Let's pray. Our loving God, what
a joy and a privilege it is to
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come before Your throne
today to open Your holy book,
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and hear Your voice speaking
to us through the ministration
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of the Holy Spirit.
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We ask that as we study about
the patience of the saints,
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that You will teach us what we
need to learn, for we know that
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soon in this world unbelievable
events are going to take place.
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And we need that unshakable,
and unbreakable faith in order
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to go through this
period successfully.
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So we ask, Lord, for
divine guidance in our study.
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And we thank You for hearing
our prayer, for we ask it in
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Jesus' name, Amen.
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In Revelation 15:2, 3 we find
the description of an end time
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group of saints who have gained
the victory over the beast,
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over his image, over his mark,
and over the number of his name.
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I'd like to read those verses
as we begin our study today.
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Revelation 15:2, 3.
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At this point this group is seen
as having gained the victory
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over the beast,
his image, his mark,
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and the number of his name.
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Of course, the question begs to
be asked, How did this group of
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saints, the living saints when
Jesus comes, how did they gain
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the victory over the
beast, and over his image,
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and over his mark, and
the number of his name?
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How did they
face this incredible
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crisis upon Planet Earth?
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The answer is that they
exercise what the Bible calls
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the patience of the saints.
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Now that expression, patience
of the saints, appears in two
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very important places
in the book of Revelation.
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The first place is in Revelation
13:10, if you'd go with me
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there, Revelation 13:10.
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And, by the way, this
verse comes immediately before
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the passage that speaks about
the final trial over the beast,
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his image, his mark,
and the number of his name.
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In other words, this verse
introduces the final crisis.
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And I want you to
notice what it says.
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And then, beginning in
verse 11, you have a beast
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that rises from the earth.
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It has two horns like a lamb,
but it speaks like a dragon,
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and it becomes a
persecuting power.
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So notice that the patience
of the saints is spoken of
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as a group who have this quality
immediately before the end time
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crisis over the beast,
his image, and his mark.
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The second place in the
book of Revelation where this
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expression, the
patience of the saints, is found
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is in Revelation 14:12.
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Go with me to Revelation 14:12.
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By the way, this is
the conclusion of the
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third angel's message.
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If you go to the
previous verses, verses 9-11,
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you'll notice it talks there
about worshipping the beast,
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his image, receiving his mark,
and the number of his name.
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And immediately after
the third angel's message,
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we find these words:
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So you'll notice that in
Revelation 13:10 the expression,
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patience of the saints, appears
immediately before the end time
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crisis is described.
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Those who go through
this period must have the
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patience of the saints.
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Revelation 14:12, immediately
after speaking about the beast
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and his image, and his mark,
it says that there's a group
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that needs to have the
patience of the saints.
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So, obviously the patience of
the saints refers to an end time
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group who has
this specific quality.
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Now we need to
define some terms.
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First of all we need to
define the word patience.
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And then, of course, we're
going to see who the saints are.
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The word patience,
in the New Testament,
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is the Greek word Hupermone
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There are two words in the
New Testament, two primary words
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that express patience.
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One is translated in the
King James longsuffering.
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That's the word makrothumia.
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That means to suffer long.
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That's not the word that is
used here in these two passages.
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The word that is
used is hupermone.
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And let me tell you
what that word means.
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It means to hang in
there, no matter what the cost,
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to persevere, to endure, to
be steadfast, to be independent
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unyielding, and defiant in the
face of aggressive misfortune.
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In other words, this word is not
simply sitting down and saying,
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Okay, I'll be patient.
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No, this is an active patience.
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This is an
endurance, or a perseverance.
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By the way, it's the same
word that is used in Matthew 24
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where Jesus says, He who endures
until the end will be saved.
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So this is an active patience.
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It's a patience of people
who are unyielding, unbreaking
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in their faith, and
in their trust in God.
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Now the question
is, who are the saints?
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Because this is the
patience of the saints.
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Who are the saints?
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Well, you know, depending
upon which group of Christians
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you're talking to, they
would understand the word saints
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in a different way.
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You know, for some
people the saints are, you know,
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like all of the saints that
are mentioned in California.
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It seems like there's a saint
for every city in California.
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So they think that
these saints are these heroes,
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these wonderful
Christians throughout the period
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of Christian history.
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But in the Bible the
saints represent primarily,
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specifically in Daniel
and Revelation, those who are
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persecuted by the
little horn, by the beast,
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and by the
harlot of Revelation 17.
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In other words, the
saints are not just any group.
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They are the ones
who are persecuted
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by the end time powers.
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I want to read several
statements from Scripture
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so that you can see this.
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Notice Daniel 7:21, 22.
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We're defining the saints.
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The saints are those who
suffered persecution under
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the beast, the little horn,
and who will suffer persecution
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under the harlot;
this apostate church.
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It says there in Daniel 7:21,
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So the saints are
God's persecuted people.
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Notice Revelation 13:7.
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Here it speaks about
the beast, which is the same
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as the little horn.
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This is the way it reads:
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That is to the beast.
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So once again the saints
are those who are persecuted.
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Those who are persecuted by the
little horn, or by the beast.
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Notice Revelation 17:6,
Revelation 17:6. It says:
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This is a harlot woman,
so it's a fallen church.
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There it is again.
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So my question is this: When it
speaks in Revelation about the
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patience of the saints, is this
referring to a group of people
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who need to exercise
patience, because they are
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being persecuted? Yes.
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Within the context of prophecy,
this is a persecuted group.
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Now we know that in Scripture
the saints and the woman
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represent the same thing.
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Let me just mention
how we determine that.
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We just read in
Daniel 7 that the little horn
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persecutes the saints.
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We read that the
beast of Revelation 13
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also persecutes the saints.
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And how long does the little
horn, how long does the beast;
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how long do they
persecute the saints?
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Well, time, times,
and the dividing of time.
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And in Revelation 13 it's
for a period of 1,260 days,
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or a period of 42 months.
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Now the little horn in
other words, and the beast,
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persecute the
saints for 1,260 years.
00:10:07.17\00:10:10.94
But it's interesting to notice
that in Revelation 12 it says
00:10:10.97\00:10:15.01
that the dragon persecutes
the woman for 1,260 days.
00:10:15.04\00:10:20.12
So let me ask you, Are
the saints and the woman
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the same thing? Absolutely,
because the little horn,
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and the beast persecute
the saints, whereas we're told
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also in Revelation 12 that
the dragon persecutes the woman.
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So the saints are the woman,
and the woman represents what?
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the woman represents,
specifically, the church.
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So are you understanding what
we're talking about when we deal
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with the word patience?
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It's dealing with God's
people who are being persecuted
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by the beast, and by the
harlot, and by the little horn.
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And they have to exercise
incredible perseverance,
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incredible, unshakable, and
unbreakable faith in order to
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stand firm, and not worship
the beast, or receive his mark,
00:11:07.03\00:11:10.97
or the number of his name.
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Now I believe that Jesus
told a parable that illustrates
00:11:13.27\00:11:18.64
what is meant by the expression,
the patience of the saints.
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This parable is found in
the gospel of Luke, Luke 18:1-8.
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And I'm going to just read
this parable, and I want you to
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listen carefully, because
we're going to then study
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each verse individually.
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Luke 18:1-8. Here Jesus
is describing this period
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when God's people, the saints,
are going to have to exercise
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this patience of the saints:
this unshakable, unbreakable,
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unyielding faith and
trust in the face of horrendous
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persecution. It says there:
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Then the Lord said, Hear
what the unjust judge said.
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So this is the parable
that I believe is describing
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the phrase, the
patience of the saints.
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Now we're going to
take a look at this parable,
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and we're going to study
it verse by verse to see how
00:13:16.96\00:13:20.10
it applies
especially to the end time.
00:13:20.13\00:13:23.06
Let's begin at verse 1.
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Then he spoke a parable to them
that men always ought to pray,
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, men always ought to pray,
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and not what?
and not lose heart.
