Good morning. And if you will, I'll draw your attention back to God's inspired Word of Revelation chapter 1. We're going to begin reading with verse 12. Through the end of the chapter, we won't read the whole chapter this week because we've read that a couple weeks in a row. The whole chapter will start with verse 12 of Revelation chapter 1. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the lampstands, one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest, the hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, the things that you have seen, those that are, and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Our gracious and heavenly Father, we thank You for this day. We thank You, Lord, for Your grace, for Your mercy, for bringing us back here together to worship You, to go to Your Word, to learn more of You here this morning. Lord, we pray that the Holy Spirit would make His presence known with us this morning and reveal more of Your Son, of Christ Jesus, to us, Lord. His glory, His reigning power, His sovereignty, over the earth and all that's in it, over the heaven and all that's in it. Lord, be with us here this morning. Give us ears to hear. Give us eyes to see. Make our hearts receptive to your word this morning. In your name we pray. Amen. Well, just briefly, let's touch on what we've covered so far. You can always go back and listen to those messages if you have a desire to. But a few weeks ago, we began looking at Revelation and how the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It may touch on several other things. It may be relatable in several other areas. But in essence, this inspired, God-breathed word that's given to us is a book that reveals Jesus Christ to us. It reveals Jesus Christ and His role in all things, His rule over all things, and His just and righteous conquering of His enemies in the end. When we looked at who wrote Revelation last week, we saw that it was written by John, and where it was written from, the Isle of Patmos, and this vision that John had when he turned to see the voice that spoke to him. And when John sees, I think where we left off last week, or the week before last, when we last looked at this, was that when he turns to see this voice, he sees Christ. Not others, not those who had gone before Him. He sees Christ Jesus. Well, we'll now turn to the rest of the chapter. We'll be dealing basically with verses 13 through 20. If the Lord allows here this morning, we hope to get through this and then move on to the letters to the seven churches and deal with those. But when John turns, he sees in the midst of these seven lampstands, which we read later on and which we know are the mystery of this is revealed to us by Christ himself at the end of chapter one to be the seven churches. So he describes though this one, if we look at verse 13, and in the midst of the lampstands, there was one like a son of man. John is referencing an Old Testament prophecy of one who comes like a son of man. This is a reference not to a man in his human nature, but a man who is divine, like a son of man. This is a reference to the Messiah's divinity, that he's not just mere flesh, but that it's also God of very gods. Everywhere else that I can find in a very short cursory look at this, in scripture that deals with the term son of man, it refers to a son of man. I'd love to really dig into this sometime, but we don't have time here this morning. But for instance, if we look at Ezekiel 2, Ezekiel has a vision and Christ is speaking to him in this vision and he said to me, son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you. Now this son of man is Ezekiel himself. In Ezekiel 6 verse 2, we read, Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. Christ is giving a command to Ezekiel who he calls Son of man. Numbers 23, 19, God is not man that he should lie or a son of man that he should change his mind. He has said and will he not do it or he has spoken and will he not fulfill it or bring it to pass. Here we see that God in this verse from Numbers is not a son of man. That can be a little confusing and a little interesting when we look at this and we see that John here looks to see that voice and he sees Christ and he says he sees one like a son of man. But we also know that the word of God is not at odds with itself. So what we have here, God indeed is not a son of man. He is like the son of man. Let's turn back to a chapter in Daniel we read from a few weeks ago. I believe Dad read this for us in our congregational reading. Daniel chapter 7 verses 9 through 14. Let's just read this passage because this really has a lot to do with what we're looking at here. Get to the right chapter. Daniel 7. Verse 9-14, As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing, now think about what we've already read, we'll get back to this a little bit. But his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him. A thousand thousands served him and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The court sat in judgment and the books were opened. I looked then because of the sound of the great words. that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and was given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. Now listen, and I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man. And He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him, and to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away in His kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed." Who else can this be talking about here but the Messiah? And John says in Revelation 1 that he saw one like a son of man. Turn with me to Philippians 2. Philippians 2, beginning with verse 5. