Hello and good morning.
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You know, when you see a
bunch of Christians gathered
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you almost want to say
"Happy Sabbath" automatically.
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It is not quite Sabbath yet.
We've still got a couple days
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to go but we've been
having a good time in the Lord,
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haven't we? Amen. And
I asked our audience here
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if anyone had gone to
breakfast and they said it was
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French toast this
morning which was very good.
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I didn't make breakfast. I was
taking my wife to the doctor.
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She's got a little foot injury
that we are going to have to
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take a look at, so you
want to keep her in prayer.
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But it's a good
day... it's a "sunshiny" day.
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They have predicted a little
rain but the rain has not come
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yet. And so far
it's "sunshiny" outside
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and I pray that there
is sunshine in our souls.
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This is our second
presentation for the day.
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Our speaker is
Pastor Stephen Bohr.
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He is the Speaker/Director
of Secrets Unsealed Ministries
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headquartered in California
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and just a
wonderful student of the Word,
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a wonderful fellow. And
sometimes we get the impression
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when we see these fellows
preaching and they're dealing
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with such serious subjects
that they are very serious
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people. And Pastor Bohr is
a serious person about serious
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subjects but he also
likes to laugh and have fun.
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He's a good guy to
sort of hang out with
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and we love Pastor
Stephen Bohr very very much.
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He is going to be
speaking today on the subject
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"That Woman Jezebel. "
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That should be an
interesting study together
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and we are
looking forward to it.
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Before we go into our music
would you now bow your heads
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with me in a word of prayer?
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Father God, we
thank you so very much
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for the privilege
of calling upon You.
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We thank you,
Father, for the privilege of
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studying the Word and
understanding the Word.
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And we are thankful
for what the Word does
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to strengthen
us, to encourage us,
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to fortify us against the trials
that will surely come our way.
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We ask You, loving
Father, just now to bless us.
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Be with us. Open our
ears, open our hearts,
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open our minds that
we may receive the Word,
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and then use your
speaker in a marked way
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to teach the Word so
that we can be hearers
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of that Word and
doers of that Word.
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And we thank you in
Jesus' name, Amen and amen.
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I just looked out in the
audience and saw a long-time
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member of a church I used
to pastor from New York City.
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I won't call her name now
but I will before it's all over
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Grace Phipps. And we're
just happy to have her here.
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What a
blessing; what a blessing.
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I'm going to have to give you a
big hug before we're quite done.
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There is a song
written by Horatius Bonar
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back in the 1800s. Very
simple song that he wrote
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when he was going
through some things in his life
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called I Lay My Sin On Jesus.
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He was worried about his past
and expectant about his future
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and so he wrote these words:
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I lay my sin
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on Jesus,
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The spotless Lamb
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of God;
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He bears them all,
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and frees us
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from the accursed
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load;
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From the accursed
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load.
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I bring my guilt
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to Jesus,
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To wash
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my crimson stain
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White in His blood
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most precious,
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Till not a stain
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remains...
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Till not a stain
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remains.
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I lay my wants on Jesus;
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All fullness dwells
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in Him;
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He healeth my
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diseases,
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He doth my soul
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redeem...
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He doth my soul
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redeem.
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I long to be with Jesus -
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Don't you? -
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Amidst the heavenly throng,
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To sing with them
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His praises,
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And learn the angels' song...
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And learn the angels'
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song.
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I'll lay my sins
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on
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Jesus.
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Good morning.
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Good morning.
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How is everybody today?
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Did you survive the
graveyard shift last night?
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Kind of difficult you know
when you're from the eastern
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time zone to have a
meeting late at night.
00:07:05.22\00:07:09.03
But I hope that you
weren't agreeing with me
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all during the presentation.
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Before we begin our
study we do want to pray,
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and so I invite you
to bow your heads with me
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as we implore
the Lord's presence.
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Our Father and our God,
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thank you for
giving us life this day.
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Thank you, Father, for
being a wonderful Father.
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Thank you because You have told
us exactly what is happening
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and what will soon
happen in this world.
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We thank you that You
have not left us in the dark.
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We thank you that we know
that the final movements will be
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rapid ones and we see this
transpiring before our eyes.
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We ask that as we open
Your Holy Word this morning
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Your Holy Spirit will be with us
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through the
ministry of Your holy angels
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to open minds and hearts.
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And thank you,
Father, for hearing our prayer
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because we come
boldly to the throne of grace
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in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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In this series we are
studying about the four Elijahs
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that are mentioned in scripture.
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The first Elijah is
the historical Elijah
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or the Old Testament Elijah.
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He is the root and
foundation of the other Elijahs.
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The second Elijah
is the one that I call
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the prophetic Elijah.
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And the prophetic Elijah can
also be called the New Testament
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Elijah. It is John the Baptist.
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And this evening we will be
studying about the prophetic
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Elijah. And then we have
the ecclesiastical Elijah
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which is what we studied last
night, the church of Thyatira.
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The Elijah during the Dark Ages.
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And finally we have what I
call the apocalyptic Elijah.
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That's the Elijah that
will come to this world
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immediately before the
second coming of Jesus Christ.
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Now there's a governing
principle that we need to keep
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in mind when we study
these Elijah prophecies.
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And that principle is
that the first two Elijahs
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are literal individuals
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and their enemies
are literal individuals
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localized in the land of Israel
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whereas the last two Elijahs -
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the ecclesiastical Elijah
and the apocalyptic Elijah -
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are actually world-wide systems,
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world-wide
movements, that are symbolized
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by the literal
individuals in the Elijah story.
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Now the Bible tells us
that God promises to send Elijah
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immediately
before the second coming.
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I'd like to read Malachi
chapter 4 and verses 5 and 6
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where we find this Elijah
prophecy about the end time.
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It says there: "Behold,
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I will send you
Elijah the prophet
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before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord.
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And he will turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children
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and the hearts of the
children to their fathers
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lest I come and strike
the earth with a curse. "
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So we are to
expect an end-time Elijah.
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Now as I
mentioned in our first study
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Elijah never appears alone.
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You can't say that
Elijah comes at the end
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without also having
the three enemies of Elijah
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along with him.
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Because the entire
story of the Old Testament
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and of the New Testament Elijah
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is repeated on a larger
scale in the last two Elijahs.
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And so when Elijah appears -
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which he will
before the second coming -
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we must expect his three
enemies to appear with him
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as well. And we should
also expect that the message
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of the end-time Elijah
will be like the message
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of the Elijahs of the Old
Testament and the New Testament.
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In other words, the Old
Testament and New Testament
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stories are the root.
And the New Testament stories
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that we find in the case of
the church in the Middle Ages
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and the end-time church
must be global and based
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on the root prophecy
of the Old Testament.
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Now let's review what
we studied last evening
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in our first presentation.
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Let's review what we said
about the ecclesiastical Elijah.
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I'm going to go quickly.
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You'll remember that
in Revelation chapter 2
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beginning with verse
18 Jezebel is mentioned.
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Now if Jezebel is mentioned
immediately that should awaken
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in our minds the Elijah story.
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And we should look for the
protagonists that accompany
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Jezebel in the
Old Testament story.
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And so we find Jezebel,
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this apostate church of the
Middle Ages or of the Dark Ages,
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fornicating with
the kings of Europe.
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Beginning with the days of
Constantine in Western Europe
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the church becomes linked
with the political powers.
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You are not only dealing
with one king now in Israel.
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It's much broader.
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You're dealing with a
religious apostate system
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symbolized by Jezebel
that is fornicating with
00:12:33.29\00:12:36.66
the kings. In other
words, has illicit relationships
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with the state. We
also noticed in the story
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that daughters were
born from this system.
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And we know that in
the 16th century daughters
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that share many of the beliefs
and practices of this apostate
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religious system
were born from her.
00:12:52.27\00:12:54.48
We also noticed that
this system mixed paganism
00:12:54.78\00:12:59.94
with Christianity
just like Jezebel mixed
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God-worship with Baal-worship.
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Also we found that this
Jezebel of the Middle Ages -
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this apostate religious system -
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actually embraced the
worship on the day of the sun
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from paganism.
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Just like in the Old
Testament story you have Jezebel
00:13:19.59\00:13:22.26
imposing the
worship of the sun god Baal.
00:13:22.46\00:13:25.65
We also noticed that
because of this apostasy
00:13:26.05\00:13:29.83
no rain was to fall during
the period of her dominion.
00:13:29.93\00:13:34.26
And of course, rain
represents doctrine.
00:13:34.56\00:13:38.92
And when there is rain
there is true doctrine,
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there is true
teaching. When there is no rain
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there's a
scarcity of true doctrine.
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This is exactly what
happened during the 1260 years.
00:13:46.16\00:13:50.16
We also noticed that God
gave this religious system
00:13:50.59\00:13:54.55
time to repent
00:13:54.75\00:13:56.40
but this system did not repent.
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The period that
God gave her to repent
00:13:59.82\00:14:02.35
was time, times, and
the dividing of time:
00:14:02.55\00:14:05.06
three and a
half prophetic years.
00:14:05.37\00:14:06.74
Just like in the Old Testament
00:14:06.77\00:14:08.20
story we have
3-1/2 literal years
00:14:08.29\00:14:10.57
in the case of literal Elijah.
