Good evening and welcome to what is our fourth presentation 00:00:46.86\00:00:50.47 in our Pillars aspect of this Camp Meeting. 00:00:50.67\00:00:53.23 We've had a number of seminars today... 00:00:53.43\00:00:55.36 each one better than the next. Each one fulfilling 00:00:55.39\00:00:58.76 and inspiring and informational and inspirational. 00:00:58.96\00:01:02.86 We come now to the last speaking for this particular evening. 00:01:03.06\00:01:07.80 And we have saved - dare we say - the best for last. 00:01:08.00\00:01:12.72 James Rafferty is not an ordained minister of the gospel, 00:01:13.84\00:01:18.01 but he has been ordained by God to preach the gospel. 00:01:18.21\00:01:21.85 Amen. He is a student of the Word. 00:01:22.05\00:01:24.08 And I need to tell you some- thing, let out a little secret. 00:01:24.28\00:01:26.67 It is not true that he and Ty Gibson were fraternal twins 00:01:26.97\00:01:31.25 separated at birth. Because when we think of James Rafferty 00:01:31.35\00:01:34.74 we think of Ty Gibson. They form a powerful team for the Lord 00:01:34.84\00:01:37.57 in Light Bearers Ministry. 00:01:37.67\00:01:38.99 Um, and of course they have also linked up with David Asscherick 00:01:39.19\00:01:42.45 as of late. And so that is a powerful weapon in the hand 00:01:42.55\00:01:45.32 of God. But James is a student of the Word. 00:01:45.42\00:01:49.07 Husband of one wife Rise. 00:01:49.27\00:01:51.54 Rise is a woman with a medical background 00:01:51.74\00:01:55.49 and does a very, very fine job in her own right 00:01:55.69\00:01:58.45 as a herald of the gospel. 00:01:58.65\00:02:01.75 And we expect a really powerful presentation. 00:02:01.95\00:02:05.42 You need to give ear because we're going to talk about... 00:02:05.52\00:02:07.24 he is going to be speaking about hermeneutics. 00:02:07.44\00:02:10.24 Basically which is a long word. Just means 00:02:10.54\00:02:12.70 what are the rules you use when you are interpreting prophecy. 00:02:12.90\00:02:16.50 And that's very, very important 00:02:16.60\00:02:17.89 because when we listen to television or radio 00:02:18.10\00:02:20.45 and sometimes you hear some things and you wonder 00:02:20.55\00:02:22.78 "where is that coming from? " 00:02:22.88\00:02:23.88 it may be because the hermeneutic is wrong. 00:02:24.08\00:02:26.62 It may be because they are not using some basic tools 00:02:26.82\00:02:29.39 that God has given us for digging into the Word 00:02:29.59\00:02:32.74 and then pulling out of the Word what God would have you to know. 00:02:32.95\00:02:35.48 And so James is going to tackle that very weighty 00:02:35.58\00:02:38.07 and important subject this night. 00:02:38.17\00:02:39.37 But before he does so we're going to call Reggie back 00:02:39.58\00:02:43.50 just after I have prayed. This song has become a favorite 00:02:43.70\00:02:48.53 around here. The song is I Have Fixed My Mind On Another Time. 00:02:48.63\00:02:52.64 And hearing that "amen" means it's a favorite of yours too. 00:02:52.94\00:02:56.20 It made its debut just a few years ago 00:02:56.30\00:02:58.10 in Battle Creek, Michigan, one November evening. 00:02:58.30\00:03:00.95 The words of William Miller after the Great Disappointment 00:03:01.25\00:03:05.03 October 22 of 1844. 00:03:05.23\00:03:07.59 They asked him about that disappointment and he said: 00:03:07.79\00:03:11.24 "I've just fixed my mind on another time 00:03:11.44\00:03:14.00 and that time is today and today. " And David Huntsinger 00:03:14.20\00:03:17.11 did such a beautiful job setting that thought to music. 00:03:17.31\00:03:20.73 And of course, Reggie sang it at the General Conference session. 00:03:20.93\00:03:23.77 And it was just... every time that song is sung 00:03:23.97\00:03:28.50 there are people who get tears in their eyes because 00:03:28.70\00:03:31.31 it is such a powerful word of God and such an ensign 00:03:31.51\00:03:35.81 and an emblem for those of us who are just waiting for Christ 00:03:36.01\00:03:39.38 to come. "And that is today and today. " I will live each day 00:03:39.48\00:03:43.04 as though Christ was coming this very day 00:03:43.25\00:03:45.74 because I have fixed my mind on another time. 00:03:45.94\00:03:48.94 Shall we pray. And then the next voice you will hear 00:03:48.97\00:03:51.18 will be that of Reggie Smith. 00:03:51.38\00:03:53.52 And then following him our preacher for the evening 00:03:53.72\00:03:55.91 our friend James Rafferty. Father God, 00:03:56.11\00:03:58.43 we praise you and thank you now 00:03:58.73\00:04:01.16 because You're a good God. 00:04:01.36\00:04:04.78 You're a great God. 00:04:05.08\00:04:07.31 You're a gracious God. 00:04:07.61\00:04:09.66 You are our God... 00:04:09.86\00:04:12.81 and for this we are thankful. 00:04:13.01\00:04:16.55 Lord, would You teach us this night those things that 00:04:16.75\00:04:19.53 You would have us to know and then help us, Lord, 00:04:19.63\00:04:22.74 to do them. Because it is in the doing - not just the hearing - 00:04:22.94\00:04:28.07 that we are made like Christ Jesus. 00:04:28.28\00:04:31.26 Help ups to know what You want us to do 00:04:31.66\00:04:34.81 and then to live lives surrendered to Jesus. 00:04:35.01\00:04:39.21 Bless the speaker; bless those of us who hear. 00:04:39.51\00:04:43.42 And we thank you for each and every perfect gift 00:04:43.63\00:04:47.77 in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:04:47.97\00:04:51.14 I have fixed my mind 00:05:07.92\00:05:11.17 on another time... 00:05:11.91\00:05:14.71 on another time. 00:05:14.91\00:05:20.87 And here I mean to stand until 00:05:22.21\00:05:28.21 God gives me more light. 00:05:28.41\00:05:34.38 And that is today, today... 00:05:35.69\00:05:41.65 today until He comes. 00:05:42.05\00:05:47.95 I have fixed my mind 00:05:49.59\00:05:52.35 on another time... 00:05:52.65\00:05:56.27 on another time. 00:05:56.87\00:06:02.77 I have set my course 00:06:06.32\00:06:09.01 on the narrow way... 00:06:09.31\00:06:12.42 on the narrow way. 00:06:12.72\00:06:18.08 For I know the time 00:06:18.69\00:06:21.77 is close at hand 00:06:22.07\00:06:25.13 for which I watch and pray. 00:06:26.12\00:06:31.17 And that is today, today... 00:06:32.89\00:06:38.16 today until He comes. 00:06:38.57\00:06:44.55 I have set my course 00:06:45.59\00:06:48.07 on the narrow way... 00:06:48.27\00:06:51.48 on the narrow way. 00:06:51.78\00:06:57.76 Even so, Lord... Lord come quickly... 00:06:59.51\00:07:05.02 this is my fervent prayer. 00:07:05.52\00:07:11.52 For I've caught a glimpse of glory 00:07:12.02\00:07:17.94 and I'm longing... 00:07:18.04\00:07:20.91 longing to be there. 00:07:21.31\00:07:26.34 When shall the Son of Man appear? 00:07:39.57\00:07:45.55 The trumpet sound its blast? 00:07:45.85\00:07:51.21 And Christ descend 00:07:51.61\00:07:55.48 in glorious fire 00:07:55.58\00:07:58.48 with all the saints amassed? 00:07:58.68\00:08:03.60 We'll rise with those 00:08:03.80\00:08:07.76 who sleep no more 00:08:07.96\00:08:10.80 to meet Him in the air. 00:08:11.88\00:08:17.41 When shall the Son of Man 00:08:17.71\00:08:22.87 appear? 00:08:23.07\00:08:27.56 The Son of Man appear? 00:08:28.95\00:08:34.16 Even so, Lord, come quickly. 00:08:35.72\00:08:41.37 This is my fervent prayer. 00:08:41.97\00:08:47.73 For I've caught a glimpse 00:08:48.03\00:08:51.96 of glory and I'm longing... 00:08:52.10\00:08:57.58 longing to be there. 00:08:57.88\00:09:01.47 For I've caught a glimpse 00:09:01.77\00:09:05.41 of glory 00:09:05.71\00:09:10.91 and I'm longing 00:09:11.91\00:09:16.65 to 00:09:16.85\00:09:21.20 be there. 00:09:23.00\00:09:27.58 I have fixed my mind 00:09:27.88\00:09:31.48 on another time... 00:09:33.33\00:09:39.27 on another 00:09:40.41\00:09:44.71 time. 00:09:45.65\00:09:51.60 Amen! 00:10:02.66\00:10:04.85 Praise God! Amen. Praise the Lord. 00:10:12.72\00:10:16.16 Well it's good to be here with you this evening 00:10:16.46\00:10:18.17 for another message from the Word of God. 00:10:18.47\00:10:21.68 I'd like you to open your Bibles 00:10:21.98\00:10:23.66 to this verse that I'm going to read. 00:10:23.76\00:10:25.61 I want you to tell me where it is. 00:10:28.80\00:10:31.62 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing... " 00:10:36.32\00:10:42.31 That's right: Amos 3:7. I knew you would know. 00:10:42.51\00:10:44.70 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He reveals His 00:10:45.72\00:10:50.53 secrets to His servants the prophets. " 00:10:50.63\00:10:52.13 Have you ever realized how emphatic that statement is? 00:10:52.34\00:10:56.30 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing 00:10:56.70\00:11:00.49 but He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets... 00:11:00.69\00:11:02.70 through His servants the prophets. " Now I love this 00:11:02.90\00:11:04.21 because this verse is not only 00:11:04.24\00:11:07.18 connecting us to Bible prophecy 00:11:07.31\00:11:09.56 but it is connecting us to the heart of God. 00:11:09.86\00:11:13.33 And that's what we're going to talk about tonight. 00:11:13.93\00:11:16.02 We're talking about hermeneutics. 