Hello and welcome to
the 3ABN Worship Center -
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the Camp Meeting experience
- as we take a closer look,
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an in-depth look, at the
second coming of our Lord
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and Savior Jesus Christ.
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You will be getting
over the next several days
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what we used to get in
school called eschatology:
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the study of the end things.
Things dealing with the end.
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We were a church
born and birthed in the
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matrix of eschatology. It
was eschatology that drove us.
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It was part of
our name, our fabric.
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We looked towards the
end and tried to be prepared
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for the end. And so
during these next several days
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we will do what some have
accused the church of neglecting
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to do, and that's
concentrating on those things
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dealing with the second
coming of our Lord and Savior
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Jesus Christ. We are so
thankful for our first speaker.
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John Bradshaw did a
marvelous job, did he not?
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Were you blessed
by that presentation?
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Surely we were.
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And each speaker... You know
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we say if you should
have missed any speaker
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it should have
been the last one.
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You don't want to miss
this one. Our speaker now is
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Pastor Kameron DeVasher.
We met him some time ago
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when he was an
associate pastor in Florida.
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He is now the pastor of the
Muskegon and Fremont churches
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in the Michigan Conference
and doing a very, very fine job.
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He's a GYC guy... a
young person with energy
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and much stamina.
You may not recognize him
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when he comes out. He's
added a little something
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to his lower face that he didn't
have when last we met him.
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He looks very professorial
and very distinguished.
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A little gray
hair in there also.
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So he's doing a very,
very fine job for the Lord.
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He is married to Emilie.
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He has two sons:
Henry and Edward.
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And, of course, many of you
know that Edward has had some
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health challenges. We have
prayed much for the DeVasher
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family over the last several
months. And he may want to
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give you a
little update on that.
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I will allow him to
do that if he wishes.
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But Kameron is going to
be speaking on The Great
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Controversy Second Coming.
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And that, of course, is
a very powerful subject...
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one that we want
to know more about.
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We invite you to open
your Bibles; open your pads and
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pencils; fire up your iPads.
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We don't mind if you take notes.
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In fact, we strongly
encourage you to do so.
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We are thankful that
these messages will be available
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after this
weekend shall have ended.
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But you may want to
take some notes even while
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the pastors are speaking for
your own study and edification.
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We'd be certainly
happy if you would do that.
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Just before Pastor DeVasher
speaks, our music is coming from
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our pastor and
friend Pastor John Lomacang.
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And he's going to be singing a
song which is in the trajectory
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of what we've been talking
about. It's from our Pillars II
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album: Don't You
Hear My Jesus Coming?
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But before Pastor Lomacang
comes and Pastor DeVasher speaks
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would you now bow your heads
with me in a word of prayer.
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Gracious Father, again
we thank you and praise you
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so very much for Your Word
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which is a lamp unto our
feet and a light unto our path.
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We are thankful, Lord Jesus,
for the power of Your Word
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and for the surety that we
have that Jesus is coming soon.
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Help us, Lord, as we
learn more about that day
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to prepare our
hearts, our minds for that day
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so that we can
see You face to face.
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And now, Father, we
ask a very special blessing
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on Pastor
DeVasher as he speaks to us
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and open our hearts that we
may be receptive to the word.
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Bless the music
that shall be sung,
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the sermon that
shall be preached.
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And we thank you,
Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Pastor John Lomacang and
then Pastor Kameron DeVasher.
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Don't you see my Jesus coming?
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Don't you see
Him in yonder cloud?
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With 10,000 angels 'round Him,
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see how they my Jesus crowd!
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I am bound for the kingdom,
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Will you go
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to glory with me?
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Hallelujah!
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O praise ye the Lord!
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Don't you see
the saints ascending?
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Hear them
shouting thro' the air.
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Jesus smiling,
trumpets sounding,
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Now His glory they will share.
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For I am bound for the kingdom,
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will you go to glory with me?
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Hallelujah!
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O praise ye the Lord!
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Hallelujah!
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Hallelujah!
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Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
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Hallelujah!
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Don't you see the heavens open
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and the saints
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in glory there?
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Shouts of triumph
bursting 'round them
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glory glory
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everywhere!
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I am bound for the kingdom,
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will you go to glory with me?
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Hallelujah!
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O praise ye the Lord!
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Hallelujah!
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O praise ye
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the Lord!
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And all the people said? Amen!
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Has it been a blessing
already this 3ABN Camp Meeting?
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I hope so... in fact, I KNOW so.
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I've been blessed
just listening to it
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and now being a part of it
myself. I'm glad to be here.
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I want to thank 3ABN for
the opportunity to be here
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and I would thank all of you
for showing up and making this
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one of the tremendous blessings
that we get to experience
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together as a church family.
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The burden of my
message this evening
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is, of course,
related to the second coming.
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Everything this weekend is
related to the second coming.
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But I'm going to be addressing
this particular topic from a
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very specific perspective, OK?
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My task - which I'm so
excited about - is to present
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the significance of the
second coming in the context
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of the great controversy.
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The great controversy
is the - as some call it -
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the metanarrative
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that underlies everything
else in our understanding of God
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and His work on our behalf.
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And the second coming is
a wonderful, awesome event
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in and of itself, but it
is an event in a much larger
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spectrum of events
or stream of events,
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a process that God is
doing to rid the universe
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once and for all
of sin and rebellion.
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And so I praise the Lord
that we are living so close
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to the second coming where
our study is not necessarily
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theory but I have
faith that in my lifetime
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we're going to see
Jesus come soon and very soon.
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But before we dive
into a study of God's Word
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let's begin with
a word of prayer.
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Heavenly Father, I want to
thank you for so many things
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this evening.
Thank you for life at all
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but much more importantly,
Lord, thank you for the eternal
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life that is
provided through Jesus Christ.
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And as we look forward
to and as scripture says
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not only look for but
hasten the coming of Christ,
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Lord, help us to be Your people.
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Not just on paper
but in person, Lord,
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make us like Jesus
so that when we see Him
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we go from this world
to the next seamlessly.
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Lord, bless us to that end.
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Bless our minds now. Send
Your Holy Spirit to teach us
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as You have promised to do.
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For we pray it all
in Jesus' name, Amen.
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The purpose of
the great controversy
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is to allow every
sentient being in the universe
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opportunity to see in
Satan and his principles
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what God has seen all along.
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I'm going to say all
that statement again because
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that's going to be the
foundation of what we build upon
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in the rest of
our time together.
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The purpose of
the great controversy
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is to allow every sentient being
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opportunity to see in
Satan and his principles
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what God has seen all along.
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Let me demonstrate
this to you in scripture.
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Go to the book of
Ezekiel... Ezekiel chapter 28.
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There are a couple
of passages that show us
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the background to what
we see in our world now.
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We see Satan, we see
evil, we see all the wake of his
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rebellion in our experience.
But before there was all that
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there are a few passages
of scripture that pull back
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the veil and show us what
we going on before the fall
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and at the time of
the fall in heaven.
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Ezekiel chapter 28;
we'll start with verse 14
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and I want to bring something
specific to your attention
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tonight. When it describes
Lucifer it says in verse 14:
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"You were the anointed cherub
who covers. " And of course,
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as good Seventh-day Adventists
our minds go back to that
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Most Holy Place and
the ark of the covenant
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with the covering cherubs.
That is a representation of
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the position Lucifer once held.
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"You were the
anointed cherub who covers.
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I established you. "
Some versions even say
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"I ordained you. "
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You ever think about
that? At one point Satan was an
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ordained minister in
the courts of heaven.
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But it goes on: "You were
on the holy mountain of God.
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You walked back and forth
in the midst of fiery stones.
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You were perfect in your ways
from the day you were created
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till iniquity
was found in you. "
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Now we'll pause right
here for just a moment.
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Iniquity - that is,
sin - was found where?
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"In you. " In him.
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Let me ask you a very
simple, logical question:
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who is the only being in the
universe who can see anything
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in you? That's God.
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Notice this is an internal...
We're going to see this in
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Isaiah. We're going to see
it in Ezekiel where we are now
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that this is an
internal thing that's going on,
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that we're just seeing
the outward manifestation
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in our lifetime
and our experience.
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But it continues: "Till
iniquity was found in you. "
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Verse 16: "By the abundance
of your trading you became
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filled with violence...
" And here it is again:
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"within... " The
violence was within.
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"Therefore I cast you
as a profane thing out of
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the mountain of God
and I destroyed you,
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O covering cherub, from the
midst of the fiery stones. "
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Notice He did not
destroy him from existence...