00:14:10.97\00:14:12.94
We also noticed that in the
story that we find concerning
00:14:13.92\00:14:17.83
the Middle Ages, the
faithful remnant had to flee
00:14:17.93\00:14:20.99
to the wilderness. And
immediately we think of
00:14:21.09\00:14:23.40
the Waldenses and the Albigenses
00:14:23.50\00:14:26.26
and all those who had to
flee to the desolated places
00:14:26.46\00:14:29.24
of the earth because they
were being persecuted by this
00:14:29.34\00:14:32.18
apostate religious system
that had blended Christianity
00:14:32.38\00:14:36.44
with paganism.
We noticed also that
00:14:36.64\00:14:39.55
Elijah was blamed for
the calamities just like
00:14:39.75\00:14:43.35
the Waldenses and the Albigenses
00:14:43.55\00:14:45.47
were blamed because of all
of the turmoil and the disease
00:14:45.67\00:14:49.19
and all of the problems
that existed in Western Europe.
00:14:49.39\00:14:51.93
We also noticed that
spiritual Jezebel wanted to
00:14:53.01\00:14:56.46
slay or wanted to kill
these people who were followers
00:14:56.66\00:15:00.06
of God. We noticed
that God prepared a place
00:15:00.26\00:15:04.70
for those who
were being persecuted.
00:15:04.80\00:15:07.06
And in this place
God fed His people.
00:15:07.36\00:15:11.44
So you have all
kinds of Elijah terminology
00:15:11.74\00:15:15.10
and, of course, this
lasted 3-1/2 symbolic years.
00:15:15.30\00:15:18.92
We also noticed that
at the end of her career
00:15:19.22\00:15:22.35
she was thrown into a sickbed.
00:15:22.55\00:15:24.47
This is the same
as the deadly wound.
00:15:24.68\00:15:27.03
But the sickbed does not mean
00:15:27.33\00:15:29.13
that she's out of
commission forever
00:15:29.23\00:15:31.06
because the book of Revelation
says that her deadly wound
00:15:31.26\00:15:34.64
will be healed... which means
that Jezebel will reign again.
00:15:34.84\00:15:38.37
And if Jezebel will reign again
00:15:38.67\00:15:40.87
that means that the
other protagonists of the story
00:15:41.07\00:15:43.84
will also come into view because
Jezebel never appears alone.
00:15:44.05\00:15:48.49
You have to study the
entire and complete story
00:15:48.79\00:15:52.28
as we find it in
the Old Testament.
00:15:52.38\00:15:54.04
Are you
understanding the principle?
00:15:54.14\00:15:56.02
Now, let's talks about
the Old Testament Elijah.
00:15:56.32\00:16:00.43
This is the root prophecy
00:16:00.63\00:16:02.37
and this is the one
that we're going to look at
00:16:02.47\00:16:03.97
this morning... because
everything else is based
00:16:04.17\00:16:06.88
on the root story of
the Old Testament Elijah.
00:16:07.08\00:16:10.55
Now, in the story of Elijah
there is a three-fold alliance.
00:16:10.95\00:16:16.53
First of all, there is a king.
00:16:16.93\00:16:20.11
He is the political ruler.
00:16:20.31\00:16:22.43
In other words, he can
make political decrees.
00:16:22.63\00:16:25.47
Secondly, there
is a harlot woman.
00:16:25.87\00:16:28.45
This harlot woman
also has false prophets
00:16:28.95\00:16:33.55
that do her bidding
and extend her religion.
00:16:33.85\00:16:37.18
Through these false
prophets she actually controls
00:16:37.48\00:16:41.22
the children of Israel.
00:16:41.42\00:16:42.95
God called Elijah to
denounce this apostasy,
00:16:44.00\00:16:48.21
to denounce this
going astray from the Lord.
00:16:48.51\00:16:51.89
And Elijah, of course,
when he preaches God's message
00:16:52.19\00:16:55.34
is hated and he's persecuted.
00:16:55.54\00:16:57.98
His main message to
Israel is: "Come back
00:16:58.28\00:17:02.17
to the Lord your Creator. "
00:17:02.37\00:17:04.49
Now let's analyze each
one of the protagonists
00:17:05.54\00:17:08.73
individually because as
we study the Old Testament
00:17:08.76\00:17:12.49
story we're going to see
that the characters of these
00:17:12.69\00:17:17.16
individuals actually foreshadow
the characters in the case of
00:17:17.26\00:17:21.80
the days of
Jesus, John the Baptist.
00:17:22.00\00:17:24.34
They also foreshadow the
character of the individuals
00:17:24.54\00:17:28.16
during the Middle Ages as
well as the end-time Elijah.
00:17:28.36\00:17:32.16
So let's look at first the king.
00:17:32.46\00:17:35.12
Go with me to I Kings
chapter 16 and verses 30 and 31.
00:17:35.42\00:17:39.55
I Kings 16:30-31.
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.35
I want you to notice here
00:17:44.34\00:17:46.33
that the king carries on
an illegitimate relationship
00:17:46.53\00:17:51.18
with this harlot woman Jezebel.
00:17:51.38\00:17:53.44
And she instigates him as
the king to do her bidding.
00:17:53.84\00:17:58.35
In other words,
Jezebel controls the king
00:17:58.55\00:18:01.55
and gets the king
to do what she wants.
00:18:01.75\00:18:03.73
Notice once
again I Kings 16:30-31.
00:18:03.93\00:18:07.99
Says there: "Now Ahab
00:18:09.10\00:18:10.81
the son of Omri, did
evil in the sight of the Lord
00:18:11.01\00:18:14.83
more than all
who were before him.
00:18:15.13\00:18:17.54
And it came to pass as though
it had been a trivial thing
00:18:17.74\00:18:20.62
for him to walk in
the sins of Jeroboam
00:18:20.82\00:18:22.97
the son of Nebat
that he took as a wife
00:18:23.18\00:18:26.04
Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal,
00:18:26.25\00:18:29.32
king of the Sidonians.
And he went and served Baal
00:18:29.52\00:18:33.85
and worshiped him. "
00:18:34.05\00:18:36.00
So here we find a king
linking up with this apostate
00:18:36.30\00:18:39.96
woman Jezebel...
with this harlot Jezebel
00:18:40.16\00:18:42.73
as she's called in II
Kings chapter 9 and verse 22.
00:18:42.93\00:18:46.19
Now what kind of
character did Ahab have?
00:18:46.50\00:18:49.70
Was he? Did he
have a mind of his own?
00:18:50.00\00:18:52.39
Did he do what he wanted to do?
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.68
Absolutely not.
00:18:54.98\00:18:56.57
He was a weakling. He
was easily manipulated
00:18:56.77\00:19:00.42
by the strong-willed Jezebel.
00:19:00.62\00:19:02.39
Notice what we find in
Prophets and Kings page 115
00:19:02.69\00:19:06.70
where Ellen White describes
the character of this king
00:19:06.90\00:19:11.52
Ahab. She says: "Ahab
was weak in moral power.
00:19:11.73\00:19:15.91
His union by marriage
with an idolatrous woman
00:19:16.22\00:19:19.88
of decided character
and positive temperament
00:19:20.08\00:19:24.79
resulted disastrously both
to himself and to the nation. "
00:19:24.99\00:19:29.38
Then she says: "Unprincipled
and with no high standard of
00:19:29.68\00:19:35.02
right doing, his character was
easily molded by the determined
00:19:35.12\00:19:40.92
spirit of Jezebel. "
00:19:40.95\00:19:42.99
In other words,
Jezebel manipulates the king.
00:19:43.39\00:19:46.27
She uses the king.
00:19:46.37\00:19:47.74
And the king who
has no principles,
00:19:47.83\00:19:49.91
who has a weak moral character,
00:19:50.21\00:19:52.06
simply goes along.
00:19:52.26\00:19:53.92
Does this sound like
something that's going to happen
00:19:54.12\00:19:56.27
in the end time with
the kings of the earth?
00:19:56.37\00:19:58.72
Absolutely! Now let's look
at the character of Jezebel,
00:19:58.93\00:20:02.26
the harlot woman.
00:20:02.56\00:20:03.93
Go with me to II
Kings chapter 9 and verse 22
00:20:03.99\00:20:06.84
where we find several details
about this apostate woman.
00:20:07.05\00:20:10.77
It says there: "Now
it happened when Joram
00:20:11.07\00:20:14.37
saw Jehu that he
said: 'Is it peace, Jehu? '
00:20:14.57\00:20:18.20
So he answered: 'What peace
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.87
as long as the harlotries... '
00:20:21.07\00:20:23.22
Notice she's called a harlot.
00:20:23.42\00:20:24.79
'the harlotries
of your mother... '
00:20:24.94\00:20:27.19
She is called the mother.
00:20:27.40\00:20:28.77
'Jezebel and her
witchcraft are so many. ' "
00:20:28.80\00:20:32.27
So notice: she was a harlot.
00:20:32.47\00:20:33.90
She was involved in witchcraft
00:20:34.30\00:20:37.16
and she is called the mother.
