Well welcome to 3ABN
2013 Spring Camp Meeting.
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And hello to you, Richard.
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I just wanted to ask
you: did you all notice
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on that open at the end
where the little yellow fish
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jumps up out of the water?
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You know, some people
think that we added that
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by some kind of video
magic, but it's not true.
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Tom Mann took that
picture - he was filming that -
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at his own back pond, and
just as he was finishing up
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this big yellow koi
jumps up and flops back down
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into the water. And we
thought "How perfect is that? "
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God is so nice.
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Well, we are so
excited. We want to welcome
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the viewers from around
the world who are tuning in
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for Camp Meeting. We had a
great start to Camp Meeting
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last night and have
some great programs for you.
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We're going to be
worshiping in the Word.
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And this morning we
will be talking about
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The Joy of
Investigative Judgment.
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Now when I have shared
that title with many people
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their reaction is often: "Hmmm!
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The Joy of
Investigative Judgment? "
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And I have to tell you:
there are many, many wonderful
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teachers on 3ABN
who teach on prophecy.
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And they have such experience
and they're so good at it.
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I'm not one of them.
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I have only taught on the
Investigative Judgment once
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in my life.
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And this isn't what I
intended to do for Camp Meeting.
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But just at the last moment
when we had to give a title
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on what we were going to
speak on so it could be printed
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in the bulletin, I thought
I knew what I would talk on
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and suddenly the Lord
impressed me to speak on
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The Joy of
Investigative Judgment.
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So that's what
we're going to do today
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and I'll have the pleasure
of bringing you a Bible study.
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But before we do
that we have with us today
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Celestine Berry, who
is one of our locals.
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She goes to the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist church.
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She has a beautiful
voice... a gift from the Lord.
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And she's going to be
singing "Forgive Me. "
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And her husband, Michael,
will be accompanying her
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on the piano.
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Like many waterfalls I cried,
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like something
deep inside has died.
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All the hurt,
the guilt, the pain
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to know I broke
Your heart again.
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Like a hurricane that blows
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A thunder storm inside my soul.
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And can You speak into the wind
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and renew my life again?
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Forgive me, I have sinned,
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I am guilty of the
nails that pierced Your hands.
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Oh, I'm crying now.
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Purify,
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rid me of this
guiltiness I feel inside.
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I'm begging: please forgive me.
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I can't describe
what's in my soul.
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I feel ashamed to let You know:
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all the burden all the weight
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that I've carried
from that... that day.
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But You were
there... You saw it all:
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every deed tho' great and small.
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And yet You
love me just the same
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'cause You
remind me that You came.
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And Lord, You
came to forgive me.
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'Cause I have sinned.
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I am guilty of the nails
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that pierced Your hands.
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Oh, I'm crying now.
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Purify, rid me of the barrenness
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I feel inside.
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I'm begging please
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create in me a clean heart;
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renew my spirit, too.
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Restore to me
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joy with joy
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makes me more like You...
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more like You.
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Yes, forgive me.
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I have sinned.
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I am guilty of the nails
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that pierced Your hands.
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Oh, I'm crying now.
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Purify,
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rid me of this
brokenness I feel inside.
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Oh, I'm begging this.
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Forgive me; I have sinned.
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I am guilty of the nails
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that pierced Your hands.
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I know I'm guilty... I'm guilty.
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Oh, and I cry out:
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Purify and heal me
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of this
brokenness I feel inside.
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In faithfulness
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You hear my pleas.
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In faithfulness
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You forgive me.
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Jesus
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You forgive
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me.
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Oh thank you Celestine.
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Well once again good morning
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and if you're tuning in
late welcome to 3ABN's 2013
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Spring Camp Meeting.
We are coming to you live
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from Thompsonville, Illinois.
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And it's just a joy to be here.
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I have to tell
you first and foremost
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that I love you.
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I may not have even met you
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but... this is
no credit to me...
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this is something that before I
speak I pray and I ask the Lord
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to fill my heart with love
for my brothers and sisters.
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And that's the only
way we can love one another
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as we love ourself
is to open our heart up
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and let God to
do an action in us.
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Is that not correct? Amen.
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Well this morning as I said
we're going to be speaking on
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The Joy of
Investigative Judgment.
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And this lesson I'm
just going to tell you
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I didn't study all the
way through on judgment.
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A couple of days ago was
studying this out and thought
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I knew which
direction I was going in.
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And then it got switched
up, and what I'm going to do
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is I'm going to
make you a pledge.
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Normally I come out here and
I know I've got x amount of time
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to get something done and I
just go for it 90 miles an hour.
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Today we're going to slow
down 'cause I want you to look
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in the scriptures with me.
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And because I have part
1 and part 2 that will be
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finished up tomorrow afternoon
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then we're just going to go
till we run out of time today,
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and then whatever we
don't finish we'll do tomorrow.
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I may not get to present
everything on all the judgments
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but I hope... and
my prayer is this...
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that when we conclude
with these two presentations
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that the investigative
judgment will be something
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that brings joy to your
heart rather than dread.
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Let's pray. Heavenly Father,
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we come in the name of Jesus
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and Lord, just come before
You to surrender right now.
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Father, this is something
that I believe that You have led
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in preparation. And I
ask, Father, that You will
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now anoint my lips.
Help me to get out of the way
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and I pray You'll send Your
Holy Spirit to be our teacher.
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And Father, I pray that You
will give us all ears to hear
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what the Holy Spirit has to say.
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Help me, Lord, to
make this message clear
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by the power of Your Spirit.
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Father, we are so grateful
for Your gifts of grace.
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We are so grateful for our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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We are so grateful for
Your Holy Spirit and Your Word.
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And now Lord, we
dedicate this time to You
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to bring glory to You.
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In the name of
Jesus, Amen. Amen!
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What I'd like to do
is... Why don't you open up
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your Bibles to the first
book of the Bible: Genesis.
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Because in the
opening book of the Bible
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there is a
pattern of God's behavior
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that is established. And I want
to show you several examples
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and see if we can identify
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what this behavior is.
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Let's look at Genesis
3... Genesis chapter 3.
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We're going to begin in verse 7.
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This is after Adam and
Eve had fallen from grace.
00:11:21.81\00:11:26.53
They had disobeyed God...
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eaten from the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil.
00:11:28.72\00:11:33.31
And when they did
the Shekinah glory -
00:11:33.71\00:11:37.18
the covering,
God's light covering -
00:11:37.38\00:11:39.72
had gone away from them
and they found themselves naked
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in their shame.
And you know what?
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We're all naked before the Lord.
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I mean, our sin just
makes us naked before the Lord,
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doesn't it? Until we get
the robe of righteousness.
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So after their disobedience
they are hiding from God's
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presence. And let's look at...
actually we're going to begin
00:11:58.91\00:12:01.33
in verse 9.
Genesis 3 and verse 9.
00:12:01.43\00:12:03.73
"And the Lord called to Adam
00:12:04.13\00:12:06.58
and He said to
him: 'Where are you? ' "
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Do you think God
knew where Adam was?
00:12:09.88\00:12:12.00
"So he said... " Adam
said... 'I heard Your voice
00:12:12.20\00:12:15.78
in the garden. I was
afraid because I was naked
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and I hid myself. ' "
00:12:18.25\00:12:19.70
And then God says:
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.91
"Who told you
that you were naked?
00:12:22.11\00:12:24.85
Have you eaten from the
tree of which I commanded you
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that you should not eat? "
00:12:28.46\00:12:29.99
"And the man said:
'that woman You gave me
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to be with me, she's the
one that gave me of the tree
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and I ate. ' And the
Lord said to the woman:
00:12:37.44\00:12:40.28
'What is this you have done? '
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The woman said:
'Oh, it's that serpent
00:12:43.30\00:12:46.00
who deceived me and I ate. ' "
00:12:46.11\00:12:48.45
So the Lord is
asking: Where are you?
00:12:48.75\00:12:52.06
Who told you you were naked?
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Have you eaten of the
tree which I commanded you
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not to eat? Did God know
the answers to these questions?
