Our next guest this morning is Barry Mosier. 00:00:20.71\00:00:23.35 He is the Treasurer of Congo Frontline Missions. 00:00:23.38\00:00:27.39 Barry, it was just four years ago 00:00:27.42\00:00:29.29 that you were here at ASI 00:00:29.32\00:00:30.81 sharing the miraculous experience 00:00:30.84\00:00:33.51 that you had surviving a plane crash. 00:00:33.54\00:00:37.86 Well, most people after a traumatic experience like that 00:00:37.89\00:00:43.01 would be ready to go home and instead you and your family 00:00:43.04\00:00:47.40 found yourselves right back in the mission field. Why? 00:00:47.43\00:00:51.36 Well, you know after that plane crash 00:00:51.39\00:00:54.44 that killed 47 people, and I think 00:00:54.47\00:00:56.37 a picture will come up on the screen of that crash. 00:00:56.40\00:00:59.26 But after that plane crash, we knew that we are only alive 00:00:59.29\00:01:01.97 because God had more work for us to do, 00:01:02.00\00:01:04.67 and we wanted to be in the middle 00:01:04.70\00:01:08.51 of God's plan for our lives for sure. 00:01:08.54\00:01:11.56 You know it's intimidating really to think 00:01:11.59\00:01:13.45 of moving to the Congo at that time, 00:01:13.48\00:01:17.02 because five million people had died 00:01:17.05\00:01:18.92 in that country during the war 00:01:18.95\00:01:20.83 and there was another white family 00:01:20.86\00:01:23.27 within 300 miles of Kisangani 00:01:23.30\00:01:25.45 where my son Keith had started a mission station 00:01:25.48\00:01:28.76 called Congo Frontline Missions 00:01:28.79\00:01:30.30 and wanted us to join him in that work there 00:01:30.33\00:01:32.82 and no other missionaries would return to that area. 00:01:32.85\00:01:36.44 But anyway we wanted to be right doing what God wanted us to do. 00:01:36.47\00:01:43.65 And so we moved to Kisangani which is a city 00:01:43.68\00:01:46.27 of about a million people along the Congo River. 00:01:46.30\00:01:49.84 It's a very dark area about 14 million people 00:01:49.87\00:01:52.93 completely unreached with the Adventist truths 00:01:52.96\00:01:55.84 and helped him get the program started there 00:01:55.87\00:02:00.23 with the evangelism training school. 00:02:00.26\00:02:02.04 That was the foundation of what we wanted to do 00:02:02.07\00:02:04.37 is to train layman to wins souls for Christ. 00:02:04.40\00:02:07.42 And we bought some land but we needed buildings. 00:02:07.45\00:02:10.88 So, you started this school out in the middle of nowhere? 00:02:10.91\00:02:13.58 How did that come about? 00:02:13.61\00:02:15.64 Well, you know, I just want to say 00:02:15.67\00:02:16.76 thank you so much to our ASI family 00:02:16.79\00:02:19.70 and also Garwin McNeilus for sending us 00:02:19.73\00:02:22.52 the whole container of one day structures 00:02:22.55\00:02:25.40 that were specially designed and we built our campus. 00:02:25.43\00:02:28.65 You can see the picture on the screen 00:02:28.68\00:02:30.20 of our campus there in Kisangani. 00:02:30.23\00:02:33.28 And today we have trained about 300 layman 00:02:33.31\00:02:38.57 to do church planting and soul winning 00:02:38.60\00:02:42.35 and they have gone out as church planters in dark areas. 00:02:42.38\00:02:46.64 We've also done with more training 00:02:46.67\00:02:49.10 in other parts of Democratic Republic of Congo 00:02:49.13\00:02:52.30 and also with funds from ASI we had. 00:02:52.33\00:02:56.68 So it's just been a blessing. 00:02:56.71\00:02:59.09 You know, we hired about 60 of those people 00:02:59.12\00:03:02.87 who were trained to plant churches 00:03:02.90\00:03:05.75 and they have gone out working for us 00:03:05.78\00:03:08.02 in about 250 miles in each direction from Kisangani. 00:03:08.05\00:03:12.25 And the Lord has blessed that work so much 00:03:12.28\00:03:15.25 in the last four years since we started that work. 00:03:15.28\00:03:18.68 So, so far we have got not only 60 churches 00:03:18.71\00:03:22.49 that we have planted out in the bush, 00:03:22.52\00:03:25.04 but also we have built 36 one day churches 00:03:25.07\00:03:27.75 and we have baptized today over 2,500 people, 00:03:27.78\00:03:31.28 so we just praise be to God. 00:03:31.31\00:03:32.83 Amen, Now, you know when you are out there, 00:03:32.86\00:03:34.97 we all know that when we are out there on the frontlines, 00:03:35.00\00:03:37.85 we are going to encounter some opposition from the enemy. 00:03:37.88\00:03:40.84 Can you share with us some experiences? 00:03:40.87\00:03:43.13 Well, witchcraft is probably one of the biggest challenges 00:03:43.16\00:03:46.29 that our church planters faced from day to day. 00:03:46.32\00:03:48.81 And I want to tell you about the Zobi Lemo, 00:03:48.84\00:03:50.63 one of our church planters. 00:03:50.66\00:03:52.58 He was out in a village with his family of five and the-- 00:03:52.61\00:03:56.90 nobody would study the Bible with him 00:03:56.93\00:03:59.05 because all of the witches just hated him. 00:03:59.08\00:04:01.71 He was not cooperating with them 00:04:01.74\00:04:04.09 as many as the other churches do 00:04:04.12\00:04:06.64 and so they threatened him with death. 00:04:06.67\00:04:10.07 One day he came out of his home 00:04:10.10\00:04:12.18 and all around his home on the ground 00:04:12.21\00:04:15.64 was poured a trail of blood encircling his home. 00:04:15.67\00:04:19.41 And he wondered what is this and when he investigated, 00:04:19.44\00:04:21.49 he found out that all the witches 00:04:21.52\00:04:22.91 had pulled the resources 00:04:22.94\00:04:24.93 with the head witch doctor in the village 00:04:24.96\00:04:27.98 and put a terrible curse on their family 00:04:28.01\00:04:30.41 that if they did not leave within seven days, 00:04:30.44\00:04:33.64 one or all of their family would be dead. 00:04:33.67\00:04:37.00 And the people don't fear these witches for nothing, 00:04:37.03\00:04:39.48 this stuff really happens, the devil is working there. 00:04:39.51\00:04:42.22 Well, anyway to make a long story short, 00:04:42.25\00:04:45.08 they did not leave, they fast and prayed that week. 00:04:45.11\00:04:48.05 There is no pastor or conference to call there, 00:04:48.08\00:04:50.33 out there alone just them and the Lord. 00:04:50.36\00:04:53.25 And they prayed that week, fasted. 00:04:53.28\00:04:55.79 At the end of the week when the villagers came 00:04:55.82\00:04:57.36 to count the bodies at their house, 00:04:57.39\00:04:59.56 they were all still alive and well 00:04:59.59\00:05:01.76 but that very night the son of head witch doctor died. 00:05:01.79\00:05:06.53 And that broke the spell of witchcraft in that village. 00:05:06.56\00:05:09.12 We have since baptized over 30 people in that village. 