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just he got fired from his job.
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He got removed
from that location.
00:12:42.22\00:12:44.33
Geographically he was
displaced, but he was not
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discontinued all together.
00:12:47.96\00:12:50.30
He was cast out instead of
being blotted out of existence.
00:12:51.13\00:12:55.27
And I tell you, one of
the issues that people have
00:12:55.44\00:12:57.24
with Christianity as a whole:
if God knew, why didn't He
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fix it the moment
sin came into existence?
00:13:01.78\00:13:05.61
But we have an answer
to this question right here
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in scripture. Notice
as the passage continues.
00:13:09.88\00:13:11.92
Verse 17: "Your heart was lifted
up because of your beauty.
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You corrupted your wisdom
for the sake of your splendor. "
00:13:16.16\00:13:18.49
And I believe the
key is found here:
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"I cast you to the ground.
I laid you before kings... "
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For what purpose? "that
they might gaze at you. "
00:13:25.20\00:13:30.57
Now, iniquity was
already found within,
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but apparently these
other people can't see within.
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Let me ask you a question:
is it possible that you can have
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something going on within that
you don't necessarily express
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without? Perhaps it's
even happening right now as we
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speak tonight. A lot of
smiles... "Good to see you"
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but inside "I don't
know what you're thinking...
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and I'd rather not know. "
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When I see you, I just see what
you decide to put out there.
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Right? But Christ sees through.
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He doesn't just see to
you... He sees through you.
00:14:01.77\00:14:04.67
And notice the reason he
was cast out instead of being
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blotted out is so
"they might gaze at you. "
00:14:09.48\00:14:13.52
Fascinating
passage... fascinating concept.
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Let's go to the book of Isaiah.
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The parallel passage
to what we find in Ezekiel
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is Isaiah chapter
14 and again verse 12.
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This time looking from the
perspective after the 2nd coming
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during that
millennium of destruction
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where Satan has lost all
influence - almost all influence
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in the universe.
And the lamentation
00:14:38.31\00:14:42.01
of the prophet Isaiah
here in chapter 14 verse 12 is:
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"How you are fallen from
heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
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morning! How you are
cut down to the ground
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you who weaken the nations! "
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.19
And he goes on to say what
he was saying in his heart:
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"For you have said in your heart
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'I will ascend into heaven.
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I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God. "
00:15:00.86\00:15:02.86
And he goes on to
say: "I... I... I... "
00:15:02.90\00:15:04.63
But it concludes
that "I" list in verse 15:
00:15:04.97\00:15:07.77
"Yet you shall be brought down
to Sheol, to the lowest depths
00:15:07.80\00:15:11.97
of the pit. "
Notice: "You shall be. "
00:15:12.01\00:15:14.58
He hasn't been destroyed
yet but you're on your way.
00:15:14.81\00:15:19.15
Why is it a process
instead of an event...
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this destruction of Satan
and the quashing of rebellion?
00:15:25.42\00:15:28.49
Verse 16... notice the
striking similar language...
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strikingly similar:
00:15:34.36\00:15:35.66
"Those who see you will...
" What? "gaze at you... "
00:15:35.80\00:15:40.30
And what's that next
word? "and consider you. "
00:15:40.34\00:15:44.07
What are some
other words for consider?
00:15:44.97\00:15:46.98
To think about; to
ponder; to mull over;
00:15:47.51\00:15:50.85
to debate; to
wrestle with; to struggle;
00:15:50.88\00:15:52.85
to think about something.
They're going to look at you
00:15:52.88\00:15:55.65
and think about you.
00:15:55.78\00:15:57.99
They need to look and think
about you and your principles.
00:15:58.32\00:16:04.36
What you have
done. "Is this the man
00:16:04.53\00:16:08.10
who made the earth
tremble? Who shook kingdoms?
00:16:08.23\00:16:10.60
Who made the world as a
wilderness and destroyed
00:16:10.73\00:16:12.43
its cities and who did not open
the house of his prisoners? "
00:16:12.47\00:16:15.27
They're dumbfounded at the
thought that is it possible
00:16:16.44\00:16:19.84
that this is what happened.
00:16:20.08\00:16:21.24
Now, I believe it's significant
that both Isaiah and Ezekiel
00:16:21.38\00:16:26.35
tell us the reason
why Satan was cast out
00:16:26.48\00:16:29.22
instead of being blotted out.
00:16:29.25\00:16:30.55
It's because God can
see what man doesn't.
00:16:30.69\00:16:33.22
Imagine in your mind
the throne room of heaven
00:16:33.36\00:16:35.92
before the fall or during
the time this internal struggle
00:16:36.26\00:16:40.40
is happening with
Lucifer, the covering cherub.
00:16:40.43\00:16:43.26
God the Father...
you can imagine everyone
00:16:45.07\00:16:46.63
is coming together for a
great Camp Meeting in heaven.
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.97
And they're
singing the doxology.
00:16:49.97\00:16:51.47
Oh, there's the angel host;
there's the unfallen beings;
00:16:51.51\00:16:54.14
there's the different orders...
cherubim and seraphim...
00:16:54.28\00:16:56.48
there's the covering
cherubs. Everyone is there.
00:16:56.51\00:16:58.28
There's all the members of
the Godhead; everyone is around
00:16:58.41\00:17:00.78
and they're
singing praises to God.
00:17:00.82\00:17:02.38
And the eye of God
sweeps across that great
00:17:02.72\00:17:07.89
assembly, and the outside
of everyone there harmonizes
00:17:08.02\00:17:13.33
perfectly with the
inside of everyone there.
00:17:13.36\00:17:16.30
Purity; holiness; righteousness.
00:17:16.53\00:17:19.90
All one harmonious
chord in praise to the Father.
00:17:20.24\00:17:25.54
You can imagine:
"Praise God, from whom... "
00:17:26.81\00:17:29.28
Just really lifting it up.
00:17:29.41\00:17:30.75
Until He gets to
the covering cherub.
00:17:31.95\00:17:37.89
And I'm guessing
that on the outside
00:17:39.35\00:17:42.26
he was also
"Praise God, from whom... "
00:17:42.39\00:17:45.49
But on the inside: "I
will ascend... I will exalt. "
00:17:45.83\00:17:51.77
You can imagine
God the Father saying:
00:17:53.07\00:17:55.90
"Everybody, hang on just a
second. Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.
00:17:56.04\00:17:59.07
Umm, Lucifer, can you
step forward please? "
00:18:00.74\00:18:03.45
And again on the
outside: "Oh yes, what can I do?
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.95
How can I help? "
00:18:07.98\00:18:09.85
He's like: "You
can stop that now.
00:18:09.98\00:18:12.99
Don't even play games any more.
00:18:14.52\00:18:17.16
I see the iniquity within. "
00:18:19.76\00:18:22.16
And he goes: "What are
you? Honest... what... ah? Me? "
00:18:23.67\00:18:28.47
"Yes, and the
wages of sin is death. "
00:18:28.84\00:18:33.54
And the lifeless form
of the covering cherub...
00:18:39.55\00:18:42.25
before the onlooking universe.
00:18:44.95\00:18:47.62
And then God would say:
00:18:49.46\00:18:51.53
"All right... where were we? "
"Praise God, from whom all... "
00:18:51.76\00:18:54.56
Now they're not against God
00:18:58.87\00:19:01.27
but is it legitimate to
assume that they might have some
00:19:01.60\00:19:05.87
questions for God?
00:19:05.91\00:19:08.18
Absolutely.
Absolutely they would.
00:19:08.51\00:19:12.98
Let me illustrate
this... from scripture, again.
00:19:13.31\00:19:15.98
Job chapter 1. Job
chapter 1 is a fascinating piece
00:19:16.12\00:19:20.26
of scripture. Just before
the book of Psalms we have Job.
00:19:20.29\00:19:24.06
In outlines oftentimes people
think it's the struggles of Job
00:19:24.39\00:19:28.00
and the issues of Job,
but let me tell you something.
00:19:28.03\00:19:30.63
The person on trial in
the book of Job is not Job.
00:19:30.97\00:19:34.24
It's God. Let me
demonstrate this to you.
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.47
Of course the first five verses
of chapter 1 of the book of Job
00:19:37.61\00:19:40.08
describes the goodness of
this man Job. He's blameless,
00:19:40.21\00:19:44.05
he's upright... one who
fears God and shuns evil.
