Let's pray. Father in Heaven,
what a wonderful privilege
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and joy it is to
be in Your presence.
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We can't think of
any better place to be
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in the world than right here.
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Father we ask that as we open
Your Holy Word that You will
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help us to be reverent in
the way in which we handle it.
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I ask, Lord, that You will
give us clarity of thought,
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that You will help us to
understand the serious times
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that we're living in,
so that we might prepare
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a character fit for heaven.
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And we thank You
Father for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus,
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our beloved Savior, Amen.
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A series on the three angels'
messages would not be complete
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without studying
about a very enigmatic group
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known as the 144,000.
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Now the 144,000 appear in
three very important contexts
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in the book of Revelation.
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And what I would like to do
is go through, very briefly,
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these three places in Revelation
where the 144,000 are mentioned.
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Because they are critically
important places in the book.
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Now we're not going
to read all of the verses
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because it would
take us far too long.
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What I'm going to do is give
you an outline of where each one
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of the references appears.
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The first time that the
144,000 appear in Revelation
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is in chapters 7,
and verses 1 through 8.
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Now immediately
before Revelation 7:1-8,
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actually in chapters
6, verses 14 through 17,
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you have a description of the
second coming of Jesus Christ.
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That's chapter 6,
verses 14 through 17.
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Verse 17 ends with a question.
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And the question is, for the
great day of His wrath has come,
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and who shall be able to stand?
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The answer is in
Revelation 7: 1-8.
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The 144,000 were sealed so that
they would be able to stand.
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So Revelation 7:1-8 is actually
out of chronological order
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with Revelation 6:14-17.
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In other words, Revelation
6: 14-17 says the great day of
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His wrath is come.
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Jesus has come. Who's
going to be able to stand?
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Revelation 7:1-8 says there
was a group who were sealed
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before this who
will be able to stand.
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The second place
where the 144,000 appear
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is in Revelation 14:1-5.
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This is the very
chapter where we have the
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three angels' messages.
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In fact, verse 5 is the
verse that is immediately before
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the beginning of the three
angels' messages in verse 6.
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Now in chapter 13, going
back to the previous chapter,
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chapter 13, verses 11 through
18, we find the description
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of the final crisis that's
going to overtake this world.
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It's a crisis over the
beast, his image, his mark,
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and the number of his name.
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In fact we're told
there in Revelation 13:11-18,
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that a death decree is
going to be given against those
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who are faithful to God.
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That's Revelation 13:11-18.
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The very next chapter,
Revelation 14:1-5, describes
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the group that were victorious
over the beast, his image,
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and his mark, and
the number of his name.
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They're standing on
Mount Zion with the Lamb.
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In other words
they're victorious.
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So you have a sequence.
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Revelation 13:11-18 describes
the end time crisis over the
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beast, his image, his mark,
and the number of his name.
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A death decree is given
against those who don't worship
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the beast and his image.
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But chapter 14:1-5 explains
that there was a group that was
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faithful to God and will stand
on Mount Zion with the Lamb.
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The third place
that we find the 144,000
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is in Revelation 15:2-4.
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Once again we have to
go to the previous chapter
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in order to
understand Revelation 15:2-4.
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Because Revelation 15:2-4 is
the climax of what comes before.
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Now let me give you a
little bit of the context.
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Revelation 14:6-12 presents
the three angels' messages.
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Immediately after the
three angels' messages in verses
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6 through 12, in verse 14 we
find that the whole human race
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has been divided into two
groups: those who have the
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seal of God, and those who
have the mark of the beast,
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those who are spoken of
as the harvest of the earth,
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and those who are
spoken of as the grapes.
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The righteous and the
wicked have been separated
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by the three angels' messages.
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Then, that's
verses 14 through 17.
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Verses 18-20 we find the wicked
gathering around Jerusalem,
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that is gathering around
God's people with the intention
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of destroying them.
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But then we find that some
beings that come riding horses;
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they trample on the wine press.
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Chapter 19 explains that those
who are riding these horses
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that trample upon the
wicked, symbolically represent
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Jesus Christ and His angels,
who come to deliver His people
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from the death decree.
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And then in chapter 15:2-4
you have a group that were
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victorious over the beast,
over his image, over his mark,
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and over the number of his name.
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So the 144,000, there is
no doubt whatsoever, are those
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who will be alive during
the time when the trial over
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the beast, his image,
his mark, and the number
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of his name is in play.
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They will be alive when
Jesus comes in power and glory,
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according to the context
that we've clearly studied
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from the book of Revelation.
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Now we need to take a
closer look at this group.
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And in order to understand them,
we need to study the sequence
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of events that lead to
the climax that we spoke about
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in these three contexts.
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So I'm going to go back and I'm
going to begin with the three
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angels' messages in Revelation
14:6-12 t give you the sequence
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of events that culminate,
or climax with the 144,000,
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the living saints in the
final crisis that will stand
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on Mount Zion
victorious with Jesus Christ.
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The first thing that I want us
to notice is that Revelation 14:
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6-12, the three angels'
messages speak about the sharing
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of God's final message to
the world in the end time.
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It becomes very clear that
while the three angels' messages
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are being proclaimed
the door of mercy is open.
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What would be the use
of preaching the gospel
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to every nation, kindred, tongue
and people, if there was no
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opportunity to be saved?
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It's obvious that the
three angels' messages are God's
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final message to
planet Earth, God's final call
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before probation closes.
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Now Revelation 7, and I'm only
mentioning the verses because
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we can't read all of the verses.
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We don't have the time.
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But in Revelation 7:1-8 we
find that while the three angels
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messages are being proclaimed,
while God's final message
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is being given to the world,
there are four angels that are
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holding back
the winds of strife.
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Basically that means that
they are holding back the winds
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of the tribulation.
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The tribulation has not begun
while the three angels' messages
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are being proclaimed.
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They're holding back that final
cataclysmic time of trouble.
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They're holding the winds
of strife while the gospel is
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being preached, and while
God's servants are being sealed
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on their foreheads.
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Now the next event that I
want us to notice is that while
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the winds are being held,
and while the three angels'
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messages are being proclaimed,
God's last message is being
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proclaimed to the
world, the sanctuary in heaven
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is open for business.
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Do you know that we can approach
the heavenly sanctuary where
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Jesus ministers for us today?
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We can enter the
sanctuary by faith.
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If we sin, and we
repent and we confess our sin,
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and we trust in the merits of
Jesus, today we can come boldly
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to the throne of grace
and receive forgiveness,
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and receive power in
our lives to overcome.
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In other words, while
the sanctuary is open,
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we can receive forgiveness
of sin, and we can receive
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power to overcome sin.
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Because in the sanctuary is
where salvation takes place.
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While the sanctuary is open, the
messages are being proclaimed,
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the winds of strife of the
tribulation are being held back.
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But we're told in Revelation
14 that as soon as the
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three angels' messages finish
being proclaimed to the world,
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the world will be
divided into two groups.
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You find this in Revelation
14:14, immediately after the
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three angels' messages you
have Jesus sitting on a cloud.
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The cycle is in His
hand, and He's going to harvest
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the harvest of the
earth because it's ripe.
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And He's going to
harvest the grapes of the earth
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because they are ripe.
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In other words, the whole world
has ripened either on God's side
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or on the Devil's side.
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Two groups: those who have the
seal of God, and those who have
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the mark of the beast.
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And the three angels' messages
were the instrument through
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which God divided the
human race into two groups.
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So how important are
the three angels' messages?
00:11:32.72\00:11:35.26
Folks, accepting
them or rejecting them
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is a matter of life and death.
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If you reject the
three angels' messages,
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you will end up as grapes.
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You will end up with
the mark of the beast,
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and you will
suffer the wrath of God.
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God doesn't want
anyone to suffer His wrath.
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That's why He warns us.