00:05:09.15\00:05:14.24 And it was all because of one family's faith, 00:05:14.27\00:05:17.59 willing to take some risks 00:05:17.62\00:05:19.17 in the God that answers prayers. Praise God. 00:05:19.20\00:05:21.97 Now I understand you are also involved 00:05:22.00\00:05:23.66 in a number of other activities. 00:05:23.69\00:05:25.37 What else you do in the reach out? 00:05:25.40\00:05:27.44 Well, we have translated some things 00:05:27.47\00:05:29.11 into the local languages there 00:05:29.14\00:05:30.79 and thanks to Light Bearers Ministry, 00:05:30.82\00:05:32.68 we have a whole container of Bible studies 00:05:32.71\00:05:35.56 that we distribute freely throughout that area. 00:05:35.59\00:05:38.31 And you know my son Keith had a dream 00:05:38.34\00:05:41.43 to start a radio station there in Kisangani. 00:05:41.46\00:05:44.61 As I said, it's a million people tremendous opportunity. 00:05:44.64\00:05:48.04 Adventist World Radio partnered with us 00:05:48.07\00:05:50.21 and we started that radio station. 00:05:50.24\00:05:52.23 I can still remember some of our other young team members there, 00:05:52.26\00:05:55.92 Elisha VandeVoort, Nathan Rittenour. 00:05:55.95\00:05:57.94 We gave them a pile of steel and said we need a radio tower. 00:05:57.97\00:06:01.79 And you know, these guys can do anything, 00:06:01.82\00:06:03.61 I am just proud of them, they are my heroes. 00:06:03.64\00:06:05.96 We have a tower now that's 100 feet in the air, 00:06:05.99\00:06:09.46 a good tower and that signal is being broadcast. 00:06:09.49\00:06:12.66 We started broadcasting just last November. 00:06:12.69\00:06:15.78 And after three months of broadcasting 24x7 00:06:15.81\00:06:19.62 in three different languages, the government sent an inspector 00:06:19.65\00:06:23.30 to kind of do a survey of that whole area 00:06:23.33\00:06:25.95 at the radio work that was going on, 00:06:25.98\00:06:28.00 and there were ten other radio stations in that city. 00:06:28.03\00:06:31.24 And they told us it's really amazing 00:06:31.27\00:06:33.50 after three months your radio station 00:06:33.53\00:06:35.32 is the number one radio station in this entire region 00:06:35.35\00:06:38.78 and that includes a listening audience 00:06:38.81\00:06:40.91 of well over two million people, 00:06:40.94\00:06:42.47 so we are just thrilled with the blessings of God. 00:06:42.50\00:06:45.15 Praise the Lord. 00:06:45.18\00:06:46.21 Now I understand there are still 00:06:46.24\00:06:47.45 some primitive tribes there in the Congo, 00:06:47.48\00:06:49.83 have you reached out to any of these groups? 00:06:49.86\00:06:52.70 Well, you will see a picture on the screen of the pygmy people 00:06:52.73\00:06:57.72 and my son Keith and Tammy there with them. 00:06:57.75\00:07:02.88 And they are very shy tribe, very suspicious of outsiders. 00:07:02.91\00:07:09.81 You would be too. 00:07:09.84\00:07:11.52 Until 60 years ago, they were cannibalized 00:07:11.55\00:07:13.66 by the other tribes in their area. 00:07:13.69\00:07:16.39 And anyway they were hunters roving through the forest 00:07:16.42\00:07:20.29 and there is about a million of them in the Congo. 00:07:20.32\00:07:23.05 Well, anyway the war logging 00:07:23.08\00:07:27.91 has kind of decimated their existence 00:07:27.94\00:07:31.26 and they just become kind of 00:07:31.29\00:07:33.14 the poorest of the poor in that whole area. 00:07:33.17\00:07:36.40 Well, we took over a work 00:07:36.43\00:07:38.89 that was started by an Adventist Korean man 00:07:38.92\00:07:42.03 and right now we have a six church planters 00:07:42.06\00:07:47.94 working in 30 different pygmy villages 00:07:47.97\00:07:51.58 and we've started five primary schools for their children. 00:07:51.61\00:07:55.77 And we are just thrilled with the blessings 00:07:55.80\00:07:58.15 that the Lord has given to us through that work 00:07:58.18\00:08:01.30 in seeing the hundreds of pygmies 00:08:01.33\00:08:02.91 who have been baptized so far. 00:08:02.94\00:08:04.74 Amen, can you just tell us one more quick story? 00:08:04.77\00:08:08.64 Well, I can, you know, just a year ago Pat, 00:08:08.67\00:08:12.60 I was in the home of a witch doctor in the village of Bawi, 00:08:12.63\00:08:16.99 I was doing evangelist meetings 00:08:17.02\00:08:19.20 and I was pleading with him to accept Christ in his life. 00:08:19.23\00:08:23.16 And he said, I've been to churches three times. 00:08:23.19\00:08:27.20 I want to give my life to Jesus, I want to get rid of-- 00:08:27.23\00:08:30.12 I don't want to work for the devil. 00:08:30.15\00:08:31.87 And he said, three times same thing every time, 00:08:31.90\00:08:34.82 I go there they pray for me 00:08:34.85\00:08:36.14 and the devils leave me when they pray, 00:08:36.17\00:08:39.27 but then they start beating on their drums 00:08:39.30\00:08:40.96 and dancing and singing 00:08:40.99\00:08:42.22 and the devils all come right back in every single time. 00:08:42.25\00:08:45.51 And he said how powerful is your God? 00:08:45.54\00:08:48.32 If your church prays for me, will the demon stay out for ever 00:08:48.35\00:08:51.63 and I said, absolutely monu. 00:08:51.66\00:08:54.14 And you know they have never troubled him 00:08:54.17\00:08:55.52 since the day of his baptism. 00:08:55.55\00:08:57.04 I just say praise God. Amen. 00:08:57.07\00:08:58.98 And I hope you will pray for our young team. 00:08:59.01\00:09:00.88 I have returned to America now for my daughter's education. 00:09:00.91\00:09:05.57 But I hope you will pray for our young team 00:09:05.60\00:09:07.74 who is taking the gospel to the jungles 00:09:07.77\00:09:10.64 of that difficult area in the Congo, 00:09:10.67\00:09:13.31 word has not reached before. Praise the Lord. 00:09:13.34\00:09:15.85 In two seconds tell us how people 00:09:15.88\00:09:17.75 can get in touch with you and find out more. 00:09:17.78\00:09:20.28 We are in booth 427 and our website, 00:09:20.31\00:09:23.49 come see me there, our website is congofrontlinemissions.org. 00:09:23.52\00:09:27.34 Check us out. Thank you so much for your prayers. 00:09:27.37\00:09:29.93 It is just a privilege on behalf of the world church 00:09:29.96\00:09:34.51 to thank ASI and church members 00:09:34.54\00:09:38.09 in so many places around the world 00:09:38.12\00:09:40.58 for the tremendous effort in New Beginnings. 00:09:40.61\00:09:44.61 New Beginnings has helped so many people find truth in Jesus. 