Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: 13RVT
Program Code: 13RVT000003
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00:06 In today's troubled world
00:08 people are wondering where we are headed? 00:13 Revelation Today presents the answers. 00:17 Bible prophecy reveals what the future holds in store. 00:23 Revelation Today. 00:38 The Book of Revelation is the capstone of the Bible. 00:41 As the last book in the Bible 00:44 it takes the major themes of the Bible 00:46 and brings them together into a wonderful conclusions. 00:49 Tonight we look into this book, 00:50 a book which has been the focus of a lot of study 00:53 and a lot of speculation. 00:55 We'll see that when it comes to the Bible 00:57 there's no need for guesswork or sensationalism. 01:01 But that if we let God's word speak 01:03 and then if we listen to it carefully 01:05 it will be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 01:08 Our subject tonight is Unfolding the Revelation. 01:12 Please welcome the presenter of Revelation Today, 01:15 Ron Halvorsen. 01:21 Good evening. Good evening. 01:23 Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer 01:24 before you open God's word. 01:26 Gracious Father, I pray for Your Holy Spirit 01:28 to guide us and lead us. 01:31 We pray that You'll lead in everything we say 01:33 and everything we do. 01:35 May it honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. 01:38 Tonight we pray there'll be the unveiling of the Revelation 01:41 that we might see the great struggle in the Middle East 01:45 and what you have said about it and the outcome. 01:48 Teach us thy will and thy way always 01:50 that we'll walk in Your path. 01:52 In the name of Christ, amen. 01:55 My subject tonight is Unfolding the Revelation, 01:58 The Middle East Crisis. 01:59 Years ago when I was a young preacher 02:01 I was making a visit in New York City 02:03 and I happened to have a name of a Jewish man 02:05 who I'd been studying the Word of God with 02:08 and sharing the Messianic hope 02:10 and the Messianic prophecies with 02:11 and so he invited me to his apartment 02:14 and I drove up as far as I could, got on the subway, 02:18 took it out to Central Park West, 02:21 got off the subway and I came to this beautiful 02:25 apartment building, Central Park West. 02:29 Now most apartments in that building cost 02:33 between 12 million and 18 million dollars. 02:38 So me being a poor boy from Brooklyn 02:42 I was nervous about this visit. 02:45 I met the man at the door. 02:48 He said who are you? 02:49 I said, I'm Pastor Ron Halvorsen. 02:51 I've come to see so and so. He said, well all right. 02:53 You can go in up to the 18th floor. 02:56 When he opened the door 02:58 I stepped into the rug and I sunk up to my knees. 03:04 I made my way over to the couch 03:05 and sat down and he got to talking. 03:08 I always like to find out as much as I can about the person. 03:11 I said, well tell me a little bit about you. 03:12 And he said, well he said, I live here in this apartment 03:16 and I own this apartment and then he told 03:19 about the three other houses he owned 03:20 in the various places in the world 03:22 and about his chauffer and he went on 03:24 and on and on and finally he finished. 03:29 And I said, well tell me really about yourself. 03:32 And he said I was in Auschwitz 03:35 and then he showed me the number 03:41 that he still carried from Auschwitz. 03:44 And then we got down to real business. 03:47 And he said to me with tears in his eyes, 03:49 he said some day I'm going home. 03:52 I said, what do you mean? Where is your home? 03:54 I thought perhaps it was Poland or Germany or Russia. 03:57 He said, no I'm going to my home. 03:59 I'm going back to Israel, my home. 04:04 We had a wonderful visit and I showed him 04:07 what God had said about Israel 04:09 and what God had said about the future 04:11 and I had prayer with him and I left 04:13 and I guess some time after that 04:16 he went back home to his home. 04:23 Do you know what's happening in the Middle East 04:26 was predicted by God centuries ago. 04:29 What's happening in the Middle East 04:31 is the culmination of biblical history. 04:34 You have to hold a newspaper in one hand as you read 04:36 what's happening in the Middle East now 04:38 and your Bible in the other hand. 04:42 The Middle East is not a war between nations. 04:46 It's a war between families. 04:49 Now let me take you on a fascinating journey 04:52 back to the future. 04:53 I want to take you there 04:55 and I think of thousands of years 04:58 Christians and Jews have been looking for a Messiah. 05:04 In fact, for the Jews he's not yet come. 05:08 But they wait patiently. 05:10 I mean they wait with great anticipation, 05:12 with great sincerity, gazing at their temple, 05:16 hoping beyond hope He will come 05:18 and deliver them forever from the threat of war 05:21 and reign in peace that they might have peace in Palestine 05:25 and He will rule them. 05:29 That's their dream, that's their hope. 05:32 It burned in Jewish hearts for 4,000 years. 05:36 Christian's on the other hand believe 05:38 that Jesus Christ has already come 05:41 in the person of Jesus Christ. 05:43 That Jesus Christ was the Messiah. 05:46 I mean they look with anticipation 05:48 not for the first coming of Christ 05:50 because they experienced it in history 05:52 that in Bethlehem a virgin conceived 05:55 and bore a son and His name was Jesus 05:58 because He would save the world. 06:01 And so Christians on the other hand believe that this person 06:04 has already come in the person of Christ. 06:06 They, with great expectation, 06:08 are looking for the second coming of Messiah, 06:12 the second coming of Jesus Christ. 06:14 Every believer, every Christian, 06:16 whatever church you belong, if you're a Christian 06:18 you should be looking for the second coming of Christ 06:21 because that is burning in the hearts of believers 06:24 since the Book of Acts. 06:25 That was burning in the heart of the believer, 06:27 Peter, when they crucified him upside down 06:30 and then his world was right side up. 06:32 It was in the heart of Paul 06:34 when they killed Paul and he became a martyr. 06:37 It was in the heart of John there on Patmos as a prisoner. 06:40 There he saw in vision the great return of Messiah 06:43 the second time. 06:47 This idea of Messiah 06:51 is not some theory for scholars to debate. 06:55 This great story of the Messiah is not some riddle 06:59 for the obsessed to try to solve. 07:03 It instead, is the most important truth of our age, 07:06 not merely for us to understand it 07:08 but for us to anticipate it, 07:09 to embrace it and to live it out. 07:14 Have you ever wondered why 07:16 the burning need in the human heart 07:20 of both Christians and Jews is for Messiah? 