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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/scott-macleod/suffering-saints/
Okay, let's turn in our Bibles to the book of Romans, please, chapter 14. Romans chapter 14, just for an expression, then we're going to come to the Old Testament. Romans chapter 14, sorry, chapter 15, Romans 15 and verse number 4.
Romans 15 and verse number 4, for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and, now here's the expression, comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
It's that last expression, comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now, we're going to go back to the book of Daniel. I'm going to read an expression in the book of Daniel, Daniel chapter 7, six or so books after Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, Ezekiel, and then comes the book of Daniel.
Daniel chapter 7, and look at verse number 25. Now, the context is looking at the last three and a half years of the seven-year tribulation. So, that's the setting. And look what it says, the man of sin has come to the forefront.
And verse 25, Daniel 7 and verse 25, and he shall speak great words against the most high and shall wear out the saints of the most high and think to change times and laws, notice, and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and dividing of times.
Now, that expression represents three and a half years. So, what we're being told here is the man of sin is going to have dominion and control for three and a half years, the last three and a half years of seven-year tribulation, and he's going to be given the right to wear out the saints of the most high God.
Now, that's a tremendous statement. What's on my mind is suffering saints. What probably perplexes us the most is when the people of God suffer or when they die. Often, we question that. Speaking from personal experience, when I went through a sickness over three years ago, I had a hard time with it to the point where I was very bitter at God.
Sometimes people say, you shouldn't be bitter at God. Well, maybe they haven't been in a deep valley. But I have a wicked heart and you can get so low that you can almost wonder if God is there. So, how do we handle stuff like that?
We hear of men that worked and labored amongst us, and I'm not trying to make someone more important than the other, but just coming from a perspective of trying to do the Lord's work. You hear of older men that are getting sick, some have died, and you wonder to yourself, wow, does God know what he's doing?
Well, God does know what he's doing. You know, there's a very interesting word, I would encourage you to do a study on it in the Old Testament and also into the New Testament. It's one of the most favorite words that are...
Even if you went over to a secular Jew today in the land of Israel, and actually, if you went to an Orthodox Jew, the way they wrap their little... they put their little leather box on their hand, they put it in the right hand and they always put it over their chest, their heart.
And the way they wrap their straps up their arm, they put it in the letter S. And that is significant because it stands for Shaddai. And there's a compound word in the Old Testament, it's called El Shaddai.
And it really means the God of the breast. It's the God that nourishes. And that is very significant to them. It's actually, if you were to put your fingers like that, that is the finger. And what they will do is even your tour guide will take you to a certain place and he'll get you to hold out your hand like this.
And he'll show you where Jerusalem sits and he'll show you the three valleys that run in. I mean, they have all sorts of things that they do with it. It's very significant to them. El Shaddai. Now, if you were to go through the Old Testament, you're going to discover that that term appears over 40 times.
And it's one of the most tenderest terms to a Jewish person. Now, what's interesting is this. If you were to take time to study where it appears, it appears over 30 times. Of the 48 references in the Old Testament, over 30 times appears in the book of Job.
Is that not interesting? Job is probably one of the hardest books for you and I to understand. Because it almost looks to us like there's this little bit of a game between God and the devil. And unfortunately, Job is the one that's caught in the middle.
That's the way it looks like to us. And you see how that God just seemingly just hands Job over. Do what you want, just don't touch his life. And then we watch as the devil has power to move armies. God doesn't step in and devastates Job.
And then we watch as the devil, he brings sickness into this man's life. And it's almost like God steps back and we see nothing's being done. And then we watch as this man comes in and his sons and his daughters are taken.
And we end up and here's this man, a righteous man, none like him in all the earth. And there he is just sitting in a heap, scraping himself. Now listen, you have to be honest. Do you not read that and kind of go, like, Lord, what are you doing?
That does not seem right. That doesn't seem fair. But then the Spirit of God brings in that lovely term, the Almighty God, El Shaddai, 31 times in the book of Job. You know what the Spirit of God is doing?
The Spirit of God is telling us that God is still in control and God still cares for this man and nothing has gotten out of control. So you know what that does to me, what it did to me, helping me through my trial?
I can still trust my God. I can. And that, dear child of God, is good for us to know because when you are faced with a situation where you have to someday go and visit somebody and they're down in the dumps, they're sitting there as it was in a heap, scraping themselves, please don't talk about the weather.
When people came to visit me, I didn't care what the weather was doing. It was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to hear something about my God. I wanted to be strengthened in the Lord. So what we're going to do now for just a few minutes, I've been told to take the full time, so what we're going to do is we're going to look at suffering, people in the Word of God that suffered.