00:09:44.64\00:09:50.81 In fact New Beginnings is based upon God's word. 00:09:50.84\00:09:55.85 I want to tell you brothers and sisters, 00:09:55.88\00:09:58.17 one of the greatest challenges we are going to have 00:09:58.20\00:09:59.83 in the near future is that people will try to someway, 00:09:59.86\00:10:04.13 in someway deconstruct the Bible 00:10:04.16\00:10:09.25 to bring about a confusion on what the Bible says 00:10:09.28\00:10:14.37 on distracting us into different areas of focus, 00:10:14.40\00:10:18.24 so that the Bible is not read and presented. 00:10:18.27\00:10:21.21 And New Beginnings brings the kind of emphasis, 00:10:21.24\00:10:24.95 not only to the public but to the presenter 00:10:24.98\00:10:28.77 of what the word of God says. 00:10:28.80\00:10:30.99 So I'm delighted in especially this new emphasis 00:10:31.02\00:10:34.84 in electronic advances that are being made right now 00:10:34.87\00:10:39.86 to really bring about the easiest way 00:10:39.89\00:10:43.64 in which to bring the word of God to people. 00:10:43.67\00:10:46.65 And I just wanted to share with you 00:10:46.68\00:10:48.91 one quotation from Testimonies volume 9, page 116. 00:10:48.94\00:10:54.59 "The work of God in this earth can never be finished 00:10:54.62\00:10:58.97 until the men and women comprising our church membership 00:10:59.00\00:11:03.32 rally to the work, and unite their efforts 00:11:03.35\00:11:06.45 with those of ministers and church officers." 00:11:06.48\00:11:09.52 New beginnings and this new beginning 00:11:09.55\00:11:12.52 of New Beginnings can do just that. 00:11:12.55\00:11:14.93 I thank God for this wonderful opportunity 00:11:14.96\00:11:17.84 and thank you to ASI. 00:11:17.87\00:11:20.43 We have this opportunity, 00:11:20.46\00:11:22.03 this privilege of being able to tell others 00:11:22.06\00:11:23.98 about our soon coming Lord and Savior. 00:11:24.01\00:11:26.66 And 12 years ago we are very generous 00:11:26.69\00:11:28.72 and helped facilitate and help fund this project. 00:11:28.75\00:11:32.43 Today in our offering we are going to talk about this project 00:11:32.46\00:11:35.00 and this is going to be one of the parts of our offering. 00:11:35.03\00:11:38.97 So as we think about equipping lay people to be training 00:11:39.00\00:11:42.90 and telling others about Jesus' soon return 00:11:42.93\00:11:45.77 and them and those lay people being able to tell others 00:11:45.80\00:11:49.46 about the soon coming of Jesus 00:11:49.49\00:11:51.65 and they tell others about the soon coming of Jesus 00:11:51.68\00:11:53.64 and they tell others about it. 00:11:53.67\00:11:55.30 It won't be long until we can all go home. Thank you. 00:11:55.33\00:11:58.53 Remember the Sabbath To keep it Holy 00:12:26.76\00:12:34.76 Honor the day That our Lord commands us 00:12:36.27\00:12:44.27 To cease our toiling And we obey 00:12:44.30\00:12:52.27 That we may know Him And learn His patient ways 00:12:55.63\00:13:03.63 Keeping the Sabbath holy In all our days 00:13:10.40\00:13:18.40 So enter His temple with high thanksgiving 00:13:27.18\00:13:35.18 Worship the Lord And fill up this house 00:13:37.23\00:13:45.23 With your voices ringing Let them be heard 00:13:46.31\00:13:54.31 For we adore Him And lift our hearts in praise 00:13:56.81\00:14:04.81 Keeping the Sabbath holy In all our days 00:14:11.50\00:14:19.50 Remember the Sabbath To keep it holy 00:14:29.26\00:14:37.09 Honor the day Honor the day 00:14:37.12\00:14:43.35 That our Lord commands us To cease our toiling 00:14:43.38\00:14:51.01 And we obey And we obey 00:14:51.04\00:14:57.24 That we may know Him And learn His patient ways 00:14:57.27\00:15:05.24 Keeping the Sabbath holy In all our days. 00:15:11.59\00:15:19.59 Good evening ASI family. 00:15:38.83\00:15:41.77 I trust that you had a blessed week. 00:15:41.80\00:15:44.82 Here we're at our last meeting from the opening night, 00:15:44.85\00:15:48.22 where Brother Frank shared with us 00:15:48.25\00:15:50.54 that it's time to be about our father's business 00:15:50.57\00:15:53.55 taking us into the heavenly sanctuary 00:15:53.58\00:15:56.35 throughout all the meeting this week 00:15:56.38\00:15:58.22 I think we had a rich blessing, amen. 00:15:58.25\00:16:00.97 I know that I have been richly blessed 00:16:01.00\00:16:02.78 by hearing the variety of speakers. 00:16:02.81\00:16:04.93 Would say some of the seminars have been great. 00:16:04.96\00:16:07.81 So it's a rich blessing for us to be together tonight. 00:16:07.84\00:16:11.14 And I would like to invite you that claiming the promise of God 00:16:11.17\00:16:14.21 that as He has blessed us throughout the entire convention 00:16:14.24\00:16:17.41 He is going to bless us again. 00:16:17.44\00:16:19.73 So I invite you to bow your heads with me as we pray. 00:16:19.76\00:16:22.19 Heavenly Father, as the Sabbath draws to a close, 00:16:25.95\00:16:30.71 as we begin to enter into another week 00:16:30.74\00:16:33.15 as this ASI Convention draws to a close. 00:16:33.18\00:16:36.59 We once again come before You 00:16:36.62\00:16:39.25 realizing in a small measure our great need 00:16:39.28\00:16:43.77 and yet confident that You will supply that need. 00:16:43.80\00:16:48.44 As we open Your scriptures one more time tonight, 00:16:48.47\00:16:50.81 we invite Your Spirit to speak to our hearts 00:16:50.84\00:16:55.70 and again we claim the promise that 00:16:55.73\00:16:57.79 because You've blessed us in the past, 00:16:57.82\00:17:00.18 we know that You will give us a rich blessing now, 00:17:00.21\00:17:03.30 in the precious name of Jesus, amen. 00:17:03.33\00:17:06.29 All week long, again our theme has been, it's time to what? 00:17:09.40\00:17:14.03 Be about our father's business, that's right. 00:17:14.06\00:17:17.75 And what I like to study with you this evening 00:17:17.78\00:17:20.16 is what from my prospective the conclusion 00:17:20.19\00:17:24.26 of God's business in this universe 00:17:24.29\00:17:27.59 and from the inception of sin into this universe, 00:17:27.62\00:17:32.41 it's been God's business 00:17:32.44\00:17:34.42 to clarify the issues in the Great Controversy, 00:17:34.45\00:17:39.79 from the origination of sin in the divine councils in heaven. 00:17:39.82\00:17:44.77 However long that was passed 00:17:44.80\00:17:47.29 before the creation of this world, 00:17:47.32\00:17:49.58 Satan has been trying to obscure and misrepresent who God is. 00:17:49.61\00:17:57.25 Satan has laid charges before the heavenly universe, 00:17:57.28\00:18:00.69 before the council that meets in heaven, 00:18:00.72\00:18:02.69 over God's rule, over God's justice, 00:18:02.72\00:18:05.91 over God's mercy, over who God is. 00:18:05.94\00:18:10.42 And from that time it is been the father's business 00:18:10.45\00:18:14.23 to clarify the issues in the Great Controversy. 