Please turn in your Bibles this morning to Revelation chapter 13 as we look at the tenacity of the Tribulation Saints that will hopefully encourage us in the days we are living in. Now, before we get to our text this morning, let me share with you this story that will help set the stage for our study. We are told:
I once heard W. A. Criswell, long-time beloved pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, tell a story about an evangelist who loved to hunt. As best I can recall, the man bought two setter pups that were topnotch bird dogs. He kept them in his backyard, where he trained them. One morning, an ornery, little, vicious looking bulldog came shuffling and snorting down the alley. He crawled under the fence into the backyard where the setters spent their days. It was easy to see he meant business. The evangelist’s first impulse was to take his setters and lock them in the basement so they wouldn’t tear up that little bulldog. But he decided he would just let the creature learn a lesson he would never forget. Naturally, they got into a scuffle in the backyard, and those two setters and the bulldog went round and round and round! The little critter finally had enough, so he squeezed under the fence and took off. All the rest of that day he whined and licked his sores.
Interestingly, the next day at about the same time, here came that same ornery little bulldog – back under the fence and after those setters. Once again those two bird dogs beat the stuffing out of that little bowlegged animal and would have chewed him up if he hadn’t retreated down the alley. Would you believe, the very next day he was back! Same time, same station, same results. Once again after the bulldog had had all he could take, he crawled back under the fence and found his way home to lick his wounds.
“Well,” the evangelist said, “I had to leave for a revival meeting. I was gone several weeks. And when I came back, I asked my wife what had happened. She said, ‘Honey, you just won’t believe what’s happened. Every day, at the same time every morning, that little bulldog came back in the backyard and fought with our two setters. He didn’t miss a day! And I want you to know it has come to the point that when our setters simply hear that bulldog snorting down the alley and spot him squeezing under the fence, they immediately start whining and run down into our basement. That little, old bulldog struts around our backyard now just like he owns it.’”
- Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity
To have that kind of fight in us is not impossible, but it is not often seen because we have, many times, become complacent in our walk with the Lord. We have lost sight that we are in a battle and thus, when things get tough, when they don’t go the way we want them to, we run away with our tails between our legs instead of forging ahead for the kingdom of God.
Folks, I am going to be very honest with you this morning, not that other times I am not, but I am going to share some personal things that gave me great opportunity to give up, to tuck my tail between my legs and run away whining!
When my family and I moved up here some 11½ years ago to be the pastor of this church, nothing was going to stop me from completing that task that God had called me to do! Little did I know what was going to be thrown across my path and if I had known it, I often wonder what I would have done, if I would have come up to Manitowoc. But the Lord knew better and He didn’t tell me all I would encounter, and I believe that was best!
And this is not going to be everything, but some of those big things, some of the highlights or I guess you could call them lowlights that tried to move me from the coarse that God had set for me. Within the first few months of me coming up and overseeing this church I received a 12 page or so letter telling me that I should not be the pastor of this church and who gave me the right to make myself the pastor. And this letter went on-and-on telling me basically to leave town! Talk about being discouraged, and yet, I knew my calling, I knew what God had placed upon my heart, and so I forged on, I did not give up!
After a few years of being up here some of the leadership and some people from the church left because they didn’t like the direction I was leading the church. Now, please understand it had nothing to do with my teaching of the Word of God but it had everything to do with likes and dislikes. They did not like a certain style of music and the leader wanted me to leave the church! Talk about being heartbroken, these were my friends and they still are but I was not going to leave the church, God had placed me here, not man. Now, I don’t think my tail was as straight as it was when I started, but I was not going to tuck it between my legs and run away. I continued to forge ahead, I did not give up, I was not going to be moved off course, although at times it was very difficult to say the least!
There were not only these discouraging things from within the church, but also in my family. As my sons grew up, in their teen years, they turned away from the Lord and in doing so they rebelled against my wife and I. During those years, it was some of the most difficult times I have ever experienced. And this did not go on for a week, or a month or a year, but for a few years! There were some Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings I was beaten up badly, and yet, even though my tail was not as straight as it was, I refused to tuck it between my legs and run away. I forged on, I did not give up even though the pressure was very intense and I guess I had every right to give up!
During this time I also had a family in the church that were very active in ministry and leadership that were mad at me, and while I was at work, they dropped off all their ministry materials at our door – they were gone! Talk about being defeated, ready to give up, but I knew what God called me to do, so I forged on, I did not give up!
