Let us then return to that portion of Scripture from Revelation chapter 22. We want to focus upon this chapter, maybe verse 10, may well be regarded as our text. Revelation chapter 22 verse 10 which reads, And he saith unto me, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He saith unto me, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. Our meditation, I want to call it this evening, is Christ the victor. Christ the victor. I have three brief headings that I wish to draw to your attention tonight, and I trust they shall be for your edification. And as always, we would look to the Lord's blessing that he might help preacher and hearer alike. The first thing that I want to highlight with you is that you might find this book a difficult book. Many people do. Many people read it and they find it a difficult book. Well, we would all hold our hands up here and we would agree with you. This is a difficult book. It's a book of prophecy, primarily. And prophecy is one of the genres of Scripture. And you would not go to a book of prophecy the same way as you would treat a Gospel narrative or an Old Testament narrative. There are different rules of interpretation. There are some people who would like to maintain that you must take everything in the Bible literally. Well, that's a good starting point, but you must also look at the context. You must also look at the genre. This is prophetic writings, and there are various ways to interpret things. And therefore we wouldn't, for instance, look at a book like this and interpret all that we see there absolutely literally. Well, tonight I have no desire to add to your or my confusion over this book. We know it's difficult. A fine theological scholar like the French reformer John Calvin, who I believe probably wrote a commentary on every book in the Bible, didn't write a commentary on the book of Revelation. He did not understand it. And that's in no sense a disgrace to him. He recognized that he couldn't understand it. Well, if we don't understand the book, or if we find the book difficult to understand, and the things that we read in it difficult to put into perspective, I put it to you, the message that this book gives is absolutely crystal clear. If we take the book in its totality, it is telling us about the sure and certain victory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The final, total, complete victory of Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the Son of God, who became the Son of Man. That One who was crucified on Calvary's tree, but who rose again, and who has now ascended into heaven, awaiting that day when He shall return. It's telling us, ultimately, about His victory. He will overcome all his and all our enemies. And this book is telling us how he will do it. We might not be able to understand the details. They may well be well beyond us. That may well be the case. But friends, the message is clear. And it was a message that the church needed to receive around AD 90 when this book was written. It was a message they needed to receive because times were exceedingly difficult for the cause of Christ. And this book was written to John the Apostle, the one who loved the Lord Jesus Christ and the one whom Christ loved. He had been banished to the Isle of Patmos because of persecution, because of his stand for Jesus Christ. And he was an old man at this time. There he was in this poor, desperate island, away from the church, away from his people, away from any encouragement. and he was on the Spirit in the Lord's day and he receives this wonderful revelation and it's written down here for our edification that we might also be ones who would be encouraged and that we might look past current events and we would not get taken up indeed with current events but instead that we might focus upon this ultimate fact that this book brings to our attention the Lord Jesus Christ reigns and he shall be seen to reign every eye shall see him one day and therefore even although it may well be a difficult book. Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Seal them not. They have been given to the church. We are to proclaim them. We might not be able to mark out all the different things in the book. We might not be able to reconcile them. That's not the point. But the principles, the lessons that we find in this book, we are to declare. It is for the Church of the Lord Jesus that we might be encouraged in these days, in these difficult days that we find ourselves in. So the very fact that it's a difficult book, we should not turn away from it. Whether we be in the pulpit or whether we be in the pew, we are to read it. It's all part of Scripture. If we didn't have this book, we wouldn't have all Scripture. We would be, in some sense, deficient. But God, in his wisdom, has given us this book and he has preserved it for us. And ultimately, it is for his glory and for our edification. Well the second thing we would notice that this book is a practical book. Now that might seem strange, a book of prophecy, and we acknowledge there are too many people who would read a book like this, and portions of Scripture that we find in Daniel and Zechariah, and maybe the Olivet Discourse that we read of in the Gospels, Matthew chapter 24 and 25, and their counterparts in Mark and Luke. And they might look at these books, and they might study these books, and what do they try to do? They try to go through history, or they try to reconcile current events with what they see and read in the scriptures, and they try to align certain things in the scriptures with events in the past or events in the future, or current events. And they're all taken up with these kind of things. And they study these things, the prophetic things, they study them in order that they might feed their curiosity. And there's one way of filling a church. And there's one way of organizing a conference. You organize a conference around about prophecy and you'll find many people will come out of the woodwork. They love to hear what's going on as they see it. They love to see and get things in perspective. They love to be able to know what's going to happen in the future. and therefore they're really taken up with this. But do you know friends that first and foremost this was a book that was to be practically outworked in their lives. The early church were not powerful. They were despised. They were rejected. They needed this encouragement and This book is to tell them how they are to live their lives in whatever situation that they might find themselves in. We didn't read it, but no doubt you've read it on other occasions. The opening verse of chapter one of this book. It's worth quoting, for it's apt for our attention at this time. Chapter one, verse one. The revelation of Jesus Christ. The revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is being revealed in this book. People are taken up with events and