00:18:14.26\00:18:18.47 And so tonight I would like to study with you 00:18:18.50\00:18:20.01 the conclusion of those issues 00:18:20.04\00:18:22.10 and many of the texts we look at. 00:18:22.13\00:18:24.19 I believe it will be familiar to many in this crowd 00:18:24.22\00:18:27.71 and yet they are full of importance for us. 00:18:27.74\00:18:31.36 And so I would like to invite to you tonight 00:18:31.39\00:18:32.71 to turn with me to the Book of Revelation. 00:18:32.74\00:18:37.33 I have a special place in my experience 00:18:37.36\00:18:41.25 and interest in the Book of Revelation. 00:18:41.28\00:18:43.92 I grew up in a Jewish home, 00:18:43.95\00:18:46.02 did not grow up as a Christian religion, 00:18:46.05\00:18:48.09 didn't know very much about Christianity growing up. 00:18:48.12\00:18:51.11 And when I was around 17 years of age, 00:18:51.14\00:18:53.51 I guess it was just 17. 00:18:53.54\00:18:55.06 I decided that I was going to 00:18:55.09\00:18:56.34 hitchhike across the United States. 00:18:56.37\00:18:58.69 I went with two friends of mine 00:18:58.72\00:19:00.72 and somehow in my backpack was a Bible 00:19:00.75\00:19:05.19 and it was a Bible that in the back of the Bible 00:19:05.22\00:19:07.87 had an annotation of the different books in the Bible 00:19:07.90\00:19:11.81 and so it described the Hebrews scriptures 00:19:11.84\00:19:14.81 which I was acquainted with. 00:19:14.84\00:19:16.58 But then there were little summaries 00:19:16.61\00:19:18.93 of the New Testament books of which I was not acquainted. 00:19:18.96\00:19:23.15 And I remember thumbing 00:19:23.18\00:19:24.25 through that annotation in the back 00:19:24.28\00:19:27.62 and reading what it is said about the Book of Revelation, 00:19:27.65\00:19:31.61 It said you know, mysterious book, 00:19:31.64\00:19:33.85 very hard to be understood, great perplexity 00:19:33.88\00:19:38.60 and so I thought to myself 00:19:38.63\00:19:39.82 in my young 17 years of age arrogance, 00:19:39.85\00:19:43.21 I'm going to read the Book of Revelation and understand it. 00:19:43.24\00:19:46.82 And so I proceeded to open the Book of Revelation 00:19:46.85\00:19:49.64 as I was hitchhiking from New York to California. 00:19:49.67\00:19:54.25 And somewhere as I started opening the book, 00:19:54.28\00:19:55.95 I turned to the first page, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, 00:19:55.98\00:19:58.79 I'm not sure what that means. 00:19:58.82\00:20:00.35 Talking about the things that must take place, 00:20:00.38\00:20:03.05 must shortly come to passing. 00:20:03.08\00:20:05.09 Then I started moving in and there were beasts and dragons 00:20:05.12\00:20:10.49 and lamb and a lion and it was really way perplexing. 00:20:10.52\00:20:17.18 And so I closed the Book of Revelation, 00:20:17.21\00:20:18.82 I decided I'd start reading the gospels 00:20:18.85\00:20:20.81 which was probably a good decision 00:20:20.84\00:20:22.85 for me to begin at the beginning 00:20:22.88\00:20:26.40 but since that time and since my conversion 00:20:26.43\00:20:29.24 I've had an interest in the Book of Revelation. 00:20:29.27\00:20:31.84 And those of you that have studied the Book of Revelation 00:20:31.87\00:20:34.27 and in audience like this, I am sure that many who have, 00:20:34.30\00:20:37.47 you realize that it's full of symbols and illusions. 00:20:37.50\00:20:42.26 But I would like to look at a verse with you this evening 00:20:42.29\00:20:44.64 that to me is one of the most perplexing verses in the book. 00:20:44.67\00:20:50.64 It's one of the most thought provoking 00:20:50.67\00:20:53.48 verses in the Book of Revelation. 00:20:53.51\00:20:56.12 One of the most enigmatic verses in the Book of Revelation, 00:20:56.15\00:21:00.80 and it's found in Revelation 20. 00:21:00.83\00:21:03.64 The symbolism is not so perplexing 00:21:03.67\00:21:05.76 but the meaning certainly draws our attention. 00:21:05.79\00:21:09.00 So if you have your Bibles whether paper or electronic 00:21:09.03\00:21:13.13 turn with me to Revelation 20, 00:21:13.16\00:21:17.45 the end of the Book of Revelation 00:21:17.48\00:21:19.51 and as you are turning, just like to share a concern 00:21:19.54\00:21:24.57 that I have that as we read Revelation, 00:21:24.60\00:21:27.07 sometimes we become so focused in trying to discern 00:21:27.10\00:21:34.89 the meaning behind every symbol, 00:21:34.92\00:21:38.21 that we miss the meaning of the book. 00:21:38.24\00:21:41.80 In other words sometimes 00:21:41.83\00:21:42.86 we don't see the forest for the trees 00:21:42.89\00:21:46.26 and the purpose of the Book of Revelation 00:21:46.29\00:21:49.22 is to give us a deeper religious experience 00:21:49.25\00:21:54.76 and so as we read Revelation and it's important for us 00:21:54.79\00:21:57.11 to certainly understand the historicist context 00:21:57.14\00:22:00.03 and the interpretation that makes 00:22:00.06\00:22:02.05 the Seventh-day Adventist Church what it is. 00:22:02.08\00:22:04.92 But, beyond that or fuller than that or in a harmony with that 00:22:04.95\00:22:09.37 or however the right way to say that is. 00:22:09.40\00:22:12.02 The Book of Revelation needs to transform our experience. 00:22:12.05\00:22:16.71 It needs to reach our hearts. So, Revelation 20. 00:22:16.74\00:22:22.74 Before we read Chapter 20 perhaps should set the set-- 00:22:22.77\00:22:26.64 excuse me the context, the setting of Revelation 20, 00:22:26.67\00:22:29.21 it's the end of the book and it's the final climax. 00:22:29.24\00:22:33.25 Revelation 19 describes the return of Jesus Christ. 00:22:33.28\00:22:37.64 Let's look at Revelation 19:11 first Revelation 19:11. 00:22:37.67\00:22:43.24 It says, "And I saw heaven opened, 00:22:43.27\00:22:46.42 and behold a white horse, and he who sat on it 00:22:46.45\00:22:51.05 has a special name, what is that name everyone? 00:22:51.08\00:22:54.02 Faithful and true, who is that? That is Jesus Christ. 00:22:54.05\00:22:59.67 He is the faithful and true witness. 00:22:59.70\00:23:01.34 He is the one who we can depend on what He says, amen. 00:23:01.37\00:23:05.83 He is the faithful representation of who God is. 00:23:05.86\00:23:10.61 And the great controversy, 00:23:10.64\00:23:12.73 time to be about our father's business, 00:23:12.76\00:23:14.87 time to bring the great controversy to a close 00:23:14.90\00:23:20.38 by the revelation of who God is. 00:23:20.41\00:23:23.74 Jesus is the faithful and true witness. 00:23:23.77\00:23:26.07 He is faithful and true. 00:23:26.10\00:23:27.38 And then it goes on to say continuing in verse 11. 00:23:27.41\00:23:31.80 "And in righteousness he judges and wages war." 00:23:31.83\00:23:39.31 War is a major theme in the Book of Revelation. 