OPERATION JUSTICE
Revelation 1:4-8

Introduction:     When the Lord comes back the second time He is not coming like He did the first time. The Age of Grace (Rom.11:25). The 70th week of Daniel is coming when the spotlight will again be turn on Israel . There is coming a day where justice will prevail and judgment will be administered by Jesus Himself. There is coming a day when all of the wicked of this world will stand before the justice bar of God. (Ills. Why was Jesus silent when before Pilot and the rest? He knew He would have the last word!!!)

 

I.          THE MESSAGE OF JUDGMENT (V.4)
The message of judgment is:

A.                 Understood By The Church

Why seven? 49 times in the Revelation the word seven appears (7x7=49). Seven is God’s number and stands for perfection and completion. God completes His work in cycles of seven (7 colors make up a perfect spectrum, 7 days make a perfect week, at the fall of Jericho there were 7 priest with 7 trumpets and on the 7th day the people marched 7 times around the city) so when the number 7 is used here of the churches it means a complete picture of the Church (expound literal and historical). The 7 churches picture for us 7 periods of church history from the time of Christ to the present. The 7th church completes the picture in God’s cycle of dealing with us in grace. I believe the 7th church describes the church in general that will be on earth just prior to the return of Jesus. God is giving a message to His Church.

B.                 Preceded By Grace

Our message is the message of grace! Before the flood God sent Noah to preach grace. God sent Jonah to Nineveh with the message of grace. God is sending the message of grace today before the judgment to come.

C.                 Administered By God

It is God that is telling us that judgment is coming. The new age message cuts out the judgment of God. God, who is, and which was, and which is to come (corresponding with the three divisions of this Book); “The seven Spirits…” = God the Holy Spirit’s ministry (Isa.11:2); the completeness (3 in 1 - Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in this judgment. Also a reference to the 7 churches (The Holy Spirit indwells the church; the Holy Spirit is omni present; the Holy Spirit is almighty God without body. Anywhere there is a band of believers they are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God!) What makes church “Church” is the Holy Spirit (no Holy Ghost, no church). The God of the universe is telling us that even though the message of the church is a message of grace; judgment is coming and that will never change!

 

II.         THE MISSING OF JUDGMENT (VV.5-6)
There is only one way to miss the judgment of God and that is in a person His name is Jesus. What has Jesus done for us?

A.                 He Loves Us (v.5)

B.                 He Washes Us (v.5)

“Washed” = released. The redeemed are released from the chains of sin. What was the payment for our sins? The shed blood of Jesus! (Ills. Being in the church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in a garage makes you a car…)

C.                 He Crowns Us (v.6) - Kings

 (1 Pet 2:9)  "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"

D.        He Sends Us (v.6) - Priests

(1 Pet 2:5)  "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."



III.       THE MANIFESTATION OF JUDGMENT (VV.7-8)

A.                 His Arrival Will Be Visible (v.7)

“Every eye shall see Him” (This is not the rapture). “With clouds” In the O. T. God manifested Himself in a cloud (she kina glory). In the N. T. cloud of witnesses (Heb.12). See Jude 14. When Jesus comes back He is surrounded with the she kina glory of Almighty God! The One who made it all is coming to clean it all up! “And they also which pierced Him” = all Christ rejecters (expound).

B.                 His Arrival Will Be Violent (v.8)

“I am Alpha and Omega” = first and last letter of the Greek alphabet. God is the first and the last and everything in between. “The Almighty” when Jesus splits that eastern sky there’s no bomb that can stop Him; there’s no disease that can stop Him; there’s no demon in hell that can stop Him; the devil can’t stop Him; no army can stop Him; no government can stop him. When He rips open the sky (ready or not…here He comes) He’ll descend from heaven with the saints; the demons are going to cower; the lost are going to cry, but the saints will shout Hallelujah! He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! Operation Justice will then commence.

 

Conclusion:       (Ills. Clock that struck 15…It’s later than it’s ever been). I don’t know when Jesus will come, but I do know that He is coming. It is later than it has ever been. Are you ready?