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If you receive the three angels'
messages, you will receive
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the seal of God, and you
will be found on God's side.
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And you will be
shielded from the wrath of man,
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who will try to destroy God's
people, and you will be shielded
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from the wrath of God.
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Then the Bible
tells us in Revelation 14
00:12:09.26\00:12:14.20
that the sanctuary will close.
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In other words, there will
no longer be an opportunity
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of coming to Jesus
Christ in the sanctuary.
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His intercession
will be finished.
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There will be no more room
for repentance and confession of
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sin, and trusting in the merits
of Jesus for forgiveness of sin,
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and for power, because
all that will have happened
00:12:35.32\00:12:39.22
when the sanctuary closes.
00:12:39.25\00:12:41.49
Revelation 22:11, 12 describes
that very important moment
00:12:41.52\00:12:48.16
when the sanctuary will close.
00:12:48.20\00:12:50.20
It says there, He who is
unjust, let him be unjust still.
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He who is filthy,
let him be filthy still.
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He who is righteous,
let him be righteous still.
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He who is holy,
let him be holy still.
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See that happens
before Jesus comes.
00:13:05.41\00:13:08.18
Because in the
next verse Jesus says,
00:13:08.22\00:13:10.72
So you see the declaration that
people are going to still be
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filthy, they're still going
to be righteous, they're still
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going to be holy, they're
still going to be unrighteous,
00:13:25.23\00:13:27.60
will be given
before Jesus comes.
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.11
The door of probation will
close, and then the tribulation
00:13:30.14\00:13:33.48
will begin, and then Jesus
will come at the conclusion
00:13:33.51\00:13:37.18
of the tribulation, and the
sanctuary in heaven will close.
00:13:37.21\00:13:42.02
Notice Revelation 15:5-8 which
describes this awesome moment
00:13:42.05\00:13:48.82
in history when the
sanctuary will close.
00:13:48.86\00:13:51.19
No one will be able to
enter by faith anymore.
00:13:51.23\00:13:54.00
It says there, After these
things I looked and behold the
00:13:54.03\00:13:57.30
temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony in heaven was opened.
00:13:57.33\00:14:01.20
By the way, this is the most
holy place of the sanctuary.
00:14:01.24\00:14:04.37
And notice, And out of the
temple came the seven angels
00:14:04.41\00:14:08.74
having the seven plagues,
clothed in pure bright linen,
00:14:08.78\00:14:13.35
and having their chests
girded with golden bands.
00:14:13.38\00:14:16.55
Then one of the four living
creatures gave to the seven
00:14:16.58\00:14:20.32
angels seven golden
bowls full of the wrath of God,
00:14:20.36\00:14:24.33
who lives forever and ever.
00:14:24.36\00:14:26.23
The temple was
filled with smoke.
00:14:26.26\00:14:29.06
The temple is
the most holy place.
00:14:29.10\00:14:30.73
It's the temple
of the tabernacle.
00:14:30.77\00:14:33.74
The tabernacle is the sanctuary.
00:14:33.77\00:14:35.57
The temple of the tabernacle
is the most holy place.
00:14:35.60\00:14:39.17
And so it says in verse 8,
The temple was filled with smoke
00:14:39.21\00:14:43.58
from the glory of
God, and from His power.
00:14:43.61\00:14:46.31
And no one was able to
enter the temple till the seven
00:14:46.35\00:14:51.25
plagues of the seven
angels were completed.
00:14:51.29\00:14:54.29
Let me ask you, During
the period of the seven last
00:14:54.32\00:14:56.32
plagues, the
period of the tribulation,
00:14:56.36\00:14:58.26
will anybody be able to
enter the sanctuary by faith
00:14:58.29\00:15:01.90
to have their sins
dealt with? Absolutely not.
00:15:01.93\00:15:06.63
Once these angels open the
door and come out of the temple,
00:15:06.67\00:15:11.01
or of the sanctuary, to
pour out the wrath of God,
00:15:11.04\00:15:13.74
which is called the tribulation,
no one will be able to
00:15:13.78\00:15:17.98
enter the sanctuary.
00:15:18.01\00:15:19.35
That's why we must
accept God's message now,
00:15:19.38\00:15:22.88
while the door of mercy is
open, while Jesus ministers
00:15:22.92\00:15:25.89
in the most holy
place of the sanctuary.
00:15:25.92\00:15:27.92
It's important for us to
send our sins there to Him now.
00:15:27.96\00:15:31.66
And then, of course, when the
door to the sanctuary closes,
00:15:31.69\00:15:35.96
the tribulation, and the seven
last plagues will take place.
00:15:36.00\00:15:41.94
This is going to be
one of the worst periods
00:15:41.97\00:15:45.27
in the history of the world.
00:15:45.31\00:15:46.84
In fact it will
be the worst period
00:15:46.88\00:15:49.74
in the history of the world.
00:15:49.78\00:15:51.25
It will be a cataclysmic period.
00:15:51.28\00:15:55.45
Imagine what the
plagues will do to planet Earth.
00:15:55.48\00:15:58.89
Jeremiah saw what would happen.
00:15:58.92\00:16:01.26
He said in chapter 4 of
his book, I beheld the earth,
00:16:01.29\00:16:06.06
and lo, it was
without form and void.
00:16:06.09\00:16:08.96
And I looked at the
heavens; there was no light.
00:16:09.00\00:16:12.40
In other words, the
earth was in darkness.
00:16:12.43\00:16:14.44
He says, I didn't see
any living human being.
00:16:14.47\00:16:18.17
All the birds of
the air had left.
00:16:18.21\00:16:21.11
In other words,
nothing on earth was alive.
00:16:21.14\00:16:24.51
If you read about the plagues,
they will devastate the earth.
00:16:24.55\00:16:28.85
They will return it to
the condition it was in before
00:16:28.88\00:16:32.19
the creation week.
00:16:32.22\00:16:33.96
Sores will be over the
bodies of the wicked who receive
00:16:33.99\00:16:37.89
the wrath of God,
because they rejected
00:16:37.93\00:16:40.06
the three angels' messages.
00:16:40.10\00:16:41.43
Their tongues will
dissolve in their mouths,
00:16:41.46\00:16:43.70
is what the Bible says.
00:16:43.73\00:16:45.20
The sea will be
turned into blood.
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.50
The fountains of drinking
water will be turned into blood.
00:16:47.54\00:16:51.44
The sun will scorch the
vegetation of the earth.
00:16:51.47\00:16:54.94
And then there will be
a super natural darkness.
00:16:54.98\00:16:58.61
Human beings will
be slaying one another.
00:16:58.65\00:17:01.45
There'll be a global earthquake.
00:17:01.48\00:17:03.45
Islands will disappear.
00:17:03.49\00:17:05.05
Mountain ranges will disappear.
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.12
In fact there will be a rain
of hail; some pieces of hail
00:17:07.16\00:17:13.19
weighing as much as 50 pounds.
00:17:13.23\00:17:15.93
And so the plagues
will totally devastate,
00:17:15.96\00:17:18.47
and decimate planet Earth.
00:17:18.50\00:17:20.70
So you'd better be sure that you
will be protected from the wrath
00:17:20.74\00:17:24.97
of God by accepting
the three angels' messages.
00:17:25.01\00:17:28.54
As I mentioned, the Bible
says that this time of trouble
00:17:28.58\00:17:31.95
will be the worst in
the history of the world.
00:17:31.98\00:17:34.58
In fact, let's read about it
in Matthew 24:21, 22. It says:
00:17:34.62\00:17:41.02
For then there will be great
tribulation, such as has not
00:17:41.06\00:17:46.13
been since the beginning
of the world, until this time.
00:17:46.16\00:17:50.07
No, nor ever shall be.
00:17:50.10\00:17:52.67
By the way, that's the 144,000.