00:23:39.34\00:23:42.24 There is a conflict in Revelation, 00:23:42.27\00:23:44.90 from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, 00:23:44.93\00:23:46.99 there is a controversy over who rules 00:23:47.02\00:23:50.00 that's evidenced by one of the major, 00:23:50.03\00:23:54.93 I don't want to say prop, one of the major objects 00:23:54.96\00:23:58.68 in the Book of Revelation which is the throne. 00:23:58.71\00:24:02.16 It towers all throughout the entire book of Revelation. 00:24:02.19\00:24:05.29 And the throne, God has a thrown, 00:24:05.32\00:24:07.32 24 elders have their throne. 00:24:07.35\00:24:08.99 You and I, if we are faithful, we will sit on the throne. 00:24:09.02\00:24:12.46 The redeem sit on a throne 00:24:12.49\00:24:13.96 but who else has a throne 00:24:13.99\00:24:15.45 in the Book of Revelation? Satan does. 00:24:15.48\00:24:18.87 Chapter 2 in King James it's called Satan's seat, 00:24:18.90\00:24:22.45 Revelation 13 the dragon gives his seat in the King James, 00:24:22.48\00:24:26.10 that's the same word, throne, he gives it to the beast. 00:24:26.13\00:24:29.38 Satan has a throne and the throne 00:24:29.41\00:24:31.91 in the Book of Revelation is contested territory. 00:24:31.94\00:24:35.02 Satan is vying for the rulership of this world 00:24:35.05\00:24:39.48 and he does it through deception. 00:24:39.51\00:24:42.39 But, how does Jesus wage war? 00:24:42.42\00:24:45.06 What does the text say of Revelation 19: 11? 00:24:45.09\00:24:47.77 He wages war how? In righteousness. 00:24:47.80\00:24:53.05 He wages war in righteousness. 00:24:53.08\00:24:55.18 In the book Mount of Blessings, page 18 00:24:55.21\00:24:57.12 Ellen White tells us that righteousness is love, 00:24:57.15\00:25:01.26 the very light and life of God. 00:25:01.29\00:25:05.60 Everything that Jesus does is a manifestation of God's love. 00:25:05.63\00:25:10.21 And he wages war in righteousness. 00:25:10.24\00:25:14.19 In the 60's and 70's when I grew up, 00:25:14.22\00:25:16.21 there was a slogan that said, don't make war, 00:25:16.24\00:25:19.25 make some of you are old enough to remember. 00:25:19.28\00:25:22.51 Don't make war, make love, when Jesus wages war in love. 00:25:22.54\00:25:29.74 How can that be? 00:25:29.77\00:25:31.42 Again Satan is trying to deceive us. 00:25:31.45\00:25:33.23 Satan is trying to paint the character of God 00:25:33.26\00:25:35.97 with his own--the strokes of his own character. 00:25:36.00\00:25:38.76 He is trying to misrepresent who God is 00:25:38.79\00:25:41.29 and the war is really over the concept 00:25:41.32\00:25:45.13 of who is worthy to rule the universe. 00:25:45.16\00:25:49.20 Is God really trustworthy? Can you really depend on Him? 00:25:49.23\00:25:56.18 Is He really pure unblemished love? 00:25:56.21\00:26:01.67 Is, does everything that God does, 00:26:01.70\00:26:04.70 is every action of God is it really pure unadulterated love? 00:26:04.73\00:26:11.92 Is it? Amen, it is. 00:26:11.95\00:26:14.78 And it's time for us to be about our father's business 00:26:14.81\00:26:17.19 and reveal that love to the world. 00:26:17.22\00:26:20.71 Now the power of deception is very strong. 00:26:20.74\00:26:23.28 Recently I came across a book, some of you might have heard 00:26:23.31\00:26:27.30 about this in the news recently. 00:26:27.33\00:26:29.48 It's called Escape from Camp 14 and it's a story of a young man 00:26:29.51\00:26:34.47 who was raised in a prison camp in North Korea. 00:26:34.50\00:26:38.11 His name is Shin Dong-hyuk, 00:26:38.14\00:26:41.45 I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly. 00:26:41.48\00:26:43.43 His parents were thrown into this prison camp 00:26:43.46\00:26:46.62 before they met one another for some political crimes 00:26:46.65\00:26:49.41 against the state of North Korea 00:26:49.44\00:26:51.69 and on for good behavior they were allowed 00:26:51.72\00:26:54.12 to marry in the prison camp. 00:26:54.15\00:26:56.83 The marriage entail spending five days a year together, 00:26:56.86\00:27:01.69 in one of those five day periods 00:27:01.72\00:27:03.72 his older brother and himself were conceived 00:27:03.75\00:27:06.62 and the deception in the prison camp was so strong 00:27:06.65\00:27:11.44 that the force of the totalitarian state 00:27:11.47\00:27:15.35 just drilled into everybody's mind, 00:27:15.38\00:27:17.63 don't trust anyone, don't try to escape, 00:27:17.66\00:27:21.10 we are your protectors. 00:27:21.13\00:27:24.27 And the deception was so powerful 00:27:24.30\00:27:28.38 that if you were to hear anyone talking about escape 00:27:28.41\00:27:30.70 from this prison camp, you were to turn them in. 00:27:30.73\00:27:33.88 Well, as Shin grew older, 00:27:33.91\00:27:36.38 one day he came to visit his mother and his older brother. 00:27:36.41\00:27:39.38 And his mother and his older brother 00:27:39.41\00:27:40.80 were talking about escape. 00:27:40.83\00:27:44.13 Dutifully he turned them in. 00:27:44.16\00:27:47.94 He had been so deceived 00:27:47.97\00:27:50.43 about what was right and what was wrong 00:27:50.46\00:27:52.75 that he went to the authorities and said 00:27:52.78\00:27:54.45 my mother and my brother are planning to escape. 00:27:54.48\00:27:58.09 The authorities then took him 00:27:58.12\00:27:59.46 and tortured him for four more days 00:27:59.49\00:28:02.21 to make sure that he had no more hidden secrets. 00:28:02.24\00:28:06.81 After that his mother and his brother were taken 00:28:06.84\00:28:09.39 and they were shot, put to death 00:28:09.42\00:28:11.53 and as Shin stood there and watched 00:28:11.56\00:28:13.77 his mother and his brother being put to death 00:28:13.80\00:28:16.50 whom he had betrayed, 00:28:16.53\00:28:18.61 the only thing he felt in his heart 00:28:18.64\00:28:20.91 was anger against them. 00:28:20.94\00:28:25.60 The state had so perpetuated a deception 00:28:25.63\00:28:28.97 that even the closest bonds of a mother and her son 00:28:29.00\00:28:32.29 were completely torn upside down. 00:28:32.32\00:28:35.26 Brothers and sisters, this world is a camp 14. 00:28:35.29\00:28:39.75 And Satan is doing everything he can 00:28:39.78\00:28:43.90 to totally turn upside down our perceptions 00:28:43.93\00:28:48.08 of right and wrong, goodness and truth. 00:28:48.11\00:28:52.58 I'm thankful that Jesus judges and makes you all in what? 00:28:52.61\00:28:57.95 In righteousness. 00:28:57.98\00:29:00.06 Well, Revelation 19 continues, there is this battle that comes 00:29:00.09\00:29:03.49 and the beast and the false prophet are taken, 00:29:03.52\00:29:05.80 those are two of Satan's embraceries in this world. 