I come
00:00:58.46\00:01:00.88
to the garden alone,
00:01:01.12\00:01:06.61
While the dew
00:01:06.81\00:01:09.76
is still on the roses;
00:01:09.96\00:01:15.61
And the voice I hear,
00:01:16.55\00:01:20.81
falling on my ear,
00:01:21.11\00:01:25.88
The Son of God
00:01:26.08\00:01:29.65
discloses.
00:01:29.85\00:01:35.85
He speaks,
00:01:36.15\00:01:39.23
and the sound of His voice
00:01:39.43\00:01:44.53
is so sweet
00:01:44.83\00:01:47.29
that the birds hush
00:01:47.59\00:01:50.63
their singing;
00:01:50.83\00:01:53.08
And the melody
00:01:53.48\00:01:57.99
that He gave to me
00:01:58.29\00:02:02.60
Within my heart
00:02:02.81\00:02:06.13
is ringing.
00:02:06.43\00:02:11.61
And He
00:02:11.91\00:02:16.03
walks with me,
00:02:16.23\00:02:19.78
and He talks with me,
00:02:19.98\00:02:23.70
And He tells me that I am
00:02:24.01\00:02:28.28
His own,
00:02:28.48\00:02:32.23
And the joy that we share
00:02:32.53\00:02:36.48
as we tarry there,
00:02:36.68\00:02:41.16
None other has ever
00:02:41.46\00:02:46.10
known.
00:02:46.30\00:02:51.35
Just a closer walk with Thee,
00:02:51.55\00:02:55.73
Grant it, Jesus,
00:02:56.83\00:03:00.85
is my plea,
00:03:01.05\00:03:05.25
I want to be daily walking
00:03:06.29\00:03:11.42
close to Thee,
00:03:11.62\00:03:16.34
Let it be,
00:03:16.54\00:03:19.33
dear Lord,
00:03:19.43\00:03:21.15
let it be...
00:03:21.45\00:03:26.82
Let it be,
00:03:27.12\00:03:30.05
dear Lord,
00:03:30.35\00:03:32.45
just let it be.
00:03:32.75\00:03:38.71
What... What a Friend we have
00:03:39.98\00:03:44.78
in Jesus,
00:03:44.98\00:03:48.45
For all our sins
00:03:49.39\00:03:53.82
and griefs to bear!
00:03:53.85\00:03:59.26
And what...
00:03:59.66\00:04:01.88
what a privilege
00:04:02.18\00:04:05.28
to carry
00:04:05.48\00:04:09.70
Ev'rything
00:04:10.49\00:04:14.14
to God in prayer!
00:04:14.34\00:04:18.60
O what peace
00:04:20.99\00:04:24.23
we often forfeit,
00:04:24.43\00:04:30.16
And O what needless pain
00:04:30.46\00:04:35.52
we bear,
00:04:35.72\00:04:39.60
It's all because we do not
00:04:40.76\00:04:46.41
carry
00:04:46.61\00:04:50.81
Ev'rything
00:04:51.21\00:04:54.68
to God in prayer!
00:04:54.88\00:05:00.83
Let's take it
00:05:01.94\00:05:05.75
to the Lord
00:05:05.95\00:05:10.66
in prayer.
00:05:11.06\00:05:16.96
Amen.
00:05:24.45\00:05:26.25
Mark Finley is just
about to come to us.
00:05:27.94\00:05:30.73
Hew is a New Englander.
00:05:30.93\00:05:32.42
Comes from the same area
of the country that produced
00:05:32.62\00:05:34.37
Ellen Gould Harmon
and James Springer White
00:05:34.58\00:05:36.68
and J. N. Andrews and so
many of our founding fathers.
00:05:36.88\00:05:40.49
There is something about
that stern, staunch New England
00:05:40.69\00:05:44.04
stock that started this church
and has kept this church going
00:05:44.24\00:05:49.13
for so many, many years.
He, of course, is now the
00:05:49.23\00:05:51.78
assistant to our
General Conference president
00:05:51.98\00:05:54.70
and as such goes around the
world doing any number of things
00:05:54.91\00:05:59.10
and superintending
any number of projects
00:05:59.30\00:06:01.68
for the General Conference.
00:06:01.88\00:06:03.26
We know him as the
erstwhile Speaker/Director
00:06:03.46\00:06:07.52
for It Is Written.
Evangelist, pastor,
00:06:07.72\00:06:10.41
preacher, teacher, author.
00:06:10.61\00:06:12.34
Has appeared
certainly on this network
00:06:12.54\00:06:14.36
many many times and we are so
very blessed to have him here.
00:06:14.56\00:06:18.73
Before he brings us
the study for the morning
00:06:18.93\00:06:21.30
we have a lovely
and very familiar face,
00:06:21.50\00:06:24.16
Melody Shelton Firestone,
who is going to be singing.
00:06:24.36\00:06:27.24
We were talking about this
song just a little bit ago,
00:06:27.44\00:06:30.02
God's Greatest Glory,
and how it got to Melody...
00:06:30.12\00:06:32.99
The long and circuitous
route that it made, but
00:06:33.19\00:06:35.63
she does a very, very
fine job with this song.
00:06:35.83\00:06:38.72
I've heard other incarnations
of this particular song
00:06:38.92\00:06:42.42
but none better than
the way Melody does it.
00:06:42.66\00:06:44.99
And so after she shall have sung
00:06:45.10\00:06:47.73
the next voice you will
hear then will be Mark Finley.
00:06:47.93\00:06:50.55
And we ask from you
for him your prayerful
00:06:50.58\00:06:54.24
and undivided attention.
00:06:54.44\00:06:56.24
In the beginning
00:07:16.93\00:07:21.30
of creation
00:07:21.60\00:07:25.60
when the world
00:07:26.47\00:07:29.40
was formed
00:07:29.60\00:07:33.49
Though God in His splendor
00:07:33.79\00:07:38.08
this world He had rendered
00:07:38.38\00:07:42.77
still the best
00:07:43.88\00:07:45.80
was yet to come.
00:07:46.10\00:07:50.79
God's
00:07:51.61\00:07:55.31
greatest glory,
00:07:55.51\00:07:59.11
the world's
00:07:59.51\00:08:04.08
love story,
00:08:04.18\00:08:07.02
written just for me:
00:08:07.22\00:08:13.19
Jesus
00:08:17.28\00:08:21.27
is God's
00:08:21.47\00:08:24.42
greatest glory.
00:08:25.49\00:08:30.56
From this earth in a manger
00:08:42.61\00:08:47.33
to His death on Calvary,
00:08:47.43\00:08:51.75
He fulfilled
00:08:52.92\00:08:55.14
the Father's plan.
00:08:55.34\00:08:59.92
Jesus Christ
00:09:00.42\00:09:04.55
the sacrifice
00:09:04.95\00:09:08.72
giving hope
00:09:09.81\00:09:12.03
to every man.
00:09:12.43\00:09:17.23
God's
00:09:17.73\00:09:21.51
greatest glory,
00:09:21.81\00:09:25.50
the world's
00:09:26.15\00:09:30.21
love story,
00:09:30.41\00:09:33.13
written just for
00:09:33.43\00:09:35.93
me:
00:09:36.13\00:09:42.07
Jesus
00:09:43.34\00:09:47.08
is God's
00:09:47.28\00:09:50.62
greatest glory.
00:09:51.15\00:09:57.08
Jesus
00:10:00.23\00:10:04.00
is God's
00:10:04.20\00:10:07.36
greatest glory.
00:10:08.50\00:10:14.49
Amen.
00:10:23.30\00:10:25.15
Jesus the
Creator is our Redeemer
00:10:26.42\00:10:30.11
and He is our coming King. Amen!
00:10:30.41\00:10:33.11
My topic in this hour
00:10:33.24\00:10:36.67
is Revelation's
Triumphant Christ.
00:10:36.87\00:10:40.91
Revelation is the
last book in the Bible
00:10:41.21\00:10:43.89
written for the last
generation of men and women
00:10:44.09\00:10:47.06
that live on planet earth.
00:10:47.26\00:10:50.38
And you can summarize the entire
theme of the book of Revelation
00:10:50.68\00:10:54.57
in four words:
00:10:54.77\00:10:56.98
Jesus wins; Satan loses. Amen!
00:10:57.18\00:11:01.64
As we open the Bible this
morning hour, I invite you
00:11:01.74\00:11:04.17
to bow your heads with me.
00:11:04.27\00:11:06.05
Father in Heaven, we thank you
00:11:06.25\00:11:07.97
that the end of
the book of Revelation
00:11:08.17\00:11:10.74
is one of glorious climax.
00:11:10.94\00:11:13.87
We thank you that
the book of Revelation
00:11:14.08\00:11:16.73
is not filled with fear.
00:11:16.93\00:11:19.51
That its major focus is not
on the beast - it's on the Lamb.
00:11:19.71\00:11:23.21
Its major focus is
not on a time of trouble
00:11:23.51\00:11:26.55
it is on a time of glory.
00:11:26.75\00:11:28.43
That its major focus is
not on imprisonment in death
00:11:28.63\00:11:33.10
it is on eternal
life when Jesus comes.
00:11:33.30\00:11:35.74
So today grant us the hope
00:11:35.94\00:11:39.01
as we open the
book and we discover
00:11:39.21\00:11:43.05
the triumphant Christ.