00:17:59.84\00:18:02.48
We're being told here that
unless the period of tribulation
00:18:04.61\00:18:07.75
was shortened,
nobody would be left alive.
00:18:07.78\00:18:10.85
Because this period is
going to be absolutely terrible.
00:18:10.89\00:18:15.66
This period is also described
in Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:1.
00:18:15.69\00:18:22.80
If you look at the
previous chapter, Daniel 11,
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.83
it speaks about the King of
the North and his followers,
00:18:25.87\00:18:29.07
which represents the same
as the beast in Revelation 13.
00:18:29.10\00:18:33.17
It says that they will go out
to try and destroy God's people,
00:18:33.21\00:18:38.25
and a time of
trouble will ensue.
00:18:38.28\00:18:41.08
Notice Daniel 12:1.
00:18:41.12\00:18:44.09
Praise the Lord that
there's going to be someone
00:18:52.03\00:18:53.93
watching over His people.
00:18:53.96\00:18:55.53
But notice that His
people are going to go through
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.37
the time of trouble.
00:18:58.40\00:18:59.73
Their faith will be tested.
00:18:59.77\00:19:01.10
But the plagues will
not touch God's people.
00:19:01.14\00:19:03.44
The wrath of God will not touch
God's people. And so it says,
00:19:03.47\00:19:07.48
Notice, this is the good news.
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.13
God's people, the living saints,
00:19:26.36\00:19:29.03
Every one who was found
written in God's book of life,
00:19:34.80\00:19:37.61
because they passed victoriously
through the judgment.
00:19:37.64\00:19:40.98
Those who were pronounced
righteous still, those who were
00:19:41.01\00:19:44.15
pronounced holy still,
will be shielded and delivered
00:19:44.18\00:19:50.55
from his time of trouble.
00:19:50.59\00:19:53.25
The culmination of
this time of trouble will be
00:19:53.29\00:19:57.53
the second coming of
Jesus in power and glory,
00:19:57.56\00:20:01.10
at the very end
of the tribulation.
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.16
Notice Revelation
6:14-17, where this great event,
00:20:03.20\00:20:08.77
the final event of the
tribulation, the second coming
00:20:08.80\00:20:11.47
of Jesus is described.
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.11
Let me ask you, Did they
really need to experience
00:20:41.67\00:20:44.87
the wrath of the Lamb?
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.24
No, because the Lamb
was there to save them!
00:20:46.27\00:20:49.31
The Lamb experienced
the wrath of God when He
00:20:49.34\00:20:54.65
came the first time.
00:20:54.68\00:20:56.02
He drank the cup
of the wrath of God.
00:20:56.05\00:20:58.62
And if they had accepted Jesus
Christ, and they had feared
00:20:58.65\00:21:02.82
God, and kept His commandments,
and given glory to God,
00:21:02.86\00:21:06.56
and realized that they were
in the hour of God's judgment,
00:21:06.59\00:21:09.53
and they had worshipped
the Creator by keeping His
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.07
holy Sabbath, and
had come out of Babylon,
00:21:12.10\00:21:14.47
they would have been spared.
00:21:14.50\00:21:16.20
God warned them. God
told them to come out.
00:21:16.24\00:21:19.14
Now because they rejected God's
mercy, the wrath of the Lamb
00:21:19.17\00:21:23.98
falls upon them, instead
of the salvation of the Lamb.
00:21:24.01\00:21:27.82
And then I want you to notice
how this scene of the second
00:21:27.85\00:21:30.79
coming culminates with
a question in verse 17.
00:21:30.82\00:21:34.96
For the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:21:34.99\00:21:40.50
and who is able to stand?
00:21:40.53\00:21:44.00
Where would you expect to find
the answer to that question?
00:21:44.03\00:21:47.27
the great day of His
wrath has come and who
00:21:47.30\00:21:50.74
shall be able to stand?
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.21
I think the very next chapter
would be a good place to look.
00:21:52.24\00:21:55.68
Now do you know what we
find in the very next chapter?
00:21:55.71\00:21:59.11
We find the 144,000.
00:21:59.15\00:22:01.58
And do you know
what's happening to them?
00:22:01.62\00:22:04.12
They are being what?
00:22:04.15\00:22:05.49
They are being sealed.
00:22:05.52\00:22:07.76
The question is,
Why were they sealed?
00:22:07.79\00:22:10.03
They were sealed because God
wanted to say, These are Mine!
00:22:10.06\00:22:15.06
Don't touch these!
00:22:15.10\00:22:18.80
When the
destruction comes spare them.
00:22:18.83\00:22:21.97
Does this bring to mind a
scene in the book of Ezekiel?
00:22:22.00\00:22:25.91
Do you remember in Ezekiel
8, it spoke about a group
00:22:25.94\00:22:29.71
who had their
faces towards the East,
00:22:29.74\00:22:32.41
and they were
worshipping the sun,
00:22:32.45\00:22:34.22
practicing this
terrible abomination?
00:22:34.25\00:22:37.12
and how there was a
group in the city that was not
00:22:37.15\00:22:40.26
practicing this abomination.
00:22:40.29\00:22:41.86
They were actually
sighing and crying.
00:22:41.89\00:22:43.99
They were sad because of
the abominations that were being
00:22:44.03\00:22:47.10
committed in the city.
00:22:47.13\00:22:48.46
The Bible says that they were
marked so that the destroying
00:22:48.50\00:22:52.83
angels would not destroy them,
so that they would be protected
00:22:52.87\00:22:56.27
when God's wrath would
be poured out upon the city.
00:22:56.30\00:22:59.51
You see, what happened to
Jerusalem foreshadows what will
00:22:59.54\00:23:03.35
happen on a global
scale at the end of time.
00:23:03.38\00:23:06.51
The Christian world will
be worshipping not the sun,
00:23:06.55\00:23:09.35
they will be worshipping
on the day of the sun,
00:23:09.38\00:23:12.39
which we've
already discussed are very,
00:23:12.42\00:23:14.66
very similar in principle.
00:23:14.69\00:23:16.59
They will have
the mark of the beast.
00:23:16.62\00:23:18.99
They will be shedding
the blood of innocent people,
00:23:19.03\00:23:22.76
like was being shed
in the city of Jerusalem.
00:23:22.80\00:23:25.97
But God will have a remnant
people who have the seal of God
00:23:26.00\00:23:29.64
on their foreheads.
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.01
And, of course, we
have identified this seal
00:23:31.04\00:23:32.71
as God's Holy Sabbath.
00:23:32.74\00:23:35.08
And God, by this seal, is
going to say, These are Mine!
00:23:35.11\00:23:39.11
Do not touch them.
00:23:39.15\00:23:40.48
Protect them in the
midst of the tribulation.
00:23:40.52\00:23:43.62
Let's read about it
in Revelation 7:1-3.
00:23:43.65\00:23:47.72
This is immediately after
the question, The great day of
00:23:47.76\00:23:51.03
His wrath has come.
00:23:51.06\00:23:52.39
Who shall be able to stand?
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.83
See, the wrath of God has not
been poured out at this point.
00:24:07.64\00:24:10.18
The winds are being held.
00:24:10.21\00:24:11.55
This happens before
Jesus comes. Notice verse 2.
00:24:11.58\00:24:16.38
And then you have a
mention of the 144,000,
00:24:38.44\00:24:43.31
and the twelve tribes of Israel.
00:24:43.35\00:24:46.25
And so some people say, See,
these are literal Israelites
00:24:46.28\00:24:50.52
over in the Middle East, because
twelve tribes are mentioned
00:24:50.55\00:24:55.56
by name, and there's
12,000 from each tribe,
00:24:55.59\00:24:59.26
so it must be referring
to the literal Israelites
00:24:59.29\00:25:02.26
over in the Middle East.
00:25:02.30\00:25:03.73
But you remember that in
our previous lecture to this one
00:25:03.77\00:25:08.34
we spoke about Israel.
