Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

An audio podcast is available at http://www.annalongpc.org/podcasts.

In this sermon from Revelation 20 we come to one of the most theologically debated texts of Revelation. The thousand years, or millennium, has caused faithful Christians to think deeply about its meaning with three main approaches to it: premillennialism, postmillennialism and Amillennialism. Those to hold to one of these do so with great conviction. This sermon will approach the text differently and rather than presenting one position will attempt to focus on the main threads that unite them.

All perspectives agree that Satan's power is restrained, Christ reigns with His people and evil has an appointed end. This is the good news we are to look to as we see Satan defeated and join with the chorus of heaven in declaring hallelujah for the victory of Christ.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/ZiT77WycNXY.

Turning to the second half of chapter 19 of Revelation John sees heaven opened and a white horse coming towards him. Here he is seeing a sovereign ruler coming to judge righteously the wicked and rebellious of the world. He comes to vindicate the dead of the martyrs, his people, and leads the army of his people in victory over evil.

As the scene unfolds we see the destruction of the beast and the false prophet, who no longer can deceive the world with their lies and face the punishment they deserve. They don't give up without a fight, but it is futile as Christ is the victor.

This is what gives us hope as we read this section. Jesus is coming again and will conquer his enemies meaning that we, the people of God, can rejoice for all eternity in his victory.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/9i4qfTlkhOU.

Reading through Revelation there are many things that can be confusing or disturbing because we don't live in the same century as John, who received this vision. But as we come to chapter 19 there is absolute certainty that we can understand what is going on and how it applies to the redeemed of God and their future reality. As the world watches on at the destruction of Babylon, representing the world that has rebelled against God, the people of God in heaven rejoice at her destruction. Now they see that it is truly finished.

Before them is set the wedding feast of the lamb, as the church is made ready by God to enjoy his goodness and fulness forever. This chapter presents us with the everlasting praise of heaven and teaches us that we must worship God appropriately here and now. As Psalm 96:9 tells us,

Worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness; temple before him, all the earth!

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/Ak9PbUiOzZQ.

Chapter 18 gives us the final destruction of Babylon, representing all the adulterous cities of the world. As she faces her punishment those who loved her, benefited from her, and misled the people within her stand back in sadness and grief as she burns. They are not sad for the punishment but for what they will lose by her punishment.

The warning for us today is to not fall in love with the world. Rather than be sad at her destruction we are to understand it as the moment when we eagerly wait for the return of the Lord.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermon.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/7KZN0RUIyi4.

Reading Revelation can seem as if it is all doom and gloom, but at the start of chapter 18 we hear wonderful news that the persecutor and deceiver of the church, the great prostitute Babylon, faces the punishment she deserves for her evil and sin. Babylon is presented to John as the world and its cities that have lived in luxury with not a care for the things of God and eternal salvation.

John is given a warning to the church that she must come out of Babylon so as not to be influenced and tainted by her sin. This is not a separatist approach where there is no interaction, for Babylon still needs to hear the good news of the gospel and salvation. Rather, the church is to be on its guard against the attacks of the devil through the actions of the great city.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/Le13ygWdyx8.

Turning to chapter 17 we come to some images that John is given that are not easy for us to understand. The language is from John's time and he would have had no issue in interpreting it. For us, however, we need to understand what Revelation is saying to our generation as it has to every generation.

John is given an image of the great prostitute, Babylon, and the Beast. John sees and marvels at the influence of the beast and how not only have many peoples given themselves over to it but also the leaders of the world have given it their authority. This only last for a short time as the leaders become jealous and turn on the prostitute, teaching us of the self-destructive nature of sin.

Verse 14 gives us a great sense of hope as we see the Lamb victorious over those who want to war against Jesus and persecute his people. This means that no matter how hard the situations may be and how intent the world is in persecuting believers, the victory is Christs and his alone.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/GDRwkF-jN3M.

