Sermon Tone Analysis

A Heavenly Memorial - Revelation 15:1-4

Introduction - When we think about the future, people worry about many things.

Political unrest and instability, terrorism, crime, economic and financial collapse, and the continual decline in moral values that destroy all relationships are all causes for concern.

Now our government wants to spend billions of dollars using destruction of the environment, global warming as a ruse to steal more taxpayer money.

If you compare environmental impact between the mining down to power electric cars or a pipeline running fuel; that tells you all you need to know and this is not about the environment.

A further cause for anxiety is the sense of forlorn emptiness fostered by the anti-God philosophy of humanism.

For those who believe there is no personal God, there is no one home in the universe, so they have nowhere to turn for ultimate answers, help, or meaning.

But what is truly frightening about the future is not any of those things; what should stop the heart of sinners is what God will do.

God’s judgmental anger and fury is a terrifying reality that looms just over the horizon of human history.

Because they willfully ignore that reality, people do not fear what they should fear.

• Matt.

10:28 - Jesus exhorted people to “fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”.

• Ps. 7:11 - “God is a just judge, & God is angry with the wicked every day”.

• Heb.

10:31 - The writer of Hebrews adds, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God”.

The historical outpourings of God’s wrath fall into several categories.

First is what might be called “sowing and reaping” wrath”.

People sin and suffer the logical consequences of that sin; “Those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it” (Job 4:8; cf.

Gal.

6:7–8).

A second kind of wrath is cataclysmic wrath, when God sends massive, destructive judgment.

That judgment may engulf the entire world, as it did with the Flood (Gen.

6–8), or a smaller region, as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.

19:1–29).

A third wrath of God is revealed in Romans chapter 1 that shows God’s wrath of abandonment.

This is highlighted when Paul used three times the phrase “God gave them over” to demonstrate God’s judicial abandonment of sinners, removing restraint to the deadly consequences of their sinful choices (vv.

24, 26, 28).

This wrath of God is what we see now in our society.

Finally, there is eternal wrath, God’s eschatological wrath that will in the future be poured out on the whole world (1 Thess.

1:10; 5:9).

The ultimate result of eternal wrath will be the sentencing of all unrepentant sinners to hell forever.

But throughout the entire historical outpouring of God’s wrath, from Eden to the final explosion of His eschatological wrath, a strange paradox exists: God is busily working to save sinners from His own wrath.

(MacArthur NTC).

God’s nature encompasses not only righteousness and holiness, but also grace and mercy.

2nd Peter 3:9 reminds us: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Even during the devastating judgments of the Tribulation, God will call sinners to salvation.

He will do so using:

• The 144,000 Jewish evangelists (7:2–8; 14:1–5),

• The two witnesses (11:3–13),

• A host of redeemed Gentiles and Jews (7:9–17),

• Even an angel flying in the sky (14:6–7).

As the outpouring of divine wrath escalates, God’s evangelistic efforts will escalate as well.

• The result will be the greatest harvest of souls in human history (cf.

7:9).

A redeemed Israel and souls from all the nations will be saved, many to survive the Tribulation and enter the millennial kingdom.

Background - The Apostle John was given the responsibility to record a vision from God how the world will come to an end and how Satan will ultimately be defeated.

The Great Tribulation is nearing its end with final judgments of God against a rebellious world near completion.

In chapter 14 John recorded the final harvest of the earth where the Lord Jesus Christ, the one worthy to open the scroll containing the judgments of God reaps the earth.

The surety of this judgment is such that John writes as though it has already happened.

The beginning of chapter 15 is another brief interlude to allow us to catch our breath before the final bowl/vial judgments are poured out on the earth and we have a scene in Heaven in our study today called “The Heavenly Memorial.”

In the OT, God often gave His people memorials to help them remember, like the 12 stones in the Jordon River as reminder of when God brought them into the Promised Land on dry ground in Joshua 4.

Rev. 15:1-4 I believe is a future memorial of what Christ has done for us, a memorial not of stones, but made up of people, tribulation saints God has saved who are safe in the presence of the Savior.

Notice 3 observations of this Heavenly Memorial:

1.

The people of the memorial - Vs 1-2a

Explanation - John says this is a great & marvelous sign for us to take note of, something to pay attention to.

In chapter 14 we saw the 144,000 in Heaven, singing praises to God, they've been killed for their faith in Christ because they would not worship the beast or the false prophet.