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
00:11:43.25\00:11:47.50
A number of
years ago my wife and I
00:11:47.80\00:11:49.69
lived in St. Albans, England.
00:11:49.89\00:11:52.45
I was the ministerial secretary
of the Trans-European Division.
00:11:52.65\00:11:56.06
We had 17
countries in our division.
00:11:56.26\00:11:58.47
And one day I walked into the
division office in St. Albans.
00:11:58.67\00:12:01.98
I noticed the London
Times and I had a few minutes,
00:12:02.18\00:12:04.65
so I began leafing
through that newspaper
00:12:04.85\00:12:07.83
and saw an article in 1989
00:12:08.03\00:12:11.57
about a Seventh-day Adventist
church in Bucharest, Romania.
00:12:11.77\00:12:15.56
The church had been destroyed
00:12:15.76\00:12:18.71
by the Communist
dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
00:12:19.01\00:12:24.95
And here's the story:
00:12:25.15\00:12:27.64
Ceausescu said
"I need that church
00:12:27.84\00:12:31.21
for a new road
that's going to be built. "
00:12:31.51\00:12:35.38
The Adventists said:
"If you need the land,
00:12:36.48\00:12:39.43
we certainly are
willing to give it to you.
00:12:39.63\00:12:41.78
But give us compensation
and give us another location. "
00:12:41.81\00:12:46.96
The Communist dictator said:
"Nothing doing! I'm going to
00:12:47.16\00:12:49.88
take your land. I'm
going to destroy your church. "
00:12:49.98\00:12:51.79
They appealed
again to a higher court.
00:12:51.99\00:12:54.64
"Give us another
piece of property.
00:12:54.84\00:12:56.25
Give us some compensation.
If the government really needs
00:12:56.35\00:12:58.51
the land, we want to
cooperate with the government. "
00:12:58.61\00:13:00.44
Again they said: "We're
going to take your church on
00:13:00.64\00:13:02.82
such and such a date. "
00:13:02.92\00:13:04.19
The Adventists, according
to the newspaper article,
00:13:04.39\00:13:07.24
gathered in the church.
00:13:07.44\00:13:10.40
The government officials came
00:13:10.80\00:13:13.93
with their bulldozers
and their wrecking cranes
00:13:14.13\00:13:17.44
to destroy the church.
00:13:17.54\00:13:18.83
The Adventists were inside
of it; they would not leave.
00:13:19.03\00:13:21.18
They were singing
hymns praising God.
00:13:21.38\00:13:23.74
And as the article
stated, the wrecking cranes
00:13:24.04\00:13:28.43
approached the church but then
they hesitated and pulled back.
00:13:28.53\00:13:32.95
Finally Ceausescu,
the Communist dictator,
00:13:33.15\00:13:37.47
got dissident criminal
elements from the prison.
00:13:37.67\00:13:41.61
They broke the
windows of the church,
00:13:41.81\00:13:44.21
knocked down the
doors of the church,
00:13:44.41\00:13:46.24
pulled out the
Adventists from the church,
00:13:46.44\00:13:48.19
and totally destroyed it.
00:13:48.39\00:13:49.53
The next Sabbath the
Adventists came to that site.
00:13:49.83\00:13:53.71
The road had not yet
been built, of course.
00:13:53.91\00:13:55.81
Twisted metal; broken
glass; smashed concrete.
00:13:56.01\00:14:01.24
And the Adventists sang
praises to God and worshiped
00:14:01.54\00:14:03.97
on that site for
two or three Sabbaths.
00:14:04.07\00:14:05.94
Finally the site was cleared.
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.08
A new road was built.
00:14:08.48\00:14:10.18
And the Adventists
found a little spot
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.44
and worshiped in a tent.
00:14:12.47\00:14:14.40
Well all of this
was in my mind in 1989.
00:14:14.70\00:14:18.61
About 10 years later I went
to hold a satellite evangelistic
00:14:18.84\00:14:24.68
meeting in Bucharest, Romania.
00:14:24.88\00:14:27.42
We were in an
auditorium called Sala Palatului
00:14:27.62\00:14:30.38
which was the
Communist Party building.
00:14:30.49\00:14:34.08
I had the opportunity
to prepare my sermons
00:14:34.28\00:14:37.06
at the very desk that
the Communist dictator
00:14:37.26\00:14:40.29
Nicolae Ceausescu sat at.
00:14:40.39\00:14:42.89
And so when I was there
I wanted to trace the story
00:14:43.10\00:14:48.67
of that church. So
I began to ask around
00:14:48.87\00:14:51.03
and they said: "Pastor
Mark, we have a new church
00:14:51.13\00:14:54.09
that was built after
the old one was destroyed.
00:14:54.29\00:14:57.28
Would you like to go and see it?
00:14:57.48\00:14:58.99
It is the most beautiful
church in all of Romania. "
00:14:59.30\00:15:02.15
Well that now kind
of got my interest up
00:15:02.46\00:15:05.55
because here was a
church that was destroyed
00:15:05.75\00:15:08.14
and I wanted to go and meet
the members who were in there
00:15:08.34\00:15:11.42
ten years before
and interview them.
00:15:11.45\00:15:13.51
And as I went to the church
00:15:13.81\00:15:16.04
I saw this
magnificent beautiful edifice
00:15:16.25\00:15:19.45
that the Adventists had built
00:15:19.65\00:15:21.39
after the Communist government
had destroyed the church.
00:15:21.59\00:15:24.62
Now here ten years later the
Communist government was gone
00:15:24.72\00:15:26.96
but there's this
beautiful new Adventist church.
00:15:27.16\00:15:29.15
Do you know what street
that new Adventist church is
00:15:29.45\00:15:32.96
built on? A street
called Winners Street.
00:15:33.06\00:15:36.76
Do you know what number
of Winners Street it was?
00:15:37.06\00:15:40.43
Seven. The
Seventh-day Adventists
00:15:40.83\00:15:45.04
were worshiping in
a brand new building.
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.38
The Communist government had
faded long into insignificance
00:15:48.59\00:15:53.07
and the Adventists were worship-
ing on #7 Winners Street.
00:15:53.27\00:15:58.86
With Jesus there are
no losers, only winners.
00:15:59.16\00:16:02.70
Take your Bible and turn to
Revelation the 12th chapter.
00:16:02.90\00:16:05.28
Revelation chapter 12.
00:16:05.48\00:16:07.78
Revelation chapter 12
is the hinge upon which
00:16:08.18\00:16:11.40
the book of Revelation turns.
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.75
Up until Revelation chapter
12 you have three sequences:
00:16:13.95\00:16:17.30
the seven churches, the
seven seals, the seven trumpets
00:16:17.50\00:16:20.65
from Revelation 2 to
Revelation chapter 11.
00:16:20.86\00:16:23.65
From Revelation
13 to Revelation 22
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.07
there's a shift in
the book of Revelation.
00:16:27.28\00:16:29.70
The first eleven chapters...
Chapter 1 in Revelation
00:16:29.90\00:16:34.10
deals with Christ, the all-
powerful, triumphant Christ.
00:16:34.30\00:16:37.16
Chapter 2 to chapter 11
deals with the manifestation
00:16:37.36\00:16:42.08
of God's work
throughout history.
00:16:42.28\00:16:44.45
The cosmic view of
Christ from the first century
00:16:44.65\00:16:47.27
to the last century
revealed in three scenarios:
00:16:47.47\00:16:51.10
seven churches, seven
seals, seven trumpets.
00:16:51.30\00:16:54.49
From Revelation chapter 13
to 22 we start with end time.
00:16:54.69\00:16:59.86
We look now at the last
days of earth's history.
00:17:00.10\00:17:02.63
the mark of the beast.
the three angels' message.
00:17:02.83\00:17:06.01
an introduction to
the seven last plagues.
00:17:06.21\00:17:08.55
the seven last plagues.
00:17:08.75\00:17:10.65
the fall of Babylon.
00:17:10.85\00:17:12.16
the fall of Babylon.
00:17:12.36\00:17:13.64
the marriage supper of the
Lamb and the coming of Christ.
00:17:13.85\00:17:16.69
the millennium. the New Earth
00:17:16.89\00:17:20.21
and 22: the New
Earth. So from 13 onward
00:17:20.41\00:17:23.02
you have the last
days. Chapter 12 is the hinge
00:17:23.22\00:17:26.47
that connects
the first 11 chapters
00:17:26.67\00:17:29.93
and the chapters from 13 to 22.
00:17:30.13\00:17:32.59
Revelation chapter 12
covers four episodes of history
00:17:32.80\00:17:37.25
and I want to look at
those four episodes of history.
00:17:37.45\00:17:40.23
If you are here in this
local audience, I trust you have
00:17:40.26\00:17:43.04
your Bible. If you are
watching on television,
00:17:43.15\00:17:45.34
if your Bible is handy
please get it right now.
00:17:45.54\00:17:48.52
Take out a notepad and
begin to take some notes.
00:17:48.72\00:17:51.96
Revelation chapter 12
has four great episodes.
00:17:52.26\00:17:55.95
In every episode
Jesus wins and Satan loses.
00:17:56.15\00:17:59.44
Revelation chapter 12
takes us down the stream of time
00:17:59.64\00:18:02.78
and looks at the four
great episodes of history.
