Well Danny, I've been
here for a lot of these panels
00:00:30.72\00:00:33.16
but I believe this was
the best we've ever had.
00:00:33.36\00:00:36.64
It was really good because
it answered some pertinent
00:00:36.84\00:00:39.31
questions - right - some
real questions on everyday life
00:00:39.46\00:00:42.60
and salvation and it's
great. We find the good news.
00:00:42.80\00:00:46.17
You know, the
balance of this group...
00:00:46.37\00:00:49.33
We had Shelly in the
middle kind of holding together
00:00:49.53\00:00:52.67
and then we had Pastor
Dwight and we had Pastor Steve.
00:00:52.87\00:00:56.47
And then we had Pastor
John and we had Pastor C.A.
00:00:56.67\00:00:59.90
So we had... It was a
tremendous balance in every way.
00:01:00.10\00:01:03.18
Absolutely. I appreciate them.
00:01:03.31\00:01:05.89
And these folk... How about
our folks here that have been
00:01:05.99\00:01:07.83
for several hours? They have.
Some of them have been here
00:01:07.94\00:01:09.99
all day - all day long -
and you're here all evening.
00:01:10.10\00:01:12.26
And they're still staying
one more time because they know
00:01:12.56\00:01:15.13
it's going to be... they're
looking for a blessing. Amen!
00:01:15.23\00:01:16.91
That's right. Another blessing.
And they're going to get one
00:01:17.11\00:01:18.86
in just a little bit
'cause who's preaching for us?
00:01:18.96\00:01:20.74
Pastor Stephen Bohr
from Secrets Unsealed.
00:01:20.94\00:01:24.10
And you know, we
always enjoy having him here.
00:01:24.30\00:01:27.07
Absolutely. And he
always has a different look
00:01:27.27\00:01:30.38
at things than perhaps you
may have had before. Um-hmm.
00:01:30.58\00:01:34.67
And even on our
panel if you'll notice
00:01:34.88\00:01:36.88
how many times Pastor Bohr
had a little different look
00:01:37.08\00:01:40.98
at something than maybe
we've thought of before.
00:01:41.18\00:01:43.90
I told him backstage
earlier before this... I said:
00:01:44.10\00:01:46.83
"I really appreciate you
because you teach us things
00:01:47.23\00:01:50.72
we didn't already know. " Yeah!
00:01:50.82\00:01:52.40
That's something my Aunt Mildred
used to say when she'd watch
00:01:52.60\00:01:54.89
television before there
was a 3ABN and watch pastors
00:01:54.99\00:01:57.83
not of our faith.
And her kids on purpose
00:01:58.03\00:02:01.16
would turn on these
other preachers and she'd say:
00:02:01.37\00:02:03.80
"Now why are you listening
to that? " And they'd say:
00:02:04.00\00:02:05.34
"Well Mom, it's preaching.
Don't you want to hear it? "
00:02:05.44\00:02:07.02
She said: "No, because
they don't ever teach me
00:02:07.22\00:02:09.54
anything I
didn't already know. "
00:02:09.65\00:02:10.92
She said: "I like to hear
Adventist preachers speak. "
00:02:11.12\00:02:12.90
Right. So Stephen Bohr is one
of those who teaches us things
00:02:13.21\00:02:16.15
even though we're Adventist
that we don't already know.
00:02:16.25\00:02:19.06
Now he's going to lead us
in prayer when he comes out.
00:02:19.26\00:02:22.07
And but before he comes
00:02:22.27\00:02:25.62
C.A. Murray - Pastor Murray -
00:02:25.82\00:02:27.30
is going to sing
for us Do You Love God?
00:02:27.50\00:02:31.06
All right. Pastor Murray.
00:02:31.16\00:02:32.85
I know what it's like
00:03:00.89\00:03:04.59
to think of things I've done
00:03:04.99\00:03:09.65
and want to run and hide
00:03:09.95\00:03:13.91
my head in shame.
00:03:14.41\00:03:19.01
I know what it's like
00:03:20.09\00:03:23.87
to really hurt someone
00:03:24.27\00:03:28.85
and feel no sense of sorrow
00:03:29.16\00:03:33.44
at their pain.
00:03:33.84\00:03:38.27
Oh, but I know what it's like
00:03:38.57\00:03:42.42
to have enough of my disgrace
00:03:42.62\00:03:48.07
and find because of Jesus' blood
00:03:48.37\00:03:52.95
my sin can be erased.
00:03:53.46\00:03:59.36
He has
00:03:59.66\00:04:04.04
forgiven me.
00:04:04.34\00:04:08.82
My sin has been washed
00:04:09.12\00:04:13.24
from His memory
00:04:13.64\00:04:18.58
by the blood of the Lamb
00:04:18.88\00:04:23.74
of Calvary.
00:04:24.04\00:04:28.78
He has
00:04:30.85\00:04:35.62
forgiven me.
00:04:35.92\00:04:41.86
Do you know what it's like
00:04:42.16\00:04:46.87
for God to be your friend?
00:04:47.17\00:04:51.65
To talk to Him
00:04:52.22\00:04:54.79
with nothing in between?
00:04:55.09\00:05:01.08
Do you know what it's like
00:05:02.08\00:05:05.65
when your day comes to an end
00:05:05.86\00:05:11.39
to sleep in peace
00:05:11.69\00:05:14.23
all because your heart is clean?
00:05:14.53\00:05:20.47
Do you know what it's like
00:05:21.25\00:05:24.58
when the accuser comes your way
00:05:24.89\00:05:30.25
to look him squarely in the eye
00:05:30.45\00:05:35.04
with confidence and say:
00:05:35.24\00:05:41.16
He has
00:05:45.07\00:05:49.64
forgiven me.
00:05:49.94\00:05:54.31
My sin has been washed
00:05:54.61\00:05:59.19
from His memory
00:05:59.59\00:06:04.12
by the blood of the Lamb
00:06:04.52\00:06:09.69
of Calvary.
00:06:09.89\00:06:14.72
He has
00:06:15.02\00:06:18.81
forgiven me.
00:06:19.21\00:06:23.63
He has
00:06:23.93\00:06:28.24
forgiven me.
00:06:28.54\00:06:32.57
My sin has been washed
00:06:32.87\00:06:37.37
from His memory
00:06:37.67\00:06:42.23
by the blood of the Lamb
00:06:42.54\00:06:47.87
of Calvary.
00:06:48.17\00:06:52.80
He has
00:06:53.10\00:06:57.34
forgiven
00:06:57.74\00:07:00.39
me.
00:07:00.59\00:07:03.77
By the blood of the Lamb
00:07:04.07\00:07:09.35
of Calvary.
00:07:09.75\00:07:15.51
He has
00:07:17.29\00:07:21.78
forgiven
00:07:22.08\00:07:25.63
me.
00:07:25.93\00:07:31.90
Amen!
00:07:39.27\00:07:40.97
For those of you who
are from the East Coast
00:07:51.19\00:07:53.48
this is the graveyard shift.
00:07:53.89\00:07:56.89
I'm actually pretty glad
that they put me at this time
00:08:00.51\00:08:03.20
because I'm on Pacific Time...
00:08:03.40\00:08:05.24
which means that right now
00:08:05.74\00:08:07.75
you know I'm just starting
the evening in California.
00:08:07.96\00:08:12.16
So it's a real blessing
00:08:12.66\00:08:14.86
to be able to speak
at this time of the day.
00:08:15.06\00:08:17.85
I know that for some of
you it probably is a struggle
00:08:18.15\00:08:20.56
because for some of you
it's already beyond 10 o'clock.
00:08:20.96\00:08:24.77
But I hope that
we're able to concentrate.
00:08:25.27\00:08:28.58
We're going to continue our
study on Elijah in scripture.
00:08:28.78\00:08:34.26
But before we do
we want to once again
00:08:34.56\00:08:37.06
draw close to the
Lord's throne in prayer.
00:08:37.27\00:08:41.68
Never should scripture
be opened without prayer.
00:08:41.91\00:08:45.23
So I invite you to
bow your heads with me.
00:08:45.53\00:08:47.40
Father in heaven, we thank you
00:08:47.90\00:08:49.80
for the many blessings
that we have received here
00:08:50.00\00:08:53.38
at this 3ABN Camp Meeting.
00:08:53.58\00:08:55.52
And Father, we're
anticipating a great celebration
00:08:55.92\00:08:59.52
this weekend. We ask that
You will pour out Your Spirit
00:08:59.72\00:09:03.13
upon this place that lives
will be transformed and changed
00:09:03.33\00:09:07.73
through the power of Jesus.
00:09:07.93\00:09:09.55
We ask that as we
open Your Holy Word,
00:09:10.15\00:09:12.63
that book that You
inspired through Your Spirit,
00:09:12.83\00:09:16.32
that this evening You
will open minds and hearts
00:09:16.62\00:09:19.60
that we might
understand Your will
00:09:19.90\00:09:22.53
and that we might be
willing to receive it.
00:09:22.73\00:09:24.99
We thank you,
Father, for the privilege
00:09:25.19\00:09:27.34
of approaching Your throne
in prayer - Your awesome throne.
00:09:27.44\00:09:30.85
We just ask that You
will answer our prayer
00:09:31.15\00:09:34.15
because we come to You
boldly in the name of Jesus,
00:09:34.45\00:09:38.64
Amen. Amen.
00:09:38.95\00:09:40.86
In this series we have
been talking about Elijah.
00:09:42.64\00:09:46.40
Basically up till
now we have studied
00:09:46.70\00:09:49.97
the Elijah of the Middle Ages
00:09:50.27\00:09:53.47
and the Elijah of
the Old Testament...