Lastly, in 2004 our landlord for the building we were renting told us we had to get out, someone else wanted the area we were renting. It was during this time I was praying about if I should stay or not because of the lethargy in the church. People came and left and that was all there was. I had the feeling that “Joe is here, he is here all the time, he does want needs to get done and that is that!” So I was praying that if things did not change within the next year, I would leave, maybe the Lord was moving us to a new location. But the Lord changed hearts, especially mine and well, here we are, forging on, not giving up!
Here in Revelation chapter 13 we are in the middle of the Tribulation Period, a time known as the Great Tribulation. Satan and his demonic forces, those fallen angels have been cast out of heaven now and cast down to the earth. The Antichrist has come into the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem demanding to be worshiped as God! Out of this, he is coming after those Jewish believers who refuse to worship him! And not only Jewish believers but also all who refuse to worship him!
The Antichrist has an assassination attempt on his life but he has this pseudo-resurrection. In Revelation 13:3-4 we are told of this and the affects it has on the people of this world. We are told, “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’”
Thus, as the believers, both Jews and Gentiles point to the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the world looks at the Antichrist and his so-called death and resurrection and because of this, the world believes he is God and they worship him! What does this do? It causes, not only the Antichrist but also the unsaved world to come after believers and put them to death. Persecution against believers is growing and growing!
What can be done? What are these believers going to do? How disheartening to those who have come to the Lord and then face this. I thought Christianity was to be fun, entertaining, make me feel good, make me laugh; I thought it was all about me? Sorry, it isn’t! Don’t get me wrong; the world is empty compared to what the Lord has given me, besides eternal life with Him. But how much pressure can we as believers endure before we run away with our tails between our legs? Folks, look at what John tells these believers during some very dark times, darker than we will ever experience. With that said, let’s begin reading in Revelation chapter 13, starting in verse 9 and see what the Lord has for us, the words John speaks regarding these believers who were not moved by what was coming upon them!
As I read through these verses I see three main points emerge: LISTEN TO GOD’S VOICE; SATAN IS A DEFEATED ENEMY; THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAINTS OF GOD. So with that rest of our time this morning, let’s expound on these three points and see what the Lord has for us to help us stand strong in this battle we are facing, to help us finish the race that God has us in.
1. LISTEN TO GOD’S VOICE
This one seems so obvious, listen to the voice of God, pay attention to what He is telling you. John said in Revelation 13:9, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” It is not as easy as you think. Let me show you what I mean. My wife can attest to this one. There are times when my wife is talking to me and I am listening to her, but not really and she knows it, I just don’t pick up on it. Guys, you know what I mean here. “Honey, the car just blew up!” “That’s great dear, we needed to get the oil changed anyway!” Now, if I were really listening, I would not have responded like that!
In reality, it is not our hearing that is the problem but it is our listening. You see, there are so many sounds, all kinds of noises out there that are competing for our attention that I believe many times we miss the voice of God or the voice of God is drowned out by all the other noises that are competing for our attention. Listen to this story and you will see what I mean. We are told:
An Indian was in downtown New York, walking along with his friend, who lived in New York City. Suddenly he said, “I hear a cricket.”
“Oh, you’re crazy,” his friend replied.
The Indian insisted, but his friend pointed out, “It’s the noon hour. You know there are people bustling around, cars honking, taxis squealing, noises from the city. I’m sure you can’t hear it.”
The man disagreed. He listened attentively and then walked to the corner, crossed the street, and looked all around. Finally, on the other corner, he found a shrub in a large cement planter. He dug beneath the leaf and found a cricket.
His friend was duly astounded. But the Indian said, “No, my ears are no different than yours. It simply depends on what you are listening to. Here, let me show you.”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of change, and dropped it onto the concrete.
Every head within a block turned.
“You see what I mean?” the Indian said as he began picking up the coins. “It all depends on what you are listening for.”
- R. Kent Hughes, 1001 Great Stores “Quotes”, pp. 311-312
What are you listening for? Remember the story of Elijah, as he fled from wicked queen Jezebel and hid in a cave, having his little pity party thinking he alone loved God. And in I Kings 19:11-12 we are told, “Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”
If God speaks to us in a still small voice, that means we need to find a place where we can hear Him speak to us, a quiet place free of distractions. Have that quiet time where you can read His Word and allow His Spirit to speak to your heart. Do you realize in this room right now we have all kinds of radio and television programs; sports, talk shows, music, news and-so-on. Then why can’t we hear them or see them? Because we do not have a receiver to receive the signal! We as Christians have s receiver to hear God and that receiver is the Holy Spirit and thus, we must be sensitive to His voice as He speaks to us, that still small voice!
In Isaiah 51:4-8 we are told, “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.”