00:20:37.36\00:20:40.28
Now go with me to I Kings
chapter 21 and verses 8-10
00:20:40.68\00:20:44.99
where once again
we find how Jezebel
00:20:45.30\00:20:48.62
uses the political power
to accomplish her purposes.
00:20:48.82\00:20:52.13
It's as if the
king doesn't exist.
00:20:52.33\00:20:54.22
He simply goes
along with what she wants.
00:20:54.42\00:20:57.18
It says there...
00:20:57.38\00:20:58.94
and this is, of course,
speaking about the experience
00:20:59.24\00:21:02.00
of Naboth. You know Ahab
wanted Naboth's vineyard.
00:21:02.20\00:21:04.81
And he bargained with
him. He said: "Sell it to me. "
00:21:05.11\00:21:08.03
Naboth said: "No. " So Jezebel
says: "I'll take care of it. "
00:21:08.24\00:21:10.86
Notice what kind
of person she was.
00:21:10.96\00:21:12.40
It says: "And she
wrote letters in Ahab's name,
00:21:12.60\00:21:14.88
sealed them with his seal... "
00:21:15.19\00:21:17.01
She's using the
seal of the king.
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.01
"and sent the letters to
the elders and the nobles
00:21:19.31\00:21:22.16
who were dwelling in
the city with Naboth.
00:21:22.26\00:21:24.00
She wrote in the letters
saying... " She's using the seal
00:21:24.40\00:21:27.54
of the king... "She
wrote in the letters saying
00:21:27.64\00:21:30.29
'Proclaim a fast and
seat Naboth with high honor
00:21:30.49\00:21:33.91
among the
people and seat two men
00:21:34.01\00:21:36.79
scoundrels before
him to bear witness
00:21:36.99\00:21:40.27
against him saying you have
blasphemed God and the king.
00:21:40.47\00:21:44.04
Then take him out and
stone him that he may die. ' "
00:21:44.07\00:21:47.75
False witness.
00:21:48.15\00:21:50.27
Using the power of the king
00:21:51.15\00:21:53.81
to slay everyone who
was against her agenda.
00:21:54.11\00:21:57.79
In fact we are clearly told
00:21:58.19\00:22:02.69
that Jezebel
enticed the king to do evil.
00:22:03.01\00:22:07.19
We are told there: "But
there was no one like Ahab
00:22:07.39\00:22:10.75
who sold himself to do wicked-
ness in the sight of the Lord
00:22:11.05\00:22:16.18
because Jezebel, his
wife, stirred him up. "
00:22:16.38\00:22:20.55
So she represents
a religious system
00:22:20.95\00:22:25.85
that uses the political power
to accomplish her purposes.
00:22:26.15\00:22:31.03
And the political
powers with no backbone
00:22:31.23\00:22:34.33
simply go along.
00:22:34.54\00:22:37.17
Now Jezebel imposed a
syncretistic religion.
00:22:37.47\00:22:40.87
In other words, a religion
that was a mixture between
00:22:41.07\00:22:43.54
God-worship and Baal-worship.
00:22:43.84\00:22:45.92
In I Kings chapter 18
verse 21 we find this indicated
00:22:46.22\00:22:49.80
when Elijah speaks
to Israel on Mt. Carmel.
00:22:50.00\00:22:53.89
Notice what he says:
00:22:54.09\00:22:55.65
"And Elijah came to
all the people and said:
00:22:55.95\00:22:58.14
'How long will you
falter between two opinions?
00:22:58.34\00:23:02.05
If the Lord is God, follow Him.
00:23:02.25\00:23:05.37
But if Baal, follow him. '
00:23:05.77\00:23:08.62
But the people
answered him not a word. "
00:23:08.82\00:23:11.55
Notice that Elijah's
message at this point
00:23:11.75\00:23:14.14
was fruitless because the
people simply kept silent.
00:23:15.17\00:23:19.45
But the fact that
Elijah says: "Why do you falter
00:23:19.75\00:23:22.63
between two opinions? "
means that they were trying to
00:23:22.73\00:23:25.13
serve two masters. They
were attempting to serve God
00:23:25.23\00:23:28.74
but at the same time they
had an infiltration of paganism.
00:23:28.94\00:23:33.81
Now she imposed
the worship of Baal.
00:23:34.31\00:23:36.90
Who was Baal?
00:23:37.10\00:23:38.47
Baal was the ancient
sun god of the Phoenicians.
00:23:38.54\00:23:42.86
In fact, in Hosea 2
verse 8 we are told that Baal
00:23:43.26\00:23:46.68
was given creative power.
It was believed that Baal was
00:23:46.88\00:23:49.71
the Creator. Notice what it says
in Hosea chapter 2 and verse 8.
00:23:49.81\00:23:54.35
God is indicting
Israel and He says:
00:23:54.55\00:23:56.97
"Nor did she know
that I gave her... "
00:23:57.17\00:24:00.90
That Israel...
that is, Israel...
00:24:01.00\00:24:02.47
"that I gave her
grain, new wine, and oil,
00:24:02.57\00:24:06.53
and multiplied
her silver and gold
00:24:06.73\00:24:09.58
which they prepared for Baal. "
00:24:09.78\00:24:12.80
They attributed creative
power to Baal... the sun god.
00:24:13.10\00:24:17.58
Ellen White in Testimonies
for the Church Vol. 3 page 282
00:24:17.88\00:24:22.02
confirms that
Baal was the sun god.
00:24:22.22\00:24:25.09
And Israel was worshiping
one who was not the Creator,
00:24:25.29\00:24:29.11
a false creator. She says
00:24:29.31\00:24:31.81
speaking about what the prophets
of Baal did on Mt. Carmel:
00:24:32.01\00:24:36.19
"Their pleadings are mingled
00:24:36.49\00:24:38.90
with cursings
to their sun god. "
00:24:39.10\00:24:41.66
Notice: "to their sun god. "
00:24:41.96\00:24:44.26
"but he did not send
fire upon their altars. "
00:24:44.46\00:24:48.59
And so she is imposing
the worship of the sun god.
00:24:48.89\00:24:52.54
Is there any relationship
between that and what happens
00:24:52.84\00:24:55.63
in the end time?
00:24:55.73\00:24:57.16
Yeah, you are no longer
dealing with a literal sun..
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.75
you're dealing in the end
time with the day of the sun.
00:25:00.95\00:25:04.41
And we will see that
there is a clear connection
00:25:04.72\00:25:06.75
in our last
study tomorrow morning.
00:25:06.85\00:25:09.05
Now as I mentioned,
Jezebel was a murderess
00:25:09.35\00:25:12.91
of everyone who
did not agree with her.
00:25:13.11\00:25:14.96
In I Kings chapter 18
and verse 4 we are told
00:25:15.16\00:25:18.19
"For so it was while Jezebel
massacred the prophets of the
00:25:18.50\00:25:23.00
Lord that Obadiah had taken
100 prophets and hidden them
00:25:23.10\00:25:27.12
50 to a cave and had fed
them with bread and water. "
00:25:27.32\00:25:31.07
Here we find God's people
hiding from the wrath of Jezebel
00:25:31.38\00:25:35.59
because we're
told that she massacred
00:25:35.79\00:25:37.92
the prophets of the Lord.
00:25:38.02\00:25:39.39
In other words, she
delighted in shedding the blood
00:25:39.42\00:25:42.53
of those who disagreed
with her syncretistic religion.
00:25:42.73\00:25:47.84
In fact, after the
episode on Mt. Carmel
00:25:48.24\00:25:51.94
Jezebel spoke to Elijah and
she said: "You're going to die
00:25:52.34\00:25:55.86
just like they did. " I
Kings chapter 19 verses 1-2
00:25:55.96\00:25:59.80
we find these words:
"And Ahab told Jezebel
00:25:59.90\00:26:03.70
all that Elijah had done.
00:26:03.80\00:26:05.45
Also how he had executed
all the prophets with the sword.
00:26:05.65\00:26:09.19
Then Jezebel sent the
messenger to Elijah saying:
00:26:09.49\00:26:13.07
'So let the gods do to me
00:26:13.37\00:26:15.40
and more also if I
do not make your life
00:26:15.61\00:26:18.86
as the life of one of them
by tomorrow about this time. ' "
00:26:19.06\00:26:23.45
And so here we find this
murderous woman who hates
00:26:24.32\00:26:28.82
God's prophet because of the
message that he has delivered.
00:26:29.02\00:26:32.35
So we've studied the king.
00:26:32.65\00:26:34.43
We've studied the
characteristics of the harlot.
00:26:34.83\00:26:37.91
Now let's take a look
at the apostate priesthood
00:26:38.21\00:26:41.50
or the apostate false prophet
that did the bidding of Jezebel.
00:26:41.70\00:26:45.79
In I Kings
chapter 18 and verse 19
00:26:46.09\00:26:49.03
we are told that
Jezebel fed the false prophets.
00:26:49.23\00:26:53.36
And by the way, you don't
bite the hand that feeds you.
00:26:53.56\00:26:57.90
In other words, they
simply did what she said.
