Rsbc
March 28th 2004
Sunday Morning
Subject: “THE BOOKS AND THE BOOK”
Text: Revelation 20:11-15
Intro: There is no question in my mind after many years of studying the subject of the judgement, that there will be one general judgement and Christ shall oversee that judgement.
I believe this because I believe the Holy Spirit inspired men of God write that in his word..
Daniel 12:1‑2 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.
Jesus Christ declared the same thing:
John 5:28‑29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Note with me from the text:
I... “ THE TOTAL DISRUPTION OF ALL THINGS WHEN CHRIST COMES TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD”...VS 11
“The earth and the heaven fled away” The apostle Peter said it would melt with fervent heat:2 Peter 3:10-12 turn to these verse. You know what John says in the 6th chapter of this book: Revelation 6:12-17 These people have no were to hide... In our text it is said “there was found no place for them”
Whatever your position is on the coming of Christ we must all agree at this point, sinners who have left this world without Christ sinners who are alive when he comes, will have no excuse, no leverage, no hope, no anything, but themselves in their depravity undone naked before the thrice holy LORD.
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Thomas Brooks said and I quote: “Here stands all the Tyrants, emperors, the kings, the beggars, the rich, the poor, the free, the old the young, the atheist, the agnostics”. The whole all unregenerate persons will be here. Likewise all the elect of all ages shall be here.
II... “ HIM THAT SAT ON THE THRONE”..VS 11
This is non other than Jesus Christ himself, here he sets in his royal robe of absolute rightness, who without mercy shall render to every man who is not saved a proper sentencing...
Given to him by his Father:
John 5:26‑27 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
When we think of the penetrating eyes of Jesus Christ we should know he and he alone is fit to sit in judgement here. Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
John the writer of this book saw Christ in his post ascended glorified position and describes his eyes: Revelation 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;
III... “ THE BOOKS AND THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS OPENED”..VS 11
Now I don’t hardly think that it is a book as we know books, God doesn’t need tablets, scrolls, and such like to keep records, for he knoweth all things, both past and present.
The language here is so that we can understand it better... I wish to show the books and the book that are mentioned here from other parts of the word of God.
1st. The book of our existence...
Psalm 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
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Thomas Brooks says of this book:
“The psalmist looks upon that great volume of heaven and earth, there reads in capital letters the prints and characters of God’s glory”. In this book of nature and the existence of things God keeps a perfect record of all things created by him. Both the earth and the heaven and the things in it.
In another Psalm chapter 19:1 David said the heavens declare the glory of the Lord. In Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
They are without excuse because when they read this book of nature and of their existence they are made to acknowledge several things: That they had a maker, That he made all these things must be eternal, that he hath all power, that he hath all wisdom. This will be one of the books that is opened at the judgement.
II... “THE BOOK OF GOD’S GRACIOUS PROVIDENCE”
Matthew 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Clear isn’t it. God keeps a record of something as little as the number of the hairs of our head.
Paul believed this: Acts 27:34 Wherefore I pray you to take [some] meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
When King Saul and Jonathon his son was captured and the lot fell on Jonathan to be taken and put to death, the advisors of Saul said the following...1 Samuel 14:45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: [as] the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
God providentially controls ever little minute detail of all the lives of the people in whom he hath created. Once again Thomas Brooks says this book will be opened in order to show and refute the atheist of this world that God indeed doth take care of his own elect people with great detail. I concur, he shows in this that he loves us.
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Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
III... “ THERE IS A THIRD BOOK, IT MAY BE CALLED THE BOOK OF OUR AFFLICTIONS”
Psalm 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?
David said that he watered his couch with his tears, that his tears were his meat day and night, all this was the results of his afflictions that he was going through. Never doubt this morning that God will forget you or your tears in this life of affliction of one kind or another.
1st. God is fully aware of the affliction of his people: Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
2nd. He will deliver us in his own time out of affliction: Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
3rd. Sometimes affliction will drive us to be serious about our relationship with the Lord...
2 Chronicles 33:12‑13 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he [was] God.
4th. The affliction of the saints in the bible are for our encouragement:
James 5:10‑11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
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Be assured God has wrote down in his book all our affliction and this book will be opened at this great judgement day...this will be as the handwriting of God upon the wall as he did to the King whom he destroyed and took his kingdom away from him.
IV.. “THEN THE BOOK OF CONSCIENCE IS ANOTHER BOOK THAT WILL BE OPENED AT THIS JUDGEMENT”..
Romans 2:14‑16 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
This book will be unveiled to reveal the secrets thoughts and the evil deeds of sinners.. These deeds are hid from us, but not from the LORD and in these day it will be revealed.
When the men brought the woman caught in adultery Jesus wrote on the ground and preached to them he that is without sin cast the first stone, and here was the reaction:
John 8:9 And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
You who are lost, may think that you have something that will be hid, and you may forget it, you may think God has forgotten, God can no mor forget your wrong than he can die, he can neither do either except in Jesus Christ there is forgiveness and he will forget all.. But not to have him here will be totally ruin for you.
V.. “ THERE IS THE BOOK OF THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD LIKEWISE WILL BE OPENED HERE”
Jesus Christ clearly says: John 12:47‑48 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
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James says: James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Paul said: Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
God’s infallible word shall stand solid in it’s righteous judgement of all who no not Christ as Lord and saviour.
Heathen shall be judged by the law of nature, profligate ( which means shameful and utterly immoral) professors shall be judged by the written word of the Lord, and believers by the gospel and the work of Christ.
Let it be understood this morning that all who really believe savingly, those who have really repented unfeignedly, all our sins will never condemn us because his word says:
Acts 13:38‑39 Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
VI.. “THE LAST BOOK IS THE BOOK OF THE LAMB”
This book my friends contains all the names of the children of God, there names were inscribed in this book before the foundation of the world. Paul said:
Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and [with] other my fellowlabourers, whose names [are] in the book of life.
1st. There are some names not written in this book:
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
2nd. The names are guranteed entrance into the city of the Lord:
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Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
3rd. We are to rejoice because our names are in his book of life:
Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.