00:12:57.58\00:13:00.39
And then He said: "What
is this you have done? "
00:13:00.69\00:13:03.52
Why is God coming to
them with these questions?
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He's a righteous
Judge and a loving Creator.
00:13:08.76\00:13:12.53
He's testing their hearts
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and He knew the
answers before He asked.
00:13:15.75\00:13:19.24
And what does God
do? He judges the sin
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and He redeems the sinners.
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He curses the
serpent; He curses the ground.
00:13:26.30\00:13:29.89
But for Adam and
Eve He makes a sacrifice
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of a lamb so that
their nakedness and the shame
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of their
nakedness may be covered.
00:13:37.84\00:13:39.97
Now, let's look
at a second example.
00:13:40.48\00:13:42.91
Turn to Genesis 4.
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We're going to try to
figure out: what is this pattern
00:13:46.19\00:13:48.83
of God's
behavior. Genesis 4 verse 9.
00:13:48.93\00:13:54.52
This is the
story of Cain and Abel.
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They both brought
offerings to the Lord.
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They knew about
the sacrificial system.
00:14:01.77\00:14:04.18
Abel brings the
offering that God asks for:
00:14:04.48\00:14:08.41
the offering of blood.
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.44
Cain? He thinks: "No, I'll
worship God in my own way. "
00:14:10.64\00:14:13.63
He brings an
offering from the ground...
00:14:13.93\00:14:17.43
something that he has harvested.
00:14:17.64\00:14:20.43
And the Lord knows
that Cain has murdered
00:14:20.84\00:14:25.78
Abel... his righteous brother.
00:14:26.08\00:14:28.96
Because he was
angry that God accepted
00:14:29.26\00:14:32.06
Abel's sacrifice
but God rejected his.
00:14:32.26\00:14:37.06
So the Lord says to Cain:
00:14:37.36\00:14:39.16
"Where is Abel your brother? "
00:14:39.36\00:14:42.20
Cain says: "I do not know.
Am I my brother's keeper? "
00:14:42.50\00:14:46.43
And He said... God said:
00:14:47.39\00:14:49.92
"What have you done?
00:14:50.13\00:14:51.81
The voice of your
brother's blood cries out to Me
00:14:52.11\00:14:55.49
from the ground. "
What is God doing here?
00:14:55.59\00:14:58.36
He presents the true
nature of Cain's sins to him
00:14:58.66\00:15:03.11
in a loving attempt to get Cain
00:15:03.41\00:15:07.49
to repent and turn back to Him.
00:15:07.69\00:15:09.47
But unlike his parents
who were hiding in shame
00:15:09.67\00:15:13.83
of their sin
Cain has no remorse.
00:15:14.03\00:15:16.59
And so then God makes a judgment
00:15:17.93\00:15:21.90
and the curse for the first
time of God falls upon a man.
00:15:22.20\00:15:26.38
Now let's look at Genesis 18
00:15:27.43\00:15:29.45
and we're going to
begin with verse 20.
00:15:29.85\00:15:33.24
Genesis 18 and verse 20.
00:15:34.13\00:15:37.65
So we see that God
is coming with questions
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.96
to these people.
00:15:42.16\00:15:43.53
Now this is the story
of Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:15:43.59\00:15:46.67
We'll begin
Genesis 18 and verse 20.
00:15:47.07\00:15:49.99
"The Lord said:
'Because the outcry against
00:15:51.11\00:15:54.30
Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
because their sin is very grave,
00:15:54.50\00:15:58.75
I will go down now
00:15:58.95\00:16:02.33
and see whether
they have done altogether
00:16:02.53\00:16:05.83
according to the outcry
against it that has come to Me
00:16:06.03\00:16:08.97
and if not I will know. ' "
00:16:09.17\00:16:11.33
What is God coming down to do?
00:16:11.53\00:16:13.44
To investigate.
00:16:13.74\00:16:15.74
"Then the men turned away from
there and went toward Sodom.
00:16:16.93\00:16:20.02
But Abraham
stood before the Lord,
00:16:20.22\00:16:22.39
And Abraham came near and said:
00:16:22.69\00:16:24.75
'Will You also destroy the
righteous with the wicked? ' "
00:16:24.95\00:16:29.22
Ah, Abraham knew
the answer to that.
00:16:29.52\00:16:31.89
A righteous God will
not destroy the righteous.
00:16:32.19\00:16:36.43
But he said: "Suppose there are
50 righteous within the city.
00:16:36.63\00:16:39.45
Would You destroy the
place and not spare it for the
00:16:40.58\00:16:43.20
50 righteous that were in it? "
00:16:43.30\00:16:44.87
What does God
say? "Of course not. "
00:16:45.07\00:16:46.79
"I will spare it.
It won't destroy it
00:16:47.00\00:16:49.65
if there's 50 righteous. "
00:16:49.75\00:16:51.12
Of course then he goes on -
00:16:51.21\00:16:55.29
Abraham - and he says:
"Well what if there's 45? "
00:16:55.49\00:16:57.90
"What if there's 40?
" "What if there's 30? "
00:16:58.10\00:16:59.57
"What if there's 20? "
And then it comes down...
00:16:59.77\00:17:02.74
"What if there's 10? "
00:17:02.84\00:17:04.36
And God said: "I
will not destroy it
00:17:05.91\00:17:09.02
for the sake of 10 righteous. "
00:17:09.22\00:17:11.56
And verse 33 says:
"So the Lord went His way
00:17:11.96\00:17:16.08
as soon as He
finished speaking with Abraham
00:17:16.28\00:17:18.20
and Abraham
returned to his place. "
00:17:18.50\00:17:21.75
We see here that a righteous
God came down to investigate
00:17:23.16\00:17:27.53
the sin and the
outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:17:27.73\00:17:31.36
And what is the result?
00:17:31.66\00:17:33.40
He doesn't find
10 righteous people.
00:17:34.24\00:17:36.96
But what does He
do with righteous Lot
00:17:37.26\00:17:41.26
and those who
will follow Him out?
00:17:41.57\00:17:44.04
He saves them. He
redeems the righteous
00:17:44.34\00:17:47.94
but He destroys the wicked.
00:17:48.14\00:17:50.50
Now we're going to stop
with these three examples.
00:17:51.60\00:17:54.25
But what are these examples of?
00:17:54.45\00:17:57.72
"Where are you? "
"What have you done? "
00:17:58.03\00:18:00.39
"Who told you you were naked? "
00:18:00.49\00:18:02.12
"Where is your brother? "
00:18:02.42\00:18:03.85
"Let me see if I can go
down and investigate and find
00:18:04.15\00:18:07.66
even 10 righteous. "
What are these examples of?
00:18:07.86\00:18:11.81
The
Investigative Judgment of God.
00:18:12.89\00:18:16.07
A pattern is established
00:18:16.37\00:18:18.47
right in the
first book of the Bible
00:18:18.67\00:18:22.27
and it continues...
boy, just read Revelation.
00:18:22.57\00:18:26.90
It continues all the
way to the end of the Bible
00:18:27.20\00:18:30.02
that God investigates
the sins of His people.
00:18:30.32\00:18:35.76
And it results...
God's investigation
00:18:35.96\00:18:38.80
results in
redemption for the righteous.
00:18:39.00\00:18:42.88
Of course it's followed
by condemnation for those
00:18:43.84\00:18:47.16
who are rebellious
and who are wicked.
00:18:47.37\00:18:49.86
And it is then followed
by an executive judgment
00:18:50.06\00:18:53.79
that carries out the
destruction of the wicked.
00:18:53.99\00:18:56.01
But we see this pattern
repeated again and again.
00:18:56.31\00:18:59.57
The
investigative judgment of God
00:18:59.98\00:19:03.62
we're going to look in a moment
at how He had this investigative
00:19:03.82\00:19:08.69
judgment of His old covenant
people - ancient Israel -
00:19:08.79\00:19:14.44
but God also has an
investigative judgment
00:19:14.74\00:19:18.72
for His new covenant people.
00:19:18.92\00:19:22.25
And I am here to
assert that it absolutely
00:19:22.55\00:19:26.44
must take place before
the advent of Jesus Christ...