00:18:02.99\00:18:05.74
We begin with
Revelation chapter 12 verse 7.
00:18:05.94\00:18:09.31
Revelation chapter 12 verse 7.
00:18:09.71\00:18:12.44
"And the war
broke out in heaven.
00:18:12.64\00:18:15.25
Michael and His angels
fought against the dragon,
00:18:15.45\00:18:18.99
and the dragon
and his angels fought
00:18:19.19\00:18:21.66
and war broke out in heaven. "
00:18:21.86\00:18:23.20
The reason there is war on
earth is because there was first
00:18:23.40\00:18:26.11
war in heaven. The reason
there is war on earth is because
00:18:26.31\00:18:28.84
there is war down here
because there was war up there.
00:18:29.05\00:18:33.06
Isn't it rather strange to
think there was war in heaven?
00:18:33.26\00:18:38.28
Usually you don't think
of heaven as a place of war.
00:18:38.58\00:18:41.94
You think of heaven
as a place of peace.
00:18:42.14\00:18:45.21
When God created heavenly beings
00:18:45.51\00:18:48.82
He gave them
the power of choice.
00:18:49.02\00:18:51.19
Because if you take
away the power of choice
00:18:51.39\00:18:55.19
you take away the
opportunity to love.
00:18:55.39\00:18:57.32
If you take away
the opportunity to love,
00:18:57.52\00:18:59.72
you take away the
opportunity to be fully happy.
00:18:59.93\00:19:02.70
And so Jesus wanted His
creatures and God wanted
00:19:02.90\00:19:06.50
every creature not
to be cosmic robots...
00:19:06.60\00:19:08.78
not to be puppets
manipulated by a string.
00:19:08.99\00:19:11.54
And so God didn't control
the angels by a cosmic control
00:19:11.74\00:19:14.81
center in the
center of the universe
00:19:14.91\00:19:16.54
where they had screws in their
heads and He took out the screws
00:19:16.74\00:19:19.13
and He popped up the top of
their head and He put a computer
00:19:19.33\00:19:22.01
chip in them so they
were forced to serve.
00:19:22.11\00:19:24.11
But when you give the capacity
of choice you run the risk
00:19:24.31\00:19:26.91
that your beings
might make the wrong choice.
00:19:27.11\00:19:29.69
But to take away
that capacity of choice
00:19:29.90\00:19:31.79
you deny the opportunity of
love and the universe becomes
00:19:31.99\00:19:34.84
governed by an
authoritarian dictator.
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.97
So God gave these beings
in heaven the power of choice.
00:19:37.17\00:19:41.07
And Lucifer chose
to rebel against God.
00:19:41.27\00:19:44.11
He wanted to sit on the throne.
00:19:44.31\00:19:46.46
He wanted to rule his... He
began to develop egotistical
00:19:46.56\00:19:50.06
desires and longings,
and war broke out in heaven.
00:19:50.16\00:19:52.58
And Michael and His
angels fought against the dragon
00:19:52.78\00:19:55.51
and the dragon
and His angels fought
00:19:55.71\00:19:57.65
but they did not prevail. "
00:19:57.85\00:20:00.42
The angels of
hell did not prevail.
00:20:00.62\00:20:03.60
The rebellious angels that
became the angels of hell...
00:20:03.81\00:20:06.94
more accurate to say the angels
of heaven that became rebellious
00:20:07.14\00:20:09.96
who we cast
down out of heaven...
00:20:10.16\00:20:12.30
these angels did not prevail.
00:20:12.50\00:20:14.52
Those words are critical.
00:20:14.72\00:20:16.44
The evil angels did
not prevail in heaven
00:20:16.64\00:20:19.09
and they will not
prevail in your life.
00:20:19.29\00:20:21.92
Jesus Christ, the almighty
victor, has never lost one
00:20:22.12\00:20:27.65
battle with Satan yet.
00:20:27.85\00:20:29.96
Every time Jesus and
Satan battle, Jesus wins
00:20:30.16\00:20:34.25
and Satan loses.
They did not prevail.
00:20:34.46\00:20:37.15
"Nor was a place found for
them in heaven any longer. "
00:20:37.35\00:20:39.86
Verse 9: "So the
great dragon was cast out. "
00:20:39.96\00:20:42.55
The same Jesus
who is all powerful,
00:20:42.76\00:20:44.92
who had victory
over Satan in heaven,
00:20:45.12\00:20:46.69
will cast Satan
out of your life.
00:20:46.89\00:20:49.76
"So the great dragon was
cast out, that old serpent
00:20:50.94\00:20:53.05
called the devil and Satan
who deceives the whole world.
00:20:53.25\00:20:56.20
He was cast to the earth.
00:20:56.40\00:20:58.91
and his angels were
cast out with him. "
00:20:59.01\00:21:00.39
Satan is viewed
with two symbols.
00:21:00.59\00:21:03.75
He is the serpent who deceives;
he is the dragon who destroys.
00:21:03.95\00:21:07.81
He deceives those
whom he's going to destroy
00:21:08.11\00:21:10.57
and destroys those
whom he has deceived.
00:21:10.77\00:21:12.94
But here the Bible in
verse 7 uses an interesting
00:21:13.34\00:21:17.91
expression. It says:
"War broke out in heaven
00:21:18.01\00:21:21.32
and Michael and His angels
fought against the dragon...
00:21:21.52\00:21:25.36
the dragon and his angels.
00:21:25.46\00:21:27.21
Let's for a moment
meditate on Michael.
00:21:27.41\00:21:30.16
There are many expressions
of Jesus in the Bible.
00:21:30.36\00:21:34.23
Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb.
00:21:34.43\00:21:37.62
Jesus is the Lily of the
Valley and the Rose of Sharon.
00:21:37.82\00:21:41.10
Jesus is the Bright
and Morning Star and the
00:21:41.30\00:21:44.06
Son of Righteousness.
00:21:44.16\00:21:45.44
Jesus is Savior and Christ.
00:21:45.64\00:21:48.04
Jesus is the Bread of
Life and the Living Water.
00:21:48.24\00:21:50.91
Jesus is the Rock of
Ages and a solid foundation.
00:21:51.11\00:21:54.41
Jesus is our Shepherd and
in the Bible He's mentioned as
00:21:54.62\00:21:57.52
the Divine Harvester.
00:21:57.62\00:21:59.05
Why are there so many different
titles of Jesus in the Bible?
00:21:59.25\00:22:02.04
Jesus is the Bread of Life
because He satisfies our inner
00:22:02.24\00:22:06.64
spiritual longing and hunger.
00:22:06.74\00:22:08.50
Jesus is the Water of Life
because He satisfies our thirst
00:22:08.70\00:22:11.64
for purpose and meaning.
00:22:11.84\00:22:13.17
Jesus is the Son of Righteous-
ness because He brings warmth
00:22:13.37\00:22:16.22
to our cold hearts.
00:22:16.42\00:22:17.59
Jesus is the Rose of Sharon
because He perfumes our life.
00:22:17.79\00:22:20.93
Jesus is the Door because
He is the One that we can
00:22:20.96\00:22:23.54
enter into to the Father.
00:22:23.64\00:22:25.25
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
because He comes and finds us
00:22:25.45\00:22:28.83
as the Good Shepherd and
carries us as prodigals back
00:22:28.93\00:22:32.71
home. Jesus has
multiple names given.
00:22:32.81\00:22:37.50
Jesus has so many names in
the Bible because His function,
00:22:37.70\00:22:40.44
His work is infinite.
00:22:40.54\00:22:41.64
Now this term Michael
is a fascinating term.
00:22:41.84\00:22:45.23
It's only used
five times in the Bible.
00:22:45.53\00:22:47.77
Who is this Michael
that battles against Satan?
00:22:47.97\00:22:51.46
The first thing we know
in Revelation 12 verse 7
00:22:51.76\00:22:55.89
is that Michael has such power,
00:22:56.19\00:23:00.00
He has such
strength, that whoever He is
00:23:00.20\00:23:03.50
He can cast Satan out of heaven.
00:23:03.70\00:23:06.75
So this Michael
must be all powerful.
00:23:06.95\00:23:09.48
Another clue that we have is the
last two letters of the name:
00:23:09.68\00:23:13.56
el. In the Hebrew language
00:23:13.76\00:23:16.51
when a name ends in el
it's a derivative of God.
00:23:16.61\00:23:20.12
Elohim is a
good example of that.
00:23:20.32\00:23:22.87
El Shaddai is a
good example of that.
00:23:23.07\00:23:25.71
When you have El it
links you some way to God.
00:23:25.91\00:23:29.04
So whoever Michael
is He's linked to God.
00:23:29.24\00:23:31.52
He has all power to
cast Lucifer out of heaven.
00:23:31.72\00:23:34.54
Let's look at the
other references to Michael.
00:23:34.74\00:23:36.29
We go back and look at Jude -
00:23:36.49\00:23:39.62
the book of Jude
- and we find there
00:23:39.82\00:23:42.29
in the book of Jude and verse 9
the second reference to Michael
00:23:42.49\00:23:47.76
in the Bible. Jude verse 9.