Having looked at the first six bowls of God's wrath we now come to the seven and final bowl. This judgement and punishment on rebellious humanity comes at the en dot human history and verses 17 to 21 of chapter 16 tell us of the end of the world, the end of human society, the end of sin and the end of gospel opportunity. As we hear Christ declare "It is done!" we are reminded of his words from Calvary's cross "It is finished!", revealing to us that God's plan of salvation is now complete.

But for those receiving God's punishment they are entrenched in their self-righteousness and see these punishments as too much for what they are guilty off. Still, they do not repent and as the chapter closes so the time for responding to the gospel comes to an end.

For the unbeliever this should be a wake-up call to respond to the gospel and repent of sin. For the redeemed in Christ it is an encouragement that Christ will keep us to the end and we will know his glory complete as we will receive the blessing of our salvation, eternity in heaven.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/72hzgaQslZo.

Chapter 16 of Revelation presents to us the bowls of wrath, which are God's judgements on rebellious humanity. In this episode we will look at the first six and see how the punishment they bring is justified against people who continually reject God.

From John's writing is is clear that these events take place at the end of human history, with the final battle of Armageddon set in motion for the powers of the unholy trinity against the army of God. But believers in Christ need not fear for the battle will be won by Christ.

These first six bowls of God's wrath are a warning to rebellious humanity that there is still time to repent of sin and know his great salvation. To ignore this means to enter eternal punishment for the rejection of and rebellion against God.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/FaBpsvplMOo.

This bonus episode is recorded at our weekly Midweek meeting, where Rev David McCullagh looks at the different way to interpret the book of Revelation. Biblical interpretation is about seeing what God has to say to his people in every generation, through his word that never changes.

Over many years Revelation has been interpreted by each generation believing that the book was given to them in their time. This is not an accurate way to interpret this last book of the Bible.In this bonus episode we will explore the four main ways to interpret this book. Although there may be different ways to understand Revelation its purpose is to point us to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be ready. This is something that should unite believers and not divide them, regardless of our approach to interpretation.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video podcast of this episode is available at https://youtu.be/9fn9u15ERMQ.

This podcast was recorded using Ecamm. Find out more and start your free trial at https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=david97.

This bonus episode is recorded at our weekly Midweek meeting, where Rev David McCullagh beings the first of the deeper dives into the book. Beginning with the context into which the Revelation comes helps us to understand the purpose of this book and how to interpret it through the eyes of first century Christians.

The vision of Revelation is given tot he Apostle John on the prison island of Patmos, where he is a prisoner for his faith in Christ. He knows the Roman world around him and its influences and this is seen in how certain images are presented to him. Ultimately the book of Revelation is about the risen Lord Jesus Christ and it is through him that we understand the pastoral meaning of this last book of the Bible.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/94uqPFmc30s.

This podcast was recorded using Ecamm. Find out more and start your free trial at ecamm.com.

Chapter 15 begins the final retelling of what must take place before Christ returns. This time John sees the last days as displayed through seven angels, with seven bowls of wrath, pouring out seven plagues on those who reject God and his way of salvation. Just as the plagues on Egypt were poured out because of their hard-heartedness, so these plagues will act as God's final judgment on a sinful world.

But before these plagues and God's judgement is poured out we see heaven as a place of rest and peace for the redeemed of the Lord. These are those who have not submitted to the beast, his name or his number. They are in the presence of God which brings security, rest and peace and with this they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.

So much of this chapter reflects back to Exodus and the people's rescue from slavery in Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea not in their own strength, but by divine authority and intervention. So our salvation today, that will bring us to the rest and peace of heaven, only comes through the blood of the Lamb. We must trust in Jesus and know his way of salvation.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/_VKHuu_Jvxk.

As we come to the second half of chapter 14 we are once again presented with an image of judgement. This time the judgment is given to us as a harvest of souls. The first harvest is undertaken by Jesus as he reaps the souls of the redeemed and brings them into his glory. The second harvest is of the wicked, who have rejected Christ and worshipped the beast and his image instead. These souls are described as grapes and they are put in the winepress of God's wrath. As the blood flows our of the wine press we see the complete judgement of God against the wicked.

