End Times Evangelists

Series: Last Words

Message: End Times Evangelists

Text: Rev. 7:9-14; 11:3-14, and 14:6-7

Big Idea: Whether or not there is a great revival in our lifetime is certainly something we should pray for. The bible does however reveal that during the Tribulation period there will be a “great harvest” that’s predominantly led by Messianic Jews. There will also be what’s known as the two witnesses and even an angel who will declare the gospel.

JOKE: At a healing revival service, the preacher said, "Anyone who needs healing, anyone with a special prayer request, anyone with a special need, please come forward to the front by the altar." With that, Leroy got in line, and when it was his turn, the preacher asked, "Leroy, what do you want me to pray for you about?"

Leroy replied, "I need you to pray for help with my hearing."

The preacher put one finger of one hand on Leroy's ear, placed his other hand on top of Leroy's head, and then prayed and prayed. The whole congregation joined with enthusiastic shouts of “Amen Brother!”

After a few minutes the preacher removed his hands, stood back and asked, “Leroy, how is your hearing now?” “I don’t know,” Leroy answered. “It isn’t until next Thursday.”

INTRO: As far as I can remember I’ve been hearing people say that a great revival is coming. Whether or not there is a great revival in our lifetime is unknown, but certainly its something we should pray for. The bible does however reveal that during the Tribulation period there will be a “great harvest” that’s predominantly led by Messianic Jews. There will also be what’s known as the two witnesses and even an angel who will declare the gospel during the End Times.

Here’s how we know this…

Revelation is the record of John’s end time visions he received while in exile on the island of Patmos.

The Great Harvest

SLIDE 1

The Great Multitude from the Tribulation

After this (after what? After seeing 144k Jews sealed for protection from God’s wrath Rev. 7:5-8) I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands (well this could be anyone)

…“Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 7:9, 13b-14)

Thus, this great multitude that John sees in Rev. 7 are Christians who’ve come out of the Tribulation period.

We are in the church age and the church is plan A for implementing the Great Commission. That’s our purpose-to make Jesus and His message known. It’s easy to be side-tracked and distracted with many other things but this is our prime directive and calling. Currently, it’s batter up church. However, even in the Tribulation, God will have His dedicated and set apart witnesses for sharing the good news of God’s love.

Let’s take a look at who they are.

SLIDE 2

1-The 144k Sealed Jewish Evangelists

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel (Rev. 7:4)

SEALED

Preceding Rev. 7, is Rev. 6, in which we’re introduced to the Four Horsemen.

White Horse (seal 1)-Generally understood to be symbolic of False Religion.

Red Horse (seal 2)-War,

Black Horse (seal 3)-food shortage and hyper-inflation,

Pale Horse/seal 4 (6:8)-famine, pestilence.

SLIDE 3

And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Rev. 6:8b)

The attack by wild beasts is quite possibly fighting over food and water. Everyone and everything is going to be hungry.

-in fact when the 5th seal is opened (6:9) John says he saw...

SLIDE 4

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne (Rev. 6:9)

Thus in addition to the loss of life from the 4 horsemen there's a Christian holocaust.

-To fill the void of the raptured church and the mass execution of Christians, God will have faithful messengers who will continue to communicate the Good News of God’s love even in the Tribulation. Evangelists. One set of messengers will be the 144k.

SLIDE 5

“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Rev 7:3).

To be “sealed” means that in addition to being set apart for the task of evangelism, they will also be protected from God’s wrath that’s being poured out on the world during the Tribulation.