00:26:58.40\00:27:01.16
We are told
there: "Now therefore
00:27:01.46\00:27:04.01
send and gather all
Israel to me on Mt. Carmel" -
00:27:04.21\00:27:07.06
here Elijah is speaking -
00:27:07.26\00:27:08.63
"the 450 prophets of Baal,
00:27:08.81\00:27:11.09
and the 400 prophets of Asherah
00:27:11.29\00:27:14.15
who... " What? "who
eat at Jezebel's table. "
00:27:14.35\00:27:18.24
And so basically they
also do what she says.
00:27:19.01\00:27:21.82
They are religious
cohorts if you please
00:27:22.12\00:27:25.19
of Jezebel to extend the
religion of this apostate
00:27:25.39\00:27:29.75
harlot woman.
00:27:29.95\00:27:31.32
And through
this triple alliance:
00:27:31.97\00:27:33.87
the king, Jezebel,
and the false prophets
00:27:34.07\00:27:38.39
the people of Israel
were deceived and controlled
00:27:38.59\00:27:41.96
with the exception
of a very small remnant.
00:27:42.06\00:27:45.00
In fact, in I Kings
chapter 21 and verse 22
00:27:45.30\00:27:48.94
we are told that Ahab and
Jezebel actually were the ones
00:27:49.04\00:27:52.84
that enticed the
entire people to sin.
00:27:52.94\00:27:55.36
They had control over the
multitudes in other words.
00:27:55.56\00:27:59.08
Here it says: "I
will make your house... "
00:27:59.28\00:28:01.44
God is predicting
what's going to happen to Ahab.
00:28:01.64\00:28:03.87
"I will make your house
like the house of Jeroboam
00:28:04.07\00:28:06.68
the son of Nebat and
like the house of Baasha
00:28:06.88\00:28:09.87
the son of Ahijah,
because of the provocation
00:28:09.97\00:28:12.91
with which you
have provoked My anger
00:28:13.11\00:28:15.58
and made... " Who?
"and made Israel sin. "
00:28:15.78\00:28:20.27
And so this triple alliance
actually makes Israel sin
00:28:20.47\00:28:24.54
and they have the entire people
almost with the exception of
00:28:24.84\00:28:28.55
a small remnant
practicing this false worship.
00:28:28.65\00:28:32.83
In I Kings
chapter 19 and verse 10
00:28:33.49\00:28:35.85
we are also told once again
that the children of Israel
00:28:36.05\00:28:39.39
were enticed by
this triple alliance
00:28:39.49\00:28:41.58
to be on the side of error.
00:28:41.88\00:28:43.80
It says there: "So he
said... " Elijah is speaking.
00:28:44.00\00:28:47.74
"I have been very zealous
for the Lord God of Hosts
00:28:47.94\00:28:50.73
for the children of Israel
have forsaken Your covenant,
00:28:51.04\00:28:55.16
torn down Your altars,
00:28:55.46\00:28:57.24
and killed Your
prophets with the sword. "
00:28:57.44\00:28:59.44
Notice the children
of Israel have done this.
00:28:59.54\00:29:01.87
And then he
says: "I alone am left
00:29:02.17\00:29:05.31
and they... " That is,
the children of Israel...
00:29:05.61\00:29:07.75
"seek to take my life. "
00:29:07.95\00:29:10.16
So let me ask you:
did Jezebel and Ahab
00:29:10.46\00:29:13.63
and the false prophets
have almost full control
00:29:13.84\00:29:16.43
over the people? Over
the multitudes, nations,
00:29:16.63\00:29:19.61
tongues, and
peoples? Absolutely.
00:29:19.81\00:29:22.29
Now let's talk about the
role of the fourth protagonist
00:29:22.59\00:29:25.92
in the story: Elijah.
00:29:26.02\00:29:28.33
God raises up Elijah
to denounce this apostasy
00:29:28.83\00:29:32.53
and to bring God's people
back to the straight and narrow.
00:29:32.93\00:29:36.25
You see, Elijah
is not an innovator.
00:29:36.55\00:29:40.43
Elijah is a reformer
00:29:40.73\00:29:43.18
who wants to bring Israel
back to where they once were.
00:29:43.48\00:29:47.02
The mission of Elijah
is to call God's people
00:29:47.32\00:29:50.36
who have been deceived
by this triple alliance
00:29:50.46\00:29:53.01
to come out of apostasy.
00:29:53.21\00:29:54.96
He preaches about
the true Creator God
00:29:55.26\00:29:58.08
and he calls Israel to come
back. He's not an innovator.
00:29:58.28\00:30:02.23
He is a reformer
and he is a restorer.
00:30:02.43\00:30:05.47
He's seeking to
restore true worship.
00:30:05.67\00:30:08.23
He's seeking to restore
the true covenant sacrifice.
00:30:08.53\00:30:11.29
He's seeking to restore
the commandments of God.
00:30:11.50\00:30:14.13
And interestingly
enough, his message was not for
00:30:14.33\00:30:17.07
the unchurched
but for the churched!
00:30:17.17\00:30:19.97
You see, the message of
Elijah is given to Israel.
00:30:21.43\00:30:26.25
Would this perhaps mean that in
the end time the Elijah message
00:30:26.65\00:30:30.32
will go to an
apostate Christendom?
00:30:30.52\00:30:33.09
Doesn't go to the
secular. It goes to a people
00:30:33.39\00:30:38.13
that claim to
serve the true God.
00:30:38.33\00:30:40.69
Now, the succinct message of
Elijah is to bring God's people
00:30:40.99\00:30:45.41
back once again to the
religion that they knew
00:30:45.61\00:30:50.19
when they were on God's side.
00:30:50.39\00:30:52.61
In I Kings
chapter 18 and verse 37
00:30:52.91\00:30:56.13
we find this clear indication
that Elijah is actually
00:30:56.33\00:31:01.77
one who restores
Israel to what they once were.
00:31:02.07\00:31:05.38
Here Elijah says in his prayer:
00:31:05.88\00:31:09.63
"Hear me, oh Lord, hear me...
00:31:09.83\00:31:11.94
that this people may
know that You are the Lord God
00:31:12.24\00:31:15.23
and that You... "
Now listen carefully:
00:31:15.53\00:31:17.45
"and that You have... "
What? "turned their hearts
00:31:17.75\00:31:21.34
back to You again. "
00:31:21.54\00:31:23.65
He's the restorer.
00:31:23.85\00:31:25.22
In other words, he's not an
innovator. He's not bringing
00:31:25.25\00:31:27.17
a new religion.
He's saying to Israel:
00:31:27.27\00:31:28.99
"Return to the
Lord your Creator. "
00:31:29.19\00:31:32.31
Now I want to read
also Luke 1 verse 16.
00:31:32.55\00:31:35.05
This verse is dealing
with the New Testament Elijah
00:31:35.15\00:31:37.64
but the principle applies
that the New Testament Elijah
00:31:37.74\00:31:40.80
is also called to be a restorer.
00:31:41.01\00:31:43.81
We'll study this
particular verse this evening.
00:31:44.21\00:31:46.79
It says in Luke 1 and verse 16
00:31:47.09\00:31:49.21
speaking about John the Baptist,
the New Testament Elijah:
00:31:49.51\00:31:52.85
"And he will
turn... " Listen carefully:
00:31:53.15\00:31:55.80
"many of the children of
Israel to the Lord their God. "
00:31:56.10\00:32:00.78
Now wait a minute. He's going to
turn who to the Lord their God?
00:32:00.91\00:32:04.39
The children of Israel.
00:32:04.69\00:32:06.36
So had the children of
Israel gone astray from the Lord
00:32:06.66\00:32:09.44
their God? Absolutely.
This is a message for Israel!
00:32:09.54\00:32:12.89
It's a message for those
who profess to be God's people.
00:32:13.19\00:32:16.14
It's not a message for
atheists and for secular people,
00:32:16.34\00:32:19.35
people that profess no religion.
00:32:19.55\00:32:21.20
It's a message for people
who belong to God's church.
00:32:21.30\00:32:25.90
In Matthew chapter 17 verse
11 one again speaking about
00:32:26.14\00:32:29.31
the New Testament Elijah -
but the New Testament Elijah
00:32:29.41\00:32:31.84
is connected with
the Old Testament one -
00:32:32.04\00:32:34.15
we are told about Elijah:
00:32:34.35\00:32:37.05
"Indeed Elijah is coming
first... " And listen carefully:
00:32:37.25\00:32:42.17
"and will restore all things. "
00:32:42.31\00:32:46.51
What does it mean "to restore? "
00:32:46.71\00:32:48.64
Can you restore something
that has not existed before?
00:32:49.05\00:32:52.35
No! Elijah is the great restorer
00:32:52.65\00:32:56.48
of God's truth:
of God's message,
00:32:56.68\00:32:59.18
of worship to the Creator,
00:32:59.38\00:33:00.85
of the commandments of God,
00:33:00.95\00:33:02.32
of the true covenant sacrifice.
00:33:02.46\00:33:05.31
In fact, we are clearly
told in several texts that
00:33:05.51\00:33:09.03
Israel had broken the covenant
00:33:09.23\00:33:10.60
and they had gone
astray from the Lord.
00:33:10.64\00:33:12.63
In I Kings
chapter 18 and verse 30
00:33:13.03\00:33:15.40
we are told that
the altar was in ruins,
00:33:15.60\00:33:17.32
which means that they had for-
gotten how to worship the Lord.