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In other words, they should
always pray and they should
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never give up in their prayer
experience in coming to God.
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And then I want
you to notice verse 2.
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Here's the parable: Saying,
There was in a certain city
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a judge, who did not
fear God, nor regard man.
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Now the question
is, What does the judge
00:14:01.14\00:14:03.87
in this parable represent?
00:14:03.91\00:14:05.84
Well, the fact is folks,
that the judge represents God.
00:14:05.87\00:14:11.21
And you say, Now wait a minute,
Pastor Bohr, it says that this
00:14:11.25\00:14:14.98
judge did not
fear God or regard man.
00:14:15.02\00:14:17.59
How can he represent God?
00:14:17.62\00:14:19.22
The way in which this judge
represents God is a comparison
00:14:19.25\00:14:23.49
by way of contrast.
00:14:23.53\00:14:25.43
In other words, they're not
being compared as being equal,
00:14:25.46\00:14:28.93
they're being
compared by contrast.
00:14:28.96\00:14:32.07
And we'll see
this as we study along.
00:14:32.10\00:14:34.20
We're going to notice in the
parable that this widow comes
00:14:34.24\00:14:38.51
to the judge, and she
keeps on coming and coming.
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And the judge, he
delays giving her justice.
00:14:40.68\00:14:43.95
And finally he says, To get
her off my back, I'm going to
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give her what she's asking for.
00:14:46.61\00:14:48.22
And then, of course, we're
going to notice, in the parable,
00:14:48.25\00:14:50.85
that the lesson is if this judge
actually answers the pleas of
00:14:50.89\00:14:55.12
the widow, in order to get
her off his back, how much more
00:14:55.16\00:14:58.99
will God answer our pleas,
not to get us off His back,
00:14:59.03\00:15:02.53
but because He loves us?
00:15:02.56\00:15:04.00
In other words, it's a
comparison by way of contrast.
00:15:04.03\00:15:07.44
They're not equal,
they're not the same.
00:15:07.47\00:15:09.47
God is in some sense the same
as the judge, but in the sense
00:15:09.50\00:15:13.98
of the reason why he
answers, God is different.
00:15:14.01\00:15:17.45
And so there's a
comparison by way of contrast.
00:15:17.48\00:15:21.55
Now notice Luke 18:3.
00:15:21.58\00:15:25.55
So the judge represents God.
00:15:25.59\00:15:27.06
Now let's notice
the widow. It says:
00:15:27.09\00:15:29.26
Now the question is,
What does the widow represent?
00:15:33.06\00:15:36.50
The judge is God, what
does the widow represent?
00:15:36.53\00:15:38.83
Well, what does a woman
symbolize in Bible prophecy?
00:15:38.87\00:15:43.07
A woman represents
the church. That's right.
00:15:43.10\00:15:46.98
But is this a woman under
ordinary circumstances? No.
00:15:47.01\00:15:51.68
She's not a common,
ordinary, married woman.
00:15:51.71\00:15:54.88
This woman is a
what? she's a widow woman.
00:15:54.92\00:15:59.29
In other words she
is totally destitute of
00:15:59.32\00:16:02.19
any earthly support.
00:16:02.22\00:16:03.63
She has lost everything
she has, we're going to notice,
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.90
as we study along.
00:16:06.93\00:16:08.33
In other words this is a
woman; this is the church under
00:16:08.36\00:16:11.07
extraordinary circumstances.
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.54
Now in the book of Revelation
the woman is used as a
00:16:14.57\00:16:19.41
symbol of the church.
00:16:19.44\00:16:20.78
And the woman is
persecuted by the dragon.
00:16:20.81\00:16:24.18
In other words, the
woman is left destitute.
00:16:24.21\00:16:26.88
She has to flee. She
can't take anything with her.
00:16:26.92\00:16:30.29
This is the period that is
being described in this parable.
00:16:30.32\00:16:33.56
It is a woman. It
represents the church.
00:16:33.59\00:16:36.42
But it's not the common ordinary
church, it's the church that has
00:16:36.46\00:16:40.23
lost everything that it
has; all earthly support.
00:16:40.26\00:16:44.27
In other words, this
woman has been cleaned
00:16:44.30\00:16:48.47
out by her adversary.
00:16:48.50\00:16:50.51
And her only hope is
found in the intervention of the
00:16:50.54\00:16:55.38
judge in her behalf.
00:16:55.41\00:16:57.65
Now, according to the parable,
who does the widow represent?
00:16:57.68\00:17:01.72
Well, if you read
the parable it says,
00:17:01.75\00:17:04.85
Will God not avenge His elect?
00:17:04.89\00:17:08.16
As this judge avenged the widow,
so God will avenge His elect.
00:17:08.19\00:17:13.16
So what does
the widow represent?
00:17:13.19\00:17:15.26
She represents the elect of God.
00:17:15.30\00:17:18.13
Another way of looking
at it is, she represents
00:17:18.17\00:17:21.14
the saints of God.
00:17:21.20\00:17:23.17
Now according to most scholars
who have studied this parable,
00:17:23.20\00:17:27.24
they've concluded that probably
this woman's husband had a debt
00:17:27.28\00:17:31.61
with a creditor, and he died,
and he didn't pay his debt.
00:17:31.65\00:17:36.32
And so the creditor was actually
taking everything away from this
00:17:36.35\00:17:40.89
widow to pay for
her husband's debt.
00:17:40.92\00:17:44.03
In other words, this
woman was totally dispossessed.
00:17:44.06\00:17:47.56
She had no children, she
had no home, she had no money,
00:17:47.60\00:17:51.63
she had no friends.
00:17:51.67\00:17:53.00
She was all alone, and
she was forsaken of everyone.
00:17:53.03\00:17:57.17
She had no human support because
her adversary had cleaned
00:17:57.21\00:18:02.21
her out totally and completely.
00:18:02.24\00:18:05.28
Now let's go to
chapter 18 and verse 3,
00:18:05.31\00:18:10.02
the last half of the verse.
00:18:10.05\00:18:11.39
It says there: And she came to
him saying, Get justice for me
00:18:11.42\00:18:18.83
from my adversary.
00:18:18.86\00:18:20.50
Now that verb came, is not
real well translated there.
00:18:20.53\00:18:25.20
It's actually a
continuous tense.
00:18:25.23\00:18:29.54
It's a continual tense.
00:18:29.57\00:18:30.91
It means that she kept coming.
00:18:30.94\00:18:33.14
She continually came.
00:18:33.17\00:18:34.84
In other words, she didn't just
come once and leave it at that.
00:18:34.88\00:18:38.45
She kept on coming,
and coming, and coming.
00:18:38.48\00:18:41.35
Say, How do we know that?
00:18:41.38\00:18:42.72
Well, first of all,
the tense of the Greek verb
00:18:42.75\00:18:44.85
is a continual tense.
00:18:44.89\00:18:47.02
But also, if you notice verse
5, it says a little bit later
00:18:47.06\00:18:51.19
in verse 5, that the judge says,
00:18:51.23\00:18:53.63
So you notice that this
woman didn't only come once,
00:18:59.67\00:19:02.40
or twice and say, Ah,
what's the use, I give up!
00:19:02.44\00:19:05.21
This judge is never
going to do justice.
00:19:05.24\00:19:07.14
No, she kept on
coming, and coming, and coming,
00:19:07.18\00:19:10.31
even though she was a woman
that was totally destitute.
00:19:10.35\00:19:12.78
I want you to
notice something very
00:19:12.81\00:19:16.15
interesting about this woman.
00:19:16.18\00:19:17.55
This woman, which represents
the church, totally destitute
00:19:17.59\00:19:22.59
of human support, had a
faith which was independent,
00:19:22.62\00:19:28.76
unyielding, and defiant in the
face of aggressive misfortune.
00:19:28.80\00:19:34.47
But in the story we
also have an adversary.
00:19:34.50\00:19:38.24
The Greek word is antidikos.