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.84
"Yet Michael the archangel
in contending with the devil
00:23:51.04\00:23:54.29
when he disputed about
the body of Moses dared not
00:23:54.49\00:23:57.58
bring against Him a
revealing accusation" - Jude 9-
00:23:57.78\00:24:01.21
"but said: 'the
Lord rebuke you. ' "
00:24:01.42\00:24:03.08
So the devil and
whoever this Michael is
00:24:03.28\00:24:06.13
argued over the body of Moses.
00:24:06.33\00:24:09.20
You remember Moses
died but was resurrected
00:24:09.40\00:24:13.11
from the dead and
brought to heaven.
00:24:13.31\00:24:15.41
And in the transfiguration
Elijah - who had never died -
00:24:15.62\00:24:19.10
and Moses - who was
resurrected from the dead -
00:24:19.30\00:24:22.73
spoke to Jesus to
give Him encouragement.
00:24:22.93\00:24:25.60
Who whoever Michael is
He has the power to raise
00:24:25.80\00:24:28.60
Moses from the dead.
00:24:28.90\00:24:31.28
Well you say: "Michael is an
archangel. The Bible says it. "
00:24:32.33\00:24:34.74
Does an archangel have the power
to raise Moses from the dead?
00:24:35.04\00:24:38.17
Does an archangel have the power
to cast Satan out of heaven?
00:24:38.48\00:24:41.36
What does the
term archangel mean?
00:24:41.77\00:24:45.57
It simply means the Commander
in Chief of all the angels.
00:24:45.77\00:24:51.16
Amen. We get a further clue
in I Thessalonians chapter 4.
00:24:51.36\00:24:55.25
This is wonderful today.
00:24:55.45\00:24:57.27
I Thessalonians chapter
4... we get a further clue
00:24:57.47\00:25:00.44
about who this Michael is
00:25:00.54\00:25:03.22
and why this term Michael
is used in the Revelation.
00:25:03.42\00:25:07.08
I Thessalonians the 4th chapter.
00:25:07.29\00:25:08.99
Do you have your Bible?
Those watching on television:
00:25:09.09\00:25:10.60
do you have your Bible out?
00:25:10.80\00:25:12.28
I Thessalonians
chapter 4... here we go.
00:25:12.48\00:25:14.41
Verse 16: "The Lord Himself
will descend from heaven. "
00:25:14.71\00:25:19.52
Who's going to
descend from heaven?
00:25:19.62\00:25:20.93
The Lord Himself.
00:25:21.23\00:25:22.29
Who is that Lord that descends
from heaven? Jesus Christ.
00:25:22.49\00:25:25.04
"With the voice
of the... " What?
00:25:25.24\00:25:27.38
"archangel and the dead
in Christ shall rise first. "
00:25:27.58\00:25:30.67
So here you have the
resurrection of the dead,
00:25:30.87\00:25:33.03
Jesus Christ, and the
archangel listed together.
00:25:33.24\00:25:36.34
Jesus is not an angel.
00:25:36.54\00:25:39.45
Jesus is not a created being.
00:25:39.65\00:25:42.07
Jesus has existed from eternity
past to eternity future.
00:25:42.27\00:25:45.79
But one of the titles of
Jesus is the Commander in Chief
00:25:46.00\00:25:49.65
of all the angels because
in Matthew chapter 16 verse 27
00:25:49.75\00:25:54.07
when Jesus Christ comes
He comes as King of Kings
00:25:54.30\00:25:57.57
and Lord of Lords and He
comes with His what everybody?
00:25:57.67\00:26:00.50
Angels. He comes
with 10,000 angels.
00:26:00.71\00:26:03.25
Is Jesus an angel? No.
00:26:03.45\00:26:05.26
Is Jesus a created being? No.
00:26:05.46\00:26:07.19
Did Jesus exist
from eternity? Yes.
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.44
But is Jesus termed
Michael the archangel, meaning
00:26:09.64\00:26:14.30
Archangel, the Commander in
Chief of all the angels? Yes!
00:26:14.40\00:26:17.71
Every time Michael is
mentioned in the Bible
00:26:17.91\00:26:21.19
it is a war
term. It is a war term.
00:26:21.39\00:26:24.28
It is a term to describe
Jesus Christ in direct battle
00:26:24.48\00:26:29.13
with Satan as the mighty
warrior who commands the angels,
00:26:29.23\00:26:33.80
who cast Satan out of heaven,
who raises Moses from the dead.
00:26:34.00\00:26:37.39
Daniel the 10th chapter.
00:26:37.59\00:26:38.90
We have three mentions of
Michael in the book of Daniel.
00:26:39.00\00:26:41.28
Three mentions.
00:26:41.48\00:26:42.62
Michael: the almighty warrior.
00:26:42.82\00:26:45.64
Michael: the One
who battles Satan.
00:26:45.85\00:26:48.34
Michael: the One who has
never lost a bout with Satan.
00:26:48.54\00:26:52.04
Michael: the great
victor. Daniel prays.
00:26:52.24\00:26:55.84
The people of Daniel - the
Israelites - are in captivity.
00:26:56.04\00:26:58.90
The Babylonian
captivity is over.
00:26:59.10\00:27:01.44
The Medo-Persian
captivity is continued.
00:27:01.64\00:27:03.80
Daniel prays. He know that
the 70-year captivity is over,
00:27:03.90\00:27:06.84
Daniel chapter 10, and he prays
00:27:06.97\00:27:09.09
that the
Israelites will go free.
00:27:09.29\00:27:12.80
He prays for three weeks.
00:27:13.00\00:27:14.58
There's no apparent
answer to his prayer.
00:27:14.68\00:27:16.91
And as he prays, the
angel Gabriel comes down
00:27:17.11\00:27:20.90
to explain to Daniel exactly
why his prayer apparently has
00:27:21.10\00:27:25.24
not been answered.
00:27:25.34\00:27:26.41
And Gabriel explains that there
has been a battle over the mind
00:27:26.61\00:27:29.59
of Cyrus to sign that decree.
00:27:29.69\00:27:31.98
And then Gabriel says to Daniel,
00:27:32.18\00:27:34.62
Daniel chapter 10 verse 12:
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.26
"Then he said:
'Do not fear, Daniel.
00:27:37.46\00:27:41.54
From the first day you
set your heart to understand
00:27:41.74\00:27:44.87
and to humble your
heart before your God
00:27:44.97\00:27:47.14
your words were heard, and I
have come because of your words.
00:27:47.24\00:27:49.63
But the prince of the
kingdom of Persia... ' "
00:27:49.83\00:27:51.70
Who is that? Satan. He's
the prince of this world.
00:27:51.90\00:27:53.67
Not the king of
Persia, the prince of Persia.
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.26
Jesus said the prince of
this world comes but has nothing
00:27:56.36\00:27:58.15
in me. "Withstood me 21 days. "
00:27:58.25\00:28:00.25
So Gabriel said: "Look, you
prayed but there was a battle. "
00:28:00.45\00:28:03.70
"We fight not against
flesh and blood but against
00:28:03.84\00:28:06.17
principalities and powers
of darkness. " Ephesians 6:12.
00:28:06.27\00:28:09.41
And so Gabriel is
saying to Daniel: "You prayed.
00:28:09.71\00:28:12.43
Your prayers went up to
heaven but there was a battle
00:28:12.64\00:28:14.03
between good and evil
angels. " Then he says...
00:28:14.13\00:28:16.78
Here it is: "But the
prince of the kingdom of Persia
00:28:16.98\00:28:19.48
withstood me 21
days. Michael... "
00:28:19.58\00:28:22.59
Now some translations say
"one of the chief princes"
00:28:22.69\00:28:25.37
but it's better, a more
accurate translation, to say
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.01
"the Chief Prince. " And that's
what the Hebrew language says
00:28:28.11\00:28:31.11
of the Old
Testament: "the Chief Prince. "
00:28:31.21\00:28:33.03
"But the Chief Prince,
Michael, came to help me. "
00:28:33.23\00:28:36.58
Jesus... Michael
the mighty warrior...
00:28:36.98\00:28:40.51
saw Satan battling
over the mind of Cyrus.
00:28:40.71\00:28:43.21
And Jesus Himself came down
and beat the angel of hell back.
00:28:43.42\00:28:46.91
He beat Satan back
00:28:47.12\00:28:48.92
and Cyrus signed the decree.
00:28:49.12\00:28:51.19
Notice Daniel chapter
10... 4th mention of Michael.
00:28:51.39\00:28:54.01
Verse 21: "But I tell you truth
00:28:54.21\00:28:57.20
I tell you what is
noted in scripture of truth:
00:28:57.40\00:29:00.67
no one upholds against thee
except Michael your prince. "
00:29:00.87\00:29:04.95
Michael is the
Chief Prince of God.
00:29:05.16\00:29:08.00
The Christ that
existed from eternity.
00:29:08.20\00:29:10.69
The One who's never
lost a battle with Satan.
00:29:10.89\00:29:13.28
We come to that last
days of earth's history
00:29:13.49\00:29:15.96
and earth comes to a climax.
There is a time of trouble
00:29:16.16\00:29:19.65
greater than
any time of trouble.
00:29:19.75\00:29:21.08
God's people are
oppressed and persecuted.