And I want to show you just how God handled the whole situation. Now, let's come over to Revelation, please, for a minute. Revelation, actually, first, let's go to Hebrews 11, and then we'll get into the book of Revelation because I want to look at three different groups of people, but this will give us just a little bit of background to sort of set the stage for what's on my mind here.
Hebrews 11, which you and I know is often referred to as the Hall of Fame, and we have tremendous figures that are brought before us and tremendous things that they did, and we could start to read anywhere in the chapter, really, and it's wonderful.
We could look at verse number 23, Hebrews 11, verse 23. It brings before us Moses, and we can all allow the story of Moses to go through our mind. We can come down to verse number 32, and what shall I say more?
For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and of Samson. You can think of all of these Old Testament characters, David also, Samuel, and of the prophets. Verse 33, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword.
You're getting the picture, massive triumphs, and the whole purpose of bringing it before us is it was done by faith. Now, look at verse 35. Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured.
You know what that word means, tortured? They used to stretch people out on a drum, and they would start at their feet with sticks, and they would literally smash every bone in the body. Christians. Now, look what we had in the first part of the chapter.
Massive triumphs and victories, kingdoms being overcome, all done by faith. And that's really the part of the chapter we tend to focus upon. That is wonderful to be always on the victorious side, and as it were, you know, taking land for God.
Now, we're looking at what we would look at, a defeat. Here are people that are being tortured. Well, keep on reading. Not accepting deliverance. That they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yet moreover of bonds and imprisonments.
They were stoned. They were sawn asunder. Were tempted. Were slain with a sword. And on and on it goes. And guess what? God was on the throne, and God allowed it. And God gave them the grace to go through it.
Does that surprise us? So, the year was 2014. That was last year. And this happened. You can read about it. I heard about it from David Gilliland on a message over in one of those countries over in near Europe.
There was a man and his wife, both Christians. And they had two young children. And those of the Muslim faith came along, and they dug a big hole in the ground. And they were going to bury them alive.
It was 2013 or 14. And they started to bring the dirt up, and the children were crying. And they were standing at the top of this seven, eight-foot hole. And they said, Recant your faith. Kids are crying.
Mom and dad are standing there. What would you do? What would I do? Do you know what the father said to the wife? What should we do? You know what she said? Let's sing a song. There's a land that is fairer than day.
And their song drowned out the cries of the kids as the dirt buried them. And then the dirt buried them. Is God on the throne? Is God in control? Yes, he is. God gave them the faith and the help to go through that.
That's testimony. You're going to discover that in a minute in the book of Revelation. How important testimony is to God. Now, we live in the land of plenty, don't we? But you know what I hear more and more?
You hear preachers say more and more. We very well could be brought to the point of persecution. Does that mean that God has stepped off the throne? No. What we don't seem to understand is this. Let's remind ourselves of the book of Acts when a man was being stoned.
Such was the impress on Saul that led to his salvation. Boys, we like to see the other side, don't we? We got a gospel effort going on and people come in and they get saved. You ever think sometimes that maybe someone might get saved from your death?
Your torture? Your persecution? Doesn't mean that God stepped off the throne. Now, listen. I'm up here talking. I haven't a clue what I'm talking about. While I'm saying this, I'm thinking to myself, Oh, Lord, just don't let it be me.
It's okay if it's the other fella. But don't let it be me. But I don't know what God has for us. I have no idea. I don't know what's just around the corner. But here's what I do know. I do know from this book who God is.
That's the most important thing. So let's go to Revelation 6 and let's look at a few of these groups that we're going to trace through the book of Revelation. Now, of course, this hasn't happened yet and this is going to happen.
And we can read about it and we can learn things. And as I read in Romans 15, there is comfort that comes from Scripture because that is how we understand who God is and what he allows. And it should help us today in dealing with those of us that have sick ones, loved ones, and we're trying to figure it all out.
We can rest in God. Look at what we have in Revelation 6. This is what I call the first group of martyrs. So I think you know this, but as soon as the tribulation starts, you've got seven years of tribulation upon this earth.
That tribulation period is divided right in the middle, three-and-a-half and three-and-a-half. And what we're going to read here now is there's going to be a group of martyrs. In the first three-and-a-half period, they're going to die for their testimony.
And let's read about it. Look at verse number 9, Revelation 6, verse 9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them, notice, that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season.
That represents the last three-and-a-half years. Until their fellow servants also and their brother, notice, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Now this is God telling these martyrs that there's going to be another group just like you, and they're going to lose their life standing for him.
And God says, It's going to be fulfilled. It's going to happen. How do we understand that? It's tremendous to just sort of sit and ponder that and let that sink into your mind. I'm coming back to a statement I made, how important our testimony is to God.