Our response to this section is to look to Jesus, and not envy the ways of the world, so that we can be sure that we are among the harvest of the redeemed and brought into his presence forever.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/sddQZd_ezVE.

Revelation says gives us the same message on repeat, but presents it to us from different perspectives. As we turn to chapter 14 we see again the 144,000 in heaven. This number represents all those who are Christ's and have been faithful to him. We hear that they sing praise of his name and although we don't know the words they sing, Revelation 7 tells us it is of praise of who God is and what he has done for his people. Verses 1 to 5 give us a wonderful image of what it means to be people who are faithful to God and the firstfruits of his plan of redemption.

However, there is a different image presented to us in verses 6 to 11 as three angels bring three messages. The first two communicate a message of encouragement. The first says there is still time to turn to the Lord as it proclaims the Geternal gospel. The second angel announces the fall of Babylon, the representation of everything that is defiled by sin. And the third angel brings a message of stark warning of the judgement of God who continue to worship the beast and its image.

The truth of Revelation 14 v 1-13 is one of great encouragement and great warning to ensure that we are marked with the name of God and the Lamb on our foreheads. This will lead to eternal glory.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/REcbBTRhBZQ.

Takeaways:

• The journey of the disciples on the road to Emmaus illustrates the transformative power of recognising Christ as our companion in life's journey.
• In understanding our identity, we must consider how deeply intertwined it is with our relationship with Christ, as revealed through Scripture.
• Discipleship requires a commitment to embodying the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, rather than relegating Him to occasional worship.
• The experience of the disciples emphasizes the importance of communal recognition of Christ, as they shared the revelation of His identity and mission together.
• Christ's presence in our everyday activities reflects His desire to walk alongside us, offering guidance in both joy and despair.
• The disciples' hearts burned within them as they encountered the risen Lord, highlighting the profound impact of divine revelation on our spiritual journey.

You can listen to more teaching from Annalong Presbyterian Church at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Takeaways:

• The resurrection of Jesus Christ marks a transformative moment in Christian faith, showcasing His supremacy over death and affirming the promise of eternal life for believers.
• The journey of the women to the tomb serves as a metaphor for the spiritual journey each individual must undertake in seeking truth and understanding the implications of the resurrection.
• Despite their initial confusion and fear, the women at the tomb become the first witnesses to the resurrection, highlighting the significance of their role in the early Christian community.
• The empty tomb not only signifies Jesus' victory over death but also invites each person to confront their own beliefs about life, death, and the hope found in Christ.
• The ritual observance of preparing Jesus' body reflects the depth of grief experienced by His followers, but the resurrection transforms that grief into joy and hope.
• Ultimately, the resurrection of Jesus is not merely a historical event but a vital truth that compels believers to share the good news of salvation and eternal life with others.

You can find more teaching from Annalong Presbyterian Church at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Takeaways:

• Good Friday serves as a poignant reminder of the profound sacrifice that Jesus made on Calvary's cross, embodying the ultimate act of love and redemption.
• The tearing of the temple curtain symbolises the removal of barriers between humanity and God, granting believers direct access to divine grace and mercy.
• On this day, we reflect on the heavy sorrow of Christ's crucifixion while simultaneously acknowledging the remarkable hope it brings for eternal life through His resurrection.
• This sermon emphasises that the significance of Good Friday is not merely in its sadness, but in the transformative promise it represents for all who put their faith in Jesus.
• The resurrection of Christ, celebrated on Easter, is intricately connected to the events of Good Friday, underscoring the victory over sin and death that believers are assured.
• Ultimately, the message of Good Friday encourages us to respond with faith and trust in Christ, recognising the depth of His love and the hope of eternal life He offers.

This sermon is preach by Rev David McCullagh as guest speaker at the Good Friday service at Kilhorne Parish Church.

