Let’s take a minute to review what we talked about in the last sermon -
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
We dealt with two things in the first sermon as to why God allows this time to take place on earth.
A. TO PREPARE ISRAEL FOR THE MESSIAH
They will be convinced that Christ is Who He said He was. I showed you Ezekiel 20:37-38, we read, “And I will cause you to pass under the rod…AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.”
But God is going to allow the Tribulation Period to take place for another reason.
B. TO POUR OUT JUDGMENT ON THE UNRIGHTEOUS
All the inhabitants of the earth that have rejected God’s Son, will feel the wrath of God poured out on them during this time.
We looked at THE PUPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, but also we looked at-
II. THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD?
A. THE FALSE PROPHET WILL PARTICIPATE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
B. THE ANTICHRIST WILL PARTICIPATE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
WHAT WILL HE BE DOING?
The Bible says, “He causeth” all to take the mark of the beast in their right hand or forehead before they can BUY or SELL.
C. THE TWO WITNESSES WILL PARTICIPATE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
These two witnesses are believed by many theologians to be Moses and Elijah. They will be given extraordinary power, such as the ability to:
• Send forth fire from their mouth to defend themselves
• Withhold the rain
• Send plagues on the earth
They are given these special powers to use them ANY WAY THEY CHOOSE, and to use them ANY TIME THEY CHOOSE.
They became a “thorn” in the side of the antichrist. He did not want anyone to equal his power, and he came out of the bottomless pit to destroy them. When their ministry was completed, God allowed the devil to kill them.
Their bodies will lay on the streets of Jerusalem for three-and-a-half days. And, most likely through national television, the whole world will be able to view their dead bodies as the antichrist proudly proclaims he has killed these men who have troubled the world with the special powers they possessed.
But in three-and-a-half days, the Bible says their bodies came to life again and they stood up and were caught up into heaven to be with the Lord, as their enemies watch them ascend.
These TWO WITENESSES that had these SPECIAL POWERS, most likely will be the ones God uses to equip the 144,000 Jewish missionaries.
But notice this, the two witnesses had SPECIAL POWERS, but the 144,000 Jewish missionaries will have a SPECIAL MESSAGE. Let’s look at -
D. THE 144,000 THAT WILL PARTICIPATE DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
Look at Rev. 7:2-4 “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
These are the 144,000 Jewish Missionaries that will minister upon the earth during the tribulation period.
There have been some great Missionaries who have done a great job, but these 144,000 Jewish Missionaries will probably be the greatest missionaries that have ever walked on this earth.
They are similar to the Two Witnesses, in that God seals them and no one can hurt them until God has finished his work through them.
But notice, the Bible says these 144,000 were Jewish Missionaries.
IS THAT SIGNIFICANT? Yes, these verses of scripture are important for this reason.
There is a group that goes from door to door who call themselves Jehovah Witnesses, and they claim they are the 144,000.
But I submit to you, based on the Word of God, that every time they make that claim they do it out of ignorance, because there is not one ounce of truth to their claim.
Let me give you some scriptural reasons why their claim is not correct. (Six of them)
(1) The first reason their claim is not true is because this is something that is yet to happen, it has not happened yet, so how can they be this group?
(2) They can not be this group because the Bible says the 144,000 are Jews from the twelve tribes of Israel.
Look at Rev. 7:4 “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
(3) Also, the Jewish Witnesses have a mark in their forehead.
Look at Rev. 14:1, we read, “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, HAVING HIS FATHER'S NAME WRITTEN IN THEIR FOREHEADS.”
The next time a Jehovah Witness knocks on your door and tells you that they are part of the 144,000, ask them to show you the proof they are from the twelve tribes of Israel, and ask to see the “Father’s name written in their foreheads.”
(4) Also, look at verse 3, we read, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
The next time they come to your door, tell them you want to hear them sing that song that nobody but the 144,000 could learn.
(5) Look at verse 4, we read, “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins….”
As you know, when many Jehovah Witnesses go from door to door, they take their children with them, to train them to go from door to door spreading their teachings.
When they stand at your door with all those children, ask them if they are virgins. If they are, then whose children are these?