07:23 Why are all eyes fastened on the Middle East tonight? 07:27 Is the coming of the Messiah near, even at the door 07:30 as I've been speaking about these last two nights. 07:33 Are we close to the kingdom of God? 07:35 Is He about to open the doors of heaven and invite us in? 07:38 I mean, we must ask pointed questions about the end time. 07:42 End time how soon is it? 07:44 There are some indicators that it's quite close. 07:47 In fact, I live every day 07:49 from when I wake up in the morning 07:51 and surrender my life to Christ for that day 07:54 and go to bed at night 07:55 and with my last prayer go to sleep, 07:57 I go to sleep with the fact that He is a heartbeat away 08:02 and I want to be ready at every moment. 08:04 Amen. 08:05 You want to be ready at every moment 08:07 because Jesus is coming and He's coming soon. 08:11 With the recent events in the Middle East 08:13 that's happening there, 08:14 it tells us the coming of Christ is near. 08:17 With the death rattle of the peace process 08:19 in the Middle East, 08:20 with the terrorism on the West Bank 08:22 and the problems, with the war in Iraq 08:24 and the war in Iran and Afghanistan 08:27 and Syria and Egypt and death around 08:31 and surrounding Palestine. 08:34 The uniting of the Muslim countries against America 08:37 and especially their hatred of Israel and America. 08:39 These are strong indicators 08:42 Jesus Christ is about to return. 08:44 Jesus is about to say enough is enough 08:49 and we dare not be left behind. 08:51 Amen? Amen. 08:53 And there's no reason for it. 08:54 We have enough truth in this book, 08:56 to know and understand the times in which we live. 08:59 In this book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, 09:02 we can know the end from the beginning. 09:04 The Bible says he is Alpha and He is Omega. 09:06 He is the beginning and He is the end. 09:08 And in the Book of Revelation 09:09 He is unveiled to us and we can see the process 09:12 in which what's going forward in the process of time 09:16 leading us to the great day of God Almighty, 09:19 the great day of God. 09:23 We come to that place in Revelation 09:27 and there in Revelation 09:28 the promise of the coming of Jesus Christ, 09:30 the second advent. 09:31 And we come from Babylon to Babylon. 09:35 We see that from Babylon to Babylon 09:37 and all the events in the Middle East tonight. 09:39 Why are all eyes focused on the East? 09:42 Why not Russia? Why not China? 09:44 I mean, do you wonder why today the prophetic time table, 09:48 people are looking to the Middle East? 09:52 I have Time Square here and I read about an alley cat. 09:56 You know an alley cat? He's a cool cat really. 09:59 I mean, an alley cat. 10:00 I mean, that's not like a cat, a kitten. 10:02 That's not like one of those fuzzy little things you know. 10:05 I mean this is an alley cat. This is a tough cat. 10:10 And she has a little kitten in her mouth 10:14 and she comes up to the curb and for some reason 10:16 she wanted to get across Time Square. 10:19 I guess there was a better alley over there. 10:24 And so she'd step into the street 10:26 and the buses and the taxis and the cars. 10:28 How many of you have ever been to Time Square 10:29 let me see your hands? 10:31 You can imagine this cat. 10:35 I mean, this is a tough old cat 10:36 but it can't make its way across the street. 10:40 Finally there was a big Irish cop standing on the corner 10:43 and he looked and saw that old alley cat 10:46 trying to get across the street 10:48 and he stepped out into the road, held up his hand 10:51 and all the traffic came to a screeching halt. 10:55 The alley cat looked both ways, kitten in her mouth, 10:59 she dashed across and into the alley. 11:02 I wonder if we're not like that big alley cat 11:04 we want to make it across 11:06 and Jesus is about to put up His hand, 11:08 stop it and say, come on home children, 11:11 come on home children. 11:17 And I hope to show you it's not time to procrastinate. 11:20 I want to show you tonight it's not time to be complacent. 11:23 It's not time to put things off, 11:25 to live for God this very day. 11:28 Now what's happening today is a sovereign act of God. 11:30 It's a sovereign process of prophetic proportions. 11:34 The events leading to the glorious-- 11:36 rapture of the glorious church of the people of God 11:38 taken to the kingdom. 11:40 And every tick of the prophetic clock 11:43 brings us closer and closer to that inevitable fulfillment. 11:47 Now here are just a few events. 11:50 The rise of Israel. I mean here's a few events. 11:53 Communism's collapse, just a few in my lifetime. 11:58 The geopolitical struggle 11:59 for the control of oil in the Middle East. 12:02 These are all signs. 12:03 The rising tide of lawlessness in our country. 12:07 The jettisoning of all that is moral. 12:10 The staggering strides of technology. 12:12 All this is telling us the end is near. 12:14 Moral bankruptcy of the nations. 12:17 Vast changes in religion. Emergence of the drug culture. 12:21 Ecological threat to our planet. 12:23 All this is speaking about the end time. 12:26 First I want to give you a history lesson tonight. 12:29 I want to give you a history lesson 12:30 and then I'm going to give you a prophetic, 12:33 a prophetic lesson. 12:36 First let's look at history. 12:39 The Jewish nation was called the Israel of God. 12:43 In fact, the Israel of God was called the remnant of God. 12:50 There are three passages of scripture 12:52 I want you to consider with me tonight 12:54 from the Book of Revelation. 12:55 Now notice first of all 12:57 I want you to notice Revelation 12:17. 12:59 "And the dragon was angry with the woman." 13:01 The dragon is Satan. 13:02 Someone asked me is the book symbolic or is it literal. 13:05 Well in some places it's literal 13:07 and in some places it's symbolic. 13:09 And the only way you can tell is by knowing the symbols. 13:11 And once you know the symbols Revelation 13:14 is like a puzzle put together. 13:16 You see the glorious face of Jesus Christ. 13:20 Now the devil is angry with the woman. 13:22 If I had time tonight I'll show you from the Bible 13:25 that the woman, the woman in Revelation, 13:27 there are two women in Revelation. 13:29 One is the scarlet woman, 13:30 one is the pure woman dressed in white. 13:33 The woman represents the church of Jesus Christ 13:35 and I'll give you those texts when I give you this chart. 13:38 It says he's angry "and went to make war 13:40 with the remnant of her seed." 13:42 Which woman will he be angry with? 13:44 The pure woman. 13:45 The pure woman. The pure church. 