00:09:53.57\00:09:56.90
the historical Elijah.
00:09:57.00\00:09:59.12
As I've mentioned, there
are actually four Elijahs
00:09:59.52\00:10:03.08
in scripture. The first Elijah
is the Old Testament Elijah.
00:10:03.18\00:10:07.63
He's the historical person.
00:10:07.93\00:10:09.38
The second Elijah is what
I call the prophetic Elijah,
00:10:10.17\00:10:14.09
and that's the one that
we are going to speak about
00:10:14.19\00:10:16.08
this evening. The third Elijah
I have called the ecclesiastical
00:10:16.18\00:10:20.70
Elijah... that is the
Elijah of the Middle Ages,
00:10:20.80\00:10:25.56
the Elijah of the
period of papal supremacy.
00:10:25.86\00:10:29.03
And the last Elijah
is the apocalyptic Elijah
00:10:29.43\00:10:33.45
or the end-time Elijah.
00:10:33.55\00:10:35.89
Now we've noticed that we
have a governing principle
00:10:36.29\00:10:39.27
when we study the Elijahs.
00:10:39.37\00:10:40.99
The first two of the
Elijahs are literal individuals
00:10:41.50\00:10:46.18
and their enemies
are literal individuals.
00:10:46.89\00:10:50.44
But when you get to the
church age and the end time
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.30
the individuals in the
story of Elijah become symbolic
00:10:54.50\00:10:59.08
of world-wide
movements or world-wide systems.
00:10:59.29\00:11:03.67
In other words, we're
no longer dealing with
00:11:03.97\00:11:06.48
specific individuals...
we're dealing with typology.
00:11:06.58\00:11:10.42
The individuals
become types or symbols
00:11:10.72\00:11:13.73
of world-wide movements
and world-wide systems.
00:11:13.93\00:11:18.93
Now in our study we have noticed
that the main protagonists
00:11:19.16\00:11:23.46
of the Elijah story
are first of all a king.
00:11:23.67\00:11:27.08
The king is a
weak political leader.
00:11:27.48\00:11:32.12
In other words, the
king has no moral backbone
00:11:32.42\00:11:35.78
to make decisions.
00:11:35.88\00:11:37.23
The second person
is a harlot woman.
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.37
In the case of the
historic Elijah it is Jezebel.
00:11:39.57\00:11:42.88
Strong willed,
determined, knows what she wants
00:11:43.18\00:11:46.90
and uses the king -
the political power -
00:11:47.10\00:11:50.41
to accomplish her purposes.
00:11:50.61\00:11:52.12
Then we also noticed
in the Old Testament story
00:11:52.42\00:11:55.33
that Jezebel had prophets...
false prophets... through whom
00:11:55.53\00:11:59.46
she extended her
counterfeit religion.
00:11:59.56\00:12:02.23
They "ate at her table"
which means they did the bidding
00:12:02.43\00:12:05.99
of Jezebel.
00:12:06.19\00:12:07.97
And we notice that
this three-fold union
00:12:08.17\00:12:10.62
actually controlled and
manipulated the people of Israel
00:12:10.83\00:12:15.74
so that there was an apostasy
00:12:16.04\00:12:17.93
among the majority of God's
people and only a small remnant
00:12:18.03\00:12:22.65
remained. And of
course, God called Elijah
00:12:22.85\00:12:27.18
to denounce this system...
00:12:27.38\00:12:29.58
to denounce these three
powers that had brought apostasy
00:12:29.78\00:12:34.12
into Israel and to
try and bring Israel back
00:12:34.22\00:12:39.38
to the straight and
narrow, back to their Creator,
00:12:39.59\00:12:42.77
back to their God.
00:12:42.97\00:12:45.14
Now there's another principle
that we need to take into
00:12:46.11\00:12:48.46
account as we begin our
study of the prophetic Elijah,
00:12:48.56\00:12:52.04
and that is that
the Old Testament Elijah
00:12:53.01\00:12:56.21
and the prophetic Elijah
that we're going to study
00:12:56.41\00:12:59.43
this evening have
details that overlap.
00:12:59.53\00:13:03.43
And one Elijah has details that
the other Elijah does not have.
00:13:03.73\00:13:08.49
And when we study
the end-time Elijah
00:13:09.35\00:13:11.54
we have to take material
from the Old Testament Elijah
00:13:11.74\00:13:14.81
and also from the
New Testament Elijah
00:13:15.11\00:13:18.74
or the prophetic Elijah and
put all of the details together
00:13:18.94\00:13:22.38
because they all come together
00:13:22.58\00:13:23.81
in the fulfillment
of the end-time Elijah.
00:13:23.91\00:13:26.78
Let me just give you an
illustration of what I mean.
00:13:26.98\00:13:29.10
In Revelation chapter 13
00:13:30.24\00:13:32.51
we have the beast.
00:13:33.40\00:13:36.34
Now we know that the beast
represents the Roman Catholic
00:13:36.84\00:13:39.88
system. But in Revelation 13
we also have a false prophet.
00:13:39.98\00:13:45.76
It's the beast that rises
from the earth with two horns
00:13:45.96\00:13:48.42
like a lamb. This beast
is called the false prophet.
00:13:48.52\00:13:51.16
This beast is really the
false prophet of the first beast
00:13:51.84\00:13:56.39
because the false prophet
00:13:56.89\00:13:59.92
leads everyone to
worship the first beast,
00:14:00.12\00:14:02.82
makes an image
of the first beast,
00:14:03.13\00:14:05.88
and imposes the
mark of the first beast.
00:14:06.18\00:14:10.38
In other words, the false
prophet is the false prophet
00:14:10.78\00:14:13.19
of the beast because the
false prophet does everything
00:14:13.30\00:14:16.64
that the beast wants.
00:14:16.74\00:14:18.70
Now when you
come to Revelation 17
00:14:19.00\00:14:21.00
the symbolism is different
but the meaning is the same.
00:14:21.11\00:14:23.84
In Revelation 17
you don't have a beast
00:14:24.34\00:14:26.73
and you don't have the false
prophet that persecutes God's
00:14:26.83\00:14:29.34
people. In Revelation 17
you have different symbolism
00:14:29.44\00:14:33.43
but with the same meaning.
00:14:33.63\00:14:34.92
In Revelation 17 instead of the
beast you have a harlot woman.
00:14:35.32\00:14:38.69
Instead of the false prophets
00:14:39.44\00:14:42.02
you have the
daughters of the harlot
00:14:42.32\00:14:46.22
because she's the mother.
00:14:46.42\00:14:47.77
And instead of the dragon
00:14:48.07\00:14:50.90
that you find in
Revelation chapter 12 and 13
00:14:51.10\00:14:53.98
you have the kings of the earth
with whom the harlot fornicates
00:14:54.28\00:14:59.03
and she controls these
daughters or the false prophet.
00:14:59.33\00:15:03.97
So in other words, when
you put Revelation 13 and
00:15:04.17\00:15:06.76
Revelation 17 together you
have basically the same meaning
00:15:06.86\00:15:11.05
but different symbols are used.
00:15:11.25\00:15:14.17
Now the Old
Testament ends in expectancy.
00:15:15.04\00:15:18.35
Do you know that the Old Testa-
ment is really an open book?
00:15:18.45\00:15:20.91
Because it ends in expectancy.
00:15:21.84\00:15:24.44
Something is missing
from the Old Testament.
00:15:24.64\00:15:26.96
People anticipate
someone who is going to come
00:15:27.26\00:15:29.96
in the future.
00:15:30.06\00:15:31.40
Notice Malachi
chapter 4 and verses 5 and 6.
00:15:31.70\00:15:35.05
Malachi chapter
4 verses 5 and 6.
00:15:35.35\00:15:38.19
Here is a promise that is made
in the last book of the Bible...
00:15:38.96\00:15:42.37
the last two verses of the
Old Testament specifically.
00:15:42.47\00:15:45.79
"Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet
00:15:46.09\00:15:50.86
before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord.
00:15:51.06\00:15:54.60
And he will turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children
00:15:55.00\00:15:58.08
and the hearts of the
children to their fathers
00:15:58.38\00:16:01.20
lest I come and strike
the earth with a curse. "
00:16:01.50\00:16:05.68
And so the Old Testament ends
00:16:06.18\00:16:08.14
with God promising that
He is going to send Elijah
00:16:08.34\00:16:11.45
before the great and
terrible day of the Lord.
00:16:11.65\00:16:14.20
The Old Testament
ends with anticipation
00:16:14.50\00:16:17.68
of a coming Elijah... a
new Elijah if you please.
00:16:17.88\00:16:22.72
Now the New Testament
clearly identifies this Elijah.
00:16:22.95\00:16:26.39
Go with me to Luke
chapter 1 and verses 16 and 17.
00:16:26.79\00:16:31.36
Here the angel
Gabriel appears to Zechariah,
00:16:31.76\00:16:35.19
the father of John the Baptist.
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.35
And I want you to notice
what the angel Gabriel says
00:16:37.75\00:16:40.48
to Zechariah. Chapter 1
of Luke verses 16 and 17.
00:16:40.58\00:16:46.50
Speaking about his son that
will be born: John the Baptist.
00:16:46.70\00:16:50.71
"And he will turn many
of the children of Israel
00:16:51.01\00:16:55.81
to the Lord their
God. " Let me ask you:
00:16:55.91\00:16:57.39
who is Elijah sent to?
Is he sent to the pagans
00:16:57.60\00:17:00.43
and the secular people? No!