00:29:21.28\00:29:23.57
It looks like they're
going to be destroyed by Satan
00:29:23.78\00:29:26.18
but the Jesus that
cast Satan out of heaven,
00:29:26.38\00:29:29.12
the almighty Michael, the
Commander in Chief of the angels
00:29:29.22\00:29:31.84
the One who prompted
Cyrus to sign a decree
00:29:32.04\00:29:35.21
to let Israel go
free... this mighty warrior...
00:29:35.32\00:29:38.55
Daniel 12 verse 1:
00:29:38.75\00:29:40.79
"At that time... " at that
time - the time of trouble -
00:29:40.99\00:29:43.72
"Michael shall stand up,
the great Prince that stands
00:29:43.82\00:29:46.86
with the sons of your
people. " Who is this Michael?
00:29:46.96\00:29:49.12
It is Jesus!
00:29:49.22\00:29:50.42
"And there shall be a time
of trouble such as never was
00:29:51.77\00:29:54.21
since there was a
nation, even to that same time,
00:29:54.41\00:29:56.92
and your people
shall be delivered. "
00:29:57.13\00:30:00.15
At end time, in the
last moments of time,
00:30:00.35\00:30:03.67
Michael stands up.
That mighty prince.
00:30:03.88\00:30:08.26
That mighty warrior
that's never lost a battle.
00:30:08.46\00:30:11.44
And He comes to
deliver God's people. Amen.
00:30:11.64\00:30:15.32
You and I have a
mighty warrior: Michael.
00:30:15.95\00:30:20.08
And when you are
going through a struggle,
00:30:20.21\00:30:22.17
when you're
going through a battle,
00:30:22.20\00:30:23.87
when the devil is
battling for your soul
00:30:24.07\00:30:27.18
and you cry out, if necessary
00:30:27.28\00:30:30.03
Michael will come.
00:30:30.23\00:30:32.47
And the mighty
warrior of heaven who commands
00:30:32.67\00:30:35.62
the angels of heaven will
send His angels to deliver you.
00:30:35.82\00:30:40.97
Four episodes in
the book of Revelation.
00:30:41.17\00:30:42.97
Episode #1: a battle in heaven
00:30:43.17\00:30:46.57
between Jesus,
the mighty warrior,
00:30:46.77\00:30:50.08
and Satan and all
his angels of hell.
00:30:50.11\00:30:54.14
And in that first battle
Jesus wins and Satan loses
00:30:54.34\00:30:59.47
and the mighty warrior triumphs.
00:30:59.67\00:31:02.68
The ages of time go on.
00:31:02.88\00:31:05.15
Four thousand years of
human history transpire
00:31:05.45\00:31:09.64
and millenniums pass.
00:31:09.84\00:31:12.72
And centuries roll on
00:31:13.03\00:31:15.28
and the Son of God
is going to be born.
00:31:16.69\00:31:19.11
Jesus is going to come
into this world as Redeemer
00:31:20.37\00:31:23.24
and Satan gathers
together the angels of hell.
00:31:24.75\00:31:28.85
In a council meeting
00:31:29.45\00:31:32.16
in the darkness
of the dark regions
00:31:32.66\00:31:37.42
Satan gathers
his angels and says:
00:31:37.72\00:31:40.18
"We must destroy that baby. "
00:31:40.38\00:31:44.28
"We must destroy that baby. "
00:31:44.48\00:31:47.04
"This Christ, conceived of the
Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary,
00:31:47.24\00:31:53.09
that tabernacles in human flesh,
00:31:53.39\00:31:56.82
must be destroyed. "
00:31:57.02\00:32:00.32
And so a plan was developed
00:32:00.72\00:32:05.04
in the laboratories of hell
00:32:05.24\00:32:08.50
in the council
rooms of the evil one
00:32:10.02\00:32:13.36
at the heart of the
center of wickedness.
00:32:13.56\00:32:17.43
We read about it...
Revelation chapter 12.
00:32:17.73\00:32:22.57
Episode number 2: verse 13.
00:32:22.77\00:32:26.27
"And when the dragon
saw that he had been cast
00:32:26.57\00:32:31.09
to the earth, he persecuted
the woman who gave birth
00:32:31.19\00:32:34.80
to the male child. "
00:32:35.00\00:32:36.75
Let your eyes
drop now to verse 5:
00:32:37.05\00:32:42.07
"And she... "
Revelation 12 verse 5
00:32:42.27\00:32:45.71
"she bore a male
child. " Who's the male child
00:32:45.91\00:32:48.53
that was to be born? Jesus.
00:32:48.73\00:32:51.41
"She bore a male child
who was to rule all nations
00:32:51.61\00:32:53.50
with a rod of iron. And
her child was caught up to God
00:32:53.70\00:32:56.91
and the throne. " Jesus was born
00:32:57.11\00:33:01.24
and Satan
marshaled the angels of hell
00:33:01.44\00:33:04.44
to destroy this Christ.
00:33:04.64\00:33:08.27
And a decree was passed that
all male children be killed.
00:33:08.57\00:33:14.05
But an angel of God
appeared to Joseph and Mary,
00:33:14.35\00:33:18.21
the holy family, and
said: "Go! Leave this place. "
00:33:18.31\00:33:23.10
And they took the gifts of the
wise men: gold, frankincense,
00:33:23.34\00:33:26.58
and myrrh and
financed a trip to Egypt.
00:33:26.68\00:33:29.78
And the devil's
plan was frustrated.
00:33:29.99\00:33:33.31
And if the devil were a human
being he would have pulled out
00:33:34.94\00:33:37.78
his hair! He would
have gnashed his teeth
00:33:37.88\00:33:40.88
because he spent
centuries developing a plan
00:33:41.08\00:33:45.76
to destroy the Christ child
00:33:45.96\00:33:48.04
and Jesus was
preserved as He went to Egypt.
00:33:48.25\00:33:54.08
And the plans of
the devil were foiled.
00:33:54.38\00:33:57.41
In episode #2 Jesus
wins and Satan loses.
00:33:57.81\00:34:03.75
Jesus has never
lost a battle with Satan.
00:34:04.05\00:34:08.44
And the scripture
says, Revelation chapter 12,
00:34:08.64\00:34:12.47
that you and I now are
in the midst of that battle.
00:34:12.67\00:34:15.92
You and I now are in
the midst of that struggle.
00:34:16.13\00:34:18.45
You and I now are in
the midst of that conflict.
00:34:18.65\00:34:21.32
Satan lost the battle in heaven.
00:34:21.52\00:34:23.80
Satan lost the
battle to destroy Jesus.
00:34:24.00\00:34:26.89
Now the battle wages on earth.
00:34:27.19\00:34:29.69
It wages in your
heart... it wages in mine.
00:34:29.89\00:34:33.11
It wages in your
soul... it wages in mine.
00:34:33.41\00:34:35.99
But the Bible says good
news: verse 11 Revelation 12.
00:34:36.29\00:34:39.58
"And they... "
Did what everybody?
00:34:39.68\00:34:42.34
And they did what?
00:34:42.55\00:34:43.98
"overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb
00:34:44.18\00:34:47.27
and by the word
of their testimony
00:34:47.48\00:34:49.44
and they did not love
their lives to death. "
00:34:49.54\00:34:51.37
They overcame him
how? Three things.
00:34:51.57\00:34:53.56
One: by the blood of the Lamb.
00:34:53.76\00:34:55.39
Two: by the word
of their testimony.
00:34:55.69\00:34:57.86
Three: they did not
love their lives unto death.
00:34:58.07\00:35:00.58
They overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:35:00.78\00:35:02.68
What does that mean?
Is it a pious platitude?
00:35:02.88\00:35:06.49
Is it some phrase and
we just say we overcome him
00:35:06.69\00:35:08.83
"by the blood of the Lamb? "
00:35:08.93\00:35:09.94
What does it mean to overcome
by the blood of the Lamb?
00:35:10.14\00:35:13.78
Now notice the text
does not say we were saved
00:35:13.98\00:35:17.60
by the blood of a lamb.
00:35:17.71\00:35:19.22
Are we saved by
the blood of the Lamb?
00:35:19.42\00:35:21.14
There is no
other way to be saved.
00:35:21.34\00:35:22.71
We are saved by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:35:22.81\00:35:24.06
Ephesians 2:8. "It's not
of works that you have done
00:35:25.94\00:35:29.28
but by grace are
you saved through faith.
00:35:29.78\00:35:33.21
It is the gift of God. "
00:35:33.41\00:35:34.79
But the emphasis of this passage
00:35:35.09\00:35:37.79
is not necessarily
justification by faith...
00:35:37.99\00:35:41.63
although it's
included in the passage.
00:35:41.83\00:35:43.64
It is victory
over the powers of hell
00:35:43.94\00:35:48.20
that torment us by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:35:48.40\00:35:50.37
How does the
sacrifice of Christ on the cross
00:35:50.67\00:35:54.61
provide for us motivation
for victory in our lives today?
00:35:56.21\00:36:02.11
How does the shedding of
the blood of Christ on the cross
00:36:02.41\00:36:06.01
provide for us victory?
00:36:06.21\00:36:10.14
In two ways. First,
00:36:10.34\00:36:12.35
when I come to the cross and
see the divine Son of God dying.