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he, that's Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man. and being found in human form, he humbled himself to become obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He came in the likeness of men. He was like a son of man. Do you see that? Verse 7-8 tells us that what it is that John saw, he saw the one who was born in the likeness of men being found in human form. Though he was truly man, he was also truly God. Recall the transfiguration, if you will. Christ, who was truly man, was also truly God. He was something different altogether than those three other men who were on that mountain with him. Peter, James, and John. John, the author that is writing these words that are inspired by God for us to hear. He was truly man, He was truly God, but something more, something like a Son of Man. Christ was like a Son of Man, born of the Virgin Mary, born of the Holy Spirit, He was God who became flesh. John saw Jesus Christ as one like a Son of Man. This is a divine title. And it is the one in which we saw Daniel in his vision saw seated on the throne and who is worshipped by the multitudes. Well, how was this one who was like a son of man clothed? We see back in our text in Revelation 1, verse 13, he was clothed in a long robe with a golden sash around his chest. So he was clothed with a garment that went all the way down to his feet. This is the robe that we see this one like a son of man wearing that is reminiscent or goes back to the Old Testament where the priest and the high priest was clothed in a robe. And this is a robe of a priest in reference to Christ's righteousness and his honor. Is not Christ our great High Priest, who has perfect access to God the Father, who still lives to make intercession and bring us to the Father? Think what the job of the priest was in the Old Testament. It was to be a mediator. between God and man, because man had no way in their sin to approach the holiness of Almighty God. He could not enter into the Holy of Holies, but Christ entered into the Holy of Holies once for us and has opened that wide for us in Him. He is our High Priest. And we see him clothed in the garment of the high priest right here in Revelation. And he has a golden sash around his chest. This is the golden sash that was pictured in the Old Testament for us that the high priest would wear when engaged in his duties. Some believe that this is a reference to the breastplate, which if you recall back in the Old Testament, where the 12 tribes of Israel were placed on this golden sash, this sash that was worn, this breastplate. and he would be bringing the 12 tribes of Israel into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for sins. So we have one like a son of man, Christ Jesus himself, who is presented to John in this vision as wearing this white robe, this robe that flows down to his feet with a golden sash, and the hairs of his head were white like wool and like snow. This denotes for us the purity of Christ, the holiness of Christ, the righteousness of Christ. When the lamb was taken to be offered as a sacrifice, what was the lamb to be? Without spot, right? Pure. This is Christ. He is our great sacrifice. The only acceptable sacrifice to God the Father for our sins. Well, and we read that his eyes in verse 14, his eyes were like a flame of fire. The eyes of one who sees all. Nothing is hidden. Nothing is out of sight. They are like a flame of fire piercing through the mind and the heart to the very thoughts and desires of men. These are the eyes of one who judges in truth and righteousness, burning through all that would seek to hide their sin in the recesses of their heart and their mind. Our sins are not always on display for people around us. A lot of these sins we hide, we try and mask, even from those who are closest to us and those who know us best. But Christ sees, does He not? He is all-knowing, He is omniscient. Think about in Genesis 6 verse 5, where God looks down upon man before the flood, and what does he see? What does he see? He sees that the very, even the intentions, not just the outward acts, but the intentions of the heart of man was only evil continually. Nothing is hidden from this one who has eyes that were like a flame of fire His feet we read next his feet were like burnished bronze These are the feet of one who is a conqueror Treading the earth with his power and subduing and making all of his enemies a footstool He is one who is and will bring all into subjection under Him. And then we read that His voice was like the roar of many waters. Voice like the roar of many waters. The power contained in that which comes forth from the lips of Christ. The power of creation issued forth from His words, did it not? The power to resurrect. Did he not have the power to call Lazarus forth from the tomb? Did he not? The power to tell a lame man to take up his bed and walk. There's power in this word. This voice that roars with the sound of many waters. The power to calm a storm by saying, peace be still. Here is the power of His Word, the power, the roaring of His voice, like the power of many waters. I can see John sitting on that small island of Patmos. And I remember when Beth and I were up in New Hampshire, actually Maine, we went to see a lighthouse. and the roar of those waters hitting the rocks on that coast. I've never been on that side, on the northeast side, where there's a rocky coast. And to see and hear those waters hit those rocks was amazing. It kind of reminded me about when we went to Niagara Falls years ago, and we went over to the Canadian side, and to hear the roar of that water as it went flying right over the edge of that cliff and thundered down into the water below, that is a roar. And it is powerful. And that's what we see here in John's vision of Jesus Christ. His voice was like the roar of many waters. And in his right hand, we're told, he held seven stars. We find in the next few verses that these stars are the seven angels of the seven churches in his right hand. the hand that is symbolic of the power and might of God Himself. His powerful right hand. These are His messengers, His pastors, those who are given to be under shepherds over Christ's own flock, over Christ's church until His return. Many, when you study this passage, many think that this may have reference to guardian angels over the churches. And I don't think there's any doubt that God has a host of heaven, including angels to call upon to use as a means for accomplishing his purpose and for the purpose of worship directed towards himself. But I don't believe that that's what this is in reference to here. And there are some reasons for that, and I think that we will try and touch on those reasons as we go through the letters to the seven churches later. But those are also addressed to the angels of the churches. And there are some things that we'll deal with there. I believe that this is the messengers or the