00:11:16.22\00:11:17.67 We're talking about Biblical principles 00:11:17.77\00:11:21.21 of interpreting Bible prophecy 00:11:21.31\00:11:23.82 but we're actually talking about the heart of God. 00:11:24.02\00:11:26.89 Any time you talk about doctrine, 00:11:27.29\00:11:29.82 any time you talk about the Bible, 00:11:29.92\00:11:31.92 you're talking about God... theology... God. 00:11:32.12\00:11:37.16 And any time you're talking about God you're talking about 00:11:37.36\00:11:39.15 the heart of God: how He thinks, how He feels, who He is. 00:11:39.25\00:11:42.63 And of course that touches on His passion, His love 00:11:42.93\00:11:46.95 for you and for me. 00:11:47.15\00:11:48.71 Let's pray together this evening again. 00:11:48.92\00:11:51.08 Father in heaven, we're just thankful for Your Word. 00:11:51.18\00:11:53.07 We want to lift it up tonight; we want to exalt it 00:11:53.27\00:11:56.35 because that Word is Jesus and we want Him to be 00:11:56.55\00:11:59.01 lifted up before us so that our eyes can be attracted 00:11:59.11\00:12:02.03 to the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 00:12:02.13\00:12:04.77 We know that Lamb is replete in Bible prophecy. 00:12:04.97\00:12:09.00 He is saturating with His redeeming blood the book 00:12:09.20\00:12:12.53 of Revelation. And tonight we want Him to show us... 00:12:12.63\00:12:16.87 to lead us through these prophecies. 00:12:17.07\00:12:19.58 To lead us past the beast, past the dragon, 00:12:19.78\00:12:21.98 through the 7 last plagues and safely into the city of God. 00:12:22.19\00:12:25.56 So we give You this time. We give You our hearts. 00:12:25.96\00:12:28.19 It's been a long day... some of us are tired, 00:12:28.39\00:12:30.77 perhaps distracted, but Father this is Your time 00:12:30.97\00:12:33.90 and this is Your place. 00:12:34.10\00:12:35.25 You have promised to send us Your Holy Spirit 00:12:35.45\00:12:37.52 to convict, to encourage, to draw us to heaven. 00:12:37.82\00:12:43.81 Do that for us now we pray. 00:12:44.02\00:12:45.07 I give You my heart, myself. Ask for a cleansing and 00:12:45.17\00:12:47.92 an anointing. And we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:12:48.12\00:12:50.66 Amen. 00:12:50.96\00:12:52.96 Historicism, preterism, 00:12:53.95\00:12:57.04 futurism... even idealism. 00:12:57.24\00:12:59.99 These are all different approaches to Bible prophecy. 00:13:00.09\00:13:03.49 And some of them are very popular today like futurism: 00:13:03.69\00:13:07.26 a very popular approach to Bible prophecy. 00:13:07.46\00:13:10.66 Let me define that for you. 00:13:10.77\00:13:12.39 Futurism is a Christian eschatolgical - 00:13:12.59\00:13:15.86 eschatological: that means end-time events - 00:13:16.06\00:13:19.07 an end-time events view that interprets the book of 00:13:19.27\00:13:22.05 Revelation and Daniel as future events in human history. 00:13:22.15\00:13:26.17 It is primarily taking these prophecies and putting them 00:13:27.26\00:13:30.58 into the future... especially Revelation 00:13:30.68\00:13:32.27 from chapter 4 onward. 00:13:32.38\00:13:34.14 All that is going to take place some time in the future 00:13:34.34\00:13:36.65 after the church is raptured out of this earth 00:13:36.86\00:13:40.05 and the antichrist is set up. That is the primary focus 00:13:40.25\00:13:42.88 of futurism. What it entails - basically and simply - 00:13:42.98\00:13:47.85 is that there is no prophetic message, no prophetic word 00:13:48.09\00:13:52.20 for God's church for His people 00:13:52.41\00:13:54.56 from about the time of the early apostolic church 00:13:54.76\00:13:58.04 all the way down until the church is raptured out. 00:13:58.24\00:14:01.70 There's a huge gap there that takes place in Bible prophecy 00:14:01.73\00:14:06.03 in prophetic message for God's people. 00:14:06.23\00:14:07.98 Now preterism... Preterism is pretty much the opposite. 00:14:08.18\00:14:12.10 Preterism is a Christian eschatological view 00:14:12.50\00:14:15.97 that interprets the prophecies of the Bible - especially 00:14:16.07\00:14:19.46 Daniel and Revelation - as events that have already 00:14:19.56\00:14:22.12 happened in the first century AD. 00:14:22.23\00:14:25.17 By 100 AD it's all over. 00:14:25.37\00:14:27.94 All of these prophecies have been fulfilled. 00:14:28.24\00:14:29.79 Nero was the beast; he had the mark. 00:14:29.89\00:14:32.48 All of that has already taken place. 00:14:32.68\00:14:34.81 Now it holds - even though it is exactly the opposite 00:14:35.01\00:14:37.57 of futurism - it holds something very similar 00:14:37.67\00:14:41.51 in conjunction with futurism. And that is 00:14:41.71\00:14:45.94 is that it, too, leaves a gap in the prophetic 00:14:46.07\00:14:50.11 message. It leaves a gap of 2,000 years 00:14:50.21\00:14:53.93 from the message that God has given to His church 00:14:54.13\00:14:57.77 until the very end of time. 00:14:57.97\00:14:59.48 There's no prophetic message... it's all been fulfilled. 00:14:59.68\00:15:02.50 Both of those approaches to Bible prophecy 00:15:04.18\00:15:07.88 contradict the verse we just read: Amos 3 verse 7. 00:15:08.08\00:15:11.29 "Surely the Lord God will do... " How much? 00:15:11.49\00:15:14.30 "nothing except He reveals His secrets to His servants 00:15:14.50\00:15:17.44 the prophets. " Now, God is revealed throughout the Bible 00:15:17.54\00:15:22.50 as always revealing what He's going to do. 00:15:22.60\00:15:27.09 Example: the flood. 00:15:27.30\00:15:30.03 God warned the world for 120 years 00:15:31.31\00:15:35.39 that He was going to send a flood 00:15:35.59\00:15:37.26 through Noah, His faithful servant. 00:15:37.56\00:15:39.33 Then you have Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:15:39.53\00:15:41.12 God sent the two angels, the two messengers there 00:15:41.32\00:15:43.05 to Sodom and Gomorrah. You even have Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 00:15:43.15\00:15:45.48 God warned them through Moses "I'm going to do a new thing 00:15:45.68\00:15:48.36 here. The earth is going to be opened up. " 00:15:48.46\00:15:49.74 You go all the way through the Old Testament. 00:15:49.95\00:15:51.90 You've got Jonah being sent to Nineveh. 00:15:52.10\00:15:53.63 Over and over again God always sends His prophets, 00:15:53.84\00:15:56.82 His messengers. Isaiah, Jeremiah: there's going to be 00:15:57.02\00:15:59.91 captivity. The army from the north is going to come. 00:16:00.01\00:16:02.08 Babylon is going to come like a lion and he's going to ravage. 00:16:02.28\00:16:05.48 God has always been faithful to warn His people 00:16:05.68\00:16:09.06 through Bible prophecy. 00:16:09.26\00:16:11.13 Satan, on the other hand, takes a different approach. 00:16:11.43\00:16:14.17 When he is allowed to work he strikes without warning. 00:16:14.47\00:16:18.61 You remember the story of Job? 00:16:18.81\00:16:20.16 He comes at a time when you're the most concerned, 00:16:20.46\00:16:23.53 when you're the most worried, 00:16:23.63\00:16:24.68 and he takes everything he can take. 00:16:24.89\00:16:27.40 Annihilates in violence and leaves us utterly devastated. 00:16:27.60\00:16:33.22 Completely the opposite of God. 00:16:33.52\00:16:35.44 God has warned and He continues to warn. 00:16:35.64\00:16:38.72 God has given Bible prophecy; God continues to give... 00:16:38.92\00:16:41.31 give Bible prophecy because He wants to prepare every 00:16:41.41\00:16:44.97 generation and He wants to prepare the last generation. 00:16:45.07\00:16:47.35 So all the way through the book of Revelation we have 00:16:47.55\00:16:50.05 the three angels' messages. 00:16:50.25\00:16:51.63 Three Angels Broadcasting Network. 00:16:51.93\00:16:53.34 And we have this incredible message called the everlasting 00:16:53.55\00:16:56.24 gospel. Unique to the book of Revelation, unique to the Bible 00:16:56.34\00:17:00.07 because there is no place else in the Bible that that phrase 00:17:00.27\00:17:02.75 is ever used but in Revelation chapter 14. 00:17:02.85\00:17:05.59 If we could unpack that tonight, that would be beautiful. 00:17:05.79\00:17:08.10 But we want to stick to our subject matter here. 00:17:09.30\00:17:11.84 However, we won't be avoiding the book of Revelation. 00:17:12.24\00:17:15.72 In fact, let's jump in there right now. 00:17:15.93\00:17:17.42 You know I can't stay out of that book for very long. 00:17:17.62\00:17:20.00 I feel like a fish out of water. 00:17:20.20\00:17:22.67 Revelation chapter 1. 00:17:23.50\00:17:25.75 I love the way this book is introduced. 00:17:26.25\00:17:31.23 It picks up where the book of Daniel left off. 00:17:31.43\00:17:33.53 Daniel chapter 10... he sees this man, 00:17:33.73\00:17:36.26 you know, with the face like the appearance of lightning 00:17:36.46\00:17:39.13 and the feet like polished brass and this bright, beautiful, 00:17:39.23\00:17:43.20 glorious, attractive being - Jesus Christ - comes to Daniel. 00:17:43.40\00:17:46.65 That's where Daniel leaves off. That's the end of his ministry 00:17:46.85\00:17:49.75 the end of his prophetic ministry. 