00:29:05.83\00:29:08.44 They are captured, they are destroyed 00:29:08.47\00:29:10.11 as Revelation 19 unfolds. 00:29:10.14\00:29:12.40 Let's turn to Revelation 20 00:29:12.43\00:29:16.27 Revelation 20 starting in verse 1. 00:29:16.30\00:29:18.38 "Then I saw an angel come down from heaven, 00:29:18.41\00:29:20.41 holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 00:29:20.44\00:29:24.13 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, 00:29:24.16\00:29:27.70 who is the devil and Satan, 00:29:27.73\00:29:30.08 and he bound him for a thousand years." 00:29:30.11\00:29:32.78 Verse 3, notice the verbs in the verse. 00:29:32.81\00:29:36.30 Notice the verbs in the verse. 00:29:36.33\00:29:39.02 "And he threw him into the abyss, 00:29:39.05\00:29:41.61 and shut it and he sealed it over him, 00:29:41.64\00:29:45.65 so that he would not deceive the nations any longer." 00:29:45.68\00:29:52.44 Somebody should have said amen. 00:29:52.47\00:29:55.63 Satan is thrown into the pit. He is shut in and he is sealed. 00:29:55.66\00:30:00.94 We would say in our English vocabulary, 00:30:00.97\00:30:03.56 signed, sealed and delivered. 00:30:03.59\00:30:06.49 He is locked down. He is done. 00:30:06.52\00:30:11.01 And if you and I were in some corner 00:30:11.04\00:30:13.14 we can watch this after one side 00:30:13.17\00:30:15.94 there would go up a great charismatic hallelujah from us. 00:30:15.97\00:30:20.37 As Satan was bound throughout the Book of Revelation. 00:30:20.40\00:30:25.55 He has been the antagonist. He is waging war. 00:30:25.58\00:30:28.01 He is doing everything he can to disrupt 00:30:28.04\00:30:31.08 to place his throne above God, 00:30:31.11\00:30:32.87 to over throw who God is. 00:30:32.90\00:30:35.71 And God's business is been to unfold his character. 00:30:35.74\00:30:39.50 Now Satan is taken, 00:30:39.53\00:30:41.25 he is in the abyss metaphorically speaking. 00:30:41.28\00:30:44.18 He is bound. There is nothing Satan can do. 00:30:44.21\00:30:47.27 Praise God. 00:30:47.30\00:30:49.62 I want that to take place, don't you? 00:30:49.65\00:30:53.80 Now, this is where for me 00:30:53.83\00:30:57.02 the most perplexing part of the Revelation is. 00:30:57.05\00:31:01.06 The verse continues Revelation 20. 00:31:01.09\00:31:07.80 After these things, 20:3, the last part of the verse. 00:31:07.83\00:31:11.28 "After these things what happened?" 00:31:11.31\00:31:16.87 Revelation 23, "After these things 00:31:16.90\00:31:19.85 he must be released from his prison." 00:31:19.88\00:31:26.07 Notice it does not say, he will escape 00:31:26.10\00:31:28.45 or he shall be released, he is going to find the way out. 00:31:28.48\00:31:32.40 The word is he must be set free. 00:31:32.43\00:31:36.20 The four little-- excuse me, the four letter English word 00:31:36.23\00:31:40.29 translates a three letter Greek word 00:31:40.32\00:31:42.52 which indicates a divine necessity. 00:31:42.55\00:31:46.93 The Seventh-day Adventist Bible commentary 00:31:46.96\00:31:49.30 says that this represents a moral and ethical necessity. 00:31:49.33\00:31:55.74 And so as we're reading through the Book of Revelation 00:31:55.77\00:31:57.62 and we're coming to the end and Satan is bounded 00:31:57.65\00:31:59.88 and he is thrown into the pit and the wicked are destroyed. 00:31:59.91\00:32:03.63 All of a sudden, he must be set free. 00:32:03.66\00:32:07.81 And the question arises, why must he be set free? 00:32:07.84\00:32:11.75 And scholars have struggled with this. 00:32:11.78\00:32:13.32 R.H. Charles, a very well know Revelation scholar 00:32:13.35\00:32:17.02 from the early 1900s. 00:32:17.05\00:32:18.64 His answer to this was, 00:32:18.67\00:32:20.28 well, John just got tired at this point 00:32:20.31\00:32:22.83 and so he wanted to end the book 00:32:22.86\00:32:24.15 and so he did it in kind of a sloppy way. 00:32:24.18\00:32:26.89 I don't think that's true. 00:32:26.92\00:32:29.29 I think John wrote exactly what he was intending to write. 00:32:29.32\00:32:31.55 That as you are moving through the story 00:32:31.58\00:32:34.07 of the unfolding of the great controversy, 00:32:34.10\00:32:36.70 the father's business God clearing himself 00:32:36.73\00:32:38.65 and we've come almost to the very end, 00:32:38.68\00:32:40.41 it's not quite over. 00:32:40.44\00:32:44.09 Something else must be shown. Satan must be set free. 00:32:44.12\00:32:51.18 The moral and ethical imperative 00:32:51.21\00:32:53.22 are the issues in the great controversy. 00:32:53.25\00:32:56.45 And you think would by this time 00:32:56.48\00:32:58.36 that the entire universe would be 00:32:58.39\00:32:59.78 very clear to what's going on, 00:32:59.81\00:33:01.40 but my brothers and sisters that's not yet so. 00:33:01.43\00:33:05.76 Some things must still be demonstrated. 00:33:05.79\00:33:10.36 And as Revaluation continues, we know that at this time 00:33:10.39\00:33:13.95 Jesus has come in Revelation 19. 00:33:13.98\00:33:16.47 The wicked have been destroyed at the end of Revelation 19. 00:33:16.50\00:33:19.12 Other Bible verses tell us that God's people 00:33:19.15\00:33:21.81 have been ascended raise with Christ. 00:33:21.84\00:33:24.69 And for thousand years 00:33:24.72\00:33:25.75 God's people are in haven, judging and ruling. 00:33:25.78\00:33:29.70 Revelation 20:3 and 4 tell us that. 00:33:29.73\00:33:33.84 But at the end of the thousand years, 00:33:33.87\00:33:36.05 there is still some issues, there are still some issues 00:33:36.08\00:33:40.83 in the great controversy that need to be cleared up. 00:33:40.86\00:33:44.28 The father's business has not yet come to a full completion. 00:33:44.31\00:33:50.16 Revelation 25 tells us at the end of the thousand years, 00:33:50.19\00:33:53.00 the wicked will be brought back to life. 00:33:53.03\00:33:54.84 The rest of the dead did not live again 00:33:54.87\00:33:56.88 until the thousand years were finished. 00:33:56.91\00:33:58.82 Let's turn to Revelation 20 and look in verse 7. 00:33:58.85\00:34:06.40 "When the thousand years are finished, they are completed, 00:34:06.43\00:34:08.99 Satan will be released from his prison." 00:34:09.02\00:34:11.37 Verse 8, "And will come out to deceive the nations, 00:34:11.40\00:34:14.40 that's those who have been resurrected 00:34:14.43\00:34:16.48 in the second resurrection, 00:34:16.51\00:34:18.59 which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog." 00:34:18.62\00:34:21.90 Notice what his purpose is. 00:34:21.93\00:34:25.20 Revelation 20 tells us what is his intention? 00:34:25.23\00:34:29.39 To gather them together for what? 00:34:29.42\00:34:33.35 Battle, the war is continuing. 