Hello, and welcome to the Westside churches special Monday Morning Coffee podcast on this podcast, our preacher Mark Roberts will help you get your week started right. With look back at yesterday's sermon so that we can think through it further and better work the applications into our daily lives . Mark will then look forward into this week's Bible reading so that we can know what to expect and watch for. And, he may have some extra bonus thoughts from time to time. So grab a cup of coffee as we start the week together on Monday Morning Coffee with Mark.

Good morning. Good morning. Welcome to the Monday Morning Coffee podcast for Monday December the second. I've got some coffee. I've got my sermon notes from yesterday and I have a ton of stuff about the book of Revelation. Lots going on. Hey, I didn't say I know what's going on in the book of Revelation. I just said I've read a lot of stuff about what's going on in the book of Revelation. We'll sort all of that out, figure it all out . I've got some homework for you from yesterday's sermon. Yes, yes, yes. So grab that coffee, get ready, get set. Let's go. Yesterday I talked about whether our work matters to God. I hope that sermon is helpful to you in transforming how you view what you are doing today, that Monday to Friday grind. What's going on with all of that? We need to get beyond the grind and transform the way we think about our jobs and our occupations. And I mentioned as part of that, that I got to hear a fellow speak about work and talk about that at the minute, the word conference. And that really jarred my thinking and really got me to considering some of these ideas. I was encouraged to do that by some of the men that were also at the minute of the word conference. That fellow that was speaking, he talked about an essay on work written by Dorothy Sayers. Dorothy Sayers was a very well-known columnist and writer in the 1940s, 1950s in England. She's contemporary with and very good friends with CS Lewis. And she wrote an excellent essay entitled Why Work? And as I said, the fellow who spoke at the end of the word conference referenced that, and my ears really perked up when he said that because Dorothy Sayers was an inkling. That's CS Lewis and Jr . O Tolkien and the other writers, great writers of that time that lived in Oxford and England, and they would meet together every week and discuss writing and read their stuff to each other. And I thought, I need to go read what she had said about work. And it was absolutely worth the read. You can get it on the internet. Dorothy Sayers, why work? It's a a great read. Of course, all the usual caveats apply when we're reading something written by anybody other than a divinely inspired author. Don't agree with everything. Uh , all that applies here, but I think it will help you to consider your job, your occupation, your work as being more than simply a way to generate money in your life. Why work Dorothy Sayers. You need to read that. It'll help you. And now I wonder if Dorothy Sayers wrote anything about the book of Revelation. I could use some help with the book of Revelation. Maybe you could too. Let's get to work in the book of Revelation with daily Bible reading. Welcome to Monday's Reading. Today we're reading Revelation 15, one to eight . That's the entire 15th chapter of the book of Revelation. And I I , I have to be honest with you, I think probably the toughest part about the book of Revelation is not identifying who the beast is or what that sign represents. And I think a lot of that gets a lot easier when we stop overthinking and trying to make something out of everything. I think the toughest part of Revelation is its structure. Is Revelation 15 continuing what happened in chapter 14 or are we starting things over? And there is a lot of repetition in this pattern. We get seven of this and some judgments are poured out and then there's an interlude before the seventh one, and then here comes the seventh trumpet and we're now, we're getting into bowls . We're gonna have seven bowls of God's wrath in chapter 16. There's an interlude and then there's the seventh and is is the seventh the end or are we we moving forward again? I do think that this seems to represent a beginning again and maybe I would say this about John, if he made the book of Revelation into a movie, I think some audiences would come out and say, Hey, that was kind of repetitive because we have seen this pattern before. God wants the nations to repent. In fact, in chapter 14 in verses six and seven last week, the angel flies in chapter 14 verse six and says verse seven, fear God and give him the glory. You need to stop worshiping the beast. You need to repent. You need to turn to God. And don't think I've paid nearly enough attention to how much of the Book of Revelation is about repentance. And then we get this scene in chapter 15 where they are seeing the song of Moses 15, two and three and