13:47 He would be angry with the woman 13:49 he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 13:52 those who are left out or left over, 13:55 those who come later on it says those who come out of Babylon, 13:59 who come away from the confusion 14:00 and conspiracy of the devil in the last days. 14:03 And they line up with Jesus Christ. 14:06 By the way, the Bible says Revelation 7:1-4, 14:08 "And after these things I saw four angels 14:10 standing on the four corners of the earth, 14:13 holding the four winds of the earth, 14:14 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 14:17 nor on the sea, nor on any tree." 14:19 The Bible tells us. 14:20 "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, 14:22 having the seal of the living God, 14:24 and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, 14:27 to whom it was given to hurt the earth 14:28 and the sea, and saying, hurt not the earth, 14:31 neither the sea, nor the trees, 14:33 till we have sealed the servants of our God 14:35 in their foreheads." 14:38 The servants of God, the remnant of God. 14:42 He has his remnant. 14:43 But the Bible also says, "And I heard the number of them 14:46 which were sealed, and there were sealed 14:48 an hundred and forty and four thousand 14:50 of all the tribes of the children of Israel." 14:52 And then he goes on to say, "Except the Lord of hosts 14:55 had left unto us a very small remnant," 14:58 Isaiah 1:9, 14:59 "If he had not left a small remnant, 15:01 we would have been as Sodom and Gomorrah." 15:03 In other words, we would have been 15:04 totally wiped from the face of the earth. 15:07 But there is a remnant, the Bible tells us, 15:10 and the Bible tells us let me define it. 15:12 Remnant means seed. It means sperma. 15:16 If God had not left the sperma 15:19 to reproduce the church of Jesus Christ, 15:22 if it would not reproduce, the remnant church, 15:24 we would be like Sodom and Gomorrah. 15:26 You see the calling of the church, 15:27 the calling of the Christian, 15:29 is not just to go to church one day a week, 15:31 it's not just to say your prayers in your closet. 15:34 It's to make you to reproduce Jesus Christ on the earth 15:38 and the love of God on the earth. 15:42 The world needs to see in Christians today 15:45 the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. 15:47 They should see the smile of Jesus on your face. 15:50 I'm tired of these sour puss Christians. 15:56 You can smile and go to heaven. 16:03 You can smile and go to heaven. 16:06 So the apocalyptic words 16:07 speak of the meticulous care of God for those 16:11 who are His remnant. 16:12 I mean the words represent careful consideration for God 16:15 and for His people through the ages 16:17 past, present and future. 16:19 The sealed ones, the protected ones, 16:21 the prophetic ones. 16:23 Listen to me, we don't have to be 16:25 taken out of this world to escape tribulation. 16:28 We can live in this world 16:30 and be protected by the almighty God 16:32 that a thousand will fall at our side, 16:34 10,000 our right hand. 16:36 It shall not come nigh thee nor thy dwelling. 16:39 The protection of God, friend. 16:41 Can you say amen here in this place 16:43 here in Charlotte? 16:44 Amen. 16:46 Let Egypt come to Jews. Let Egypt come against her. 16:51 Hands laden with bricks of Jews 16:53 made without straw under lash of the taskmaster. 16:56 They tried to destroy them. 16:58 Let Assyria come against her 17:00 and show her swords wet with Jewish blood. 17:03 They tried to destroy them. 17:05 Let Persia and Babylon come with clanking chains. 17:07 They fought with Jacob's sons. 17:09 I mean, they tried, they tried to kill them, to murder them, 17:13 to annihilate them but they failed. 17:16 They failed. The Jew remains. 17:20 I mean, their preservation is a miracle of history, 17:22 you have to admit that. 17:24 However you feel about the theologically, 17:26 how you feel about it emotionally, 17:28 listen to me, it is a miracle of the ages. 17:32 You see we've been told by historians empires 17:34 have passed away into a shadow 17:36 leaving behind them only a name 17:38 but the Jew still lives on standing apart 17:41 from all the races in the days of Jesus. 17:44 Christ rich to a thousand times to spoil. 17:46 So scattered for 18 centuries around the world 17:49 to the extremity of the globe, yet they have survived. 17:52 Happenstance no prophecy. 17:56 Listen to the Word of God. 17:57 It was a family fight between Isaac and Ishmael. 18:01 "I will make thee a great nation, 18:02 I will bless thee, and make thy name great, 18:04 and though shalt be" what? 18:06 "A blessing." He says. 18:08 He goes on, "And I will bless them 18:09 that bless thee, and curse them 18:10 that curseth thee and in thee 18:12 shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 18:15 Listen to me tonight. Don't make light of it. 18:18 This prophecy-- history has shown us 18:20 that God governs the destiny of nations. 18:23 The rise of Babylon, the fall of Babylon. 18:25 The rise of Medo-Persia, the fall of Medo-Persia. 18:28 The rise of the Grecian empire, the fall of the Grecian empire. 18:31 God said enough is enough. 18:32 Down to Rome, mighty Rome, the iron monarchy. 18:35 God said stop, that's enough 18:37 and divided into the 10 kingdoms of Europe today. 18:40 My God is about to say, that's enough, stop. 18:43 Amen. Stop. 18:48 Listen to these people. They live on. 18:51 The Red Sea couldn't drown them out. 18:54 The gallows of Haman couldn't hang them out. 18:58 I mean, the great fish couldn't digest them. 19:04 The fiery furnace couldn't singe them. 19:08 The lions of Babylon couldn't devour them. 19:11 For history has showed us Balaam could not curse them 19:14 and nations could not assimilate them and the west, 19:18 was because the Lord said I am with thee. 19:21 Listen to what the Lord says about these people. 19:24 It's not crystal ball gazing. 19:26 He says about these people 19:28 "For I am with thee, saith the Lord, 19:29 to save thee though I make a full end of all nations 19:32 whither I have scattered thee, 19:33 yet I will not make a full end of thee." 19:35 The Jews have outlived Egypt and Chaldeans and the Assyrians 19:39 and the Persians and all dynasties of the past. 19:42 Despite universal discrimination 19:44 universal persecution, satanic interception, 19:47 murder, opus and purpose, the Jew is persistent a Jew. 19:52 For 4,000 years the thought of Zion 19:54 warmed the hearts and the minds of the world 19:57 scattered Jews. 19:58 From ghetto to ghetto, from Bombay to the Baltic, 20:01 from Siberia to Sinai 20:03 there was a dream and that dream, 20:06 that dream was a place to pray. 20:08 That dream was a place to be born 20:11 and for their children to be born, 20:12 a place to live in peace and a place to die with hope. 20:17 This has been the dream 20:19 stemming back 4,000 years to Abraham. 