00:17:00.53\00:17:03.22
Once again we are
told here that his mission
00:17:03.42\00:17:06.05
is to those who
profess to be God's people.
00:17:06.25\00:17:09.06
Because it says he "will turn
many of the children of Israel
00:17:09.37\00:17:13.00
to the Lord their God. "
00:17:13.20\00:17:14.70
And then it says: "He... "
That is, John the Baptist...
00:17:14.90\00:17:17.43
"will also go before Him... "
00:17:17.63\00:17:19.33
That is, before Jesus...
00:17:19.43\00:17:22.07
"in the spirit and power
of.. " Who? "of Elijah. "
00:17:22.27\00:17:26.10
John the Baptist will come "in
the spirit and power of Elijah
00:17:26.41\00:17:29.51
to turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children
00:17:29.91\00:17:32.43
and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just
00:17:32.73\00:17:35.84
to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord. "
00:17:35.87\00:17:40.79
And so in the New Testament
we have John the Baptist
00:17:41.09\00:17:45.68
identified as Elijah.
00:17:45.88\00:17:49.18
Now this is not the only text
that identifies John the Baptist
00:17:50.27\00:17:53.38
as Elijah in the New Testament.
00:17:53.48\00:17:54.90
Go with me to Matthew chapter
17 and verses 10 through 13.
00:17:55.20\00:17:59.21
This is immediately
after the transfiguration.
00:17:59.51\00:18:02.30
And I want you to notice
that there's a question that the
00:18:03.19\00:18:05.81
disciples asked Jesus.
00:18:05.91\00:18:08.19
Once again, Matthew 17:10-13.
00:18:08.29\00:18:12.31
It says here: "And His
disciples asked Him saying:
00:18:12.61\00:18:16.23
'Why then do the scribes say
that Elijah must come first? ' "
00:18:16.63\00:18:20.00
If you're the Messiah,
we haven't seen Elijah come.
00:18:20.10\00:18:22.88
"Jesus answered
and said to them:
00:18:23.08\00:18:25.38
'Indeed, Elijah is coming
first and will... ' " What?
00:18:25.68\00:18:31.17
Ahhhh, Elijah is
not an innovator.
00:18:31.57\00:18:35.13
He does not bring new light.
00:18:35.33\00:18:36.73
Elijah restores and brings
people back to the message.
00:18:37.03\00:18:42.29
And so it continues saying:
00:18:42.52\00:18:43.88
"Jesus answered and said
to them: 'Indeed, Elijah is
00:18:44.18\00:18:46.59
coming first and will restore
all things. But I say to you
00:18:46.69\00:18:50.26
that Elijah has come already
00:18:50.46\00:18:52.25
and they did not know him
00:18:52.45\00:18:54.74
but did to him
whatever they wished.
00:18:55.04\00:18:57.32
Likewise the Son of
Man is also about to suffer
00:18:57.63\00:19:00.70
at their hands. ' Then
the disciples understood
00:19:00.90\00:19:04.20
that He spoke to them
of John the Baptist. "
00:19:04.40\00:19:07.74
So this is the second
text in the New Testament
00:19:08.77\00:19:11.22
that identifies John the Baptist
as the New Testament Elijah
00:19:11.33\00:19:15.85
or what I call
the prophetic Elijah.
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.52
There's a third
passage in the New Testament
00:19:18.93\00:19:21.55
in the gospels that
identifies John as Elijah.
00:19:21.75\00:19:26.04
Matthew chapter 11
and verses 11 to 14.
00:19:26.34\00:19:29.21
Matthew 11:11-14.
00:19:29.51\00:19:32.71
Here we find Jesus
speaking once again
00:19:33.01\00:19:36.61
about John the Baptist.
And this is what He says:
00:19:36.81\00:19:39.63
"Assuredly I say to you
00:19:39.93\00:19:42.02
among those born of women
00:19:42.33\00:19:44.90
there has not risen one
greater than John the Baptist.
00:19:45.00\00:19:48.88
But he who is least
in the kingdom of heaven
00:19:49.18\00:19:51.94
is greater than he.
00:19:52.15\00:19:53.87
And from the days of
John the Baptist until now
00:19:54.17\00:19:57.43
the kingdom of
heaven suffers violence
00:19:57.63\00:20:00.69
and the violent
take it by force.
00:20:00.89\00:20:03.00
For all the prophets and
the law prophesied until John. "
00:20:03.30\00:20:06.59
And verse 14 says:
00:20:06.79\00:20:08.75
"And if you are
willing to receive it
00:20:08.95\00:20:12.11
he is Elijah who is to come. "
00:20:12.41\00:20:16.55
Does scripture clearly identify
the New Testament Elijah?
00:20:17.64\00:20:21.00
Yes! In fact, when
John the Baptist appeared
00:20:21.30\00:20:25.16
many actually
believed that he WAS Elijah.
00:20:25.37\00:20:28.69
And the reason why is
because John the Baptist
00:20:29.09\00:20:32.13
lived in the
wilderness like Elijah;
00:20:32.33\00:20:35.28
he ate like Elijah;
00:20:35.68\00:20:38.76
he dressed like Elijah;
00:20:38.96\00:20:41.11
he called Israel to
repentance like Elijah;
00:20:41.31\00:20:44.83
he rebuked a king like Elijah;
00:20:45.13\00:20:48.00
and he called Israel
back to the Lord their God.
00:20:48.20\00:20:52.56
In fact, we are told
in the gospel of Matthew
00:20:53.95\00:20:56.95
"Now John himself was
clothed in camel's hair
00:20:57.16\00:21:01.25
with a leather
belt around his waist
00:21:01.45\00:21:04.26
and his food was
locust and wild honey. "
00:21:04.46\00:21:07.31
People said: "This
is just like Elijah. "
00:21:07.51\00:21:10.22
John the Baptist IS
the New Testament Elijah.
00:21:10.62\00:21:14.95
And why did God
raise up John the Baptist?
00:21:15.15\00:21:18.88
Let's notice several texts
to see what his mission was.
00:21:19.28\00:21:22.63
The mission of the Old
Testament Elijah was to restore.
00:21:22.93\00:21:26.06
It was to bring Israel
back to the Lord their God.
00:21:26.36\00:21:29.49
It was a message to the
church of that day and age.
00:21:29.80\00:21:32.54
The church was in apostasy.
00:21:32.74\00:21:34.60
It had gone away from the
Lord, and so Elijah comes and he
00:21:34.81\00:21:38.32
preaches - if you wish
- to the church and says:
00:21:38.52\00:21:41.67
"Come back to the Lord. "
00:21:41.87\00:21:43.80
Luke chapter 1 and
verse 16 which we already read
00:21:44.10\00:21:47.36
tells us: "And he will turn
many of the children of Israel
00:21:47.66\00:21:53.21
to the Lord their God. "
00:21:53.31\00:21:54.88
Notice: he's turning the
children of Israel to the Lord
00:21:55.08\00:21:57.28
their God. I thought
the children of Israel
00:21:57.38\00:21:59.86
already had God as their Lord.
00:21:59.96\00:22:02.39
Obviously, they
were in apostasy.
00:22:02.59\00:22:05.37
And in verse 17 we are told:
"He will also go before Him... "
00:22:05.77\00:22:09.98
That is, John the
Baptist will go before Jesus...
00:22:10.18\00:22:12.25
"in the spirit
and power of Elijah. "
00:22:12.45\00:22:15.38
And then it explains:
"To turn the hearts of the
00:22:15.58\00:22:18.09
fathers to the children
00:22:18.19\00:22:19.57
and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.07
to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord. "
00:22:22.27\00:22:25.99
The role of Elijah
is to prepare a people
00:22:26.29\00:22:29.19
for the arrival of the Lord.
00:22:29.40\00:22:30.57
And you know what?
The Old Testament Elijah
00:22:30.77\00:22:32.78
prepared the way
for a great reformation
00:22:32.98\00:22:36.12
that was brought by
his successor: Elisha.
00:22:36.32\00:22:39.87
And so we find John the
Baptist preparing the way
00:22:41.04\00:22:44.23
for a people to accept the
One who would come after him
00:22:44.43\00:22:48.28
who would bring a great
reformation: Jesus Christ
00:22:48.48\00:22:51.92
the Messiah.
00:22:52.22\00:22:53.42
Matthew chapter 11 verse
10 which we already read:
00:22:54.49\00:22:57.99
once again we find the purpose
of God raising John the Baptist
00:22:58.13\00:23:02.21
as the New Testament Elijah.
00:23:02.41\00:23:04.06
It says there: "For this
is he of whom it is written
00:23:04.36\00:23:07.87
'Behold I sent my
messenger before your face
00:23:08.07\00:23:11.39
who will prepare
Your way before You. ' "
00:23:11.60\00:23:15.73
In other words, his purpose
is to bring people back to the
00:23:15.93\00:23:19.00
Lord their God so
that they are prepared
00:23:19.11\00:23:21.60
for the coming of the Lord.
00:23:21.81\00:23:23.05
In Luke chapter 3 verses 4 and 5
00:23:23.36\00:23:25.70
we find once again a description
of the role and purpose
00:23:25.90\00:23:29.38
of this Elijah. We are
told there in Luke 3:4-5
00:23:29.48\00:23:33.16
"As it is written in the book of
the words of Isaiah the prophet
00:23:33.36\00:23:37.52
saying: 'The voice of
one crying in the wilderness
00:23:37.72\00:23:40.56
prepare the way of the Lord.
00:23:40.86\00:23:43.04
Make His paths straight.
00:23:43.24\00:23:45.15
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill
00:23:45.35\00:23:48.35
brought low. The crooked
places shall be made straight
00:23:48.38\00:23:51.34
and the rough way smooth.