In other words, we need to listen to the voice of God on how we are to live, to guide us in our walk, to strengthen us in dark and difficult times, to know that He is in control. Like I said, very simple, very basic and yet, very important for us to apply to our lives. LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD!
2. SATAN IS A DEFEATED ENEMY
Folks, again this is a very important principle for us to know and believe! You see, God’s Word tells us that Satan is a defeated enemy, and God is victorious! It is as John tells us in Revelation 13:10a, “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Do you believe that he is a defeated foe? I think you know it, but then you must take that next step and believe it and that belief will be manifested in your life – how you live out your faith!
C. S. Lewis put it this way, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else.” That is the perspective we need to have as we look at life’s situations. That we view everything with the perspective of what God has said in His Word, even when things look dark because the dawn is coming, the Morning Star is rising, Jesus is coming back to set up His kingdom on the earth where righteousness will flow! You know that old adage; “It is always darkest before the dawn!” Well, that is exactly what we are seeing!
I like the way that John Macarthur puts it in regards to this portion of Scripture. He wrote, “The message of this passage is clear. Let the monstrous beast from the abyss do his worst. Let Satan and his demon hosts have their hour. God controls the future and believers belong to Him. “In all these things we are overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Rom 8:37), and we will triumph on that glorious day when “The kingdom of the world [becomes] the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15).
Folks, Paul tells us this very thing, this victory we have in Christ in I Corinthians 15:50-58, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
In other words, the enemy can take us captive, He can even take our life away but that sting of death has been removed because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! We have the victory in Christ already and thus, don’t be discouraged, Satan will not win out, and we will rejoice when the Lord returns to set up His kingdom on this earth. He was defeated on the cross of Calvary by Jesus and what Jesus began on that day, Jesus will complete, as one day our redemption will be complete, all of creation will be restored! Thus, our second point, SATAN IS A DEFEATED ENEMY!
3. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAINTS OF GOD
Now this section, dealing with the characteristics of the saints of God can be broken down into two sections. It is as John tells us in Revelation 13:10b, “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” And so we will be looking at THEIR PATIENCE OR PERSEVERANCE and THEIR FAITH. So let’s look at these two characteristics of the saints of God and see what we can glean from them.
A. THEIR PATIENCE OR PERSEVERANCE
John uses the Greek word HUPOMONE, (hoop-om-on-ay’) for the word “patience” or “perseverance.” This word carries with it the idea of endurance, consistency. Now please don’t get the idea that John was speaking of sitting around with folded hands waiting patiently for something to happen, as some do today. John is speaking of an active endurance and not a passive waiting. Of this Barclay tells us that this Greek word “does not describe the frame of mind which can sit down with folded hands and bowed head and let a torrent of troubles sweep over it in passive resignation. It describes the ability to bear things in such a triumphant way that it transfigures them.”
And so this word, HUMPOMONE does not describe a grim resignation or a passive “grin and bear it” attitude but a triumphant facing of difficult circumstances knowing that even out of evil God guarantees good. It is courageous gallantry, which accepts suffering and hardship and turns them into grace and glory. Listen to what others say of this word.
Morris says it “is the attitude of the soldier who in the thick of battle is not dismayed but fights on stoutly whatever the difficulties.”
Thayer tells us it is “the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.”
And Trench says that this word “does not mark merely endurance, or even patience, but the perseverance, the brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in his conflict with spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting.”
Jesus put it like this in Luke 8:15 as He spoke of those who heard the Word of God and it bore fruit in their lives. He said, “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” In other words, smooth seas don’t make skillful sailors. It is better to preserver and bear up through the storms that come with Christ than to have smooth sailing without Him!
Paul, in speaking to the Ephesian elders in Miletus on his way to Jerusalem, said this, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:22-24.
Everywhere that Paul went they were warning him not to go to Jerusalem to preach the Gospel because trouble was awaiting him there. He was going to be bound, arrested, maybe put to death for his faith if he goes. And yet, it didn’t stop Paul, why? Because he was not going to let anything stop him from completing the race that God had placed him in, from stopping short of the goal, from being moved off course!
How did Paul do? We don’t have to guess because at the end of his life, as he sat in a filthy Roman prison waiting to be put to death for his faith in Christ by Nero, he wrote to a young pastor named Timothy and said, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” II Timothy 4:6-8.