20:23 Listen, the animosity, the hatred, the fighting, 20:27 the fiendish enemy goes back to biblical times. 20:30 You see history unfolds the Middle East problem. 20:33 It unfolds and we should not be caught by surprise. 20:36 You see, he has something for us read from the Bible. 20:40 Again and again there is hope, read the Bible. 20:43 In 1 Thessalonians 20:45 "But of the times and the seasons, 20:47 brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 20:49 For yourselves know perfectly 20:51 that the day of the Lord so cometh as" what? 20:53 "A thief in the night. 20:55 And when they shall say, Peace and safety, 20:57 then sudden destruction cometh upon them, 20:59 as travail upon a woman with child; 21:01 and they shall not escape." 21:04 He says watch. He says look. 21:08 Notice, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, 21:10 that that day should overtake you as a thief. 21:14 Ye are all the children of light, 21:15 and the children of the day." 21:16 If you knew the thief was coming 21:19 you would be waiting, 21:21 or you'd have the police waiting. 21:26 It's all going to one who's packing. 21:32 So he says you'd be waiting 21:33 if you knew the thief was coming. 21:38 Take heed. 21:40 Biblical history and biblical prophecy 21:42 must be looked out in light of all that's happening today. 21:45 The Almighty God is working out His plan 21:49 and we can't change it. 21:52 History unfolds God made a promise 21:56 to Abraham and to Sarah, his wife. 21:57 You remember the story if you've ever gone 21:59 to Sunday school or Church, you know. 22:01 Remember about Abraham's wife and he wanted to have a child 22:05 and God said that she would have a child 22:07 and that child would be the child of thousands 22:10 it would be the child of his calling. 22:14 She got older and older and older and older. 22:16 You remember the story. Come on now. 22:19 Remember the story? Yes. 22:22 And then what happened. 22:23 Remember he thought he'd do it man's way. 22:27 He took a handmaid. 22:29 She bore him a son and his name was Ishmael. 22:37 And then finally after age-- I mean, this is a miracle. 22:43 I'm sure none of you here tonight 22:45 want to have a baby at that age. 22:49 Some don't even want to have it at 21. 22:53 "We are not of night, nor of darkness. 22:55 Therefore let us not sleep as do others 22:57 but let us watch and be sober." 22:59 That's what he says in 1 Thessalonians. 23:01 And my dear friend, God made a promise. 23:04 He made two things about God. 23:05 If God makes a promise He does what? 23:08 He fulfills it. He fulfills it. 23:09 And secondly He fulfills it what? 23:11 Precisely. Precisely. 23:15 God fulfills a promise and He does it-- 23:17 God will do it precisely. 23:21 And the promise was Abraham. 23:23 It was made and that promise was fulfilled 23:27 and it became a great nation just as God had promised. 23:30 Tell me this book is just a book of history. 23:34 This book is a book of prophecy. 23:37 This book is a book about a God 23:39 who knows the past and the present and the future. 23:42 A God who knows your past, 23:43 knows your present and knows your future. 23:46 A God who counts the hairs on your head 23:48 and you worry if you can get through a day. 23:51 With a God like that you can get through 23:53 a whole lifetime, a God like that. 24:03 You see there's nothing impossible with God. 24:05 Here's a barren woman. 24:06 She's old, old, old. 24:11 I don't want to tell you how old. 24:12 You'll have a nightmare tonight. 24:13 She was old. 24:19 The delay. 24:23 Listen to me. Delay is not denial. 24:28 Get the drift? Come on now. 24:31 Delay is not denial 24:33 because God's second coming has been delayed 24:35 that doesn't mean He's not going to come. 24:38 Because God made out a promise to you 24:40 and hasn't fulfilled it yet in your life that doesn't mean 24:43 that He's not going to give it to you. 24:50 He made a promise. 24:52 There's nothing impossible for God. 24:56 Two brothers, Ishmael and Isaac. 24:59 And let me tell you something, half-brothers, the war begins. 25:04 Nothing worse than a family fight. 25:07 I think my brothers are watching this. 25:09 I hope they are. 25:13 We had many of them when we were young. 25:15 But there's nothing worse than a family fight. 25:20 And what we see today in the Middle East 25:22 and the hatred and animosity is a family fight. 25:27 And the only way a family fight can end 25:33 and a new beginning is for the father to step in 25:39 and say boys, enough is enough. 25:43 Enough is enough. 25:45 The longest family feud in history, friends. 25:48 In fact let me give you a brief history about this. 25:50 "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee, 25:52 Behold, I have blessed him." 25:54 You know sometimes we Christians forget the blessing 25:57 that was given also to Ishmael. 25:58 " I have heard thee, Behold, 26:00 I have blessed him will make him fruitful, 26:02 multiply him exceedingly, twelve princes shall he beget, 26:06 and I will make him a great nation." 26:08 Don't just pick out the text you want. 26:11 Don't pick and choose. 26:15 Let God open His word to you fully, amen. 26:17 Amen. That's the story. 26:18 Let me give you a little history here. 26:20 The law in 1857 said this, Only 300 Jewish families 26:25 could live in the land of Palestine. 26:29 That was 1857 to be exact, only 300 families. 26:33 But the promise burns in the Jewish heart. 26:37 Follow me closely. World War I. 26:39 Jewish financiers, 26:41 they were asked by Britain to help them win the war 26:44 and if they overcame the Turks 26:46 they would give Palestine to the Jews. 26:49 But at the same time 26:50 Lawrence of Arabia, you remember him, 26:54 he was making a deal with the Arabs. 26:57 And he said to the Arabs, 26:58 now if you will help me win this war 27:01 I'll give you Palestine. 27:05 You see both promises could not be kept. 27:09 And so came the Balfour Declaration 27:12 and Palestine was given back, 27:15 Palestine was given back to England. 27:17 And I mean there was a mandate by the League of Nations 27:21 which led by the way, that led to the Triangle War, 1947. 27:27 England, Jews and Arabs. 27:30 England had discussed 27:31 gave Palestine back to the United Nations. 27:34 That was in 1947. 27:35 And the General Assembly made two states in Palestine, 27:38 one Jewish and one Palestinian. 27:43 Now it's heating up. 27:45 A half a century of later follow me closely, 27:48 that led to the '56 war, 1956. 27:51 Then 1967 the Six-day War. 27:54 I mean, that was the greatest triumph 27:55 and the greatest travail of Israel. 