the Song of Jesus the Lamb. And this is a victory song. This is a victory song and some more judgments are about to be unleashed. And what's gonna be the point of those judgements ? Those judgments are to bring people to repentance. And we will absolutely see that in chapter 16. I don't think we ought to go through this vision and say all kinds of things about why the sea of glasses now mingled with fire. And I've seen detailed analysis of that and I just think we're overthinking that. We're making too much of that. We're just seeing an amazing image of those. Look at verse two, who had conquered the beast? Isn't that what this is about? Who stands with the lamb? Stand with the lamb. Win with the lamb, conquer the beast and the seven angels come out. Then verse six, they look an awful lot like priests. They're in pure bright linen and they have a golden sash. And these seven angels have been given seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God. This, this wrath that they pour out. A lot of this looks like it's coming right out of the Book of Exodus. I'm thinking of the song of Moses in verse three that comes out of Exodus 15. This seems to be very much repeating the symbolism and the the pattern and structure that we have seen through the Book of Revelation. Various, again, various authors have suggested things about verse eight. No one could enter the sanctuary that meant this couldn't happen anymore. I think it's Foy Wallace that suggests that this means God would not accept any more intercession on behalf of the city of Jerusalem. I I'm reluctant to drill down that far. It's a , it's a song of victory. It's these people who have conquered and judgment is fixing to be, is that a good Texas word? That's a great Texas word. Fixing to be Mark Roberts International East Texas version right there fixing to be poured out on all the nations so that they will repent. And that is exactly what we'll see in tomorrow's reading. Monday's reading is Revelation 15, one to eight . It is Tuesday. It is Tuesday. And today we're reading in the 16th chapter of the book of Revelation. We're reading Revelation 16 verses one to nine. And yesterday I said some things about John making a movie and that this is very repetitive. I should be careful about that. I really, really can't risk making any more Bible writers angry at me since Matthew and Mark are all hacked off because I'm always saying Luke is the best gospel. And of course I only say that because it is. But now I've got John mad at me because I'm blaming him for being repetitive in this amazing and great book. But here's what we ought to remember about that. John's readers aren't seeing this as a movie and they aren't even getting to read it the way you and I get to read it. They're hearing it. They are hearing it, and they are hearing this for a very specific purpose. So they will commit to stand with the lamb. So it should be of no surprise to us that as John works to help his readers see where they need to stand, that he will repeat the same themes really. Of course, this is the revelation of Jesus that Jesus will repeat the same themes again and again and again. That's not bad writing, that's intentional because this book is designed to create a certain feeling and a certain set of actions, a commitment to the lamb. So over and over again, John is saying, look what happens to those who don't stand with the lamb in Revelation 16. They get crazy plagues poured out on them. And a lot of the crazy plague stuff here looks an awful lot like things that we have seen in the Book of Exodus when Moses was delivering the people by the power of God from the Egyptian, from the Egyptian Pharaoh. And I guess I should add here, maybe one of the things to notice is verse five says, just are you a holy one? Who is and who was for you have brought these judgments , they shed the bloods of saints and prophets and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve. Having said that, they get less than what they deserve. These who oppose the lamb, they killed Christians. We've seen that all through the book of Revelation in the very beginning of the Book of Revelation to the letters my faithful witness and to pass who was killed, they killed Christians. But notice these bowls of wrath don't annihilate them. They don't. They don't kill these people. God doesn't give them what they really deserve. God, them why verse nine. So they'll repent. Oh no. Verse nine says, they curse the name of God and they did not repent. And verse 11 says, they curse the God of heavens for their pain and for their source . So these plagues are designed to bring repentance. Unfortunately, these people resist repentance, but I'm just amazed at how often the book of Revelation is driving at Stand with the Lamb. And if you're not standing with the lamb, get over here, repent and come stand with the lamb. I don't feel any need to try to correlate the events here. Oh, this