They wouldn't take his mark which meant they could not buy or sell.

They would not worship his image so they were martyred.

7 angels prepare to pour out the final wrath of God & God tells John with these judgments His wrath will be complete.

They were killed yet they have victory!

"Those who have victory..." - these are the everlasting memorial to what God the Father has done with His plan of redemption that was overseen by the Holy Spirit and carried out and secured by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Here in context it's the 144,000 Jews who are saved in the tribulation, they were sealed by God in chapter 7 and they have victory over the beast, over his image, over his mark and over the number of his name.

"Victory" is often translated in Rev. as overcome, it is also translated prevailed or conquered.

Satan may have won a battle in killing these tribulation saints but he has lost the war for the souls of men.

Literally anything that Satan has thrown at them, they have overcome not by their strength, but by the grace of God through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ!

No one in human history will go through what these tribulation saints will go through.

If God is able to protect them and seal them from Satan and his evil forces, don't you think God is able to protect you also in what you're going through?

Absolutely!

Application - One of the things that has been the hardest for me in over 20 years of serving the Lord as a Pastor is to see God’s people suffer in tremendous ways.

I’ve seen them suffer with cancer and just about every other disease.

I’ve had several members with terrible eye problems to where they even lost their eyesight.

I’ve seen them tragically killed in accidents and the families are left to pick up the pieces.

I'm burdened for the sheep God has entrusted to me and I hate seeing them in distress, struggling with all manner of difficulty, having loved ones die.

Around the world Christians are being persecuted for their faith and being murdered by terrorists; yet I'm encouraged by this memorial I see to the Lamb of God in eternity future, saints who have victory over Satan and everything he throws at them, secure in Heaven worshipping the Lamb of God.

Ladies & Gentlemen, that is a memorial we should never forget!

God has given us the Lord’s Supper as a Memorial Feast to remind us He has once and for all paid the price of sin so we can have our sins forgiven and live for all of eternity with Him in glory!

So the suffering of this life is a mere ripple of difficulty in light of eternity!

Notice also:

2. The possessions of the memorial - vs 2b-3a

Explanation - Notice there are two possessions these tribulation saints have: They have harps and they have songs to sing.

Harps are common musical instruments in Scripture used to aid in the singing of songs and praises to God.

These tribulation saints are standing in the presence of God singing, having faced the worst Satan had to offer, they still have reason to sing because they have overcome, they have victory!

What stands out as spotlight beacon in a dark world is how the people of God can still stand and sing praise to God amidst persecution, trial and immense tribulation!

Illustrate – I think of Paul and Silas in Acts, beaten for preaching the gospel, feet in stocks in the innermost part of the prison, grueling pain, yet at midnight they are sing praises to God so everyone could hear them.

How is that possible?

I make visits to people in distress and they have a song in their hearts and a light in their eyes that Satan cannot stop.

Notice the content of their song: The Song of Moses - Recorded in Exodus 15:1-18 [Read part of it] after God delivered the children of Israel from the wrath of Pharoah and his armies at the Red Sea.

Over 1million Israelites crossed over on dry ground and when Pharoah and his army tried to pursue, they water swept back over them and they drowned.

They also sing the Song of the Lamb.

This is the song of God's redemptive plan and how God sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of man's sin, dying on a cross and yet coming back to life the 3rd day proving himself to be the Son of God.

It is the song of how sinful man can be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ and accepting His provision for the forgiveness of sin.

The Song of the Lamb is how God will repay His enemies in judgment.

On opposite poles, we have the song of Moses, and the Song of the Lamb.

Commentator John Phillips compares and contrasts the two songs:

“The song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea, the song of the Lamb is sung at the crystal sea;

The song of Moses was a song of triumph over Egypt, the song of the Lamb is a song of triumph over Babylon;

The song of Moses told how God brought His people out, the song of the Lamb tells how God brings His people in;

The song of Moses was the first song in Scripture, the song of the Lamb is the last.

The song of Moses commemorated the execution of the foe, the expectation of the saints, and the exaltation of the Lord; the song of the Lamb deals with the same three themes.”

Notice our 3rd observation briefly:

3. The proclamations of the memorial - vs. 3b-4

There are several proclamations made by these living saints of God who make up God’s Heavenly Memorial:

God’s works & God’s ways as King of the universe.

God’s greatness & glory.

God’s holiness.