00:33:17.52\00:33:20.31
It says: "Then Elijah
said to all the people:
00:33:20.61\00:33:22.82
'Come near to me. ' So all
the people came near to him.
00:33:23.02\00:33:25.85
And he repaired the altar of
the Lord that was broken down. "
00:33:26.05\00:33:29.88
He's restoring true
worship in other words.
00:33:30.08\00:33:32.98
Now the twelve... This
altar was composed of 12 stones
00:33:33.38\00:33:37.41
which means that he's
restoring God's Israel
00:33:37.81\00:33:40.32
because Israel had 12 tribes.
00:33:40.35\00:33:42.24
I Kings chapter 18
and verses 31 and 32:
00:33:42.54\00:33:45.50
"And Elijah took 12 stones
00:33:45.80\00:33:47.86
according to the number of
the tribes of the sons of Jacob
00:33:48.06\00:33:51.56
to whom the word of
the Lord had come saying:
00:33:51.77\00:33:53.80
'Israel shall be your name.
' Then with the stones he built
00:33:54.00\00:33:57.60
an altar in the
name of the Lord. "
00:33:57.80\00:33:59.71
He's restoring God's people
and he's restoring true worship.
00:33:59.91\00:34:04.31
And in his prayer he invokes
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
00:34:04.51\00:34:08.92
because they are the
fathers - the founding fathers -
00:34:09.12\00:34:11.54
of Israel. Notice I Kings
chapter 18 verses 36 and 37.
00:34:11.64\00:34:16.17
This is on Mt. Carmel.
00:34:16.47\00:34:17.91
"And it came to pass at
the time of the offering of the
00:34:18.11\00:34:20.36
evening sacrifice that Elijah
the prophet came near and said:
00:34:20.46\00:34:24.21
"Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel
00:34:24.51\00:34:28.05
let it be known this day
that You are God in Israel
00:34:28.35\00:34:31.89
and I am Your servant
00:34:32.09\00:34:33.46
and that I have done all
these things at Your word.
00:34:33.73\00:34:36.43
Hear me, O Lord, hear me...
00:34:36.63\00:34:39.02
that this people may
know that You are the Lord God
00:34:39.22\00:34:42.00
and that you have...
" Listen carefully now:
00:34:42.30\00:34:45.10
"and that You have turned their
hearts back to You again. "
00:34:45.30\00:34:50.22
So he's restoring God's people.
00:34:51.88\00:34:54.10
He's restoring true worship.
00:34:54.40\00:34:56.33
In I Kings chapter
18 verses 17 and 18
00:34:56.63\00:35:00.08
we are also told that he
is restoring the commandments
00:35:00.28\00:35:03.34
of God. It says there -
and here, of course, Elijah
00:35:03.45\00:35:07.78
meets with Ahab and Ahab
says: "Oh, you're the troubler
00:35:07.98\00:35:11.86
of Israel. " Notice
what Elijah has to say,
00:35:11.96\00:35:14.36
I Kings 18:17-18:
00:35:15.24\00:35:17.39
"Then it happened
when Ahab saw Elijah
00:35:17.59\00:35:20.41
that Ahab said
to him: 'Is that you
00:35:20.61\00:35:23.47
O troubler of Israel? '
00:35:23.67\00:35:25.23
And he answered: 'I
have not troubled Israel
00:35:25.43\00:35:28.74
but you and your
father's house have
00:35:28.94\00:35:31.90
in that you have forsaken
the commandments of the Lord
00:35:32.10\00:35:35.91
and you have
followed the Baals. ' "
00:35:36.11\00:35:37.97
Did Elijah have a role in
restoring the commandments
00:35:38.27\00:35:41.05
of God? Yes he did.
00:35:41.15\00:35:42.80
Did he have a role in
establishing true worship?
00:35:43.00\00:35:45.81
Yes he did. Did he have a
role in re-establishing the
00:35:46.11\00:35:49.25
true gospel of salvation
in Jesus Christ represented by
00:35:49.45\00:35:53.32
the covenant
sacrifice? Absolutely!
00:35:53.52\00:35:56.13
And he rebuked Jezebel
for imposing the worship
00:35:56.33\00:36:00.10
of the sun god Baal as the
Creator instead of the Lord.
00:36:00.20\00:36:05.01
Now go with me to
Psalm 95 and verse 6
00:36:06.87\00:36:09.71
and let's notice
something very interesting.
00:36:09.75\00:36:12.03
Can you separate
worship from the Sabbath?
00:36:12.43\00:36:15.25
Can you separate the
Sabbath from worship?
00:36:15.75\00:36:18.83
Absolutely not.
00:36:19.13\00:36:20.99
Notice Psalm 95 and verse 6.
00:36:21.29\00:36:23.41
Here the Psalmist says:
"Oh come, let us worship
00:36:23.91\00:36:29.86
and bow down. Let us kneel
before the Lord our Maker. "
00:36:29.96\00:36:35.09
Why do we worship God?
00:36:35.39\00:36:37.24
Because God is our
what? God is our Creator.
00:36:37.54\00:36:41.19
And let me ask you:
did God give us a sign
00:36:41.49\00:36:44.50
to remind us that
He is the Creator?
00:36:44.70\00:36:46.91
Absolutely. What is the sign?
00:36:47.21\00:36:49.17
The sign is the Sabbath.
00:36:49.47\00:36:51.19
This is the reason
why in the end time...
00:36:51.49\00:36:53.15
And I'll get ahead of
myself a little bit...
00:36:53.36\00:36:55.04
We are told in the first angel's
message that God's people,
00:36:55.24\00:36:58.61
God's end-time Elijah, will
bring people back to worshiping
00:36:58.81\00:37:02.53
the Creator God.
00:37:02.63\00:37:04.17
It says there in
Revelation 14:6-7:
00:37:04.47\00:37:07.06
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven
00:37:07.37\00:37:10.29
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those who
00:37:10.59\00:37:13.31
dwell on the earth, to every
nation, tribe, tongue and people
00:37:13.41\00:37:16.24
saying with a
loud voice: 'Fear God
00:37:16.54\00:37:18.74
and give glory to Him
for the hour of His judgment
00:37:18.94\00:37:21.44
has come. And worship Him
who made heaven and earth,
00:37:21.64\00:37:24.80
the sea and
springs of water. ' "
00:37:24.90\00:37:26.44
A clear allusion to
the fourth commandment
00:37:26.54\00:37:28.93
in Exodus chapter 20.
00:37:29.03\00:37:30.77
God's end-time
Elijah will call people back
00:37:31.07\00:37:34.81
to the worship of the
Creator and of His day -
00:37:35.01\00:37:38.15
which is the Sabbath -
in contrast with the day
00:37:38.35\00:37:40.79
of the sun.
00:37:40.99\00:37:42.59
Now because of the
apostasy in the days of Elijah
00:37:42.89\00:37:45.77
there were terrible calamities
00:37:46.17\00:37:47.97
that overtook
the nation of Israel.
00:37:48.08\00:37:50.60
There was a famine.
00:37:50.90\00:37:52.61
I Kings chapter 18 and verse 5
00:37:52.91\00:37:54.75
we are told: "And
Ahab had said to Obadiah
00:37:55.05\00:37:58.25
'Go into the land to
all the springs of water
00:37:58.46\00:38:01.13
and to all the brooks.
Perhaps we may find grass
00:38:01.23\00:38:04.69
to keep the
horses and mules alive
00:38:04.72\00:38:07.21
so that we will not have
to kill any livestock. ' "
00:38:07.41\00:38:11.40
The drought was terrible!
00:38:12.55\00:38:14.25
The famine was terrible.
00:38:14.56\00:38:15.93
It was because of the
apostasy and yet who was blamed?
00:38:15.96\00:38:20.47
Elijah was blamed.
00:38:20.77\00:38:22.24
In II Chronicles 7:13-14
00:38:22.54\00:38:24.75
which we read in our
presentation last evening
00:38:24.85\00:38:27.31
we are told why rain
would not fall in Israel.
00:38:27.51\00:38:31.67
Here God says:
"When I shut up heaven
00:38:31.97\00:38:34.19
and there is no rain
or command the locust
00:38:34.29\00:38:37.08
to devour the land or send
pestilence among My people... "
00:38:37.18\00:38:40.56
I'm almost
tempted to say tornadoes.
00:38:40.66\00:38:42.76
"If my people... "
00:38:44.17\00:38:45.92
Notice He's
talking about His people...
00:38:46.12\00:38:48.03
it's not the secular people.
00:38:48.13\00:38:49.50
"If My people who are
called by My name... "
00:38:49.53\00:38:52.28
See, they claim His name.
00:38:52.38\00:38:53.75
"will humble themselves
and pray and seek My face
00:38:53.78\00:38:56.91
and turn from their wicked ways
00:38:57.11\00:38:59.74
then I will hear from heaven
00:38:59.94\00:39:01.48
and will forgive their sin
and I will heal their land. "
00:39:01.68\00:39:04.84
But those who were guilty
00:39:05.25\00:39:08.58
refused to recognize
that they were at fault
00:39:08.88\00:39:11.76
and so they blamed
the prophet Elijah.