00:36:13.76\00:36:19.14
When I see Jesus
condemned for my sins
00:36:19.48\00:36:22.89
in which He had no share
00:36:23.02\00:36:24.75
so I can live His life
in which I had no share,
00:36:24.95\00:36:28.24
when I see Him dying
the death that was mine
00:36:28.54\00:36:31.70
so I can live the
life that was His,
00:36:31.90\00:36:34.30
love breaks my heart.
00:36:34.50\00:36:37.38
And when my heart is broken
00:36:37.68\00:36:40.25
with the love of the
cross I want to turn loose
00:36:40.45\00:36:43.73
from anything
that breaks His heart.
00:36:43.93\00:36:47.12
I could not possibly
think of breaking the heart
00:36:47.43\00:36:51.08
through rebellion of
One that loves me so much.
00:36:51.11\00:36:54.99
"For the cross...
" Education page 263
00:36:55.22\00:36:58.25
for those of you
that have the book...
00:36:58.45\00:36:59.73
"the cross is a
revelation... " and I quote
00:36:59.93\00:37:02.53
"to our dull senses of the pain
that sin from its very inception
00:37:02.73\00:37:08.47
has brought to the heart of God.
00:37:08.67\00:37:10.12
Every deed of cruelty,
00:37:10.32\00:37:13.49
every departure from
right brings grief to Him. "
00:37:13.69\00:37:17.97
How do we overcome
through the blood of the Lamb?
00:37:18.28\00:37:21.16
The cross is a
revelation to our dull senses
00:37:21.46\00:37:25.84
of the pain that sin
from its very inception
00:37:26.05\00:37:29.61
has brought to the heart of God.
00:37:29.81\00:37:31.14
When I know that my critical
tongue breaks His heart,
00:37:31.44\00:37:36.17
when I know that my indulgent
appetite breaks His heart,
00:37:36.37\00:37:40.64
when I know that my Sabbath
breaking or my lack of paying
00:37:40.94\00:37:45.80
tithe or my
criticism, my greed, my lust,
00:37:45.90\00:37:49.10
when I know it breaks the
heart of the One that loves me
00:37:49.20\00:37:51.14
there is no greater motivation
to overcome sin in your life
00:37:51.44\00:37:55.41
than Jesus' love on the cross.
00:37:55.61\00:37:57.89
The joy of heaven
and the fear of hell
00:37:58.19\00:38:02.15
are not strong
enough to hold you...
00:38:02.35\00:38:04.45
but the cross is.
00:38:04.75\00:38:06.50
We overcome him by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:38:06.80\00:38:09.01
The longer we look
at Christ on the cross
00:38:09.31\00:38:12.14
the more sin loses its
alluring attraction to us.
00:38:12.34\00:38:17.48
But there's
something else about the blood.
00:38:17.78\00:38:20.52
We overcome him by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:38:20.82\00:38:23.61
I love that old hymn
Rock of Ages, cleft for me.
00:38:23.91\00:38:29.66
You know, that was
written by Augustus Toplady.
00:38:29.96\00:38:32.74
It was written in 1753.
00:38:32.94\00:38:36.43
That hymn is over
00:38:36.73\00:38:39.81
250 years old.
00:38:40.01\00:38:43.55
You know, there are some
ditties that are written today -
00:38:43.85\00:38:47.77
I'd better be careful here
00:38:48.07\00:38:50.07
but I've got myself into
it so I'd better keep going -
00:38:50.27\00:38:52.50
they're called 7/11 songs.
00:38:52.80\00:38:55.05
You sing seven words
eleven times in eleven verses.
00:38:55.25\00:38:59.70
They're here today
and they're gone tomorrow.
00:39:01.10\00:39:04.12
But there are some
hymns that endure generations.
00:39:04.22\00:39:09.48
There are some hymns
that speak to your heart.
00:39:10.65\00:39:13.61
There's a depth to them.
00:39:13.81\00:39:15.81
There's spiritual meat there!
00:39:16.11\00:39:18.82
Rock of Ages is
one of those hymns.
00:39:19.12\00:39:21.09
Old Augustus
Toplady, the old preacher,
00:39:21.39\00:39:24.19
as Elder Bradford would
say: "the old preacher... "
00:39:24.40\00:39:26.82
"There was an old
preacher that once said... "
00:39:29.35\00:39:31.65
That's
Bradford... classic Bradford.
00:39:33.60\00:39:35.82
He's sitting in
my audience today.
00:39:36.22\00:39:37.63
See, I've got to
chide him a little bit.
00:39:37.73\00:39:39.22
Toplady in 1753, he's
going down one of those narrow
00:39:41.60\00:39:45.13
gorges in England
00:39:45.23\00:39:48.49
up in a place
called Mendip Hills.
00:39:48.70\00:39:52.12
Narrow gorge. It begins to
rain, thunder and lightning.
00:39:52.32\00:39:54.60
Water's rushing down the gorge.
He thinks he's going to be
00:39:56.31\00:39:58.72
swept away. He sees the
cleft of a rock. He hides in it.
00:39:58.82\00:40:02.03
The water is coming down
and he's sitting there praying.
00:40:02.33\00:40:05.73
And all of a sudden he thinks of
this rock that has stood there
00:40:05.87\00:40:09.41
for the ages that's protecting
him. And he takes out a
00:40:09.51\00:40:11.47
piece of paper and
these are the words he writes:
00:40:11.57\00:40:13.10
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
00:40:13.30\00:40:15.90
Let me hide myself in Thee;
00:40:16.20\00:40:18.92
Let the water and the blood,
00:40:19.22\00:40:22.60
From Thy wounded
side which flowed,
00:40:22.80\00:40:25.48
Be of sin the double cure...
00:40:25.78\00:40:28.75
The grace of Christ justifies
me and the grace of Christ
00:40:29.15\00:40:32.33
sanctifies me. Save
from wrath and make me pure.
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.85
Not the labors of my hands
00:40:36.25\00:40:39.12
Can fulfill the law's demands;
00:40:39.32\00:40:41.78
Could my zeal no respite know,
00:40:42.08\00:40:44.47
Could my tears forever flow,
00:40:44.68\00:40:46.90
All for sin could
not atone; Thou must save
00:40:47.10\00:40:50.28
and Thou alone. Now listen:
00:40:50.38\00:40:52.53
Nothing in my hand I bring,
00:40:52.73\00:40:55.08
simply to Thy cross I cling;
00:40:55.38\00:40:57.81
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
00:40:58.11\00:41:01.83
Helpless, look
to Thee for grace;
00:41:02.03\00:41:04.38
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
00:41:04.69\00:41:07.38
Wash me, Savior, or I die!
00:41:07.68\00:41:09.46
Why does the cross
enable us to overcome?
00:41:09.66\00:41:14.11
Because as we come to
Jesus His grace is sufficient.
00:41:14.31\00:41:18.20
His grace is not only sufficient
to save us from the condemnation
00:41:18.40\00:41:21.66
of sin, His grace is sufficient
to deliver us from the bondage
00:41:21.77\00:41:25.08
of sin. Coming to the cross
we are immersed in His love.
00:41:25.18\00:41:28.46
Coming to the cross
we receive His power.
00:41:28.66\00:41:30.87
Here's the text...
Satan is a defeated foe.
00:41:30.97\00:41:34.61
When Jesus hung on the
cross Satan was defeated.
00:41:34.81\00:41:37.73
His hold on us is broken.
00:41:37.93\00:41:39.57
In Christ we are
victorious! Amen.
00:41:39.60\00:41:43.01
Revelation chapter
12... you look there.
00:41:43.24\00:41:44.94
"And they overcame... " verse
11 "by the blood of the Lamb
00:41:45.24\00:41:48.60
and by the word
of their testimony. "
00:41:48.80\00:41:50.99
What does it mean they overcame
by the word of their testimony?
00:41:51.29\00:41:53.85
The more you speak
negative defeat in your life
00:41:54.91\00:41:58.15
the more you will
be negatively defeated.
00:41:58.35\00:42:00.74
The more you speak
negative defeat in your life
00:42:02.01\00:42:05.19
the more you will
be negatively defeated.
00:42:05.29\00:42:07.08
You speak not
only what you think
00:42:08.96\00:42:11.77
but you think what you speak.
00:42:11.97\00:42:13.93
Your speech not only is a
reflection of your thought
00:42:15.15\00:42:20.05
patterns but it guides,
governs, and shapes who you are.
00:42:20.15\00:42:24.84
We become who we think we are
00:42:25.04\00:42:28.77
and we become what we say.
00:42:29.07\00:42:33.09
Your words every
day are shaping you.
00:42:33.39\00:42:35.83
They are making you.
00:42:36.04\00:42:37.14
"They overcame him by the
blood of the lamb and the word
00:42:37.34\00:42:39.91
of their testimony. "
As we speak of His grace,
00:42:40.01\00:42:42.93
as we speak of His power,
00:42:43.13\00:42:44.79
as we speak of His goodness,
00:42:44.99\00:42:46.64
as we praise Him we
become spiritually stronger
00:42:46.84\00:42:51.03
and the devil is
defeated in our lives. Amen!
00:42:51.23\00:42:54.73
They overcame him.
How'd they overcome him?
00:42:55.03\00:42:57.09
"By the blood of the Lamb. "
00:42:57.39\00:42:58.54
There's only one way to
overcome. It's through the cross
00:42:58.74\00:43:00.28
and grace. They
overcome him by the what?