27:58 Israel's armies and air force swept over Gaza up to Sinai, 28:02 took the entire West Bank of Jordan 28:05 and the Golan Heights in the north. 28:07 War and terrorism has followed since 28:09 and all the rest is history. 28:11 1960, war, 1970, war, 1980, war, 28:17 1991, almost a war, 2001, on the brink of a war, 28:22 2013, facing the possibility of war with Syrian and Iran 28:27 and the other Arab states 28:29 living under the nuclear threat. 28:35 But Israel still exists. The Palestinians still exist. 28:40 The sons and daughters of Abraham still exist. 28:44 We sometimes forget that he had made that promise. 28:47 He is the miracle of the ages, Jesus Christ. 28:49 He is reliable, Jesus Christ and He tells us, 28:52 "And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people," 28:54 speaking of the Jews. 28:55 "And one of the earth even unto the other." 28:58 Here is the prophecy of God 29:00 and this is exactly what happened. 29:01 I mean it's accurate. It's divine intervention. 29:04 The Jews are a people within a people, 29:06 part of a nation and yet not part of a nation. 29:09 I mean they are persecuted, they are rejected, 29:13 they are scattered for 2,000 years. 29:17 Jerusalem, has been conquered no less than 28 times 29:21 and yet the Jew survives. 29:22 The Carthaginians, they perished, 29:24 the Phoenicians, they perished, the Vandals, they perished. 29:28 Those nations are no more, the Jew survives. 29:30 Why? 29:31 Because God said about these people, 29:34 God said "And I will bring you out from the people, 29:36 I will gather you out of the countries 29:37 wherein ye are scattered, and with a mighty hand, 29:40 will stretch out my arm and with fury poured out." 29:42 He says. 29:43 Fear not for I am with thee, 29:45 I will bring thy seed from the east, 29:46 and gather thee from the west, 29:48 and I will say to the north give up, 29:50 and to the south, 29:51 keep not back, bring my sons from far, 29:54 and my daughters from the ends of the earth." 29:57 1857 unique fulfillment, 300 Jews in Palestine. 30:02 1917, 50,000 Jews in Palestine. 30:06 1950, 650,000 Jews in Palestine. 30:09 1973, 205 million Jews in Palestine. 30:12 1988, three million Jews in Palestine. 30:15 History has borne out. 30:16 1990, four million Jews in Palestine. 30:19 In 2013, there are six million plus Jews in Palestine. 30:24 I will bring thee back from the four corners of the earth. 30:29 Back from eighty countries of the world 30:31 the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 30:34 Listen friend, no coincidence. 30:37 For the first time since Nebuchadnezzar ruled in 569 30:41 there is truly an independent Jewish state in Palestine. 30:46 Follow me. 30:47 The Jews taken into captivity, 30:48 the Jews scattered in 80 nations, 30:51 now comes the change of status 30:53 and here's where the preachers of prophecy fail. 30:56 Here's where those on TV fail 30:58 because they're talking about the literal Jew. 31:01 I want to talk to you about something greater than that. 31:04 I want to talk to you something about cosmic than that. 31:06 I want to talk to you about what God says 31:08 about a new Israel, about a new people, 31:10 a new remnant of God not heir according to Abraham, 31:14 but heir according to the God of Abraham. 31:17 Luke 21, the great prophecy of Luke, 31:21 "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, 31:24 and shall be led away captive into all nations, 31:27 Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, 31:31 until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." 31:35 Now that little word until. Until what? 31:39 Jerusalem will be trodden under foot by the gentiles. 31:42 The word until denotes a change of status. 31:46 Follow me now, in Acts 13 31:50 "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, 31:52 and said, it was necessary the word of God 31:54 should be first have been spoken to you." 31:56 Who? The Gentile. 31:58 And then the Bible says that seeing you put it from, 32:00 or the Jews, put it from you 32:02 and judged yourself unworthy of everlasting life, 32:05 lo we now turn to the Gentiles. 32:07 He said we preached to you, 32:08 we shared the good news 32:10 of the gospel of Jesus Christ to you. 32:12 You have rejected it. 32:13 With the stoning of Stephen you have rejected it. 32:16 He says now, a change of status. 32:19 He says, now, we go to another people. 32:24 That for a moment doesn't say Jews can't be saved, 32:27 but it doesn't mean that because you're a Jew 32:29 you're gonna be saved. 32:32 That doesn't mean a Norwegian can't be saved. 32:41 It has to do not with the blood of Abraham. 32:45 It has to do with the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ 32:48 that we become heirs according to Abraham. 32:50 Come on now, you can give God praise, 32:54 you could give God praise. 32:57 And yet so many people are talking about the Jews, 32:59 the Jews, the Jews. 33:00 They're even trying to build a temple for the Jews. 33:03 You are the temple of the Holy Ghost. 33:08 We don't have to build a temple. 33:10 We're not gonna slay a lamb again. 33:12 Jesus is the lamb slain 33:13 from the foundations of the earth. 33:15 Can you say amen in this place tonight? 33:17 That's until. That's the until, until. 33:23 Now they do survive and I thank God 33:25 and I like to share faith with them 33:27 and I've met many Messianic Jews, 33:29 I've met many people who are coming to know Christ, 33:32 but let me tell you this friend, 33:34 as a believer in the Word of God, 33:36 as a gospel preacher, we cannot, 33:39 we will not be saved 33:41 save for the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. 33:44 And whether He places the blood on a Jew 33:46 or on a Norwegian, it will take the blood. 33:52 They've survived in spite of Masada. 33:54 I know that. 33:55 They survived, the Jewish nation 33:58 they have survived in spite of Masada. 34:00 They have survived in spite of Auschwitz, 34:03 they have survived as a people 34:05 and I thank God for that, but listen to me friend, 34:09 the key to understanding Revelation 34:11 and the people of God. 34:13 What so many interpreters of prophecy fail to see 34:16 they miss the whole point. 34:19 Many interpreters are denying the impact of Revelation 34:21 on contemporary times and contemporary issues. 34:24 Everything for them is capsulated 34:26 in some future event. 34:28 Well, it will come future, it will come antichrist future. 34:34 Listen to me. 34:35 Jesus said at His day 34:37 that there are many among you antichrists. 34:43 I'm gonna speak on the antichrist by the way. 34:45 I'm going to take a whole evening 34:46 to talk on the antichrist. 