00:19:44.18\00:19:47.65
And then after verse 5 it jerks
us to verse 6 where it says
00:19:48.88\00:19:53.66
"Now there was a day when
the sons of God came to present
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.69
themselves before the Lord, and
Satan also came among them. "
00:19:56.73\00:20:00.83
Which by the way, apparently
there are schedules to keep
00:20:02.33\00:20:05.03
in heaven even. And there
are perhaps - dare I say it? -
00:20:05.17\00:20:09.07
committee meetings in heaven.
00:20:09.20\00:20:11.31
Somebody somewhere just thought:
"Now do I even want to go? "
00:20:12.64\00:20:16.64
Let me tell you:
order is not against God.
00:20:17.85\00:20:21.25
Spiritual things are
organized for service, OK?
00:20:21.38\00:20:24.09
But here we go: "There
was a day when the sons of God
00:20:24.42\00:20:27.82
came to present themselves
before the Lord, and Satan also
00:20:27.86\00:20:30.13
came among them. And
the Lord said to Satan:
00:20:30.16\00:20:31.96
'From where do you come? '
00:20:32.09\00:20:33.33
So Satan answered the Lord
and said: 'From going to and fro
00:20:34.46\00:20:37.60
on the earth and from walking
back and forth on it. ' "
00:20:37.73\00:20:40.64
Basically, "I was cast out of
Your kingdom but I've taken over
00:20:40.77\00:20:44.11
that other kingdom
You made in Your image. "
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.94
You can imagine... he's
starting his ascendency again.
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.78
"I'm here... I
represent the earth. "
00:20:53.95\00:20:55.58
And, of course, who should
have been at that meeting?
00:20:55.62\00:20:57.39
Adam as the representative.
00:20:57.72\00:20:59.65
But Adam handed the
keys over. And by the way,
00:20:59.92\00:21:04.59
Lucifer admits as much.
00:21:04.93\00:21:07.23
Leave your finger right there in
Job. Let me show you something
00:21:07.36\00:21:09.16
in Luke chapter
4. Luke chapter 4.
00:21:09.20\00:21:13.17
When he wrestles with Jesus
in the wilderness of temptation
00:21:14.44\00:21:18.31
which, of course, Jesus is
victorious. Praise the Lord!
00:21:18.44\00:21:20.84
But you notice what state-
ment comes out of Satan's mouth.
00:21:21.18\00:21:25.18
Luke chapter 4 and verse 5.
00:21:25.51\00:21:29.22
"Then the devil, taking
Him up on a high mountain,
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.99
showed Him all the kingdoms of
the world in a moment of time.
00:21:32.12\00:21:34.62
And the devil said to
Him: 'All this authority
00:21:35.79\00:21:38.73
I will give You and
their glory. ' " Now pause
00:21:38.86\00:21:41.63
right there. Is this a
legitimate claim to authority
00:21:41.66\00:21:45.50
over the earth? Yes.
Jesus Himself in the gospel of
00:21:45.63\00:21:49.74
John would several times
refer to Satan as the ruler
00:21:49.77\00:21:53.34
of this world.
00:21:53.38\00:21:54.78
Notice how Satan at
least honestly admits
00:21:54.91\00:21:57.25
how he came by it. Does he
say: "I created this world? "
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.41
No, no, no, no, no.
He's talking to the Creator.
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.48
That's not going to
work. But what does he explain?
00:22:01.82\00:22:03.89
Again, verse 6: "And the devil
said to Him: 'All this authority
00:22:04.79\00:22:07.09
I will give You and their glory
for this has been delivered
00:22:07.12\00:22:11.33
to me, and I give it
to whomever I wish. ' "
00:22:11.46\00:22:15.80
So we go back
to the book of Job.
00:22:16.73\00:22:18.57
He comes to this meeting as
the representative from earth
00:22:18.90\00:22:22.90
saying: "I'm walking back
and forth on it to and fro. "
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.84
The implication is
"I run that place. "
00:22:26.07\00:22:29.88
And then the Lord
says to Satan in verse 8:
00:22:30.01\00:22:32.31
"Have you considered...
" Thought about, pondered,
00:22:32.55\00:22:37.25
realized, looked
at, considered...
00:22:37.39\00:22:39.59
"My servant Job
00:22:39.82\00:22:42.76
that there is none
like him on the earth? "
00:22:42.89\00:22:46.96
Said: "You may claim to
run back and forth and run the
00:22:48.46\00:22:51.33
entirety of the earth, but you
have a defector in your camp.
00:22:51.47\00:22:55.77
He's on my side.
Have you considered that?
00:22:57.67\00:23:00.68
When you make your
claim to run the whole world
00:23:02.04\00:23:03.95
I think you forgot
about Brother Job. "
00:23:04.08\00:23:06.75
"A blameless and upright man
who fears God and shuns evil. "
00:23:08.95\00:23:13.29
"So Satan answered the
Lord and said... " And notice
00:23:13.42\00:23:15.82
the implication: "Does
Job fear God for... " What?
00:23:15.86\00:23:18.79
"for nothing? "
00:23:19.13\00:23:20.36
Satan's answer to
Christ's bringing up Job
00:23:21.23\00:23:24.67
as a representative of those
who fear God and shun evil...
00:23:24.70\00:23:27.97
Satan says: "Yeah, of course
he fears God and shuns evil.
00:23:28.20\00:23:31.01
You don't think
he's doing it for free? "
00:23:31.24\00:23:33.81
"Of course, look at him.
Did you read the first 5 verses
00:23:36.31\00:23:39.68
of the book? You blessed
him with children and houses
00:23:39.71\00:23:42.18
and property and all these
animals and all this affluence
00:23:42.22\00:23:45.19
and wealth and influence. Sure!
Who wouldn't for that price? "
00:23:45.22\00:23:50.26
"Have You not made a hedge
around him and his household
00:23:52.89\00:23:55.43
and around all that
he has on every side?
00:23:55.46\00:23:56.97
You have blessed
the work of his hands
00:23:57.10\00:23:58.87
and his possessions
have increased in the land,
00:23:59.00\00:24:00.84
but now stretch out Your
hand and touch all that he has
00:24:00.97\00:24:03.44
and he will surely
curse You to Your face. "
00:24:03.57\00:24:05.87
And what's amazing
about this - this is verse 12-
00:24:07.91\00:24:10.78
"And the Lord said to
Satan: 'Behold, all that he has
00:24:10.91\00:24:13.11
is in your power only do
not lay a hand on his person. '
00:24:13.15\00:24:17.65
So Satan went out from
the presence of the Lord. "
00:24:17.82\00:24:19.55
My question about this incident
is, though there are many:
00:24:21.86\00:24:25.56
it's fascinating what Christ
says and it's fascinating even
00:24:28.60\00:24:31.37
what Satan says and to
watch this, but what do
00:24:31.40\00:24:34.57
the sons of God who are
assembled at that meeting say?
00:24:34.60\00:24:38.44
Not one word.
00:24:40.11\00:24:42.18
Not one word.
00:24:43.35\00:24:44.98
Now these are loyal to God, yes?
00:24:45.78\00:24:47.95
They're at the
meeting in heaven.
00:24:47.98\00:24:49.58
But when Satan comes in with
his arguments and his sophistry
00:24:50.49\00:24:53.62
and his accusations they
don't raise a remonstrance.
00:24:53.66\00:24:59.29
They don't say: "Hey, get
out of here. We're not... "
00:24:59.43\00:25:01.10
It's as if they're saying:
"Look, we're loyal to God
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.50
but we need to understand
what's all at stake here.
00:25:04.53\00:25:09.47
We need to see
this thing play out.
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.57
Let's let him say his
piece so we can understand. "
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.61
And that was the purpose
of Christ kicking him out.
00:25:14.84\00:25:17.71
So that: "they might gaze
at you and consider you. "
00:25:18.05\00:25:22.65
So the Lord allowed this
what we read about in the
00:25:23.22\00:25:26.89
rest of the book of Job
to unfold not because God
00:25:26.92\00:25:29.62
doesn't know His heart. But
the other people need to see
00:25:29.66\00:25:34.40
the contrast between
the two competing principles
00:25:34.46\00:25:38.63
for the
government of the universe.
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.47
They need to see.
00:25:41.27\00:25:42.97
And when Jesus... Let's go
to the other side of the Bible
00:25:43.20\00:25:45.91
in the New Testament
in the book of John -
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.08
John chapter 8- Jesus has
00:25:48.21\00:25:53.11
an all-too-familiar encounter
with the religious leaders
00:25:54.02\00:25:57.82
of His time. And in
John chapter 8 and verse 44
00:25:57.85\00:26:00.19
He makes a stark claim to them.