00:19:26.64\00:19:31.84
before His second coming.
00:19:32.04\00:19:34.24
It is a pre-advent
investigative judgment.
00:19:34.54\00:19:38.52
And someone who's
watching might say:
00:19:38.83\00:19:41.35
"How can you know
that for certain? "
00:19:41.55\00:19:43.18
I'm just going to
give you one reference.
00:19:43.28\00:19:45.26
There's many... but let's look.
00:19:45.46\00:19:47.37
Turn to Revelation chapter 22.
00:19:47.57\00:19:50.90
As the time of the
end is drawing to a close
00:19:51.31\00:19:56.83
Jesus has sent His angel
to give John the Revelation
00:19:58.20\00:20:03.84
of Jesus Christ.
00:20:04.14\00:20:06.28
The unveiling of Jesus.
And when we read Revelation
00:20:07.49\00:20:11.53
we should see
Jesus on every page.
00:20:11.73\00:20:14.08
In every symbol it's all
coming to that culmination
00:20:14.28\00:20:18.78
of what Christ
did for us as Redeemer
00:20:18.98\00:20:21.59
and the plan of
salvation by grace.
00:20:21.89\00:20:24.17
But Revelation 22... the
last book of the Bible...
00:20:24.47\00:20:27.74
the angel stands up
and says: "He who is unjust
00:20:30.63\00:20:35.88
let him be unjust still.
00:20:36.08\00:20:39.26
He who is filthy
let him be filthy still.
00:20:39.46\00:20:41.79
He who is righteous
let him be righteous still.
00:20:42.19\00:20:46.13
He who is holy let
him be holy still. "
00:20:46.43\00:20:50.79
What does this mean?
00:20:51.19\00:20:52.83
The end of probation.
This is where probation ends,
00:20:54.00\00:20:58.33
and it's right
before Jesus comes
00:20:58.83\00:21:01.78
because now
Jesus says in verse 12:
00:21:01.98\00:21:03.95
"And behold I am coming quickly
00:21:04.15\00:21:07.62
and My reward is with Me
00:21:07.82\00:21:11.99
to give everyone
according to his works. "
00:21:12.29\00:21:16.68
If Jesus is
bringing His reward with Him,
00:21:16.99\00:21:20.99
if He is coming down to
resurrect all the righteous
00:21:21.19\00:21:26.07
in that first resurrection,
00:21:26.27\00:21:27.98
there has to be a judgment
- an investigative judgment -
00:21:28.28\00:21:33.20
that has already
taken place in heaven.
00:21:33.51\00:21:35.68
It's not that Jesus is in
the air and going: "Eeny, meeny,
00:21:36.80\00:21:39.72
miny, mo. "
00:21:39.92\00:21:41.29
It's not that when He's coming
He's saying to His angels:
00:21:42.67\00:21:45.67
"OK, gather this one,
this one, this one. " No!
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.36
The ones who are alive
already have the mark of God
00:21:47.66\00:21:51.31
on their forehead, right?
00:21:51.51\00:21:53.19
So there is this pre-advent
investigative judgment
00:21:53.59\00:21:58.14
that happens in heaven
00:21:58.34\00:22:00.01
and then Christ
comes to execute it.
00:22:00.31\00:22:04.40
Revelation 14:7-
00:22:05.65\00:22:08.11
you all are familiar with this -
00:22:08.21\00:22:09.58
this is the
first angel's message
00:22:09.66\00:22:12.59
of the three angels' messages.
00:22:12.80\00:22:15.14
And I have to tell
you something funny.
00:22:15.44\00:22:16.96
Recently one of the
local people here...
00:22:17.36\00:22:19.97
And I confess, before
I started watching 3ABN
00:22:20.27\00:22:24.36
if somebody had said
three angels' messages to me
00:22:24.56\00:22:27.40
it wouldn't have
made a lick of sense.
00:22:27.80\00:22:29.76
See, I grew up in
the Church of Christ.
00:22:30.06\00:22:31.43
We weren't even allowed to
study the book of Revelation.
00:22:31.53\00:22:34.87
And then as I
studied my way out of that
00:22:35.27\00:22:39.42
there's many
things the Lord taught me.
00:22:39.62\00:22:41.45
But boy I was clueless
when it came to prophecy
00:22:41.75\00:22:44.53
because I didn't understand
that Daniel unlocked Revelation.
00:22:44.83\00:22:47.71
So if someone had said something
about the three angels' messages
00:22:48.01\00:22:50.94
yes, I'd read Revelation
several times, but it didn't
00:22:51.04\00:22:53.68
stand out to me. I
didn't understand it.
00:22:53.78\00:22:56.42
And one of the
locals recently said:
00:22:56.72\00:22:59.10
"Yeah, Danny and his
two brothers started that
00:22:59.40\00:23:02.38
and it's pretty prideful
that they would call themselves
00:23:02.58\00:23:06.89
the three angels. "
00:23:06.99\00:23:08.43
They didn't realize
00:23:08.93\00:23:10.99
that the three angels came
from Revelation chapter 14.
00:23:11.19\00:23:16.05
But here is... When we know
00:23:17.19\00:23:21.50
this investigative judgment
is beginning in Revelation
00:23:22.00\00:23:26.40
the first angel comes and
he says with a loud voice:
00:23:27.71\00:23:30.96
"Fear God and give glory to Him
00:23:31.93\00:23:35.34
for the hour of His
judgment has come. "
00:23:35.64\00:23:40.45
Now he's not
talking about a single hour.
00:23:40.75\00:23:43.65
It's a time span.
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.61
In other words,
God's judgment begins now.
00:23:45.81\00:23:49.91
And then he goes on to
say: "And worship Him who made
00:23:50.31\00:23:54.07
heaven and earth, the seas
and the springs of water. "
00:23:54.10\00:23:58.79
You know the Hebrew
term, the phrase "worship Him"
00:23:59.09\00:24:04.28
means to have a
trembling reverence for God.
00:24:04.52\00:24:09.96
A reverence that in
Hebrew understanding
00:24:10.16\00:24:13.39
was expressed
with loving obedience.
00:24:13.59\00:24:18.74
What did Jesus
say in John 14:15?
00:24:19.04\00:24:21.83
"If you love Me you
will keep My commandments. "
00:24:22.13\00:24:26.54
And the verse
says... When people say to me
00:24:26.84\00:24:30.47
and sometimes people do...
00:24:30.57\00:24:32.00
You know, I
teach a lot about grace
00:24:32.20\00:24:34.38
but people will say: "No, you're
teaching grace plus works. "
00:24:34.68\00:24:37.48
No I'm not. Listen!
00:24:37.68\00:24:39.27
We're saved by grace alone.
It isn't grace plus works.
00:24:39.57\00:24:43.07
But when we are saved by grace,
00:24:43.27\00:24:47.08
when the Holy
Spirit is residing in us,
00:24:47.28\00:24:50.69
we will be anxious to
please our heavenly Father.
00:24:50.89\00:24:54.28
We will love Him. We
will walk in obedience
00:24:54.58\00:24:57.33
to His commandments.
00:24:57.54\00:24:58.91
In I John 2:3-4... this
is an easy one to remember...
00:24:59.07\00:25:03.88
I John 2:3-4.
00:25:04.18\00:25:06.64
That's so easy to remember.
00:25:06.84\00:25:08.58
And people will say: "No,
you insist on obedience. "
00:25:09.51\00:25:12.84
It's not I who insists
on obedience... it's God.
00:25:13.14\00:25:17.01
And here's what John
wrote in I John 2. He says:
00:25:17.24\00:25:21.80
"Now by this we
know that we know Him. "
00:25:22.00\00:25:25.67
What did Jesus say in John 17:3?
00:25:25.97\00:25:27.99
He says: "Ah,
Father, this is eternal life:
00:25:28.20\00:25:31.22
that they may know You and
the One who You have sent. "
00:25:31.42\00:25:35.24
Know you in an
intimate way, a personal way.
00:25:35.44\00:25:39.09
And he said: "Here...
" John's saying: "This is
00:25:40.04\00:25:42.77
how we know that we know Him:
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.59
if... if we keep
His commandments.