34:48 I'm going to talk about the beast that 34:50 the Bible says it comes up and power and religious power 34:54 and how that he thinks to change times 34:56 and laws and will persecute 34:59 and I mean I'm gonna talk about those things. 35:02 I'm gonna talk about the tribulation. 35:03 In fact, I'm gonna have advanced, 35:05 three advance seminars in the future 35:10 and on a Saturday morning 35:12 I'm gonna do three seminars on eschatology. 35:15 That's just a big word for last day events 35:19 and we're going to spend some time 35:20 in the Word of God together. 35:22 But listen to me, that last day people, 35:26 like in John's day, the church must choose Christ or Caesar. 35:32 Christ or antichrist. 35:36 When God raises up His new Israel, 35:40 God's people I tell you the war against them. 35:45 The tyrannical leave of government 35:46 will try to pass laws against them 35:51 and they will persecute the church 35:52 as they did in the first century. 35:55 It's not only dealing with future end time events 35:58 but it's speaking about believers today. 35:59 Listen believer, spend time in prayer. 36:02 Listen believer, I want to pour my heart out to you tonight. 36:05 Listen, spend time in prayer. 36:07 Spend time reading the Word of God. 36:10 Spend time texting God. 36:20 You see Revelation is not about an old city with a golden dome. 36:25 It's about a new city called Jerusalem 36:28 that comes down from God out of heaven. 36:30 That's what scripture is about. That God is about to come. 36:33 Revelation's Israel is the people of a new promise, 36:36 a new covenant. 36:37 They are not from the loins of Abraham 36:39 but from the heart and soul of Abraham's Messiah. 36:42 You see through Abraham all nations are blessed, 36:45 but through Jesus Christ all nations are saved. 36:52 That's why the Bible says, "This gospel of the kingdom 36:55 shall be preached in all the world." 36:56 Gospel is good news. It's good news. 36:59 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, 37:02 there is neither bond nor free, 37:04 there is neither male nor female, 37:07 for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." 37:11 Why don't they tell you that? 37:22 Tyrants come and go 37:25 but God's word stands fast forever and ever. 37:31 The hope of God is found in His word. 37:33 It stands fast. It changes lives. 37:38 It changes lives. 37:40 It makes sons of anarchy children of God. 37:45 It makes gang bangers children of God. 37:50 It makes prostitutes children of God. 37:53 I makes-- I was invited to go to Harlem 37:55 and preach my brother and sisters up in Harlem, 37:59 they said would you like to come up. 38:00 I said, Yes. 38:01 It was during the time of black power. 38:02 Remember back there in the 70s 38:05 and I was the only white man in Harlem 38:07 you know and I was preaching. 38:08 But I always carry my Bible with me. 38:10 If they shot me they had to go through Genesis, Exodus, 38:13 Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. 38:16 And so I went up to Harlem 38:17 and they invited me to this beautiful church, 38:21 my wife and I and my two children. 38:23 They were always a part of my team. 38:25 We were always together and I remember 38:29 the first night of that meeting, 38:31 I'm standing up to preaching 38:32 and in walks this beautiful black woman 38:35 but she had one of these Afros, 38:37 remember those Afros, remember those big Afros? 38:40 But the difference was it was a gold Afro. 38:45 It was a gold Afro. 38:48 And right away you know I taught homiletics 38:51 in three seminaries in three universities 38:53 and I always taught my students 38:55 don't look at the same people all the time. 38:57 They think you're preaching at them. 38:59 So here I am trying not to look at the gold Afro. 39:04 I mean everywhere I go, there's the gold Afro, I mean, 39:08 I'd turn around, oh, there's the gold Afro 39:12 and I'm caught up in the Spirit and the gold Afro. 39:19 I finally got through the sermon 39:22 and I went to the back to greet people. 39:26 I tried that last night. I ran around the building. 39:29 By the time I got there, 39:30 they had to give me mouth to mouth resuscitation. 39:34 So if you want to meet me, 39:35 meet me up front all right, anyway. 39:39 It's not that I don't love you 39:40 but I want to live through this thing. 39:43 So after the meeting I got back there. 39:45 I wanted to shake hands with the people. 39:46 Beautiful people, 39:47 most beautiful and wonderful people 39:48 I've ever met were there in Harlem. 39:49 I mean they came out in January. 39:51 They came out in snow storms. 39:53 I mean the church was packed full. 39:55 I mean rain didn't stop them. 39:58 Mugging didn't stop them. 40:02 They took subways, buses to get there. 40:07 And so I'm preaching away and after that 40:09 I'm greeting the people and she comes, Goldie. 40:12 I shake her hand and I say hi, I'm Ron, she says I'm Goldie. 40:15 I said Oh, perfect. 40:20 I mean, that's absolutely perfect. 40:23 I said I'm so happy to meet you, Goldie. 40:26 And she smiled and she started out 40:28 and a deacon came over and he says, 40:30 you know who she is? 40:32 I said yeah, keeping you in suspense, that's Goldie. 40:38 He said that's right. 40:39 She's the prostitute from 145th Street, Amsterdam Avenue. 40:43 Now I don't know how the deacon knew that. 40:59 But he wanted me to know it. 41:00 So me being who I am, you know, I'm happy in the Lord. 41:07 I said oh, wow? I couldn't sleep that night. 41:10 My wife had to beat me to bed, I mean. 41:12 And I'm praying for Goldie. 41:13 I said it didn't matter if anyone else came back, 41:17 please bring Goldie. 41:19 Next night there she came. That big beautiful gold Afro. 41:24 Sat down. Night after night. 41:26 One night she was going out and I said hi, Goldie. 41:28 I'm going to come visit you. Her head fell. 41:35 She says no pastor, I'll come here. 41:36 I said oh no, Jesus never said 41:38 meet me at the office at 2 o'clock. 41:42 These new professional ministers. 41:45 I'll meet you at 3-- let me see my calendar 41:47 and see if I can fit you in. 41:50 I said, no I got to visit you. I'll come. 41:52 She said but I live where I work 41:53 and I work where I live. 41:57 So I said oh I'll be there. 41:59 She gave me her address and I said 42:00 its Thursday afternoon 2 o'clock. 42:02 She said that's as good as anything. 42:05 So on the way home I broke the news to me wife. 42:07 I said Honey, I'm going on Thursday 42:09 to the house of prostitution 42:10 on 145th Street, Amsterdam Avenue. 42:16 I said would you like to come? She says, yes. 42:25 See you still can laugh and go to heaven. 42:29 And so I'm rejoicing. 42:30 I can't wait till Thursday afternoon. 42:33 Two o'clock my wife drives me. 42:34 My wife drives me everywhere. 42:36 In fact, I don't drive hardly. My wife drives. 