00:23:51.54\00:23:53.33
And all flesh shall see
the salvation of God. ' "
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.94
Now what is meant
by these expressions?
00:23:57.24\00:23:59.11
Every valley? Every mountain?
Crooked places? Rough way? Etc.
00:23:59.31\00:24:04.03
What is meant by that?
00:24:04.27\00:24:05.38
I love the description of this
that is given by Ellen White
00:24:05.68\00:24:08.73
in the book The
Desire of Ages page 135.
00:24:08.93\00:24:12.39
She explains what happened
in the past. You know, you
00:24:12.69\00:24:16.07
didn't have paved
highways like we do today.
00:24:16.17\00:24:18.24
You had basically unpaved roads.
00:24:18.54\00:24:20.88
And because of the weather,
you know, holes would develop
00:24:21.08\00:24:24.21
and little hills would
develop in the road and the road
00:24:24.42\00:24:27.06
had to be kept clear.
00:24:27.16\00:24:28.60
She describes in
Desire of Ages page 135:
00:24:28.80\00:24:31.73
"Anciently when a king journeyed
through the less-frequented
00:24:32.03\00:24:36.19
parts of his
dominion a company of men was
00:24:36.29\00:24:39.70
sent ahead of the royal chariot
00:24:39.81\00:24:42.15
to level the steep places
and to fill up the hollows
00:24:42.45\00:24:46.33
that the king might travel
in safety and without hindrance.
00:24:46.63\00:24:51.12
This custom is employed by the
prophet to illustrate the work
00:24:51.32\00:24:55.44
of the gospel. In the
book God's Amazing Grace
00:24:55.54\00:24:59.08
page 249 Ellen White explains
what this symbolically means:
00:24:59.28\00:25:05.12
you know, filling in
the holes in the highway
00:25:05.22\00:25:08.03
and leveling out
the rough places.
00:25:08.13\00:25:10.60
She explains: "The work of
reformation here brought to view
00:25:10.80\00:25:14.41
by John, the purging
of heart and mind and soul
00:25:14.51\00:25:18.94
is one that is needed
by many who today profess
00:25:19.14\00:25:22.52
to have the faith of Christ.
00:25:22.72\00:25:24.36
Wrong practices that
have been indulged in
00:25:24.67\00:25:28.32
need to be put away.
00:25:28.52\00:25:29.98
The crooked paths
need to be made straight
00:25:30.18\00:25:33.40
and the rough places smooth.
00:25:33.70\00:25:35.83
The mountains and hills
of self-esteem and pride
00:25:36.13\00:25:39.38
need to be brought low.
00:25:39.58\00:25:41.22
There is need of
bringing forth fruits,
00:25:41.52\00:25:43.62
need for repentance.
00:25:43.82\00:25:45.22
When the word is done in the
experience of God's believing
00:25:45.32\00:25:48.66
people, all flesh... " she
says... "will see the salvation
00:25:48.76\00:25:53.48
of the Lord. "
00:25:53.68\00:25:55.08
So basically, it
speaks about being converted
00:25:55.38\00:25:59.54
and the life that
comes from a converted heart.
00:25:59.84\00:26:03.55
The life will be made straight;
the holes will be filled in.
00:26:03.85\00:26:07.41
Pride will be abased.
00:26:07.71\00:26:10.02
That's the work that John
the Baptist was to perform
00:26:10.22\00:26:12.92
in preparation for the
arrival of the Messiah.
00:26:13.13\00:26:16.20
It's the preparation that
we must have for the coming
00:26:16.30\00:26:20.40
of the Messiah the
second time in power and glory.
00:26:20.50\00:26:24.90
In Matthew
chapter 17 and verse 11
00:26:25.30\00:26:27.68
once again we are told
that John the Baptist was
00:26:27.88\00:26:30.24
called to restore all things.
00:26:30.44\00:26:32.56
It says there: "Jesus
answered and said to them:
00:26:32.86\00:26:35.06
"Indeed, Elijah is coming first
and will restore all things. "
00:26:35.26\00:26:40.43
Elijah was not an innovator.
00:26:40.73\00:26:42.97
Elijah did not bring
new truth and new doctrines.
00:26:43.17\00:26:46.61
His purpose was to bring
God's people back to where they
00:26:46.81\00:26:51.00
had gone astray from.
00:26:51.10\00:26:52.82
Matthew chapter 3 verses
1-3 we have a description
00:26:53.02\00:26:56.92
of the message
of John the Baptist.
00:26:57.12\00:26:59.42
It says: "In those days
John the Baptist came preaching
00:26:59.62\00:27:02.29
in the wilderness
of Judea and saying:
00:27:02.39\00:27:04.91
'Repent for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
00:27:05.11\00:27:08.32
For this is he who was
spoken of by the prophet Isaiah
00:27:08.63\00:27:12.34
saying: the voice of
one crying in the wilderness
00:27:12.54\00:27:15.21
prepare the way of the Lord;
make His paths straight. ' "
00:27:15.51\00:27:19.67
In other words, Elijah
is calling God's own people
00:27:20.07\00:27:23.24
to repentance. Let me ask you:
00:27:23.44\00:27:26.73
did Elijah
restore the true gospel?
00:27:26.93\00:27:29.79
Do you remember that in
the Old Testament Elijah
00:27:30.00\00:27:33.07
built the altar of the
Lord that had been broken down?
00:27:33.27\00:27:35.97
He re-established
the sacrificial system
00:27:36.27\00:27:38.58
that represented
the sacrifice of Christ.
00:27:38.78\00:27:41.12
How did John the
Baptist introduce Jesus?
00:27:41.52\00:27:44.74
You know it: John
chapter 1 and verse 29.
00:27:45.77\00:27:49.09
It says: "The next
day John saw Jesus coming
00:27:49.39\00:27:52.35
toward him and said... " What?
00:27:52.55\00:27:54.62
"Behold the Lamb of God
00:27:54.82\00:27:57.53
who takes away the
sin of the world. "
00:27:57.74\00:28:01.46
And so John the Baptist
is attracting the attention
00:28:02.26\00:28:05.01
of God's people
to the Lamb of God
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.44
just like Elijah
in the Old Testament
00:28:07.64\00:28:09.82
rebuilt the altar
with twelve stones
00:28:10.12\00:28:12.79
and at the hour of
the evening sacrifice
00:28:13.09\00:28:15.79
placed the
victims upon the altar.
00:28:15.99\00:28:18.50
John the Baptist is
fulfilling the same role
00:28:18.80\00:28:21.28
as the Old Testament Elijah.
00:28:21.48\00:28:22.99
Let me ask you: did John
the Baptist preach God's law?
00:28:23.95\00:28:28.92
Yes he did.
00:28:30.10\00:28:31.31
Do you know that John
the Baptist was killed
00:28:31.71\00:28:34.74
because he upheld
the seventh commandment?
00:28:35.04\00:28:38.37
Because he said - and we're
going to study this in a few
00:28:40.10\00:28:42.37
moments - he said to
Herodias and to the king
00:28:42.47\00:28:46.82
"You have an illicit
sexual relationship. "
00:28:47.03\00:28:50.53
And it landed him in prison
00:28:50.93\00:28:52.97
and made him
eventually lose his head.
00:28:53.17\00:28:55.26
John the Baptist preached
the commandments of God.
00:28:55.36\00:28:59.84
And incidentally, even
though the Bible doesn't mention
00:29:00.24\00:29:03.45
John the Baptist
saying this specifically
00:29:03.65\00:29:05.60
one of the things
that the Jews had done
00:29:05.90\00:29:08.06
is they had totally
distorted the meaning
00:29:08.26\00:29:11.33
of the seventh-day Sabbath.
00:29:11.53\00:29:13.34
The Sabbath - listen carefully -
00:29:13.64\00:29:15.37
the Sabbath that was kept
by the Jews in Christ's day
00:29:15.57\00:29:18.41
was a counterfeit Sabbath
because it was created by man.
00:29:18.61\00:29:22.54
It was not the
Sabbath created by God!
00:29:23.44\00:29:25.80
It was a Sabbath
that was created by them
00:29:26.00\00:29:28.40
loaded down with
all sorts of traditions,
00:29:28.60\00:29:31.33
with all sorts of customs.
00:29:31.63\00:29:33.55
The only difference between the
days of Christ and the end time
00:29:33.85\00:29:36.79
is that the controversy
in the days of Christ
00:29:36.99\00:29:39.81
was having to do
with the wrong way
00:29:39.91\00:29:42.78
whereas at the end of
time it will be the wrong day.
00:29:42.98\00:29:46.73
But the issue will be the same!
00:29:47.23\00:29:49.77
You see, the people in the
days of Christ were worshiping
00:29:50.07\00:29:52.50
themselves. They were
not worshiping the Creator.
00:29:52.70\00:29:55.38
The Sabbath had
become and end in itself.
00:29:55.58\00:29:57.49
God called the New Testament
Elijah - John the Baptist -
00:29:57.69\00:30:00.97
to say: "Folks, behold
the Lamb of God who takes away
00:30:01.17\00:30:04.75
the sin of the world. "
00:30:04.85\00:30:06.10
He calls John the
Baptist to lift high the gospel
00:30:06.30\00:30:09.65
but the law as well
00:30:09.95\00:30:12.32
and to call people
not only to repentance
00:30:12.52\00:30:15.54
but to produce fruit in their
lives: the fruit of the Spirit.