You standing in a wicked world for God. Do you find it hard to give thanks for your food in a restaurant? That's when you kind of want to tie your shoe or something, right? Or you sneeze and thank for the food.
We can do it. I mean, every single one of us. If I took my suit coat off, I got a yellow stripe right down my back. The only fellow I know not born with one is Mr. McCandless. Bold as brass tacks, as they say.
Well, praise the Lord in the right way. We have to admit it. We're very sheepish, aren't we? You know, sometimes we have it on our mind to ask someone out to the gospel meeting. I'm just as guilty. Don't think for one moment that every single preacher finds it easy to go door to door.
They're all a bunch of liars if they say that. Just a bunch of liars. Nobody likes rejection. You know what? There is reproach linked with the living God. If I was in any other religious system, I could name one, but I won't.
But I'll give you... I could stop in the middle of the street and put my mat down and pray five times a day. And everybody would walk by and go, Isn't that something? Look at that. I go into a restaurant with a Bible and put it on the table and people go, Oh my land, we got a Christian in here.
I don't know what it's like in America, but that's what it's like in Canada. It's almost like you put a gun on the table at Tim Hortons. You talk about looking for a place to sit, no problem. Just carry a Bible and put it on the table.
They'll give you lots of room. There's a reproach linked. Living God, I acknowledge Him. Now the flesh within me is going to say, Just go easy. Don't make it obvious. Just back away. But you know what I love about these people here?
These people died for their testimony. I will not back down from the God that loves me. I wish I had a little bit of that. I wish I had a little bit more of that in my life. It's wonderful in this lovely confined area, isn't it?
To preach like an angel, eh? And we're all together and I can say something and there might be one or two amens and you feel like, We're all wonderful. Try to do that out there. We need God. We need a firm grasp of who God is.
So here's this first group of martyrs. Three and a half years. Remember what we read in Daniel chapter 7. God is actually going to allow the man of sin to persecute, to murder, to torture and the Word of God says He's going to be allowed to wear out the saints of the Most High.
Remember, it's not taking God by surprise. Now let's come over for the second group. Look at chapter 7. Now we come actually to the end of the tribulation period. So we got seven years have now come and gone and look what you have in verse number 9.
After this I beheld in low a great multitude. And then verse number 13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto them, Sir, thou knowest.
And he said to me, These are they which came out of... Now we don't have the definite article in our English Bible but it's in the Greek. The great, the tribulation which is a reference to the last three and a half years.
And have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. Neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Now listen, we're on the earth here. We're on the millennial earth. And you know what the amazing thing is? You could go further into the book of Revelation chapter 20.
These individuals, they're gonna reign with Christ for a thousand years. Now I want you to think. We got any mathematicians here? These individuals served God for three and a half years and they lost their life.
And God says, I'm gonna let you reign with me for a thousand years. Do you know what kind of return that is? 30 ,000%. Is it worth serving God? I'll tell you, there's not an organization, there's not a business in this world that could give you that return on your dollar.
Now we don't serve God to get something back. You understand what I'm saying. But God does reward His own. And it's easy to read this. And sometimes you might get all, like Peter, we'll die with you. And then it really came down to the crunch.
A little maid caused him to run. I'm just as weak. I trust I can be encouraged from this as well. So there's your first group. You got a group of martyrs slaying for their testimony during the first three and a half years.
Then they're told to wait. And then there's another group and they're slaying for their testimony. But those two groups, Revelation 20, they end up serving God for 1 ,000 years. Now let's come to chapter, just back to chapter 7 for a minute.
Here's a different group with a completely different outcome. And this is God's prerogative. Look at what we have in verse number 4. I'll just go quickly over this. And I heard, chapter 7, verse 4, and I heard the number of them which were sealed.
And there were sealed 144 ,000, all of the tribe of the children of Israel. Now you allow your eye to go to chapter 13 for a second. Chapter 13. I'm sorry, chapter 9. Just come to chapter 9, Revelation 9.
Look what it says. We're at the midpoint here. The angel has fallen out of heaven, which is the devil, cast out of heaven. He's going down. He unlocks the bottomless pit. Up into this world comes a tremendous darkness and the evil is amazing.
Okay, verse number 4, chapter 9, verse 4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Now time is short here. I don't have time. But you go further into Revelation. You discover these 144 ,000 do not die. Do you know why they don't die? Because God actually puts a seal, a mark in their foreheads.
And God will protect them for 7 years. The devil will try to get them. The Antichrist will try to kill them. But God in his sovereignty has put and will put an invisible wall around them. And those 144 ,000, unlike the martyrs of the first 3 1⁄2 years, and unlike the martyrs of the second 3 1⁄2 years, which are going to be given by God over to the Antichrist, God is not going to give these over.