00:34:33.38\00:34:36.18 Incidentally the King James and most translation say, 00:34:36.21\00:34:39.47 to gather them together for battle. 00:34:39.50\00:34:42.06 The Greek actually has the definite article 00:34:42.09\00:34:44.37 before the word battle, indicating this is the battle, 00:34:44.40\00:34:49.45 this is the climatic battle in the war. 00:34:49.48\00:34:53.95 In a moment heaven and hell will come face to face. 00:34:53.98\00:34:58.59 He has gathered them together for the battle, 00:34:58.62\00:35:02.62 the final struggle in the great controversy, 00:35:02.65\00:35:06.02 the final culmination of God's business in this world. 00:35:06.05\00:35:10.37 "The number of them is like the sand of the seashore, 00:35:15.43\00:35:17.47 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth 00:35:17.50\00:35:19.59 and they surrounded the camp of the saints the holy city." 00:35:19.62\00:35:23.29 John kind of collapses and then telescopes 00:35:23.32\00:35:26.56 certain images in this portion of Revelation. 00:35:26.59\00:35:30.04 He kind of gives us an overview in Revelation 8, 00:35:30.07\00:35:34.20 excuse me, Revelation 20:7-10 00:35:34.23\00:35:36.91 and he talks about the holy city being surrounded 00:35:36.94\00:35:39.65 by the wicked and the fire coming down. 00:35:39.68\00:35:41.59 And then he goes back 00:35:41.62\00:35:42.76 and he gives us more detail in verse 11. 00:35:42.79\00:35:48.02 I want you to just image if you will. 00:35:48.05\00:35:51.61 What this scene is going to be like. 00:35:51.64\00:35:54.99 Revelation 20, Satan's been bound for 1000 years 00:35:55.02\00:35:59.99 finally the holy city comes down, 00:36:00.02\00:36:01.37 God's people have been with him for a 1000 years. 00:36:01.40\00:36:04.53 And that city comes down 00:36:04.56\00:36:05.95 and God's people watch Jesus resurrect the wicked. 00:36:05.98\00:36:11.14 What an amazing scene that's going to be. 00:36:11.17\00:36:14.00 Individuals from Cain all the way on 00:36:14.03\00:36:15.78 down to the last individual did I raise back up, 00:36:15.81\00:36:18.52 not in a beautiful form like they were raised back up. 00:36:18.55\00:36:21.95 And then they are in the city 00:36:21.98\00:36:23.61 and Satan is now free to continue his work of deception 00:36:23.64\00:36:27.15 and he goes to gather everyone together for this final battle 00:36:27.18\00:36:30.37 and God's people are in the city, 00:36:30.40\00:36:32.26 Jesus bring them back into the city 00:36:32.29\00:36:33.85 closes the gates of the city. 00:36:33.88\00:36:35.57 And you and I are going to be there. 00:36:38.55\00:36:45.07 Question is where we are going to be? 00:36:45.10\00:36:48.60 Now could you imaging being in the city, 00:36:48.63\00:36:50.95 wouldn't that be exciting? 00:36:50.98\00:36:52.70 I mean we're going to be hugging and embracing 00:36:52.73\00:36:55.87 and do a dancing, did I say that 00:36:55.90\00:36:57.80 and you know, enthusiastic 00:36:57.83\00:37:00.24 and just thrilled to be in the city. 00:37:00.27\00:37:07.48 You, happened to be outside the city. 00:37:07.51\00:37:09.45 Satan goes out in his final attempt 00:37:09.48\00:37:11.58 and he stirs up the wicked 00:37:11.61\00:37:13.11 and he says, you know, we can take the city 00:37:13.14\00:37:14.71 and you are familiar with this passage of scripture 00:37:14.74\00:37:17.03 and the entire host of Satan's angels and Satan 00:37:17.06\00:37:22.17 and generals throughout history 00:37:22.20\00:37:23.52 they've marshaled up against the city, 00:37:23.55\00:37:25.58 coming up against the city 00:37:25.61\00:37:27.35 and then Revelation 20:11, Revelation 20:11. 00:37:27.38\00:37:34.25 "And then I saw a great white throne 00:37:34.28\00:37:37.60 and Him who sat upon it, 00:37:37.63\00:37:40.23 from whose presence earth and heaven have fled away, 00:37:40.26\00:37:45.78 and there was no more place for them." 00:37:45.81\00:37:48.69 And then I saw this great white throne 00:37:48.72\00:37:50.64 and Him who sat on it, 00:37:50.67\00:37:51.81 it's the only place in the Book of Revelation 00:37:51.84\00:37:53.35 that throne is called great and white. 00:37:53.38\00:37:55.33 Great in its immensity and its magnitude, 00:37:55.36\00:37:57.99 white in its purity and holiness. 00:37:58.02\00:38:01.07 And up above the city is raised up that throne 00:38:01.10\00:38:04.41 on which the final coronation of Jesus Christ takes place. 00:38:04.44\00:38:10.51 And as the wicked are marching up against the city 00:38:10.54\00:38:12.98 with Satan at their head, inspiring them 00:38:13.01\00:38:14.96 with his deception that throne is lifted up. 00:38:14.99\00:38:19.81 Now, the throne in the Book of Revelation 00:38:19.84\00:38:21.77 I would argue is synonymous with the ark 00:38:21.80\00:38:24.56 and that ark had a mercy seat, 00:38:24.59\00:38:27.75 the place of justice and mercy met one another. 00:38:27.78\00:38:31.84 And where did justice and mercy meet in earth's history? 00:38:31.87\00:38:35.04 It met at the cross. 00:38:35.07\00:38:36.99 That's why Ellen White tells us in the book Great Controversy, 00:38:37.02\00:38:39.26 on page 666, That above the throne 00:38:39.29\00:38:43.63 was lifted up the cross and all that vast host 00:38:43.66\00:38:47.93 as they are marching up to the city, 00:38:47.96\00:38:49.65 they see the cross, they see the crucifixion, 00:38:49.68\00:38:51.97 they see the fall of Adam, they see the history of sin, 00:38:52.00\00:38:54.77 but the primary thing they see is the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:38:54.80\00:39:00.42 And heaven and hell are meeting face to face 00:39:00.45\00:39:02.60 because outside the city, you have full unbridle deception 00:39:02.63\00:39:06.95 and self interest and self motivation 00:39:06.98\00:39:09.96 and in the city you have full and unbridle self sacrifice. 00:39:09.99\00:39:15.51 And hell has no chance in that battle. 00:39:15.54\00:39:19.02 The powers and kingdoms of this world don't stand a chance 00:39:19.05\00:39:22.84 before the self sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. 00:39:22.87\00:39:26.34 And you and I need to understand 00:39:26.37\00:39:28.05 and realize in our dealings with one another 00:39:28.08\00:39:30.70 that power manipulation and control, 00:39:30.73\00:39:33.55 that's not way of the cross, but humility, 00:39:33.58\00:39:37.83 self sacrifice, that is where real power is. 00:39:37.86\00:39:43.34 That is who God is. 00:39:43.37\00:39:46.37 The most powerful being in the universe displays His power, 00:39:46.40\00:39:53.22 to being willing to be crucified. 