00:25:44.79\00:25:48.75
And he who says 'I know Him'
00:25:48.96\00:25:51.43
and does not
keep His commandments
00:25:51.63\00:25:54.54
is a liar and the
truth is not in him. "
00:25:54.84\00:25:58.75
But whoever keeps His
Word truly the love of God is
00:25:59.79\00:26:02.52
perfected in him. "
00:26:02.72\00:26:04.48
Now we're
continuing on in verse 5 here.
00:26:04.78\00:26:06.69
It says: "By this we
know that we are in Him -
00:26:06.79\00:26:11.53
in Christ - he who
says he abides in Him
00:26:11.83\00:26:17.05
ought himself also to
walk just as He walked. "
00:26:17.36\00:26:22.57
Oh, are you in Christ?
00:26:22.80\00:26:25.97
Then God is calling you to
a life of sanctification...
00:26:27.23\00:26:30.15
which is just a big
word that is synonymous
00:26:30.55\00:26:33.90
with holiness... which is a
word that scares some people.
00:26:34.10\00:26:37.53
But they mean
exactly the same thing.
00:26:37.83\00:26:40.14
Holiness and
sanctification are synonymous.
00:26:40.44\00:26:44.17
They're equal terms
00:26:44.48\00:26:46.19
and they both simply
mean to be separated from sin.
00:26:46.49\00:26:50.54
Because God sent Jesus to
destroy the works of the devil.
00:26:50.94\00:26:55.76
To create in us a new heart
00:26:56.06\00:26:58.62
that we might be born
again as new creatures.
00:26:58.92\00:27:01.77
And yes, we may
have this propensity
00:27:02.07\00:27:05.12
toward sin but ah,
He is faithful and just.
00:27:05.32\00:27:08.97
When we ask for forgiveness
He is faithful and just
00:27:09.17\00:27:12.27
to forgive us and cleanse
us of all unrighteousness.
00:27:12.57\00:27:16.19
Hallelujah! Amen?
00:27:16.39\00:27:17.94
So basically what we are
seeing is that an investigative
00:27:18.35\00:27:23.32
judgment must be made
00:27:23.52\00:27:26.47
to see who is fitted
for heaven and who is not.
00:27:26.77\00:27:31.40
There are professed
believers who will have no part
00:27:31.70\00:27:35.28
in obedience.
There are some people
00:27:35.68\00:27:39.53
who think that all they
have to do is come down front
00:27:39.73\00:27:42.42
once at an altar
call and that's it.
00:27:42.62\00:27:45.42
Now they can go live like
the devil because they're saved
00:27:45.55\00:27:47.89
by grace. Oh,
what a dangerous lie,
00:27:47.99\00:27:53.42
a dangerous deception of Satan.
00:27:53.62\00:27:56.93
But what has to be done
is to see, OK, who's wheat?
00:27:58.08\00:28:02.85
Who's tares? Who's the
sheep? Who's the goats?
00:28:03.05\00:28:07.36
And then Christ will
return for His people
00:28:07.60\00:28:11.09
and separate the
sheep from the goats
00:28:11.22\00:28:13.26
and the wheat from the tares.
00:28:13.36\00:28:14.73
There are phases of
the final judgment of God
00:28:15.65\00:28:20.58
and we have entered the first
phase of God's final judgment.
00:28:20.98\00:28:26.61
Let me... I studied this
out and I hope we'll have time
00:28:27.01\00:28:30.55
to look at all of these
phases tomorrow. We may not.
00:28:30.85\00:28:34.52
We're just going to
let the Lord lead in this.
00:28:34.82\00:28:37.00
But let me just tell
them to you very quickly.
00:28:37.30\00:28:39.61
What I have identified is five
phases to God's final judgment.
00:28:39.81\00:28:44.54
The first phase is the pre-
advent investigative judgment
00:28:44.95\00:28:50.12
which began - and we'll
prove in a moment - in 1844.
00:28:50.42\00:28:55.18
And this is a judgment
in which God the Father
00:28:55.68\00:28:59.51
is the Judge. The second phase
00:28:59.71\00:29:03.02
is the enforcement of the
heavenly court's judgment...
00:29:03.05\00:29:07.08
the pre-advent
investigative judgment...
00:29:07.28\00:29:09.16
when Christ
returns to the earth.
00:29:09.30\00:29:13.34
So it is after
the first resurrection
00:29:13.44\00:29:17.14
that this is executed
and the wicked are destroyed
00:29:17.24\00:29:21.19
by the breath of His mouth and
the brightness of His coming.
00:29:21.49\00:29:24.87
The third phase of
God's final judgment
00:29:25.37\00:29:29.25
takes place
during the millennium.
00:29:29.45\00:29:31.69
It is a deliberative phase.
00:29:31.99\00:29:35.55
The judges are
the saints of God.
00:29:35.85\00:29:38.94
This is when the
books are opened.
00:29:39.24\00:29:41.35
And we are not judging
people and fallen angels...
00:29:41.75\00:29:47.68
We're not judging the
wicked and fallen angels
00:29:47.88\00:29:49.78
to determine whether
they're saved or not.
00:29:49.98\00:29:51.91
Because let me
tell you something:
00:29:52.21\00:29:54.17
this is sealed. The
fate of all people is sealed
00:29:54.37\00:29:57.86
during the
investigative judgment.
00:29:58.06\00:29:59.76
If you miss this
first part, you're out.
00:30:00.06\00:30:03.51
What we are
investigating at this point
00:30:03.81\00:30:06.44
is to understand
God's righteous judgment
00:30:06.74\00:30:12.37
to see... There's going to
be people there that we're going
00:30:12.57\00:30:16.11
"Why are you here? "
00:30:16.31\00:30:18.14
And there's going to be
people there who you're saying:
00:30:18.44\00:30:21.46
"God, why isn't my
mother here? My precious little
00:30:21.66\00:30:26.15
saintly mother...
shouldn't she be here? "
00:30:26.29\00:30:29.08
And God is going
to open the books
00:30:29.28\00:30:32.03
and let us see the records
00:30:32.23\00:30:35.37
so that we will
be totally satisfied
00:30:35.57\00:30:38.00
and recognize... By the end
of that thousand-year millennium
00:30:38.11\00:30:42.65
we will recognize
that God is truly righteous
00:30:42.85\00:30:45.43
and that ALL of His
decisions have been correct.
00:30:45.63\00:30:48.59
Then after that
deliberative judgment
00:30:48.89\00:30:52.78
then's when the New
Jerusalem comes down.
00:30:52.99\00:30:57.04
There's the final battle
00:30:57.24\00:30:58.90
THEN there is the
Great White Throne Judgment.
00:30:59.20\00:31:03.65
Now Jesus is the Judge,
00:31:03.95\00:31:06.37
and this is the
Judge of the wicked.
00:31:06.67\00:31:09.04
This is the time
when all will stand up.
00:31:09.35\00:31:12.90
All of the wicked have
been resurrected in the second
00:31:13.10\00:31:15.94
resurrection and they will
all be standing before the Lord
00:31:16.04\00:31:20.76
and finally see it.
They will kneel down
00:31:20.96\00:31:24.04
and every knee
will bow and confess
00:31:24.07\00:31:26.84
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
00:31:27.04\00:31:28.91
And the fifth phase
is the implementation
00:31:29.21\00:31:33.30
of the executive judgment.
00:31:33.60\00:31:35.59
This will be the
execution of the sentence
00:31:35.79\00:31:38.27
when God destroys the earth.
00:31:38.57\00:31:40.55
Makes it a lake of fire
00:31:40.85\00:31:42.70
and then afterwards
re-creates the earth.
00:31:42.90\00:31:45.21
But now I've taken a
long time just to set this up.
00:31:45.41\00:31:48.21
Let's get into the pre-advent
investigative judgment.
00:31:48.41\00:31:52.10
Turn in your Bibles,
please, to Daniel chapter 7.
00:31:52.40\00:31:56.19
Daniel chapter 7.