00:25:08.37\00:25:10.41
Israel is not
local, Israel is global.
00:25:10.44\00:25:14.84
Israel is not literal, Israel
is spiritual and worldwide.
00:25:14.88\00:25:20.42
Whoever has joined Jesus Christ
as Savior and Lord is Israel.
00:25:20.45\00:25:26.42
This is not speaking about
the literal tribes of Israel,
00:25:26.45\00:25:29.62
this is speaking
about God's remnant people
00:25:29.66\00:25:32.46
all over the world.
00:25:32.49\00:25:34.70
Now I'd like to share with you
a quotation from a very famous
00:25:34.73\00:25:43.24
expositor on prophecy.
00:25:43.27\00:25:45.67
Today he's one of the best
known authors on Bible prophecy.
00:25:45.71\00:25:50.71
I disagree with practically
everything that he ever wrote,
00:25:50.75\00:25:54.22
because I don't think that
it's in harmony with Biblical
00:25:54.25\00:25:57.29
prophetic principles.
00:25:57.32\00:25:58.65
But I want to read two
statements from his writings
00:25:58.69\00:26:01.89
to show you how inconsistent
sometimes people are when they
00:26:01.92\00:26:07.60
interpret prophecy as
we find it in Scripture.
00:26:07.63\00:26:11.03
This is what he says.
00:26:11.07\00:26:12.87
By the way, his
name is Dave Hunt.
00:26:12.90\00:26:15.44
You might have heard
of him. He says this.
00:26:15.47\00:26:17.77
Some suggest that the
Vatican will move to Babylon.
00:26:17.81\00:26:23.51
Because he believes that
the Roman Catholic Papacy
00:26:23.55\00:26:26.28
is the harlot of Revelation 17.
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.38
In that sense he
believes the same thing
00:26:28.42\00:26:30.85
as the Adventist church.
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.22
The same that
we've been studying here.
00:26:32.25\00:26:34.29
So he says, Some suggest that
the Vatican will move to Babylon
00:26:34.32\00:26:38.19
in Iraq when it is rebuilt.
00:26:38.23\00:26:42.06
But why should it, he asks?
00:26:42.10\00:26:44.70
The Vatican has been fulfilling
John's vision from its location
00:26:44.73\00:26:48.94
in Rome for the
past fifteen centuries.
00:26:48.97\00:26:51.21
In other words the harlot
seated on many waters, he says,
00:26:51.24\00:26:54.74
That's Vatican;
that's the Papacy.
00:26:54.78\00:26:57.21
And the Papacy's been
fulfilling this prophecy
00:26:57.25\00:26:59.78
for the last fifteen centuries.
00:26:59.81\00:27:01.32
And then he says, Moreover,
we have shown the connection
00:27:01.35\00:27:05.55
to ancient Babylon, which
the Vatican has maintained
00:27:05.59\00:27:09.42
down through history in
the paganized Christianity
00:27:09.46\00:27:13.50
it has promulgated.
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.10
As for ancient Babylon itself,
it wasn't even in existence
00:27:15.13\00:27:19.97
during the past
2,300 years, to reign over
00:27:20.00\00:27:23.67
the kings of the earth.
00:27:23.71\00:27:25.04
Babylon lay in ruins, while
pagan Rome, and later Catholic
00:27:25.07\00:27:31.05
Rome, the new Babylon, was
indeed reigning over kings.
00:27:31.08\00:27:36.28
Now what's interesting about
this quotation is that Dave Hunt
00:27:36.32\00:27:39.39
says that Babylon is not literal
Babylon, it is to be understood
00:27:39.42\00:27:44.23
symbolically of
a worldwide system.
00:27:44.26\00:27:47.96
Did you catch the point?
00:27:48.00\00:27:49.33
Babylon is spiritual.
00:27:49.36\00:27:51.43
It applies to the
Papacy, and it is global.
00:27:51.47\00:27:54.87
In other words, Babylon
cannot be taken literally.
00:27:54.90\00:27:58.17
But he says when
Revelation speaks about Israel,
00:27:58.21\00:28:01.28
Israel has to be literal.
00:28:01.31\00:28:03.18
Now you tell me, what
consistency is there in that?
00:28:03.21\00:28:05.88
Babylon was the
great enemy of Israel.
00:28:05.91\00:28:09.02
So if Babylon is spiritual,
or symbolic and worldwide,
00:28:09.05\00:28:13.09
Israel, the enemy of
Babylon, must also be
00:28:13.12\00:28:16.49
symbolic and worldwide.
00:28:16.52\00:28:18.53
Are you following me?
00:28:18.56\00:28:19.89
Now let me read you
the second statement.
00:28:19.93\00:28:22.00
God is foretelling His
final judgment upon a great evil
00:28:22.03\00:28:27.20
which began at the Tower of
Babel, and which has only grown
00:28:27.24\00:28:32.07
as politics, religion,
and science have become more
00:28:32.11\00:28:36.48
sophisticated until finally
the whole world is united
00:28:36.51\00:28:42.38
in the pursuit of
Satan's ancient lie.
00:28:42.42\00:28:46.09
This is Babylon revived,
and headquartered in Rome,
00:28:46.12\00:28:51.93
that will be destroyed
never to be inhabited again.
00:28:51.96\00:28:56.77
So once again, he
says Babylon is worldwide,
00:28:56.80\00:28:59.93
and it's a symbolic system.
00:28:59.97\00:29:01.80
So why isn't Israel
also symbolic and global,
00:29:01.84\00:29:07.04
or worldwide, if it's found
in the same book of Revelation?
00:29:07.08\00:29:12.41
Now the Bible tells us that
God's faithful living saints,
00:29:12.45\00:29:17.75
the 144,000, are going
to be marked for death.
00:29:17.79\00:29:22.72
During the
tribulation there will be a
00:29:22.76\00:29:25.76
death decree over their heads.
00:29:25.79\00:29:27.43
Let's read about it
in Revelation 13:15,
00:29:27.46\00:29:31.67
Revelation 13:15.
Speaking about this beast that
00:29:31.70\00:29:37.37
rises from the earth.
00:29:37.41\00:29:38.74
So whoever doesn't
worship the beast and his image,
00:29:55.32\00:29:58.19
or receive the mark,
there will be a death decree
00:29:58.23\00:30:02.00
against those people.
00:30:02.03\00:30:03.37
By the way, do you know where
this whole scene comes from?
00:30:03.40\00:30:06.17
It comes from the story
of ancient Babylon, Daniel 3.
00:30:06.20\00:30:13.61
Let me ask you, In Daniel 4,
did Nebuchadnezzar for awhile
00:30:13.64\00:30:18.38
live like a beast? Yes he did.
00:30:18.41\00:30:20.78
Did he raise an image?
00:30:20.82\00:30:22.15
He most certainly did.
00:30:22.18\00:30:23.69
Did he command
everyone to worship the image
00:30:23.72\00:30:25.92
that he had raised up? Yes.
00:30:25.95\00:30:27.49
What did he say would
happen if people didn't
00:30:27.52\00:30:29.76
worship the image?
00:30:29.79\00:30:31.13
They would be what?
00:30:31.16\00:30:32.49
They would be killed.
00:30:32.53\00:30:33.86
Does that sound familiar?
00:30:33.90\00:30:35.23
It's very
similar to Revelation 13.
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.37
Only in Daniel 3 this is
happening in literal Babylon
00:30:37.40\00:30:42.64
with three literal Hebrews.
00:30:42.67\00:30:45.07
And this is a literal image,
and Nebuchadnezzar lived for
00:30:45.11\00:30:49.21
awhile as a literal beast.
00:30:49.24\00:30:51.61
At the end time it will be
a symbolic beast raising up a
00:30:51.65\00:30:55.58
symbolic image that
will be global in scale,
00:30:55.62\00:30:58.82
and will command everyone
to worship. Are you with me?