00:17:49.85\00:17:51.68 John picks up where Daniel left off. 00:17:51.88\00:17:53.99 John sees Jesus right away in Revelation chapter 1 00:17:54.19\00:17:57.85 in this same form. 00:17:58.05\00:17:59.32 And when Jesus comes to John 00:17:59.52\00:18:03.14 He reminds him - and this is the first message of the book 00:18:03.34\00:18:05.69 of Revelation - He reminds him about the gospel. 00:18:05.79\00:18:08.94 Revelation 1 verse 5: "From Jesus Christ 00:18:09.14\00:18:11.97 who is the faithful witness and the first begotten 00:18:12.17\00:18:14.56 of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth. 00:18:14.76\00:18:18.75 Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins 00:18:18.85\00:18:21.86 in His own blood. " 00:18:22.06\00:18:24.04 Revelation begins with Jesus and the gospel. 00:18:25.19\00:18:30.04 Revelation does not begin with the beast and the mark 00:18:30.64\00:18:35.08 of the beast. If God wanted Revelation to begin with 00:18:35.11\00:18:39.00 the beast and the mark of the beast, he would have put 00:18:39.10\00:18:40.79 chapter 13 in chapter 1. 00:18:40.89\00:18:42.61 But He didn't. Why? 00:18:43.01\00:18:45.78 Because the only way we'll be able to encounter 00:18:46.28\00:18:50.24 that beast is we first encounter Jesus. 00:18:50.44\00:18:54.42 Amen. The only way we're going to survive 00:18:54.62\00:18:57.78 through the end-time trial is if we keep our focus on Jesus. 00:18:57.98\00:19:02.34 That's the message of the book of Revelation. 00:19:02.55\00:19:04.42 That's the introductory message of the book of Revelation. 00:19:04.72\00:19:06.82 It introduces us to Jesus, who has redeemed us by His blood. 00:19:07.12\00:19:10.84 And then it shows us Jesus standing among the candlesticks. 00:19:11.15\00:19:15.78 Now on the way to that revelation 00:19:16.08\00:19:18.43 God gives a specific insight 00:19:19.59\00:19:23.96 to how we ought to interpret the book of Revelation. 00:19:24.16\00:19:27.75 I want you to look at this first of all in Revelation 00:19:27.95\00:19:30.91 chapter 1 and verse 4. 00:19:31.02\00:19:33.32 Revelation chapter 1 and verse 4. 00:19:33.53\00:19:35.36 It says here: "Grace be unto you 00:19:36.42\00:19:39.46 and peace from Him... " - talking about God - 00:19:39.66\00:19:43.37 "which is and which 00:19:43.57\00:19:49.20 was and which is to come. " 00:19:49.40\00:19:52.63 Now who is this describing? 00:19:53.03\00:19:55.23 It's describing Jesus... it's describing God. 00:19:55.53\00:19:57.84 God is described as He who is - 00:19:58.04\00:20:01.48 that's present tense - 00:20:01.68\00:20:02.95 who was - that's past tense - 00:20:03.15\00:20:05.60 and who what? Is to come... that's future tense. 00:20:05.80\00:20:08.98 See, God reveals who He is in this verse. 00:20:09.18\00:20:13.59 I am the God who is. I am the God who was. 00:20:13.79\00:20:16.53 And I am the God who is to come. 00:20:16.73\00:20:17.93 Now futurism is all about the God who is to come 00:20:18.13\00:20:20.34 or prophecy that is to come. 00:20:20.54\00:20:21.90 Preterism is all about prophecy that was. 00:20:22.10\00:20:24.21 But historicism - this other approach to Bible prophecy - 00:20:25.65\00:20:30.22 is brilliant because historicism takes in the full scope, 00:20:30.42\00:20:34.38 the whole grain, of Bible prophecy. 00:20:34.58\00:20:37.88 Its approach to Bible prophecy describes prophecy 00:20:38.18\00:20:41.49 as that which is happening today, 00:20:41.69\00:20:44.21 that which has happened in the past, 00:20:44.41\00:20:46.24 and that which is going to happen in the future. 00:20:46.44\00:20:49.03 It doesn't separate out. 00:20:49.23\00:20:50.57 It doesn't... it doesn't separate or pull apart 00:20:50.77\00:20:54.76 those aspects not only of Bible prophecy but of God's own heart. 00:20:54.96\00:20:59.38 In other words, historicism doesn't say 00:20:59.79\00:21:03.72 "God was with them and had a prophetic message for them 00:21:03.92\00:21:06.22 but He doesn't have anything for us... not for 2,000 years. " 00:21:06.43\00:21:08.55 Or "God is going to be with these people down in the end 00:21:08.75\00:21:11.62 of time but He has nothing for us right now... 00:21:11.73\00:21:13.07 not for these times. " 00:21:13.17\00:21:15.08 Historicism says: "God - the heart of God - 00:21:15.28\00:21:19.68 always has been with His people, always will be with His people, 00:21:19.88\00:21:24.56 and always is with His people. " 00:21:24.76\00:21:26.81 Jesus says it this way in Matthew chapter 28 and verse 20. 00:21:26.91\00:21:29.26 He says: "Go preach the gospel to all the world 00:21:29.36\00:21:31.97 and lo I am with you always even unto the end of time. " 00:21:32.17\00:21:36.12 Hebrews 13 and verse 5 says it this way: 00:21:36.32\00:21:38.63 "I will never leave you or forsake you. " 00:21:38.83\00:21:42.57 That is the heart of God, 00:21:42.77\00:21:44.44 and Bible prophecy is a revelation of the heart of God. 00:21:44.85\00:21:49.47 So on that premise alone... 00:21:49.67\00:21:52.12 Now I don't want to necessarily emphasize the reason why 00:21:52.22\00:21:56.37 we have preterism 00:21:56.57\00:21:58.87 and the reason why we have futurism. 00:21:59.17\00:22:01.27 It had to do with the counter revolution. 00:22:01.47\00:22:03.61 Excuse me, the counter reformation... 00:22:03.81\00:22:06.27 which was a counter revolution. 00:22:06.47\00:22:08.33 It had to do with two Jesuits, 00:22:08.54\00:22:11.77 one by the name of Luis Alcazar who developed preterism 00:22:11.97\00:22:17.54 to undermine the Protestant reformation 00:22:17.74\00:22:20.72 taking these prophecies that directed the attention to 00:22:20.93\00:22:24.46 the pope and the Catholic church and putting them in the past 00:22:24.66\00:22:27.89 to Nero and also it had to do with Francisco Ribera 00:22:27.99\00:22:32.89 who - another Jesuit - took the prophecies and put them 00:22:33.09\00:22:35.60 into the future... again to take the focus off 00:22:35.70\00:22:38.77 the interpretation of the reformers which was 00:22:38.97\00:22:41.52 on the pope, on the Catholic church. 00:22:41.72\00:22:43.79 I don't want to emphasize that tonight. That's history. 00:22:44.10\00:22:46.90 You can Wikipedia that... you can Google that. 00:22:47.10\00:22:48.63 You can look that up almost any way... it's just fact. 00:22:48.83\00:22:51.22 But what I want to emphasize is this: 00:22:51.42\00:22:53.47 the reformers were men who knew the Bible 00:22:55.27\00:22:59.88 and the God of the Bible. 00:23:00.08\00:23:01.77 They were men who lived and died because of their faith 00:23:02.17\00:23:06.59 in Jesus or I should say the faith of Jesus 00:23:06.79\00:23:09.53 that was manifest in them. 00:23:09.73\00:23:11.77 They were men who were willing to give their lives 00:23:11.97\00:23:14.44 for the truth of the Word of God. 00:23:14.64\00:23:16.04 These men knew not only Bible prophecy but 00:23:17.90\00:23:20.75 they knew the God of Bible prophecy. 00:23:20.95\00:23:22.63 And that is what motivated them, urged them, 00:23:22.83\00:23:26.11 possessed them to understand this principle of historicism. 00:23:26.32\00:23:32.26 The principle that has been handed down from them to us 00:23:32.46\00:23:36.72 to this day. And a principle that not only shows us 00:23:36.92\00:23:40.47 how to interpret Bible prophecy but also shows us 00:23:40.57\00:23:42.98 the heart of God. 00:23:43.18\00:23:44.94 So God introduces the book of Revelation 00:23:45.24\00:23:47.89 as describing Himself. And then I want you to notice something 00:23:48.09\00:23:51.47 that is profoundly interesting, at least it is to me. 00:23:51.67\00:23:54.20 This verse is found in Revelation chapter 1 00:23:54.60\00:24:00.11 and verse 19. Revelation 1:19. 00:24:00.21\00:24:03.84 He's closing up the introduction. 00:24:06.56\00:24:08.42 He's talking now again to John 00:24:08.62\00:24:11.39 and He says: "John, I want you to write the things 00:24:11.59\00:24:14.70 which you... " What's the phrase? 00:24:14.81\00:24:16.68 "have seen and the things which are and the things which 00:24:16.88\00:24:22.79 shall be hereafter. " 00:24:22.99\00:24:24.36 See, I am a God who is now, 00:24:24.56\00:24:28.29 who has been, and who will be after. 00:24:28.49\00:24:31.53 And I want you to write the things that are - 00:24:31.74\00:24:34.27 the things you've seen - and the things that will be hereafter. 00:24:34.47\00:24:37.62 Bible prophecy is a revelation 00:24:37.92\00:24:41.68 of the God of the Bible. 00:24:41.88\00:24:43.43 And the way that we approach Bible prophecy 00:24:43.63\00:24:46.26 is directly connected to the way that we see God... 00:24:46.46\00:24:49.44 the way that we see the heart of God. 00:24:49.74\00:24:52.88 The way that we see who God is. 00:24:53.08\00:24:55.61 And God is a God who is with us presently, 00:24:55.81\00:24:59.69 has always been with His people in the past, 00:24:59.90\00:25:02.61 and will always be with His people to the very end. 00:25:02.81\00:25:05.53 And that's why historicism makes sense. 00:25:05.73\00:25:07.78 Now there's a number of reasons why historicism makes sense 00:25:07.98\00:25:10.37 even in the interpretation of Bible prophecy. 00:25:10.57\00:25:13.89 But to me that's the foundation, that's the bottom line, 00:25:14.09\00:25:17.12 of why historicism makes sense. 