pastors that God has placed into the position of being an under-shepherd for His flock. for feeding and ministering to those who sit under the Word in His churches. But the picture here is of Christ Himself holding these messengers up. They are uplifted by Him. They are held by Him. They're not held up by their own power. They're not put into place by their own power. But it's His power and for His purpose. This goes right along with the seven lampstands that He is in the midst of. Think about this. He holds the ministers. who are the messengers to these lampstands, these churches, that he is continually in the midst of. He is upholding his ministers, and he is there doing the priestly work of keeping those lamps trimmed. He is pouring his oil into those lamps. He is giving his ministers to perform his purpose in and amongst the earthly lampstands, the churches. God is in the very midst of His church. He has not left us on our own. He is in the midst of us, wherever they are. These seven churches that make up the completeness, the fullness of God's church. Everywhere. China, He's in the midst of them. He knows what is occurring with the church in China, the church in Ukraine, the church in Russia, the church in Indonesia, the church in the United States, the church in Canada. God is in the midst. Christ is in the midst. He purchased these churches that are made up of his people with his own blood. And he continually ministers to them by pouring the spirit into the church and holding up his ministers as they proclaim the word. Does that not give you hope? Does that not give you joy to know that no matter what we're going through here, no matter what the church in China is going through, and ministers being thrown into prison, that's not any different than what was occurring in these letters to the seven churches. And Christ is in their midst, holding up those who proclaim the Word of God and giving His Spirit to His people in great measure to endure and to preach and to testify and point others toward Him so that they may see Him as we seek to see Him here this morning through His Word. From His mouth came a two-edged sword." How piercing and how powerful is that which comes from the mouth of Jesus Christ, His Word. Hebrews 4.12 says the Word of God is living. The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Ephesians 6, we read this week before last, I believe. Ephesians 6, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is what? It's the Word of God. It's this what John sees as if it is, this two-edged sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus Christ in heaven. While he is in the midst of his churches, his word is going out. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 8. And listen, this is a beautiful piece of scripture right here. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus, listen, will kill with the breath of his mouth. His Word, and He's going to bring that to nothing by the appearance of His coming. There is power in Christ's Word. Looking ahead, Get a little bit of a sneak peek at one of the letters to the churches in Revelation 2 verse 16. He says, Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. What does he war with them with? It's his word. It's his word. Revelation 19.15 says, "...from His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty." But it's from His mouth that comes a sharp sword which will strike them down. It's His Word that conquers. Let's take it aside for just a moment. We cannot fight this world with our own words and our own power. What is our first reaction when somebody does something we don't like or we don't like the way things are going? Well, we've got to work for this and we've got to find some way to change the course of society. But we can't do this with our power. We can't do this with our words. We don't have any weapons that are of our own to fight these battles. We can't fight sin and evil with physical weapons. No matter how much I stock up, I can't fight him with those weapons. His tongue, his word, his sword that comes out of his mouth is depicted here in Revelation. This Bible right here. this weapon that we have, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, that he himself has given to us to employ in this battle against the schemes of the devil that Ephesians 6 tells us about, against the rulers and the authorities and the cosmic powers, the present darkness and the spiritual forces of evil in this world. We fight them with the Word of God. If you want to see our society change, proclaim the Word of God, because that's the only thing that will truly change it. That's what happened in the Great Awakening, is it not? That's what's happened every time there is true revival in a community. True and lasting revival is brought about by the Word of God and the Word of God alone. In Him, the Spirit working through and proclaiming the Word through those who would stand and proclaim it to others. It's His Word. We will never overcome this evil with social reform. You can't do it. We will never overcome our political, our social, justice disparities, income disparities, racial disparities. None of that is going to be overcome by societal reform. There has to be a heart change. And the only way that there's heart change is when the word of God in its power quickens the center. That's it. That's the only thing that will change the course of the United States, the course of China, the course of Ukraine, Russia, anywhere on this globe. The only thing that is going to bring about true change is the Word of God in its power, quickening the heart of cold, dead, sinful individuals. That's it. And in the end, it is by, through, and of His Word that He will conquer. Well, His face, it shines as the sun shining in full strength. What a beautiful picture. Beautiful picture. This is a reminder of what I'm sure to John he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 17 we find that, and he was transfigured before them, the scripture tells us, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. This is like the sun shining in full strength where no darkness can exist. Light dispels darkness. And here we have John seeing Jesus Christ with His face shining like the brightest of all lights. There is no lamp, there is no light which can shine with such intensity and where