00:30:58.85\00:31:01.29
And Israel will not be literal
Hebrews, it will be spiritual
00:31:01.32\00:31:06.06
Hebrews, or
spiritual Israelites.
00:31:06.09\00:31:08.70
By the way, did the three
young men go through a severe
00:31:08.73\00:31:12.77
time of trouble such as they had
never seen in their life? Yes.
00:31:12.80\00:31:16.60
They were thrown into a burning
fiery furnace, heated how many
00:31:16.64\00:31:21.11
times more than before?
seven times more than before.
00:31:21.14\00:31:24.48
That prefigures the
period of the plagues.
00:31:24.51\00:31:26.68
It's the worst
period in human history.
00:31:26.72\00:31:30.32
The worst
tribulation in human history.
00:31:30.35\00:31:32.79
But what happened with those
three young men who stood before
00:31:32.82\00:31:35.82
the beast and his image,
and refused to practice worship?
00:31:35.86\00:31:39.56
What happened with them?
00:31:39.59\00:31:40.93
Jesus Himself intervened,
and He delivered His people
00:31:40.96\00:31:45.13
from certain death.
00:31:45.17\00:31:46.50
Is that what's going to happen
with God's people on a global
00:31:46.53\00:31:49.67
scale at the end of time?
00:31:49.70\00:31:51.47
It's spiritual Israel who
will be condemned to death
00:31:51.51\00:31:54.91
by spiritual
worldwide Babylon. Absolutely.
00:31:54.94\00:31:58.91
And, of course, that
group are called the 144,000.
00:31:58.95\00:32:05.09
And as I mentioned before, the
culmination of the tribulation
00:32:05.12\00:32:10.19
period will be when Jesus Christ
comes on the clouds of heaven
00:32:10.23\00:32:15.70
to rescue His
people from certain death.
00:32:15.73\00:32:18.60
Let's read about it
in Revelation 19:11-16,
00:32:18.63\00:32:23.51
Revelation
19:11-16. It says here:
00:32:23.54\00:32:27.64
He comes for the battle of
Armageddon, because the wicked
00:32:40.66\00:32:45.03
want to destroy His people.
00:32:45.06\00:32:46.39
He's going to
intervene to deliver His people.
00:32:46.43\00:32:49.70
By the way,
this is Jesus Christ.
00:32:49.73\00:32:51.87
He is the one who is
faithful and true. Verse 12.
00:32:51.90\00:32:55.27
By the way, this
is not His own blood.
00:33:07.98\00:33:10.05
Symbolically He's coming
to trample the winepress.
00:33:10.09\00:33:13.82
He's coming to destroy the
wicked, because they wanted
00:33:13.86\00:33:16.29
to destroy His people.
00:33:16.32\00:33:17.66
So it says, He was clothed
with a robe dipped in blood,
00:33:17.69\00:33:21.43
and His name is
called the Word of God.
00:33:21.46\00:33:23.57
These are the angels.
00:33:24.93\00:33:26.27
Jesus Christ, and His armies
coming back to planet Earth
00:33:32.07\00:33:35.58
to rescue His people. Verse 15.
00:33:35.61\00:33:37.78
And now I want to show you,
Biblically, that when it says
00:33:44.55\00:33:48.22
that His garments
are stained in blood,
00:33:48.26\00:33:50.23
it's not His own
blood, it's the blood in the
00:33:50.26\00:33:53.33
winepress of His enemies.
00:33:53.36\00:33:55.03
Notice what it says in verse 15.
00:33:55.06\00:33:58.10
Listen to this.
00:34:06.07\00:34:07.41
Do you know, one of the great
problems in the Christian world
00:34:22.26\00:34:26.43
today is that there's
this teaching out there that
00:34:26.46\00:34:31.93
Christians are going to
be raptured out of this world
00:34:31.97\00:34:34.94
before the tribulation.
00:34:34.97\00:34:37.54
Now let me ask you this
question: If there was going
00:34:37.57\00:34:43.38
to be a hurricane hitting
in Florida, would you prepare
00:34:43.41\00:34:50.09
for it in Fresno? Of course not!
00:34:50.15\00:34:53.92
You'd just say,
That doesn't affect me.
00:34:53.96\00:34:56.42
It's not going to hit here.
00:34:56.46\00:34:58.26
And so Christians are
certain that they're going
00:34:58.29\00:35:02.36
to be whisked away.
00:35:02.43\00:35:03.97
They're going to be
snatched away to heaven.
00:35:04.00\00:35:07.04
And then the Jews are
going to be left behind.
00:35:07.07\00:35:10.01
They're going to suffer
this horrendous time of trouble
00:35:10.04\00:35:13.44
such as the
world has never seen.
00:35:13.48\00:35:15.44
But they're going to be
surprised, because they will
00:35:15.48\00:35:19.98
find themselves on this earth
during this period of terrible
00:35:20.02\00:35:24.99
tribulation, and they will
not have the necessary faith to
00:35:25.02\00:35:28.92
pass through this period
victoriously, because they were
00:35:28.99\00:35:32.86
not expecting to be here.
00:35:32.89\00:35:35.13
Are you understanding
how serious this teaching
00:35:36.60\00:35:39.43
of the Rapture is?
00:35:39.50\00:35:41.07
Listen, if you think you're
going to be raptured to heaven,
00:35:41.10\00:35:45.11
you would never prepare
for the tribulation, would you?
00:35:45.14\00:35:49.14
Because you're
thinking that you're going to
00:35:49.18\00:35:50.95
be in another place.
00:35:50.98\00:35:52.31
By the way, the Bible
tells us that the 144,000
00:35:52.35\00:35:57.39
will be a special group.
00:35:57.42\00:35:59.39
They will have a
special character.
00:35:59.42\00:36:02.29
They will have a character
that is victorious over sin;
00:36:02.32\00:36:07.30
totally and
completely in their lives.
00:36:07.33\00:36:10.07
Some people say,
Ah, it's not possible
00:36:10.10\00:36:12.83
to gain the victory over sin.
00:36:12.87\00:36:14.74
Only when Jesus comes
will Jesus transform us,
00:36:14.77\00:36:18.37
and He'll change us.
00:36:18.41\00:36:19.81
The Bible teaches that it
is possible to overcome sin
00:36:19.87\00:36:23.41
fully and completely.
00:36:23.45\00:36:25.35
Of course people say,
Well, Pastor, are you perfect?
00:36:25.38\00:36:28.15
And, of course, the answer
is Pastor Bohr is not perfect.
00:36:28.18\00:36:31.82
But whether I am
perfect or not is immaterial.
00:36:31.85\00:36:35.02
It makes no sense to say
that one can only be perfect
00:36:35.09\00:36:41.20
if Pastor Bohr is perfect.
00:36:41.23\00:36:42.90
My perfectibility does
not show whether you can
00:36:42.93\00:36:46.20
be perfected or not.
00:36:46.23\00:36:47.57
The Bible teaches
that God's people will live
00:36:47.64\00:36:51.84
a life without sin.
00:36:51.87\00:36:53.88
After all, they will not be
able to go into the sanctuary
00:36:53.91\00:36:58.31
to take their sins
there to Jesus Christ.
00:36:58.35\00:37:00.78
They will have to have
the total victory over sin.
00:37:00.82\00:37:04.22
And they won't do it themselves.
00:37:04.25\00:37:06.05
They have no power to do it.
00:37:06.09\00:37:07.82
They will do it
because they follow the
00:37:07.86\00:37:09.69
Lamb wherever He goes.
00:37:09.72\00:37:11.06
They will do it because
they depend on Jesus Christ
00:37:11.09\00:37:14.33
every instant of their lives.
00:37:14.36\00:37:16.30
Let's read a few
passages about the 144,000.