00:26:00.32\00:26:02.89
And He says in John
chapter 8 and verse 44
00:26:05.59\00:26:08.10
to these religious
leaders: "You are of your father
00:26:08.13\00:26:11.67
the devil. " By the way,
I don't know what kind of
00:26:11.80\00:26:15.40
sharp-pointed
preaching you've ever heard
00:26:15.44\00:26:17.57
but I'm doubting you've
heard a sermon that pointed
00:26:17.91\00:26:21.64
in a long time. But
Jesus had no problem
00:26:21.78\00:26:24.88
calling things out as they were.
00:26:25.01\00:26:27.68
And He said: "You are
of your father the devil
00:26:28.02\00:26:30.55
and the desires of your
father you want to do. "
00:26:33.09\00:26:36.96
Now what was in
the father the devil?
00:26:37.29\00:26:39.43
Self-exaltation.
00:26:39.76\00:26:41.86
Jealousy... envy...
00:26:42.20\00:26:44.47
and murderous intent.
00:26:44.90\00:26:47.37
Remember he was
filled with violence within.
00:26:47.50\00:26:49.84
Now let me ask you a question:
00:26:49.97\00:26:51.44
This war in heaven...
was it an openly violent,
00:26:51.77\00:26:55.58
there were bodies of
angels strewn across the streets
00:26:55.71\00:26:57.98
of gold, kind of conflict?
00:26:58.01\00:26:59.88
No. Remember the iniquity was
with... the violence was within.
00:27:00.22\00:27:03.25
The thing that got him
cast out you can see is his
00:27:03.39\00:27:06.86
trafficking, his trading,
his gossiping, his tale bearing.
00:27:06.99\00:27:11.86
It was a war of words! Right?
00:27:11.99\00:27:14.20
He never openly had an armed
conflict with the Son of God
00:27:14.56\00:27:18.27
in heaven... but he wanted to.
00:27:18.30\00:27:21.00
Which by the way, isn't that
what Christ defined as murder?
00:27:21.24\00:27:24.54
And He said: "The desires
of your father you want to do.
00:27:27.81\00:27:30.71
You are going to accomplish
what he wanted to accomplish
00:27:30.85\00:27:33.98
even back then. "
We continue reading:
00:27:34.12\00:27:37.35
"He was a murderer from
the beginning and does not
00:27:37.59\00:27:43.16
stand in the truth because
there is no truth in him.
00:27:43.29\00:27:45.66
When he speaks a lie he
speaks from his own resources
00:27:45.69\00:27:49.30
for he is a liar
and the father of it. "
00:27:49.43\00:27:52.23
So you have this
tension in the great controversy
00:27:52.57\00:27:58.07
where God claims to be love
- not just loving and lovely
00:27:58.31\00:28:03.55
but love itself.
00:28:03.88\00:28:05.91
Which... you search all of
scripture, love manifest in the
00:28:06.05\00:28:08.68
giving of ones' self for
others. It's selflessness.
00:28:08.72\00:28:12.15
And He claims to be love.
00:28:12.49\00:28:14.59
Yet Satan comes along
and says: "You're not love.
00:28:14.82\00:28:17.93
You bribe people. Have You ever
noticed that all of the songs
00:28:18.06\00:28:20.13
are about You?
00:28:20.16\00:28:21.70
Everything's about
You, You, You, You, You.
00:28:21.83\00:28:23.43
You're selfish. "
00:28:23.57\00:28:25.47
And of course God would
say: "No, no, no, no, no.
00:28:25.70\00:28:27.27
I'm selfless...
you're selfish. "
00:28:27.40\00:28:29.44
"No, no, no, no, no.
I'm selfless, You're... "
00:28:29.67\00:28:32.51
"Have You noticed that
He's? " "Yes, but he...
00:28:34.11\00:28:37.15
Well... go ahead.
" And you can imagine
00:28:37.28\00:28:39.98
from the heavenly
unfallen beings' perspective
00:28:40.12\00:28:43.32
"We're loyal to God, but we
don't understand all of these
00:28:43.55\00:28:48.29
arguments here. "
00:28:48.32\00:28:50.03
And at some point
words just aren't enough.
00:28:51.63\00:28:57.60
For instance, if
someone - not when someone
00:28:58.23\00:29:01.77
but if someone -
were to ever tell you
00:29:01.90\00:29:05.57
or accuse you of being a liar
00:29:05.71\00:29:08.14
you know what you can't say?
00:29:08.38\00:29:11.08
"No I'm not. "
00:29:12.38\00:29:14.65
You know why? 'Cause
that's what a liar would say.
00:29:14.88\00:29:19.15
They're gonna say: "Oh,
there you go doin' it again. "
00:29:20.32\00:29:23.32
And you're going to say:
"No, no, no. I really promise
00:29:23.46\00:29:26.80
I'm not. " You're just going to
intensify the verbiage, right?
00:29:26.83\00:29:30.63
Intensify the... "I
really, really, really.
00:29:30.87\00:29:33.27
I promise... I super
promise. I'm not a liar. "
00:29:33.40\00:29:36.17
And they're just going to say:
"Ah, man, you're just digging
00:29:36.30\00:29:38.27
a deeper hole. "
00:29:38.31\00:29:39.67
At some point when there is a...
00:29:40.74\00:29:44.31
a railing allegation
against your character,
00:29:45.61\00:29:48.42
against your word,
against your honesty
00:29:48.45\00:29:52.59
words just aren't enough.
00:29:54.16\00:29:56.16
And that, my friends, is
why Jesus Christ came here:
00:29:57.16\00:30:01.86
to demonstrate in His person
00:30:02.93\00:30:07.24
the maligned character of God
that Satan had been trafficking
00:30:07.37\00:30:12.07
around heaven and
now in this earth.
00:30:12.21\00:30:14.54
Let me demonstrate
this again from scripture.
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.88
Go to I John chapter 3.
00:30:18.01\00:30:19.95
Not the gospel of John this
time but the epistle of I John
00:30:20.18\00:30:23.85
chapter 3 and verse 8.
00:30:23.99\00:30:26.45
"He who sins is of the devil
00:30:29.39\00:30:32.53
for the devil has
sinned from the beginning. "
00:30:32.69\00:30:35.10
And notice this sentence:
00:30:35.23\00:30:37.20
"For this purpose the
Son of God was manifested
00:30:37.33\00:30:42.74
that He might destroy
the works of the devil. "
00:30:42.87\00:30:46.88
The whole purpose
according to scripture
00:30:47.78\00:30:50.48
of Christ coming
here was to end the things
00:30:50.61\00:30:53.45
that Satan had started there.
00:30:53.48\00:30:55.85
Does that make sense?
00:30:55.98\00:30:57.15
"For this purpose the
Son of God was manifested
00:30:57.39\00:30:59.65
that He might destroy
the works of the devil. "
00:30:59.69\00:31:02.42
And of course even
in His life and ministry
00:31:03.09\00:31:05.73
He demonstrated
the character of God.
00:31:05.76\00:31:07.23
He healed people,
He taught people, but
00:31:07.40\00:31:09.30
the ultimate manifestation
of the character of God
00:31:09.33\00:31:12.57
didn't come until Calvary.
00:31:12.70\00:31:15.97
And then all of that violence
that had been within Satan
00:31:17.84\00:31:23.65
was unleashed through his agents
00:31:23.78\00:31:26.38
on the sinless Son of God.
00:31:27.15\00:31:29.08
And in one act
00:31:32.29\00:31:35.26
the entire unfallen universe
00:31:36.46\00:31:39.69
saw two things for
the very first time.
00:31:39.93\00:31:42.66
First of all, they saw the
character of the enemy of God...
00:31:46.30\00:31:49.54
that he truly was
a liar and a murderer
00:31:49.67\00:31:52.81
from the very beginning.
00:31:53.34\00:31:55.24
That all of the things
that God had said about him
00:31:55.48\00:31:58.45
were shown to be true.
00:31:58.58\00:32:00.92
And conversely, that all
the things that God had claimed
00:32:02.62\00:32:07.69
about Himself - that He
is love, that He is selfless,
00:32:07.72\00:32:11.83
that He would give Himself -
was shown to be true as well.
00:32:11.96\00:32:17.33
In one act the entire unfallen
universe saw for the very first
00:32:17.57\00:32:22.30
time the character of Christ
and the character of His enemy.
00:32:22.34\00:32:27.91
What God had seen
from the very beginning
00:32:28.14\00:32:31.05
they now saw
with their own eyes.
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.62
Desire of Ages page 758.