00:19:38.27\00:19:40.74
The question is,
Who is this adversary?
00:19:40.78\00:19:44.01
What is represented by the
adversary in the parable that
00:19:44.05\00:19:47.35
totally cleaned her out?
00:19:47.38\00:19:48.72
That took everything, and left
her without any human support?
00:19:48.75\00:19:51.62
Who is this adversary?
00:19:51.65\00:19:56.29
Well, 1 Peter 5:8 uses the
same word to describe Satan.
00:19:56.32\00:20:03.26
Notice what it
says in 1 Peter 5:8.
00:20:03.30\00:20:07.44
The antidikos.
00:20:13.64\00:20:14.98
So who is the adversary that
took everything from the widow?
00:20:25.59\00:20:28.46
The adversary
represents the Devil.
00:20:28.49\00:20:30.89
The adversary represents Satan.
00:20:30.93\00:20:33.53
Now the question is, Did
this judge answer the widow's
00:20:33.56\00:20:37.83
pleas immediately? No.
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.90
Did she give up? No.
00:20:39.93\00:20:42.74
What kind of
patience did she have?
00:20:42.77\00:20:45.17
Did she just sit down
and say, I'll wait for
00:20:45.21\00:20:47.38
the judge to do it? No!
00:20:47.41\00:20:49.08
She had a persevering
faith, a persevering patience,
00:20:49.11\00:20:52.88
an active
patience, if you please.
00:20:52.91\00:20:54.62
She says, I'm going to continue
coming to him until I get
00:20:54.65\00:20:57.92
justice, and I'm
not going to give up.
00:20:57.95\00:20:59.99
But there's a
delay in the parable.
00:21:00.02\00:21:03.06
Notice Luke 18:4, 5.
00:21:03.09\00:21:06.46
The judge does not answer
her pleas immediately. It says:
00:21:06.49\00:21:10.73
Is there a delay in the
woman's pleas? Absolutely.
00:21:13.37\00:21:16.97
Did he give her justice
for the right reason? No.
00:21:33.82\00:21:38.56
He actually decided
that he would avenge her
00:21:38.59\00:21:42.33
to get her off his back.
00:21:42.36\00:21:43.70
Is that the way that
God listens to our pleas?
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.53
He says, I'm just sick and tired
of them coming and presenting
00:21:46.57\00:21:49.54
their pleas before me, so
I'm just going to give them what
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.07
they ask, so that
I can get some sleep.
00:21:52.11\00:21:53.91
That's not the way God is.
00:21:53.94\00:21:56.38
You see, God is being
compared with the judge
00:21:56.41\00:21:59.28
by way of contrast.
00:21:59.31\00:22:01.15
There is a delay in both cases.
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.22
But when finally
the judge answers,
00:22:03.25\00:22:05.95
he answers for the wrong reason.
00:22:05.99\00:22:07.46
When God answers, He
answers for the right reason.
00:22:07.49\00:22:10.59
Now let's go to Luke 18:7.
00:22:10.63\00:22:16.20
Here comes now the main
lesson that Jesus wants to
00:22:16.23\00:22:20.30
teach in this parable.
00:22:20.34\00:22:21.74
It says there in
chapter 18, verse 7:
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.04
So who does the
widow represent? the elect.
00:22:29.81\00:22:34.02
Who does the
judge represent? God.
00:22:34.05\00:22:37.39
Do they continue coming?
00:22:45.23\00:22:46.56
Is this a patient endurance?
00:22:46.59\00:22:48.43
Is this a perseverance
that doesn't give up,
00:22:48.46\00:22:50.93
even in the worse
case scenario? Absolutely.
00:22:50.97\00:22:53.97
But does God answer
their pleas immediately?
00:22:54.00\00:22:56.87
No, because it says:
00:22:56.91\00:22:58.97
Now there are different versions
of the Bible, of course,
00:23:09.28\00:23:14.52
and it's interesting to notice
how some of these versions
00:23:14.56\00:23:17.09
translate this expression:
though He bears long with them.
00:23:17.13\00:23:20.96
The New International
Version has this translation:
00:23:21.00\00:23:25.60
Does that mean that he did put
them off for awhile? Absolutely.
00:23:29.50\00:23:33.31
Will he keep putting them off?
00:23:33.34\00:23:35.08
The Jerusalem
Bible has it this way:
00:23:35.11\00:23:37.81
So there is a delay.
00:23:41.15\00:23:42.75
Or the Weymouth
translation says:
00:23:42.78\00:23:45.29
So is it clear that God
is going to delay answering
00:23:49.06\00:23:53.06
the pleas of His people in
this period of human history?
00:23:53.09\00:23:56.90
Absolutely. Now I want
you to notice Luke 18:6-8.
00:23:56.93\00:24:02.87
We already read verses
6 and 7, but I want us to
00:24:02.90\00:24:07.51
notice the flow
now. Luke 18:6-8.
00:24:07.54\00:24:11.11
Who is the judge, by the way.
00:24:18.49\00:24:19.92
Over whom? The adversary, right?
00:24:21.92\00:24:24.66
That's the widow.
00:24:28.33\00:24:29.66
There you have the delay.
00:24:33.30\00:24:34.64
And then comes the answer.
00:24:35.97\00:24:38.01
So even though there's a delay,
is God going to intervene,
00:24:43.11\00:24:46.61
and avenge, His
elect over the adversary?
00:24:46.65\00:24:49.38
And He's going
to do it speedily.
00:24:49.42\00:24:51.19
The Bible says, Yes.
00:24:51.22\00:24:52.55
And then notice
how the passage ends.
00:24:52.59\00:24:55.02
What is Jesus saying?
00:25:03.13\00:25:06.60
He's saying, Nevertheless,
when I come, am I going to find
00:25:06.63\00:25:13.21
this kind of faith that
this widow had, on the earth?
00:25:13.24\00:25:18.05
And the parable ends.
00:25:18.08\00:25:19.68
Now the question is, When
does this parable especially
00:25:19.71\00:25:24.09
apply in human history?
00:25:24.12\00:25:25.95
Well, we need to
look at the context.
00:25:25.99\00:25:28.66
And I'm just going to not
read the verses, because there's
00:25:28.69\00:25:31.69
too many of them, but if
you look at the verses that come
00:25:31.73\00:25:35.00
immediately before the parable,
which would be Luke 17:26-37.
00:25:35.03\00:25:42.97
All of those verses
are talking about the
00:25:43.00\00:25:45.37
second coming of Jesus.
00:25:45.41\00:25:46.74
And if you read the last
verse that we just read from the
00:25:46.78\00:25:50.68
parable, it says, Nevertheless,
when the son of man comes
00:25:50.71\00:25:53.65
will He find faith in the earth?
00:25:53.68\00:25:55.72
The parable concludes by
reference to the second coming.
00:25:55.75\00:25:58.65
So the question is,
When does this parable
00:25:58.69\00:26:01.06
especially apply to?
00:26:01.09\00:26:02.52
There's no doubt that it applies
especially to the time of the
00:26:02.56\00:26:07.00
second coming of Christ, because
the passage that comes before
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.07
the parable is
talking of the second coming.
00:26:10.10\00:26:12.37
The parable ends by asking the
question, When the son of man
00:26:12.40\00:26:15.34
comes, will He
find faith on the earth?
00:26:15.37\00:26:17.07
And so we know, that this
parable, in between the two
00:26:17.11\00:26:20.31
passages that talk about
the second coming, is referring
00:26:20.34\00:26:23.58
to the crisis that will
take place at the end of time.
00:26:23.61\00:26:27.72
Now lets review the symbols.
00:26:27.75\00:26:31.02
The judge represents God.
00:26:31.05\00:26:34.02
The adversary represents Satan.
00:26:34.06\00:26:37.93
The widow symbolizes the church.
00:26:37.96\00:26:44.07
What kind of church?
00:26:44.10\00:26:45.43
Just the church in
times of peace like today,
00:26:45.47\00:26:48.34
where everybody has
plenty? Absolutely not.