42:40 So if you see me in a car relaxed, 42:42 my wife is driving. 42:43 Last month she drove 9,000 miles with me. 42:46 She drove me. So she drives in Harlem. 42:49 We have to triple park. 42:51 Anybody from Harlem? Anybody here from Harlem? 42:54 Okay, you know what I'm talking about. 42:57 You triple park. So she parked. 43:01 I said Honey, I'll be right out. 43:03 I'm just going for a little visit 43:04 and pray for me. 43:08 I took my Bible, ran up the stairs down the hall 43:12 and the customers were waiting. 43:15 Here I am the only white guy in Harlem. 43:19 Come on now because I love everybody. 43:22 You're all my brothers. 43:23 You can't come to Christ and not love everybody. 43:26 So here I am. 43:27 And they say, hey man, where you going? 43:34 I said, I'm going to see Goldie. 43:38 They said, Yeah man so are we. 43:41 I loved that moment. I says, but I'm a preacher. 43:45 That got them nervous. I knocked on the door. 43:53 She said, who is it? I said, Pastor Ron. 43:58 Wait a few minutes, pastor. 44:01 So I waited. 44:02 The customer came out and I went in. 44:03 What do you do? What do you talk about? 44:08 The deep things of life? No. 44:13 What do you talk about? 44:17 The judgment? No. 44:20 What do you preach? You don't preach. 44:23 I said Honey, tell me your story. 44:30 And she says, you know preacher, 44:33 when I was a little girl 44:34 I learned in Sunday school a song. 44:38 Jesus Loves Me, this I know. 44:43 She says, you know pastor, she says all my life 44:46 I've had that song echoing and reechoing in my mind even 44:50 when I'm doing this for a living. 44:54 I said, that's a fact. 44:57 Jesus loves you, Goldie, with an eternal love. 45:04 Love Him back. 45:05 She said I don't know how to love. 45:09 I don't know how to love. I said, let's kneel here. 45:14 I mean, it's a bed, big bed nothing hardly. 45:19 So I knelt beside the bed and Goldie knelt with me. 45:24 And I said Goldie, pray. 45:25 She said I don't know how to pray. 45:26 I said just talk to God like you would a friend. 45:29 why is it with religious people 45:31 when you pray you've got these almighty God, 45:33 Thou in the heavens and earth and yea, nay, though I talk. 45:37 What is that all about? 45:39 You don't talk to a friend like that. 45:40 Hey nay, friend. 45:47 The higher the church the larger your words, come on. 45:50 I said, just talk to Him like you would a friend. 45:53 She prayed the most beautiful prayer 45:54 I've ever heard this side of heaven. 45:58 And when she got through with her prayer 46:01 I shared with her the good news that heaven is a free gift. 46:07 You don't earn it, nor do you deserve it. 46:09 And I asked if she would like to give her heart to Christ? 46:12 And there by that bed at 145th Street Amsterdam Avenue 46:16 this woman gave her life to Jesus Christ. 46:23 You say Brother Halverson, 46:25 that's just emotionalism, that don't work. 46:27 She became a Bible worker 46:31 and she's won 100s of people to the Lord Jesus Christ 46:34 and was faithful till her death. 46:41 Why do we talk about prophecy? 46:44 Because Jesus Christ is the greatest of all prophets. 46:49 And because the Bible tells us that things are wrapping up. 46:54 This book is still a light unto our path, 46:56 this book is still the book of God for us. 46:59 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, 47:01 but holy men of God spake as they were" what? 47:04 "Moved by the Holy Ghost." 47:06 My Bible tells me from ancient history 47:09 in Matthew 24 47:11 "Therefore be ye also ready, 47:13 for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." 47:17 Listen carefully, take heed, take warning. 47:22 Wake up to the possibility that this seed, 47:27 this seed born in a manger, 47:30 this seed who came from the womb 47:33 of a woman called Mary. 47:35 Don't you ever belittle that woman? 47:38 If you preexisted your mother 47:41 what kind of mother would you choose? 47:46 And she bore herself a Son. 47:50 Thou shalt call his name Jesus. 47:53 The seed born in Roman tyranny and Jewish bigotry 47:58 would live to become the Savior of the world. 48:02 He would hang upon the cross and say to the world 48:05 Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. 48:08 Messiah of the new heirs of Abraham, spiritual Israel. 48:13 Those who have a covenant in the blood of Christ. 48:16 You tonight can be heir according to Abraham. 48:22 You tonight can be Israel. 48:26 You tonight can be a remnant. 48:31 "Here is the patience of the saints, 48:33 here are they that keep the commandments of God, 48:35 and the faith in Jesus." 48:36 You see the Middle East 48:37 conflict is cosmic in its scope. 48:41 What happens in the Middle East is cosmic, 48:43 not something that happens just in a little piece of land 48:47 but in the hearts of those for the future. 48:50 Jesus Christ is the Man of Revelation. 48:53 Don't tell me we can't study the Book of Revelation 48:56 because we want to know about Jesus. 48:58 You know more about Jesus studying the Book of Revelation 49:01 for He is the One, Jesus Christ is the One 49:04 reaches out to us and He is the God of glory. 49:08 John sees vision of love, he sees a vision of justice, 49:12 and he sees a vision of hope 49:14 that this new people emerges from the fire, 49:18 these people emerge the saints of God 49:21 singed in fire, 49:22 trampled under the feet of godless 49:24 but emerging forever the saints of God. 49:27 Revelation is about a God who fulfills His promise, 49:31 the promise that was made to Abraham, 49:32 then the promise was made to you and I 49:37 "That there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, 49:41 there is neither woman nor male 49:43 but we are all one in Jesus Christ." 49:47 Galatians 3:28. John looked out over Patmos. 49:53 That Patmos was the place of persecution 49:56 and it was the place of death. 49:58 "John sees the sealed ones 49:59 the 144,000 like sands of the sea 50:02 who are the people of God. 50:03 And they over came him by the blood of the Lamb, 50:06 and by the word of their testimony 50:07 and they loved not their lives even unto death." 50:10 The Bible teaches us that we will not fail under God. 50:14 They overcame Him by the blood of Jesus Christ. 50:18 We overcome 666. We overcome the antichrist. 50:21 We overcome the evil of deception 50:24 and the conspiracy of the last days 50:26 because they are the people of God. 50:28 They are the people of God. We will not fail. 50:31 I am with you what? Always. 50:34 During World War II you remember Churchill 50:36 that great statesman. 50:37 And Churchill, he wanted his people 50:40 to understand that God was with them. 50:43 And you recall that prime minister 50:45 that 350,000 troops remember were pushed back in Europe 50:49 and then they came from England, 50:50 took them back, 350,000 people. 