00:25:17.32\00:25:19.01 The other thing that I think is powerful is that historicism 00:25:19.21\00:25:22.08 really takes in all of the other interpretations. 00:25:22.18\00:25:24.39 Even a new approach - which is idealism 00:25:24.49\00:25:27.60 which doesn't look at applying it to history at all 00:25:27.80\00:25:30.31 but just to spiritual conflicts and experiences 00:25:30.41\00:25:33.15 that God's people go through in different generations... 00:25:33.35\00:25:36.15 All of those approaches separate the full picture 00:25:36.35\00:25:42.31 of the heart of God. 00:25:42.51\00:25:44.05 And in the brilliance of historicism we have preterism. 00:25:44.25\00:25:47.30 We have futurism. Not in the clearest definition 00:25:47.40\00:25:51.14 of those terms but in the sense that we have prophecy that's 00:25:51.24\00:25:54.46 in the past and we have prophecy that's in the future 00:25:54.56\00:25:56.31 but we also have prophecy for the now. 00:25:56.51\00:25:58.43 You think God's people need prophecy for the now? 00:25:59.99\00:26:03.86 The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 that God has given 00:26:05.68\00:26:08.85 prophets and the other gifts to His church 00:26:08.95\00:26:11.42 until we all come into the unity of the faith. 00:26:11.62\00:26:16.22 He says in verse 12 of Ephesians 4 00:26:17.18\00:26:20.05 that it is for the: "perfecting of the saints, 00:26:20.26\00:26:22.47 the workings of the ministry, the edifying of the 00:26:22.67\00:26:24.39 body of Christ. " Do you think we need prophecy now? 00:26:24.50\00:26:27.41 Ephesians goes on to describe what God is doing 00:26:28.93\00:26:31.70 through His Word... His written Word, His prophetic Word. 00:26:31.90\00:26:34.66 In chapter 5 it says that He is "washing 00:26:34.86\00:26:38.09 His church with the water of the words 00:26:38.29\00:26:42.30 that He might present it to Him a glorious church... " 00:26:42.60\00:26:46.90 verse 27 of Ephesians 5... 00:26:47.04\00:26:48.69 "not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. " 00:26:48.89\00:26:51.76 Did you know that you're in a washing machine? 00:26:53.29\00:26:55.78 I have done laundry before. 00:26:58.21\00:27:00.34 Amen, sister. 00:27:04.62\00:27:05.99 The first time I did laundry at my house 00:27:07.99\00:27:11.21 I just put the colors in with the whites. 00:27:11.41\00:27:13.64 Why waste the space? Why waste the time? 00:27:16.41\00:27:18.55 Get it all done. 00:27:18.86\00:27:20.93 I did it all in cold water... it didn't turn out the best. 00:27:23.11\00:27:25.58 My wife began to help me to understand how this all works, 00:27:25.78\00:27:29.25 why it's so important. But what would happen 00:27:29.35\00:27:31.38 if I was washing a load of colors and as the cycle 00:27:31.58\00:27:34.56 was moving through... You know, it went through the wash 00:27:34.66\00:27:36.10 then it went through the rinse and it was going through 00:27:36.20\00:27:37.23 the spin cycle and it was getting ready to go through 00:27:37.33\00:27:38.74 the rinse again I decided: "Hey, there's a little bit 00:27:38.85\00:27:41.88 of room in there. You know, those clothes have gotten 00:27:41.98\00:27:44.79 kind of wet and so they've shrunk up a little bit 00:27:44.89\00:27:46.84 and I've got a few whites here. Let me throw those in. 00:27:47.04\00:27:48.79 And of course I'm going to need some bleach. So let me throw 00:27:48.89\00:27:50.67 those whites in. Let me throw a little bleach in there 00:27:50.77\00:27:53.62 and we can get it all done together. " 00:27:53.82\00:27:55.17 What do you think of that, ladies? 00:27:55.67\00:27:57.32 The guys are just sitting there going "huh? " 00:27:57.52\00:27:59.08 The ladies are all "Haah! What? 00:27:59.48\00:28:02.55 You wouldn't do that, would you? " 00:28:02.69\00:28:04.66 Actually, I wouldn't be that... 00:28:06.15\00:28:08.68 ignorant 00:28:11.13\00:28:14.23 I don't think. 00:28:15.32\00:28:17.01 Besides, the last washing machine my wife bought 00:28:17.31\00:28:20.60 the door locks automatically after 2 minutes. 00:28:21.10\00:28:25.48 Have you ever seen those kind of washing machines? 00:28:25.62\00:28:26.65 I think she got that specifically because of me, 00:28:26.75\00:28:28.56 I don't know. 00:28:28.77\00:28:30.13 But yet we are willing to do that with Bible prophecy. 00:28:31.37\00:28:34.88 You see, the historicist approach to Bible prophecy 00:28:35.18\00:28:38.56 tells us that we are seeing prophecy that is in the process 00:28:38.66\00:28:42.70 of fulfillment... like the washing machine. 00:28:42.80\00:28:44.89 It's in a... it started in a certain cycle. 00:28:45.09\00:28:47.44 Daniel chapter 2, Daniel chapter 7, 00:28:47.64\00:28:49.48 Daniel chapter 8, Daniel chapter 11. 00:28:49.68\00:28:51.39 And that cycle now has been going on for some time. 00:28:51.70\00:28:55.09 Perhaps we're in the second spin cycle. 00:28:55.29\00:28:57.36 We're down there toward the toes; we're down toward the end 00:28:57.56\00:29:00.26 of the prophecy. But at this point 00:29:00.36\00:29:02.33 there are some of us who want to open the door 00:29:02.53\00:29:04.84 to that prophetic washing machine - 00:29:05.04\00:29:07.10 throw in some whites, throw in some bleach - 00:29:07.30\00:29:09.81 thinking it's all going to be OK. 00:29:10.01\00:29:11.62 It's all going to be all right. 00:29:11.92\00:29:13.79 There's room for a little bit more; there's room for a 00:29:14.09\00:29:16.55 different interpretation; there's room for another 00:29:16.65\00:29:18.55 application; there's room for some more clothes in here. 00:29:18.65\00:29:21.75 Not realizing that those clothes are going to mess up the 00:29:21.85\00:29:25.71 and not actually get clean and the bleach itself is 00:29:25.91\00:29:28.52 going to wipe out everything. 00:29:28.62\00:29:30.31 Historicism is so beautiful 00:29:36.77\00:29:40.95 because it helps us to recognize 00:29:41.15\00:29:44.42 how God has led us in the past. 00:29:44.62\00:29:46.65 And as we watch these prophecies unfold 00:29:48.39\00:29:51.80 it gives us confidence and faith 00:29:52.00\00:29:55.25 that God is going to finish the cycle... 00:29:55.45\00:29:58.44 He's going to finish what He's begun in the past. 00:29:58.64\00:30:01.25 But there's something else that's really profound 00:30:01.45\00:30:04.82 about the way that prophecy is written. 00:30:06.28\00:30:08.60 I call it the principle of repeat and enlarge. 00:30:08.80\00:30:11.16 It's a Biblical approach - a hermeneutic to Bible prophecy - 00:30:11.36\00:30:15.69 that is invaluable. 00:30:15.89\00:30:17.71 And the reason I say that is because the principle 00:30:17.91\00:30:20.78 of repeat and enlarge tells us not only about the heart of God, 00:30:20.88\00:30:24.80 how much He wants us to be in the kingdom of heaven, 00:30:25.10\00:30:28.55 but it also lays down the groundwork for how to approach 00:30:28.75\00:30:32.22 and understand and interpret Bible prophecy. 00:30:32.32\00:30:34.19 Repeat and enlarge. 00:30:35.78\00:30:37.71 This principle is found not only in Bible prophecy 00:30:37.92\00:30:41.17 but it's found throughout the Bible. For example, 00:30:41.27\00:30:43.32 you go to Genesis chapter 1. What do you have there? 00:30:43.42\00:30:45.02 The creation story. 00:30:45.22\00:30:46.51 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. " 00:30:48.18\00:30:50.25 Goes through the whole thing. 00:30:50.55\00:30:52.18 All seven days; He rested on the seventh day. 00:30:52.38\00:30:53.63 Then you get to Genesis chapter 2. 00:30:53.84\00:30:55.07 What do you have there? 00:30:55.17\00:30:56.48 Some people would say "another creation story. " 00:30:56.88\00:30:58.78 No, it's not another creation story. 00:30:58.98\00:31:00.18 It is repeat and enlarge. 00:31:00.38\00:31:02.58 In Genesis 1 He tells us He made man in His own image. 00:31:02.78\00:31:05.64 Male and female made He them. 00:31:05.84\00:31:07.30 Genesis 2 He tells us specifically 00:31:07.50\00:31:10.24 how He made the woman. 00:31:10.34\00:31:11.62 He's enlarging upon Genesis chapter 1. 00:31:11.82\00:31:15.74 That's the principle of repeat and enlarge. 00:31:16.04\00:31:17.88 Giving more information; repeating the story 00:31:18.08\00:31:19.90 from a different angle 00:31:20.00\00:31:21.21 giving more insight, more understanding. 00:31:21.32\00:31:23.08 Then we go to Exodus 00:31:23.38\00:31:25.58 which is repeated and enlarged upon in Leviticus 00:31:25.78\00:31:27.78 which is repeated and enlarged upon in Numbers 00:31:27.98\00:31:30.12 and repeated and enlarged upon in Deuteronomy. 00:31:30.22\00:31:31.83 All four of those books contain, for example, 00:31:32.03\00:31:35.86 the annual feasts... which were a type of the plan of salvation. 00:31:36.06\00:31:40.41 All four of those books describe the annual feasts. 00:31:40.61\00:31:43.06 They describe the feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, 00:31:43.26\00:31:45.78 Pentecost, Tabernacles... which were required - 00:31:45.88\00:31:48.08 those 3: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Tabernacles - 00:31:48.28\00:31:50.21 were required once per year for all males 00:31:50.41\00:31:53.95 so that they could remember the plan of salvation 00:31:54.15\00:31:58.49 that God was incorporating into those symbols... 