To find out more about teaching at Annalong Presbyterian Church, visit www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

The second event is the overturning of the trading tables in the temple and the teaching of Jesus. This challenged the morality and ethics of the religious leaders as failing to guard the temple and ensure proper worship was conducted and their theology as the ones who were looking out for the Messiah, yet rejected him in their midst. Jesus displays righteous anger for this and so displays his heart to us. He wants us to be in a full relationship with him and not miss out on the salvation he offers.

Takeaways:

• Jesus demonstrates both sorrow and righteous anger, revealing his deep concern for humanity.
• Palm Sunday highlights the duality of Christ's emotions as he weeps for Jerusalem's lostness.
• The rejection of Jesus by Jerusalem illustrates a profound spiritual blindness that leads to judgment.
• We are called to emulate Jesus by weeping for the lost rather than judging them harshly.
• The cleansing of the temple signifies Jesus' righteous anger against the corruption of true worship.
• Understanding the heart of Christ compels us to genuinely love Him and respond to His call.

You can listen to more teaching podcasts from Annalong Presbyterian Church by going to www.annalongpc.org/podcasts.

Takeaways:

• On Palm Sunday, we commemorate the prophesied entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's ancient predictions.
• The prophets of the Old Testament served to communicate God's truth, confronting the people with their spiritual state and calling them to repentance.
• In Zechariah's prophecy, the coming king is depicted as righteous and humble, bringing salvation and peace to all nations, contrasting with earthly rulers.
• The imagery of the suffering servant resonates throughout scripture, culminating in Christ's humble entry on Palm Sunday, emphasizing his role as the Good Shepherd.
• The fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy in Jesus' triumphal entry illustrates the profound connection between the Old and New Testaments regarding salvation.
• Ultimately, Jesus embodies the long-awaited deliverance for God's people, inviting us to embrace his kingship and the abundant life he offers through salvation.

You can listen to more teaching podcasts from Annalong Presbyterian Church by going to www.annalongpc.org/podcasts.

As this vision progresses we see images that are more horrifying, but their actions are even worse than their looks. In chapter 13 we are introduced to two beasts, one coming from eh sea and the other from the land. Along with the dragon we see them represent a counterfeit trinity. They try to establish themselves as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but they are not the reality we need to know. The first beast will be a charismatic communicator and will fool people into believing they are a saviour. The second beast will be the agent of propaganda that shows signs and wonders to prove the first beast.

But John warns us to be on our guard so that we are not taken in by their lies. There is only one Saviour and it is the true Holy Spirit who convinces us of our need of Jesus. In two places in Revelation 13 John gives us words of wisdom on how to identify the falsehood of this world, for it is the ruling structures of the world that will try to draw us away from Christ and so lose out on true salvation.

But don't let it! Look only to Jesus for salvation and know eternal security and rest in him.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/IkUswiZGYFg.

All too often we can read Revelation with the perspective of doom and gloom. And, to be sure, there is much that is said about the attempts of the devil to frustrate the people of God in their worship and witness. But here in Revelation 12 we see the victory of Christ over the devil as he wages war in heaven. The devil, of course, cannot win and so is cast out of heaven unto the earth. The victory is secure and it is won through the blood of Christ. Therefore, the church is assured, as the people of God, that even though he will try the devil will never win.

But try he will. The image here in this second half of this chapter is that the red dragon (the devil) pursues the woman (the church) and her off-spring. The devil goes after all those who hold to the commands of Christ and washed in his blood. The church will be rescued and will be taken to a place of refuge and nourishment. This is GOd's protection and provision for the church in these last days.

So we can take heart. Victory is sure and in Christ we can find the balm of salvation for our troubled, angry and wearisome souls.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/dm8Cev-reW4.

As we come to chapter 12 we enter the second half of Revelation. The first half provided general overviews of history. We saw the world’s opposition to the gospel, Christ’s judgments on the wicked nations, and our calling to persevere in faith. The second half of Revelation homes in on the chief characters in the spiritual warfare taking place behind the scenes.