00:32:34.85\00:32:37.49
"To the angels and the
unfallen worlds the cry
00:32:37.72\00:32:40.29
"It is finished! "
had deep significance.
00:32:40.32\00:32:42.96
It was for them as well
as for us that the great work
00:32:43.29\00:32:47.66
of redemption had
been accomplished. "
00:32:47.73\00:32:49.76
Think about the
power of that statement.
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.83
We think the reason Christ came
to this earth was to save us
00:32:51.97\00:32:54.50
from sin. And yes - praise
the Lord - that's part of the
00:32:54.54\00:32:57.44
process... but
it's not the entirety.
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.91
Friends, God governs
more than this world.
00:33:01.41\00:33:03.38
He governs a universe.
00:33:03.51\00:33:05.21
And He's not going to rest
until the universe is pure.
00:33:06.28\00:33:10.15
"They with us share the
fruits of Christ's victory.
00:33:11.39\00:33:15.56
Not until the death of Christ
was the character of Satan
00:33:15.89\00:33:18.43
clearly revealed to the angels
or to the unfallen worlds.
00:33:18.56\00:33:21.26
The archapostate had so
clothed himself with deception
00:33:21.50\00:33:24.37
that even holy beings had
not understood his principles.
00:33:24.50\00:33:27.57
They had not clearly seen
the nature of his rebellion. "
00:33:27.90\00:33:31.81
Continuing on we read:
"It was God's purpose to place
00:33:33.11\00:33:36.11
things on an eternal basis
of security. And in the councils
00:33:36.14\00:33:39.58
of heaven it was decided
that time must be given... "
00:33:39.61\00:33:43.28
Now hang onto that
phrase: "time must be given. "
00:33:43.52\00:33:46.89
"for Satan to develop the prin-
ciples which were the foundation
00:33:47.02\00:33:51.19
of his system of government.
00:33:51.23\00:33:52.73
He had claimed that these were
superior to God's principles.
00:33:52.86\00:33:56.00
Time was given for the
working of Satan's principles
00:33:56.43\00:33:59.47
that they may be seen
by the heavenly universe. "
00:33:59.50\00:34:03.17
And finally Desire of Ages 761
00:34:03.51\00:34:05.77
speaking of the moment Jesus
died victorious on the cross...
00:34:06.11\00:34:09.61
though from all human
perspective it was a defeat
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.35
from eternity's perspective
Jesus was victorious...
00:34:12.48\00:34:15.78
and we read: "Satan
saw that his disguise
00:34:17.22\00:34:20.06
was torn away. His
administration was laid open
00:34:20.32\00:34:24.56
before the unfallen angels and
before the heavenly universe.
00:34:24.69\00:34:27.30
He had revealed
himself as a murderer.
00:34:28.00\00:34:31.20
By shedding the blood of
the Son of God he had uprooted
00:34:31.53\00:34:34.50
himself... "
Catch this language...
00:34:34.54\00:34:36.27
"from the sympathies
of the heavenly beings. "
00:34:36.50\00:34:40.48
Four thousand years at least
after the beginning of this
00:34:41.41\00:34:44.35
whole process to some
degree there was some level
00:34:44.38\00:34:47.78
of sympathy for Satan
amongst the unfallen beings.
00:34:48.12\00:34:53.25
But when they saw Calvary
00:34:53.59\00:34:55.82
no... "We're done. "
00:34:55.96\00:34:59.49
Watch this now: "Henceforth
his work was restricted. "
00:35:00.36\00:35:04.83
Now I don't believe that God put
a hedge of protection and walls
00:35:05.37\00:35:08.40
so that Satan
couldn't get in. No, no, no.
00:35:08.44\00:35:10.47
They're just not
listening any more.
00:35:10.51\00:35:12.47
By the way, I'll cut to
the end. Christ is looking for
00:35:12.91\00:35:15.18
a generation of people on
the earth who aren't listening
00:35:15.21\00:35:17.05
to Satan any more.
00:35:17.08\00:35:18.45
He wants to put things on
an eternal security basis.
00:35:19.41\00:35:22.58
He wants all heaven
and earth to be reconciled.
00:35:22.72\00:35:25.49
Heaven at Calvary
saw the difference
00:35:25.82\00:35:28.49
and they recognized and
rejected the rebellion of Satan.
00:35:28.62\00:35:32.36
Again we read:
"Whatever attitude he might
00:35:32.49\00:35:34.76
assume, he could no longer
await the angels as they came
00:35:34.83\00:35:37.50
from the heavenly courts
and before them accuse Christ's
00:35:37.53\00:35:40.07
brethren of being clothed
with the garments of blackness
00:35:40.20\00:35:42.94
and the defilement of sin.
00:35:42.97\00:35:45.01
The last link of sympathy
between Satan and the heavenly
00:35:45.14\00:35:48.84
world was broken. " So then the
question comes up in my mind:
00:35:48.88\00:35:54.18
If at that point all
of those who knew Satan
00:35:55.02\00:35:59.02
when he was still Lucifer -
00:36:01.56\00:36:03.89
the light bearer,
the covering cherub -
00:36:04.03\00:36:06.19
now understand what God
saw in his rebellion all along
00:36:06.33\00:36:11.13
and they understand the
justice of ending his existence,
00:36:11.30\00:36:15.77
the question remains:
00:36:16.81\00:36:18.31
"Why didn't Satan
die at Calvary too? "
00:36:18.44\00:36:22.08
Pretty legitimate question, eh?
00:36:24.05\00:36:25.78
If the whole purpose was to
destroy the works of the devil,
00:36:26.72\00:36:29.15
and he clearly revealed
him as a murderer and a liar
00:36:29.42\00:36:32.82
and deserving of death,
00:36:32.95\00:36:34.72
why 2,000 years later
is Satan still apparently
00:36:35.89\00:36:39.76
ruling this world?
00:36:39.89\00:36:41.36
Because, friends,
the short answer is this:
00:36:44.63\00:36:48.07
it's not called the
plan of destruction.
00:36:48.10\00:36:51.77
It's called the
plan of redemption.
00:36:51.91\00:36:54.54
And in order for it to be
complete, something has to be
00:36:55.34\00:36:59.01
redeemed. If the only objective
00:36:59.05\00:37:04.19
in the great controversy
was ending Satan and any who
00:37:04.32\00:37:08.02
followed him, it could
have legitimately been done
00:37:08.06\00:37:11.13
at Calvary.
00:37:11.16\00:37:12.79
But you can imagine
from heaven's perspective.
00:37:14.03\00:37:16.03
Gabriel who knew him,
who was working beside him,
00:37:16.30\00:37:19.27
who had looked up to
Lucifer and seen the whole fall,
00:37:19.30\00:37:21.87
he was one of those who
gazed and considered him
00:37:21.90\00:37:24.04
now comes to the Father:
"Father, I understand why
00:37:24.87\00:37:27.88
he needs to be ended. "
00:37:29.21\00:37:31.41
And you could almost
imagine the Father saying:
00:37:31.75\00:37:34.78
"Good... now
let's go to phase two:
00:37:35.12\00:37:39.29
I want to bring some of
them - his followers on earth -
00:37:40.66\00:37:45.06
back here. "
00:37:45.19\00:37:47.76
And I would imagine
that Gabriel was kind of like
00:37:50.57\00:37:54.50
"Slow down.
00:37:55.80\00:37:58.11
It took us 4,000 years
to figure out that this guy
00:37:59.54\00:38:02.88
should die, and now You want
to bring some of them here? "
00:38:02.91\00:38:06.55
He's like: "Yes! And I'm
going to give Kameron DeVasher
00:38:06.88\00:38:09.28
the apartment
right next to you. "
00:38:09.32\00:38:10.95
He's like: "Now I'm
still with You, God,
00:38:14.86\00:38:18.43
but I need to see some evidence
of the wisdom of Your plan. "
00:38:20.03\00:38:24.77
Friends, when we talk about
the second coming oftentimes
00:38:27.60\00:38:29.87
we talk about the beautiful
passage. Please go to it
00:38:29.90\00:38:32.84
in the book of
John. John chapter 14.
00:38:32.87\00:38:35.04
You likely know it by
heart. John chapter 14 verse 1:
00:38:35.18\00:38:38.31
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:38:39.18\00:38:40.75
You believe in
God... believe also in Me. "
00:38:40.78\00:38:43.25
Speaking to humanity -
fallen, sinful humanity -
00:38:43.39\00:38:46.55
He gives a beautiful
promise: "In My Father's house
00:38:46.59\00:38:49.29
are many mansions. "
00:38:49.42\00:38:51.09
By the way, you notice
that when He was speaking that
00:38:51.43\00:38:53.80
the mansions already existed
and were in present tense.