50:52 They were redeemed from Europe and they had their feet on-- 50:56 the English people were euphoric. 50:58 They thought this is great. 50:59 Churchill stood up at the house of Commons, 51:01 he said wars are not won by evacuation. 51:04 It was considered the finest speech of 1,000 years. 51:07 Many said the speech was worth a 1,000 guns. 51:10 Typically stoic Englishmen wept and listened to him, 51:13 "We shall not flag not fail. 51:15 We shall go on to the end. 51:16 We shall fight in France and we shall fight on the seas 51:19 and we shall fight on the oceans 51:21 and fight with growing confidence 51:22 and growing strength in the air. 51:24 We shall defend our island whatever the cost. 51:27 We shall fight in the fields and the streets. 51:30 We shall never surrender!" 51:33 And I say to you tonight here in this place 51:36 you must have that fortitude, 51:38 you must stand up for God and say, 51:41 we will never surrender. 51:46 In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. 52:07 Good evening, everyone. I'm John Bradshaw. 52:09 Glad to be answering your Bible questions tonight. 52:12 We'll go to the Word of God and find answers that matter 52:16 and that are going to be a blessing to our life. 52:18 Okay. 52:19 Now here's a Bible question we're gonna take a look at. 52:21 It's a good one. 52:22 "I've heard a lot of explanations 52:24 for some prophecies that don't seem to make sense. 52:27 How can I know who to trust?" Now there's a question. 52:32 I've heard some explanations for prophesies 52:35 that don't seem to make sense either. 52:39 If you go back in time, you remember hearing 52:42 that the beast of Bible prophecy 52:44 was a computer in Belgium. 52:47 You've heard about that, right? 52:48 Now, Brussels, the nerve center of the European community 52:54 and somewhere in the basement of the UN 52:56 building was a great big computer 52:58 and the computer was called the beast 53:00 and so I'm not quite sure what actually 53:04 because it doesn't make any sense at all today. 53:07 It didn't make a lot of sense then 53:08 but somebody said it and we who didn't know 53:10 a whole lot better just thought well 53:12 that must be the way it is. 53:13 You know what's important? 53:15 Is if you read the Bible for yourself. 53:19 Regarding a computer being the beast 53:21 the Bible doesn't talk about the mark of the computer. 53:24 The Bible talks about the mark of the beast 53:25 and nowhere in the Bible 53:26 does the Bible say a beast is a computer. 53:29 But this was a commonly believed idea 53:33 for a good period of time. 53:35 And then when people talked about the antichrist 53:37 they said well the antichrist is going to be Henry Kissinger. 53:40 And there were various reasons 53:42 as to why the antichrist was Henry Kissinger. 53:44 Then they said, well, years ago, 53:45 in fact, Adolph Hitler. 53:46 And you can understand why they might have thought 53:50 Adolph Hitler was the antichrist 53:51 as he was the personification of evil. 53:53 But no, Adolph Hitler 53:54 wasn't the antichrist of Bible prophecy 53:56 even though he was a dark, dark figure. 54:01 But more recently they said 54:02 the antichrist that's Mikhail Gorbachev. 54:05 Remember him the premier of the Soviet Union. 54:08 Because he had a mark on his forehead, 54:10 sort of a port wine stain, a birth mark. 54:13 And they said, well a mark on your forehead. 54:16 Gorby has to be the antichrist. 54:18 But he wasn't and he isn't. 54:20 And so they said it to Ronald Reagan 54:21 and you know why, right? 54:23 His name was Ronald Reagan. 54:24 Do you know his middle name? 54:26 Ronald Reagan's middle name was Wilson. 54:29 Ronald, R-O-N-A-L-D, six letters 54:33 Wilson, W-I-L-S-O-N, six letters six, six. 54:39 Does it hold true for Reagan? Yes it does. 54:41 Ronald Wilson Reagan, six, six, six. 54:46 Now that's a whale of a coincidence 54:48 but it's not a good way to study Bible prophecy. 54:51 Poor old Ronald Reagan wasn't the antichrist. 54:54 I have been to his graveside because it is very near 54:59 where I live and I've been there 55:02 and taken a look at his final resting place 55:04 and there's nothing about it that suggests he was 55:08 or possible ever could be the antichrist. 55:12 King Juan Carlos of Spain, antichrist. 55:14 Some people said Prince Charles. 55:17 No joke. 55:18 The antichrist of Bible prophecy 55:20 that's what they said. 55:21 Now it's worse than a joke because a joke is harmless. 55:24 This is harmful if it leads people astray. 55:26 And I mean, no disrespect to you 55:28 if you ever believed that 55:29 or even if you believe it today. 55:31 These are strange explanations 55:33 that you don't find supported by the Bible. 55:37 So our questioner asked I don't know who to trust. 55:40 I'll tell you who to trust. Trust the Bible. 55:44 Trust Jesus if you're looking for who. 55:47 Trust the Holy Spirit. 55:49 Now that's somebody you can really, really trust. 55:53 There are going to be different interpretations, 55:55 fanciful interpretations, floating here and there 55:57 and the truth is we can listen now and say Ronald Reagan? 56:01 That doesn't seem to make sense. 56:04 Let me challenge that idea a little bit. 56:06 What if somebody spoke about 56:07 an interpretation to Bible prophecy 56:09 that to you didn't make a lot of sense. 56:13 Is that any reason to dismiss it? 56:15 Well, maybe not. 56:17 Maybe what you need to do 56:18 is go to the Bible, study the Bible 56:21 and see if the Bible supports the idea or not. 56:25 Because I'm certain there are some things 56:27 that you might discover in the Word of God 56:28 that might not depending on who you are, 56:31 where you're from, what your background is, 56:33 make a lot of sense to you, so at least not at first. 56:38 So go to the Bible. That's what you can trust. 56:41 Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, 56:43 that's who you can trust. 56:45 Let people say what they need to say, that's okay. 56:48 But let's be certain that when it comes to something 56:51 as important as understanding 56:53 the prophecies of the Bible 56:54 that we purpose in our hearts 56:56 that we will follow the leading of God 56:58 as revealed in the scriptures. 57:01 That's the safe, the only, safe way to go. 57:25 It Is Written, is dedicated 57:27 to sharing the gospel around the world. 57:29 To discover more about It Is Written, 57:31 I invite you to visit our website, itiswritten.com 57:34 and browse the dozens of pages 57:36 that describe what we do and how we do it. 57:39 Let's get to know each other better. 57:40 Visit our website, itiswritten.com today. |
Revised 2014-12-18