(6) These were men. Look at 4 again, we read, “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. THESE WERE REDEEMED FROM AMONG MEN, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”
The 144,000 Jewish Missionaries will be men. The Bible says, “…These were redeemed from among men…”
The Bible says:
• This is yet to happen, so these today can not be the 144,000
• They are all Jews
• They are all Virgins
• They all have the name of the Father in their forehead
• They all have learned that new song
• They are all men
If they can not meet the criteria the Bible lays out for the 144,000 witnesses, they can not possibly be the 144,000.
The TWO WITNESSES had a SPECIAL MINISTRY, but the 144,000 will have a SPECIAL MESSAGE. They are not in existence today, because there is no need for the SPECIAL MESSAGE they will be preaching.
The message during the church age is WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE. There is not one thing a person can do to acquire salvation. NOT ONE THING!
The gospel that the 144,000 will preach is called the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and it will require something of them.
WHAT WILL THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM REQUIRE OF THEM?
Look at Matthew 24:13-14, we read, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Notice, when this verse of scripture takes place, verse 14 says it will be during the “…gospel of the kingdom…”
The “Kingdom age” is when the Lord Jesus is going to come to the earth and set up His Kingdom for a thousand years.
The church has been raptured from the earth, and now these 144,000 Jewish missionaries are preaching the KINGDOM GOSPEL that is to come.
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM?
It is this: the antichrist has declared no one can BUY or SELL unless they have the mark of the beast in their right hand or forehead.
This is going to make life very difficult for the inhabitants of the earth. But when he “causeth” all to take the mark to BUY or SELL, the Two Witnesses are no longer here to oppose him, but the 144,000 Jewish Missionaries will be here opposing him with the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.
They are going to be canvassing the nations saying:
• No matter how hungry you get, do not take the mark
• No matter if they put you in prison, do not take the mark
• No matter if they tie you to a post and have you beaten, do not take the mark
• No matter if they cut your head off, do not take the mark of the beast
• No matter if your family members take the mark, do not take the mark of the beast
• No matter if your friends take the mark, do not take the mark of the beast
The Gospel of the Kingdom that the 144,000 Jewish missionaries will be preaching is, “Do not take the mark of the beast! He that endures unto the end shall be saved!”
They are going to be preaching:
• We Jews thought when Christ came the first time it was to set up his kingdom, but we were wrong
• He came the first time to die for our sins, but He is going to be coming at the end of the Tribulation Period - DO NOT TAKE THE MARK!
Many will not take the mark of the beast, they will endure hunger and death itself.
Look at Rev. 6:9-11, we read, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
Look at Rev. 7:14, we read, “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Notice, they are saved because of the blood of the Lamb, and it cost them their lives. They had to endure as the 144,000 told them they had to do.
Listen, they will be saved by the blood of the Lamb like everyone else, but the message of the 144,000 will be, “Do not take the mark of the beast, because if you do, you are doomed.”
Also, look at Revelation 7:9, we read, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”
There are going to be many who will give their lives, but there will be many who will flee to the hills and the caves, and somehow they will escape the wrath of the antichrist.
Look at Matthew 24:14 to find the context this is written in, we read, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; AND THEN SHALL THE END COME.”
There will be many who will survive and will go into the millennium to accept Christ as the Messiah.
These 144,000 male Jewish missionaries are going to reach millions, most likely by telling people - DO NOT TAKE THE MARK!
Today if you are not saved, you need to give your heart to the Lord because you have heard the gospel. And if you reject the gospel, most likely you are going to be a part of that crowd that God is going to send strong delusions to, and you will believe a lie.
You have a choice today, you do not have to accept the Lord Jesus Christ.
But if you miss out on the rapture and live during the Tribulation Period, you will not have a choice about accepting the antichrist. YOU WILL ACCEPT HIM!
Conclusion:
Listen, lost person, you can walk out of here whistling “Dixie” and do business as usual, but you need to understand that if the Lord comes back today, you are going to face the wrath of God like no one on this earth has ever experienced before.
You can come to the Lord tonight, ask him to forgive you of your sins, and escape this dreadful time called the Tribulation Period.
Our outline for the tribulation period has been:
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
II. THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
III. THE PLAGUES OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
A. THE SEVEN SEAL JUDGMENTS
B. THE SEVEN TRUMPET JUDGMENTS
C. THE SEVEN VIAL JUDGMENTS