characters. Well there's one person that's ultimately revealed. It's a revelation of Jesus Christ. It's a revelation of what he has been doing and is doing and will do until that day when he calls time upon time itself. It's what Jesus Christ is doing and of course that surely must be interesting for the people of God. We want to know what Jesus Christ is doing. Well you'll find it out here because this book reveals his work, how he has gone about ultimately to take the earth back and to restore it to its pristine glory and indeed we might say even to enhance it to a greater state than it ever was. the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Now there's a difficult statement for us. We're inclined to think that all of these things that were written here in AD 90 were to happen in the future. Well, that may well be the case. But the principles, the principles that we derive from these things were to feed and they were to encourage the early first century Christians. This wasn't just a book that was to be written for the 21st century or the 31st century. The Lord Jesus Christ was feeding his own particular church way back in the first century. And therefore, this is a practical book for them, and it's a practical book for us today, in order that we might live out our Christian life in a Christ-honoring and God-glorifying manner. Again, if we refer to the first chapter and verse three, Here's something practical. There's a benediction. There's a beatitude here. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand. If you have read this book, you have received a blessing. If you've heard it read, you have received a blessing. If you hear these words, you have received a blessing. And if you keep these things which are written therein, you have received a blessing. And that would tell us, therefore, it's not just idle speculation. It's not just for our mind. It is for our practical outworking. It is for us, when we go out of here and we hit the first day of the working week on Monday, when we go to our factories, our offices, our schools, our shops, or whatever, that we take this message with us, we take the truths of the Christian gospel with us, and that we live our lives in a practical manner that reveals whose we are, and who we serve. Verse 7 for instance, Behold I come quickly, blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. We would go back and we would think for a moment on chapters 2 and chapter 3, What happened there? Well, the Lord Jesus Christ addressed seven churches in Asia Minor. He was in amongst the congregations. He assessed them. He assessed the pastor. He assessed the office bearers. He assessed the members and the hearers. And he was able to give his report. Some people don't like to be reported upon. I can remember my days in school. I didn't always like to get the report card. It had to go home. My mom and my dad would have to sign it to say that they saw the report card. How well he was doing or was not doing. Well the Lord Jesus Christ, there in these chapters we've mentioned, goes to these churches, looks at them, assesses them, to see whether they've got spiritual life in them or not. And two were found to be relatively good, five were not. and he would give them exhortations. And these exhortations they were to put in place. They were to repent. They were to turn away from false doctrine. They were to be real Christians. And of course there are many many other exhortations in this book. Not to think that it's taken up with images of the false prophet and the beast, things that are difficult for us to understand. It is eminently practical. Because the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of the situation in the world round about us, we have to live there. But regardless of it, he would have us to walk closely with him. He would have us to be obedient unto Him. He would have us, and we don't say this lightly, He would have us to be faithful unto death. For we know not what lies ahead of us. We know not what challenges will come upon us. But that's what He would have. And we could think of those poor people in Nigeria at this time. They take upon themselves the name of Christ. And members of a false religion are putting them to death because of their allegiance to Christ. We hope and pray this would not be our experience, but it was in former generations. And the Lord would have us to be faithful even unto death. What a thought! Could you manage it? Could I manage it? We don't want to be tested, do we? We don't know. But this book would seek to encourage us to maintain our testimony, regardless of what might befall us in the providence of God. Well, the third thing I want us to notice, friends, it's a solemn book. And this is a solemn chapter. Why is it solemn? It's the book of the end. Look at verse 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. The last Amen in the Bible. So let it be. When we come to this point in the book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus Christ has returned. In chapter 20, the great day of judgment has taken place. The devil has gone to the place that has been prepared for him and for his angels. There has been a great separation. Those who are without Christ Go with the devil and his angels, there they will be in the lake of fire forever and forever. Revelation 21 talks about the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. That's the church. A perfect, spotless bride coming down from heaven. And now we have, in this chapter here, the end. It's the end of the Day of Grace. Yes, we're told here that verse 17, the Spirit and the Bride say, come, here we have the last Gospel invitation, a full and free invitation, the last one in the whole of the Bible. Does that not, in some sense, cause us to wonder, to ponder, to think, to meditate? All of this is going to come to an end one day. Coming together in the house of God on the Lord's Day and to hear God's Word read and proclaimed, to offer up praises and prayers to the throne of grace, for ministers to plead with their congregations that they might be drawn to the Lord Jesus, that they would lay hold on Him. that they might touch even the very hem of his garment, that they might come to him by faith and know indeed that their sins are forgiven. All of these things are going to come to an end one day. There'll be no more gospel preaching. There'll be no more prayer. There'll be no more opening the Word of God and pleading with men and women and boys and girls to come to the Lord Jesus. It's all going to come to an end. We're going to go into the eternal state. Is it not sad, friends, that here we have the end of God's revelation to mankind? This is God's final word to mankind. Here the Bible ends. The end. No more. No more word from heaven. It reminds us, does it not, when we go back to Genesis, My spirit will not always strive with man. God had been striving with