00:39:12.06\00:39:14.57
In fact, in I Kings 18:17
when Elijah finally goes before
00:39:14.87\00:39:18.72
Ahab, we read this before:
00:39:18.82\00:39:20.90
"Then it happened
when Ahab saw Elijah
00:39:21.10\00:39:23.65
that Ahab said to him:
00:39:23.85\00:39:25.22
'Is that you, O
troubler of Israel? ' "
00:39:25.39\00:39:28.60
In Prophets and Kings page 126
00:39:28.90\00:39:31.69
we find Ellen White's
comment about this persecution
00:39:31.99\00:39:36.31
against Elijah and the
fact that Elijah was blamed
00:39:36.51\00:39:40.02
by this triple alliance.
00:39:40.13\00:39:41.68
She says: "Jezebel
utterly refused to recognize
00:39:41.98\00:39:45.06
the drought as a
judgment from Jehovah.
00:39:45.16\00:39:47.18
Unyielding in her determination
to defy the God of heaven
00:39:47.48\00:39:51.68
she, with nearly
the whole of Israel,
00:39:51.88\00:39:55.68
united in denouncing Elijah as
the cause of all their misery.
00:39:55.88\00:40:00.65
Had he not born testimony
against their forms of worship?
00:40:00.85\00:40:05.17
If only he could
be put out of the way,
00:40:05.37\00:40:08.59
she argued, the anger of
their gods would be appeased
00:40:08.79\00:40:12.32
and their troubles would end. "
00:40:12.52\00:40:16.14
And so Elijah is persecuted
00:40:16.54\00:40:19.28
because the triple
alliance tells the people:
00:40:19.48\00:40:22.44
"He is to blame for
all of our calamities. "
00:40:22.64\00:40:25.40
Does this ring a bell
when it comes to the end time?
00:40:25.43\00:40:28.43
Absolutely. This
is the foundation.
00:40:28.73\00:40:31.12
I Kings chapter 18
verse 10 we are told:
00:40:31.42\00:40:34.58
"As the Lord your God lives
there is no nation or kingdom
00:40:34.78\00:40:38.77
where my master... "
This is when the servant
00:40:38.97\00:40:40.86
of the king meets with Elijah.
"There is no nation or kingdom
00:40:40.96\00:40:44.97
where my master has not
sent someone to hunt for you.
00:40:45.17\00:40:48.51
And when they
said 'He is not here'
00:40:48.71\00:40:51.52
he took an oath from
the kingdom or nation
00:40:51.72\00:40:54.04
that they could not find you. "
00:40:54.25\00:40:55.84
In other words,
it was so serious
00:40:56.04\00:40:57.50
that when the messenger went
to a certain city or a certain
00:40:57.70\00:41:01.36
nation he would ask:
"Have you seen Elijah? "
00:41:01.46\00:41:03.77
They had to swear with an oath
that they had not seen Elijah.
00:41:03.97\00:41:06.79
In other words, he
was sought in every nation
00:41:06.99\00:41:09.03
in every place.
00:41:09.33\00:41:10.89
Prophets and Kings page 137
00:41:11.19\00:41:13.77
we find these
words: "For three years
00:41:14.07\00:41:16.55
the messenger of woe
was sought for in city
00:41:16.76\00:41:20.45
after city and
nation after nation.
00:41:20.55\00:41:22.78
At the mandate of Ahab
many rulers had given their oath
00:41:23.28\00:41:26.74
of honor that the strange
prophet could not be found
00:41:26.84\00:41:29.74
in their dominions. Yet
the search was continued
00:41:29.84\00:41:32.79
for Jezebel and the
prophets of Baal hated Elijah
00:41:33.09\00:41:36.96
with deadly hatred
and they spared no effort
00:41:37.06\00:41:39.87
to bring him within
reach of their power
00:41:39.97\00:41:42.67
and still there was no rain. "
00:41:42.87\00:41:45.12
So where did
Elijah have to flee?
00:41:45.42\00:41:47.99
Elijah had to
flee to the wilderness.
00:41:48.30\00:41:51.57
Did God have a place prepared
for Elijah in the wilderness?
00:41:52.56\00:41:55.49
Yes! In fact,
God commanded Elijah
00:41:55.99\00:41:58.60
'Go to the brook Cherith.
00:41:58.80\00:42:00.17
I have a place
prepared there for you. "
00:42:00.20\00:42:02.23
And we're told that not
only did God prepare a place
00:42:03.29\00:42:06.23
for Elijah to find refuge
from the wrath of this triple
00:42:06.43\00:42:09.79
alliance but we are also told
00:42:09.89\00:42:12.53
that God fed His prophet there.
00:42:12.73\00:42:16.66
His waters were sure
and his bread was sure
00:42:16.76\00:42:20.21
there where he was hiding
00:42:20.41\00:42:22.04
from the wrath of
this triple alliance.
00:42:22.14\00:42:24.71
Let me ask you: was
Elijah whisked out of the world
00:42:25.83\00:42:30.18
so that he would not
experience the tribulation?
00:42:30.38\00:42:33.04
Absolutely not!
00:42:33.34\00:42:34.75
Elijah was here during
this period of tribulation.
00:42:35.15\00:42:39.72
He had to flee;
he had to hide...
00:42:39.92\00:42:42.05
yet he was
sustained by the Lord.
00:42:42.25\00:42:45.11
In other words, he was
not saved from experiencing
00:42:45.21\00:42:50.00
tribulation. He was saved
in the midst of tribulation.
00:42:50.20\00:42:54.29
He was not whisked
away to some other place
00:42:54.59\00:42:57.27
so that things
would be easy for him.
00:42:57.58\00:42:59.37
Now up to this point
the message of Elijah
00:42:59.77\00:43:03.92
has not
experienced any response...
00:43:04.02\00:43:06.23
any positive
response from the people.
00:43:06.33\00:43:08.34
We are told that on Mt. Carmel
when Elijah said: "If the Lord
00:43:08.64\00:43:12.43
is God, follow
Him... if Baal, follow him
00:43:12.53\00:43:14.80
the people
answered him not a word. "
00:43:15.01\00:43:16.75
It was necessary to
have a powerful manifestation
00:43:17.05\00:43:21.02
of God's power from
heaven in order for Elijah's
00:43:21.22\00:43:24.03
message to have an
impact and convert the people.
00:43:24.23\00:43:27.14
In I Kings
chapter 18 and verse 21
00:43:27.44\00:43:30.22
we find these words: "And
Elijah came to all the people
00:43:30.42\00:43:34.73
and said: 'How long will
you falter between two opinions?
00:43:34.83\00:43:38.37
If the Lord is
God, follow Him...
00:43:38.57\00:43:40.30
but if Baal, follow him. '
00:43:40.40\00:43:41.87
But the people
answered him not a word. "
00:43:42.07\00:43:45.25
Not until the fire
comes down from heaven
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.60
will people be convicted.
00:43:47.81\00:43:49.74
In Prophets and Kings page 147
00:43:49.94\00:43:51.87
Ellen White remarks
about this experience.
00:43:52.17\00:43:54.60
"Facing King Ahab
and the false prophets
00:43:54.90\00:43:57.36
and surrounded by the
assembled hosts of Israel
00:43:57.56\00:44:00.92
Elijah stands... the only one
who has appeared to vindicate
00:44:01.12\00:44:05.35
the honor of Jehovah.
00:44:05.55\00:44:06.92
He whom the whole kingdom
is charged with its weight
00:44:07.02\00:44:09.93
of woe is now before
them apparently defenseless
00:44:10.03\00:44:13.83
in the presence of
the monarch of Israel,
00:44:13.96\00:44:16.06
the prophets of
Baal, the men of war,
00:44:16.26\00:44:18.67
and the surrounding thousands
but Elijah is not alone.
00:44:18.87\00:44:23.25
Above and around him are
the protecting hosts of heaven,
00:44:23.55\00:44:27.67
angels that excel in strength. "
00:44:27.88\00:44:31.17
Now we don't have time to
get into this, but what was
00:44:31.47\00:44:34.06
the worship style of
the prophets of Baal like?
00:44:34.16\00:44:36.67
They shouted; they jumped;
00:44:38.51\00:44:41.99
they rolled; and they
even came to the point of
00:44:42.29\00:44:46.78
cutting themselves in
order to invoke the blessing
00:44:46.98\00:44:50.78
of their god Baal,
00:44:50.99\00:44:53.34
but there was no
answer from heaven.
00:44:53.64\00:44:56.98
What is it that
finally brought conviction
00:44:57.28\00:45:00.59
to God's people and
brought them back to the Lord?
00:45:00.79\00:45:04.44
Folks, it was
the fire from heaven.
00:45:05.27\00:45:08.33
Notice I Kings chapter
18 and verses 38 and 39.
00:45:09.50\00:45:14.19
I Kings chapter 18
verses 38 and 39 says:
00:45:14.29\00:45:18.12
"Then the fire of the Lord fell
00:45:18.42\00:45:20.74
and consumed the burnt sacrifice
00:45:20.94\00:45:23.14
and the wood and
the stones and the dust
00:45:23.44\00:45:26.80
and it licked up the
water that was in the trench. "
00:45:27.00\00:45:29.52
Probably a hole as big as the
one that you find in Arizona:
00:45:29.82\00:45:32.83
that meteorite that supposedly
fell millions and millions
00:45:34.98\00:45:38.13
of years ago...
which we know isn't true.