00:37:16.33\00:37:22.14
Revelation 14:1-5
describes the sterling
00:37:22.17\00:37:27.94
character of this group.
00:37:27.98\00:37:29.31
Here John, inspired
by the Holy Spirit says,
00:37:29.34\00:37:32.58
And now notice their character.
00:38:07.72\00:38:09.58
Don't worry, if you're married
and you live until Jesus comes,
00:38:14.26\00:38:19.43
you can be among this group.
00:38:19.46\00:38:21.33
When it says
that they are virgins,
00:38:21.36\00:38:23.20
it's speaking spiritually.
00:38:23.23\00:38:25.07
They did not actually embrace
the teachings of the harlot
00:38:25.10\00:38:29.57
and her daughters.
00:38:29.60\00:38:30.94
Those are the women
that are mentioned here.
00:38:30.97\00:38:32.97
Because marriage is honorable.
00:38:33.01\00:38:34.71
If a man and a woman marry
in harmony with the standards
00:38:34.74\00:38:38.25
that God has
established, there's nothing
00:38:38.28\00:38:40.12
defiling about that.
00:38:40.15\00:38:41.48
What this is saying is that
these 144,000 were not defiled
00:38:41.52\00:38:46.42
with Babylon and her daughters.
00:38:46.45\00:38:48.42
They did not drink her wine.
00:38:48.46\00:38:50.36
They did not embrace her
doctrines, or her practices.
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.43
Notice what else
it says about them.
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.03
See, that's why
they're victorious over sin.
00:39:01.57\00:39:04.94
They follow the
Lamb wherever He goes.
00:39:04.97\00:39:07.84
They're like Enoch,
who walked with God.
00:39:07.88\00:39:10.65
And the walk was so close
with God that finally God said,
00:39:10.71\00:39:13.92
Enoch, you don't have anything
more to do on planet Earth.
00:39:13.98\00:39:17.19
You don't belong down there.
00:39:17.22\00:39:19.72
You're not a citizen down there.
00:39:19.75\00:39:22.19
Come, come to heaven, and we'll
walk the street of gold together
00:39:22.22\00:39:26.96
throughout the
ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:39:27.00\00:39:29.76
That's what the
144,000 are like.
00:39:29.83\00:39:32.77
Their life is totally and
completely focused on Jesus.
00:39:32.80\00:39:36.81
And so it says: These
are the ones who follow the
00:39:36.84\00:39:39.57
Lamb wherever He goes.
00:39:39.61\00:39:40.94
And now notice:
00:39:46.51\00:39:47.85
The word deceit is sudo.
00:39:50.42\00:39:52.15
In their mouth was found no lie.
00:39:52.19\00:39:54.62
They spoke only the truth.
00:39:54.66\00:39:57.26
What a character! You
see, they beheld Jesus
00:40:04.20\00:40:08.24
in all of His glory.
00:40:08.27\00:40:09.60
And they reflected
the character of Jesus.
00:40:09.64\00:40:11.41
See, they accepted the
three angels' messages folks.
00:40:11.44\00:40:14.21
The kept the
commandments of God.
00:40:14.28\00:40:17.18
They had faith in Jesus.
00:40:17.21\00:40:20.18
They feared God.
00:40:20.22\00:40:22.68
They gave glory to
God by revealing His
00:40:22.72\00:40:26.45
character to the world.
00:40:26.49\00:40:27.82
They left Babylon.
00:40:27.86\00:40:29.42
They did not worship the beast.
00:40:29.46\00:40:30.99
They didn't worship the image.
00:40:31.03\00:40:32.53
They did not receive the mark.
00:40:32.56\00:40:34.00
In other words, their
loyalty was only with Jesus.
00:40:34.03\00:40:37.87
Now do you
remember that question,
00:40:37.90\00:40:40.14
The great day of
His wrath has come,
00:40:40.17\00:40:42.37
and who shall be able to stand?
00:40:42.40\00:40:44.17
Do you know that that question
is asked in other places
00:40:44.21\00:40:47.48
in the Bible as well?
00:40:47.51\00:40:48.88
And immediately after
the question is asked,
00:40:48.91\00:40:51.85
you have once again a
description of a group
00:40:51.88\00:40:54.78
that has a sterling character.
00:40:54.82\00:41:00.42
Notice Malachi 3:2, Malachi 3:2.
00:41:00.46\00:41:06.03
See the same type of question?
00:41:11.00\00:41:12.97
Does Jesus want to
cleanse us and purify us?
00:41:27.58\00:41:31.85
Does He want to make us
fireproof in our characters
00:41:31.89\00:41:35.82
so that when He comes we
are not destroyed by the fire,
00:41:35.86\00:41:39.69
but we are spared like the three
young men in the fiery furnace.
00:41:39.73\00:41:43.57
Absolutely.
Notice Isaiah 33: 14-16.
00:41:43.60\00:41:47.50
You know, many Christians think
that the wicked are going to
00:41:47.54\00:41:50.67
burn in the
fires of hell forever.
00:41:50.71\00:41:52.04
Do you know that the Bible
teaches that it's the righteous
00:41:54.44\00:41:56.85
that are going
to live in the fire?
00:41:56.88\00:41:58.21
You say, Now what?
00:41:58.25\00:41:59.65
You say the righteous are going
to live with the consuming fire?
00:41:59.68\00:42:03.75
Yes, it's the
righteous not the wicked.
00:42:03.79\00:42:05.72
Because the Bible, as we've
studied, says that the wicked
00:42:05.75\00:42:08.52
are going to be
returned to ashes.
00:42:08.56\00:42:09.99
Satan and his angels
are going to be ashes,
00:42:10.03\00:42:13.19
so they're going to go out.
00:42:13.23\00:42:14.56
But the fire that consumed
the Devil and his angels,
00:42:14.60\00:42:17.13
and the wicked, will continue
to exist because the fire
00:42:17.17\00:42:21.20
is the glory of God.
00:42:21.24\00:42:23.30
Now notice Isaiah 33:14-16.
00:42:23.34\00:42:27.14
Notice the question again.
00:42:27.18\00:42:28.51
Notice the answer.
00:42:37.19\00:42:38.75
Is there a sterling
character described here
00:43:07.85\00:43:10.95
once the question is
asked, Who among us shall dwell
00:43:10.99\00:43:14.89
with the devouring fire?
00:43:14.92\00:43:16.26
Who among us shall dwell
with the everlasting burnings?
00:43:16.29\00:43:19.36
Then you have the sterling
character of those who will
00:43:19.39\00:43:23.10
dwell with the everlasting fire.
00:43:23.13\00:43:25.33
Notice Psalm 15:1-5.
00:43:25.37\00:43:29.37
Once again it begins with
the question followed by the
00:43:29.40\00:43:32.77
sterling character
of a certain group.
00:43:32.81\00:43:35.21
It says there in Psalm 15:1-5:
00:43:35.24\00:43:38.35
By the way, His holy
hill is Zion, and the 144,000
00:43:45.22\00:43:48.82
are standing on Mount Zion.
00:43:48.86\00:43:50.99
Notice the answer.
00:43:51.03\00:43:52.36
That expression is
the first angel's message.
00:44:17.85\00:44:20.12
In other words, when he
promises he keeps his word
00:44:22.32\00:44:24.93
and does not change.
00:44:24.96\00:44:26.36
Which means
excessive charge of interest.
00:44:30.17\00:44:32.97
In other words, he
will be able to stand.
00:44:40.51\00:44:43.71
Once again the
question is followed with what?
00:44:43.75\00:44:47.58
with the sterling character.
00:44:47.62\00:44:49.75
God's end time generation
will have a sterling, spotless
00:44:49.78\00:44:55.49
character that fully reflects
the image of Jesus Christ;
00:44:55.52\00:45:00.06
the 144,000 living saints.