00:26:48.37\00:26:51.37
It's the church
in dire straights,
00:26:51.41\00:26:54.58
the church of the end time,
the church of the tribulation,
00:26:54.61\00:26:57.75
we're going to notice.
00:26:57.78\00:26:59.11
And yet we notice
that there's a delay.
00:26:59.15\00:27:02.18
But after the
delay what does God do?
00:27:02.22\00:27:06.52
God answers the
pleas of His people.
00:27:06.55\00:27:10.16
Now the question is, What is
this parable really referring
00:27:10.19\00:27:15.53
to in terms of time?
00:27:15.56\00:27:18.13
Folks, I have no doubts
whatsoever that Jesus is here
00:27:18.17\00:27:22.50
speaking about the terrible time
of tribulation that is going to
00:27:22.54\00:27:28.08
fall upon this earth.
00:27:28.11\00:27:29.64
It's going to be a time of
trouble such as never has been
00:27:29.68\00:27:32.71
seen in the
history of the world.
00:27:32.75\00:27:34.78
And only those who have
the patience of the saints
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.29
will stand before the beast,
and his image, and will refuse
00:27:37.32\00:27:41.39
the mark, even on pain of death.
00:27:41.42\00:27:43.99
They will not be
immediately delivered.
00:27:44.03\00:27:46.90
There will be a delay.
00:27:46.93\00:27:49.16
They will have to go
through this time of trouble,
00:27:49.20\00:27:51.33
lose everything that they have,
and yet they will not cease
00:27:51.37\00:27:55.47
to come to God in prayer
and to plead for His blessing,
00:27:55.50\00:27:59.24
and to plead for His
protection, and to plead for His
00:27:59.27\00:28:03.04
presence with them.
00:28:03.08\00:28:04.41
By the way, most
Christians are expecting a
00:28:04.45\00:28:11.52
pre-tribulation rapture.
00:28:11.55\00:28:13.56
Are you going to need a special
kind of patience and faith
00:28:16.19\00:28:19.16
to get through this period?
00:28:19.19\00:28:20.53
We noticed immediately
after Revelation 13:10 you have
00:28:20.56\00:28:28.47
the beast, his
image, and his mark.
00:28:28.50\00:28:29.97
Immediately after the third
angel's message you have what?
00:28:30.01\00:28:34.61
a reference to those who
keep the commandments of God,
00:28:34.64\00:28:37.41
and have the faith of
Jesus, and those who have
00:28:37.45\00:28:40.28
the patience of the saints.
00:28:40.32\00:28:41.65
And so it's speaking about the
severe crisis that is going to
00:28:41.68\00:28:44.99
come upon the world.
00:28:45.02\00:28:46.35
And the patience of the saints
will be needed by God's people.
00:28:46.39\00:28:49.92
But if you believe that you're
going to go to heaven before
00:28:49.96\00:28:52.39
the tribulation, why
would you prepare for it?
00:28:52.43\00:28:54.46
See, the Devil is shrewd.
00:28:54.50\00:28:57.53
He knows that the
church is going to be here
00:28:57.57\00:29:00.20
during the tribulation.
00:29:00.24\00:29:01.57
He knows that we're
going to need unshakable,
00:29:01.60\00:29:03.41
and unbreakable faith.
00:29:03.44\00:29:04.77
He knows that we're going to
need the patience of the saints
00:29:04.81\00:29:06.88
to get through this
period, to reject the beast
00:29:06.91\00:29:09.01
and his image, and the mark.
00:29:09.04\00:29:10.58
And so he teaches Christians.
00:29:10.61\00:29:12.35
He says, Don't worry about that.
00:29:12.38\00:29:13.72
That's for the Jews
after the church is in heaven.
00:29:13.75\00:29:16.72
And when they find themselves
in the time of trouble,
00:29:16.75\00:29:19.32
they will be totally unprepared
for the crisis that is taking
00:29:19.35\00:29:23.53
place upon the world.
00:29:23.56\00:29:24.89
By the way, that word elect
that is used in the parable,
00:29:24.93\00:29:29.66
I want you to notice Matthew
24: 22, 24, how that word elect
00:29:29.70\00:29:35.70
is used in the context
of the time of trouble,
00:29:35.74\00:29:38.77
and the final tribulation.
00:29:38.81\00:29:40.14
Matthew 24:22. It says,
00:29:40.18\00:29:44.01
This is the tribulation,
according to the context.
00:29:45.95\00:29:49.25
Whose sake? Ah, there's
the key word in the parable.
00:29:57.36\00:30:01.36
Are God's people going to go
through the tribulation? Yes.
00:30:06.17\00:30:09.54
Is there going to be delay?
00:30:09.57\00:30:10.91
There most
certainly will be a delay.
00:30:10.94\00:30:13.04
But is God going to
intervene to answer their pleas?
00:30:13.07\00:30:16.51
Absolutely. Now notice verse 24:
00:30:16.54\00:30:19.51
There's the word again.
00:30:32.83\00:30:34.16
So when does this
parable especially apply to?
00:30:34.20\00:30:37.93
It applies to the period
of tribulation through which
00:30:37.97\00:30:42.10
the elect will go, according
to Jesus in Matthew 24.
00:30:42.14\00:30:46.84
You see, folks, the widow
represents the final generation
00:30:46.88\00:30:52.61
of living saints that
will dwell upon this earth.
00:30:52.65\00:30:56.22
The book of Revelation
calls them the 144,000.
00:30:56.25\00:30:59.75
We have a complete lecture
coming up on the 144,000.
00:30:59.79\00:31:03.79
These people follow
the Lamb wherever He goes.
00:31:03.83\00:31:06.43
These people reject the
beast, they reject his image,
00:31:06.46\00:31:09.76
they reject the mark, they
reject the number of his name.
00:31:09.80\00:31:12.53
They plead day and night for
deliverance from their enemies,
00:31:12.57\00:31:16.10
from the adversary.
00:31:16.14\00:31:17.47
They don't give up.
00:31:17.51\00:31:18.84
They have
unflinching perseverance to face
00:31:18.87\00:31:22.21
this end time crisis.
00:31:22.24\00:31:23.91
Now let me ask you, Who is the
adversary during this period?
00:31:23.95\00:31:28.58
The adversary, folks,
is what? is the Devil.
00:31:28.62\00:31:32.69
Is the Devil going to take away
from the church everything that
00:31:32.72\00:31:36.49
the church has in terms of
earthly support? Absolutely.
00:31:36.52\00:31:40.66
The church, those who
are faithful in the church,
00:31:40.70\00:31:43.63
will be left totally destitute.
00:31:43.67\00:31:45.77
And who will strip them
of everything that they have?
00:31:45.80\00:31:48.54
The Devil will strip them
of everything that they have,
00:31:48.57\00:31:52.41
and they will have
absolutely no earthly support.
00:31:52.44\00:31:56.41
And as the parable says,
They will cry out day and night
00:31:56.44\00:32:01.85
for deliverance over
their adversary who has taken
00:32:01.88\00:32:05.35
everything that they have.
00:32:05.39\00:32:07.26
By the way, the expression cry
out, crying out day and night,
00:32:07.29\00:32:12.36
that's used in the parable,
is the same word that is used
00:32:12.39\00:32:15.56
to describe Jesus on the
cross, where He cries out
00:32:15.60\00:32:19.73
with an intense
agony to His Father,
00:32:19.77\00:32:22.90
Was there a delay in the
case of Jesus Christ? the Father
00:32:29.11\00:32:33.95
answering the pleas
of His Son? Absolutely.
00:32:33.98\00:32:37.12
He said, Father, let this cup
pass from Me if it's possible.
00:32:37.15\00:32:41.19
Nevertheless, not My
will be done, but Yours.
00:32:41.22\00:32:44.49
Did God deliver
Him out of the crisis?
00:32:44.53\00:32:47.40
Did God remove Him from
the trying circumstances
00:32:47.43\00:32:50.43
that He was in? No!