00:31:57.21\00:31:58.81
We see in the Bible in
Daniel chapter 2, 7, and 8
00:32:00.88\00:32:05.19
gives us the history of
the great powers of the world
00:32:05.49\00:32:09.55
from the beginning of Babylon
then Medo-Persia then Greece
00:32:10.05\00:32:13.93
then Rome then the little horn.
00:32:14.03\00:32:15.82
And it gives us the
history right up to the time
00:32:16.02\00:32:19.87
of the second
advent... the time of the end.
00:32:20.07\00:32:25.80
So let's look
at Daniel chapter 7
00:32:26.20\00:32:28.85
and we're going to
begin with verse 9 because
00:32:29.25\00:32:33.16
here is where the
investigative judgment
00:32:33.36\00:32:36.92
is prophesied.
And Daniel writes:
00:32:37.12\00:32:40.74
"I watched till
thrones were put in place
00:32:40.94\00:32:43.34
and the Ancient of Days...
" Who's the Ancient of Days?
00:32:43.54\00:32:47.13
This is God the Father.
00:32:47.43\00:32:49.84
We'll prove that
in just a moment.
00:32:50.04\00:32:51.41
We'll see it's the Father.
00:32:51.44\00:32:52.81
"He was seated... " What
does it mean to be seated?
00:32:53.01\00:32:56.48
He was seated as Judge.
00:32:56.78\00:32:59.35
So God the Father is the Judge.
00:33:00.56\00:33:02.90
"His garment was white as
snow and the hair of His head
00:33:03.20\00:33:05.56
was like pure wool. His
throne was a fiery flame,
00:33:05.66\00:33:08.95
its wheels burning fire.
00:33:09.15\00:33:11.00
A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before Him.
00:33:11.30\00:33:15.16
A thousand
thousands ministered to Him. "
00:33:15.47\00:33:18.55
These are the heavenly beings,
the heavenly intelligences.
00:33:18.85\00:33:22.87
So this investigative
judgment takes place in heaven
00:33:23.07\00:33:27.67
in the courts of heaven
00:33:27.97\00:33:29.77
in the presence
of heavenly beings.
00:33:29.80\00:33:32.06
It says: "The court was seated
and the books were opened. "
00:33:33.17\00:33:38.08
Any time in the Bible
that it is speaking of books
00:33:38.58\00:33:42.47
it's always
referring to God's people.
00:33:42.68\00:33:45.97
There's the Book of
Life, the Book of Remembrance.
00:33:46.17\00:33:48.88
These are books in
which deeds are recorded.
00:33:49.18\00:33:52.49
And then he
says: "I watched then
00:33:53.59\00:33:56.60
because of the sound of the
pompous words which the horn"
00:33:56.80\00:33:59.55
speaking of the little horn
- "was speaking and I watched
00:33:59.65\00:34:02.56
till the beast" - this
government - "was slain
00:34:02.76\00:34:05.53
and its body destroyed and
given to the burning flame.
00:34:05.83\00:34:09.27
As for the rest
of the beasts... "
00:34:09.47\00:34:11.21
speaking of all of
the rest of these powers,
00:34:11.41\00:34:14.12
these government powers...
00:34:14.32\00:34:15.69
"they had their dominion
taken away yet their lives
00:34:15.72\00:34:18.05
were prolonged for
a season and a time.
00:34:18.15\00:34:20.58
I was watching in
the night vision... "
00:34:20.88\00:34:23.42
He's seeing God now seated.
00:34:23.82\00:34:25.88
"and behold one
like the Son of Man... "
00:34:25.99\00:34:29.28
Who is this? Jesus Christ.
00:34:29.48\00:34:32.40
"coming with the
clouds of heaven.
00:34:32.74\00:34:35.17
He came to the Ancient of Days
00:34:35.37\00:34:37.78
and they brought
Him near before Him.
00:34:37.99\00:34:40.66
Then to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom
00:34:40.96\00:34:44.23
that all peoples,
nations, and languages
00:34:44.53\00:34:46.66
should serve Him. His dominion
is an everlasting dominion
00:34:46.86\00:34:50.51
which shall not pass away
00:34:50.61\00:34:51.98
and His kingdom the one
which shall not be destroyed. "
00:34:52.11\00:34:57.05
So Daniel here is prophesying
of an investigative judgment
00:34:57.35\00:35:02.66
that takes place in heaven
00:35:02.76\00:35:04.13
when the books are
opened and we're going to see
00:35:04.16\00:35:08.56
that this is a time when
God is judging His new covenant
00:35:08.76\00:35:13.76
people. But there's joy
in judgment... remember that!
00:35:13.96\00:35:17.92
Let's look now at
Daniel chapter 7 and verse 21.
00:35:18.05\00:35:22.79
He continues: "I was watching
and the same horn was making war
00:35:23.19\00:35:28.78
against the saints and
prevailing against them. "
00:35:28.88\00:35:31.90
So this is that
persecuting power
00:35:33.12\00:35:35.53
that reigned from
538 AD to 1798 AD.
00:35:35.83\00:35:39.82
So we know this period
of time. And after this war
00:35:40.05\00:35:44.93
the judgment is
going to take place
00:35:45.13\00:35:48.04
because he said this
war that was going on
00:35:48.34\00:35:52.18
from 538 AD to 1798 AD
00:35:52.38\00:35:54.59
he's watching it in vision.
00:35:54.79\00:35:56.67
The little horn is prevailing
against the people until
00:35:56.70\00:36:02.14
the Ancient of Days came
00:36:02.27\00:36:05.10
and a judgment was made... What?
00:36:05.41\00:36:09.84
Against His people?
00:36:10.24\00:36:13.14
No? What does the scripture say?
00:36:13.54\00:36:15.38
"And a judgment was made
in favor of the saints. "
00:36:15.99\00:36:21.96
Now that should strike a
note of joy in your heart.
00:36:22.26\00:36:27.32
See, what Daniel's doing here
00:36:27.56\00:36:29.96
we're going to see he repeats
and enlarges in this pattern
00:36:30.16\00:36:33.33
of recapitulation. He
will repeat and enlarge
00:36:33.53\00:36:36.49
this vision. But he
said: "A judgment was made
00:36:36.69\00:36:39.36
in favor of the
saints of the Most High
00:36:39.46\00:36:42.71
and the time came for the
saints to possess the kingdom. "
00:36:42.84\00:36:48.32
So right here
there's a hint here.
00:36:48.62\00:36:51.58
We see that this
investigative judgment
00:36:51.78\00:36:56.14
that he was speaking of in
earlier verses and now he's
00:36:56.34\00:36:59.62
repeating this, it comes after
the war of the little horn -
00:36:59.72\00:37:04.54
and we know by history and
we'll look at that in a minute
00:37:04.84\00:37:07.48
that that ended in 1798 AD.
00:37:07.58\00:37:09.39
So the investigative judgment
had to come between 1798 AD
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.36
and before the saints possess
the kingdom at the 2nd coming.
00:37:13.57\00:37:17.56
So we've already got it
kind of nailed down there.
00:37:17.86\00:37:20.21
Now turn to Daniel chapter 8.
00:37:20.71\00:37:23.14
Daniel chapter 8.
00:37:23.44\00:37:25.07
We're going to look at verse 13.
00:37:28.11\00:37:29.98
Now Daniel writes and he says:
00:37:30.38\00:37:34.19
"Then I heard a
holy one speaking
00:37:34.39\00:37:36.92
and another holy one said
to that certain one who was
00:37:37.32\00:37:41.79
speaking: 'How long
will the vision be? ' "
00:37:41.89\00:37:46.98
How long is this war -
this little horn power -
00:37:47.28\00:37:51.21
going to reign is what
he's actually asking here.
00:37:51.31\00:37:53.41
He says: "How long will the
vision be concerning the daily
00:37:53.61\00:37:57.07
sacrifices and the
transgression of desolation,
00:37:57.27\00:38:01.77
the giving of both
the sanctuary and the host
00:38:01.97\00:38:04.79
to be trampled underfoot? "
00:38:04.89\00:38:06.59
You know Daniel's having
a lot of problems with this.