144 ,000. You know, it's an amazing thing to me to think that in one day, the nation of Israel will become the greatest missionary nation in the world. They will send out into this world 144 ,000 preachers of the gospel.
And they will be dispersed through the entire world. Think about it. And in a short 7-year period, there will be a number that will respond to the gospel message that no man can count. And that during judgments falling upon this earth.
Just think what God is able to do in 7 short years. And there will be all kinds of plots and trying to kill them. And God says, you will not touch one of them. So there's the God that we serve. God is able to preserve from death.
And God is able to give over to death. And guess what? God is righteous in whatever he does. He's in control. Does that help us any? I'll tell you why I want you to get a hold of this. Because sometimes you and I pray to God about a situation.
Do you know what we end up doing? Lord, we end up telling him what we want. Instead of this. Lord, help me to accept thy will. What is your purpose? Not mine. So have you ever prayed for somebody who's sick?
A Christian that's sick. And how does everybody pray in the assembly? Lord, heal them. Give them back full health. That's what we want. Maybe that's not what God wants. You ever wonder? Have you ever been encouraged?
I have. Have you ever been encouraged by a Christian in a trial? And you wonder, how are they keeping their head above water? And it ends up being an encouragement to you. Ever done that? The story is often told of the preacher that was watching the red lantern moth.
The caterpillar coming out of his little cocoon. And of course he thought the animal was struggling. So he took his little razor blade and he cut the end of the cocoon. Enabling the red lantern moth to come out.
And it was only out a few minutes and it died. And he thought, jumping, I didn't help it, I hurt it. I killed it. So he went and did a little study on the red lantern moth. Do you know how God has designed it?
That little hole at the end of the cocoon is small for a reason. Because in struggling, trying to get out. It forces all of the blood out of its big head. Into its wings. And it's known to have one of the most beautiful sets of wings on a butterfly.
So when you and I see a Christian suffering. Do you know what our natural response is? Lord, stop it. What's going on here? This is unfair. You know what the word of God does to me? It shows me a different perspective.
Let's pray that they'll have grace. God help them. Strengthen them. To bear up under what is upon them. And give me grace to accept it. Let's come to another group. Let's come over to chapter 11. This is the final group.
I love this group. There's only two men in this group. Very small group this time. So we went from murderers first three and a half years. Murderers second three and a half years. Given over. Then we come to 144 ,000.
Preserved. Protected. Not even one hair will be singed on them. Not even touched. Look what we have in Revelation 11. Verse number three. And I will give power unto my two witnesses. And they shall prophesy.
Notice 1 ,203 score days. 1260 days. That's three and a half years. Clothed in sackcloth. Look at what we have in verse number seven. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottom of his pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. You and I know that God is a God of perfection. During that first three and a half years, unlike the 144 ,000 which will be sent into the world, God will raise up two unique men right in the city of Jerusalem.
You know what God said? Those two men are going to testify 1 ,260 days. Right to the minute. The devil will try to... Look, you can read the story. You can read the account. They will literally vex the souls of men and women.
They will be trying to shut their mouth because here are two men in a city now that is linked with Sodom, where our Lord was crucified. And they will be reminding wicked men of a God of righteousness.
And there will be such hatred toward these two men. But you know what? That's why it's so important. Verse number 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony. Do you know what I learned from this?
Every single one of us, God has our days numbered. So, when I hear of an Albert Hall, who I love, sick. Cancer has come back now. There's nothing they can do. It's just a matter of time. How do I look at it?
I come to the Bible and I say this. God has his days numbered. And that man will not leave this earth one day before or after. Until what? He has fulfilled the course that God has for him. That goes for a person that might be taken in their...
Let's say a young preacher is taken one year after he's commended. God's out of control. Is God out of control? Ever. Everything's under God's control. I could read the same thing. Remember John the Baptist.
I often marvel that God allowed Herod to behead John the Baptist. Herod, you do a little study on Herod. I'll end with this. Herod was probably one of the most wickedest men that ever walked on the face of this earth.
And God took the cream of preachers. Because even the Lord said there's none like him. None like him. And God allowed that man to be captured, put into a dungeon. A young man. Got to remember he's only six years older than the Lord.
So he's about 30 years and a half. And there he allowed that wicked ungodly sinner to have an opportunity to hear a gospel preacher. Do you know what this man did? Cut off his head. You know what the book of Acts tells me?
John also fulfilled his course. God's not out of control. That's why I read that verse. The comfort of scriptures. So I trust as I end. Maybe there's someone here. You're perplexed by suffering. May you go away encouraged from the word of God that, Okay, I can still praise God for this.
My God is in control. And nothing will happen until God allows it to happen.