Revelation's Breached Wall Intro It was November 9, 1989 and it was to be perhaps the most dramatic event of the entire Cold War. Masses surged forward to cross the Wall, which many had died trying to breach, but the masses could not be stopped and the wall fell. I’ll be back in a moment with the prophetic perspective on Revelation’s Breached Wall. Message Hello, this is Cody Francis with Prophetic Perspectives. The fall of the Berlin Wall was one of the most notable events of recent history. As euphemism spread throughout the world. For 28 years, it had stood a barrier between the east and the west. Beginning as a simple fence, escalating to 12 foot high solid concrete wall with barbed wire, watchtowers and bunkers. This formidable barrier, iconic of the struggle between the east and the west, separated families, friends and neighbors. Many were the attempts to escape from the east to the west: through flight, tunneling, or climbing. Then on November 9, 1989 when the East German minister of propaganda announced that East Berliners would be allowed to cross the border with proper permission, a flood of people surged to the border. The guards overwhelmed with tens of thousands of people were faced with the choice of using lethal force or allowing the masses to cross. The checkpoints were opened as thousands poured through and were met with jubilant West Berliners. The tide could not be stopped. Once the wall had been breached, it was only a standing relic of the past and within a year the wall began to be officially dismantled. After November 9, 1989, Germany and the world would never be the same. When the masses began to pour through the break in the wall, the wall itself became obsolete. While we are very thankful of the happy consequences of that breach in the wall, Revelation pictures a much more disastrous breach in a wall. The Bible reveals a wall of protection that the Lord has erected around us but that the devil has attempted to put a breach in thus destroying the effectiveness of the entire wall. What is this breach in God’s wall of protection and what is the Lord asking us to do? Outline I. With cruel subtlety, the devil is counterfeiting God’s seal. A. Obedience seals God’s people – Rev. 14:1, 12 1. Shows love & loyalty to God of heaven 2. No excuses, even when no understand B. Disobedience is the devil’s counterfeit – II Thes. 2:7-8 1. Lawless characterizes followers – Matt. 7:21-23 a. Think Christians, not grosser sins b. Small, unnoticeable difference c. Entire world swept delusion – Rev. 13:3 2. Only break 1 = lawless – James 2:10 3. Any “small, minor” changes in God’s Law? C. Still friends, respect & love – agree or not 1. Obligated teach Bible truth – not easy, need know 2. Truth still truth – Galileo II. Today most of the world is rejecting God’s seal. A. 1 commandment is being tampered with – Ex. 20:8-11 1. Sabbath who? of Jews? 2. Which day? Choose? Doesn’t matter? a. All world wrong? b. Noah, Elijah, Jesus, last days c. Matt. 7:13, 14 3. Special appointment in love – Father B. Given at foundation of world – Gen. 2:1-3 1. Last act creation – special gift humanity 2. Long before Jew – all humanity 3. Even before sin – simple gift & test loyalty D. Jesus kept Sabbath – Luke 4:16 1. 1700+ Sabbaths 2. Pharisees accuse; Jesus said innocent – John 15:10 3. Disciples to keep long after cross – Matt. 24:20 E. Jesus kept in His death – Luke 23:54-56; 24:1 1. Seventh day = Saturday 2. Dictionary, Calendar – seventh day 3. Observatories – no change 4. Languages – Twi, Sabado, Martin/Eva 5. Jesus resurrected 1st day a. Never said to keep, always 7th b. Honoring Jesus disobey? c. Another memorial given F. Apostles all kept Sabbath 1. Gentiles – Acts 13:42, 44 2. Worship even when no church – Acts 16:13 3. Paul’s custom – Acts 17:2 (84 sabbaths) G. Kept in new heaven & earth – Is. 66:22, 23 1. Kept Eden, all prophets, Jesus, apostles 2. Kept for time immemorial H. Seventh-day Sabbath sign/seal of God – Ez. 20:20 I. God is calling upon us to be repairers of the breach – Is. 58:12, 13 Conclusion: I. My testimony – had to follow Jesus II. Pastor, friends, family may dissuade – follow Jesus III. John 14:15 Do you love Jesus? Love enough obey? Love enough keep Holy day?
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