no darkness can overcome it. I want you to see something this morning. in this passage that we've gotten to so far, this description of what John saw, not saw Jesus looking like physically, but an appearance of what Jesus is, what he is like. If we turn to Daniel 10, so let's go back to Daniel, Daniel chapter 10, And we'll begin in verse 1. And I want you to see the similarities here in the description of the likeness of Christ. We're going to be reading through verse 9. In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word, and he understood and he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all for the full three weeks. On the 24th day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river that is the Tigris, I lifted up my eyes and looked and behold, a man clothed in linen with a belt of fine gold from Euphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude." And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision. But a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me." My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. Then I heard the sound of His words, and as I heard the sound of His words, I fell on my face in deep sleep, and my face to the ground." Do you see the similarities here? Between what Daniel saw of this prophetic vision of the coming Messiah? and what John sees of Jesus Christ. It's as if John is telling us the prophecy of Daniel, the vision that Daniel had, I'm telling you who that is. It's Jesus. I've been given the same vision of the Messiah as Daniel had, and I'm giving you his name. It's Jesus Christ. And what's more, I've been given instructions to tell you this, to reveal, what is revelation? It's the revelation of Jesus Christ. I've been given instructions to write these things down so that you may know. He's saying, listen up, there's also blessings attached to this. Did we not read that earlier in Revelation 1 from our first message in this look at Revelation? There's a blessing on those who read and on those who hear and those who keep what is written for the time is near. Revelation 1 verse 3 is where we find that. Don't miss this because this is consolation to your weary soul. It is hope for your heart as you face tribulation and trial. It is peace in the midst of misery. To know that this one is Jesus Christ. This is Jesus Christ and He is the one who was prophesied from of old. from the beginning in Genesis, the seed of the woman. And here He is revealed to you in His fullness, the revelation of Jesus Christ. Well, verse 17 of Revelation 1, John says, When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. This is the natural reaction to seeing Christ in His glory. Back in Daniel 10, verse 9, what did He say? He said, then I heard the sound of His words, and as I heard the sound of His words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. He fell as though dead. Isaiah 6, we've read this passage numerous times. As the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of Him who called, power in the voice, right? The roar as of many waters. The house was filled with smoke, and I said, Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Isaiah said, I was undone. I was unraveled. Everything that's inside me just gone. Job 42 verse 5 through 6, Job said, I heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you. Therefore, what? I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Ezekiel, Ezekiel 1 verse 28, Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of the rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around when Ezekiel had this vision. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Matthew 17. the transfiguration. He was still speaking when behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. And when those three disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. Luke 5, the occasion where they were out fishing all night and not caught anything, the disciples. Simon answered, Master, we toiled all night and took nothing, but at your word I will let down the nets. And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both their boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. This is what happens when sinful man comes face to face with the holiness of God. They fear and they fall to the ground in shame of the deadness, the sinfulness that is in their hearts in light of the glory of God before them. They're overcome with guiltiness and the vileness of their own sinful nature and condition, and they cannot stand before a holy God on their own merit. They are nothing, but He is all righteousness, holiness, purity. It is a terrifying thought to stand in your own sin before Christ Jesus. But words of comfort are coming. John fell at His feet as dead, but He laid His right hand on me, saying, Fear not." What joy these words must have been to John. John who knew his own heart, even the Apostle John. We a lot of times will look at a man like John or Paul and think, oh, how sanctified they are. Paul said he was what? A chief of sinners. He knew his own heart. He knew that if he was to stand in judgment without the substitution of his Savior, he would be sent to hell for eternity. But Christ laid his hand on John and told him not to fear. It's as if Christ tells John, you are mine. You are the one I hold in my powerful right hand. And I've purchased you with my own blood. Don't fear. There's something more here to quell your fears. He says, fear not. What? I am the first and the last. I'm the alpha to the omega. I'm the A to the Z. I'm the beginning and the end. I'm the first, I'm the last, and I'm everything in between. I'm the beginning, I'm the present, and I'm from this point to the future, I'm eternal. This is Jesus Christ. I've always been and I always will be. I always am. I'm the great I am. And then he says, I'm the living one. I died, and behold, I'm alive, and I'm not just alive. I'm alive forevermore. I always have been. I became flesh, and I did this for those who the Father gave me, that I might redeem them with my own blood. But I've also overcome death. and I'm alive. I conquered sin and death." And not only that, but Christ then says, and I have the keys of death and Hades. He's saying, I hold the keys to the state of death and to the abode of the dead. I'm the one who is able to unlock the doors that give access to my