He fought the good fight; he didn’t take a dive! He finished the race; he didn’t drop out or go the wrong way! He kept the faith that was entrusted to him. Folks, that is what the Lord desires of us, to preserver, to forge ahead, don’t give up and if you do fail, get back up! I know it is hard, but listen to this true story and you will see it can be done; it all depends who is there beside you helping you! We are told:
One of the most memorable moments in Olympics history came in the semi-final of the 400-meters at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Derek Redmond was the British entrant, and he held out strong hopes for a medal. He held the British record for the 400-meters and his 400-meter relay team were already European champions.
Redmond had experienced heartbreak in the . . . Seoul Olympics when injury forced him to pull out of his heat just minutes before it was due to be run. But this time around he was determined to win. He said he wanted to win to honour his father who had supported him all his life.
And now his time had come. The starters gun fired and Redmond set off. 140 meters down the track he was in a strong position when his hamstring gave way. He collapsed to the ground in a ball of pain and tears. Medics ran out to assist him but Redman waved them away. He was determined to finish the race, even if he couldn’t win it. And so he crawled and hobbled his way along the track.
At this point Redmond’s father Jim raced down from the stands, pushed the security guards aside and ran out to his son. He placed an arm around Derek and supported him as he hobbled the rest of the way.
“You don’t have to do this” Jim told his son.
“Yes I do” Derek replied.
“Well then” said Jim, “we’re going to finish this together.”
Then, just before they reached the finish line, with the crowd screaming in support, Jim Redmond let his son go, so that he could cross the line on his own.
Interviewed after this incredible race, Derek Redmond said that his father was the only one who could help him, because he was the only one who knew what he’d been through.
The apostle Paul compares the Christian life to that of running in a race. The goal is not necessarily to be first across the line, but to get across it. And in running that race, like Derek Redmond, we do not run alone. We have the support of the Spirit of God and a crowd of fellow believers screaming encouragement to us from the stands. And please understand that this support from God comes not only in the form of celebration when we succeed, but standing by our side when we fall.
Folks, may we forge on, preserver to the end, and finish that race that God has for us!
B. THEIR FAITH
“Faith” or PISTIS in the Greek, is synonymous with trust or belief and in the Scriptures the focus of this faith is upon God! It is as Spurgeon wrote: “Faith is the foot of the soul by which it can march along the road of the commandments.” It is trusting in the Lord and that trust is seen or manifested in our actions, our steps of faith you might say!
When missionary John Paton was translating the Scripture for the South Sea islanders, he was unable to find a word in their vocabulary for the concept of believing, trusting, or having faith. He had no idea how he would convey that to them. One day while he was in his hut translating, a native came running up the stairs into Paton’s study and flopped in a chair, exhausted. He said to Paton,
“It’s so good to rest my whole weight in this chair.”
John Paton had his word: Faith is resting your whole weight on God. That word went into the translation of their New Testament and helped bring that civilization of natives to Christ. Believing is putting your whole weight on God. If God said, it, then it’s true, and we’re to believe it! It is as Whittier wrote:
But how does our faith grow? How can we grow in the faith? There is no magic formula but it is as Spurgeon said: “I prayed for faith and thought some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” I had up to this time closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.”
I like the way the Corrie ten Boom put it as she said, “Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.”
How many Christians want to do great things for God and yet they refuse to walk, to step out in faith. If God has called, then start walking, trusting in Him as He leads and you will see how awesome our God is as He does exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think and all we must do is walk!
An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. “Pastor,” said the man, “something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There’s been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he’s just a boy.” The minister listened, his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. “I feel it all,” he replied, “but God knows I’ve tried to do my duty.” On that day the minister’s heart was heavy as he stood before his flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination to resign.
After everyone else had left, that one boy came to him and asked, “Do you think if I worked hard for an education, I could become a preacher – perhaps a missionary?”
Again tears welled up in the minister’s eyes. “Ah, this heals the ache I feel,” he said. “Robert, I see the Divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher.”
Many years later an aged missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was spoken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes. He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ, reaching even some of Africa‘s most savage chiefs. His name was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who years before had spoken to the pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish kirk.
Lord, help us to be faithful. Then give us the grace to leave the results to you.
- Source Unknown
May we have that kind of faith, one that has a focus upon God and then takes those steps of faith!
As I bring this study to a close this morning, we have seen how these Tribulation Saints stood strong in the midst of some very dark days and those same lessons that are spoken of them can and should be applied to our lives. We need to LISTEN TO GOD’S VOICE, we need to be directed by Him. We need to understand that SATAN IS A DEFEATED ENEMY, he has lost! And we need to understand the CHARACTER OF THE SAINTS, to PRESERVER to the end and to walk by FAITH! “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” Revelation 13:9. Don’t be moved off the course that God has for you!