00:30:15.74\00:30:19.28
In Matthew chapter
3 verse 8 and verse 10
00:30:20.14\00:30:22.62
we find a clear reference
to the fruit of the life
00:30:22.82\00:30:25.81
that comes from repentance
and accepting the Messiah.
00:30:26.01\00:30:28.72
It says there in
Matthew chapter 3 verse 8:
00:30:29.02\00:30:32.03
"Therefore... " John
the Baptist is preaching.
00:30:32.23\00:30:34.25
"Therefore bear
fruits worthy of repentance
00:30:34.45\00:30:37.28
and do not think to
say to yourselves: 'We have
00:30:37.48\00:30:39.75
Abraham as our father. ' "
In other words, they're really
00:30:39.85\00:30:41.83
arrogant. They say: "We
belong to the right church,
00:30:41.93\00:30:45.06
to the true church. "
00:30:45.26\00:30:46.43
"For I say to you that God
is able to raise up children
00:30:46.63\00:30:49.72
to Abraham from these stones
00:30:49.82\00:30:51.62
and even now the ax is
laid to the root of the trees.
00:30:51.92\00:30:54.91
Therefore, every tree
which does not bear good fruit
00:30:55.12\00:30:58.95
is... " What? "is cut down
and thrown into the fire. "
00:30:59.15\00:31:04.07
Did John the Baptist
preach a message of judgment?
00:31:06.11\00:31:08.99
He most certainly did.
00:31:10.00\00:31:11.27
Did the Old Testament Elijah
preach a message of judgment?
00:31:11.47\00:31:15.35
He most certainly did!
00:31:15.65\00:31:16.72
He said: "Listen folks, you
can't limp between two opinions.
00:31:17.12\00:31:20.36
If the Lord is God,
you're going to follow Him
00:31:20.56\00:31:23.98
and if Baal is
god, follow him. "
00:31:24.18\00:31:26.37
In other words, his message
was a message of separation
00:31:26.67\00:31:29.40
of the
righteous from the wicked.
00:31:30.28\00:31:32.25
Did John the Baptist
preach a message of judgment?
00:31:32.55\00:31:35.47
He most certainly did.
00:31:35.67\00:31:36.84
Matthew chapter 3 and verse
10 and also verse 12 tells us:
00:31:37.24\00:31:41.43
"And even now the ax is
laid to the root of the trees.
00:31:41.63\00:31:45.41
Therefore every tree
which does not bear good fruit
00:31:45.61\00:31:48.80
is cut down and
thrown into the fire. "
00:31:49.00\00:31:51.53
And then verse 12: "His
winnowing fan is in His hand
00:31:51.73\00:31:56.06
and He will thoroughly
clean out His threshing floor
00:31:56.26\00:31:59.48
and gather His wheat into
the barn. But He will burn
00:31:59.68\00:32:03.29
up the chaff with
unquenchable fire. "
00:32:03.49\00:32:06.21
Notice that it's the
fire that's unquenchable
00:32:06.42\00:32:08.69
not that which
the fire consumes.
00:32:08.89\00:32:11.75
You see, when the Bible
speaks about eternal fire
00:32:13.80\00:32:16.77
as we were talking about in
our question-and-answer session
00:32:17.07\00:32:20.02
the fire is eternal but what
it consumes is not eternal...
00:32:20.22\00:32:24.46
because what it's
consuming is mortal man.
00:32:25.06\00:32:27.69
And so, folks, we
have the message of Elijah
00:32:30.10\00:32:32.88
in the New Testament.
00:32:33.18\00:32:34.28
Very similar to the message
of the Old Testament Elijah.
00:32:34.58\00:32:37.77
Now I mentioned before that
Elijah never appears alone...
00:32:39.64\00:32:44.82
he always
appears in bad company.
00:32:46.11\00:32:48.79
Whenever Elijah appears
00:32:50.02\00:32:52.12
his three
enemies appear with him
00:32:52.23\00:32:54.18
because it's inconceivable
that you would have Elijah
00:32:54.38\00:32:56.90
and you would not have the
other protagonists of the story.
00:32:57.88\00:33:00.83
Every time Elijah
appears in scripture
00:33:01.46\00:33:04.55
his enemies appear
along with him... which means
00:33:04.75\00:33:08.04
that in the story of
the New Testament Elijah
00:33:08.24\00:33:10.44
his enemies must be somewhere.
00:33:10.74\00:33:13.62
Go with me to Mark
chapter 6 and let's study this.
00:33:14.57\00:33:17.52
This is very
interesting. Mark chapter 6.
00:33:17.72\00:33:20.47
This is talking about the
martyrdom of John the Baptist.
00:33:20.97\00:33:24.73
Let's see if
there are three enemies
00:33:24.83\00:33:26.62
in the story of
John the Baptist.
00:33:26.83\00:33:29.46
Mark chapter 6 and
beginning with verse 14.
00:33:30.25\00:33:33.92
First of all I want you
to notice that in this story
00:33:35.23\00:33:37.70
we have a king.
00:33:37.80\00:33:39.25
What kind of
character does the king have?
00:33:39.45\00:33:42.10
He has a weak moral character
and he is easily influenced.
00:33:42.50\00:33:48.13
Easily influenced
by the strong will
00:33:48.43\00:33:51.86
of a woman who is
fornicating with him.
00:33:52.26\00:33:55.13
Notice Mark 6 verse 14:
00:33:55.43\00:33:57.51
"Now king... "
Notice he's called king.
00:33:57.91\00:33:59.99
"Now king Herod heard of
Him... " That is, of Jesus.
00:34:00.19\00:34:03.21
"for His name had
become well know. And he said:
00:34:03.41\00:34:06.14
'John the Baptist
is risen from the dead
00:34:06.24\00:34:08.22
and therefore these
powers are at work in Him. '
00:34:08.52\00:34:11.08
Others said: 'It is Elijah! '
00:34:11.38\00:34:13.13
and others said:
'It is the prophet
00:34:13.43\00:34:15.46
or like one of the prophets. '
00:34:15.66\00:34:17.33
But when Herod heard he said:
'This is John who I beheaded;
00:34:17.63\00:34:22.79
he has been
raised from the dead. ' "
00:34:22.99\00:34:24.96
And so the first person
in this story is the king...
00:34:25.17\00:34:30.08
a weakling king.
00:34:31.46\00:34:34.37
A king that is
easily manipulated.
00:34:34.75\00:34:39.19
That does not
have a mind of his own.
00:34:39.49\00:34:41.91
Now, do you also
have in this story a woman
00:34:42.93\00:34:47.50
who is
committing sexual adultery?
00:34:47.80\00:34:50.94
Absolutely.
00:34:51.04\00:34:52.66
Notice Mark
chapter 6 and verse 17.
00:34:53.06\00:34:55.83
Mark chapter 6 and verse 17.
00:34:56.23\00:34:58.52
We are told: "For Herod himself
00:34:58.72\00:35:01.44
had sent and
laid hold of John... "
00:35:01.64\00:35:04.56
Was that the king's idea?
00:35:04.76\00:35:07.06
No! Because it continues saying:
00:35:07.36\00:35:09.80
"and bound him in prison
for the sake of Herodias,
00:35:10.00\00:35:13.57
his brother Philip's wife,
00:35:13.77\00:35:16.20
for he had... " What?
"for he had married her. "
00:35:16.40\00:35:19.70
So whose idea was it
to cast John into prison?
00:35:20.30\00:35:22.96
It was the mind of
Herodias influencing the king
00:35:23.84\00:35:29.01
that led John to
end up in prison.
00:35:29.15\00:35:32.44
Do you know what she especially
did not like about John?
00:35:32.64\00:35:35.46
The fact that John
rebuked her fornication.
00:35:36.13\00:35:39.47
You know, tomorrow
morning we're going to study
00:35:39.77\00:35:41.46
the end-time Elijah.
00:35:41.56\00:35:42.88
Is there a rebuke in
Revelation chapters 17 and 18
00:35:43.08\00:35:46.38
where it speaks about the harlot
00:35:46.58\00:35:48.91
fornicating with
the kings of the earth?
00:35:49.11\00:35:51.80
Absolutely!
00:35:52.10\00:35:53.37
The end-time Elijah - the
story of the end-time Elijah -
00:35:53.67\00:35:56.79
is described in all of its
glory if we can use the word
00:35:57.00\00:36:00.32
in Revelation chapter 17
and we're going to take a look
00:36:00.52\00:36:03.25
at that chapter
tomorrow morning.
00:36:03.38\00:36:05.17
Notice Mark
chapter 6 and verse 18
00:36:05.57\00:36:08.50
what John the Baptist
said that enraged this woman.
00:36:08.70\00:36:13.78
It says there:
00:36:14.28\00:36:15.31
"For John had said to Herod
00:36:15.50\00:36:17.98
'It is not lawful for you to
have your brother's wife. ' "
00:36:18.18\00:36:23.34
So you have this woman.
00:36:24.21\00:36:26.20
She's really in the sight
of God an adulterous woman
00:36:26.50\00:36:30.04
and she links up with the
king, an illicit relationship.
00:36:30.85\00:36:34.61
And she influences
the mind of the king
00:36:34.91\00:36:37.81
to throw John the
Baptist into prison.
00:36:37.91\00:36:41.15
But there was a problem,
00:36:41.45\00:36:42.81
and that is that she could not
actually kill John the Baptist.
00:36:43.01\00:36:48.60
She wanted to see
John the Baptist dead.
00:36:48.80\00:36:51.02
There was
something that restrained her
00:36:51.83\00:36:53.85
just like in Revelation
chapter 13 we have the beast
00:36:53.96\00:36:57.00
has a deadly wound...