In these first six verses we told by John that he is shown two signs: a woman and a dragon. This marks the battle lines in heaven as the woman, symbolising the church, is overshadowed by the dragon, symbolising the Satan. The dragon has a certain amount of power, but it is limited. He hovers over rate woman waiting for her child to be born so that he can devoir it.

He doesn't succeed! The child born by the woman is taken up to heaven and is seated on the throne, thereby telling us it is the risen Lord Jesus. The woman flees the scene and goes into he wilderness to find safety and provision during the time of trial and tribulation of the church.

Verse 6 concludes for us the message of this section:

1. This present world as home.
2. The wilderness is a place of safety and provision.
3. Our enemy is a defeated foe.

Knowing this, we can have confidence in Christ that as he says in John 16:33, he has truly over come the world and with such we can have peace in Him.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/jn9JWNr-7ko.

At the end of chapter 11 we come to the sounding of the seventh trumpet and it is a scene of great hope. As the second woe to those who refuse to acknowledge God and who persecute and kill his witnesses passes we are drawn once again into the throne room of heaven, where the twenty-four elders are bowing down to worship God. Their song is a familiar one, but needs to change. They range in chapter one that the Lord Almighty is the one who was and is and is to come. But the future is now here! His kingdom has come and he will rule forever.

But the seventh trumpet is also the third woe, for once again those who reject the gospel call will face the wrath of God they will be judged for their wickedness and rejection of his love. The ones who persecuted and killed the witnesses of God will be destroyed and those who responded to his goodness and love will be rewarded.

This is a passage of great hope to God's peoples. In it he tells us that history won’t last forever; evil won’t triumph. Good will triumph, and God and Christ will reign forever. This is our joy and our response should be as people to live it now as we eagerly await the return of Christ, yet proclaiming the truth the gospel to the unrepentant so that they will respond while there is yet time.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/4QWHuz6k0uI.

Chapter 11 is one of the most questioned passages in Revelation. People want to know who the two witnesses are so that they can plot end times prophecy. Our look in the first 14 verses may challenge that idea that the witnesses are two literal people. Rather, as Jesus charged his disciples in Acts 1:8, the church is the witness of God in this present age.

But the chapter begins with a measuring rod and John is commanded to measure the temple of God. The purpose of this is to assure God's people that he will keep them because he knows them. No amount of persecution from the world (or the Beast - mentioned in chapter 11 for the first time) will ever kill the church. But the world will try and when it sees the church failing, the world will cheer.

However, this is not the end. The people of God will be resurrected from the grave, just a Christ was, and will enter eternity in heaven. This is a picture of the church triumphant after her years of being militant against the attacks of the devil and his agent, the Beast. Those not brought into the kingdom of God because of their sin will be punished for all eternity.

Our response is not to identify the witnesses but to know their purpose and, more importantly, look to the one who sent them and keeps them to the end. We are to trust in the Lord and know his keeping until the day he brings his people home.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/WuriU7RGZrQ.

After a short interlude at the end of chapter 8, chapter 9 opens with the full force of the first woe that is brought on humanity who do not have the seal of the risen Lord Jesus on them. A plague of locusts, reminiscent of the plague that fell on Egypt, it presented as coming from the bottomless pit. They fly through the smoke and flame of the pit to bring havoc on a third of the earth. But their power is limited. They can only torment humanity but not kill them. But these locusts are not ordinary locusts. Their image is one that is different, but what is noticeable is that their power to inflict harm is in their tail, described as being like the tail of a scorpion.

The sixth trumpet sounds in verse 13 and the second woe begins. The image presented to us by John is of the enemies of God's people coming from the east across the River Euphrates. This is not to be understood as a physical place as God brings his judgement of death on a third of humanity, but digs into he history of Israel to remind them of the horrors that did come from the east by way of punishment from God for their unfaithfulness.

