EARTH’S FINAL SUMMONS-Part I—Revelation 14:6-13
Need:
People may say....God always gives a little more time....He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell so things will continue as they are....Science tells us that all things are a result of ‘natural’ cause & effect... Men’s hearts will change when they see God’s power in miracles & judgments....
BUT....
God will not give more time....Will not allow things to continue as is....The course of human affairs is not determined by ‘nature’ but by God’s design....Men’s hearts will not be swayed by circumstances no matter how miraculous.
But God being merciful, summons all mankind to the point of individual/personal decision.
John witnessed God’s final summons to those of earth.
God will extend a final summons to mankind.
What will comprise God’s final summons to earth?
How will God extend His final summons to mankind?
5 avenues for earth’s/man’s final summons.
*This section previews generally what follows in detail.
1—Man’s final summons is A Call to
GLORY(:6-7)
Explanation:(:6-7) Action
KNOWLEDGE
:6—“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, & to every nation & tribe & tongue & people;”
“Another angel”—The 7th angel(trumpet judgment) was the last reference to specific angels(11:15)(apart from Michael & his angels—12:7).
“Flying in” “Midheaven”—mesouranhma—Highest point occupied by the sun at noon; Apex; Where what is done/said can be heard by all. This message is available to the largest possible audience. Flying—gains attention visually & vocally. No mistaking message.
“An eternal gospel”—
“Eternal”—aiwnioV—Without beginning & end; Never ending. Applicable for all time & every age of man.
“Gospel”—euaggelion—Good tidings/news. from eu—‘To wish well’; & aggeloV—Angel, messenger or envoy— ‘Good tidings from heaven/God’s throne.’
“To Preach”—euaggelizw—To announce/bring good news/tidings.
—Most do not like to be preached to. No one likes to be told they have been wrong. Generally, Men choose pride/self over surrender/God.
“Those who live on earth”—“Live”—John’s subtle designation for those who have made a concious choice to live upon earth—as opposed to those who have chosen to live in heaven by Christ Jesus.
“Every...
“Nation”—Separation by means of political ends/barriers.
“Tribe”—Separation by blood ties/barriers.
“Tongue”—Separation by language barriers
Acts 2:6-11—READ—“...they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed & marveled, saying,....“And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?....we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.””
“People”—Separation by vocation/occupation, or any 2 or all of the above. Hold the same ideals.
*No one is unaware of or immune to this declaration/message of good news!
GLORY
:7—“& he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, & give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; & worship Him who made the heaven & the earth & sea & springs of waters.”
“Fear God”—fobew—Fear, Put to flight...often of a Protracted /Continual nature.
“Give Him glory”—
Willful ascription/placement/bestowal of recognition for specific action(s).
“The hour...has come”—
Acts 17:29-31—“Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art & thought of man. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”....
....Acts 10:40-42—“God raised Him up on the third day, & granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate & drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, & solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living & the dead.”....
“His judgment”....
Jn. 5:21-23—“For just as the Father raises the dead & gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
“Worship”—proskunew—Bow down before; Honor; Reverence,Worship.—From proV before/towards & kuwn—a dog.
“Him who made....”—
When evangelizing pagans, Paul(Acts 14, 17) introduced them to God as Creator.
These are the very things to which those of earth cling, in which they trust, yet which was made by the very God they reject.
Argumentation:
A CALL TO GLORY(:6-7)
**************OLD TESTAMENT*******************
Ex. 24:16-17—“And the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, & the cloud covered it for six days; & on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.”
Ex. 40:34-35—“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, & the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, & the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
Num. 14:20-21—“So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word; but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.”
Ps. 96:7-8—“Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory & strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; Bring an offering, & come into His courts.”——Glory yields sacrifice & worship!
Ps. 29:1-2—“(A Psalm of David.) Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the LORD glory & strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array.”
Ps. 86:12—“I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Thy name forever.”
Isa. 42:10-12—“Sing to the LORD a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, & all that is in it. You islands & those who dwell on them. Let the wilderness & its cities lift up their voices, The settlements where Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains. Let them give glory to the LORD, And declare His praise in the coastlands.”
Isa. 48:11—““For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.
Ex. 20:3-6—“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third & the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me & keep My commandments.”
A CALL TO GLORY(:6-7)
**************NEW TESTAMENT*******************
Lk. 17:17-18—“And Jesus answered & said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine--where are they? “Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?””
Acts 12:21-23—“And on an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum & began delivering an address to them. And the people kept crying out, “The voice of a god & not of a man!” And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, & he was eaten by worms & died.”
2Cor. 9:10-15—“Now He who supplies seed to the sower & bread for food, will supply & multiply your seed for sowing & increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ, & for the liberality of your contribution to them & to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
—Illustration:
A beautiful lawn/
FL state capital grounds/Attributed to ‘groundskeeping’ team/If you want to attribute the beauty of the grounds to anyone, attribute it to collectively the State Govt/CALL To GLORY
If you want to attribute salvation &/or a life lived rightly—Attribute it to God!—A CALL To GLORY
—Application:
?You heard God’s call to GLORY?
?You heed God’s Final Summons today?
—CONCLUSION—
—Action:
Earth’s/Man’s final summons comes thru the avenue of A Call to ...
GLORY(:6-7)— Give God glory
Presented 08/10/03am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