00:36:57.03\00:36:58.43
Just like we studied in the
story of the church of Thyatira
00:36:58.64\00:37:02.28
the woman was
thrown into a sickbed.
00:37:02.48\00:37:05.28
Jezebel was
thrown into a sickbed.
00:37:05.38\00:37:07.17
Somehow she had lost her power
and she could not influence
00:37:07.37\00:37:10.16
the king to do what she wanted.
00:37:10.26\00:37:12.01
Notice what we find in
Mark chapter 6 and verse 19.
00:37:12.31\00:37:16.01
"Therefore
Herodias held it against him
00:37:17.13\00:37:20.40
and wanted to
kill him but... " What?
00:37:20.70\00:37:23.96
"but she could not. "
00:37:24.16\00:37:27.79
Her hands are tied.
00:37:28.09\00:37:30.47
She needs a helper...
00:37:31.01\00:37:33.44
somebody that can help
her accomplish her purposes.
00:37:33.84\00:37:37.93
And now this is where
00:37:38.06\00:37:41.32
her daughter comes into view.
00:37:41.52\00:37:44.93
Notice Mark
chapter 6 and verse 21.
00:37:45.82\00:37:49.69
Mark chapter 6 and verse 21 says
00:37:49.99\00:37:52.77
"Then an opportune
day... " Opportune for whom?
00:37:53.07\00:37:57.15
Ah, for Herodias.
00:37:57.82\00:37:59.58
"Then an opportune day came
when Herod" - that is the king -
00:37:59.78\00:38:03.72
"on his birthday gave
a feast for his nobles,
00:38:03.92\00:38:07.66
the high officers, and
the chief men of Galilee. "
00:38:07.86\00:38:11.41
And what do you think
they were drinking: H20?
00:38:12.19\00:38:16.17
What were they drinking?
00:38:18.38\00:38:19.95
They were drinking wine!
00:38:20.35\00:38:22.14
And as they drank the wine, his
mind could not think straight.
00:38:22.54\00:38:27.90
Is there any idea in Revelation?
Do the kings of the earth
00:38:28.10\00:38:31.25
drink the wine that
the harlot gives them?
00:38:31.45\00:38:34.16
See, this is
typology in scripture.
00:38:34.76\00:38:37.13
God has given us three stories
- the Old Testament Elijah,
00:38:37.43\00:38:40.87
the New Testament Elijah,
00:38:41.08\00:38:42.32
the Middle Ages Elijah -
00:38:42.52\00:38:43.83
so that we can
understand the end-time Elijah.
00:38:44.03\00:38:46.40
Whoever doesn't
understand it has a real problem
00:38:46.70\00:38:49.56
because God
emphasizes it four times.
00:38:49.86\00:38:54.00
Ellen White says in the
book Temperance pages 50 and 51
00:38:54.34\00:38:58.05
"The false
enchantment of the dizzy scene
00:38:58.73\00:39:02.08
seemed to take away reason
00:39:02.28\00:39:04.68
and dignity from
Herod and his guests
00:39:04.88\00:39:07.42
who were flushed with wine.
00:39:07.72\00:39:09.97
The music and the wine
and dancing had removed
00:39:10.17\00:39:12.90
the fear and
reverence of God from them.
00:39:13.01\00:39:15.79
Nothing seemed sacred to
Herod's perverted senses. "
00:39:15.99\00:39:21.00
And you know, this
reminds me of the story
00:39:21.81\00:39:24.10
of Nadab and Abihu.
00:39:24.31\00:39:26.13
Do you know what the
sin of Nadab and Abihu was?
00:39:26.53\00:39:29.50
It was the sin of
taking that which was common
00:39:30.01\00:39:33.64
and presenting it to
God as if it was holy.
00:39:33.84\00:39:36.82
And if you read the story
of Daniel 5 which describes
00:39:37.96\00:39:40.50
the fall of ancient Babylon,
the great sin of Belshazzar
00:39:40.71\00:39:44.50
was taking that which was holy
00:39:44.70\00:39:46.66
and treating it
as if it was common.
00:39:46.86\00:39:49.64
How does God feel when we
come to church knowing better
00:39:50.79\00:39:55.44
dressed in secular clothing?
00:39:55.65\00:39:57.87
How does God feel
when we take secular music
00:39:59.20\00:40:02.38
and we attach sacred words?
00:40:02.58\00:40:05.20
How does God feel
when on Sabbath we speak
00:40:06.17\00:40:10.00
our words instead
of speaking holy words?
00:40:10.20\00:40:13.46
By the way, the
story of Nadab and Abihu
00:40:14.46\00:40:17.62
and the story of Belshazzar
00:40:17.92\00:40:19.96
illustrates the
issue at the end time.
00:40:20.16\00:40:23.16
Because what the Christian
world has done - and I say this
00:40:23.36\00:40:25.86
with respect to everyone
who's watching on television -
00:40:25.96\00:40:28.51
the Christian world
has taken a common day
00:40:28.81\00:40:32.29
and they have presented
it to God as if it was holy.
00:40:32.59\00:40:35.54
And they have taken a holy
day and they treat that day
00:40:35.84\00:40:39.29
as if it was common.
If God should accept that,
00:40:39.50\00:40:42.79
he is going to have to
apologize to Belshazzar
00:40:42.99\00:40:46.05
and to Nadab and Abihu.
00:40:46.25\00:40:47.72
Because when God says
"You offer this which is holy"
00:40:48.13\00:40:51.72
God is serious!
00:40:52.03\00:40:53.70
He means offer
just what He said.
00:40:54.00\00:40:56.87
Now there's another
protagonist in this story.
00:40:57.95\00:41:00.40
See, the king is under
the influence of the wife.
00:41:00.70\00:41:03.36
And even though the
Bible doesn't say it, I believe
00:41:03.47\00:41:05.31
that Herodias had something
to do with the drinking
00:41:05.51\00:41:07.44
of the wine. And so now
the king cannot think straight
00:41:07.54\00:41:12.26
and this vile woman, Herodias,
00:41:13.29\00:41:15.97
now has
everything where she wants it
00:41:16.27\00:41:19.30
and the daughter
comes into the picture.
00:41:19.78\00:41:22.68
Notice Mark
chapter 6 and verse 22.
00:41:23.54\00:41:26.82
Let me ask you: who's the
dangerous figure in this story?
00:41:27.02\00:41:29.58
Is it the king? No!
00:41:30.84\00:41:33.54
Is it Salome the daughter? No!
00:41:33.77\00:41:36.27
Who is the dangerous figure
that moves all of the strings
00:41:36.37\00:41:40.79
and is in control
of the whole situation?
00:41:40.99\00:41:43.28
It is the mother who
is committing adultery!
00:41:43.58\00:41:48.66
Notice Mark
chapter 6 and verse 22.
00:41:50.38\00:41:53.04
"And when Herodias' daughter
herself came in and danced
00:41:53.54\00:41:58.03
and pleased Herod and
those who sat with him
00:41:58.43\00:42:01.85
the king said to the
girl: 'Ask me whatever you want
00:42:02.06\00:42:04.90
and I will give it to
you. ' And then he says:
00:42:05.10\00:42:07.39
'I'll give you up to
half of the kingdom' "
00:42:07.53\00:42:10.03
he says in Mark 6
verse 23. He had to be drunk!
00:42:10.13\00:42:13.74
Half the kingdom for a
dance? Give me a break.
00:42:15.79\00:42:20.53
And we're told in verse
23 he also swore to her.
00:42:24.67\00:42:28.11
"Whatever you ask
me I will give you
00:42:28.41\00:42:31.25
up to half my kingdom. "
00:42:31.45\00:42:33.29
And now the
mother comes into view.
00:42:35.31\00:42:37.17
Is the daughter
just like her mother?
00:42:37.47\00:42:39.38
The daughter is an
image of her mother.
00:42:40.24\00:42:42.11
Now notice what happens.
00:42:44.29\00:42:46.08
Chapter 6 and verse 24:
00:42:47.11\00:42:50.00
"So she went out and
said to her mother... "
00:42:50.30\00:42:53.83
Notice that we have the three
words: king, mother, daughter.
00:42:55.21\00:42:59.69
Those are key
words in Revelation 17.
00:43:00.19\00:43:02.70
"So she went out
and said to her mother:
00:43:03.21\00:43:06.09
'What shall I ask? '
00:43:06.39\00:43:08.09
and she said: 'The head
of John the Baptist. ' "
00:43:09.21\00:43:12.91
And Salome said: "Mother! "
00:43:13.21\00:43:16.44
Is that what she said?
00:43:16.94\00:43:19.02
No! In fact, we're
told in Mark 6 verse 25
00:43:19.42\00:43:24.71
the very next
verse: "Immediately
00:43:24.91\00:43:28.59
she came in with haste
00:43:30.55\00:43:33.93
to the king and asked saying:
00:43:34.14\00:43:37.57
'I want you to give me at once
00:43:37.77\00:43:40.16
the head of John the
Baptist on a platter. ' "
00:43:40.36\00:43:44.47
Was the king sorry?
00:43:47.52\00:43:49.40
Did he realize that
he had been deceived?
00:43:50.23\00:43:52.45
Let me ask you:
at the end of time
00:43:53.58\00:43:55.29
is it the civil powers of
the world that we need to be
00:43:55.50\00:43:58.33
concerned about?
00:43:58.43\00:44:00.01
No.
00:44:01.10\00:44:02.49
Is it really the
daughters of the harlot
00:44:03.08\00:44:05.35
that we need to
be concerned about?