00:31:58.59\00:32:00.44 into that sanctuary. 00:32:00.64\00:32:02.34 It is the symbols of the sanctuary that pointed 00:32:02.54\00:32:04.82 to the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. 00:32:04.92\00:32:07.13 Then you go to - for example - I and II Samuel. 00:32:08.16\00:32:13.05 I and II Samuel is repeated and enlarged upon in 00:32:13.25\00:32:15.71 I and II Kings. 00:32:15.82\00:32:16.95 I and II Kings is repeated and enlarged upon in 00:32:17.15\00:32:19.21 I and II Chronicles. 00:32:19.32\00:32:21.83 For example, in II Kings chapter 21 00:32:22.03\00:32:25.45 we read the story of Manasseh. 00:32:25.65\00:32:27.95 That guy was unbelievable. 00:32:28.16\00:32:31.04 He was so wicked... he was so bad 00:32:31.24\00:32:34.43 he was worse than Ahab. 00:32:34.63\00:32:36.86 In II Kings chapter 21 I'm just going to show you one verse 00:32:38.67\00:32:42.33 here... just a powerful verse. 00:32:42.43\00:32:44.66 It says, verse 16: "Moreover Manasseh shed 00:32:44.86\00:32:49.31 innocent blood very much 00:32:49.41\00:32:52.03 till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another. 00:32:52.23\00:32:57.01 Beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin 00:32:58.24\00:33:00.27 in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:33:00.47\00:33:01.99 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh 00:33:02.09\00:33:03.55 and all that he did and his sin that he sinned 00:33:03.65\00:33:05.69 are they not written in the book of the chronicles 00:33:05.89\00:33:07.76 of the kings of Judah? 00:33:07.86\00:33:09.15 Manasseh died and rested with his fathers... 00:33:09.35\00:33:11.69 he was buried and rested with his fathers. " 00:33:11.79\00:33:12.96 Manasseh was a wicked king. 00:33:13.36\00:33:15.58 Is Manasseh who filled Jerusalem 00:33:15.79\00:33:19.38 with blood from one end to the other... 00:33:19.48\00:33:21.33 is Manasseh going to be in heaven? 00:33:21.43\00:33:23.23 You sound very sure about that. 00:33:27.57\00:33:29.48 I don't read anything like that in II Kings. 00:33:30.65\00:33:32.93 Where would you get your information from? 00:33:33.13\00:33:34.64 In II Chronicles. It repeats and enlarges upon II Kings. 00:33:34.74\00:33:38.55 And if you go to II Chronicles chapter 33 00:33:38.68\00:33:41.60 it talks here about the details of the final days 00:33:41.80\00:33:47.22 of Manasseh's life. 00:33:47.32\00:33:48.78 It says in verse 10: "The Lord spoke to Manasseh 00:33:48.98\00:33:51.14 and to his people and they would not hearken. " 00:33:51.34\00:33:53.19 You know how that is parents? Grandparents? 00:33:53.39\00:33:55.44 That's how God works with us to begin with. 00:33:55.64\00:33:57.53 When my kids were very small they used to sleep in 00:33:57.73\00:33:59.88 the same room. And they would giggle and they would laugh. 00:33:59.98\00:34:03.77 And Daddy would go in there and he would speak to them. 00:34:03.97\00:34:05.60 Daddy would say: "Time to go to bed. " 00:34:05.90\00:34:08.22 And they'd be quiet... for about 5 minutes. 00:34:10.30\00:34:13.40 And then Daddy would get his stern voice on, and he would 00:34:13.91\00:34:16.73 go back in there and he would say: "I said 00:34:16.83\00:34:19.03 it's time to go to sleep. " 00:34:19.13\00:34:20.79 And they'd be quiet... for about 10 minutes. 00:34:21.09\00:34:24.36 But if worse came to worse 00:34:27.16\00:34:29.32 verse 11: "wherefore the Lord brought upon them 00:34:30.85\00:34:34.77 the captains of the hosts of the kings of Assyria 00:34:34.97\00:34:37.88 which took Manasseh among the thorns 00:34:37.98\00:34:40.07 and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon. " 00:34:40.27\00:34:42.85 He got a spanking. 00:34:46.79\00:34:48.68 Did God spank Manasseh because God did not love Manasseh? 00:34:48.88\00:34:53.83 No, God spanked Manasseh because as many as 00:34:54.13\00:34:57.05 He loves He rebukes and chastens. 00:34:57.15\00:34:59.00 Don't despise the chastening of the Lord. 00:34:59.10\00:35:01.25 He loves us. Love is not always this gushy, mushy, 00:35:01.46\00:35:06.05 feely, touchy thing. 00:35:06.25\00:35:07.97 God loves us in a very powerful way at times 00:35:08.17\00:35:12.14 because we need it. 00:35:12.34\00:35:15.06 It worked with my kids... 00:35:15.36\00:35:17.27 at least until they were teenagers. 00:35:17.47\00:35:19.39 "And when he was... " verse 12... 00:35:22.10\00:35:23.98 and it worked with God's kid... "And when he was in affliction 00:35:24.08\00:35:26.20 he besought the Lord his God and he humbled himself 00:35:26.30\00:35:29.95 greatly before the God of his fathers. 00:35:30.15\00:35:32.19 And he prayed unto Him and he entreated of Him 00:35:32.39\00:35:34.26 and God - He - heard his supplication, 00:35:34.46\00:35:37.38 brought him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom, 00:35:37.58\00:35:39.68 and Manasseh... " What's the word? "knew that the Lord 00:35:39.88\00:35:43.97 He was God. " You're right... you were right. 00:35:44.07\00:35:46.24 You're right... he's going to be in heaven. 00:35:46.54\00:35:48.78 He's going to be... he KNEW that the Lord He was God. 00:35:48.98\00:35:51.93 You can say: "Well Manasseh did all these terrible things. " 00:35:53.24\00:35:54.90 He knew. "This is life eternal that they might know Thee 00:35:55.00\00:35:57.80 the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent. " 00:35:57.90\00:35:59.72 God is in the business of saving sinners 00:36:00.02\00:36:02.44 "of whom, " Paul said, "I am chief. " 00:36:02.64\00:36:05.52 Any sinners out there this evening? 00:36:08.21\00:36:10.77 Praise God you have a Savior. Amen. 00:36:12.27\00:36:16.19 So repeat and enlarge reveals this heart of God. 00:36:17.35\00:36:21.55 Over and over and over again God is showing us 00:36:22.82\00:36:28.29 the way to the kingdom... 00:36:28.49\00:36:29.78 showing us the way to the kingdom. 00:36:29.88\00:36:30.99 In case we would give up, in case we would let go of hope, 00:36:31.12\00:36:33.25 He is showing us even Manassehs can be saved. 00:36:33.35\00:36:35.48 And by the way, when you get to Revelation chapter 7 00:36:35.58\00:36:37.78 you see there a picture of the 144,000. 00:36:37.88\00:36:40.86 It says there that they are sealed with the seal of God. 00:36:41.06\00:36:44.86 Twelve thousand out of this tribe, 12,000 out of this tribe, 00:36:45.06\00:36:47.76 12,000 out of this tribe, and 12,000 out of this tribe. 00:36:47.96\00:36:50.13 The twelve tribes that are mentioned there are 00:36:50.43\00:36:53.32 different from the original tribes that are mentioned 00:36:53.42\00:36:56.49 in Genesis 49. 00:36:56.59\00:36:57.87 There is a tribe that is sealed in Revelation 7 that is 00:36:58.07\00:37:02.59 not part of the original 12 tribes in Genesis 49. 00:37:02.69\00:37:08.58 You know what tribe that is that's missing? 00:37:08.88\00:37:11.04 Dan... Dan. Because Revelation 7 is revealing 00:37:12.29\00:37:18.03 again the heart of God. 00:37:18.23\00:37:19.82 Sometimes when we study Revelation 7 and the 144,000 00:37:20.12\00:37:24.00 we come to the conclusion that God has limited the amount 00:37:24.20\00:37:28.18 of people that He's going to save 00:37:28.28\00:37:30.15 as if God is standing at the pearly gates counting: 00:37:30.35\00:37:32.45 "143,998... 143,999... 00:37:32.65\00:37:37.70 144,000. OK, we've got the number... 00:37:37.90\00:37:40.26 let's close it up. " 00:37:40.56\00:37:42.33 Now what does that say about the character of God? 00:37:42.73\00:37:47.79 That's why I love the expanded picture that we have in verse 9. 00:37:50.81\00:37:56.02 I tell people, I say: "Do you know that the Bible 00:37:56.22\00:37:58.43 in the book of Revelation actually tells us 00:37:58.63\00:38:00.58 how many people are going to be saved in heaven? 00:38:00.78\00:38:02.48 The exact number? " 00:38:02.68\00:38:04.78 "Really? " "Yeah, it's in Revelation 7. " 00:38:04.99\00:38:06.81 "Revelation 7? Wait a minute... that's the 144,000. 00:38:07.01\00:38:09.23 This guy is hmmm. " 00:38:09.53\00:38:11.86 And we open up to Revelation chapter 7 verse 9 and it says: 00:38:12.06\00:38:14.38 "And I beheld and lo a great multitude 00:38:14.58\00:38:16.63 that no man could number out of every nation and kindred 00:38:16.83\00:38:21.27 and tongue and people. " Amen. 00:38:21.37\00:38:23.44 "And they cried with a loud voice 00:38:23.47\00:38:26.08 saying 'Salvation to our God 00:38:26.38\00:38:29.58 and to Him that sits on the throne. ' " 00:38:29.68\00:38:31.16 So if Dan's gone, who's replaced him? 00:38:33.63\00:38:36.78 I mean there's still 12 tribes there that are sealed. 00:38:37.08\00:38:39.13 Sealed, sealed, sealed, sealed. 00:38:39.33\00:38:40.73 Who has replaced the missing tribe of Dan? 00:38:40.94\00:38:43.55 Someone says Ephraim. 00:38:45.04\00:38:47.03 It wouldn't be hard to verify if that's the case. 00:38:47.13\00:38:49.64 You just go to Revelation chapter 7 and you read through 00:38:49.84\00:38:53.00 the tribes that are listed there 00:38:53.10\00:38:54.92 and you find out if Ephraim is listed there. 