00:39:53.25\00:39:56.50 To take our suffering, our curse, our separation 00:39:56.53\00:39:59.65 and not just for each one of us but for every person 00:39:59.68\00:40:01.94 that will be there on that day. 00:40:01.97\00:40:05.71 The wicked are raised up from their first death 00:40:05.74\00:40:08.24 to show that really they didn't have to die a second death. 00:40:08.27\00:40:11.68 Christ died for them. 00:40:11.71\00:40:14.19 Every person could have been in the city 00:40:14.22\00:40:16.45 if they had only responded to the love displayed at Calvary. 00:40:16.48\00:40:20.43 The Desire of the Ages, page 58 tells us 00:40:20.46\00:40:22.18 that in the judgment every soul will realize 00:40:22.21\00:40:25.60 how they have rejected truth 00:40:25.63\00:40:28.45 and the cross and all its bearing will be seen. 00:40:28.48\00:40:33.42 What a powerful thought. 00:40:33.45\00:40:35.46 God's business, it's time to be about our father's business 00:40:35.49\00:40:38.21 which is bringing the great controversy to a close, 00:40:38.24\00:40:40.94 its understanding how God rules in this world. 00:40:40.97\00:40:44.23 God conquers through self sacrifice. 00:40:44.26\00:40:49.34 That's how you and I conquer as well, 00:40:49.37\00:40:51.69 to willingness, to give all to Jesus Christ. 00:40:51.72\00:40:55.65 To allow that love displayed at the cross 00:40:55.68\00:40:57.64 and unparalleled love which overthrows all power 00:40:57.67\00:41:00.80 in this world to allow it to transform our lives. 00:41:00.83\00:41:06.39 Now, my point this evening is this. 00:41:06.42\00:41:09.84 Everyone of us will be there on that day. 00:41:09.87\00:41:15.57 We will remember this night. We will remember this convention 00:41:15.60\00:41:21.74 and whether the things that have been spoken to us this week 00:41:21.77\00:41:25.03 have put us in the path of righteousness 00:41:25.06\00:41:28.51 or we've turned away 00:41:28.54\00:41:31.57 and move to the path of destruction. 00:41:31.60\00:41:35.44 But not only will everyone of us be here, 00:41:35.47\00:41:38.08 everyone who hears this message at sometime, 00:41:38.11\00:41:40.51 not only will everyone of us be there 00:41:40.54\00:41:42.89 but every person you have ever met in your life will be there. 00:41:42.92\00:41:50.89 Person that cleans your hotel room, 00:41:50.92\00:41:53.37 the person that you cut off in line while you are driving, 00:41:53.40\00:41:56.46 the person that you haven't forgiven, 00:41:56.49\00:41:58.76 the person that you have grudge against. 00:41:58.79\00:42:02.66 The person that believes differently than you do 00:42:02.69\00:42:04.96 on women's organization will be there. 00:42:04.99\00:42:10.34 Where will they be? 00:42:10.37\00:42:12.56 It's our duty brothers and sisters 00:42:12.59\00:42:15.30 to make sure they are in the city. 00:42:15.33\00:42:19.65 Review and Herald June 6th 2000, 00:42:19.68\00:42:25.57 excuse me, 2000 June 5th 1900, Ellen White write this. 00:42:25.60\00:42:31.14 "A soul hurt is often a soul destroyed. 00:42:31.17\00:42:35.09 Let those who have light and privileges 00:42:35.12\00:42:36.98 remember that their position of trust 00:42:37.01\00:42:39.57 makes them responsible for souls. 00:42:39.60\00:42:41.85 They will have to meet again around the great white throne, 00:42:41.88\00:42:46.06 the souls whom they have driven from Christ 00:42:46.09\00:42:49.16 bruised and wounded to death.' 00:42:49.19\00:42:52.76 A soul hurt is often a soul lost. 00:42:52.82\00:42:56.15 We need to be about our father's business 00:42:56.18\00:42:57.95 and clarifying God's name and God's character 00:42:57.98\00:43:00.70 in the great controversy by the revelation of who God is. 00:43:00.73\00:43:06.08 C. S. Lewis writes in his book, The Weight of Glory 00:43:06.11\00:43:08.33 that we never meet a common person, 00:43:08.36\00:43:11.89 every person we meet has a destiny, an eternal density. 00:43:11.92\00:43:17.85 Are we helping them along the way 00:43:17.88\00:43:21.39 or do we at times hinder them in their path. 00:43:21.42\00:43:26.65 When Shin was in the concentration camp 00:43:26.68\00:43:28.27 that prison camp in Korea. 00:43:28.30\00:43:30.42 One day a man was brought in a middle aged man 00:43:30.45\00:43:33.29 who had more experience with the outside world. 00:43:33.32\00:43:36.11 He knew about China, he knew about cows and chicken 00:43:36.14\00:43:38.97 things that Shin had never seen and he approached Shin 00:43:39.00\00:43:41.92 and they started talking about escape. 00:43:41.95\00:43:44.26 This time Shin listened and he thought 00:43:44.29\00:43:46.91 well, may be we should escape 00:43:46.94\00:43:48.20 and so one day they are on the northern part 00:43:48.23\00:43:50.05 of the concentration camps, their prison camp, 00:43:50.08\00:43:52.25 and they decided now was their time to escape 00:43:52.28\00:43:55.30 and as they were trying to make their way through the wires, 00:43:55.33\00:43:57.98 the man that was going first, the elderly, the older man 00:43:58.01\00:44:01.83 he hits some electrified wires 00:44:01.86\00:44:04.29 and he was electrocuted, he died. 00:44:04.32\00:44:07.36 And Shin thought to himself I have got to escape. 00:44:07.39\00:44:11.80 And so over the body of this man who had just died, 00:44:11.83\00:44:15.91 he crawled his dead body 00:44:15.94\00:44:17.56 insulating him from the electricity 00:44:17.59\00:44:19.59 and made his way out into the North Korean countryside 00:44:19.62\00:44:22.95 eventually made his way to China and finally to South Korea. 00:44:22.98\00:44:25.75 And now he works with an organization 00:44:25.78\00:44:27.36 trying to raise awareness of conditions, 00:44:27.39\00:44:30.81 and I understand that he has become a Christian as well. 00:44:30.84\00:44:34.99 His escape was facilitated from Camp 14 00:44:35.02\00:44:40.19 over the body of a dead man. 00:44:40.22\00:44:43.37 Our escape from Camp 14 in this world 00:44:43.40\00:44:46.94 comes through the cross of Jesus Christ, 00:44:46.97\00:44:49.59 through the love of our Savior and Redeemer 00:44:49.62\00:44:52.37 who gave Himself for us, who revealed what God is like. 00:44:52.40\00:44:56.73 Brothers and sisters, its not just an imaginary story. 00:44:56.76\00:44:59.91 One day earth and heaven are going to pass away 00:44:59.94\00:45:04.07 and the one total object of affection 00:45:04.10\00:45:07.28 and attention throughout eternity 00:45:07.31\00:45:10.24 is going to be the cross of Christ. 00:45:10.27\00:45:13.49 Shouldn't we be about our father's business? 00:45:13.52\00:45:15.96 Shouldn't that cross and the character displayed 00:45:15.99\00:45:19.64 there be the object of our great attention now? 00:45:19.67\00:45:23.50