00:45:38.23\00:45:40.77
The power could not be denied!
00:45:41.66\00:45:44.69
And so notice the
response, verse 39:
00:45:44.99\00:45:47.43
"Now when all the people
saw it they fell on their faces
00:45:47.63\00:45:51.10
and they said:
'The Lord, He is God!
00:45:51.20\00:45:53.96
The Lord, He is God! ' "
00:45:54.16\00:45:56.61
In Prophets and
Kings pages 152 and 153
00:45:56.81\00:45:59.93
we find the inspired commentary
00:46:00.13\00:46:02.41
of what happened
there on Mt. Carmel.
00:46:02.61\00:46:04.30
"No sooner is the
prayer of Elijah ended
00:46:05.19\00:46:07.82
than flames of fire like
brilliant flashes of lightning
00:46:08.03\00:46:11.89
descend from heaven
upon the upreared altar
00:46:12.09\00:46:16.15
consuming the
sacrifice, licking up the water
00:46:16.45\00:46:19.35
in the trench, and consuming
even the stones of the altar.
00:46:19.45\00:46:22.50
The brilliancy of the blaze...
" Because this is at the hour
00:46:22.70\00:46:25.89
of the evening sacrifice,
folks, right around sundown.
00:46:26.09\00:46:29.00
"The brilliancy of the
blaze illumines the mountain
00:46:29.20\00:46:33.02
and dazzles the
eyes of the multitude
00:46:33.12\00:46:35.41
in the valleys below
where many are watching
00:46:35.61\00:46:38.28
in anxious suspense the
movements of those above.
00:46:38.39\00:46:41.82
The descent of
fire is clearly seen
00:46:42.12\00:46:45.01
and all are amazed at the sight.
00:46:45.21\00:46:47.25
It resembles the pillar of fire
00:46:47.55\00:46:49.96
which at the Red Sea
separated the children of Israel
00:46:50.16\00:46:52.53
from the Egyptian host. "
00:46:52.73\00:46:54.29
What does fire
represent in scripture?
00:46:54.69\00:46:57.49
Fire represents the Holy Spirit.
00:46:57.99\00:47:00.39
The descent of fire
on the Day of Pentecost
00:47:00.79\00:47:03.82
was a sign that God had accepted
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
00:47:04.02\00:47:07.98
And so the fire that
consumed the sacrifice
00:47:08.28\00:47:10.90
that came and gave a
boost to the message of Elijah
00:47:11.00\00:47:14.88
and brought conviction
was the fire from heaven.
00:47:15.08\00:47:17.63
Is there going to be a message
from heaven in the book of
00:47:17.94\00:47:20.81
Revelation that will illumine
the whole earth with the glory
00:47:20.91\00:47:24.20
of the Lord?
Revelation chapter 18:1-4.
00:47:24.30\00:47:27.66
That will be our
subject of study tomorrow.
00:47:27.76\00:47:29.83
We will look at
Elijah and his three enemies:
00:47:29.93\00:47:32.22
the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet.
00:47:32.42\00:47:34.97
They play the same role
as the personages in the
00:47:35.80\00:47:39.25
Old Testament. Now we need
to talk for a brief few moments
00:47:39.35\00:47:42.13
about the end of Jezebel,
Ahab, and the prophets of Baal.
00:47:42.33\00:47:47.20
I Kings chapter 18 and verse 40
00:47:48.09\00:47:50.33
we find that after God
revealed His power from heaven
00:47:50.43\00:47:53.97
the priests of
Baal still insisted
00:47:54.17\00:47:57.36
that they were
not going to accept.
00:47:57.56\00:48:00.56
Amazing how hardened they were.
00:48:01.06\00:48:03.86
In I Kings 18 verse 40 we
are told that the very people
00:48:04.16\00:48:07.75
that admired them most
were the ones that arose
00:48:07.85\00:48:10.56
for their destruction.
00:48:10.66\00:48:12.03
There it says: "And
Elijah said to them:
00:48:12.86\00:48:15.54
'Seize the prophets of Baal.
00:48:15.64\00:48:17.41
Do not let one of them escape. '
00:48:17.61\00:48:20.26
So they... " That is,
the children of Israel...
00:48:20.46\00:48:22.96
"seized them, and Elijah
brought them down to the brook
00:48:23.16\00:48:26.31
Kishon and
executed them there. "
00:48:26.41\00:48:29.17
Prophets and Kings 153 and 154
we find this amazing commentary
00:48:29.47\00:48:34.17
about this experience.
00:48:34.28\00:48:35.93
"The priests of Baal
witnessed with consternation
00:48:36.14\00:48:39.62
the wonderful
revelation of Jehovah's power.
00:48:39.82\00:48:42.08
Yet even in their discomfiture
00:48:42.38\00:48:45.17
and in the presence of
divine glory they refused
00:48:45.37\00:48:48.27
to repent of their evil doing. "
00:48:48.47\00:48:49.84
Does this sound like what's
going to happen to the dragon,
00:48:50.05\00:48:51.80
the beast, and
the false prophet?
00:48:51.90\00:48:53.27
They did not repent of
their deeds we are told
00:48:53.33\00:48:55.72
in scripture. She says
they "would still remain
00:48:55.92\00:48:59.11
the prophets of Baal.
00:48:59.21\00:49:00.59
Thus they showed themselves
ripe for destruction. "
00:49:00.90\00:49:04.04
In other words, they
committed the unpardonable sin.
00:49:04.14\00:49:06.10
"That repentant Israel
may be protected from the
00:49:06.40\00:49:09.03
allurements of
those who have taught them
00:49:09.13\00:49:12.24
to worship Baal,
Elijah is directed by the Lord
00:49:12.34\00:49:15.29
to destroy these
false teachers. "
00:49:15.39\00:49:17.25
Now notice who destroys them
00:49:17.45\00:49:18.93
because we're going to
come back to this tomorrow.
00:49:19.13\00:49:20.96
"The anger of the
people has already been aroused
00:49:21.16\00:49:23.93
against the
leaders in transgression.
00:49:24.03\00:49:27.10
And when Elijah gives the
command: 'Take the prophets
00:49:27.20\00:49:29.42
of Baal... let not
one of them escape'
00:49:29.52\00:49:31.43
they are ready to obey.
00:49:31.63\00:49:33.17
They seize the priests and they
take them to the brook Kishon
00:49:33.37\00:49:37.12
and there before
the close of the day
00:49:37.32\00:49:39.59
that marked the
beginning of decided reform
00:49:39.80\00:49:42.11
the ministers of Baal are slain.
00:49:42.31\00:49:44.59
Not one of them
is permitted to live.
00:49:44.79\00:49:47.28
The swords that
were to destroy Elijah
00:49:47.48\00:49:50.12
are used by the very
people that were deceived
00:49:50.32\00:49:53.29
to destroy the
prophets of Baal. "
00:49:53.49\00:49:55.67
Now what was the end
of Ahab and Jezebel like?
00:49:56.58\00:49:59.91
Well the fact is
in I Kings chapter 21
00:50:00.61\00:50:03.30
and verses 23 and 24
God predicted the end
00:50:03.50\00:50:07.98
of Jezebel. I Kings
chapter 21 verses 23 and 24.
00:50:08.08\00:50:12.21
"And concerning Jezebel
the Lord also spoke saying:
00:50:13.15\00:50:16.01
'the dogs shall eat Jezebel. ' "
00:50:16.31\00:50:18.90
Do we find anything in
Revelation about the beasts
00:50:20.27\00:50:22.34
of the field
coming to eat individuals?
00:50:22.44\00:50:26.86
Absolutely. It's
coming from this story
00:50:27.16\00:50:30.02
of Elijah: "The dogs shall eat
Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
00:50:30.22\00:50:34.07
The dogs shall eat
whoever belongs to Ahab
00:50:34.27\00:50:37.29
and dies in the city,
and the birds of the air
00:50:37.39\00:50:40.34
shall eat whoever
dies in the field. "
00:50:40.54\00:50:42.67
The beasts of the field
and the birds of the air.
00:50:42.88\00:50:45.59
What was the end of Ahab like?
00:50:45.89\00:50:48.22
I Kings 22:37-38
says: "So the king died
00:50:48.52\00:50:52.54
and was brought to Samaria.
00:50:52.74\00:50:54.47
And the buried
the king in Samaria. "
00:50:54.67\00:50:57.00
Then someone washed the
chariot at a pool in Samaria
00:50:57.21\00:51:00.76
and the dogs licked up his
blood while the harlots bathed
00:51:00.96\00:51:05.46
according to the word of
the Lord which He had spoken. "
00:51:05.66\00:51:08.17
Dogs licked up
the blood of Ahab.
00:51:08.48\00:51:11.42
What about Jezebel then?
00:51:11.62\00:51:13.45
We saw predicted that
the dogs would eat her flesh.
00:51:13.76\00:51:16.39
II Kings 9:8-9
tells us the story.