00:32:50.47\00:32:51.97
He continued going
through this crisis.
00:32:52.00\00:32:54.07
And He cried out to His Father.
00:32:54.10\00:32:56.10
Apparently His
Father didn't listen.
00:32:56.14\00:32:58.44
But eventually He was
avenged over His enemy
00:32:58.47\00:33:00.94
when He resurrected
on resurrection morning.
00:33:00.98\00:33:04.78
Now is it just possible
that God's people are going to
00:33:04.81\00:33:08.15
go through a similar
experience to the one that Jesus
00:33:08.18\00:33:10.55
went through in
Gethsemane? Absolutely.
00:33:10.59\00:33:11.92
Through the one that
Jesus went through on Calvary.
00:33:13.19\00:33:16.36
That they will
feel forsaken by God.
00:33:16.39\00:33:18.59
That they will feel that the
agony is too great to resist,
00:33:18.63\00:33:23.03
and yet they will not
let go of the hand of God.
00:33:23.06\00:33:25.73
Is that just possible?
00:33:25.77\00:33:27.10
Not only is it
possible, but that's exactly
00:33:27.14\00:33:29.74
what's going to happen.
00:33:29.77\00:33:31.11
Do you know, Isaiah 54:7, 8
describe this terrible period
00:33:31.14\00:33:37.31
of human history when God's
God's people will have to stand
00:33:37.35\00:33:40.38
before the beast, his image,
his mark, and the number of
00:33:40.42\00:33:43.35
his name, totally destitute
of any earthly support,
00:33:43.39\00:33:46.52
nobody to be with them.
00:33:46.55\00:33:48.02
They will cry out, My God, My
God, Why hast Thou forsaken me?
00:33:48.06\00:33:52.39
And yet they will remain
firm in their faith with God.
00:33:52.43\00:33:56.20
Notice Isaiah 54:7,
8, where this period is
00:33:56.23\00:34:00.84
being described by God. He says:
00:34:00.87\00:34:04.57
How long did God forsake?
00:34:08.74\00:34:10.75
So this period is going to
be a relatively short period;
00:34:33.40\00:34:38.37
a mere moment the Bible says.
00:34:38.41\00:34:40.41
And yet it will be a
period of severe anguish.
00:34:40.44\00:34:43.48
And God's people will continue
coming, and coming, and coming.
00:34:43.51\00:34:47.65
They will not let
loose of the hand of God.
00:34:47.68\00:34:50.75
Let me ask you, when is
it that we have to learn to
00:34:50.79\00:34:53.29
trust God in this way.
00:34:53.32\00:34:54.99
If we don't learn now, we're
never going to exercise that
00:34:55.02\00:34:59.39
kind of patience in the
future, that kind of endurance;
00:34:59.43\00:35:03.03
unyielding faith in the
case of the worst circumstances
00:35:03.06\00:35:07.57
in the history of
the world, where we have
00:35:07.60\00:35:10.04
no earthly support.
00:35:10.07\00:35:11.41
Now do you know that there are
some stories in the Bible that
00:35:11.44\00:35:14.18
illustrate this period?
00:35:14.21\00:35:15.78
You remember the
experience of Jacob, right?
00:35:15.81\00:35:19.01
It's told in Genesis 32.
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.68
The Bible tells us there
that he was returning home after
00:35:21.72\00:35:25.65
twenty years in
the house of Laban.
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.72
And as he's nearing the promised
land he hears that his brother
00:35:27.76\00:35:32.79
Esau is coming with 400
armed men, and they have evil
00:35:32.83\00:35:39.17
intentions of
destroying Jacob and his family.
00:35:39.20\00:35:42.77
The Bible describes
Jacob and his family as being
00:35:42.80\00:35:45.97
totally defenseless.
00:35:46.01\00:35:47.34
They have absolutely no
way of protecting themselves
00:35:47.38\00:35:50.41
against an irate brother.
00:35:50.45\00:35:52.91
And so the Bible tells us that
Jacob feared that he and his
00:35:52.95\00:35:58.75
family would perish.
00:35:58.79\00:36:00.36
And so he goes off to the other
side of the river, and he starts
00:36:00.39\00:36:03.99
pouring his heart
out in prayer to God.
00:36:04.03\00:36:08.06
And while Jacob is
praying, suddenly someone
00:36:08.10\00:36:12.37
comes and grabs him.
00:36:12.40\00:36:13.77
And Jacob, at first at least,
he thinks that this is an enemy.
00:36:13.80\00:36:19.27
It might even be his brother.
00:36:19.31\00:36:20.91
And so he starts
fighting, and he starts
00:36:20.94\00:36:22.88
struggling with this being.
00:36:22.91\00:36:24.25
And they struggle all night.
00:36:24.28\00:36:25.81
And finally, the Bible says,
that when the sun was starting
00:36:25.85\00:36:31.25
to come up, Jacob realized
that he was struggling all night
00:36:31.29\00:36:35.79
with the angel of the Lord, who
is none other than Jesus Christ
00:36:35.82\00:36:40.13
in the Old Testament.
00:36:40.16\00:36:41.53
And so the angel of the
Lord said to Jacob, Let Me go,
00:36:41.56\00:36:46.50
for the sun is rising.
00:36:46.53\00:36:47.87
And Jacob grabbed onto Him
and he said, I will not let You
00:36:47.90\00:36:51.67
go until You bless me.
00:36:51.71\00:36:53.61
And the angel once
again said, Let Me go,
00:36:53.64\00:36:56.51
for the sun is coming up.
00:36:56.54\00:36:58.48
And Jacob says, No way!
00:36:58.51\00:37:00.22
I will not let You go
unless You first bless me.
00:37:00.25\00:37:04.25
Let me ask you,
Did Jacob exercise the
00:37:04.29\00:37:08.76
patience of the saints?
00:37:08.79\00:37:10.13
Did he have that kind of
persevering faith that kept on
00:37:10.16\00:37:13.26
coming, and coming to God?
00:37:13.29\00:37:15.30
He most certainly did.
00:37:15.33\00:37:16.70
And then, of course, the
Bible tells us that Jesus,
00:37:16.73\00:37:21.20
the angel of the Lord, blessed
him there and changed his what?
00:37:21.24\00:37:26.37
changed his name. In
fact, let's read this passage.
00:37:26.41\00:37:29.84
It's found in Genesis 32:24, 31.
00:37:29.88\00:37:33.82
By the way, do you know what
the end time time of trouble
00:37:33.85\00:37:36.65
is going to be called?
00:37:36.69\00:37:38.02
It's the time of whose trouble?
00:37:38.05\00:37:40.12
Oh, why do you
suppose it's called the time
00:37:40.16\00:37:42.42
of Jacob's trouble?
00:37:42.46\00:37:43.79
Because it's going to be similar
to the experience of whom?
00:37:43.83\00:37:47.33
of Jacob. And he
refused to let go of God's hand.
00:37:47.36\00:37:50.90
God's people will refuse to let
go of God's hand until they have
00:37:50.93\00:37:55.27
certainty of God's blessing.
00:37:55.30\00:37:57.61
It says there in Genesis 32:24,
00:37:57.64\00:38:00.01
Notice that he's
there to anguish by himself.
00:38:02.11\00:38:05.21
Now did you notice
that the angel did not
00:38:15.32\00:38:17.89
prevail with Jacob?
00:38:17.93\00:38:19.26
So what does the angel do?
00:38:19.29\00:38:23.40
Another way of translating
is you have overcome.
00:38:56.87\00:39:00.64
Now notice who he
was wresting with.
00:39:13.42\00:39:14.98
Who was Jacob struggling with?
00:39:25.93\00:39:28.63
He was struggling with God.
00:39:28.66\00:39:30.23
Are God's people who go through
the time of trouble going to be
00:39:30.27\00:39:34.34
struggling with God in the midst
of the worst suffering in human
00:39:34.37\00:39:37.74
history, having lost
everything, like the widow,
00:39:37.77\00:39:40.31
destitute of human
support? Absolutely.
