XXXIV: THE NATIONS

In which we meet the objects of God’s wrath and grace.

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the skOG

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The so-called ‘nations’ play a distinct and powerful

role in Revelation and the Apocalypse. In the popular

imagination, they serve largely as targets of God’s

wrath. In reality, they also serve as targets of God’s

mercy and love.

I will turn the spotlight on the fifth of six Tribulational

protagonists whose fates Revelation portrays. The

fields are ripe and God’s harvest will be souls without

number . . .

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THE NATIONS: “ETHNOS”

Unsaved gentiles in general

Often meant “peoples” as in ethnic groups.

Gets used this way 100 or so times in NT

Occasionally equates to ‘nation-states’ of today

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2253/2228668286_5216064f44.jpg

CONSTITUENT PARTSOF THE NATIONS: NOW IN 2014

Some Accept Christ-now ‘out of the nations

Actively Reject Christ

Ignorant of Christ

DESTINIES OF THE NATIONS: NOW IN 2014

Accept Christ-now ‘out of the nations

Reject Christ

Ignorant of Christ

HADES

HEAVENto be with Christ

HELL, HEAVEN AND HADES

HELL is the place of eternal damnation–not yet open for business till end of 70th Week.

HEAVEN receives the spirits of Christians now

HADES contains the unsaved departed spirits waiting the Last Judgment (Rev 20:12-15)

Abraham’s Bosom and Paradise (Luke 16)

Place of torment for lost (Luke 16)

See: http://www.biblequestions.org/archives/BQAR162.htm for more info

THE NATIONS LATER IN THE 70TH WEEK

Some Accept Christ-now ‘out of’ the nations

AntiChrist

False Prophet

Mark of Beast Group

Help Saints

Ignore Saints Needs

<--------------------------------70th Week------------------------>

FATE OF THE NATIONSas the Tribulation ends

Accept Christ-Tribulation Saints now!

Mark of Beast Group

AntiChrist

False Prophet

Help Saints

Ignore Saints Needs

HEAVEN

Millennial Earth[––––––––––––––––––––>

Sheep

Goats

HELL

HADES

Judgment Sheep/Goats

<--------------------------------70th Week------------------------>

THE NATIONSMindset 1: The Case For Fear

By now, you KNOW the drill!

Large Scale Violence

Drought

Locusts

Famine

DEATH

Seals

Trumpets

Bowls

God righteously judges a world that rejected His

Son and spurned its own salvation.

and yet . . .

THE NATIONSMindset 2: The Case For Hope and Courage

Even to the end of the Great Tribulation, we find a persistent endurance of unexpected ‘normalcy’ amidst chaos.

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah, For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus in Matthew 24: 37-39

This unexpected endurance of fragments of the normal supports these (perhaps)

unexpected biblical passages:

Text

Text

“Then (after the return of Christ) it will come about that

any who are left of all the nations that went

against Jerusalem will go up from year to year

to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts . . .” Zechariah 14:16

1. Some among the nationswill survive the 70th Week!

“. . . the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues (to Armageddon). I will set my sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations . . .to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the nations . . .” Isaiah 66: 19

2. Some among the nationswill even survive Armageddon!!!

“. . . The King will say to those on His right,(to the

Sheep Nations). ‘Come, you who are blessed of My

Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world. For I was

hungry and you gave Me something to eat. . .” Matthew 25:32

3. Some among the nationsinherit eternal life!!!

“I looked, and behold, a great multitude which

no one could count, from every nation and all

tribes and peoples and tongues, standing

before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed

in white robes . . . and they cry out with a loud

voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God . . .” Revelation 7:9-10

4. A HUGE number from the nationsbecome believers–Christians like us!!!

HOW’D SO GREAT A

SALVATION HAPPEN?

1. NEW CLARITY ABOUT WHO GOD IS: The nations experience God’s supreme power.

God fulfills Bible prophecies about the 70th

Week in every detail, broken Seal after broken

Seal, Trumpet after Trumpet.

AntiChrist cannot shield his followers from God’s wrath.

God exempts His sealed Saints from His wrath.

The choice for nonbelievers is black and white.

2. EVANGELISM: God fills the world with His gospel.

An angel flies through the heavens having the eternal gospel. His loud voice calls out to fear God, give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come! Rev 14:6

Emboldened believers witness to frightened

nonbelievers throughout the world.

Elijah, a la John the Baptist, prepares the hearts of the lost to receive the gospel. Malachi 4:5

The whole world hears the gospel at last.

3. GRACE: God’s gracious and righteous character calls for salvation-always.

“I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore repent and live!” Ezekiel 18:32

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached

in the whole world as a testimony to all the

nations and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would be saved. Matthew 24:22

God intends that the lost repent-even here!

AND HOW DID SO GREAT A

SALVATION HAPPEN?

-LY

DELIBERATE-LY

PURPOSEFUL-LY

METHODICAL-LY

GLORIOUS-LY

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Why must the Tribulation/70th Week

last for seven years???

70th Week:

Horrible?

Judgmental?

Wrathful?

Certainly–and yet . . .

70th Week: A triumph of Gracefor those who would be saved.

70th Week: A just indictment on any who refuse the free offer of Grace

God’s redemptive purposes for the 70th Week– to complete His Bride,

– to shake all Israel loose from stubborn pride, – to call a fallen world to repentance–

these purposes find a seven years’ attainment.

God accomplishes more than vengeance for the Church, more than judgment on the pride of man, more than

victory over the Adversary.

God spreads His wrath and judgment over seven frightening years. The resultant fear of God saves souls beyond numbering, makes believers bold witnesses unto

death, and makes wretched the unrepentant.

God’s redemptive purposes for the 70th Week– to complete His Bride,

– to shake all Israel loose from stubborn pride, – to call a fallen world to repentance–

these purposes find a seven years’ attainment.

God accomplishes more than vengeance for the Church, more than judgment on the pride of man, more than

victory over the Adversary.

God spreads His wrath and judgment over seven frightening years. The resultant fear of God saves souls beyond numbering, makes believers bold witnesses unto

death, and makes wretched the unrepentant.

JUDGMENT’S UNEXPECTED PURPOSE

REALIZED IN FULL

“For when the Earth experiences your judgments,

the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”

Isaiah 26:9

Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:

The Creation

XXXV: The Creation in the Tribulation

Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:

The Creation

XXXV: The Creation in the Tribulation

Next: A look at the final member of the Tribulation Six:

The Creation

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