is when the Mediterranean Sea turned to blood . None of those things happen . Literally, I'm I , I'm not searching through history to try to find some specific reference here. I'm just seeing that God is afflicting the world in some fashion to bring people to repentance. That's Tuesday's reading. Revelation 16, one to nine. And as a quick note, remember folks from West Side , we do not, do not have a zoom call on the first Tuesday of the month. See you tomorrow. Then as we push forward in Revelation chapter 16 on Wednesday, revelation 16, one to nine, that's our reading for Tuesday. Welcome to Wednesday. It is hump day and we're reading Revelation 16 verses 10 to 21. We're completing the 16 chapter of the book of Revelation. What we get is more of these angels pouring out these bowls of wrath and they do remind us very much once again of the plagues on Egypt. In fact, we even get some frogs today, verse 13, three unclean spears like frogs. I did not not have on my bingo card, Kermit the frog showing up in the middle of the book of Revelation. Maybe you had that. I was not ready for that. Let me give most of my attention today in the podcast to what's said in verse 16. They assembled themselves at a place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. And of course that's a reference it seems, at least I should say, to be a reference to Maketto, which is the scene of many decisive battles in the Bible. Deborah and beak fight there in judges chapter five, Josiah is killed when he ill. Advisedly goes to try to cut off. The Egyptians should not have done that. Josiah gets killed in battle. Second chronic , uh, two Kings 23 and even Zacharia has a mention of maketto. What is unusual about this is that it is not Mato, it's our maketto. Or actually literally it's HAR harm maketto, which means the mountain of Maketto. And what's weird about that is there isn't a Mount Maketto that doesn't exist. Mato is a giant plane. It's a huge flat spot between the mountains that define the topography of Palestine of Israel. So Mount Carmel and some mountains there along the edge of the Mediterranean. And then there's this ridge or spine of mountains that run north to south in Israel. Jerusalem is up. You always go up to Jerusalem. It's part of that as mountains. You go down from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea or down from Jerusalem towards the Mediterranean. Well, it's hard to fight battles in a mountain. There's a pass. It's a huge valley. That's the valley of Maketto. It's in between the mountains and the north up around the Mediterranean sea, the coastal mountains and the spiny ridge that runs down the center of Israel. And lots of battles get fought there, but there is no mountain of Maketto that doesn't exist. Makes you think a little bit about people who put so much emphasis on the battle of Armageddon when it is clearly a symbolic name. Now obviously there are some very literal names in the book of Revelation. Ephesus and Leonia were real places, but there's lots of symbolic names. Sodom and Gamara , Babylon of course, which figures. So importantly in chapter 17, this is obviously a symbolic name where there is going to be some kind of battle. They are being assembled there. But be careful not to get out your map and start looking for Mount Maketto. It doesn't exist. Then the seventh Angel verse 17 pours out his bowl and it just, it's just done. We're just all done here. What? What does that mean? I think the key is verse 21, there's hailstones falling from heaven and they cursed God for the plague of hail. What does that mean when they curse God, look back at verse 11. It means they did not repent. Now, I would've thought these seven bulls would bring annihilation. That's what these people deserve. That's what they ought to get. But there is no annihilation. They are not slaughtered or put to death. Instead, they are afflicted with all kinds of trials and tribulations because God wants them to repent. I really have to say that this, this has reminded me so much of the year that we spent reading the Old Testament prophets because God would send prophet after prophet after prophet to get his people to repent. And finally I got to the place where I was like, God, give it up. They are not going to repent. Stop with the prophets, but God is way more long suffering than I am. And here in the book of Revelation, I, I'm in the same place. Stop with the wrath. Stop with the balls. Stop with the plagues. They're not going to repent. Guess what? God wants 'em to repent and God is more long suffering than you and I. And we're seeing that in our reading today. Revelation 16, 10 to 21 is a reading for Wednesday. It is Thursday. It is Thursday, and today we read Revelation 17, one to six and we meet the great harlett, the great harlett who has Babylon written on her forehead. Revelation 17 in verse five. We've seen so much so far about the repentance that God is calling