00:45:00.10\00:45:03.50
Now I don't have time to get
into the fact that the number
00:45:03.53\00:45:06.17
144,000 is a symbolic number.
00:45:06.20\00:45:08.80
It represents a much larger
group than exactly 144,000.
00:45:08.84\00:45:14.41
Notice Psalm 24:3-6.
00:45:14.44\00:45:18.28
Once again the question:
00:45:18.31\00:45:19.68
You see folks, in order
to stand when Jesus comes,
00:45:47.81\00:45:51.88
there's a special preparation
that needs to take place.
00:45:51.91\00:45:55.22
I want you to notice several
texts in the New Testament
00:45:55.25\00:45:59.32
that speak about this special
preparation that should be made
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.99
now while the door of
mercy is being opened.
00:46:03.02\00:46:05.73
Do you know folks, the
three angels' messages have the
00:46:05.76\00:46:09.30
intention of
preparing that kind of character
00:46:09.33\00:46:12.47
for the coming of Jesus.
00:46:12.50\00:46:13.84
The three angels' messages
teach us the everlasting gospel.
00:46:13.87\00:46:18.31
They teach us the need to
fear God, to give glory to Him,
00:46:18.34\00:46:22.54
that we're in the
hour of His judgment.
00:46:22.58\00:46:24.08
We should prepare a character
to pass through the judgment,
00:46:24.11\00:46:27.12
that we should worship
only God, not our things.
00:46:27.15\00:46:29.78
We should worship the
Creator by keeping His Sabbath.
00:46:29.82\00:46:32.79
If we're in Babylon we
should get out of Babylon,
00:46:32.82\00:46:35.39
and we should beware
of worshipping the beast,
00:46:35.42\00:46:37.29
his image, and
receiving the mark.
00:46:37.33\00:46:40.13
Those three messages actually
prepare God's people to stand
00:46:40.16\00:46:45.00
in the great day
ahead. Matthew 5:8.
00:46:45.03\00:46:50.27
Who are those who
will see God, who will say,
00:46:58.98\00:47:02.02
Lo this is our God.
00:47:02.05\00:47:03.65
We have waited for
Him, and He will save us.
00:47:03.69\00:47:05.99
Who are the ones? those
who have what? a pure heart.
00:47:06.02\00:47:09.16
By the way, if you have a pure
heart you have pure actions,
00:47:09.19\00:47:12.13
because actions
flow from the heart.
00:47:12.16\00:47:14.13
Jesus said, From the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaks.
00:47:14.16\00:47:19.60
He says, Out of the heart
come adulteries, and homicides,
00:47:19.63\00:47:23.14
and all of these things.
00:47:23.17\00:47:24.51
So if your heart is
pure, your life will be pure.
00:47:24.54\00:47:27.54
Notice Hebrews 12:14,
once again speaking about
00:47:27.58\00:47:31.88
the second coming of Jesus.
00:47:31.91\00:47:33.25
What do we need to have
in order to see the Lord?
00:47:43.22\00:47:45.16
holiness, according to this.
00:47:45.19\00:47:47.96
Notice 1 John
3:1-3, 1 John 3:1-3.
00:47:48.00\00:47:54.17
When He is revealed is
His coming, by the way.
00:48:14.56\00:48:16.62
And notice what we need
to be doing because we're
00:48:20.46\00:48:22.96
going to see Him as He is.
00:48:23.00\00:48:24.33
So if you have this hope
of the appearance of Jesus,
00:48:34.48\00:48:38.71
what do you do? you purify
yourself, just as He is pure.
00:48:38.75\00:48:44.02
And do you know
how that happens?
00:48:44.05\00:48:45.59
By beholding we are changed; by
what we watch, by what we hear.
00:48:45.62\00:48:52.46
Folks, Christians
watch what the world watches.
00:48:52.49\00:48:55.23
They listen to the same kind of
music that the world listens to.
00:48:55.26\00:48:59.80
They go to the same
places of entertainment
00:48:59.83\00:49:02.44
that the world goes to.
00:49:02.47\00:49:03.91
You'll never reflect
the character of Jesus
00:49:03.94\00:49:06.37
if you're watching
violence, and illicit sex,
00:49:06.41\00:49:08.78
and you're
listening to swearing,
00:49:08.81\00:49:10.45
and to lying on television.
00:49:10.48\00:49:12.41
You'll reflect the character
of what you're watching.
00:49:12.45\00:49:15.28
And no one who is in
that condition will be ready
00:49:15.32\00:49:19.25
to receive Jesus
in power and glory.
00:49:19.29\00:49:21.82
Because you must
have a pure heart.
00:49:21.86\00:49:24.99
You must have a pure life.
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.10
That's why the 144,000 are
described as having a sterling
00:49:27.13\00:49:31.63
character that they prepared
before probation closed.
00:49:31.67\00:49:35.64
I want to read once
again Revelation 22:11, 12,
00:49:35.67\00:49:41.34
that we read awhile ago,
because there's a little nuance
00:49:41.38\00:49:45.21
in translation that is not
found in the King James Version.
00:49:45.25\00:49:48.62
Revelation
22:11. He who is unjust.
00:49:48.65\00:49:53.52
The New King James
says, Let him be unjust still.
00:49:53.56\00:49:58.06
Really the Greek
tense of the verb says,
00:49:58.09\00:50:01.03
Let him
continue to act unjustly.
00:50:01.06\00:50:04.63
In other words, it's
not a state of being unjust,
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.44
it is acting unjustly.
00:50:07.47\00:50:09.64
And it's reflected in
many of the modern versions.
00:50:09.67\00:50:13.31
So he who is unjust, let
him continue to act unjustly.
00:50:13.34\00:50:17.91
He who is filthy, let
him continue to act filthily,
00:50:17.95\00:50:22.52
is what it really
says in the Greek.
00:50:22.55\00:50:24.29
It has to do with actions.
00:50:24.32\00:50:26.55
And then it continues
saying, He who is righteous,
00:50:26.59\00:50:29.42
let him continue
to act righteously.
00:50:29.46\00:50:32.76
And he who is
holy, let him continue to
00:50:32.79\00:50:36.10
act in a holy manner.
00:50:36.13\00:50:37.83
And then, of course, when
that happens it says, And behold
00:50:37.87\00:50:42.54
I am coming quickly,
and My reward is with Me,
00:50:42.57\00:50:45.41
to give everyone
according to his work.
00:50:45.47\00:50:48.74
There's one final passage that I
want us to take a look at before
00:50:48.78\00:50:54.15
we bring this to a close.
00:50:54.18\00:50:55.85
It's found in the book of
Joel 2, and it has the same
00:50:55.88\00:51:01.06
question that we noticed
in several other passages.
00:51:01.12\00:51:04.76
By the way, we don't
have time to read verses 1
00:51:04.79\00:51:08.43
through 10 of Joel 2.
00:51:08.46\00:51:09.86
It's describing the
second coming of Jesus Christ;
00:51:09.90\00:51:13.27
the first ten verses.
00:51:13.30\00:51:14.67
God is coming with
His army to the world.
00:51:14.70\00:51:17.77
Let's begin at verse 10.
00:51:17.81\00:51:21.68
This is speaking about
Jesus coming with His angels.
00:51:24.51\00:51:26.51
Read Matthew 24. There
it speaks about the heavens
00:51:30.59\00:51:33.25
and the earth trembling.
00:51:33.29\00:51:34.62
Once again Matthew 24.
00:51:34.66\00:51:38.59
This is the second
coming of Jesus. And it says:
00:51:38.63\00:51:44.60
Those are the angels.
00:51:47.54\00:51:48.87
And now notice the question.
00:51:54.01\00:51:55.34
Is that the same question?
00:52:02.48\00:52:04.29
The great day of
His wrath has come.
00:52:04.32\00:52:07.66
Who can endure this day when
Jesus comes with His angels?