00:38:06.89\00:38:09.14
He's inquiring about the
trampling down of the daily
00:38:09.54\00:38:13.93
priestly
ministry of Jesus Christ.
00:38:14.03\00:38:17.28
Of the burnt offerings, the
shewbread, the lamp that was
00:38:17.58\00:38:19.86
always lighted, the
continual burning incense,
00:38:19.96\00:38:22.83
the perpetual fire on
the altar of the sacrifice.
00:38:23.13\00:38:26.40
And he's saying:
"How long, oh Lord? "
00:38:26.80\00:38:30.06
Now... here is
the key scripture:
00:38:30.46\00:38:36.45
verse 14 of Daniel 8.
00:38:36.75\00:38:39.29
"And he said to me... " -
00:38:39.69\00:38:41.76
the angel who is explaining
the vision to Daniel -
00:38:41.96\00:38:44.77
"For two thousand
three hundred days
00:38:45.07\00:38:48.86
then the sanctuary
shall be cleansed. "
00:38:49.16\00:38:53.24
The Amplified adds "and
restored" because the verb here
00:38:53.54\00:38:57.38
expresses the idea of
restoration of the order.
00:38:57.58\00:39:01.87
So this key verse here is saying
00:39:02.17\00:39:05.33
"this first part of
the vision that you see
00:39:05.36\00:39:08.90
before God is seated
and the books are opened
00:39:09.10\00:39:14.12
is going to last 2300 days. "
00:39:14.33\00:39:17.11
Now we see in verse 13
the daily priestly service
00:39:18.01\00:39:23.63
which the little horn attacks
00:39:23.74\00:39:25.37
but in verse 14 we
see the yearly service
00:39:25.67\00:39:29.50
of the high priest... the
cleansing of the sanctuary.
00:39:29.81\00:39:33.06
And when the
2300-day prophecy ends
00:39:33.77\00:39:39.75
the investigative judgment and
the cleansing of the sanctuary
00:39:40.88\00:39:44.59
begin. Once a
year the high priest -
00:39:44.69\00:39:49.36
and he alone - entered
into the most holy place
00:39:49.56\00:39:55.40
to make atonement for the
people to cleanse the sanctuary.
00:39:55.70\00:40:00.97
This was the Day of
Atonement, Yom Kippur.
00:40:01.07\00:40:04.86
And on this day of judgment -
00:40:05.06\00:40:07.30
it was also called
the day of judgment -
00:40:07.50\00:40:09.20
he made the atonement
according to the sacrificial
00:40:09.70\00:40:14.38
laws of Leviticus 16.
00:40:14.48\00:40:16.56
Now get this point though:
00:40:16.86\00:40:19.10
in this earthly
scene of the sanctuary
00:40:19.30\00:40:22.72
and the Day of Atonement
the judgment centered around
00:40:22.82\00:40:28.44
God's people alone.
00:40:28.54\00:40:30.46
Only God's people
were judged on that day.
00:40:31.29\00:40:34.90
Non-Israelites were
not included in this group.
00:40:35.20\00:40:39.98
So what happened on
behalf of the congregation
00:40:41.08\00:40:43.58
on the Day of
Atonement the high priest
00:40:43.78\00:40:45.86
sprinkled the atoning blood
of the authorized sacrifices
00:40:46.06\00:40:49.42
on the mercy seat...
00:40:49.63\00:40:51.66
first for himself and
then for the collective errors
00:40:51.96\00:40:56.66
and sins of
ignorance of a nation.
00:40:56.86\00:40:59.58
Turn to Hebrews chapter
9 and let's look at that.
00:40:59.88\00:41:02.34
Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 7.
00:41:02.64\00:41:06.48
You know, the services
of this most sacred of all
00:41:07.87\00:41:10.95
ceremonial days: what it
represented was cleansing
00:41:11.05\00:41:16.15
from sin and
reconciliation to God
00:41:16.35\00:41:20.98
through the atonement of blood.
00:41:21.18\00:41:24.20
So Hebrews 9 and verse 7:
00:41:24.50\00:41:26.55
He says: "But into the
second part... " Speaking of the
00:41:26.86\00:41:29.61
second part of the sanctuary.
00:41:29.71\00:41:31.24
There was... The first
part was the holy place,
00:41:31.44\00:41:34.79
the second part was
the most holy place.
00:41:34.99\00:41:36.69
"the high priest
went alone once a year,
00:41:36.99\00:41:40.69
not without blood,
which he offered for himself
00:41:40.99\00:41:45.53
and for the peoples'
sins committed in ignorance. "
00:41:45.63\00:41:49.93
So he goes in to
cleanse everything from sin
00:41:50.43\00:41:56.18
and that blood
reconciles people to God.
00:41:56.68\00:41:59.34
Remember... it's
only God's people.
00:41:59.44\00:42:01.40
This was an occasion
of nation-wide solemnity.
00:42:02.18\00:42:08.15
There was a solemn heart -
a sober heart if you will -
00:42:08.45\00:42:13.38
during this time because
people wanted to make sure...
00:42:13.78\00:42:18.65
it was a time of reflection.
00:42:18.79\00:42:20.51
"Am I in the Lord? "
00:42:20.91\00:42:24.34
"Am I in the will of the Lord? "
00:42:24.64\00:42:26.24
But it ended for the penitent,
00:42:27.38\00:42:30.73
for those who were trusting in
God who had confessed their sin,
00:42:30.93\00:42:35.05
it ended with joy!
00:42:35.35\00:42:37.21
The Day of
Atonement... Yes, it wasn't...
00:42:37.71\00:42:41.78
I mean, it was something
where people were very serious
00:42:41.98\00:42:45.67
but oh, it ended with joy.
00:42:45.98\00:42:48.50
Because in God's
covenant with ancient Israel
00:42:48.80\00:42:52.52
by grace - by GRACE -
00:42:52.82\00:42:56.59
the penitent
received complete forgiveness
00:42:56.79\00:42:59.75
and vindication and a
fresh start in life with God.
00:42:59.96\00:43:04.36
But for the rebellious Israelite
who would not follow God's law,
00:43:04.86\00:43:10.42
who refused to humble themself
and remain faithful to God,
00:43:10.62\00:43:14.93
the day ended in
condemnation and even death.
00:43:15.93\00:43:18.46
But this
earthly Day of Atonement
00:43:19.51\00:43:22.55
was nothing more
than a type or a shadow
00:43:22.85\00:43:26.48
of what is going to
take place in heaven
00:43:26.68\00:43:30.06
on the true Day of Atonement
in the true sanctuary of God.
00:43:30.26\00:43:35.34
It pointed to Christ's
atoning sacrifice on the cross
00:43:35.84\00:43:40.18
and the cleansing of
the heavenly sanctuary.
00:43:40.38\00:43:43.18
The prophetic
vision of Daniel 7 and 8
00:43:44.07\00:43:46.85
describes the
investigative judgment
00:43:47.05\00:43:50.01
and the cleansing of
the heavenly sanctuary.
00:43:50.21\00:43:53.18
And someone said to
me just not long ago
00:43:53.48\00:43:57.27
"I don't believe there
is a sanctuary in heaven. "
00:43:57.30\00:44:01.77
And I had to say: "Hmmm...
have you read the Bible? "
00:44:01.97\00:44:06.21
I want you while we're
there in Hebrews... let's look
00:44:07.10\00:44:09.17
at Hebrews chapter 8 because
it's important we establish
00:44:09.27\00:44:13.17
where is this sanctuary.
Here Daniel is prophesying
00:44:13.37\00:44:16.86
in chapter 7 and 8 about
this investigative judgment
00:44:16.96\00:44:20.35
where the Ancient
of Days will be seated
00:44:20.45\00:44:22.52
and he's talking about the
2300 days of the end time...
00:44:22.83\00:44:28.81
The time of the
end begins after that
00:44:29.01\00:44:31.08
when this starts happening...
00:44:31.28\00:44:33.49
It takes place in front of
all these heavenly intelligences
00:44:34.39\00:44:37.69
and there's going to be a
cleansing of the sanctuary.
00:44:37.89\00:44:40.03
Which sanctuary
is he talking about?