kingdom, to my possessions, and my inheritance. And I hold the keys to give access to whomever I please and whomever the Father gave me. No one else has conquered death. No one else is the living one. Jesus says that He holds the power. He holds the authority. He holds the keys. Is there anything else that can give comfort to a man who sees themselves as dead? Think about this. To know that there is one who holds the power over that very death that they feel. One who is victorious over that which they fear. Victorious over sin and the power of sin which is death. Is there anything more comforting to the seven churches that he's about to write to who are in the midst of tribulation? Anything more comforting to the church today who is in the midst of tribulation? If we could just read this over and over and memorize this, and every time we feel the trials and tribulations of sin, the world, that we could read this, fear not. Fear not. I've got it all, is what Christ is saying. Is it any wonder in verse 19 that John says then, or he's told, write therefore the things which you have seen. Those that are and those that are to take place after this. These are the greatest words of comfort that we'll ever find. The depiction of what Christ is and the power that he holds. If we don't have these words written to us, if these seven churches in the next couple chapters don't have these words as the foundation for what they're about to hear, they despair. They despair. We never get off our face as a dead man. we would never have fear not for I am." Well, and at the end of the chapter, he tells the mystery of the seven lampstands and the seven stars. This is the foundation that we've looked at over these three messages of the rest of Revelation. This is the foundation of that which he's going to write to the churches throughout that postal route that we talked about earlier. And the instructions in each one of these, there is a beauty even in the structure of these letters to the seven churches. But in each one of these letters, it begins by pointing back to something that we read about Christ and how He is shown to John in chapter one. For instance, in chapter two, to the angel of the church in Ephesus write the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. There is comfort that is being given to the churches by pointing back to the way that the Lord Jesus showed himself to the apostle John. And this is in reality the foundation for all eternity. It's Christ. He is our foundation. He's represented here in this first chapter, and especially verses 13 through 16. He's presented to us in His threefold office of prophet, priest, and king. He is the prophet who speaks His Word to us with the roar of many waters and with a two-edged sword coming forth from his mouth. He is a priest who is clothed in purity, holiness, righteousness, making intercession for us in his priestly robe. And he is a conquering king who shines in full strength like that of the sun and subduing his enemies under his feet with the feet of burnished bronze. Do you see Him? Have you fallen at His feet like John did, having seen your sin in light of His holiness?" One of my favorite pastors used to say, Martin Lloyd-Jones, Over and over again in his messages, there seems to be this resounding statement that he makes, calling his people to understand that you and I are going to die. You can't escape it. You've got to die. I've got to die. Grace's dad, used to say that the old must die and the young may die. But all of us are going to die. Short of the Lord coming back before, we're going to die. It's a terrible thing to fall at His feet too late. And I hope you understand what I mean by that. If we don't fall at his feet and see ourselves as dead here, we're going to experience that which was read about earlier, the second death. But for those who have repented for those who Christ has brought to a knowledge of themselves and their sin, and the Holy Spirit has quickened them to understand their need, and that fall at His feet in recognition of our inability, our unmerit, that we have nothing but sin, to bring before him, and then to hear, fear not. Fear not. I'm the first and the last. I'm the one who holds the keys. Hear my words. As we read later in Revelation, come, come to me. It's given to men once to die, and after that, the judgment. Remember the verse that we read back in Revelation 17, verse 14, in our very first message on this, that says, They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful. You see, there's only two options. There's only two two end results when this time comes. There are gonna be those who are with Him, and they're called, chosen, and faithful. And then there's gonna be those who are placed under His feet. There's only two options. This Christ, this victorious King, this perfect high priest, this prophet whose words roar with the sound of many waters. As we go further into Revelation, the next two chapters, we're going to see that he has something to say to his church. His own words that he gives to them. He has something to say to his churches. And as we'll read seven times over in the next two chapters, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Hear what he says. Hear the way that John points to him. That John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and this vision that was given to him in the Spirit, as he was worshiping on the Lord's day, how he shows us Jesus Christ. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Gracious Lord and Heavenly Father, we would see Christ here this morning. Lord, give us a understanding of our need. Give us a heart that is in sorrow over our sin. Lord, give us a sight of the Savior that we've never had. Lord, show us more of Christ. Lord, let us come with thankful hearts for what He has done. Lord, for what He is doing. Lord, let us understand His mercy and His grace in taking on the form of human flesh and coming, Lord, and dying on a cross for us when we didn't deserve anything but death. Pray that we would meditate on these things that we've heard and seen in the word throughout this week. Draw us closer together and closer to you. And Lord, give us opportunity to speak of your grace and your mercy. Lord, help us to point others toward this one that we read about this morning. In your name we pray, amen.