REV. 22:10-21 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WARNED TO BE READY 4-5-08
Most of us have seen documentaries on our TV’s about the great passenger ship “Titanic”, how the captain and crew was warned many times by other ships, that there was dangerous ice bergs floating around where the Hugh passenger ship was headed, and we can be sure that the Captain, had he had the hind sight that is revealed to you and I about this disaster would certainly have done things differently.
This ship disaster is a well-known fact, about 1500 people died because of the Titanics collision with an iceberg. The Captain did however, directed the ship to an alternate 10 mile coarse to avoid the danger but it wasn’t enough.
There are countless numbers of people around the world that have died in their sins having been warned of dying without Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and some have adjusted their coarse of life somewhat by joined a church, and others have turned over a new leaf so to speak, but that’s not enough. And if they continue on the route their on their ship will surely sink also.
~~When I was in the Marine Corp my Battalion was on 5 different ships, we sailed all over the Far east, went into several different ports, we were in a lot of rough water and I can tell you it was quit an experience. When the water is smooth you can look out on the horizon and see with the natural eye that the world is round because you can see it taper. It would be a terrible way to die. I remember being in the mess hall and the water so rough that the mans tray next to you would slide down in front of you. You’d have to hold on to your chow tray. What few men that were there, most were seasick~~
Listen as I read Gods final warning found in our text in REV. 22:10-21 10And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. In other words, whatever the condition a person is in spiritual, that is the condition that person will remain in.
12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. **14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15For without are dogs,*{male prostitutes} and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. ** 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of--- this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
He warns us by telling us, “The time is at hand”.
What is He talking about, “The time is at hand” ?. It is near. We’re now in the last verses of chapter 3 TO DO WITH THE church age. The Laodicean church is with us today, the rapture takes place in verses 1-2 of 4:, then it will be to late for the people that have heard the truth and rejected it, these that have been forewarned and refused to receive Jesus will never be saved, they had their warning. 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: they will remain the same.
All that is written about future events after the Church is taken out of the world begins in 4: and ends in 22: . What the Bible says about the Lord’s coming is near. It is closer than many think. THE TIME IS AT HAND...IT IS NEAR!
There are a lot of people that think,” well, I’ll get saved right before the rapture, but right now I’m gonna sow my wild oats. I’m having too much fun; I’ve got lots of time.
Jesus said in John 6: 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Solomon tells us in Pro.27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. If the passengers of the Titanic had known that they only had a short time to live, if they had had the realization that the Titanic was doomed to sink, they would never had went on board. What a horrible fate awaited them and what a horrible fate awaits the lost sinner, who has refused to believe the warning that we read about here in our text in Rev. 22:.
Death may wait to come for you at a ripe old age, or it may come for you at middle age, or maybe while you are in your twenties, or thirties, or while you are in your teen-age years. NO ONE HAS THE CERTAINTY OF LIVING A LONG TIME UPON THIS EARTH! We can leave this earth as a youngster just as well as being an older person.
James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
God can come in the early hours of life, as well as the late hours of life. That’s God’s Warning......His coming is near!
And when He comes it will be quickly:
(2) Jesus’s coming is quickly. This describes the “how” of Jesus’s coming. His coming is at hand. That describes the “When”.
When Jesus says, “I come quickly” He means that when He does come, it will all be over before anyone has a chance to change their minds.
It also speaks of the thoroughness of His coming. Jesus won’t start to come, and then change His mind. Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
There was a book written that tells what to do if a person is left behind, seem like the name of it was, “left behind”, but if a person is left behind at the rapture, and he has heard the truth, he will believe the lie of the devil and receive the mark of the beast and wind up in hell. You might say, “I don’t believe in hell”. But it matters not whether you believe in hell or not, what He says is how it is.
Here is what God has to say about being left behind through the pen of Paul.
2nd Thess. 2: 5-12 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let,** until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
When Jesus comes it will “quick”. It won’t be like looking on the television and seeing the coming storm. People begin to prepare for the hurricane, or the possible tornado. When Jesus comes, he will be come and gone before a person can bat an eye. It will be that quick.
I Thess 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. What does a thief come after? The thief comes for what is valuable, he don’t come after the mops and dust clothes, the thief comes for valuable things, and he comes when the householder is unaware. He’s not going to come with you sitting there with a 44 mag. waiting on him.
Let me say that we that are saved are waiting with great expectance on His coming for us. Titus 2: 13-14 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
The Warning is that the Coming of Jesus is at hand; and the way He comes will be very quick and final. So the Warning is this....His coming is at hand. His coming is Swift and complete.
His coming will not wait on your preparation... 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still-
There is a deadline for getting ready for Jesus, and that deadline will not be on the other side. It is on this side of the grave, in the land of the living.
Some people seem to think, “Jesus can’t come now, because I’m not ready and My loved ones are not ready”.
Listen dear heart, the True Church has been in the making ever since Pentecost, the Holy Ghost has been calling out the Bride of Christ over 2000 years now. And because God is God He knows the very number that will be in the Lords True Church, and when that number is met, that only He Himself knows, I believe He’ll call out the True Church. There is a song we’ve all heard, “wait a little longer please Jesus”, WELL IT IS A PRETTY SONG, BUT THE FACT IS WHEN THE church is complete He’ll call us out. Whether people are ready are not. I am of the opinion that surely it must be almost complete.
There may be people that think there’ll be a world wide revival just before He comes, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth, the fact is it’s going to become worse and worse with each passing day. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,[ without self-control:] fierce,[ in many of our streets its dangerous to walk their unsafe even in the daytime.] despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
So don’t expect great changes before Jesus comes back. That don’t mean that people can’t change before the Lord comes, or before they go out to meet God after this life.
The warning is this.... You live out of God’s will, you die out of God’s will. You live a selfish life, you die a selfish person. ... 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still-
There are some people that seem that think that some way or another God is going to over look their sin, because after all, they say, I’m such a good person. But Jesus said in; Lk.13: 5-- except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Jn.3:7 Ye must be born again--JN. 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. --JN.5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. -- HERE IS THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN BE READY: JN. 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