00:39:40.34\00:39:43.75
By the way, this
period is described in
00:39:43.78\00:39:46.25
Daniel 12:1, where it says:
00:39:46.28\00:39:49.35
Michael is a symbol of Christ.
00:39:51.35\00:39:53.12
Are God's people going to
go through the tribulation?
00:40:16.04\00:40:18.68
They most certainly are.
00:40:18.71\00:40:20.48
It says that there will be a
time of trouble such as there
00:40:20.52\00:40:23.95
was never in the history of the
world since there was a nation.
00:40:23.99\00:40:27.06
But then it says, At that
time, in the time of trouble,
00:40:27.09\00:40:30.49
God will deliver His people.
00:40:30.53\00:40:33.16
And so the experience of
Jacob foreshadows the experience
00:40:33.19\00:40:38.07
of God's people in the end time.
00:40:38.10\00:40:40.07
As Jacob refused to
let go of the hand of God,
00:40:40.10\00:40:43.51
so God's people will refuse
to let go of God's hand until
00:40:43.54\00:40:48.98
He answers their
pleas over their adversary.
00:40:49.01\00:40:53.08
There's another Bible
story, Old Testament story,
00:40:53.11\00:40:56.08
that illustrates this period.
00:40:56.12\00:40:57.75
It's the story of Job.
00:40:57.79\00:41:01.62
Now let me ask you, If we
apply the symbols of the parable
00:41:01.66\00:41:07.80
who would the widow
represent in the story of Job?
00:41:07.83\00:41:11.40
Of course it would
represent whom? Job.
00:41:11.43\00:41:15.74
Did Job lose everything?
Yes? friends, the support of his
00:41:18.21\00:41:24.81
wife, health, possessions?
00:41:24.85\00:41:28.68
He lost everything, right?
00:41:28.72\00:41:32.72
He was totally
destitute like this widow.
00:41:32.75\00:41:34.99
Did he have an adversary who
was the one who took everything?
00:41:35.02\00:41:39.03
Who was it? the
Devil was the adversary;
00:41:39.06\00:41:44.30
took everything from him.
00:41:44.33\00:41:45.77
Did Job cry out day and night
for justice over his adversary?
00:41:45.80\00:41:50.67
He most certainly did.
00:41:50.71\00:41:52.41
And God answered immediately.
00:41:52.44\00:41:53.78
The first time that he
prayed, God answered him,
00:41:54.51\00:41:56.38
and gave him
everything back. No!
00:41:56.41\00:41:59.01
Did Job keep on
coming, and coming, and coming,
00:41:59.05\00:42:03.12
and not give up?
He most certainly did.
00:42:03.15\00:42:05.89
And what did God do eventually?
00:42:05.92\00:42:08.22
The Bible says that
God eventually avenged him
00:42:08.26\00:42:11.46
over his adversary.
00:42:11.49\00:42:13.46
You know, the faith of Job
is illustrated in his expression
00:42:13.50\00:42:17.87
that's found in Job
13:15, where he says:
00:42:17.90\00:42:22.24
In other words, he has
this faith of the widow.
00:42:26.04\00:42:29.24
He has absolutely
nothing to lean on.
00:42:29.28\00:42:31.11
His adversary has
taken everything from him.
00:42:31.15\00:42:34.32
He cries out day and night for
deliverance from his adversary.
00:42:34.35\00:42:37.72
God delays, but
he doesn't give up.
00:42:37.75\00:42:39.75
And eventually God, at the end
of the story, gives Job what he
00:42:39.79\00:42:44.09
lost, plus another
amount equal to it.
00:42:44.13\00:42:48.66
He gave him twice as
much, in other words.
00:42:48.70\00:42:51.27
He answered the
pleas of His servant.
00:42:51.30\00:42:53.80
Are God's people going to
receive far more than they had
00:42:53.84\00:42:58.11
on this earth after
the period of tribulation?
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.71
They most certainly are.
00:43:00.74\00:43:02.18
Because the things in
this world really don't count.
00:43:02.21\00:43:05.05
They don't matter,
because everything is
00:43:05.08\00:43:07.08
going to burn up, folks.
00:43:07.12\00:43:08.45
It's only our faith and trust
in God that is going to carry us
00:43:08.48\00:43:12.32
through the period
of the tribulation that
00:43:12.35\00:43:14.99
the Bible speaks of.
00:43:15.02\00:43:16.36
You know, there's another
story in the Old Testament
00:43:16.39\00:43:19.36
that illustrates
this same period.
00:43:19.39\00:43:22.56
See we have several: we
have the story of Jacob,
00:43:22.60\00:43:24.63
we have the story of Job, and
we also have the story of the
00:43:24.67\00:43:28.44
three young men
in the fiery furnace.
00:43:28.47\00:43:30.61
Who would the widow
represent in that story?
00:43:30.64\00:43:35.61
The three young men, right?
00:43:35.64\00:43:38.91
Who would the adversary be?
00:43:38.95\00:43:40.92
Well, behind the
scenes it would be the Devil,
00:43:41.95\00:43:44.35
but who,
specifically, historically?
00:43:44.39\00:43:46.86
It would be
Nebuchadnezzar, right?
00:43:46.89\00:43:49.59
Were these three
young men men of prayer?
00:43:49.62\00:43:52.33
Did they have that persevering,
unshakable, and unbreakable
00:43:52.36\00:43:57.43
faith in the face of death?
00:43:57.47\00:43:59.30
They most certainly did.
00:43:59.33\00:44:00.70
And when they come before king
Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar
00:44:00.74\00:44:05.61
says, Don't you know
that we can kill you?
00:44:05.64\00:44:07.71
They say, Yeah, we know you can.
00:44:09.94\00:44:11.85
But the God whom we
serve will deliver us.
00:44:11.88\00:44:15.08
And from your hand
He will deliver us.
00:44:15.12\00:44:17.55
But if He doesn't, nevertheless,
we still serve Him.
00:44:17.59\00:44:21.92
Whether we live, or whether
we die, our mind is made up.
00:44:21.96\00:44:26.63
Is this the kind of
patience of the saints that this
00:44:26.66\00:44:30.20
parable is talking about?
00:44:30.23\00:44:31.57
Most certainly, yes.
00:44:31.60\00:44:33.07
Now, did God answer the pleas of
the three young men immediately?
00:44:33.10\00:44:39.84
Could God have
delivered them before they were
00:44:42.44\00:44:44.45
thrown into the fire?
00:44:44.48\00:44:45.81
Could God have given
Nebuchadnezzar a heart attack?
00:44:45.85\00:44:49.12
He most certainly could have.
00:44:49.15\00:44:51.15
He could have made it
much easier for them not to go
00:44:51.19\00:44:54.36
through the furnace.
00:44:54.39\00:44:55.72
And yet the Bible says that
even though they had a close
00:44:55.76\00:44:59.16
relationship with God,
and their minds were made up,
00:44:59.19\00:45:02.43
that they were going to be
faithful to God, no matter what,
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.40
they had to go
through the furnace of fire.
00:45:07.50\00:45:09.84
Were their pleas
finally answered by God?
00:45:11.67\00:45:15.88
They most
certainly were answered,
00:45:15.91\00:45:18.41
and they were rewarded by God.
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.98
We have New Testament examples
of this period of human history.
00:45:21.02\00:45:25.65
Do you remember
this woman from Canaan?
00:45:25.69\00:45:28.72
She wasn't a Jew, and she had
a daughter who was severely ill.
00:45:28.76\00:45:33.26
And so she's following
Jesus, and she said, Jesus,
00:45:33.29\00:45:36.53
please heal my daughter.
00:45:36.56\00:45:38.97
And do you know
what Jesus does first?
00:45:39.00\00:45:41.67
He continues walking, and acts
like He's not hearing anything.
00:45:41.70\00:45:45.21
But she continues pursuing.