people to, and I think we see here in chapter 17, what happens to people who don't repent. They are seduced by the great harlett they follow after her instead of standing with the lamb. I should say this, all that talk about repentance would have an effect on the Christians in the seven churches of Asia, wouldn't it? Absolutely. It would say, don't defect, don't go over there. They're miserable. Stand with the lamb. That seems to be the theme in the book of Revelation, doesn't it? So here comes this great prostitute 17 one, and she is seated on many waters and the kings of the earth are involved in sexual immorality with her, and she's just the most wicked woman that you can possibly imagine. She sits on a scarlet beast full of blasphemous names with seven heads and 10 horns, and she's rated in purple and scarlet and she has a golden cup in her hand. She looks outwardly very attractive. She has these beautiful clothes on. Maybe she's kind of a beautiful woman, but there's so much about her that's that's just gross and just repels you when you really take a close look. 17 four , what's in her cup? Is in her cup, the best wine of the day. No, her cup is full of abominations in the impurities of her sexual morality, she scooped that cup up out of the septic tank. She's drinking filth and sewage. That's what she's drinking, and she wants to portray herself as being so beautiful. But across her forehead is tattooed Babylon, the great mother of prostitutes and averse abominations. I I don't think many people would find a woman with a giant tattoo on her forehead to be very attractive, but this woman opposes God and God's people. Verse six, she's drunk with the blood of the saints. This woman is all that is evil and awful. And I understand our interest in trying to have a specific identification of this woman, and there is a case to be made. I think that she represents the spirit of Rome and Roman idolatry being supported by Roman power. And I think maybe you could make a case. And, and there certainly are people who do this, that she represents Jerusalem, that Jerusalem and Judaism rode on the back of Roman power and that the Romans allowed them an awful lot of liberties, religious liberties that nobody else in the empire got, that Jerusalem was a rich city, might be able to make that play. I have tried to make that connection in in past times. I I wanted to see the book of Revelation to speak primarily to the idea that Judaism is finished and that it they put to death. Jesus the Christ in there now persecuting Christians. You see that all through the book of Acts. It's not Rome that chases Christians around. It's the, it's the Jewish , uh, judaizing teachers who are always on Paul's case. And I , I wanted to make the book say something about the final judgment of Judaism and, and maybe , maybe it is making that case, but it's just hard. It seems to me to identify this harlet all the way, which Jerusalem, all the details. Jerusalem just doesn't have that kind of power and influence. We'll get a little bit further here and I'll talk about how this woman rules over the kings of the earth. I I don't see Jerusalem in that scenario or in that way, and I think once again, it's just time not to try to put a name tag on every beast or harlett or figure that we see in the book of Revelation. This figure, this Harlett represents all those who oppose God and God's people. And that's how it's certainly used in the Old Testament. Israel was a harlot. They were unfaithful to God. Isaiah one in verse 21, Judah played the Hart book of Jeremiah is full of those kinds of references. Jeremiah, the second chapter, but tire is portrayed as a Harlan in Isaiah 23. None of is portrayed as a harlot na in chapter three, some have tried to say that Rome can't be a harlot because they were never in God's house. They were never in a relationship with God to start with, but you don't have to be in a relationship with God for that image to fit you tire . Nineveh , Babylon, of course since her name is Babylon, would fit that. This is those who oppose God. This is the spirit of the age , the seductive quality of sin. It looks so entrancing, jewels and pearls and , and a cup full golden cup full. Come and be drunk and be involved in sexual immorality. That's the time of the age, isn't it? And I , I , I would say this, I don't want to make revelation into a predictive book, but I can look around and see a city that fits that description today, can't you? And I think saints, through the years, the centuries that have read the book of Revelation, have been able to identify the spirit of the age, the spirit of wickedness, the seductive power of sin, whether that was in Paris, whether that was in Las Vegas, whether that was in Babylon, whether that was in Jerusalem, whether that was in Sodom and Gamara . We see the same thing, calling to God's people, abandon God's way and come give yourself to carnal pleasure. That's the