00:44:05.55\00:44:07.40
No. It is the mother
00:44:07.60\00:44:10.29
that God's people
have to be concerned about
00:44:10.59\00:44:13.36
according to scripture
00:44:13.66\00:44:15.25
because she's the
one that moves everything
00:44:15.55\00:44:18.40
from behind the scenes.
00:44:18.61\00:44:20.55
And so we're told that
the king was exceedingly sorry
00:44:22.88\00:44:26.14
yet because of the oaths...
00:44:26.54\00:44:29.34
What kind of
character did he have?
00:44:29.54\00:44:31.01
He was a weakling.
00:44:31.41\00:44:33.36
He had no moral backbone...
00:44:33.76\00:44:36.36
just like's going to happen
with the kings of the world
00:44:36.67\00:44:38.57
at the end of
time: they will go along
00:44:38.68\00:44:41.29
with what the harlot wants.
00:44:41.40\00:44:42.63
We'll study that tomorrow.
00:44:42.74\00:44:43.94
And so it says: "And the
king was exceedingly sorry
00:44:45.04\00:44:47.58
yet because of the oaths
and because of those who sat
00:44:47.88\00:44:51.05
with him he did not
want to refuse her. "
00:44:51.16\00:44:54.32
Then verses 27 and 28
have the rest of the sad story.
00:44:55.76\00:44:59.90
It says: "Immediately
the king sent an executioner
00:45:00.30\00:45:05.09
and commanded his
head to be brought.
00:45:05.39\00:45:07.94
And he went and
beheaded him in prison, "
00:45:08.24\00:45:11.24
And now listen to this:
"brought his head on a platter,
00:45:12.27\00:45:15.92
and gave it to the girl.
" And then what does it say?
00:45:16.23\00:45:20.85
"And the girl gave
it to her mother. "
00:45:21.25\00:45:25.54
Who is the daughter
attempting to please?
00:45:26.60\00:45:29.95
She's attempting
to please her mother.
00:45:30.45\00:45:33.58
Through the daughter the
mother influences the king
00:45:33.88\00:45:37.81
to destroy John the Baptist.
00:45:38.11\00:45:40.37
Now you notice that
there are two kinds of Elijahs.
00:45:40.57\00:45:42.77
There's the translated Elijah
00:45:42.97\00:45:45.40
and there's the
Elijah that dies.
00:45:46.43\00:45:48.76
And you say: "Why do you have
an Elijah that is translated
00:45:49.65\00:45:53.75
and an Elijah that dies? "
00:45:54.05\00:45:55.62
The reason is very simple:
00:45:55.92\00:45:57.14
whenever you have an Elijah
00:45:57.44\00:45:59.86
that is followed by
an individual who dies
00:46:00.16\00:46:03.62
that Elijah dies.
00:46:03.82\00:46:05.26
And whenever you have an
Elijah that prepares the way
00:46:06.33\00:46:11.24
for someone who does not die -
00:46:11.44\00:46:14.16
in this case, the
second coming of Christ -
00:46:14.36\00:46:16.27
you have an Elijah who is trans-
lated from among the living.
00:46:16.67\00:46:20.22
Now notice
Malachi 4 verses 5 and 6.
00:46:20.52\00:46:23.53
"Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet
00:46:23.83\00:46:27.06
before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord.
00:46:27.26\00:46:29.53
And he will turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children
00:46:29.73\00:46:32.79
and the hearts of the
children to their fathers
00:46:32.99\00:46:34.94
lest I come and strike
the earth with a curse. "
00:46:35.14\00:46:37.61
Are we to expect the
coming of another Elijah?
00:46:37.91\00:46:40.01
Let me ask you: was
the coming of Christ
00:46:42.16\00:46:44.61
the great and
terrible day of the Lord?
00:46:44.81\00:46:46.21
Was it a day
burning like an oven
00:46:46.71\00:46:48.78
like you find in the verses
00:46:48.98\00:46:50.30
immediately
before these two verses?
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.34
Was it a day when there will
leave neither root nor branch?
00:46:52.64\00:46:55.59
Absolutely not!
00:46:55.79\00:46:57.27
That's speaking about
the second coming of Christ
00:46:57.57\00:46:59.23
so we are to
expect an end-time Elijah.
00:46:59.43\00:47:02.66
James White wrote
something very interesting
00:47:03.89\00:47:07.96
about typology.
00:47:08.16\00:47:09.78
In Review and Herald,
April 5, 1870, he said:
00:47:10.08\00:47:13.99
"The first and second advents
00:47:14.29\00:47:16.40
are in many
respects parallel events.
00:47:16.60\00:47:19.21
Single prophecies
often contemplate both,
00:47:19.61\00:47:23.50
the prophetic utterances
glancing from one to the other
00:47:23.80\00:47:28.01
in quick transition.
00:47:28.21\00:47:30.11
Such prophecies
receive a partial fulfillment
00:47:30.31\00:47:33.66
in the events
of the first advent
00:47:33.69\00:47:35.65
and a complete accomplishment
00:47:35.95\00:47:38.72
in events
connected with the second. "
00:47:38.93\00:47:41.06
And then he
says: "Of such a nature
00:47:41.36\00:47:43.67
we believe are some of
the predictions of Malachi. "
00:47:43.87\00:47:48.14
So John the Baptist
was a partial fulfillment
00:47:48.54\00:47:52.35
of the Elijah prophecy
00:47:52.65\00:47:54.77
and we are to
expect another Elijah
00:47:54.97\00:47:57.96
right before the
second coming of Christ...
00:47:58.16\00:48:00.90
an Elijah that will be trans-
lated from among the living
00:48:01.10\00:48:04.15
because the Messiah that will
come will be a living Messiah!
00:48:04.29\00:48:07.78
Desire of Ages page 102
00:48:08.08\00:48:10.84
Ellen White concurs with
her husband, James White,
00:48:11.14\00:48:14.35
when she says: "In
preparing the way for Christ's
00:48:14.55\00:48:17.54
first advent John the
Baptist was a representative
00:48:17.75\00:48:22.85
of those... " Is
that singular or plural?
00:48:23.93\00:48:28.94
Plural! He was
"representative of those
00:48:29.24\00:48:32.98
who are to prepare a people
for our Lord's second coming. "
00:48:33.18\00:48:38.45
So what is the principle?
00:48:39.30\00:48:40.59
The principle is
that in the Old Testament
00:48:40.89\00:48:43.04
as well as in the
times of John the Baptist
00:48:43.24\00:48:45.74
when the theocracy has
not ended and God is dealing
00:48:45.94\00:48:49.21
with literal Israel,
you have literal Israel
00:48:49.31\00:48:52.27
dealing with literal
people on a local stage.
00:48:52.47\00:48:55.68
But the principle is that in
the church of the Middle Ages
00:48:55.98\00:48:58.85
and the end time, you are
dealing with spiritual Israel.
00:48:59.05\00:49:02.14
And the individuals in
the Old Testament and in the
00:49:02.34\00:49:06.17
New Testament
represent groups of people
00:49:06.27\00:49:09.39
or systems that
are global in scope.
00:49:09.59\00:49:13.44
Now you know, folks, that
every time that the church
00:49:16.37\00:49:18.75
has used the state
00:49:18.85\00:49:20.52
the result has been
repression and persecution.
00:49:20.72\00:49:24.01
In this story of
Elijah we have a vile king.
00:49:25.27\00:49:28.56
Weakling.
00:49:29.31\00:49:30.79
We have a religious
adviser who moves the strings
00:49:31.93\00:49:35.63
and we have the false
prophets or the daughter
00:49:36.49\00:49:40.32
who does the
biddings of the woman.
00:49:40.42\00:49:44.87
You know, you find
stories similar to this
00:49:45.07\00:49:47.04
in other places of the Bible.
00:49:47.24\00:49:48.77
Remember the story of Esther?
00:49:48.87\00:49:50.37
Very interesting.
00:49:51.34\00:49:52.80
Do you have a king
in the story of Esther?
00:49:53.10\00:49:55.23
Yeah. Does he really
know what's going on?
00:49:55.53\00:49:57.65
No... he doesn't
have the foggiest idea.
00:49:57.95\00:50:00.52
But when he wakes
up he's pretty mad.
00:50:00.82\00:50:03.72
But he's not mad with Jews,
00:50:04.12\00:50:07.01
he's mad at the one
who created the plot.
00:50:07.21\00:50:09.82
You have a vile woman in
the story of Esther also.
00:50:10.32\00:50:13.23
You say: "Who is she? "
Zeresh... the wife of Haman.
00:50:13.53\00:50:18.45
She's the one that
told him: "Make a gallows
00:50:18.75\00:50:21.03
to hang Mordecai. "
00:50:21.24\00:50:22.84
And then you have
a third individual
00:50:23.15\00:50:24.84
which is Haman himself.
00:50:24.94\00:50:26.96
And you have God's
true people, Israel,
00:50:27.97\00:50:31.55
who are under sentence of death.
00:50:31.75\00:50:33.58
The point is, folks,
that whenever the church
00:50:34.54\00:50:37.81
uses the state to
accomplish its purposes
00:50:38.01\00:50:42.02
the result is
repression and persecution.
00:50:42.32\00:50:45.48
And our political
leaders in the United States
00:50:45.68\00:50:48.00
and in the world should
listen carefully to this.
00:50:48.20\00:50:50.98
You know, it's a
sobering thought, folks,
00:50:51.48\00:50:54.10
that Jesus Christ was crucified
00:50:54.30\00:50:56.74
by a vile union
of church and state.
00:50:56.94\00:50:59.64
You see, the Jews could
not execute the death decree.