00:44:40.23\00:44:41.88
Let's look at Hebrews chapter 8
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.00
because it identifies the
sanctuary of God in heaven.
00:44:44.51\00:44:47.45
And the writer says:
"Now this is the main point
00:44:50.37\00:44:53.24
of the things we are saying:
we have such a High Priest" -
00:44:53.34\00:44:56.58
speaking of Jesus Christ -
00:44:56.78\00:44:58.19
"who is seated at the
right hand of the throne of the
00:44:58.30\00:45:01.69
majesty... "
Where? "in the heavens.
00:45:01.79\00:45:04.98
A minister of the sanctuary
and of the true tabernacle
00:45:05.18\00:45:10.94
which the Lord
elected and not man. "
00:45:11.14\00:45:15.24
This is the true
tabernacle of God up in heaven.
00:45:15.74\00:45:19.20
Man didn't have any
part in erecting it.
00:45:20.07\00:45:23.34
And he says: "For every high
priest is appointed to offer
00:45:23.64\00:45:26.69
both gifts and sacrifices.
00:45:26.79\00:45:28.53
Therefore it is necessary
that this One... " Capital O,
00:45:28.73\00:45:33.66
Jesus Christ... "also
has something to offer.
00:45:33.86\00:45:36.49
For if He were on earth
He would not be a priest
00:45:36.69\00:45:39.02
since there are priests who
offer the gifts according to
00:45:39.22\00:45:41.03
the law who serve
the copy and shadow
00:45:41.13\00:45:45.93
of the heavenly things. "
00:45:46.23\00:45:47.75
The priest who served on earth:
it was a copy and a shadow
00:45:47.95\00:45:52.70
of the true sanctuary.
00:45:52.90\00:45:56.99
And he says: "As Moses
was divinely instructed
00:45:57.20\00:46:01.19
when he was told
about... to make the tabernacle
00:46:01.40\00:46:06.39
for God had said to
him: 'See that you make
00:46:06.59\00:46:10.06
all things... ' On
earth, basically...
00:46:10.26\00:46:12.81
'according to the pattern
shown you on the mountain. ' "
00:46:13.01\00:46:17.16
The pattern of
the true sanctuary.
00:46:17.47\00:46:19.44
Now let's look at Hebrews
chapter 9 again, verse 23.
00:46:19.64\00:46:24.59
"Therefore it was necessary
that the copies of the things
00:46:27.61\00:46:32.77
in the heavens... "
00:46:32.97\00:46:34.40
Everything about the sanctuary
was just a symbolic copy
00:46:35.29\00:46:38.80
of what was up in heaven.
00:46:38.90\00:46:40.27
"that it should be
purified with these sacrifices
00:46:40.30\00:46:42.32
but the heavenly
things themselves
00:46:42.53\00:46:46.92
with better
sacrifices than these.
00:46:47.12\00:46:50.32
For Christ has not
entered the holy places... "
00:46:50.35\00:46:54.74
What does he
mean by holy places?
00:46:54.97\00:46:56.35
The holy place and
the most holy place.
00:46:56.65\00:47:00.05
"He has not entered the
holy places made with hands
00:47:00.45\00:47:06.36
which are copies of the true
00:47:06.56\00:47:08.21
but into heaven itself now
to appear in the presence of God
00:47:08.51\00:47:12.89
for us. Not that He should
offer Himself often as the
00:47:12.99\00:47:16.42
high priest enters the most
holy place every year with blood
00:47:16.52\00:47:19.51
of another. He would
then have had to suffer often
00:47:19.61\00:47:25.09
since the foundation
of the world. But now once
00:47:25.29\00:47:27.82
at the end of the ages He
has appeared to put away sin
00:47:28.02\00:47:32.64
by the sacrifice of Himself. "
00:47:32.85\00:47:34.77
You see, Christ -
the atonement of Christ -
00:47:36.72\00:47:40.93
has two stages.
00:47:41.13\00:47:42.86
First was at the cross:
00:47:43.26\00:47:45.28
the sacrificial death of Jesus
Christ by which we subjectively
00:47:45.58\00:47:51.17
receive
personal, daily forgiveness
00:47:51.37\00:47:55.13
when we confess
our sins and repent.
00:47:55.33\00:47:57.31
But the second stage of the
atonement is taking place...
00:47:57.81\00:48:02.71
Christ's work
didn't finish at the cross.
00:48:03.01\00:48:05.35
He is now our High Priest,
00:48:05.75\00:48:08.20
entered into the true sanctuary
of God where He's carrying on
00:48:08.40\00:48:12.38
a priestly ministry.
00:48:12.48\00:48:13.93
And there in the
heavenly sanctuary
00:48:14.98\00:48:18.95
as our High Priest, when He
enters into the most holy place
00:48:19.05\00:48:22.77
He will apply this true
sacrificial blood - His own -
00:48:22.97\00:48:28.11
by which all record
of sins is blotted out
00:48:28.31\00:48:31.50
during the pre-advent
investigative judgment.
00:48:31.70\00:48:34.50
And this should
cause us to celebrate
00:48:34.80\00:48:37.80
because atonement
for sin can only be made
00:48:38.10\00:48:42.81
by the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:48:43.02\00:48:45.31
Atonement is grace in action.
00:48:45.51\00:48:48.64
It's reconciliation through
the crucifixion and resurrection
00:48:49.14\00:48:53.75
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:48:53.95\00:48:55.33
Redemption of sin
through His heavenly ministry.
00:48:55.63\00:48:58.82
The atonement is the
good news of the gospel.
00:48:59.32\00:49:03.08
Turn to I John chapter 4.
00:49:03.39\00:49:06.73
I John chapter 4.
00:49:07.03\00:49:08.40
I John chapter 4 and
we're going to look at verse 9.
00:49:12.04\00:49:14.56
"In this the love of
God was manifested toward us
00:49:22.00\00:49:25.33
that God has sent His only
begotten Son into the world
00:49:25.53\00:49:29.48
that we might live through Him.
00:49:29.68\00:49:32.91
And this is love: not
that we loved God... "
00:49:33.21\00:49:36.00
Oh no. Our selfish nature
can't even love God the way
00:49:36.20\00:49:39.30
we're supposed to
unless we open up our heart
00:49:39.41\00:49:41.52
and let God fill our heart with
the love of the Holy Spirit.
00:49:41.72\00:49:45.01
He says: "It's
not that we loved God
00:49:45.21\00:49:47.74
but that He loved us
00:49:47.94\00:49:50.48
and sent His Son to
be the propitiation... "
00:49:50.68\00:49:55.22
Very... very close to atonement.
00:49:55.53\00:49:59.05
Atonement is to
apply and cover over;
00:49:59.35\00:50:04.58
propitiation is
the sin covering.
00:50:04.68\00:50:06.76
He is the
propitiation for our sins.
00:50:07.06\00:50:09.41
No one can stand before God
00:50:09.92\00:50:13.49
with a record of
good acts for salvation.
00:50:13.89\00:50:18.87
No one.
00:50:19.27\00:50:20.67
Isaiah 64 and verse 6 says
00:50:20.97\00:50:25.47
that all of our righteousness is
as filthy rags before the Lord.
00:50:25.67\00:50:29.11
It doesn't matter...
You know, Shelley Quinn can
00:50:30.14\00:50:32.86
be the best little girl... Well,
not little at 6' tall, but...
00:50:33.06\00:50:36.84
the best girl that
she can possibly be...
00:50:37.04\00:50:40.69
It doesn't matter because
when I get into the brilliance
00:50:41.09\00:50:45.90
of the light of God
00:50:46.20\00:50:48.92
my sin-stained
garment would show.
00:50:49.22\00:50:52.44
You know, have you ever...
Especially if you're washing
00:50:52.74\00:50:54.76
something white...
You're in your laundry room
00:50:54.86\00:50:56.92
and you think: "Oh yeah,
that looks really good. "
00:50:57.02\00:50:58.39
And then you get it out
in the sunlight and you see
00:50:58.54\00:51:00.09
there's still a spot.
00:51:00.19\00:51:01.72
That's the way it is.