call here in Revelation 17 verses one to six, our reading for Thursday. Welcome to Friday. Our reading today is Revelation 17, seven to 18. Revelation 17, seven to 18 is our reading, and this is the concluding section here in chapter 17. The beast that you saw, verse eight, that was and is not. It's about to rise from the bottom of this pit and go to destruction. There's lots of attempts to make something specific out of the description that follows. We wanna know who these seven kings are, and I have out in the margin of my Bible, a list of Caesars. I wrote that in there at some point, reading from some scholar who gave a list. The problem is you never know where to start the list. I think it's pretty clear that when you start talking about someone who's on seven hills or on seven mountains, that most people in the New Testament world would've thought of Rome. It was very famous for having been founded on seven hills, seven mountains. So I'm pretty comfortable with that. After that, it gets really hard. Do you start counting with Julius Caesar? You can get into a really long argument with someone about whether Julius Caesar should be the first, or whether he was not really a Caesar. He was a dictator. On and on and on. Then you have Augustus and Tiberius . Then there's a a time where the empire was in turmoil and the various guys made claims to the throne and nobody could ever solidify the throne. Finally, Titus comes back , uh, he's involved in the siege of Jerusalem and he comes back and says, okay, it'll be me. How do you count all of that? I think the answer to that is you don't count. You don't count. I'm not trying to count the 10 kings in verse 12. These are the evil powers that oppose God's people. And the important thing here is not can I name off the five Caesars or can I name the 10 kings? The important thing is verse 14, they make war on the lamb and the lamb will conquer them. Maybe those first century Christians knew exactly who this was and they could count those kings on their hands and it was very clear. But think about in our day and time, if somebody was speaking of our presidential race and we'll talk about how Donald Trump was president and then he was defeated and then he was elected again, that would be very, somebody referenced a president who was out and then was back in. We would know immediately who, who you're talking about. No question about that. I don't know, 500 years from now, that may be a very obscure note in history. If, if history stands, if the Lord does not return, so maybe they got it, but I don't think it's important for us to get it. And if it was, I think revelation would stop off and and give us some specific markers so that we would get that. Instead, what we get is that they make war on the lamb and the lamb will conquer them. For he is Lord of lords and king of kings. Verse 14, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. Guess what that means? Stand with the lamb. The lamb will win. Stand with the lamb. You will win too. And in fact, that whole world power, political power, power of Rome, seductive nature of sin and idolatry and worship of Rome as a goddess, all of that that is self-defeating. That is self-defeating The 10 horns that you saw, verse 16, the beast, they hate the prostitute. They make her desolate and naked and devour her flesh and burn her . They , it turns on itself. It turns on itself. This woman that you saw was the great city that has dominions over the kings of the earth. Again, that's a tough place to make the city of Jerusalem fit. You can certainly get it in verse 16, turning on the prostitute, if Jerusalem is the prostitute, Jerusalem was a center of trade and ec economic finances and economic activity of every kind. So that kinda works pretty good. Then you get to verse 18, you're trying to explain how Jerusalem ruled the kings of the earth. The Jews have never ruled the kings of the earth, at least not in New Testament times and certainly haven't. David had a great empire, but absolutely not in the New Testament world, so I'm very reluctant to try to identify specifics here. Instead, what we need to do is stand Pat on 1714. The lamb will conquer them for he is Lord of lords and king of kings, and those with whom are called chosen and faithful. Stand with the lamb. That is what Revelation 17 is about. Our reading for Friday, revelation 17, seven to 18. I thank you so much for listening to the podcast. I hope that it is helping you, that you're telling others about it, that it is encouraging to you as we work in what can be a fairly difficult book. No question about that. Hope it is of value to you. Leave the podcast a rating or review so more people will find it. Well, until Monday, then when we'll open our Bibles together. Again, I'm Mark Roberts and I wanna go to heaven, and I want you to come to I'll see you on Monday with a cup of coffee.

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