Please stand for the reading of God's word. Our New Testament lesson comes from the book of Revelation, chapter 11. And we will read verses 15 to 19 before turning to Psalm 22. Revelation 11, 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God saying, we give you thanks, O God, O Lord, God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come because you have taken your great power and reigned. The nations were angry and your wrath has come in the time of the dead. that they should be judged, and that you should reward your servants, the prophets, and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple, and there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail. This is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn now, in our Old Testament lesson, to Psalm 22. I won't say who it was, but one of you said that this should not be called Summer in the Psalms, but the Summer in Psalm 22. Because we've spent several weeks in this Psalm, And I warn you, there's one more week coming. But there's a lot here to unpack. And this morning, we're going to look at the latter part of this psalm, Psalm 22, verses 26 to 31. Pay careful attention to the reading of this text. The poor shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nation shall worship before you. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare his righteousness to a people who will be born, that he has done this. Grass withers. Flower fades. Word of God stands forever. Amen. You may be seated. In the 19th century, American missionary Adoniram Judson lost almost everything in the land of Burma. When I say almost everything, I really mean it. During the voyage from Calcutta, where he had been with William Carey, his wife Anne delivered their first child, a son, aboard boats, only to find him dead at birth and buried at sea. Once they got to Burma, Adam and Iram spent countless hours learning the Burmese language, translating the Bible into Burmese, and evangelizing the Burmese people. And yet, after several years of ministry, there was almost no fruit. And then war broke out. between Burma and England, and Adoniram became suspected as a British spy and was thrown into prison. While he was in prison, his wife, Anne, gave birth to another child and was reduced to begging in the streets. Eventually, he was released, but by that point, Anne and their young daughter, Maria, were so sick and weak that soon they both died. Maria was only two years old. Historian Danny Akin says, death seemed to be all about Adoniram. For a period of months, he was plunged into despair and depression. He would flee to the jungle and live the life of a hermit for some time, questioning himself, his calling, even his faith. He recovered. The Lord brought him out of that valley. of the shadow of death. And eventually he remarried and started anew. But then his second wife, Sarah, died along with some of her children. Indeed, seven of Adoniram's 13 children died. And all of this, and much more than I can say in this introduction, led a reporter to ask Adoniram, what hope do you have for Burma after all of this tragedy? Maybe that's a question you have this morning. What hope do you have for America after all of this decline as we squander our birthright? What hope do you have for the church after all of this compromise and corruption? What hope do you have for your family after all of this sin and suffering. What hope do you have for the future when the present and the past have been so painful? Well, if you feel that way this morning, realize that you have a companion in Adoniram Judson, because he lost so much, which again led the reporter to ask, What hope do you have for Burma after all this tragedy? Now, how would you answer that question? If you'd lost two spouses, many children, and seen so little fruit from your toilsome labor, not only evangelizing, but translating the Bible into a language of people who, by and large, don't want to read it, what would you say? Here was his answer. He said, the future is as bright as the promises of God. The future is as bright as the promises of God. I don't know what text or collection of text Adoniram had in mind, but Psalm 22 is eminently fitting. As I've said before, this psalm is divided into two parts. It has low lamentation in verses 1 to 21. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It might remind you of Adoniram in the jungle, despairing of life itself. Or for the psalmist, coming close, though still in faith, looking to the Lord. Dune is that great hinge in verse 21. You have answered me, which leads us on in verses 22 to 31 to a great song of thanksgiving from humiliation to exaltation, from the lowest of lows to the highest of heights. Again, David does not sugarcoat reality. In keeping with Adoniram's experience, It's very realistic about suffering. But also, in keeping with Adam and Irem's faith, David prophesies a bright future, and that's how the psalm ends. After giving vibrant praise to God, the king declares a glorious prophecy. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord. Brothers and sisters in Jesus, regardless of how dark the days in which you live, that the future is as bright as the promises of God. Let us labor in faith, hope, and love, for the best is yet to come. Our approach this morning is going to be fourfold, using the Puritan method, looking first at the text, then the doctrine, objections, and finally practical uses. Let's begin by simply studying the text. After lament, deliverance, and thanksgiving, David in these verses declares a prophecy. And insofar as this psalm points us to Jesus, this prophecy gives us a picture of the gospel age in which we live. Verses 26 to 31 give us a window into the millennial reign of Christ. that after he died and rose again, Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. He was declared to be, as the God-man mediator, King of kings and Lord of lords. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of God and of his Christ. Jesus is king, not merely as the second person of the Trinity, though he is that, but also as the God-man mediator, as the Messiah. Now note in these verses the universal extent of Christ's mediatorial kingdom. First, in these verses, Jesus rules over the poor and the wealthy. Verse 26, the poor shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise the Lord, let your heart live forever. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He also rules over the wealthy. Verse 29, all the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship. Indeed, everyone, all those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. It's a good reminder to us that Christ rules over the poor and the wealthy. His authority cuts through every social hierarchy, every relationship of superior and inferior. Men and women, old and young, wealthy and poor, Christ is king over them all. Second, notice that Christ rules not only over the Jews, but over the Gentiles. Look at verse 27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. This is an Old Testament prophecy concerning the inclusion of the Gentiles. As we saw in our studies in Genesis, that Japheth would dwell in the tents of Shem. It's spatial, all the ends of the world, and racial, all the families of the nations, whether people or place. God is redeeming a mighty host out of every tribe. kindred, and tongue, a people for his name. And congregation, as you sit here today, as you are descended from Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, we are a partial fulfillment of this psalm, that all the ends of the earth have come to God. Why, you may ask, is David so confident that this will take place? Well, look at verse 28. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he rules over the nations in earth as it is in heaven. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. A kingdom that belongs to God, a kingdom ruled by God himself. Third, notice in this text that Christ rules over the present and the future. Not only the poor and the wealthy, the Jew and the Gentile, but the present and the future. This is not only a kingdom in space, but a kingdom in time. Verses 30 to 31, a posterity shall serve him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare his righteousness to a people who will be born that he has done this. This takes us into the future. A generational legacy, at least three generations are mentioned. Posterity, the next generation, and a people who will be born. This kingdom will continue in time. That's important to note because even if Christ were to convert all the nations tomorrow, every person in them, if that influence died with that generation, then the church would die out in one generation. Lands once conquered for Christ would revert to paganism and secularism. But that's not what this psalm teaches. No, not only will the nations be converted, but the fathers will turn their hearts toward the children. And they will teach children's children the things of the Lord. They will say, he has done it. Christ has conquered. They will declare God's law and his gospel to a thousand generations. So whether over poor or wealthy, Jew or Gentile, present or future, the message that this psalm screams, shouts, is that Christ rules. Behold your God. Your God reigns. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he rules. That's important to realize, that a kingdom is not merely a realm, but it is the rule of God in time and in space. That's the message of the text. Which leads us second to unpack the doctrine. The doctrine that we're going to pull out of this text is this. Regardless of how dark the days, on the basis of Psalm 22, the future is as bright as the promises of God. That's the doctrine. This involves what theologians call eschatology, or the study of last things. Often if people use that term, they'll want to bring up questions of the nature of the millennium in Revelation 20. They might ask you, are you premillennial, amillennial, or postmillennial? Those are great questions for another day, but it's important to remember At a broader level, eschatology is bigger than that. When we talk about the future, we're talking about our overall outlook on history. I'm gonna suggest at the end of the day, there are really only two views of the future available to us. And I'm going to borrow from others in calling them pessimilennialism and optimillennialism. You're either a pessimilennialist or you're an optimilennialist. You either have a pessimistic view of what's going to happen in the future or you have an optimistic view. You can, so to speak, take the black pill of pessimism or the white pill of optimism. You can embrace an eschatology of defeat or an eschatology of victory. And in some ways, this can apply to you regardless of your specific millennial position. What's your overall posture towards what God has done, is doing, and will do? And this is an important question. Ian Murray, in his book, The Puritan Hope, says, the fact is that what we believe or do not believe upon this subject, the future, will have continual influence upon the way in which we live. What you think will happen affects how you live right now. It's practical and important. Inner joy is intimately related to future hope. Now, of course, the money question is, which of these positions is true? Pessimillennialism or optimillennialism? Which one is realistic, biblically speaking, according to this passage? I'm convinced that however dark the days, and the days are often dark, that the future is as bright as the promises of God. There is biblical reason to be optimistic about what God is doing in the world. I'm convinced that this is a biblical doctrine. Not only here in Psalm 22, but Habakkuk 2.14, for the earth, will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Psalm 72, he shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. All nations shall call him blessed. First Corinthians 15, he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. It's biblical to have an