00:38:55.12\00:38:58.71 I know you are Bible students so many of you don't have to 00:38:58.91\00:39:00.65 do that, right? Someone might even know 00:39:00.75\00:39:03.30 what tribe is there without even opening up to 00:39:03.40\00:39:05.95 Revelation chapter 7. 00:39:06.05\00:39:07.13 Does anyone know what tribe it is? 00:39:07.23\00:39:09.10 Manasseh, of course! 00:39:09.40\00:39:12.00 Isn't that interesting? Isn't that powerful? 00:39:12.30\00:39:14.96 Isn't that beautiful to recognize that 00:39:15.16\00:39:17.67 God is using that very same name as if to say to us 00:39:17.77\00:39:22.74 "I'm going to have some Manassehs in the end of time. " 00:39:22.84\00:39:26.71 "I'm going to have some people that you thought were very 00:39:28.39\00:39:30.62 wicked... There may be a president; 00:39:30.72\00:39:33.18 there may be a pope. " Ah! Is that heresy? 00:39:33.39\00:39:37.36 No, that's love that believes all things and hopes all things. 00:39:37.77\00:39:43.40 That is the essence of what God is building in the hearts 00:39:44.14\00:39:49.90 and lives of you and me. 00:39:50.00\00:39:52.02 And He's doing that through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:39:52.23\00:39:55.00 So you get to Daniel and basically God is just following 00:39:56.50\00:39:59.83 the pattern... the pattern that's been established 00:39:59.93\00:40:01.84 in Genesis and in Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy. 00:40:01.94\00:40:04.82 And in I and II Samuel and I and II Kings 00:40:05.02\00:40:07.38 and I and II Chronicles. He's just continuing that pattern 00:40:07.42\00:40:10.07 that's in the Psalms... you know, repeat and enlarge; 00:40:10.17\00:40:12.09 repeat and enlarge; repeat and enlarge. 00:40:12.19\00:40:14.21 And so you have Daniel chapter 2 and then you have 00:40:14.41\00:40:16.11 Daniel chapter 7 and then you have Daniel chapter 8. 00:40:16.21\00:40:17.83 And then you have Daniel chapter 11. 00:40:17.93\00:40:20.70 That's Sabbath night... Daniel 11. 00:40:20.90\00:40:22.71 You guys are going to be so full of information and understanding 00:40:23.83\00:40:27.31 you're going to get to that meeting on Daniel chapter 11 00:40:27.41\00:40:29.52 you're just going to be going: "Oh, I'm going to pop! " 00:40:29.62\00:40:31.43 So I suggest - as I am doing - that all of you get as much 00:40:31.73\00:40:36.51 exercise as possible between meetings. 00:40:36.71\00:40:38.92 Even if it's just going out that door and going around 00:40:39.13\00:40:40.88 and coming in this door. 00:40:40.99\00:40:42.04 Just that one little jaunt right there. 00:40:42.24\00:40:43.60 Just get exercise, exercise, exercise... 00:40:43.70\00:40:45.31 'cause the more you exercise the more your brain 00:40:45.41\00:40:47.33 is going to be able to grasp. It's a proven medical fact. 00:40:47.43\00:40:50.95 It's true. Exercise is key; it's vital 00:40:51.15\00:40:54.65 to brain function. 00:40:54.75\00:40:56.23 I looked at the Sabbath schedule and it's intense. 00:40:57.95\00:41:00.61 So you come to the New Testament and what do you find? 00:41:08.27\00:41:10.85 You find the principle of repeat and enlarge. 00:41:11.05\00:41:13.13 You have Matthew; repeat and enlarge Mark; 00:41:13.33\00:41:15.90 repeat and enlarge Luke; repeat and enlarge John. 00:41:16.10\00:41:18.49 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:41:18.69\00:41:19.88 All of them giving us insights and understandings, 00:41:20.08\00:41:22.60 repeating and enlarging upon the picture. 00:41:22.70\00:41:24.63 You know some of us we have a favorite. 00:41:24.83\00:41:26.08 "I like Matthew. " "I like John. " "I like Mark. " 00:41:26.28\00:41:29.40 And there are certain stories in those gospels that maybe 00:41:29.61\00:41:31.80 aren't in others or aren't told quite the way they are 00:41:31.90\00:41:34.00 in the other gospels. 00:41:34.10\00:41:35.12 Each one of them gives us more insight and understanding 00:41:35.32\00:41:38.00 of the character and heart of God. 00:41:38.20\00:41:40.08 It's the way that He writes. 00:41:40.28\00:41:41.67 It's the way that He's written the Bible; it's the way that 00:41:41.87\00:41:43.65 He writes prophecy and will help us to understand 00:41:43.75\00:41:46.14 Revelation; it will help us to understand Daniel. 00:41:46.24\00:41:49.11 Does the same thing happen in the book of Revelation? 00:41:49.31\00:41:50.81 Do we see repeat and enlarge there? Yes we do. 00:41:51.01\00:41:53.45 We have the seven churches. 00:41:53.65\00:41:55.66 The first vision in Revelation repeated and enlarged upon 00:41:55.86\00:41:58.83 in the seven seals. Repeated and enlarged upon 00:41:58.93\00:42:01.41 in the seven trumpets. Repeated and enlarged upon 00:42:01.51\00:42:05.47 in Revelation 12 through 21. 00:42:05.57\00:42:07.73 I wish we had time to unpack all of that. 00:42:09.33\00:42:11.74 You're going to have to take my word for it for now 00:42:11.94\00:42:13.73 even though we were told not to do that. 00:42:13.93\00:42:16.13 But I believe that you are students of prophecy 00:42:17.67\00:42:21.01 and that you will study this out. 00:42:21.11\00:42:22.93 And we'll have some extra information for you on this. 00:42:23.23\00:42:26.51 For now what I'd like to do is go to Revelation chapter 1. 00:42:26.71\00:42:31.69 Just to get... to give you an idea of this 00:42:31.89\00:42:36.03 principle of repeat and enlarge 00:42:36.23\00:42:37.74 and how it parallels historicism. 00:42:37.75\00:42:41.06 How it connects with historicism and builds and develops 00:42:41.17\00:42:45.58 this beautiful approach to the prophecies of Revelation... 00:42:45.68\00:42:50.15 to the prophecies of the Bible. 00:42:50.35\00:42:51.36 Revelation chapter 1. John sees a vision of Jesus 00:42:51.66\00:42:54.86 standing where? 00:42:55.06\00:42:56.48 Among the candlesticks. 00:42:58.70\00:43:00.12 Where does that imagery come from? 00:43:00.32\00:43:01.89 The candlesticks? The sanctuary! 00:43:02.09\00:43:04.33 The sanctuary is all through the book of Revelation. 00:43:04.53\00:43:06.40 There are almost 70 references to the sanctuary 00:43:06.50\00:43:08.86 in the book of Revelation. So the sanctuary is the key 00:43:08.96\00:43:11.15 to unlocking Revelation. 00:43:11.25\00:43:12.50 Now the sanctuary is a key to understanding 00:43:12.53\00:43:15.60 the principle of repeat and enlarge 00:43:15.90\00:43:19.33 and of this historicist approach to Bible prophecy. 00:43:19.43\00:43:24.41 Why? Because the candlesticks 00:43:24.61\00:43:28.04 were in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. 00:43:28.24\00:43:32.09 The courtyard - according to Hebrews 13- 00:43:33.43\00:43:36.09 represents the earth and the cross of Calvary. 00:43:36.49\00:43:42.45 Revelation chapter 13. Let's just look there quickly. 00:43:42.65\00:43:44.83 Excuse me, Hebrews chapter 13. Let's just look there quickly. 00:43:45.03\00:43:47.41 You know, the book of Hebrews is what unlocks the symbolism 00:43:47.51\00:43:50.10 of the sanctuary. Hebrews unlocks the symbolism of the 00:43:50.30\00:43:53.22 sanctuary and the sanctuary symbolism unlocks 00:43:53.32\00:43:55.28 the book of Revelation. 00:43:55.38\00:43:56.68 Hebrews 13 says... verse 10: 00:43:58.14\00:44:01.40 "We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat 00:44:01.60\00:44:05.16 which serve the tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts 00:44:05.36\00:44:07.92 whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the 00:44:08.02\00:44:09.55 high priest for sin were burned without the camp. 00:44:09.65\00:44:12.35 Wherefore Jesus also... " - verse 12- "that He might 00:44:12.45\00:44:15.00 sanctify the people with His own blood suffered 00:44:15.10\00:44:17.63 without the gate. " The altar of Hebrews 13 00:44:17.73\00:44:21.81 and verse 10 is the cross. 00:44:21.91\00:44:23.65 In the heavenly sanctuary the courtyard represented 00:44:24.43\00:44:27.95 this earth. The altar where the lambs were taken and slain 00:44:28.16\00:44:30.90 represented the cross of Calvary. 00:44:31.11\00:44:32.60 After Jesus died, He was resurrected. 00:44:34.08\00:44:36.61 He went into heaven and He began His work of mediation 00:44:36.82\00:44:40.80 there on behalf of the entire world. 00:44:40.90\00:44:42.70 He became the only mediator between God and man. 00:44:43.00\00:44:45.63 What compartment of the heavenly sanctuary - 00:44:46.23\00:44:50.42 because remember, the sanctuary on this earth was a type 00:44:50.53\00:44:53.54 of the sanctuary in heaven... 00:44:53.64\00:44:54.71 What compartment of the heavenly sanctuary 00:44:55.11\00:44:58.28 did He begin His work in when He ascended to heaven? 00:44:58.48\00:45:01.18 Revelation tells us. 00:45:01.38\00:45:03.63 Revelation tells us He's standing among the candlesticks. 00:45:03.83\00:45:07.24 He's in the holy place. 00:45:07.44\00:45:08.98 That's what Revelation tells us. 00:45:09.18\00:45:10.35 That means that from AD 31, His resurrection, 00:45:12.43\00:45:17.55 until some time down the prophetic line of time 00:45:17.75\00:45:20.96 Jesus is in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. 00:45:21.16\00:45:24.83 Now we know when that time of transition took place. 