00:43:00.38\00:43:02.59
"Word of their
testimony. " We speak out grace
00:43:02.79\00:43:05.61
and our hearts are
filled with His strength.
00:43:05.81\00:43:07.76
"And they did not love
their lives unto death. "
00:43:07.96\00:43:09.85
What does that mean they did
not love their lives unto death?
00:43:10.15\00:43:12.59
It means that their
allegiance was to Christ.
00:43:13.60\00:43:18.57
Jesus was the
priority of their life.
00:43:18.77\00:43:21.70
Jesus was the
center of their life.
00:43:22.00\00:43:25.07
"They loved their
lives not unto death. "
00:43:25.37\00:43:27.39
A number of years ago
a friend of mine who...
00:43:27.69\00:43:29.79
well I'll only give
you his first name...
00:43:29.99\00:43:31.51
We'll call him Bob... Robert.
00:43:31.61\00:43:35.15
Robert was in his early
20's, a young preacher in China.
00:43:35.35\00:43:38.81
And I have to be a little
careful... I'm going to China
00:43:38.94\00:43:40.49
shortly meeting with
a number of our pastors.
00:43:40.59\00:43:44.01
You know we have
400,000 Adventists in China.
00:43:44.21\00:43:46.83
400,000.
00:43:47.87\00:43:49.33
I was in a church
some time ago in China -
00:43:49.34\00:43:51.35
the largest
Adventist church in the world:
00:43:51.55\00:43:53.37
it has 6,000 members.
00:43:53.47\00:43:55.85
They have 500 lay
pastors in that church.
00:43:56.05\00:44:00.59
The preacher made a call,
an appeal, the day I was there
00:44:01.51\00:44:04.03
and 400 people came forward
for baptism in the church.
00:44:04.13\00:44:06.81
The Spirit of God is
being poured out in China.
00:44:07.97\00:44:09.85
Robert was in his early 20's.
He was leading a youth meeting.
00:44:10.88\00:44:14.84
He was a youth leader...
an Adventist youth leader...
00:44:15.04\00:44:17.00
a young pastor a number of
years ago and he was arrested.
00:44:17.10\00:44:19.34
And his prison sentence
ultimately became 28 years.
00:44:19.64\00:44:23.83
He was in solitary confinement
for the first eight years.
00:44:24.13\00:44:27.87
He was in a cell... At first
they put him in a holding cell
00:44:28.17\00:44:32.14
but after four months they
put him in solitary confinement.
00:44:32.34\00:44:35.28
He was in a cell 4'x8'.
00:44:36.43\00:44:39.63
For four years he had no
communication with his family
00:44:40.72\00:44:42.85
and after solitary confinement
for four years - he was in
00:44:43.05\00:44:45.14
solitary confinement as
I mentioned eight years -
00:44:45.24\00:44:46.89
he could write 30
Chinese characters once a month
00:44:47.09\00:44:49.50
to his family. His story
is absolutely incredible.
00:44:49.61\00:44:53.24
Incidentally, he was engaged
to be married when he was
00:44:53.44\00:44:55.74
put in prison, and his
wife-to-be waited 28 years
00:44:55.84\00:44:59.57
and married him when
he came out of prison.
00:44:59.67\00:45:01.25
I mean that's
love... that's love.
00:45:01.55\00:45:03.28
When he went into prison
the first day he was in prison
00:45:04.31\00:45:08.83
they put him in a cell
with three other prisoners.
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.26
And each of these other
prisoners were shaved bald
00:45:12.87\00:45:15.42
and they were older men.
And they said to this young man
00:45:15.62\00:45:18.16
"As long as they don't
shave you, it's good news.
00:45:18.36\00:45:21.29
You'll probably be
here a short period of time.
00:45:22.34\00:45:24.23
They'll hold you
and intimidate you.
00:45:24.43\00:45:25.96
He had no idea
he'd be there 28 years.
00:45:26.16\00:45:28.12
And so the first week he didn't
get shaved. He was really happy.
00:45:29.38\00:45:32.03
Second week not
shaved. Third week not shaved.
00:45:32.23\00:45:34.15
A month went
by... he wasn't shaved.
00:45:34.35\00:45:35.76
Two months by... not shaved.
Three months by, and it was
00:45:36.06\00:45:38.77
Christmas day, December 25th,
00:45:38.88\00:45:40.90
and they said: "The
authorities want to see you. "
00:45:41.20\00:45:43.93
And he said: "This is fantastic.
00:45:44.13\00:45:45.47
I am going to be
released today! "
00:45:45.67\00:45:48.58
And they put him in a
barber's chair on Christmas day
00:45:49.91\00:45:52.33
and shaved him bald.
00:45:52.43\00:45:53.78
He said: "When I
got up from my chair
00:45:54.84\00:45:56.72
I looked back at the chair
00:45:57.12\00:45:59.32
and there was hair
all over the floor. "
00:45:59.72\00:46:02.28
And I thought:
"This is Christmas day.
00:46:02.58\00:46:05.07
I will be here for decades. "
00:46:05.37\00:46:07.36
And he looked up and he
said: "Jesus, I have nothing
00:46:07.56\00:46:11.03
to give You
today except my hair.
00:46:11.23\00:46:14.19
And this hair is a
gift to Jesus today.
00:46:15.36\00:46:18.82
That everything
I have is Yours. "
00:46:19.02\00:46:23.11
He loved not
his life unto death.
00:46:23.41\00:46:27.45
If there is
anything in your life
00:46:27.85\00:46:30.70
that you are holding
back from the living Christ,
00:46:30.90\00:46:34.57
anything... the devil will
use that to destroy your soul.
00:46:34.87\00:46:40.24
Is there anything
hidden, lurking in your heart?
00:46:40.54\00:46:44.12
Anything you
have not given to Him?
00:46:44.32\00:46:46.70
Episode #1- Christ
cast Satan out of heaven.
00:46:46.80\00:46:51.32
Episode #2- Christ is
triumphant over Satan on earth.
00:46:51.62\00:46:56.04
Episode #3- the long ages go on.
00:46:56.34\00:46:59.20
And as these long ages go
on the devil focuses attention
00:46:59.50\00:47:03.52
on the church and
he tries to destroy it.
00:47:03.72\00:47:06.19
But they overcome
him through the cross.
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.11
They overcome him because they
speak of the grace and power
00:47:08.32\00:47:11.26
of God. They overcome him
because they don't have secret
00:47:11.46\00:47:15.03
chambers in their heart.
They're not living duplicity...
00:47:15.13\00:47:18.54
They're not living
lives of duplicity.
00:47:18.74\00:47:20.48
They're not hypocrites
saying one thing but having sin
00:47:20.78\00:47:24.53
and rebellion
lurking in their hearts.
00:47:24.63\00:47:27.28
"They loved not
their lives to death. "
00:47:27.48\00:47:28.90
They gave Him their lives.
00:47:29.00\00:47:32.12
Episode #3- down through
the centuries these people are
00:47:32.32\00:47:35.54
victorious. Look here, please.
Revelation chapter 12 verse 14:
00:47:35.75\00:47:41.71
"But the woman... "
Throughout the Bible as you're
00:47:41.91\00:47:43.99
well aware the woman is the
bride of Christ, the church.
00:47:44.09\00:47:46.87
Verse 14: "But the woman was
given two wings of a great eagle
00:47:47.07\00:47:50.66
that she might fly
into the wilderness
00:47:50.86\00:47:52.72
where she is nourished for
time, times, and a half a time
00:47:52.92\00:47:55.48
from the face of the serpent. "
00:47:55.58\00:47:56.76
Verse 15: "So the serpent
spewed water out of his mouth
00:47:56.96\00:48:01.14
like a flood after the woman
00:48:01.34\00:48:02.61
that he might cause her to
be carried away by the flood.
00:48:02.81\00:48:06.26
But the earth helped the woman
and the earth opened its mouth
00:48:06.46\00:48:09.58
and swallowed up the flood
which the dragon spewed out
00:48:09.78\00:48:12.61
of its mouth. " Let your
eyes go back now to verse 6...
00:48:12.71\00:48:15.76
verse 6.
00:48:15.99\00:48:17.55
"Then the woman fled
into the wilderness... "
00:48:17.75\00:48:20.39
Who's the woman? The church.
00:48:20.59\00:48:21.77
"where she had a place prepared
by God that they should feed her
00:48:21.97\00:48:25.07
there 1,260 days. "
00:48:25.17\00:48:27.63
1,260 days. In the
Bible one prophetic day
00:48:28.03\00:48:32.73
equals a literal year.
00:48:32.83\00:48:34.27
So the devil turns his
attention upon the church.
00:48:34.47\00:48:36.86
He was cast out of heaven.
He couldn't destroy Jesus.
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.53
And during the Dark
Ages, century after century
00:48:39.73\00:48:43.01
church and state unite.
There is fierce persecution.
00:48:43.11\00:48:45.96
But here's what I'd
like you to see in the text.
00:48:46.16\00:48:48.39
The Bible says the woman,
the church, the bride of Christ
00:48:48.59\00:48:51.46
flees into the wilderness.
00:48:51.76\00:48:53.85
And there's a
place prepared by God.
00:48:54.05\00:48:56.93
In persecution, in
trial, in difficulty
00:48:57.33\00:49:01.84
there is always a
place prepared by God.