00:38:53.83\00:38:56.90
Apparently part of God's plan
is that humanity would fulfill
00:38:58.00\00:39:02.27
the vacancies left by the fall.
00:39:02.30\00:39:04.44
"In My Father's
house are many mansions.
00:39:05.97\00:39:07.91
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:39:07.94\00:39:09.81
I go to prepare a place for you
00:39:10.15\00:39:12.88
and if I go and
prepare a place for you
00:39:13.01\00:39:14.88
I will... " What are
those next two words?
00:39:15.02\00:39:16.89
"come again and receive
you to Myself that where I am
00:39:17.12\00:39:21.02
there you may be also. "
00:39:21.06\00:39:22.86
We love those
words... I love those words!
00:39:23.19\00:39:25.09
It has brought more comfort
and joy than perhaps any other
00:39:25.23\00:39:27.30
scripture save John 3:16:
00:39:27.36\00:39:29.20
that Jesus is coming
again and He's going to take us
00:39:29.33\00:39:31.37
all home to heaven.
00:39:31.40\00:39:32.67
But think about it from
the angels' perspective.
00:39:32.80\00:39:35.90
"Slow down. You're going to
bring all of 3ABN Camp Meeting
00:39:37.77\00:39:42.91
here? "
00:39:42.94\00:39:44.51
"I mean I trust You,
yeah... but I need... "
00:39:51.22\00:39:54.32
"How does it work, Lord? "
00:39:54.76\00:39:57.33
Ephesians chapter
3. Ephesians chapter 3.
00:39:58.49\00:40:01.66
The apostle Paul
writes these powerful words.
00:40:03.77\00:40:06.10
One of these sentences
that's incredibly long.
00:40:07.37\00:40:13.14
I think the apostle
Paul can probably go through
00:40:13.27\00:40:15.41
an entire book of scripture
00:40:15.54\00:40:17.08
and maybe have 2-3
sentences. Three periods maybe.
00:40:17.11\00:40:20.48
Lots of commas
and all the things.
00:40:21.75\00:40:24.05
But look at
chapter 3 and verse 8.
00:40:24.09\00:40:26.25
And we're going to break this
down for you. I want you to see
00:40:26.39\00:40:27.69
something critical here.
00:40:27.72\00:40:29.16
He's giving his job description
as a missionary, as a minister
00:40:29.29\00:40:32.69
of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And notice what Paul says.
00:40:32.73\00:40:35.06
Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8:
00:40:35.30\00:40:37.17
"To me, who am less than
the least of all the saints,
00:40:37.30\00:40:40.40
this grace was given
00:40:40.54\00:40:42.17
that I should preach among
the Gentiles the unsearchable
00:40:43.27\00:40:47.78
riches of Christ. "
00:40:47.81\00:40:49.68
And we might think: "What
was Paul's job description? "
00:40:49.91\00:40:53.08
And we say: "Oh, he was
to preach the gospel to the
00:40:53.42\00:40:55.05
Gentiles. " Period.
That's not what he stops with.
00:40:55.08\00:40:58.02
Comma... watch this now:
00:40:58.25\00:41:00.46
"and... " verse
9... "to make all see
00:41:00.59\00:41:05.53
what is the
fellowship of the mystery
00:41:05.76\00:41:09.23
which from the beginning
of the ages has been hidden
00:41:11.33\00:41:14.04
in God who created all
things through Jesus Christ. "
00:41:14.07\00:41:16.64
Apparently there's some mystery
that has been hidden in God
00:41:16.67\00:41:19.54
that has not been understood,
has not been revealed,
00:41:19.67\00:41:21.51
has not been seen,
but now, Paul says,
00:41:21.64\00:41:23.91
it's time to show it.
00:41:24.05\00:41:25.45
Interesting. Keep
going... verse 10:
00:41:26.41\00:41:28.42
"to the intent that
now the manifold wisdom
00:41:28.55\00:41:33.72
of God might be made
known by the church to the
00:41:33.86\00:41:38.03
principalities and
powers in the heavenly places. "
00:41:38.06\00:41:41.26
Especially let's
break down verse 10.
00:41:41.60\00:41:43.77
"To the intent that now
the manifold wisdom of God
00:41:44.57\00:41:47.47
might be made known. "
Now, might be made known
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.27
to whom in this
scripture? Who does it say?
00:41:50.41\00:41:53.71
It does not say to the church.
00:41:54.14\00:41:56.08
It says to the principalities
and powers in the heavenly
00:41:56.41\00:41:59.65
places. Now...
common sense question:
00:41:59.68\00:42:04.05
where does God live?
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.59
In heaven, right?
00:42:06.62\00:42:08.29
And He's trying to teach this
great mystery, this deep wisdom
00:42:08.42\00:42:11.83
of His, to people
who also live in heaven.
00:42:11.86\00:42:15.66
Wouldn't the easiest
way to communicate or teach
00:42:16.33\00:42:19.57
to those people to
simply turn to them
00:42:19.90\00:42:23.20
and explain it?
00:42:23.44\00:42:24.97
"Here is My wisdom. You're not
lacking for intellect at all.
00:42:26.11\00:42:29.94
Let Me explain it to you. "
00:42:30.91\00:42:32.91
But He doesn't do it that way.
00:42:34.28\00:42:36.42
How does God show His wisdom
00:42:36.75\00:42:41.39
to these heavenly beings?
00:42:41.52\00:42:44.19
By the church.
00:42:44.43\00:42:47.93
Is it possible, friends, that
those angel hosts are no longer
00:42:50.17\00:42:53.97
looking for a reason
why Satan should die?
00:42:54.00\00:42:55.84
They're looking for a reason
00:42:55.87\00:42:56.91
why any of his
followers should live.
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.97
Right? "To the intent
that now the manifold wisdom
00:43:00.88\00:43:05.98
of God might be made known
00:43:06.11\00:43:07.98
by the church to the
principalities and powers
00:43:08.52\00:43:11.89
in the heavenly places. "
00:43:12.12\00:43:14.16
By the way, immediately
after that beautiful statement
00:43:16.46\00:43:18.73
we saw in Desire of Ages 761
where we read: "The last link
00:43:18.76\00:43:22.16
of sympathy between
Satan and the heavenly world
00:43:22.30\00:43:26.33
was broken" the very
next sentence says this:
00:43:26.37\00:43:30.04
"Yet Satan was
not then destroyed. "
00:43:30.17\00:43:34.88
Why? It continues:
00:43:37.08\00:43:39.25
"The angels did not even then
understand all that was involved
00:43:39.38\00:43:44.29
in the great controversy.
00:43:44.42\00:43:46.42
The principles at stake
must be more fully revealed. "
00:43:46.76\00:43:51.46
Now they had some
principles at stake.
00:43:51.59\00:43:53.93
Namely, the character of
God and the character of Satan
00:43:54.03\00:43:56.13
had been fully revealed.
00:43:56.26\00:43:57.90
But there were some other
principles that still needed
00:43:58.03\00:44:00.27
to be fully revealed.
Again, why should he die?
00:44:00.30\00:44:04.07
Clearly seen. Why
should we live? Mmm, not yet.
00:44:04.21\00:44:08.48
Notice this: "The principles
at stake must be more fully
00:44:09.51\00:44:15.08
revealed, and for
the sake of man... "
00:44:15.22\00:44:19.99
Going to sound like one
of the craziest sentences
00:44:21.16\00:44:22.99
you've ever heard.
"for the sake of man
00:44:23.02\00:44:25.83
Satan's existence
must be continued. "
00:44:25.96\00:44:30.23
Is it possible that what
we see in the world around us
00:44:32.17\00:44:35.77
is actually in our best interest
that it play out like this?
00:44:35.80\00:44:39.51
"Man as well as angels
must see the contrast between
00:44:43.65\00:44:47.68
the Prince of light
and the prince of darkness.
00:44:47.72\00:44:49.58
He must choose
whom he will serve. "
00:44:49.72\00:44:51.85
And friends, that's the
phase of the great controversy
00:44:55.59\00:44:58.23
we are living in.
Basically, Satan's fall
00:44:58.26\00:44:59.89
takes place in four steps.
00:44:59.93\00:45:01.73
Step number one: God
recognizes and rejects
00:45:02.26\00:45:05.07
Satan's rebellion the
moment it sprang up in his heart
00:45:05.10\00:45:07.90
in heaven and he was cast out.