00:45:25.03\00:45:28.55 We all believe that took place according to Daniel chapter 8 00:45:28.75\00:45:31.19 verse 14 in 1844. 00:45:31.29\00:45:34.33 He transitioned from the holy place to the what? 00:45:34.53\00:45:36.62 The most holy place. Now, the seven churches, 00:45:36.82\00:45:40.75 the seven seals, and the seven trumpets 00:45:40.95\00:45:44.05 all begin in the apostolic age. 00:45:44.25\00:45:47.10 How do we know this? 00:45:47.30\00:45:48.90 Because of the symbols of the sanctuary. 00:45:50.11\00:45:51.88 First of all, the seven churches 00:45:52.08\00:45:53.96 show Jesus Christ among the seven candlesticks. 00:45:54.36\00:45:57.79 Now look in Revelation chapter 4. 00:45:57.99\00:46:00.59 Revelation chapter 4 and 5 00:46:00.89\00:46:04.27 is a picture of the inauguration if you will 00:46:04.30\00:46:07.98 of Jesus Christ. He's ascending to heaven. 00:46:08.18\00:46:10.13 He's going in before the Father. 00:46:10.33\00:46:11.81 Revelation chapter 4 shows the throne set up in heaven, 00:46:12.01\00:46:15.04 verse 2. It goes on to describe in verse 5 00:46:15.24\00:46:19.91 that out of the throne proceeded lightning and thunders 00:46:20.51\00:46:25.28 and voices and there were what? 00:46:25.48\00:46:28.27 Seven lamps of fire. So where are we right now? 00:46:28.47\00:46:30.70 The holy place. 00:46:31.00\00:46:32.63 By the way, thunders and lightning and voices 00:46:32.83\00:46:36.94 around the throne of God. 00:46:39.66\00:46:41.88 God's presence is symbolized by the power of thunder 00:46:42.08\00:46:46.12 and lightning and voices. 00:46:46.22\00:46:47.68 God is powerful; His presence is powerful. 00:46:47.88\00:46:49.46 When He came on Sinai there was thunder and lightning 00:46:49.56\00:46:51.12 and voices... the people were terrified. 00:46:51.22\00:46:53.63 Don't be terrified of the power of God. 00:46:53.84\00:46:55.34 God wants to infill you with that power. 00:46:55.75\00:46:58.64 So there's these thunders and lightnings and voices 00:46:59.04\00:47:01.54 and they're around the throne. And the seven lamps of fire 00:47:01.74\00:47:04.66 are burning there before the throne. 00:47:04.76\00:47:07.43 And these seven lamps are the seven spirits of God. 00:47:07.63\00:47:10.06 Now in chapter 5 John sees a book that no man could open 00:47:10.26\00:47:14.90 sealed with seven seals. 00:47:15.10\00:47:16.95 We're called to observe something here... 00:47:17.25\00:47:19.84 something that is very significant. 00:47:20.04\00:47:21.82 That there's no man in heaven, there's no man in earth, 00:47:22.12\00:47:24.74 and there's no man under the earth that can open this book. 00:47:24.94\00:47:26.65 But don't weep... there IS a remedy: 00:47:26.85\00:47:29.70 "Behold the Lamb of God 00:47:29.80\00:47:31.70 who takes away the sins of the world. 00:47:31.80\00:47:33.24 He has prevailed. " 00:47:33.44\00:47:37.92 And I can't help but pause here and remind us 00:47:39.51\00:47:42.81 how powerful the book of Revelation is 00:47:43.01\00:47:45.47 in connection to the gospel. 00:47:45.67\00:47:48.29 Because every message that's given to the seven churches 00:47:48.50\00:47:51.83 closes with this appeal to overcome. 00:47:52.03\00:47:54.52 "To him that overcomes... to him that overcomes... 00:47:54.72\00:47:57.69 to him that overcomes. " 00:47:57.89\00:47:59.10 And of course when we get up in the morning 00:47:59.40\00:48:02.44 and we stand in front of the mirror and we look at ourselves 00:48:02.54\00:48:04.53 we say: "You know, I'm not quite sure I'm overcoming. " 00:48:04.73\00:48:07.99 And so God doesn't finish... God doesn't leave us 00:48:13.02\00:48:16.77 with the message of the seven churches. 00:48:16.97\00:48:19.11 He takes us now to a repeat and enlarge picture 00:48:19.31\00:48:22.70 of the plan of salvation 00:48:22.90\00:48:24.83 and He shows us that there's no man in heaven, 00:48:25.03\00:48:27.20 there's no man in earth, and there's no man under the earth 00:48:27.40\00:48:29.42 that can actually prevail... only Jesus has prevailed. 00:48:29.62\00:48:34.18 And by the way, that word prevailed is the very same word 00:48:34.19\00:48:36.92 overcome. The very same word in the Greek. 00:48:37.02\00:48:38.95 Jesus has prevailed. 00:48:39.15\00:48:40.90 Now that doesn't mean that the message to the 7 churches 00:48:42.00\00:48:46.96 is null and void. 00:48:47.06\00:48:48.80 God is calling us to overcome, 00:48:49.00\00:48:51.50 but not the way that we have thought we are to overcome. 00:48:51.80\00:48:56.65 We're not to overcome by might 00:48:56.95\00:49:00.66 or power but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts. 00:49:01.16\00:49:04.76 And so God reminds us that you are weak; you are unable. 00:49:04.86\00:49:08.14 There's no man in heaven or in earth or underneath the earth... 00:49:08.24\00:49:09.78 but "Behold the Lamb of God... He's prevailed. " 00:49:09.98\00:49:12.56 And then you get to Revelation chapter 6 00:49:12.76\00:49:14.82 and the seal is brought forth and a white horse goes forth 00:49:15.02\00:49:17.46 conquering and to what? Conquer. 00:49:17.56\00:49:20.08 And that word conquering and to conquer... that word is the 00:49:20.28\00:49:22.35 same word: to overcome. 00:49:22.45\00:49:24.37 So now we get a picture of the plan of salvation. 00:49:24.57\00:49:27.13 Here's the picture: you need to overcome 00:49:27.33\00:49:29.43 but there's no one in heaven, in the earth, or under the earth 00:49:29.63\00:49:31.38 that can overcome. But Jesus has overcome 00:49:31.48\00:49:33.85 and if you will unite with Jesus Christ - 00:49:34.05\00:49:35.71 because you're the horse and He's the rider - 00:49:35.91\00:49:37.69 if you will give Him the reins of your life 00:49:37.89\00:49:39.96 and will connect with Jesus Christ, you will go forth 00:49:40.16\00:49:42.78 conquering and to conquer. Amen. 00:49:42.88\00:49:44.37 Your job is not to go forth conquering and to conquer. 00:49:45.20\00:49:48.09 Your job is to connect with Jesus. 00:49:48.29\00:49:49.86 When you are connected with Jesus you will go forth 00:49:50.06\00:49:52.06 conquering and to conquer. That's the message, 00:49:52.16\00:49:54.02 that's the gospel of the book of Revelation. 00:49:54.22\00:49:56.06 And Satan will do everything he can to try to upend 00:49:56.36\00:50:00.13 your connection with Jesus. 00:50:00.33\00:50:02.25 In this world of technology he's doing everything he can 00:50:04.11\00:50:08.63 to distract us. Let's go take advantage of technology. 00:50:08.83\00:50:11.53 Let's get our iPods and our iPhones and our i-this and 00:50:11.73\00:50:15.20 i's and let's fill them with the gospel, 00:50:15.30\00:50:17.25 fill them with the message, and put them in our ears 00:50:17.45\00:50:19.94 and put them in our eyes and focus on Jesus 00:50:20.04\00:50:22.56 wherever we go. Let's take advantage of it. 00:50:22.76\00:50:24.88 That's what I do. I have my little iPod 00:50:25.08\00:50:26.32 and I put it in there. I've got all the Conflict of the Ages 00:50:26.43\00:50:28.69 series in there. When I'm out on the track 00:50:28.79\00:50:29.96 or mowing the lawn or when I'm out getting wood or whatever 00:50:30.06\00:50:32.63 I'm doing I'm listening, I'm listening, I'm listening. 00:50:32.83\00:50:34.92 I'm not hearing every word but there are phrases, 00:50:35.12\00:50:36.63 there are thoughts that touch my heart 00:50:36.73\00:50:38.50 and I rewind and I listen to that again. 00:50:38.60\00:50:40.75 And I know, I sense the Spirit of God speaking to me. 00:50:40.96\00:50:45.00 It's not just in those morning devotional times. 00:50:45.20\00:50:48.09 It's not just that we wake up and we get together with God 00:50:48.29\00:50:49.98 for an hour and we say: "I've done my duty" 00:50:50.08\00:50:51.77 and now we go out into the world alone. 00:50:51.97\00:50:53.24 No, we take the Spirit of God with us. 00:50:53.34\00:50:56.03 We let Him abide with us and surround us and protect us. 00:50:56.06\00:50:59.99 We fill our minds and hearts not with CNN, 00:51:00.22\00:51:02.55 not with the latest corruption that's going on in this world. 00:51:02.65\00:51:04.25 We fill our minds and hearts with Jesus. 00:51:04.45\00:51:06.02 "Whatsoever things are pure and holy and just 00:51:06.22\00:51:08.05 and of good report. If there be any virtue 00:51:08.26\00:51:11.32 and there be any praise, think on these things. " 00:51:11.52\00:51:13.34 We don't empty our mind and meditate on nothing. 00:51:13.54\00:51:16.80 Meditation is all about Jesus. 00:51:21.14\00:51:22.76 It's not about emptying... it's about filling. 00:51:22.96\00:51:25.06 About letting the Holy Spirit fill us 00:51:25.26\00:51:28.24 with glimpses of Jesus that will strengthen and 00:51:28.44\00:51:30.14 uplift the soul. And they're all through the book of Revelation. 00:51:30.24\00:51:32.04 So... now notice this. As Jesus is inaugurated, 00:51:32.14\00:51:36.35 as He's in there in heaven and He takes this book, 00:51:36.45\00:51:39.05 it says, verse 6: 00:51:39.25\00:51:41.18 "And I beheld and lo... " Revelation 5 verse 6... 