Living On The Edge Of Eternity · Part 1

0:42 The book of Revelation was divinely written to inspire us and inform us of the events surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ. In Revelation 1, we're given a formal introduction to the contents of the whole book. This passage reveals the person and the purpose of the book, as well as the promises and prophecies we cling to in these last days. If you have your Bible, turn there now as Adrian Rogers begins part one of Living on the Edge of Eternity. Find the last book in the Bible, the book of the Revelation. Turn to the end of that book and open it up to chapter 1. And the reason I'm asking you to do that is I want you to be blessed. This book is the blessing book. Do you want a blessing? Here is a formula for a blessing. Begin in chapter 1, verse 1.

2:26 often ignored, sometimes debated, sometimes discounted, but God says this is the blessing book. If you want a blessing, God says here it is. Read it and heed it. you're going to have a blessing. And I want you to see, first of all, what I'm going to call the central person of the book. Look, if you will, in verse 1, the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, you want to know what this book is about? It is about Jesus Christ. Friend, put it down big and plain and straight. Jesus is the hero of the Bible. Jesus is the hero of the Bible. If you read the Bible and you don't find Jesus, go back and reread it. It is a hymn book. It is about Him. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. So many people want to study prophecy, and they're more concerned about things that are going to happen than the one who is going to come. Now the word revelation actually is the word we get our word apocalypse from. It's the Greek word apocalypsis.

3:24 That's a blessing, wasn't it? It's the Greek word apocalypsis. It's the word we get our word apocalypse from, and it literally means an unveiling. I guess the best way I could describe this to you is think of a statue in the park. The sculptor has done it, the mayor and all of the city council and everybody is there, and they're going to unveil the statue. It's covered with canvas. The artist pulls the string, and the canvas falls away, and there's the statue. What has been veiled is now unveiled. The book of the Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ. We're going to see Jesus Christ in a different way than we've seen Jesus Christ before. When he came the first time, born into this world through the portals of a virgin's womb, laid in a feeding trough, in a stable with flies buzzing, cow manure on the floor, the son of a carpenter, according to the flesh actually was the son of God, but his earthly stepfather was a carpenter. His mother, a Jewish peasant. All of that glory was veiled. But in the book of the Revelation, the veil is drawn back. The first time he came to redeem, when he comes again, he's coming to reign.

4:48 He came to a crucifixion the first time. He's coming to a coronation the second time. He came to a tree the first time. Friend, he's coming to a throne the second time. The first time he came, he stood before old Pilate. When he comes again, Pilate is going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. He came the first time as a servant. The book of the Revelation shows him coming as the sovereign, as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. He is the central person of the book. Later on in the book of the Revelation, we're going to learn that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Now, he's the central person. What is the clear purpose of the book? Look, if you will, in verse 1 again. To show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Look at the word servant.

5:39 Do you see it? Actually, it's the Greek word douloi, which means bond slave. A bond slave was somebody who had been a slave, who had been set free, who willingly went back to his master and said, I don't want to be free. I want to be a slave. I want to stay with you. I love my master. That's who we are, friends. We are bond slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ. We say we love our master. Question. Are you a slave to Jesus Christ? Be careful how you answer that. because if you say, no, I am not a slave to Jesus Christ, I can promise you, you will not understand the book of the Revelation. It is a book written to the bond slaves of Jesus Christ. And if you're not a bond slave of Jesus Christ, you have no right to expect to understand this book because it will be a mystery to you.

6:34 It is a revelation of Jesus to his servants. But if you are a bond slave to Jesus, you won't be stumbling in the dark. Now, I want you to notice not only the clear purpose of it, but I want you to notice the comforting promise of it. Look again in verses 2 and 3. It speaks of John who bear record of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy. What is the comforting promise of the book? You're going to be blessed. You are going to be blessed not only if you read it, but if you heed it. Notice, he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy. It doesn't mean to hear it with your ear. Have you ever spoken to your child and said, now do this and this and this and say, come here honey, do you hear me? Do you hear me? Hear it, read it, and hear it. Get it into your heart.

7:26 And God says you are going to be blessed. Why are you going to be blessed? Well, number one, you're going to understand the mystery of history. Friend, this world does not make sense apart from the book of the Revelation and what God reveals here. because in the book of the Revelation we learn what is the mystery of history. What is God doing? God is moving all things to a purpose. And that purpose, put it down, Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15. Don't turn to it. Write it in the margin. And it says, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. That is what it is all about. One of these days, this old war-torn world, this old sin-saturated, sin-soaked, bumbling, stumbling society is going to see Jesus upon the throne, and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. And when you read that in the book of the Revelation, friend, that gives you a blessing. Let me tell you something wonderful. Take your Bible, and don't do it right now, but read the first two chapters of the Bible and you won't find any devil there. Read the last two chapters of the Bible and you won't find any devil there. Isn't that right? That's such a blessing.