00:51:02.02\00:51:03.44
There's nothing we
can do to cleanse ourself.
00:51:03.54\00:51:06.40
Our righteousness is
as filthy rags before Him.
00:51:07.41\00:51:10.18
We are not saved by
works... we are saved by grace
00:51:10.38\00:51:14.21
when He gives us the robe of
righteousness of Jesus Christ,
00:51:14.51\00:51:18.68
of His perfection.
00:51:18.98\00:51:21.19
Salvation is a gift.
It is not grace + works.
00:51:22.60\00:51:26.11
Oh Lord, help us
to understand that.
00:51:27.03\00:51:29.83
Help us to understand that.
00:51:30.13\00:51:32.24
But we're going to
look at the fact that works
00:51:32.34\00:51:35.46
is proof of our
profession of faith.
00:51:36.96\00:51:40.45
We'll look at
that probably tomorrow.
00:51:40.65\00:51:42.33
But remember
this: we can only stand
00:51:42.73\00:51:45.70
in the investigative
judgment... We can only stand
00:51:45.90\00:51:49.91
in the righteousness
of Christ for salvation.
00:51:50.11\00:51:54.50
"For God made
Him who knew no sin
00:51:55.00\00:51:58.17
to become sin for us
00:51:58.57\00:52:01.07
that we might become
the righteousness of God
00:52:01.37\00:52:05.15
in Christ Jesus. "
00:52:05.35\00:52:06.72
And we will be
judged by our works only
00:52:07.62\00:52:11.97
as proof of our profession.
00:52:12.17\00:52:15.20
Works that are
accomplished by grace.
00:52:15.50\00:52:19.11
"For it is God who works in you
00:52:19.51\00:52:23.26
to will and to do
His good pleasure. "
00:52:23.36\00:52:25.91
That's what Paul wrote
the Philippians in 2:13.
00:52:26.21\00:52:30.09
But we've got to remember
to be "doers of the Word
00:52:31.10\00:52:33.26
and not hearers
only" as James said...
00:52:33.46\00:52:35.84
deceiving ourself.
00:52:36.14\00:52:37.81
So why is the 2300-day prophecy
00:52:38.11\00:52:43.36
so important? Because
there's no other time prophecy
00:52:43.56\00:52:48.47
in the Bible that is given
to reach the time of the end
00:52:48.67\00:52:53.88
that begins the
investigative judgment
00:52:54.49\00:52:59.86
before the
second coming of Jesus.
00:53:00.06\00:53:02.82
It begins - that 2300 days
- with the activity of the ram
00:53:03.96\00:53:08.75
Medo-Persia. Goes on to Greece,
00:53:08.95\00:53:11.56
Rome, Italy.
00:53:11.76\00:53:13.94
The little horn... I mean,
Rome and the little horn power
00:53:14.24\00:53:16.42
and it continues till
the sanctuary is cleansed.
00:53:16.62\00:53:19.10
Now we know that the
timing of the divine judgment
00:53:20.24\00:53:22.55
described in Daniel 8:14
00:53:22.75\00:53:24.66
comes after the
war of the little horn
00:53:24.86\00:53:28.26
that ended in 1798 AD.
00:53:28.56\00:53:31.48
And by the
records of earth's history
00:53:31.78\00:53:35.14
is how we determine that
period of persecuting power
00:53:35.34\00:53:39.18
from 538 AD to 1798 AD.
00:53:39.38\00:53:42.03
So the investigative
judgment comes after that
00:53:42.87\00:53:45.88
but it comes before
the saints of the Most High
00:53:46.08\00:53:50.32
receive the eternal
kingdom at the second coming
00:53:50.52\00:53:55.74
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:53:55.84\00:53:57.51
So Daniel 8, 11, and 12
00:53:58.30\00:54:02.85
refers on 6 different occasions
00:54:03.05\00:54:06.53
by reference and
one by inference...
00:54:06.93\00:54:10.39
the seventh by inference...
about the time of the end.
00:54:10.50\00:54:16.08
Saying that this
investigative judgment
00:54:16.38\00:54:18.81
IS the time of the end.
00:54:19.01\00:54:20.91
And tomorrow when you come
back, I hope you'll all be here
00:54:21.21\00:54:25.37
for I think it's 2:30 tomorrow,
00:54:25.57\00:54:28.08
we're going to... I won't be
in the morning slot tomorrow.
00:54:28.28\00:54:32.00
But we're going to take a
look at this and we will see
00:54:32.20\00:54:36.12
how the 70 weeks are lopped
off... that first 70 weeks...
00:54:36.32\00:54:41.03
with a probationary period
and an investigative judgment
00:54:41.24\00:54:45.20
for... in
prophecy that's 490 years
00:54:45.40\00:54:50.08
of investigative judgment
and probationary period...
00:54:50.38\00:54:54.91
for God's people
of the old covenant.
00:54:55.05\00:54:57.82
And so far right now we've
only been less than 170 years
00:54:58.22\00:55:02.89
since 1844 in this
investigative judgment
00:55:03.10\00:55:06.58
for His new covenant people.
00:55:06.88\00:55:08.51
But the thing is: we don't
have the prophetic time period.
00:55:08.91\00:55:12.73
We know this is
the time of the end
00:55:12.93\00:55:14.80
and the events will be rapid
00:55:15.11\00:55:17.29
so we don't have time to waste.
00:55:17.39\00:55:19.71
But what we know
is that the conclusion
00:55:20.01\00:55:24.04
of the 2300 days
00:55:24.25\00:55:26.60
begins the time of the end
00:55:26.80\00:55:29.46
and it brings us
to the last church age
00:55:29.76\00:55:33.99
of Revelation:
00:55:34.19\00:55:35.61
the church age of
the Laodicean church.
00:55:35.91\00:55:39.64
You know what Laodicea means?
00:55:39.94\00:55:43.06
It means a
judging of the people.
00:55:43.46\00:55:46.69
That's what Laodicea means.
00:55:47.60\00:55:49.72
And when this judgment begins
00:55:50.22\00:55:52.93
we know that the time
of the end is at hand.
00:55:53.23\00:55:57.55
And if we can
identify in scripture
00:55:58.55\00:56:01.36
when the 2300 days begin,
00:56:01.66\00:56:04.68
we can also identify
the time of their ending
00:56:04.99\00:56:08.93
and the beginning of this
cleansing of the sanctuary
00:56:09.03\00:56:14.04
that Daniel 7 talks about:
the investigative judgment
00:56:14.34\00:56:17.97
and Daniel 8 talks
about the 2300 days.
00:56:18.27\00:56:21.46
You have yet to see...
00:56:22.41\00:56:23.95
I hope you've gotten a
little glimpse of the joy
00:56:24.05\00:56:28.26
of investigative judgment
00:56:28.46\00:56:30.47
because the
Ancient of Days comes
00:56:30.58\00:56:34.25
and He makes judgment
00:56:34.45\00:56:36.88
in favor of His people.
00:56:37.09\00:56:40.28
See, if you are in Christ
you have no reason to fear
00:56:40.58\00:56:46.16
the
investigative judgment. Amen!
00:56:46.46\00:56:48.87
You have assurance of salvation
00:56:49.01\00:56:51.94
and you will only stand in the
righteousness of Jesus Christ.
00:56:52.24\00:56:56.76
And just as the Day of
Atonement for ancient Israel...
00:56:57.06\00:57:01.06
Yes, they were sober
minded, they were reflective.
00:57:01.27\00:57:04.24
Checking themselves to
see that they were in God.
00:57:04.54\00:57:06.84
Making certain
that they had confessed
00:57:07.04\00:57:08.58
and repented of their sins.
00:57:08.68\00:57:10.05
But just as that day ended in
joy for God's faithful people,
00:57:10.14\00:57:16.09
for the penitent, so will
the investigative judgment
00:57:16.19\00:57:20.71
of God end for us.
00:57:20.91\00:57:22.74
So we encourage you to
tune in again tomorrow.
00:57:23.04\00:57:26.23
Our time's all gone... it
went quickly... but thank you.
00:57:26.43\00:57:30.38