00:45:45.24\00:45:48.61
And she says, Please hear me!
00:45:48.64\00:45:50.31
My daughter is sick!
00:45:50.35\00:45:51.68
Please heal my daughter!
00:45:51.71\00:45:53.05
And then she hears the disciples
say, Lord, this is embarrassing.
00:45:53.08\00:45:56.79
Send her away! I don't
know about you, but I would have
00:45:56.82\00:46:01.49
thought twice about
leaving at that point.
00:46:01.52\00:46:03.56
But she didn't.
She kept on coming.
00:46:03.59\00:46:07.06
And then Jesus says out loud,
I'm not sent but to the lost
00:46:07.10\00:46:13.54
sheep of the house of Israel.
00:46:13.57\00:46:15.84
I'm out of there by then.
00:46:15.87\00:46:18.51
Jesus is saying, I wasn't sent
to save Canaanites like you.
00:46:18.54\00:46:23.58
I was sent to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.
00:46:23.61\00:46:26.58
But she doesn't give up.
00:46:26.61\00:46:28.88
She continues coming to Jesus.
00:46:28.92\00:46:32.05
And she says, Lord,
please save my daughter.
00:46:32.09\00:46:36.29
And then Jesus caps it all off
by saying, It's not good to take
00:46:36.32\00:46:40.43
the bread of the
children of the kingdom
00:46:40.46\00:46:42.56
and give it to the dogs.
00:46:42.60\00:46:44.07
It appears like
Jesus had called her a dog.
00:46:44.10\00:46:48.14
I'm definitely
out of there by then.
00:46:48.17\00:46:51.04
But this woman had
the type of faith that is
00:46:51.07\00:46:55.68
described in this parable.
00:46:55.71\00:46:57.28
She knew that
Jesus wasn't that way.
00:46:57.31\00:47:00.18
Her answer was delayed, but
she was not about to give up.
00:47:00.22\00:47:04.45
And was her faith
rewarded because she persevered?
00:47:04.49\00:47:08.49
Absolutely. Of course,
the greatest example, folks,
00:47:08.52\00:47:11.99
of this period is
the experience of Jesus.
00:47:12.03\00:47:15.66
When Jesus went through
the experience in the garden
00:47:15.70\00:47:19.30
of Gethsemane, when He
pleaded with His Father,
00:47:19.33\00:47:22.90
If it be possible to take away
the cup, please take it away.
00:47:22.94\00:47:27.28
Was everything
taken away from Jesus?
00:47:28.94\00:47:30.78
Did He lose everything?
00:47:30.81\00:47:33.18
He lost His friends, He lost
even the clothing that He had
00:47:33.21\00:47:40.16
on, because He hung
between heaven and earth,
00:47:40.19\00:47:42.76
naked on the cross.
00:47:42.79\00:47:44.19
He had no earthly support.
00:47:44.23\00:47:45.56
His feet were not
even on the earth.
00:47:45.59\00:47:47.60
And when He was on the cross,
He cried out to His Father,
00:47:50.13\00:47:53.23
My God, My God, why
hast Thou forsaken Me?
00:47:53.27\00:47:56.60
He pleaded for the
Father to deliver Him.
00:47:56.64\00:48:00.74
Did the Father
immediately deliver Him? No.
00:48:00.78\00:48:04.85
Because the Bible
says that He died.
00:48:04.88\00:48:07.55
There was a delay.
00:48:07.62\00:48:08.95
But was His faith eventually
rewarded over the enemy?
00:48:08.98\00:48:13.09
Absolutely. When Jesus came
forth from the tomb and He said,
00:48:13.15\00:48:17.26
I am the resurrection and the
life, His faith, and His trust
00:48:17.33\00:48:21.70
in His Father, and
His continuous coming to
00:48:21.73\00:48:24.33
His Father was rewarded.
00:48:24.37\00:48:26.67
I'd like to read from Hebrews
5: 7, Hebrews 5:7, where this
00:48:26.70\00:48:33.91
suffering of Jesus is described.
00:48:33.94\00:48:35.94
It says there this: Who
in the days of his flesh...
00:48:36.01\00:48:41.68
That means while
He was on this earth.
00:48:41.72\00:48:43.39
...when he had offered up
prayers and supplications,
00:48:43.42\00:48:49.76
with vehement cries, and
tears to Him who was able to
00:48:49.79\00:48:57.87
save him from death.
00:48:57.90\00:48:59.23
Was He saved from
death at that moment?
00:48:59.27\00:49:02.74
Was He saved from dying? No.
00:49:02.77\00:49:05.51
He was saved from death when He
resurrected, but He was allowed
00:49:05.57\00:49:08.88
to go through the
experience of death.
00:49:08.91\00:49:10.55
He was not delivered from
death when He actually died,
00:49:10.58\00:49:13.58
on what is called Good Friday.
00:49:13.62\00:49:15.35
And so it says: with vehement
cries and tears to him who was
00:49:15.38\00:49:18.92
able to save him
from death, and was heard
00:49:18.95\00:49:22.12
because of his Godly fear.
00:49:22.16\00:49:24.56
Now why did God allow
Jesus to go through this?
00:49:24.59\00:49:26.86
Notice verse 8.
Though he was a Son...
00:49:26.90\00:49:30.37
And it should not be a
son, though He was Son,
00:49:30.40\00:49:35.27
a special Son. It
says: Yet He learned what?
00:49:35.30\00:49:40.08
He learned obedience by
the things which He suffered.
00:49:40.14\00:49:45.11
Is the delay during the time of
trouble a blessing or a curse?
00:49:45.15\00:49:49.95
It must be a blessing
because these are God's people;
00:49:49.98\00:49:53.62
they're
faithful, they're sealed.
00:49:53.66\00:49:55.52
God is not going to curse them.
00:49:55.56\00:49:57.33
But God knows that the
best answer to their prayers
00:49:57.36\00:50:01.76
is to delay the
answer, so that they learn to
00:50:01.80\00:50:05.63
totally trust in Him.
00:50:05.67\00:50:07.00
Ellen White says in
The Great Controversy,
00:50:07.04\00:50:09.60
that all
earthliness must be consumed.
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.31
No, and it's not worldliness.
00:50:12.34\00:50:14.58
She doesn't say all
worldliness must be consumed,
00:50:14.61\00:50:17.35
she says all earthliness.
00:50:17.38\00:50:18.81
In other words, everything that
links them, or connects them
00:50:18.85\00:50:21.68
to Planet Earth
must be consumed.
00:50:21.72\00:50:25.25
In other words, their
hearts must be totally
00:50:25.29\00:50:28.06
and completely in heaven.
00:50:28.09\00:50:29.56
You know what, Job
understood very well
00:50:29.59\00:50:34.10
the reason for his suffering.
00:50:34.13\00:50:36.00
Notice what he
says in Job 23:10.
00:50:36.06\00:50:39.03
He says, When He...
00:50:39.07\00:50:40.47
That is when God...
00:50:40.50\00:50:41.84
...has tried me, I shall
come forth as what? as gold.
00:50:41.87\00:50:47.94
So going through the
fire is a refining process.
00:50:47.98\00:50:51.85
Notice what we
find in Isaiah 48:10.
00:50:51.88\00:50:55.95
God says: Behold, I have
refined you, but not as silver.
00:50:55.98\00:51:01.62
I have tested you
in the furnace of what?
00:51:01.66\00:51:05.39
in the furnace of affliction.
00:51:05.43\00:51:08.43
I'd like to read a statement
that we find in a wonderful book
00:51:08.46\00:51:13.00
where you have a
commentary on the parables.
00:51:13.03\00:51:16.40
This is Christ's
Object Lessons, Page 175.
00:51:16.47\00:51:19.44
Some people say, Why
do we need to suffer?
00:51:19.47\00:51:22.41
I mean, Why so much pain?
00:51:22.44\00:51:23.78
Why when I pray to God,
doesn't God answer my prayers?