Revelation 9 warns us the severe judgments we will face if we rejection the salvation and lordship of Christ. God continues to display his grace while there is still time to trust in the Saviour and know the assurance of an eternal home in heaven.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/0viFUDh4Kf0.

After a short interlude at the end of chapter 8, chapter 9 opens with the full force of the first woe that is brought on humanity who do not have the seal of the risen Lord Jesus on them. A plague of locusts, reminiscent of the plague that fell on Egypt, it presented as coming from the bottomless pit. They fly through the smoke and flame of the pit to bring havoc on a third of the earth. But their power is limited. They can only torment humanity but not kill them. But these locusts are not ordinary locusts. Their image is one that is different, but what is noticeable is that their power to inflict harm is in their tail, described as being like the tail of a scorpion.

The sixth trumpet sounds in verse 13 and the second woe begins. The image presented to us by John is of the enemies of God's people coming from the east across the River Euphrates. This is not to be understood as a physical place as God brings his judgement of death on a third of humanity, but digs into he history of Israel to remind them of the horrors that did come from the east by way of punishment from God for their unfaithfulness.

Revelation 9 warns us the severe judgments we will face if we rejection the salvation and lordship of Christ. God continues to display his grace while there is still time to trust in the Saviour and know the assurance of an eternal home in heaven.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/SNLYg0BBDtY.

As much as there is nothing new in Revelation by way of what Scripture has already told us, so the book itself repeats its message and we see this here with the introduction of the seven trumpets. The seven seals have told us of what God will do in these end times. The opening of a seal doesn't create much noise, but the blast of a trumpet will get us all to sit up and pay attention!

The sound of a trumpet cannot be ignored and so the message of Revelation 8 is not to be ignored. The Lord's judgments are coming on the earth and all humanity outside of Christ will be judged for their rejection of the Saviour. But there is hope because there is still time! These judgments on the earth occur in the time between Christ's ascension and his return. So while there is yet time we are to trust in the Saviour so that we will pass through the judgement and be assured of home in heaven.

Paul's assurance for us in Romans 5:9 is to be headed that we have a Saviour who will willing to save to the utmost:

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/yrVeUOq812E.

As we leave chapter 7 and the great multitude before the throne the scene shifts to a moment of silence in heaven. John guesses that it was for about half an hour. This silence tells us that God is merciful and good and is giving time for the saints to continue in prayer to him and these prayers are then presented to him in an act of worship.

John also sees seven trumpets given to seven angels. This is to get us ready for judgement that will fall on the earth as a response to the prayers of God's people and he will answer the question 'how long?'

The silence in heaven is much like silence on earth—we will either enjoy it or fear it. To enjoy it means we understand that God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love so we can come to him in prayer with all that we need. To fear the silence means we receive the judgement we deserve for our sins as the seven trumpets will sound. Our only opportunity for salvation is to lean into the steadfast love of God and know our salvation in the Lamb, the one who was slain for us.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/R8jVaGtk7yE.

Having looked at the first of the six seals in chapter 6 we now come to a pause in chapter 7. The curtain is pulled back even further as we see the nations gathered before the throne, demonstrating the worldwide reach of the gospel. As people from all nations, tribes and tongues gather we hear the praise of heaven giving God all blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might.

This is an picture of our true glorious hope where the full complement of the redeemed, those sealed with the mark of Christ, are brought through the judgement to the throne of God and know his presence and security forever. And before God's people in heaven stands the Lamb who was slain-His blood shed as a punishment for sin that redeems the elect.

Our hope today can only be in Jesus Christ so that what we seen in chapter 7 of Revelation is our reality on that day when we pass from death to eternal life.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/_D3HS-jjVxQ.

Moving into chapter 6 of Revelation we see the Lamb holding the scroll and opening its seals. There are seven in total, but this chapter only shows us six of them as they are opened. There are images here that our time and distance from John receiving this revelation don't help us see at first their meaning.