00:49:02.04\00:49:05.73
Amen.
00:49:05.76\00:49:06.95
In the trauma of life,
in the heartache of life,
00:49:07.15\00:49:10.46
when cancer afflicts your body,
00:49:10.66\00:49:12.84
when the finances go
south and you're struggling,
00:49:13.14\00:49:17.77
when things in your
life are not going well,
00:49:17.97\00:49:20.77
there is good news. The Christ
that cast Satan out of heaven,
00:49:20.97\00:49:26.01
the Michael, the
all-powerful Jesus,
00:49:26.21\00:49:30.37
the Jesus that was victorious
over Satan in His life,
00:49:30.57\00:49:34.47
the Jesus that's been with His
people down through the ages,
00:49:34.67\00:49:37.48
the Jesus that
prepared a place for His people
00:49:37.68\00:49:42.68
through the Dark Ages,
that Jesus has prepared
00:49:42.88\00:49:46.47
a place for you. Rock
of Ages, cleft for ME.
00:49:46.67\00:49:51.24
Let me hide myself in THEE.
00:49:51.54\00:49:54.73
Thank God Jesus was
victorious in heaven.
00:49:55.03\00:49:57.81
He's the mighty warrior.
00:49:57.92\00:49:59.24
Thank God Jesus
was victorious there
00:49:59.44\00:50:03.47
at His birth when
Herod tried to destroy Him.
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.89
He's the Mighty Conqueror.
00:50:06.99\00:50:08.79
Thank God that
down through the ages
00:50:08.99\00:50:11.08
Jesus has been victorious.
He's the Mighty Warrior.
00:50:11.28\00:50:15.74
Revelation 12 verse 17
comes to a climax. Here we are:
00:50:16.79\00:50:20.39
"The dragon... "
Who's the dragon? Satan.
00:50:20.59\00:50:22.92
"was enraged with the
woman... " Who's the woman?
00:50:23.12\00:50:24.98
The church.
"and went to make war
00:50:25.18\00:50:27.06
with the rest of
her seed or offspring
00:50:27.26\00:50:29.12
that keep the
commandments of God
00:50:29.32\00:50:30.98
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ. "
00:50:31.18\00:50:32.98
What is the testimony of Jesus?
00:50:33.28\00:50:35.16
The word testimony is a witness.
00:50:35.26\00:50:36.75
So just as God's last-day church
00:50:36.95\00:50:39.12
would keep His commandments
it would have a witness:
00:50:39.32\00:50:41.42
the prophetic gift for
Jesus in the last days.
00:50:41.62\00:50:44.14
So Jesus would have a
remnant, end-time people
00:50:44.44\00:50:47.63
characterized by keeping His
commandments because they were
00:50:47.84\00:50:50.39
saved by grace so they overcame
the temptations of Satan.
00:50:50.49\00:50:54.16
And they were guided
by a prophetic witness
00:50:55.30\00:50:57.18
in the last days.
But notice the text.
00:50:57.28\00:51:00.04
"The dragon was
enraged with the woman
00:51:00.24\00:51:02.88
and went to
make... " What? "war. "
00:51:03.08\00:51:05.68
We are entering
into earth's last war.
00:51:05.98\00:51:10.18
But look! The good news is
00:51:10.48\00:51:13.19
we have read the
last chapter of the book.
00:51:13.39\00:51:17.40
Amen.
00:51:17.60\00:51:18.61
Revelation 17. We
already know the outcome.
00:51:18.71\00:51:22.39
We already know
who's going to win.
00:51:22.59\00:51:24.70
We already know that
down through the ages
00:51:25.00\00:51:28.11
Jesus has not lost one battle
and He will not lose one battle.
00:51:28.31\00:51:33.20
Revelation chapter 17.
00:51:34.80\00:51:36.49
We look there at
verse 14. Here it is:
00:51:36.69\00:51:40.07
Revelation 17 verse 14.
00:51:40.27\00:51:42.29
"These will make
war with the Lamb. "
00:51:42.49\00:51:45.85
Who is the these that
will make war with the Lamb?
00:51:46.05\00:51:48.79
Revelation 17: the woman riding
on a scarlet-colored beast.
00:51:48.99\00:51:52.13
Church and state unite.
00:51:52.33\00:51:53.61
The Bible says that
they have one mind. Verse 13:
00:51:53.81\00:51:57.20
"And they give their power
and strength to the beast. "
00:51:57.40\00:51:59.73
So there is this one-mindedness.
00:51:59.93\00:52:02.87
Church and state unite in the
last days of earth's history.
00:52:03.07\00:52:05.88
God's people cannot
buy; they cannot sell.
00:52:06.29\00:52:09.24
A death decree
hangs over their head.
00:52:09.38\00:52:11.03
But we're not looking
at the time of trouble.
00:52:12.33\00:52:15.25
We're not looking at some
death decree when human beings
00:52:15.46\00:52:17.94
cannot buy or sell.
00:52:18.14\00:52:19.25
We are looking beyond
the trauma to the victory.
00:52:19.45\00:52:22.35
Revelation 17 verse
14: "These will make war
00:52:22.55\00:52:27.23
with the Lamb and the
Lamb will overcome them
00:52:27.43\00:52:31.57
for He is Lord of
Lords, He is King of Kings,
00:52:31.77\00:52:35.83
and those that are with
Him are called and chosen
00:52:36.03\00:52:38.43
and faithful. "
00:52:38.54\00:52:39.70
A dragon and a Lamb
fight and the Lamb wins!
00:52:39.90\00:52:43.94
Amen! The Lamb wins!
00:52:44.24\00:52:46.10
Revelation chapter 19.
00:52:46.30\00:52:48.12
Revelation chapter 19.
00:52:48.42\00:52:50.30
Here we have it... verse 11:
00:52:50.50\00:52:55.81
"Then I saw heaven opened
00:52:56.11\00:52:57.87
and behold the white
horse. And He who sat on him
00:52:58.07\00:53:01.90
was called Faithful and True. "
00:53:02.11\00:53:03.94
Jesus Christ is
faithful; Jesus Christ is true.
00:53:04.14\00:53:08.96
He is the triumphant Christ
00:53:09.26\00:53:12.08
that defeated Satan in
heaven and cast him out.
00:53:12.29\00:53:15.09
He is the triumphant
Christ who could not be touched
00:53:15.29\00:53:18.24
by Satan on earth.
00:53:18.45\00:53:19.68
He is the triumphant
Christ who's guided His people
00:53:19.88\00:53:22.93
and prepared a place
for them in the Dark Ages.
00:53:23.13\00:53:25.21
He is the triumphant Christ
who will have victory at last!
00:53:25.41\00:53:30.69
Amen.
00:53:30.79\00:53:32.10
Revelation 19 verse
11: "Then I saw heaven
00:53:32.30\00:53:34.66
opened and behold a white
horse and He who sat on him
00:53:34.76\00:53:37.45
was called Faithful and True
00:53:37.56\00:53:38.96
and in righteousness
He judges and makes war. "
00:53:39.16\00:53:42.56
Verse 16: "And He
has on His name...
00:53:42.87\00:53:46.08
on His robe and on
His thigh a name written:
00:53:46.28\00:53:49.36
KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS. "
00:53:49.56\00:53:53.97
We are on the winning side!
Amen! Get your mind off defeat.
00:53:54.17\00:53:59.78
Get your mind off pessimism.
00:54:00.08\00:54:02.23
"Pastor Finley,
troublous times are coming. "
00:54:02.43\00:54:06.35
"The mark of the
beast is coming! "
00:54:07.55\00:54:09.75
"I am so frightened. "
00:54:09.95\00:54:11.98
You can look at all
the beasts you want,
00:54:12.18\00:54:13.91
I'm looking at
Jesus Christ. Amen!
00:54:14.11\00:54:16.12
My heart is filled with hope.
00:54:16.32\00:54:18.27
I've read the end
of the book - Amen -
00:54:18.47\00:54:20.91
and it tells me
Jesus wins! Satan loses.
00:54:21.04\00:54:26.00
Can you say
that with me tonight?
00:54:26.10\00:54:27.42
Amen. Today, wherever
you are in television, here.
00:54:27.62\00:54:30.89
Four words. What
are they? Together:
00:54:31.09\00:54:33.48
Jesus wins; Satan loses.
00:54:33.68\00:54:37.60
Praise God! I want to
be faithful, don't you?
00:54:37.80\00:54:40.74
Amen. I want to be faithful.
00:54:40.95\00:54:42.91
Jesus is going to win.
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.66
Satan is going to lose.
00:54:47.96\00:54:50.87
The only question
is: will you be faithful?
00:54:51.17\00:54:56.34
Would you like to make
that commitment right now
00:54:56.54\00:54:58.28
that you're going to
be faithful to Jesus?
00:54:58.38\00:54:59.56
Wherever you are,
you can raise your hand
00:54:59.86\00:55:01.57
and bow your head.
Let's pray. Father in Heaven,
00:55:01.67\00:55:02.95
thank you that Jesus wins.
00:55:03.15\00:55:05.81
Thank you that Satan loses.
00:55:06.01\00:55:07.95
May those four words
fill our hearts with hope.
00:55:08.15\00:55:10.75
In Christ's name, Amen.
00:55:10.95\00:55:13.75