00:45:07.94\00:45:10.31
That was step number
one. Step number two:
00:45:11.41\00:45:13.54
at Calvary the angelic host
00:45:13.78\00:45:19.41
and the unfallen
sentient beings of the universe
00:45:19.45\00:45:22.42
saw in Satan and in
God what God had known
00:45:22.75\00:45:26.15
from the very beginning.
And they recognize and reject
00:45:26.29\00:45:29.56
Satan. The last link of
sympathy was severed at Calvary.
00:45:29.69\00:45:35.70
Some day after Christ returns
at the end of the 1,000 years
00:45:37.70\00:45:43.27
which we'll touch
on in just a moment
00:45:43.41\00:45:45.04
Satan will be finally destroyed.
00:45:45.17\00:45:47.38
But we're not
living in step 1, 2, or 4.
00:45:49.28\00:45:51.65
We're living in step 3.
00:45:51.68\00:45:53.42
Those people that Christ
died for... will they choose
00:45:54.38\00:46:00.06
whom they will serve?
00:46:00.09\00:46:01.99
Friends, I'm going to tell you
something: far too much of our,
00:46:04.99\00:46:08.23
our contemporary theology
focuses on simply getting into
00:46:08.36\00:46:13.13
heaven. But there's
something far greater than that
00:46:13.17\00:46:16.40
that God has in store.
00:46:16.44\00:46:18.04
Friends, salvation in
Jesus Christ is not merely
00:46:19.04\00:46:21.68
a transaction that gets you in.
00:46:21.71\00:46:23.41
It's an entire
character transformation
00:46:23.55\00:46:26.08
that fits you into
the society of heaven.
00:46:26.21\00:46:29.15
We love... everybody loves...
sinners love the idea of
00:46:31.12\00:46:33.89
gettin' into heaven,
but Gabriel's saying:
00:46:33.92\00:46:36.46
"Yes, but will they fit in
00:46:36.59\00:46:38.46
because we're not going
to go through this again. "
00:46:39.36\00:46:41.63
Am I right?
00:46:42.70\00:46:45.00
Perhaps the biggest
promise of scripture is found in
00:46:45.13\00:46:48.10
one of the
smallest books of scripture:
00:46:48.14\00:46:49.57
Nahum chapter 1 and verse 9.
00:46:49.60\00:46:51.54
"What you
conspire against the Lord
00:46:51.77\00:46:53.81
surely I will make an utter end.
00:46:54.14\00:46:56.01
Affliction will not
rise a second time. "
00:46:56.14\00:47:00.45
Friends, when this great
controversy comes to a close
00:47:01.72\00:47:04.72
it's never going to reopen.
00:47:04.85\00:47:07.52
There's a reason God's taking
His time because He's interested
00:47:08.72\00:47:12.09
in quality and
getting the job done right
00:47:12.13\00:47:14.83
so it will never
have to be redone.
00:47:14.96\00:47:17.17
So by the way, when Jesus comes
00:47:18.40\00:47:20.30
at the conclusion of
this... Christ right now is
00:47:21.57\00:47:24.87
working in the
heavenly sanctuary.
00:47:25.01\00:47:26.57
Yes? In the Most Holy Place.
00:47:26.71\00:47:31.11
Reviewing the record of
those who claim His name.
00:47:32.11\00:47:35.25
Does it actually match
with the society of heaven
00:47:35.68\00:47:39.32
where they will be living?
00:47:39.45\00:47:40.69
And when that process is done
Christ will step out of that
00:47:42.52\00:47:45.46
work and take off
His priestly robes
00:47:45.49\00:47:47.03
and put on His kingly
robes and return to this earth.
00:47:47.03\00:47:49.80
And my question for you saints
is what do we actually receive
00:47:52.03\00:47:55.64
at the second coming?
00:47:55.67\00:47:57.01
How changed will we be?
00:47:58.37\00:48:00.61
Let me tell you something:
we are going to get new bodies.
00:48:04.95\00:48:07.65
Amen? And I'm not even that old
and I'm looking forward to it
00:48:07.78\00:48:11.49
already, OK? I could
use a new set of knees.
00:48:11.52\00:48:15.32
A new back would be nice.
I could be a little taller...
00:48:15.36\00:48:17.53
I won't lie.
00:48:17.56\00:48:19.06
And I'm going to get a new body
00:48:20.30\00:48:22.16
if I keep my
faith in Jesus Christ.
00:48:22.40\00:48:24.77
And so will you.
00:48:24.90\00:48:27.54
But you know what I
won't get when Jesus returns
00:48:29.20\00:48:31.47
is a new character.
00:48:31.81\00:48:33.98
What we get when
Jesus comes back is a body
00:48:36.24\00:48:38.28
but we don't get new characters.
00:48:38.61\00:48:40.72
Our High Calling page
278: "When Christ shall come
00:48:40.95\00:48:43.52
our vile bodies are to
be changed and made like His
00:48:43.55\00:48:46.55
glorious body.
But the vile character
00:48:46.59\00:48:48.96
will not be made holy then.
00:48:49.09\00:48:50.89
The transformation of
character must take place before
00:48:51.23\00:48:54.83
His coming. Our
natures must be pure and holy.
00:48:54.93\00:48:58.57
We must have the mind of Christ
that we may behold with pleasure
00:48:58.70\00:49:01.70
His image
reflected upon our souls. "
00:49:01.74\00:49:04.34
I love how she puts it so
pithily in Signs of the Times
00:49:04.57\00:49:07.61
July 31, 1893.
00:49:07.74\00:49:09.78
"If we would see heaven,
we must have heaven below.
00:49:10.01\00:49:14.62
We... " Listen to
this: "We must have a heaven
00:49:15.38\00:49:19.25
to go to heaven in. "
00:49:19.39\00:49:21.42
You didn't catch it.
00:49:23.39\00:49:24.53
I'm sorry... there
weren't enough amens.
00:49:24.66\00:49:25.96
"We must have a
heaven to go to heaven in. "
00:49:26.39\00:49:30.93
Friends, that's
what we are living.
00:49:33.80\00:49:35.20
As we talk about preparation
for the second coming
00:49:35.34\00:49:37.34
it's not about - you
know - enough bottled water.
00:49:39.67\00:49:42.88
Or like: "Oh, we're going to see
glory. It's going to be great!
00:49:44.58\00:49:47.38
It's just
brightness and loudness. "
00:49:47.42\00:49:48.92
And we know that it's visible
and we know that it's audible.
00:49:48.95\00:49:50.95
And other speakers are
going to come this weekend
00:49:50.99\00:49:52.35
and talk about the
signs of Christ's coming.
00:49:52.39\00:49:53.96
And they're going to talk about
the nature of Christ's coming,
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.49
the timing of Christ's coming...
all of which are beautiful
00:49:56.62\00:49:58.89
but Christ's coming
is simply the culmination
00:49:58.93\00:50:01.46
of a work that had finished
at the close of probation.
00:50:01.50\00:50:04.20
The preparation for
Christ's coming is character
00:50:05.93\00:50:11.31
preparation.
00:50:11.71\00:50:13.58
And I think there's far
too many of us that expect
00:50:14.61\00:50:16.85
that "Oh, when Jesus
comes then I'll be changed. "
00:50:16.88\00:50:18.85
But friends, let me tell you
something: if you don't like Him
00:50:21.42\00:50:23.42
now, what makes you think
you're going to like Him then?
00:50:23.45\00:50:26.42
By the way, the reason for
the difference between body
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.83
and character:
bodies can be given, right?
00:50:30.86\00:50:33.50
I mean, dust to the earth.
00:50:33.66\00:50:35.66
He made us out of dirt
and He's going to do it again!
00:50:36.00\00:50:40.80
Praise the Lord! That's great!
00:50:40.97\00:50:42.67
A body can be given, but
a character has to be grown.
00:50:42.80\00:50:46.74
And God will not make
your decisions for you.
00:50:48.51\00:50:53.05
And He won't let Satan
make your decisions for you.
00:50:53.28\00:50:55.25
You must choose
whom you will serve.
00:50:55.48\00:50:58.09
And I've heard it said
this way and I love it:
00:50:59.92\00:51:01.66
"Character isn't formed in a day
but it is formed day by day. "
00:51:01.79\00:51:04.33
Which brings us to today.
00:51:07.36\00:51:09.46
If we're looking for
Jesus to come someday,
00:51:09.90\00:51:13.64
the preparation
must happen today
00:51:13.77\00:51:16.34
and day by day as we
look forward to that great day
00:51:16.47\00:51:20.94
of the return of our King.