mankind before the times of the flood. But there was going to come to an end of it. God is patient. Let's be clear. He is gracious. He is long-suffering. Far more long-suffering than any of us are. He waits for generations for some people. But the goodness of God is to lead us to repentance. That's what it's there for. And all of us have experienced and know the goodness of God. Well, what's the purpose of it? Why is God being good to you? He's being good to you that it might lead you to repentance. But one day His patience, we're not going to say for one moment it will snap. No. God is not like us, but one day the day of grace shall be over. Here we are tonight and we firmly believe this is the day of grace. What does that mean? Well for each individual person it would not be wrong to say that our day of grace begins at conception and ends when we draw our last breath, should we have a deathbed experience. You might question, what about, how can it possibly be from the time of conception? Well, do we not read in the Word of God that John the Baptist, when he was in the womb, he leapt when he heard the good news about the Savior? Well, we can debate, we can think over these things, but basically, friends, the Day of Grace extends from the time that we're in this world to the time that we enter out of it. But in actual fact, on a practical level, Our day of grace might be a lot shorter than that. We cannot limit God. We don't in any sense. He is sovereign. But most people are converted in their younger days. Oh, we know there are exceptions and we rejoice because of that. But most people are converted in their younger years. We know that it is more difficult from a human perspective to embrace Christ in a saving manner when we get older. That's why we often quote the words of King Solomon, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not Nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Now what are these evil days? Are these evil days of sin and debauchery? No. These evil days are the days of old age which come upon us, all of us. And why are they evil days? Well, they're evil days in the sense that We don't have the energy that we once knew when we were 20 or 30. Usually our minds are not so sharp as they were, our memories not so good. We tend to use more of our energy to do the normal everyday things of life that we must do in order to survive. The older you get, It's more difficult even to put your clothes on. Little things like that. These are the evil days. Eyesight fails. Health fails. To live at all requires far more effort than ever it did. These are the evil days. Well friends, God is sovereign and God can do wonderful things, but we should not in any sense tempt him. Today is the day of salvation. Now. Now is the accepted time. Now when he's calling. Now when he's near. This is a day of grace. Now when the gospel's being proclaimed. Now while our lives are before us when we're not so entrenched in sin and this is one of the effects of old age for the longer we live in sin the harder it is to turn our backs upon sin. Whereas if we have not really made our way in the world Our sin is not so entrenched. It does not have the same grip upon us that it does the longer we leave it. Now of course we're not going to deny or in any sense exclude the sovereignty of God or the power of God. We're not going to say that for one moment because we know of people in their older years who have been wonderfully and gloriously transformed and changed. But we're just telling you what is normal. And old age in the Bible is regarded as difficult times. And therefore, that's why we're urged to make our calling and election sure even now. Well, this book is a book of the end. And we come to the end of the book. And when in glory we will see that this world has been somewhat of a stage, a performance stage, and where God has been performing one glorious mighty act. And what is that act? Well, it's the great plan of redemption We know that he has creation, then the crucifixion, and then the consummation. These are the three great events in God's calendar, if you like. And all these events and all that lead up to them are all played out upon the earth. Everything is happening. It's all part of God's plan. and we will see the consummation of it when Christ Jesus returns. And we will marvel when we see how everything fitted together. Many people might be thinking even today that because of what is happening in the Middle East They might be telling us it's historical times and many people are saying well is this the time now? Is Jesus going to come back? Well of course the answer to that is Jesus is going to come back. When? Well we have no idea. We do not know. We know there are several signs that must be accomplished before he comes back. Some might say these have arrived and therefore well maybe we're on the brink of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well I hope whatever you take from this sermon tonight, I hope you do not think that the minister is telling you that Jesus is going to return soon because of what we see in the Middle East. I've never said that. We don't know. It could be. Because what we see happening in the Middle East, we do believe things like that will precede the coming of the Lord Jesus. We know that Jews will be instrumental in God's plan of redemption. He has a purpose. He has a plan for them and that plan shall be fulfilled. We don't know these things, but we know one day this world as we can see it and as we've lived all our lives in will finally be wound up. There shall be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. And we will be able to see and understand and marvel at the great plan of redemption that God is performing right before our very eyes. We feature in it to a very small extent, but one day we'll be able to stand back and we'll get the panoramic view and it will cause us to wonder and to glory at the greatness of this God who has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. Well friends, are you ready for that day? Are you ready for the end? Do you think it will happen? Are you one of the scoffers that are mentioned in 2 Peter? Where is his coming? And all that his coming entails judgment, the resurrection, the new heaven and the new earth. Where is it? They say, nothing's changed for thousands of years. They don't realize that that's not the case at all. Because since the time of creation, things have changed and things will change again when this present world will be destroyed, not by a flood, but by fire. And not by the fire of a nuclear bomb, but the fire of God. There's going to be an end. Are we ready? And at that end, we will see Christ victorious. We will see Him in all His glory, in all His splendor. It will be absolutely magnificent. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. And may God be pleased to bless his word to us. Let us pray together.