optimistic view of the future. This is a reasonable doctrine. It fits the character of God. If your God is perfectly good and all powerful, you would expect, whatever the tears along the way, a happy ending. He is mighty to save with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. This is a time-tested doctrine. This was the position of many of our Reformed Puritan and Presbyterian forefathers. Indeed, as I've already said, it's been called the Puritan hope. I'm going to quote just a handful. John Owen said this, though our persons fall, Our cause shall be as truly, certainly, and infallibly victorious as that Christ sits at the right hand of God. The gospel shall be victorious. This greatly comforts and refreshes me. His compatriot, Thomas Goodwin, said this, there will come a time when the generality of mankind, both Jew and Gentile, shall come to Jesus Christ. He had had but little takings of the world yet, but he will have before he hath done. And finally, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the Baptist preacher in London, said David was not a believer in the theory that the world will grow worse and worse. But we look for a day when the dwellers in all lands shall learn righteousness, shall trust in the Savior, shall worship Thee alone, O God. Whereas Aden Irem Judson said, future is as bright as the promises of God. And according to Psalm 22, he has promised the gospel conquest of the world. You say, I see that, but I have some objections. Let's answer those objections. turning to objections. What about the Bible's teaching to expect persecution? I mean, just think about 2 Timothy 3, but know this, in the last days perilous times will come. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. How does an optimistic view of the future fit Biblical teaching like that? Well, first of all, I would say that we need to be careful to pay attention to the redemptive historical context of 2 Timothy 3. Many of the passages that refer to the last days actually are referring to a unique time of suffering during the first century. The great tribulation triggered by Nero from AD 67 to 70, the last days of Israel before Jerusalem fell. But that said, clearly there's still an application of Paul's teaching in 2 Timothy 3 to today. He says, all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. That's true, but it in no way contradicts the Bible's optimistic view of the future, and I'll tell you why. This is an important point. This is the way the kingdom comes. Through many tribulations, we enter the kingdom of God. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. This is the old pattern of death and resurrection. This is the way God operates. He leads his saints from suffering to glory. He who bears the cross wears the crown. The way up is the way down. The reality of persecution, and it is real, not just in the first century, but today, and will continue, does not contradict this prophecy. God uses the persecution of his people for the advancement of his glory. Through many tribulations, we enter the kingdom of God. You say, I see that, but what about my own personal experience of the decline? You say, I've seen institutions fall. I've seen the mighty fall. Great men stumble. It seems like things are getting worse and worse. How do you deal with that? First, let me encourage you, judge your experience by the word, not the word by your experience. You don't come to Psalm 22 and say, well, I can't mean that because it doesn't jive with my feelings and my experience of the world. No. We reverse course, and we let the Bible interpret our experiences. This is of the essence of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not seen. More than that, I want to encourage you, you might need to adjust your perspective. And here I'm borrowing from others at points, but as you think about your own experience of decline and suffering in your life, take a broader view. I've heard this illustration before. Go back to D-Day, beaches of Normandy, and imagine that you're a Marine. on the beach at Normandy, and you're surrounded by enemies, and all your friends have died, and you're facing the enemy, and things look bleak. From the perspective of that soldier in that moment, things are dire. But if you stand back for the Allied forces, who won D-Day? It was a mighty victory for the allies. So sometimes you need to step back and not just think about your own individual life, but how your life is part of a much bigger story that God is telling. A story whose arc tends toward the glory of God and the victory of his kingdom. You might need to take a deeper view. And realize, as you look around at a day of small things, your God uses the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise. God uses small people like us and small things to do great things for his kingdom. It may not look great at the time. It might just look like a mustard seed thrown into the ground. But God is on the move. As one author puts it, the widow cries for justice in Alabama, and God sends a plague on Venezuela. You gotta take a deeper view. Take a longer view. Don't just think in terms of the next five minutes, the next election cycle, the next 10 years, or even the next 40 years. Think seven generations out. Think long-term horizon line as God takes all the prayers of his people offered through the millennia of suffering and fighting and witness-bearing and his intent on not losing any of his elect and of answering those prayers. We're playing the long game. And time is on our side. Final encouragement to you as you struggle to fit Psalm 22 with your experience, realize that the night is often darkest just before the dawn. In fact, Jonathan Edwards built his whole understanding of history around the fact that revivals often follow on the heels of periods of great decline. But history is moving forward. God is on the move. like the woman in labor to have some experience of recently. There is what have been called emotional signposts. And when the laboring woman is convinced that she simply cannot do this anymore, when she's tempted to give up, that's the time when the baby is about to come. And on a personal note, we made it to the hospital around 3.15, and by 3.45, We reached that emotional signpost. And I thought, that must mean the baby's about to come. And then he came. Well, as it is in temporal things, even so there's an analogy with the spiritual. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God shall help her just at the break of dawn. It's when the night is darkest and the battle is fiercest that often the light bursts through. and the cavalry arrives, and reinforcements show up, and God has a great victory. Having studied the text, expounded the doctrine, and answered objections, I want us to close on a practical note. If the Bible teaches an optimistic view of the future, and if Ian Murray is correct, that what we believe or do not believe upon this subject will have continual influence upon the way in which we live, how should we live? How should we live? Well, three applications as we close. First, beware the Chicken Little Doctrine. Beware the Chicken Little Doctrine that says, the sky is falling, we should give up. And here I want to challenge the older Christians here to be careful that you don't put a stumbling block in front of younger generations. It's always easy to wear rose-colored glasses when you look at the past and then to turn a jaundiced eye toward the future. And you might say something like this. Don't plan for tomorrow. Don't get married. Don't start businesses. Don't have babies. Don't have hope. The sky is falling. You just realize that almost every generation has been saying that for years. And when you have that mindset and you pass it on to someone else in a toxic way, it has a way of zapping motivation, destroying hope, choking joy. It encourages a defeatist and retreatist mindset. It can be a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. Don't polish rafts on a sinking ship. congregation, old and young, wherever you are, beware the chicken little doctrine. Second, Instead, believe the promises. Believe this prophecy. This prophecy of David is a great source of comfort and consolation. Don't lose heart when things look bleak. As one author puts it, this story that God is telling is like a series of victories cleverly disguised as defeats. Again, we interpret our experience with the word, not vice versa. It may not be the way you would do it, But this is God's way of working. Thomas Watson says this, God will go his own way. He will pose in non-plus reason. He will work by improbabilities. He will save in such a way as we think would destroy. Now he acts like himself, like an infinite, wonder-working God. Watson goes on, trust him where you cannot trace him. When you don't know what God's doing, you don't understand what He's up to, when things look bleak, realize this is often God's way of operating. Trust Him or you cannot trace Him. God is most in His way when we think He is most out of the way. This is how God works. You say, what do you mean? Seems like a strange way to work, but this is what he does. How did God conquer the devil and death and the world and sin? He sent his son to live in Galilee, to suffer and to be crucified and to be buried. That's not how we would have planned the victory celebration. But it was through the cross that Jesus defeated the principalities and powers. And the third day, he rose again from the dead. God is most in his way when we would say he's most out of the way. Believe the promises. Believe this prophecy. Third and final application is get to work. Get to work. It's not enough to believe the promises. You have to live in light of them. Yes, Christ prophesies a glorious future, but in the meantime, we've got good work to do. God ordains the ends, and he ordains the means. You want to see a harvest of souls come into the kingdom of God? Well, we best plant the gospel seed. We need to take up the dominion mandate. We need to fulfill the Great Commission. We need to lift up prayers. We need to evangelize the lost. We need to have gospel witness to the world and covenant nurture to our children. As one author puts it, the apocalyptists said, the world is coming to an end. Give up. The biblical prophets said, the world is coming to a beginning. Get to work. There's good work to do. As we close, I want to pull us back to Adoniram Judson. You started with him. Let's close with him. He labored for six years before he saw his first convert. I've been here six years this coming week at Heritage. So just to think back, the amount of time I've been here to labor, to work, to cry, to lose loved ones, and it takes six years before you see someone come to Christ. That would be somewhat discouraging, wouldn't it? But I tell you, when that first convert came to Christ, it was the cloud the size of a man's hand. It was an indication that God was going to do a mighty work, that the reigns of righteousness were coming. And congregation, I want to tell you, For your encouragement, that at the age of 61, Adoniram died. 38 years of ministry. At that point, Burma had 63 Christian churches, 100 national pastors, and 7,000 converts Christ. Praise God. Hallelujah. What a testimony. And that was only the beginning. At his ordination, Adoniram and his companions were told, you are but the precursors of many who shall follow you in this arduous, glorious exercise. For the gospel shall be preached to all nations, and all people shall see the salvation of God. You know what they were talking about? They were talking about you, and they were talking about me. Many more would come after Adoniram and continue and build on his works. We stand on the shoulders of giants. And so let us labor in faith, hope, and love, for the best is yet to come. Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for we shall reap if we faint not. Believe the promises and get to work, because the future is as bright as the promises of God. Amen.