The first four seals shows us four horses and horsemen coming out, telling us what the world will endure in the last days. The last days are the period between Christ's ascension and his return. The fifth seal is the cry of the martyrs, assuring us that this period of suffering won't last for ever. As the sixth seal is opened we see that judgement is coming on the earth and those who do not know salvation in Jesus will fear this moment.

As we look at this passage today we must ask ourselves if we will have confidence on the day of judgement to stand before the risen Lord Jesus. This confidence isn't of our own making but comes only through salvation in Christ. Revelation 6 is a reality check for us of the times in which we live and it is a challenge that we know for sure we are saved in Christ and in him alone.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/8nX8l0PbKRw.

In chapter 4 of Revelation we were introduced tot he on seated on the throne. In chapter 5 we see that in the right hand of the Lord Almighty is a scroll, written on front and back, and sealed with seven seals. We will learn more of the seven seals in chapter 6. For chapter 5 we are introduced to the one who has the authority to open the seals and reveal to us God's plans for judgement and salvation that were established before the foundations of the world, not set in motion by Christ's death and resurrection.

The Lamb is worshiped, just as the Lord Almighty is worshiped, by the heavenly host. But the Lamb looks as one that is alive but as all the markings of one that was slain. Here John is looking upon the risen Lord Jesus with scars on his head and the prints of nails in his hands and feet.

John sees Jesus as we will see him. Our sight of Jesus will be our approach to him. We will either approach him as our Saviour or as our judge. To approach him as judge means he will be a fair judge and he will administer the punishment our sins deserve. To know that we will approach him as Saviour means we have great hope now that will be our reality in eternity.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/kIiilXrh28Y.

As we move into chapter 4 of Revelation our perspective is taken from the churches on the earth to the throne room of heaven. John is invited to come through the open door and see the risen Lord Jesus seated on his throne. For the suffering church of John's day they need to know that in and through their tribulation Jesus is the one who will keep them to the end.

In the throne room John also sees 24 other thrones, making us consider that the elders sitting on these thrones represent the 12 patriarchs of Israel and the 12 apostles, thus representing the totality of redeemed humanity from both the old and new covenant communities of faith.

But what is the central message of this chapter is the worship of Jesus by those in heaven. He is the one that the universe revolves around because he is the one of majesty, beauty, wealth and power. It is he who invites us to come and see and to find rest in him and the salvation of our souls. He is not to be ignored. He is the one who has made us possible to be in heaven through the forgiveness of our sins, only achieved because of his death and resurrection. Revelation 4 forces us to consider this reality of Jesus so that we may look upon his majesty and not be afraid.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/iMumpnwbq10.

Looking at the last of the seven churches, the church had Laodicea has a serious problem. The risen Lord Jesus gives it no commendation, rather he rebukes them for their lack of commitment to faith. They are relying on their own achievements for salvation but Jesus calls them lukewarm.

But he is a loving Saviour and he is standing at the door of the church knocking so that they would wakeup to their desperate need of him. If they open the door to him and are revived in spirit, then they will reign with him forever. The challenge for us as the church today is to be committed to Christ so that we won't be rebuked for being lukewarm. But if we are we have a loving Saviour who will receive us and revive us in his love.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/1Ok59J6E5x8.

The next two churches, before we come to the final church of Laodicea, are Sardis and Philadelphia. These two churches appear to be different, but share a common need to look to Jesus. Sardis was a church influenced by the arrogance of its city. Sardis believed itself to be secure because of its fortress strategically placed on high cliffs. The church had led itself to be secure, yet the charge against them is that they appear to be alive but they are really dead. They receive no commendation and simply rebuked for their decay in sin. But there is hope for them if they only turn and look to Jesus.