00:50:59.94\00:51:02.29
They gave Him first
of all a religious trial
00:51:03.31\00:51:05.43
just like happened
during the Middle Ages
00:51:05.53\00:51:07.11
with the Inquisition. First
there was a religious trial.
00:51:07.51\00:51:10.25
An ecclesiastical trial.
00:51:10.45\00:51:11.92
If the individual was
found guilty of heresy,
00:51:12.32\00:51:14.67
he was then taken to
the civil power so that
00:51:14.87\00:51:17.27
the civil power would
execute that individual.
00:51:17.38\00:51:20.16
That's exactly what
they did with Jesus.
00:51:20.36\00:51:22.02
The Sanhedrin did an
Inquisition of Jesus.
00:51:22.32\00:51:24.92
They found Him guilty of heresy
00:51:25.22\00:51:26.85
but they could not
destroy Him as a church.
00:51:27.05\00:51:28.85
And so what they did:
they took Jesus to Pilate
00:51:29.94\00:51:32.38
and they said: "We
can't execute anyone.
00:51:32.48\00:51:34.49
We need your help. "
00:51:34.69\00:51:36.26
And so by using Pilate
- the political power -
00:51:37.27\00:51:40.27
Jesus was led to the cross.
00:51:41.41\00:51:44.21
And so whenever in the
Bible the church uses the state
00:51:46.56\00:51:50.68
to accomplish its purposes
the result is persecution.
00:51:50.88\00:51:53.83
And you know what's interesting?
00:51:53.93\00:51:55.33
About six months
before Jesus died
00:51:55.73\00:51:58.89
as a result of this union...
00:51:59.09\00:52:00.36
We know that He died
for the sins of the world
00:52:00.47\00:52:02.01
but the mechanism that was used
00:52:02.11\00:52:03.40
was the union of
church and state.
00:52:03.60\00:52:05.57
About six months before this
00:52:06.07\00:52:08.56
the Sanhedrin met together
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.99
and they said: "We have to
do something with this fellow
00:52:11.29\00:52:13.57
because
everybody's following Him. "
00:52:13.78\00:52:15.19
The story is in John 11.
00:52:15.59\00:52:17.00
Jesus had just
resurrected Lazarus
00:52:17.30\00:52:19.45
and Caiaphas, who was
the high priest at that time,
00:52:21.47\00:52:23.69
stood up and he says -
and you know the words.
00:52:23.89\00:52:28.36
He said: "It is
necessary for one man to die
00:52:28.60\00:52:33.90
and not that the whole
nation should perish. "
00:52:34.92\00:52:37.35
It was a matter
of national security.
00:52:39.21\00:52:42.75
Interesting.
00:52:43.35\00:52:44.70
But you know what's interesting?
00:52:45.00\00:52:46.81
The Jews felt that
by using the Romans
00:52:47.31\00:52:51.00
to destroy Christ they
would save their nation.
00:52:51.20\00:52:54.05
But by using the
Romans to destroy Christ
00:52:54.35\00:52:57.07
the Romans came and
destroyed the nation.
00:52:57.27\00:52:59.57
And so, folks, whenever
the church links with the state
00:53:01.52\00:53:06.20
the result is
repression and persecution.
00:53:06.50\00:53:08.69
That's why it would be
good for our political leaders
00:53:09.09\00:53:11.29
to simply govern
in political affairs
00:53:11.49\00:53:13.70
and not allow the
church to influence the state
00:53:14.00\00:53:17.20
to have anything
to do with religion.
00:53:17.40\00:53:19.37
That why we have a first
amendment in the Constitution
00:53:19.77\00:53:23.07
of the United States:
"Congress shall make no law
00:53:23.27\00:53:25.43
respecting an
establishment of religion
00:53:25.53\00:53:27.21
or forbidding the
free exercise thereof. "
00:53:27.41\00:53:29.17
But we know that this is
going to be revoked someday.
00:53:29.81\00:53:33.13
Do you know in
the French Revolution
00:53:33.33\00:53:35.27
the multitudes that
had been deceived by the
00:53:35.47\00:53:39.55
Roman Catholic system
that had joined the state
00:53:39.75\00:53:42.60
during the Dark Ages...
the people were enraged.
00:53:42.80\00:53:45.60
And those who had
followed this system
00:53:45.90\00:53:47.70
arose to annihilate it
during the French Revolution.
00:53:47.90\00:53:51.41
In fact, Revelation
chapter 17 which we will study
00:53:51.45\00:53:54.44
tomorrow morning, you'll
find that the harlot is doing
00:53:54.64\00:53:58.13
real well. She's
fornicating with the kings.
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.71
They're having
a jolly good time.
00:54:00.91\00:54:02.43
They're enjoying her wine
that she's giving to the kings
00:54:02.63\00:54:06.50
and the kings are filled
with wrath against God's people
00:54:06.80\00:54:09.54
who don't go along.
00:54:09.84\00:54:11.22
But the Bible says that
one day the kings of the earth
00:54:12.65\00:54:15.22
will awaken and they will
see that the religious system
00:54:15.32\00:54:19.19
has deceived them.
00:54:19.29\00:54:20.44
Do you know
what's going to happen?
00:54:22.01\00:54:23.38
Revelation chapter 17
verse 16 says that the kings
00:54:24.23\00:54:27.24
"will hate the harlot
00:54:27.34\00:54:29.01
and they will leave her naked
00:54:30.40\00:54:32.86
and they will burn her with fire
00:54:33.17\00:54:35.62
and they will
consume her flesh. "
00:54:37.48\00:54:39.17
That's a way of saying
that they're going to be
00:54:39.37\00:54:40.57
real mad at her.
00:54:40.67\00:54:42.21
And they're going
to arise to destroy her
00:54:42.81\00:54:45.40
because they will realize
00:54:45.81\00:54:48.37
that they have been deceived
00:54:48.67\00:54:50.45
into
persecuting the wrong people
00:54:50.55\00:54:53.00
instead of destroying those
who wanted to use the state
00:54:53.40\00:54:58.38
to accomplish their purposes.
00:54:58.58\00:55:01.03
So folks, in the story of Elijah
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.07
we find a whole
typology of end-time events.
00:55:05.40\00:55:08.60
When you put all of the
three previous Elijahs together
00:55:09.68\00:55:13.52
and you look at
all of the details
00:55:13.72\00:55:15.22
and you combine them,
you have a complete picture
00:55:15.42\00:55:17.83
of the end-time Elijah
because each of the previous
00:55:18.03\00:55:20.43
Elijahs gives you
parts of the story.
00:55:20.53\00:55:23.04
But when you put all
of the Elijahs together
00:55:23.45\00:55:25.60
you have a complete picture
of what it's going to look like
00:55:25.80\00:55:28.29
at the end of time.
00:55:28.49\00:55:29.56
I would like to
end by saying this:
00:55:29.87\00:55:31.40
Pilate, the political ruler,
00:55:32.28\00:55:33.99
when the church
of that day and age -
00:55:35.19\00:55:37.64
those who claimed to serve God -
00:55:37.94\00:55:40.02
came and they said:
"We want this man killed
00:55:40.97\00:55:43.64
and we need the
authority of the state to do it"
00:55:43.84\00:55:46.35
Pilate was deliberating and
somebody came and said to him:
00:55:46.76\00:55:50.32
"Your wife sends you a message:
00:55:50.62\00:55:52.85
have nothing to
do with this man. "
00:55:55.05\00:55:57.94
Is that a message for the
political rulers of the world
00:56:00.67\00:56:03.08
today when it
comes to God's remnant?
00:56:03.18\00:56:05.09
Absolutely... have
nothing to do with this man.
00:56:05.29\00:56:07.89
But you know what?
00:56:08.19\00:56:10.00
Pilate - the
weakling that he was -
00:56:10.30\00:56:14.84
to save his political position
00:56:15.14\00:56:17.77
delivered an
innocent man to death.
00:56:18.17\00:56:21.38
And that's exactly what is going
to happen at the end of time.
00:56:21.88\00:56:25.02
And folks, the persecutors
are not going to be the Muslims.
00:56:25.33\00:56:29.07
The persecutors are not going to
be the Buddhists or the Hindus.
00:56:29.20\00:56:32.19
The persecutors - if you
take the story of Elijah -
00:56:32.42\00:56:34.90
are going to be those
who claim to serve God.
00:56:35.10\00:56:39.70
Because the message of Elijah
is a message to the church!
00:56:40.00\00:56:43.51
The message of Elijah
is not a message primarily
00:56:44.01\00:56:46.99
to the world at large
although it can apply there.
00:56:47.19\00:56:49.52
It is a message to God's church
that is falling into apostasy.
00:56:49.72\00:56:53.29
And God says to the church:
"Come back to the straight
00:56:53.49\00:56:56.40
and narrow. Come back to
the reason why I called you.
00:56:56.50\00:56:59.23
Come back to the Creator God.
00:56:59.43\00:57:01.18
Come back to keeping
the commandments of God
00:57:01.48\00:57:03.84
because you love God.
Come back to the Lord.
00:57:04.04\00:57:07.33
Repent of your apostasy. "
00:57:07.83\00:57:10.25
Who's going to deliver
this message to the world?
00:57:11.40\00:57:13.62
God has called the
remnant church to do that.
00:57:15.05\00:57:17.43
He has called us
to be that Elijah.
00:57:17.93\00:57:21.60
But in order to do it
we must have the commitment
00:57:22.00\00:57:24.72
that Elijah had...
00:57:24.92\00:57:26.35
be willing to
preach God's message,
00:57:26.45\00:57:28.64
even in the face of death.
00:57:28.74\00:57:31.30