00:51:23.81\00:51:27.22
Well, let me tell you something,
folks, when we pray and ask God
00:51:27.25\00:51:31.02
for something, God
answers in one of three ways:
00:51:31.05\00:51:33.25
He answers yes, or He
answers no, or He answers wait.
00:51:33.29\00:51:39.76
And the problem is we
take wait as a no answer.
00:51:39.79\00:51:43.47
But God knows when
it's best for him to wait.
00:51:43.50\00:51:47.14
Because we
learned to trust in Him.
00:51:47.17\00:51:49.70
That's the reason why He allows
God's people to go through
00:51:49.74\00:51:52.54
the tribulation in the end time;
to reveal to the world that even
00:51:52.57\00:51:57.08
though the worst may come
to them; they lose everything.
00:51:57.15\00:51:59.58
The adversary takes
everything they have.
00:51:59.61\00:52:01.35
God is going to prove to
the universe that He has a group
00:52:01.38\00:52:04.35
of people who are
absolutely loyal to Him,
00:52:04.39\00:52:06.96
though the heavens fall.
00:52:06.99\00:52:08.32
And the challenges of the Devil
against God are going to be
00:52:08.36\00:52:12.83
answered once and for all.
00:52:12.86\00:52:14.26
There will be a whole generation
of saints who will be faithful
00:52:14.30\00:52:17.43
to God in the worst
circumstances; even willing to
00:52:17.47\00:52:21.04
face death if necessary.
00:52:21.07\00:52:24.34
Christ's Object Lessons, 175.
00:52:24.37\00:52:26.31
The Lord permits
trials in order that we may be
00:52:26.34\00:52:32.11
cleansed from earthliness,
from selfishness, from harsh
00:52:32.15\00:52:39.75
un-Christ like
traits of character.
00:52:39.82\00:52:42.86
Let me ask you, When gold is
tried in the fire, or refined in
00:52:42.89\00:52:49.60
the fire, what do they throw
in the fire? only gold? No.
00:52:49.66\00:52:53.94
There's all kinds of; there's
stones, and there's sturds.
00:52:53.97\00:52:58.17
What happens with all the dirt
and the stones, and everything?
00:52:58.21\00:53:00.98
They're all burned up.
00:53:01.01\00:53:02.34
And what comes out on
the other side? pure gold.
00:53:02.38\00:53:06.85
So she says, The Lord permits
trials in order that we may be
00:53:06.88\00:53:10.19
cleansed from earthliness,
from selfishness, from harsh
00:53:10.22\00:53:14.26
un-Christ like
traits of character.
00:53:14.29\00:53:16.26
He suffers the deep waters of
affliction to go over our souls
00:53:16.29\00:53:22.66
in order that we may
know Him, and Jesus Christ
00:53:22.70\00:53:26.47
whom He has sent, in order that
we may have deep heart longings
00:53:26.53\00:53:31.67
to be cleansed from
defilement, and may come forth
00:53:31.71\00:53:35.01
from the trial
purer, holier, happier.
00:53:35.04\00:53:40.02
Often we enter the
furnace of trial with our souls
00:53:40.05\00:53:44.92
darkened with selfishness.
00:53:44.95\00:53:47.22
But if
patient... but if patient,
00:53:47.26\00:53:48.59
Notice the key word.
00:53:48.62\00:53:49.96
But if patient under the crucial
test, we shall come forth
00:53:49.99\00:53:54.56
reflecting the divine character.
00:53:54.60\00:53:57.83
So is suffering a blessing?
00:53:57.87\00:54:00.50
Will the delay during
the time of trouble be a
00:54:00.54\00:54:03.94
blessing for God's people?
00:54:03.97\00:54:05.37
It most certainly will be.
00:54:05.41\00:54:06.78
But do we need to withstand
delays today in smaller
00:54:06.81\00:54:11.78
things in our lives? Yes.
00:54:11.81\00:54:13.72
This is rehearsal folks.
00:54:13.75\00:54:15.58
Let's not get
aggravated over our little
00:54:15.62\00:54:18.15
trials and tribulations.
00:54:18.19\00:54:19.59
You know, we might lose a job,
and we might have some family
00:54:19.65\00:54:22.66
strife, and we might
have loss of money in the
00:54:22.69\00:54:25.06
stock market, or whatever.
00:54:25.09\00:54:26.43
You know, let's not get bent
out of shape over all of that.
00:54:26.46\00:54:30.00
Let's trust in God.
00:54:30.03\00:54:32.37
Let's continue coming to Him
in times of relative prosperity,
00:54:32.40\00:54:36.44
because the time is coming
when we'll have to come to Him
00:54:36.47\00:54:40.48
in times of severe
crisis and adversity.
00:54:40.51\00:54:44.58
So, once again, I ask the
question, When Jesus ended the
00:54:44.61\00:54:49.35
parable He finished with the
question, Nevertheless when the
00:54:49.38\00:54:55.52
son of man comes, will
He find faith in the earth?
00:54:55.56\00:55:00.03
In other words, Will He find
this kind of faith? the faith
00:55:00.06\00:55:03.40
that is illustrated by
the widow, by Jacob, by Job,
00:55:03.43\00:55:07.67
by the three young men in the
furnace, by the Canaanite woman,
00:55:07.70\00:55:11.77
by Jesus, who kept
on coming, and coming.
00:55:11.81\00:55:14.64
Jesus says, When the son of man
comes, will He find this kind of
00:55:14.68\00:55:18.41
faith and patience,
perseverance on the earth?
00:55:18.45\00:55:23.25
Unfortunately, the
parable ends with the question.
00:55:23.28\00:55:29.22
And you wonder, as you
read the parable, whether this
00:55:29.26\00:55:35.13
question is answered yes or no.
00:55:35.16\00:55:38.07
Is God going to have a group
on the earth that will have the
00:55:38.10\00:55:44.11
kind of faith
that this widow had?
00:55:44.14\00:55:46.88
Well, I praise the Lord that the
answer is not found in Luke 18,
00:55:46.91\00:55:54.15
but it is found in Revelation.
00:55:54.18\00:55:57.25
The two verses that we
began our study with today:
00:55:57.29\00:56:02.09
Revelation
13:10, Revelation 13:10.
00:56:02.12\00:56:09.60
Is God going to have a people
who have this characteristic?
00:56:09.63\00:56:13.30
Absolutely. It says there,
He who leads into captivity
00:56:13.34\00:56:17.61
shall go into captivity.
00:56:17.64\00:56:19.57
He who kills with the sword,
must be killed with the sword.
00:56:19.61\00:56:23.58
Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints.
00:56:23.65\00:56:27.78
Is God going to have a group
who have the faith and patience
00:56:27.82\00:56:31.42
of the saints in the
midst of the trial? Absolutely.
00:56:31.45\00:56:34.76
And as we read at the conclusion
of the third angel's message,
00:56:34.79\00:56:38.16
immediately after God has spoken
about the beast, his image,
00:56:38.19\00:56:41.66
his mark, the number of his
name, we find this declaration.
00:56:41.70\00:56:45.50
There is going to be a group who
will have this kind of faith.
00:56:45.53\00:56:49.27
It says there in
Revelation 14: 12, Here is the
00:56:49.30\00:56:53.27
patience of the saints.
00:56:53.31\00:56:55.14
Here are those who keep
the commandments of God,
00:56:55.21\00:56:59.31
and the faith of Jesus.
00:56:59.35\00:57:01.42
So what is the answer
to the question that Jesus
00:57:01.45\00:57:05.12
asked in this parable?
00:57:05.15\00:57:06.59
Will He find faith?
00:57:06.62\00:57:07.99
Will He find the patience
of the saints on the earth?
00:57:08.02\00:57:11.19
The answer in the book of
Revelation is a resounding, yes.
00:57:11.23\00:57:16.36
And the question is, Will
we be among those who have
00:57:16.40\00:57:20.67
the patience of the saints?
00:57:20.70\00:57:22.70