, to where if a horse rides in it, it's up to its bridle in blood, and it goes for a thousand and six hundred furlongs, so basically a 200-mile long river of blood this deep. I mean, that's a pretty scary thought, isn't it? I mean, this is intense carnage. These are the deaths of millions and millions and millions of people.
You know, God's coming back to judge this earth. Jesus is coming back to judge this earth, and the Bible discusses it here. Now, go back to Chapter 19, if you would, and look at Verse Number 15. It says, "He treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." So who is it that's producing ... If you think about this, what does it mean that he's the one who's treading it? He is the one who is responsible for, right? He is the one who's carrying out the judgment that brings forth a river of blood 200 miles long up to the horse bridles, and it's Jesus that's treading that wine press. Who's the one who's pouring out the wrath here? Jesus. It's the wrath of the Lamb. "He treadeth the wine press of the wrath of God."
It's not this image people have, "Well, God, the Father just loves to pour out wrath, and Jesus is always trying to talk him down." Isn't that kind of the image that some people have? How about this image? "Oh, Old Testament God is just "rrargh" and then New Testament is like, "Come unto me. I'll give you rest." [inaudible 00:39:44] saying that God is always the same, the Father is always the same, and Jesus is always the same. You know what? Jesus knows how to pour out wrath, too. It's not just the Father that's up there angry with the wicked, every day, and Jesus is begging him not to pour out his wrath. No, Jesus is like, "I'll tread that wine press." I mean, he's the one treading it.
We need to understand that Jesus is a more complex figure than just this idea that some people have where he's just real accepting of everybody and if was here today, he'd smoke pot with us and he'd hang out with fags, and he'd be so accepting, and he'd just, he would never judge anybody. I mean, there are preachers who are getting up and preaching this stuff right now. You know it's true. "Hey, God's not up judging us. He's cheering for us. He's rooting for us, and no matter what we do." There's a whole book put out by this Joyce Meyer, called God is Not Mad at You. Whoa! What's this river of blood about? She's like, "No matter who you are, God is not mad at you." No, God is mad at you, a lot of people. I'm not saying he's mad at you, tonight, that are here, but he's mad at a lot of people.
And it's not just anger, it's wrath, which is another level of anger. Let's keep reading in Revelation 19 here. It says, "On His vesture," Verse 16, "and on His thigh, a name written, 'King of Kings and Lord of Lords.' And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in in the midst of Heaven, 'Come, and gather yourselves together under the upper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bonds, both small and great.' And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse and against His army."
So, basically, the US Army's there lined up, the Chinese Army, the Russian Army, the armies of the earth. They've got their blue helmets on, you know, the United Nations peacekeeping force, and they're all lined up and marching, and all the armies of the earth. Basically there's just a great angel just inviting all the animals, saying, "There's going to be a lot of dead carcasses pretty soon." He's inviting all the fowls to come and feast. It says in Verse 20, "The beast was taken." The beast is the Anti-Christ, "And with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and the remnant," meaning all those armies of the earth that are gathered there, "Were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, with sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
Flip over to Chapter 20. Are you getting the image tonight of the Jesus of the Book of Revelation? It says in Revelation, Chapter 20, Verse 4, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Now flip over to Chapter 21. Chapters 21 and 22 take place after the millennial reign of Christ. This is after Jesus and the saints have reigned on this earth for one thousand years. Reigned with a feather duster? Reigned with a wet spaghetti noodle? No. Reigned with a rod of iron. The Bible says in Chapter 21, Verse 3, this is the new Heaven and the new earth. "And I heard a great voice out of Heaven, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away.' And he that sat upon the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And he said unto me, 'Write. For these words are true and faithful.'
And he said unto me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that has a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whore-mongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'" See the dichotomy there? Look at Verse 7. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things. I'll be his God and he shall be my son." I mean, isn't that great? Inherit everything. Be his son. He is your God. You inherit all things. What does it mean to overcome? Well, the Bible tells us in First John, Chapter 5.
It says, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God." The Bible says you overcome by believing that Jesus is the son of God. First John, Chapter 5, Verses 4, 5, and 6. The Bible says here there's a dichotomy. There's those who have overcome, those who believe, and then there's the damned, and that's the whole way the Book of Revelation is. Horrible consequences for those that are not saved, great blessing and rejoicing for those that are saved. Look at the last chapter, Chapter 22, Verse 10. "And he sayeth unto me, 'Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still. And he that his righteous, let him be righteous still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man, according as his work shall be.'" What's he saying? You decide. You want to be filthy? Be filthy. You want to be righteous? Be righteous, but here's the thing. I'm going to come and give every man according as his work shall be. It's up to you which side of things you want to be on. Then he says this, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city, for without are dogs and sorcerers and whore-mongers and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the spirit and the bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and let him that has a thirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Let's just look at the last few words of the Bible, Verse 20. "He which testify at these things sayeth, 'Surely, I come quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Powerful book. You know, we didn't have time to read the whole book tonight, but we read a lot of highlights from Revelation. There's a lot that we could have read. But we get a picture of Jesus of the Book of Revelation, the Jesus of the second coming. Of course, don't get me wrong, there's one Jesus. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever, but he's not coming as a Lamb in the sense that he's not coming meek and lowly as he did the first time.
He's coming to conquer. He's coming with a rod of iron. He's coming to rule and to reign, and if you're not saved tonight, you are going to be doomed. If you are saved tonight, this is something to look forward to. It's a time of rejoicing. But, you say, "Well, if I'm saved, I'm in like Flint." Of course you are, because we have everlasting life, and no man can pluck us out of his hand, but here's what he said. "Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Let me tell you something, I don't want to just be empty handed at the second coming of Jesus Christ. To me it's not enough just to greet Jesus Christ when he comes. I want to be rewarded. I want him to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," and I want to receive a reward.
You know, I want to rule and reign with him. I want to be given authority with him, and I want to be glorified with him. That's what we should look to. The Bible teaches that we should try to earn those wages and try to gain rewards with our Lord in Heaven, because you know what? It's going to be an exciting time. But I think it's going to be the most exciting for the people who did the most for Christ. You know that's true. Now, look it's going to be great. I mean, look, "Blessed is he that eateth and drinketh in the kingdom of Heaven." I mean, even if you did no works, just to be forgiven and just to escape Hell is a major blessing, just to be in Heaven. But you know, when we get there, though, we're going to want to have given it our best, and done as much as we could for the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we love people, we don't want people to face this doom. We should want to go out and bring the good news, that people can be saved, and bring them the good news of the Jesus that's saying to them right now, "Come unto me all ye that are labor and are heavy laden and I'll give you rest." That way someday they don't have to face the wrath of Jesus someday, the Jesus of Revelation, that's there to carry out vengeance on those who believe not. Let's get them the gospel before it's too late. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Father, we thank you so much Lord, for you word, and we thank you for the Book of Revelation, Lord. There are those who attack this book and say it shouldn't be in the Bible. It's too mean. Take it out. But, Lord, you said that if they take it out, you'll take their part out of the book of life, Lord. Help us to realize the importance of this key book and help us to study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to get to know you as you manifested yourself on this earth, so that we can learn from your example, Lord, but help us also get to know you through the Book of Revelation, Lord, so we can get a well balanced view of things, and so that we can understand what your role will be at your second coming, that we may glorify and admire you in that day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