Philadelphia is a different story. The receive only commendation and no rebuke. They are a church in a city heavily influenced by the cult of the emperor, yet they have not given in. But it is not just the pagan world that is putting pressure on the church, it is the local Jewish synagogue as well. This church assures believers that they are truly Lord's and his salvation is not for ethnic Jews who reject Jesus. The church, the new Israel, is made up of Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus. But this church too needs to look to Jesus and to place hope in him so that they will be kept to the end. The Protestant Reformers called this the Preservation of the Saints, a promise that is still with us today.

The letters to these two church force us to place our hope firmly in Jesus as our Saviour and as our keeper in the midst of a fallen and sin-filled world. He will lead home so that we will worship God for all eternity.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/-5jyIRH4wrc.

In chapter 2 we are introduced to the seven churches spoken of in chapter 1. In this episode we look at the next two churches: Pergamum and Thyatira. The Christians in these two cities faced the pressure to conform to the society around them and the worship of false gods. This worship included eating food offered to idols and sexual immorality. John presents to these churches the identity of Jesus as the judge of their sin if they do not repent.

The image of Jesus given to us is one of a doubled-edged sword coming from his mouth, telling us that it will be his words of judgement that will condemn. He is also shown to us as the one with eyes like a flame of fire. Jesus is perfectly holy and his gaze cannot fall on sin. We are also given the description that his feet are burnished bronze, meaning he will cruse underfoot the sin that deserves punishment.

The challenge for us is to be aware of the sin that is in our lives that so easily pulls us away from worship of God. This passage gives us hope that if we repent we will be forgiven by the only one who took the punishment our sins deserved: Jesus. We are to know his true identity and run to him for our salvation.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/nv0tpRMkKZw.

In chapter 2 we are introduced to the seven churches spoken of in chapter 1. Beginning with Ephesus and Smyrna we see examples of the enduring call to faithfulness in Christ. The church in Ephesus was commended for its orthodoxy of the truth of the gospel, but was challenged by its coldness as it turned away from its first love. If it didn't return to Christ then he would come and take the lampstand away, leaving it without any hope or proclamation of the gospel.

In Smyrna, only one of two churches not to be rebuked, the news was hard for them as Jesus tells them they would continue in their tribulation. This would be for a period of time known to God and this was of great comfort. To endure the tribulation would mean that they would receive the crown of life in eternity.

The message to these two churches is one of staying faithful to the end. To do so means an eternity of great joy and security, where the fruit of the tree of life would be theirs and the freedom in Christ to escape the second death-the punishment received by those who reject Jesus.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/TifLOSZSDvA.

John introduces this book as a prophecy that is to be read aloud. Prophecy is not just future telling, but tells us what our current state is. When you survey the prophecies of the Old Testament you gain an understanding that the prophets spoke more about the people's relationship with God and then warned them of what would happen if they did not repent. So the prophetic message of Revelation 1 v 9-20 is one that tells us the current reality of Jesus and where he is most happy to be. The image is given of Jesus amongst the lampstands, confirmed as the seven churches in Asia Minor. Jesus is in the midst of the midst of the churches and is not abstract from them.

John goes on to see the reality of Jesus and who he is to his people. John knew Jesus well and what he sees is the glorified Christ who has authority and command of all things. But he is also the Christ who puts his right hand on John and says "Fear not". Our Saviour is gracious and loving and wants us to trust in him so that we will know him as our glorious hope.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast can be viewed at https://youtu.be/GAJc1t9vv0A.

Rather, the text presents a vivid portrayal of Christ's triumphant return, which will be a day of great celebration for those who have embraced Him, contrasting sharply with the sorrow and torment that awaits those who have chosen to reject His grace. As we embark on this study through Revelation, we shall explore its rich theological significance, recognising its message as one of encouragement and assurance amid the trials faced by believers.

The overarching theme of this series, aptly titled "Glorious Hope," underscores the essential truth that Christ's return is certain and that it heralds a victorious outcome for His followers. We invite you to engage deeply with this book, fostering a greater understanding of its implications for our lives and our faith.

Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.

A video of this podcast can be viewed at https://youtu.be/bQ6JwpaySck.