8:32 The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea. Now, the reason that everything is such a mess today, things are out of place. Think about it. The church is the bride, but the bride belongs with the groom. We're not yet with him. Jesus is the king. The king belongs on the throne. He's not yet ruling. The devil is a criminal. He belongs in prison. He's not yet there. But friend, one of these days, the bride's going to be with the groom. One of these days, the king's going to be on the throne. And one of these days, that old devil's going to be in prison. What a day that will be. What a day that will be. You see, that's the reason we get a blessing out of this. We understand the mystery of history. We can make sense to our suffering. We live in a world that is cursed with sin and suffering and pain and moan and groan and death and destruction and tears and tribulation. What do you say to a father who's standing beside the grave of his young wife, holding the hands of his children, looking down into that hole in the ground.

9:35 What do you say to a child of God, a saint, whose body is being consumed by some greedy malady and he is suffering unbearable pain? What do you say? What do you say to a mother whose baby has been torn by death from her bosom? What do you say? I'll tell you what you say, friend. It's not over yet. This is not God's final plan. that's the reason it's such a blessing when you read the book of the revelation friend it will give you stability you know James said in James chapter 5 verse 8 be patient establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh the only way that you can be stable in this age is to know friend that there is a blessed hope Jesus Christ the son of God is coming again. And then I want you to notice not only the comforting purpose, but the certain prophecy of the book. Look again in verse 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein. For the time is at hand. Now that's the reason I'm calling this series The Edge of Eternity. The Edge of Eternity. The time is at hand. Now that was 2,000 years ago, And John says, hey, it's right at hand.

10:54 Well, was John wrong? No, he was right. Now, if you don't learn anything else in this series of sermons on Bible prophecy, I want you to learn this. The time is always at hand. It may not be immediate, but it is always imminent. Now, don't miss that. Don't miss that. It may not be immediate. It may be immediate. But it is always imminent. People are saying, are these the last days, Pastor? Friends, the last days began when Jesus ascended. They've always been the last days. We are living in the last days. Put these scriptures in your margin. 1 Peter 4, verse 7. But the end of all things is at hand. 1 Corinthians 10, 11. Now all these things are written unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition. Notice in Paul's day, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

11:49 Paul said the ends of the world have come in our day. Philippians 4 verse 5, Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. That is, the Lord is near. James 5 verse 8, Be ye also patient, establish your heart, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 1 John chapter 2 verse 18, The apostle John said, Little children, it is the last time. Now that was 2,000 years ago. And all of these verses are saying Jesus is very near. His coming is very near. Now, some people have the idea that there's certain prophecies that have to be fulfilled before Jesus can come. That is not so. His coming is always imminent. Suppose you'd never seen the ocean or you wanted to go to the ocean, the Atlantic or the Pacific.

12:46 And let's say you live a thousand miles from the ocean, and you're driving to the ocean, driving to the ocean, driving to the ocean, driving, driving, driving. All right, there you are, you're driving, the ocean is not near, the ocean is not near, the ocean is not near, the ocean is not near, and finally you're at the ocean. Now, some people have the idea that that's what the second coming of Jesus is like. We're way over here, and the second coming of Jesus is off over there somewhere, and we're just maybe trying to get to it. No, no, no, no, we're right on the edge, we're just walking along the seashore just like this. We are living on the edge of eternity. From the time that Jesus came the first time until He comes again, we are on the edge of eternity. We are living on the edge. The time is at hand any time Jesus may come. 2,000 years ago, the Apostle John wrote in verse 3, the time is at hand.

13:41 Now, how are we going to understand the book of the Revelation? Well, thank God there's a golden key that opens this book to us. And it's verse 19. Here is the commission that God gave to John. Here was John's assignment. It's so clear. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. Like a homiletician, three points. That's the commission to write the book. That is the golden key that unlocks the whole book of the Revelation. It's very plain. That's what he was told to write. Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. Now, John had just seen a vision of Jesus. As I've said, he saw a vision of the glorified Christ, the conquering Christ. In the book of the Revelation, Jesus Christ is not pictured as Savior, but as Judge. We're now dealing with a crucified, risen, ascended, glorified, and coming Lord.