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.31
That's the
preparation that we need.
00:51:23.65\00:51:25.98
And of course when Jesus returns
00:51:27.32\00:51:30.62
it simply inaugurates the final
phase of the great controversy.
00:51:30.75\00:51:34.92
The wicked who are alive at
His coming... which by the way,
00:51:36.39\00:51:39.26
many many people are going
to live TO the second coming.
00:51:39.29\00:51:41.36
And I say: "Oh, I'm going to
see Jesus come in my lifetime. "
00:51:42.60\00:51:45.57
And I genuinely believe
that but I want to do more than
00:51:45.60\00:51:47.80
simply live to the second
coming. Friends, I want to live
00:51:47.84\00:51:50.04
THROUGH the second coming.
00:51:50.07\00:51:51.71
There's a lot of people that
are coincidentally going to be
00:51:51.84\00:51:54.28
alive at that point and they
won't be alive when it's done.
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.21
The wicked will be
gathered together in the graves.
00:51:58.28\00:52:02.02
The righteous will be gathered
out of the graves and off of
00:52:02.95\00:52:06.29
this earth to be
meeting the Lord in the air.
00:52:06.32\00:52:08.92
And during that thousand years
00:52:10.09\00:52:12.63
the wicked have
their jury trial...
00:52:13.73\00:52:16.46
a trial by their peers.
00:52:18.67\00:52:21.07
Think about it by the way:
if God destroyed the wicked
00:52:21.60\00:52:24.47
but He had never
sinned, how could He sympathize?
00:52:24.71\00:52:29.54
Well Jesus Christ came, and
He understood what it was like
00:52:29.68\00:52:32.21
to be tempted in
all points as we are.
00:52:32.25\00:52:33.88
But just to make sure there
is no question that could ever
00:52:34.22\00:52:37.35
be asked of God:
"Could You have done more? "
00:52:37.39\00:52:39.59
Christ pulls up a chair
for every one of the redeemed
00:52:41.42\00:52:44.16
and says: "You're going
to do this work with Me. "
00:52:44.29\00:52:46.29
Revelation chapter 20.
00:52:46.63\00:52:49.33
Revelation chapter 20.
00:52:50.87\00:52:52.47
After Satan is bound
to this earth with a chain
00:52:54.37\00:52:56.54
of circumstances we
read in Revelation chapter 20
00:52:56.57\00:53:00.04
and verse 4: "And I saw
thrones and they sat on them
00:53:00.44\00:53:03.75
and judgment was
committed to them.
00:53:03.88\00:53:05.48
I saw the souls of those
who had been beheaded for their
00:53:05.71\00:53:07.92
witness to Jesus and for
the Word of God, who had not
00:53:07.95\00:53:10.15
worshiped the beast or his image
00:53:10.19\00:53:11.65
and had not received his
mark on their foreheads or on
00:53:11.69\00:53:13.72
their hands. And they
lived and reigned with Christ
00:53:13.76\00:53:15.89
for a thousand years. "
00:53:15.92\00:53:17.73
Great Controversy page 660
00:53:27.47\00:53:29.64
speaking of this
particular moment:
00:53:29.87\00:53:31.37
"At this time the righteous
reign as kings and priests
00:53:31.81\00:53:35.94
unto God. In union with
Christ they judge the wicked,
00:53:36.08\00:53:40.48
comparing their acts
with the statute book,
00:53:40.82\00:53:43.69
the Bible, and deciding every
case according to the deeds
00:53:43.82\00:53:47.26
done in the body.
Then the portion which the
00:53:47.29\00:53:50.46
wicked must suffer is meted
out, according to their works;
00:53:50.49\00:53:53.36
and it recorded against their
names in the book of death. "
00:53:53.60\00:53:57.43
In a very real sense
the millennium judgment -
00:53:58.17\00:54:00.60
that final phase of
the destruction of Satan -
00:54:00.74\00:54:02.84
serves as a jury
trial of the wicked.
00:54:02.87\00:54:06.07
"In assessing the
records and assigning penalties
00:54:06.41\00:54:09.68
to those who have
fallen and have stayed there
00:54:09.81\00:54:12.61
have chosen for
themselves a king other than God
00:54:12.65\00:54:15.88
God does not leave this
work to an unfallen creature
00:54:16.22\00:54:19.29
but instead to demonstrate
unimpeachable fairness
00:54:19.32\00:54:22.09
Christ entrusts this
task to a jury of their peers.
00:54:22.32\00:54:26.36
Thus when justice is
finally and fully meted out
00:54:26.80\00:54:29.73
no one can say that there was
more that God could have done. "
00:54:29.86\00:54:32.57
I'm going to close
with these words from
00:54:33.60\00:54:34.97
The Great Controversy:
00:54:35.00\00:54:36.40
"In the day of final judgment
every soul lost will understand
00:54:37.51\00:54:40.78
the nature of his
own rejection of truth.
00:54:40.91\00:54:43.11
The cross will be presented
00:54:44.81\00:54:46.98
and its real bearing
will be seen by every mind
00:54:48.35\00:54:51.29
that has been
blinded by transgression. "
00:54:51.32\00:54:53.36
Which by the way,
how phenomenal is that?
00:54:53.69\00:54:56.29
That God raises
even the wicked to life
00:54:57.36\00:55:01.43
just so they can have
their questions answered too.
00:55:01.66\00:55:05.30
Think about that, friend:
God cares what you think.
00:55:07.50\00:55:12.37
"Before the vision of Calvary
with its mysterious Victim
00:55:17.91\00:55:20.65
sinners will stand condemned.
00:55:20.78\00:55:22.42
Every lying excuse
will be swept away.
00:55:22.65\00:55:26.19
Human apostasy will
appear in its heinous character.
00:55:26.32\00:55:29.19
Men will see what
their choice has been.
00:55:29.32\00:55:32.16
Every question of truth
and error in the long-standing
00:55:32.49\00:55:35.26
controversy will
then have been made plain.
00:55:35.30\00:55:37.57
In the judgment of the universe
God will stand clear of blame
00:55:37.70\00:55:41.60
for the existence
or continuance of evil.
00:55:41.74\00:55:44.01
It will be demonstrated
that the divine decrees are not
00:55:44.24\00:55:48.71
accessory to sin. There was
no defect in God's government,
00:55:48.74\00:55:52.48
no cause for disaffection.
When the thoughts of all
00:55:52.61\00:55:55.18
hearts shall be revealed, both
the loyal and the rebellious
00:55:55.32\00:55:59.25
will unite in declaring:
'Just and true are Thy ways
00:55:59.39\00:56:03.99
Thou King of saints.
00:56:04.13\00:56:06.09
Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord,
00:56:06.23\00:56:08.63
and glorify Thy name?
00:56:08.76\00:56:10.23
for Thy judgments
are made manifest. ' "
00:56:10.40\00:56:13.94
Friends, that's the
one point in the universe
00:56:14.27\00:56:17.01
when every being who
has ever lived will be alive
00:56:17.14\00:56:21.11
at the same time.
00:56:21.14\00:56:22.41
And in that moment
the great prophecy that
00:56:23.35\00:56:27.68
"every knee shall bow
and every tongue confess"
00:56:27.72\00:56:32.55
will be fulfilled.
00:56:32.69\00:56:34.39
We're all going
to be there, friends.
00:56:34.72\00:56:37.43
My question is: which
side are we going to be on?
00:56:38.66\00:56:43.60
Don't think that when Jesus
comes: "Oh, that's when I'll
00:56:46.30\00:56:48.94
get right... "
Friends, now is the day.
00:56:48.97\00:56:52.64
"Choose you THIS day
whom you will serve. "
00:56:52.87\00:56:55.94
Preparation for the
second coming begins tonight
00:56:56.28\00:56:59.28
right this moment here today.
00:56:59.41\00:57:01.48
Has the message
tonight been clear?
00:57:01.82\00:57:04.05
Praise the Lord!
00:57:04.39\00:57:05.62
I'm looking forward
to the second coming,
00:57:05.75\00:57:07.39
but preparation for
it begins right now.
00:57:07.62\00:57:10.56
Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
00:57:10.79\00:57:12.39
Heavenly Father, I
want to thank you so much
00:57:12.43\00:57:15.23
for promising to
come and bring us home
00:57:15.50\00:57:17.90
and to get us into
heaven, but even more, Lord,
00:57:18.07\00:57:20.40
for promising to
fit us into heaven!
00:57:20.54\00:57:23.61