00:51:16.69\00:51:19.88
It says: "For the whole
house of Ahab shall perish
00:51:20.18\00:51:23.02
and I will cut off from
Ahab all the males in Israel,
00:51:23.23\00:51:27.34
both bond and free.
00:51:27.54\00:51:28.91
So I will make the house of
Ahab like the house of Jeroboam
00:51:29.02\00:51:32.18
the son of Nebat and
like the house of Baasha
00:51:32.28\00:51:35.17
the son of Ahijah.
The dogs shall eat Jezebel
00:51:35.27\00:51:38.43
on the plot of the ground
of Jezreel and there shall be
00:51:38.53\00:51:42.72
none to bury her.
00:51:42.82\00:51:44.50
And he opened
the door and fled. "
00:51:44.90\00:51:47.65
In II Kings
chapter 9 verses 30 and 31
00:51:47.95\00:51:50.83
we find the sad end. It says:
00:51:51.03\00:51:53.63
"Now when Jehu
had come to Jezreel
00:51:53.94\00:51:56.25
Jezebel heard of it. And
she put paint on her eyes
00:51:56.45\00:52:00.54
and adorned her hair. "
00:52:00.64\00:52:02.01
She said: "I'm going to
continue enticing the king
00:52:02.06\00:52:04.06
by my beauty. "
00:52:04.16\00:52:05.73
She is dressing
herself as a harlot,
00:52:06.97\00:52:09.12
but what she doesn't know is
that her influence on the king
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.12
is over. And so it says
she looks through the window.
00:52:12.33\00:52:15.66
"Then as Jehu
entered at the gate she said:
00:52:15.96\00:52:18.70
'Is it peace, Zimri,
murderer of your master? '
00:52:18.90\00:52:22.44
And he looked up at the window
and said: 'Who is on my side?
00:52:22.68\00:52:25.60
Who? ' So two or three
eunuchs looked out at him.
00:52:25.80\00:52:29.28
Then he said: 'Throw her down! '
00:52:29.48\00:52:31.55
So they threw her down. "
Notice: the woman has a fall,
00:52:31.85\00:52:35.83
right? In Revelation do
you have the fall of Babylon?
00:52:35.93\00:52:38.99
Absolutely. "So
they threw her down
00:52:39.29\00:52:41.17
and some of her
blood spattered on the wall
00:52:41.20\00:52:43.33
and on the horses. "
Notice she's trampled
00:52:43.53\00:52:45.87
by the horses. "And he
trampled her underfoot.
00:52:45.97\00:52:49.31
And when he had
gone in he ate and drank.
00:52:49.61\00:52:52.06
Then he said: 'Go now.
See to this accursed woman
00:52:52.26\00:52:56.66
and bury her for she
was a king's daughter. '
00:52:56.86\00:52:59.00
So they went to bury her
but they found no more of her
00:52:59.30\00:53:02.75
than the skull and the
feet and the palms of her hands.
00:53:02.95\00:53:05.60
Therefore they
came back and told him
00:53:05.90\00:53:07.97
and he said: 'This is the
word of the Lord which He spoke
00:53:08.17\00:53:10.75
by His servant
Elijah the Tishbite saying:
00:53:10.95\00:53:12.86
on the plot of
the ground at Jezreel
00:53:13.06\00:53:15.09
dogs shall eat
the flesh of Jezebel.
00:53:15.29\00:53:17.36
And the corpse of
Jezebel shall be as refuse
00:53:17.66\00:53:20.34
on the surface of the
field in the plot at Jezreel
00:53:20.55\00:53:23.77
so that they shall not
say here lies Jezebel. ' "
00:53:23.97\00:53:29.45
All of this is actually a
prefiguring of what we find
00:53:30.76\00:53:34.34
in Revelation as we will
study in our topic tomorrow.
00:53:34.44\00:53:38.30
So was the blood of
God's people avenged?
00:53:38.60\00:53:41.63
Yes! II Kings 9 verse 7
00:53:41.93\00:53:44.36
says: "You shall
strike down the house of Ahab
00:53:44.56\00:53:46.77
your master that I may
avenge the blood of My servants
00:53:46.98\00:53:50.27
the prophets and the blood
of all the servants of the Lord
00:53:50.47\00:53:53.59
at the hand of Jezebel. "
00:53:53.79\00:53:55.16
That's almost a precise
quotation that is found in
00:53:55.19\00:53:58.74
Revelation
chapter 17 and verse 6
00:53:58.94\00:54:00.81
speaking about the
wrath of the end-time harlot.
00:54:01.01\00:54:04.42
But the story doesn't end there.
00:54:04.62\00:54:06.70
After the trial
Elijah sees this cloud.
00:54:07.83\00:54:12.21
This cloud is coming.
00:54:13.77\00:54:15.44
There's a chariot coming.
00:54:15.84\00:54:18.15
There's a chariot
coming to take him home.
00:54:18.45\00:54:20.97
And Elijah is
translated after his trial.
00:54:21.91\00:54:25.42
After his fight with
this three-fold alliance
00:54:25.72\00:54:28.61
Elijah is translated to
heaven in a chariot of fire.
00:54:28.81\00:54:33.77
In II Kings
chapter 2 verses 11 and 12
00:54:34.07\00:54:36.84
we find these
words: "Then it happened
00:54:37.14\00:54:39.43
as they... " That is
Elijah and Elisha... "continued
00:54:39.63\00:54:41.87
on and talked that
suddenly a chariot of fire
00:54:41.97\00:54:45.70
appeared with horses of fire
and separated the two of them.
00:54:45.90\00:54:49.72
And Elijah went up in
a whirlwind into heaven.
00:54:50.02\00:54:53.44
And Elisha saw
it and he cried out
00:54:53.67\00:54:56.05
'My father, my
father... the chariot of Israel
00:54:56.25\00:54:59.65
and its horsemen. '
So he saw him no more. "
00:54:59.85\00:55:03.31
Do you know that in
The Great Controversy
00:55:05.27\00:55:07.77
Ellen White describes how
God's people will be translated
00:55:07.87\00:55:13.84
after they go
through the end-time trial
00:55:14.04\00:55:15.95
and face this
three-fold alliance?
00:55:16.15\00:55:18.85
She describes a
chariot that has wings.
00:55:20.97\00:55:25.02
Of course the wings
are the wings of angels.
00:55:25.32\00:55:27.79
And in the midst
of the chariot is fire
00:55:28.09\00:55:31.42
because angels are
compared with fire.
00:55:31.72\00:55:34.78
In fact, the word seraph
where seraphim comes from
00:55:35.95\00:55:39.36
means fire. And so
Elijah after his trial,
00:55:39.56\00:55:44.23
after the death
decree, after having to flee,
00:55:44.43\00:55:47.29
after having to hide,
00:55:47.50\00:55:48.87
facing the wrath of
the three-fold alliance,
00:55:49.03\00:55:51.28
after preaching with
power and having the power
00:55:51.48\00:55:54.90
uniting with the fire from
heaven and bringing conviction
00:55:55.10\00:55:57.80
to God's people, he
is translated to heaven
00:55:58.00\00:56:01.82
from among the living.
00:56:01.92\00:56:03.60
Is this what is going to
happen with God's people?
00:56:04.10\00:56:06.61
Absolutely.
00:56:07.36\00:56:08.88
Brings to mind that
famous Negro spiritual.
00:56:09.18\00:56:11.85
You see, the person who
wrote this had it straight.
00:56:12.15\00:56:17.25
Swing low, sweet chariot
00:56:18.75\00:56:21.91
comin' for to carry me home.
00:56:22.21\00:56:24.50
Swing low, sweet chariot
00:56:24.90\00:56:27.30
coming for to carry me home.
00:56:27.60\00:56:29.59
And then the next stanza
says: I looked over Jordan...
00:56:30.79\00:56:33.44
And of course, Elijah and
Elisha were there at Jordan.
00:56:34.66\00:56:37.58
I looked over
Jordan and what did I see?
00:56:37.68\00:56:40.13
Coming for to carry me home.
00:56:40.96\00:56:43.08
What did he see?
00:56:43.48\00:56:44.85
A band of angels
coming after me...
00:56:44.96\00:56:48.44
coming for to carry me home.
00:56:48.74\00:56:51.44
Folks, there's a trial ahead.
00:56:51.94\00:56:54.54
The final movements Ellen
White said would be rapid ones.
00:56:54.74\00:56:57.35
We are seeing those
rapid movements now!
00:56:57.55\00:57:00.44
It is time for
God's people to awaken
00:57:00.75\00:57:02.64
and to proclaim
the message with power.
00:57:02.84\00:57:05.03
But for that we have to
have the commitment of Elijah:
00:57:05.23\00:57:07.63
a total and complete
commitment to the Lord.
00:57:08.03\00:57:10.79
Not even consider
our life important
00:57:11.30\00:57:14.21
but consider that sharing
God's present-truth message
00:57:14.41\00:57:17.71
with the church
and with the world
00:57:17.91\00:57:20.63
is of prime importance.
00:57:20.83\00:57:22.93
And like Elijah,
we have this hope
00:57:23.23\00:57:25.80
that burns within our hearts:
00:57:26.00\00:57:27.88
hope in the coming of the Lord!
00:57:28.08\00:57:30.88