00:52:07.69\00:52:11.63
There's a special preparation
that has to take place.
00:52:11.66\00:52:15.56
And that
preparation is mentioned,
00:52:15.60\00:52:18.10
beginning with verse 12.
00:52:18.13\00:52:19.47
By the way, here it's speaking
about the Day of Atonement.
00:52:19.50\00:52:22.30
We are now in the Day of
Atonement when we should be
00:52:22.34\00:52:25.37
cleansing our lives
from sin through the grace
00:52:25.41\00:52:27.78
and power of Jesus Christ,
so that when the sanctuary
00:52:27.81\00:52:30.98
is closed it won't be
necessary to introduce sin
00:52:31.01\00:52:35.65
into the sanctuary.
00:52:35.68\00:52:37.02
Because on the Day of Atonement
sin is taken out of the
00:52:37.05\00:52:39.89
sanctuary, primarily at the
end of the Day of Atonement.
00:52:39.95\00:52:43.76
Notice what it says in verse 12.
00:52:43.79\00:52:46.66
Immediately after saying, Who
is able to stand in this day,
00:52:46.70\00:52:51.60
God gives the counsel.
00:52:51.63\00:52:52.97
He says, Now therefore
says the Lord, Turn to Me with
00:52:53.00\00:52:57.14
all your heart, with fasting,
with weeping, and with mourning.
00:52:57.17\00:53:02.54
This is what happened
on the Day of Atonement.
00:53:02.61\00:53:04.28
But you can read
it in Leviticus 23.
00:53:04.31\00:53:06.15
It's the only day in the Hebrew
calendar where fasting was
00:53:06.18\00:53:10.59
required in the Hebrew feasts.
00:53:10.62\00:53:12.42
And so it says, with fasting,
with weeping, and with mourning.
00:53:12.45\00:53:16.19
So rend your heart
and not your garments.
00:53:16.22\00:53:21.50
Return to the Lord your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
00:53:21.53\00:53:27.10
slow to anger,
and of great kindness,
00:53:27.14\00:53:29.37
and He relents from doing harm.
00:53:29.40\00:53:31.61
Who knows if He will turn
and relent, and leave a blessing
00:53:31.64\00:53:35.94
behind Him, a grain
offering, and a drink offering
00:53:35.98\00:53:38.95
for the Lord Your God?
00:53:38.98\00:53:40.88
Blow the trumpet in Zion.
00:53:40.92\00:53:42.75
By the way, the feast
of the Day of Atonement
00:53:42.78\00:53:45.79
was announced by trumpets.
00:53:45.82\00:53:48.12
So this is the announcement
of the Day of Atonement.
00:53:48.19\00:53:51.19
It says, once again in verse
15: Blow the trumpet in Zion,
00:53:51.23\00:53:55.13
consecrate a fast.
00:53:55.16\00:53:56.50
See, there you have it again.
00:53:56.53\00:53:57.90
Call a sacred assembly.
00:53:57.93\00:53:59.33
Everybody on the Day of
Atonement had to meet together.
00:53:59.37\00:54:01.77
Gather the people,
sanctify the congregation,
00:54:01.80\00:54:04.81
assemble the elders, gather
the children and nursing babes.
00:54:04.84\00:54:08.94
Let the bridegroom
go out from His chamber,
00:54:08.98\00:54:11.35
and the bride
from her dressing room.
00:54:11.38\00:54:13.15
Let the priests...
00:54:13.21\00:54:14.55
These are the
religious leaders, folks.
00:54:14.58\00:54:16.62
Let the priests who minister
to the Lord weep between the
00:54:16.69\00:54:21.86
porch and the alter.
00:54:21.89\00:54:23.22
Let them say, Spare Your people
O Lord, and do not give Your
00:54:23.26\00:54:28.63
heritage to reproach, that the
nations should rule over them.
00:54:28.66\00:54:34.04
Why should they say among
the peoples, Where is their God?
00:54:34.10\00:54:39.44
Is there a work of preparation
that needs to be take place
00:54:39.47\00:54:44.11
in order for God's
people to be able to stand?
00:54:44.15\00:54:47.72
Very clearly, in all of these
passages we are told that God's
00:54:47.78\00:54:53.22
people will have a sterling
character; not because they
00:54:53.25\00:54:57.39
developed this goodness,
but because Jesus Christ dwelt
00:54:57.43\00:55:01.56
in their hearts,
because their focus was only
00:55:01.60\00:55:06.37
and exclusively upon Him.
00:55:06.40\00:55:08.20
You know, some people
say, You're so heavenly minded
00:55:08.27\00:55:13.38
you're no earthly good.
00:55:13.41\00:55:15.74
You know, but I turned that
around and I say, You are so
00:55:15.78\00:55:19.91
earthly minded you
are no heavenly good.
00:55:19.95\00:55:23.12
I would say that most Christians
would fit in that category.
00:55:23.15\00:55:27.42
They're so earthly minded, that
they would not even conceive
00:55:27.46\00:55:31.49
of being happy in
heaven, because it's going
00:55:31.53\00:55:34.46
to be so different.
00:55:34.50\00:55:35.83
There's not going to be smokers.
00:55:35.86\00:55:37.20
There's not
going to be drinkers.
00:55:37.23\00:55:38.57
There's not
going to be partying.
00:55:38.60\00:55:39.93
There's not going to be
dancing, in a worldly sense,
00:55:39.97\00:55:43.24
like the world dances today.
00:55:43.27\00:55:44.77
There's not going
to be movie theaters.
00:55:44.81\00:55:46.34
There's not
going to be profanity.
00:55:46.37\00:55:47.74
There's not going to
be any of these things.
00:55:47.78\00:55:49.21
So if you become
accustomed to these things,
00:55:49.24\00:55:51.41
boy are you going to
feel uncomfortable in heaven.
00:55:51.45\00:55:55.15
But the fact is, you're
not going t make it there.
00:55:55.18\00:55:58.25
Because God is not
going to take people there
00:55:58.29\00:56:01.22
who would be unhappy there.
00:56:01.26\00:56:03.76
It's now that we have to
learn to live the heavenly
00:56:03.79\00:56:07.70
lifestyle on earth.
00:56:07.73\00:56:09.06
You know the little chorus,
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
00:56:09.10\00:56:13.17
Look full in His wonderful face.
00:56:13.20\00:56:15.90
And what happens as a result?
00:56:15.94\00:56:18.57
The things on earth will
grow strangely dim in the light
00:56:18.61\00:56:25.71
of His glory and grace.
00:56:25.75\00:56:27.75
The 144,000 will be
totally disconnected
00:56:27.78\00:56:32.69
from everything on
planet Earth; from their cars,
00:56:32.75\00:56:35.52
from their
houses, from their money,
00:56:35.56\00:56:37.46
and from their expensive toys.
00:56:37.49\00:56:39.26
They will think of
nothing except being with Jesus
00:56:39.29\00:56:42.40
in the heavenly kingdom,
where everything is joy.
00:56:42.43\00:56:45.50
Where everything is peace.
00:56:45.53\00:56:47.07
Where everything is happiness.
00:56:47.14\00:56:48.64
That is their only desire in
their lives is to be with Jesus.
00:56:48.67\00:56:53.98
And so Jesus will say, Folks,
you don't have anything more
00:56:54.04\00:56:59.31
to do on planet Earth.
00:56:59.35\00:57:00.68
You're wasting
your time down there.
00:57:00.72\00:57:03.08
Come, and we will walk
together on the street of gold.
00:57:03.12\00:57:08.09
We will go through the gates
of pearl, and forever and ever
00:57:08.12\00:57:12.63
we will live together,
and we will sing together.
00:57:12.66\00:57:17.40
Won't that be a wonderful day?
00:57:17.43\00:57:20.14
I pray to the Lord that on that
day none of us will be missing.
00:57:20.17\00:57:24.77