14:38 And the vision that John had of one, his countenance is like the sun. His eyes are like fire. His voice is like the sound of many waters. You read that in verses 12 through 18. I tell you, John was the one described in the Bible who laid his head upon Jesus' bosom. He didn't lay his head upon this Jesus' bosom. He fell at his feet like a dead man. When he saw the risen, glorified, ascended Son of God, his face like the shining sun, his eyes like flaming fire, his voice like many waters. A lot of people want to come to church on Sunday morning and they want to sit with folded hands and hear discourse about the humble Christ walking the shores of Galilee. Friend, there's another Jesus. There's the King. There's the Lord.

15:30 There's the sovereign. There's the one whose right it is to redeem and rule. And that Jesus is coming again. John, write what you've seen. Pull back the veil. Unveil the glorified Christ. That's the first section. Then he said, write the things which are. Deal with the present time. Not only what you've seen, but the things which are. That's the church age. The church age began with Pentecost. It will end with the coming of Jesus for His church. We are living in the time of the things which are. And in chapters 2 and in chapters 3 of the book of Revelation, He deals with the things that are. There are seven churches that are mentioned in chapters 2 and 3. And we're not going to try to delineate the messages to those seven churches. But there's one refrain that keeps coming through and through and through. seven times in Revelation 2, verse 11, he mentions this, and six other times, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

16:35 Listen, he's saying, put your ears on. Are you hearing? He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Now, the Holy Spirit is speaking. The question is, do we have ears to hear? You know, some people will come here this morning, and they won't hear. It will not be because the Spirit is not speaking. They just won't hear. He that hath ears, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Seven times he repeats that. That's the church age. That's the age we're living in now. John, write the things which you've seen. What did he see? The glorified Christ. John, write the things which are. What did he see? Seven churches. Seven is the perfect number. These churches represent all churches of all times. And I want to get to the third and final thing. He said, and write the things which shall be, not maybe, shall be hereafter. It's very certain.

17:26 No ifs, ands, and buts. No maybe. No perhaps. No happenstance. Things that shall be. Now what I'm going to do in the next section of this message, I'm going to mention those things in chronological order. But what I want to do now is to give you the big picture. I want to give you what I understand to be a panorama of prophecy. The mountain peaks of prophecy. Are you ready? Let's go. Number one. First event that's going to happen to the things that shall be hereafter is the rapture and the translation of the saints. The rapture and the translation of the saints. Look in chapter 4 now and verse 1. And after this I looked and behold. I love it. And behold, a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.

18:27 Isn't it obvious we're into the third part? He said, Write the things that shall be hereafter. Here we begin the third part. And so John, in a vision, is caught up into heaven. He hears a voice. He hears the trumpet. He is caught up into glory. Now, this is the rapture of the church being typified. The word rapture is the Greek word harpazo. Now, rapture is Latin, English, caught away, Greek, harpazo. They all refer to the same thing, and it just simply means to snatch away. At any moment, at any moment, folks, the trumpet's going to sound, and we're going to be leaving here. You say, Pastor, that sounds so supernatural. You've got it. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 16 through 18. Put it in your margin. For the Lord himself shall ascend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God.

19:26 And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Now remember, we're on the edge of eternity. That could happen today. My advice for you, get right or get left. He's coming. If you're heaven born, you'll be heaven bound. When he comes, that's the rapture. All right, that's number one. Number two, the second great event is the tribulation and the regimentation of this world. When the saints are taken out, the Antichrist will come, and he's going to turn this world into a vast concentration camp. Now, the Bible calls this time the day of God's wrath. Now, I'm only going to dip in and try to give you a sampling of some verses, but look in chapter 6, beginning in verse 12.

21:33 Now He is the Lamb of God full of mercy, but He's also the God of wrath and judgment and justice. And there seems to be a battle between God's mercy and God's wrath. And the raging waters of God's wrath are furiously pounding against the dam of His mercy. One of these days that dam will burst. And the great day of His wrath will come. Who shall be able to stand? The book of the Revelation says, in that day men will desire to die. They'll seek death and cannot find it. What we call death today would be a welcome release, but you cannot crawl up into the grave and pull the dirt over your face and hide from God. They go into the dens and the rocks. The songwriter wrote about it. Oh, what a weeping and wailing. When the lost are told of their fate, they cry for the rocks and the mountains. They pray, but their prayers.