00:51:41.38\00:51:43.71 "in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts 00:51:43.81\00:51:46.06 in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain 00:51:46.26\00:51:49.40 having seven horns and seven eyes 00:51:49.51\00:51:51.76 which are the seven spirits of God which are... " What? 00:51:51.96\00:51:54.95 "sent forth to all the earth. " 00:51:55.25\00:51:56.98 Now the seven spirits of God were before the throne 00:51:57.18\00:51:59.79 initially, but now that Jesus has been introduced - 00:51:59.99\00:52:02.72 inaugurated if you will - now these come up into heaven. 00:52:02.92\00:52:05.55 This is His ascension; this is His resurrection. 00:52:05.76\00:52:07.18 It's the same in Revelation chapter 12. 00:52:07.38\00:52:09.10 "The dragon stood before the woman to devour the child 00:52:09.30\00:52:11.01 as soon as it was born. And the woman was taken 00:52:11.11\00:52:13.42 up to God to His throne. " 00:52:13.62\00:52:15.19 Starting right there with the apostolic age 00:52:15.39\00:52:17.18 in Revelation 12. Starting right there with the apostolic age 00:52:17.29\00:52:19.39 in Revelation's seven churches. 00:52:19.49\00:52:20.82 Starting right there in the apostolic age 00:52:21.02\00:52:22.23 in Revelation's seven seals. 00:52:22.43\00:52:24.74 The spirits of God are sent forth into all the earth. 00:52:24.94\00:52:27.00 When did that take place? The outpouring of the Spirit 00:52:27.20\00:52:29.83 on the Day of Pentecost. That's what's happening 00:52:30.03\00:52:32.00 right now in Revelation 5. 00:52:32.10\00:52:33.97 The outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. 00:52:34.17\00:52:35.63 And then the seals are opened and what do you have? 00:52:35.83\00:52:37.50 You have this white horse - the apostolic church - going 00:52:37.70\00:52:39.38 forth conquering and to conquer. 00:52:39.48\00:52:40.84 Then you have that persecution of the red horse 00:52:41.04\00:52:43.06 and the compromise of the dark horse. 00:52:43.26\00:52:44.69 And of course the pale horse of death 00:52:44.79\00:52:47.10 following with the judgment. 00:52:47.30\00:52:48.77 And those that are under the... under the altar 00:52:48.88\00:52:50.90 asking, calling out for judgment. And then of course 00:52:51.10\00:52:52.89 you have the signs then you have the 2nd coming of Jesus. 00:52:53.09\00:52:54.86 It's repeat and enlarge all the way. 00:52:55.26\00:52:57.69 The churches line up perfectly. Now let's go to the trumpets 00:52:57.89\00:53:00.02 and see if we can see the same prophetic picture. 00:53:00.22\00:53:02.81 Revelation chapter 8 and verse 2. 00:53:02.84\00:53:06.83 I'm going to go quickly now. 00:53:07.03\00:53:08.65 "And I saw seven angels and they stood before God 00:53:09.89\00:53:12.42 and to them were given seven trumpets. 00:53:12.62\00:53:15.07 And another angel came and stood at the altar having 00:53:15.20\00:53:17.05 the golden censer. And it was given unto him much incense 00:53:17.16\00:53:19.86 that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints 00:53:19.96\00:53:23.81 upon the golden altar which is before the throne. " 00:53:24.01\00:53:26.71 OK, there's two altars in this verse. 00:53:26.91\00:53:28.26 Did you notice that? 00:53:28.36\00:53:29.43 There's an altar from which he gets incense 00:53:29.63\00:53:31.45 and then there's a golden altar which is before the throne. 00:53:31.65\00:53:33.25 Let's start with the golden altar; that's the easiest. 00:53:33.45\00:53:35.58 Where is the golden altar? In the holy place 00:53:35.78\00:53:37.44 or the most holy place? It's in the holy place. 00:53:37.54\00:53:40.96 It's right before the curtain in the holy place. 00:53:41.16\00:53:43.37 That's where the golden altar is. 00:53:43.47\00:53:44.93 Now we've already identified that the altar in the courtyard 00:53:46.15\00:53:48.92 is Calvary. This is a picture of Jesus 00:53:49.03\00:53:52.61 taking the merits of Calvary into the holy place. 00:53:52.81\00:53:57.96 And He is there beginning His mediation. 00:53:58.20\00:54:00.49 This is apostolic age 00:54:00.59\00:54:02.27 because the golden altar is in the holy place. 00:54:02.47\00:54:05.16 We know most holy is post-1844 00:54:05.36\00:54:08.61 so this is apostolic age. 00:54:08.81\00:54:10.15 So He's mingling the incense which is His righteousness. 00:54:10.45\00:54:14.88 Now we understand incense in Revelation 5 represents 00:54:14.99\00:54:17.44 the prayers of the saints. But in Revelation 8 00:54:17.54\00:54:19.48 it's mingled with the prayers of the saints. Therefore 00:54:19.68\00:54:22.44 according to Ephesians 5:2 00:54:22.54\00:54:23.67 incense here is the sacrifice of Jesus, 00:54:23.87\00:54:26.10 a sweet-smelling savor. 00:54:26.20\00:54:27.80 Why does His incense have to be mingled with our prayers? 00:54:29.13\00:54:32.25 Because... well, have you ever prayed a cold, listless, 00:54:32.45\00:54:36.03 selfish prayer? You have and you just don't know it. 00:54:36.23\00:54:39.59 All your prayers are contaminated 00:54:39.99\00:54:44.28 by bad motives. All of them. 00:54:44.48\00:54:47.79 Selfishness... selfishness. 00:54:47.99\00:54:51.76 Have you ever moved along in your Christian experience 00:54:51.96\00:54:54.55 oh a year, two years, five years, ten years, twenty years 00:54:54.65\00:54:57.30 and all of a sudden you realize something 00:54:57.60\00:55:00.21 about yourself that you've never noticed before? 00:55:00.41\00:55:02.89 You realized a motive that was in your heart 00:55:03.09\00:55:06.74 that was wrong and you doubted whether you'd even 00:55:06.94\00:55:10.39 been a Christian for all of those years. 00:55:10.49\00:55:12.45 And God says: "No worries... I've got this. 00:55:12.65\00:55:15.85 It's My righteousness; it's My incense. 00:55:16.05\00:55:18.81 You're My child... I've got you covered. " 00:55:19.01\00:55:21.36 And we say: "Praise God! Hallelujah! " Amen. 00:55:21.76\00:55:24.31 Now what happened? In the apostolic age 00:55:24.51\00:55:27.42 they were praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 00:55:27.62\00:55:29.64 They were praying earnestly in that upper room. 00:55:29.84\00:55:31.85 And as they were praying those prayers came up 00:55:32.05\00:55:34.12 and they were mingled with the righteousness of Christ. 00:55:34.32\00:55:35.63 They were confessing their sins, their self-righteousness. Their 00:55:35.73\00:55:37.70 "I want to be the greatest; I want to be number one. " 00:55:37.80\00:55:39.34 You know, Me, me me, me... I, I, I, I. 00:55:39.44\00:55:41.52 And as those prayers came up they were mingled with the 00:55:41.72\00:55:43.98 righteousness of Jesus Christ. And it says in verse 5 00:55:44.01\00:55:46.24 the angel took the censer and filled it with what? 00:55:46.44\00:55:49.20 Fire off the altar. And cast it where? 00:55:49.50\00:55:52.88 Into the earth. So they were praying for the 00:55:53.08\00:55:56.84 outpouring of the Holy Spirit and what happened? 00:55:56.94\00:55:58.41 Fire comes down... cloven tongues of fire 00:55:58.61\00:56:00.70 into the earth. And there were what? 00:56:00.90\00:56:02.10 Voices and thunderings and lightning and an earthquake. 00:56:02.40\00:56:05.88 Where were all of those taking place in Revelation chapter 4? 00:56:06.08\00:56:08.79 Around the throne of God. 00:56:08.99\00:56:10.15 Where are they now? In the earth. 00:56:10.35\00:56:11.84 God has poured out the power that's around His throne, 00:56:12.04\00:56:15.76 the very presence of Himself, the very essence of who He is 00:56:15.96\00:56:18.46 through the Holy Spirit - fire - and He's poured it out 00:56:18.56\00:56:20.62 unto His disciples into the earth. 00:56:20.72\00:56:22.06 And then, of course, the trumpets begin to sound 00:56:22.26\00:56:24.12 because that outpouring of the Holy Spirit 00:56:24.22\00:56:26.28 took the gospel to all the world. And those trumpets 00:56:26.49\00:56:28.49 represent judgments. But those judgments don't come 00:56:28.59\00:56:30.74 until God pours out His Spirit and fills the world with the 00:56:30.85\00:56:33.01 gospel. And it's going to be the same in the end of time. 00:56:33.11\00:56:35.06 So each one of these prophetic pictures, 00:56:35.26\00:56:39.13 these prophetic messages, begin in the apostolic age 00:56:39.33\00:56:41.61 and take us all the way to the second coming of Jesus Christ. 00:56:41.82\00:56:43.50 I know I have filled your minds with a lot of stuff. 00:56:43.61\00:56:45.06 I talk very fast. 00:56:45.16\00:56:46.20 I'm ready to apologize for that but not in public 00:56:46.70\00:56:50.07 because I have so much more I would love to share with you 00:56:52.58\00:56:55.94 and I have 33 seconds to do it. 00:56:56.14\00:56:59.16 We haven't even touched the second half of the book of 00:57:02.17\00:57:05.24 Revelation where we've got a phenomenal picture that proves 00:57:05.34\00:57:09.74 historicism and shows us beyond a shadow of a doubt 00:57:09.84\00:57:13.93 that our approach to Bible prophecy 00:57:14.13\00:57:17.41 is 100% foundationally immoveable. 00:57:17.61\00:57:22.25 Immoveable. We'll get a chance... 00:57:22.55\00:57:24.86 I'll get a chance to share that with you. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 00:57:25.06\00:57:27.78 As soon as the time ends we're going to pray together. 00:57:27.99\00:57:30.80