Let's pray. Our Father in
heaven, we than You once again
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for the privilege of coming
into Your presence to study Your
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love letter to
us; Your Holy Word.
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We ask that as we study
about the testimony of Jesus
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that You will speak to
us through the ministration
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of Your Holy Spirit.
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Help us to understand,
Lord, why You have raised the
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testimony of Jesus in these
last days, so that we might be
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ready for that glorious
event that will soon transpire:
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the coming of
Jesus in power and glory.
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And we thank You for hearing
our prayer, for we ask it in the
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precious name of Jesus, Amen.
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I'd like to invite you
to open your Bibles with me
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to Revelation
12:17, Revelation 12:17.
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This verse is speaking
about the end time remnant.
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And we've studied a few
things about this verse,
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but now we want to take a look
at an expression that appears
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at the very end of this verse.
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It reads in the following way:
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So God's end time remnant will
not only keep the commandments
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of God, not only will
they have faith in Jesus,
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not only will they have
the patience of the saints,
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but they will
also have, or possess,
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the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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Of course the
question is, What is
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the testimony of Jesus Christ?
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I believe that the best way to
understand what is meant by this
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expression is to
return to the times of Jesus,
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actually right
before the coming of Jesus
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the first time to this
earth, and study a few things
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about John the Baptist.
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And so I invite you to go
on an interesting tour with me
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to examine the
story of John the Baptist,
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the one that was called
to prepare the way for the
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first coming of Jesus.
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The first thing that I
want us to notice is that
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John the Baptist
arose in the midst of a
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great religious revival.
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Notice Matthew 3:5, 6,
Matthew 3:5, 6. It says:
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Notice that there
was great expectancy.
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It says here that Jerusalem,
all Judea, and all of the region
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around the Jordan went
out to John the Baptist.
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And one of the reasons
is because John the Baptist
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was very similar, as
we'll notice in a few minutes,
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very similar to another prophet
of the Old Testament: Elijah.
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He dressed like Elijah.
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He ate like Elijah.
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He lived in the
desert like Elijah.
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He spoke like Elijah.
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And so there was great
expectancy that the Messiah
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was about to come, because it
was expected that a forerunner
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would come, which
would prepare the way for the
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coming of the Messiah.
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And, by the way, the Jews
also knew that a very important
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prophecy of the Old Testament
was about to the fulfilled:
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the prophecy of
the seventy weeks.
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In other words, the prophecy
of the seventy weeks said that
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after the first sixty-nine
weeks the Messiah would come,
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the anointed One would come.
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And they knew that
483 years of that prophecy
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had just about transpired.
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From the going forth
of the word to restore
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and to build Jerusalem,
they could count forward,
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and they knew that the
prophecy of the seventy weeks,
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the last week
was about to begin.
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And so because of John the
Baptist looking like Elijah,
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and because this prophecy
was about to be fulfilled,
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there was great expectancy,
and a great religious revival.
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Now John was asked
if he was a prophet,
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or if he was the prophet.
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Now I want you to
notice what his answer was.
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John 1:19-21, John 1:19-21.
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So when they asked John the
Baptist if he was the prophet,
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John the Baptist said no.
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So the question
is, Who was he then?
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Go with me to Luke 7:27.
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If he wasn't the
prophet who was he?
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Luke 7:27. Here Jesus
is speaking, and He says:
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So the question is,
What was John the Baptist?
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He was the Lord's messenger.
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He said, I am not the prophet,
but he was the Lord's messenger.
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Now why did God
call John the Baptist?
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Let's read a few
verses that tell us the reason
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why God raised him up.
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John 1:23, John 1:23.
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He said, this is
John the Baptist speaking.
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In other words, he arose in
harmony with the fulfillment
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of a prophecy of Isaiah.
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And it says that he was called
to prepare the way of the Lord.
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In other words, he was
the forerunner of the Messiah
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to prepare the way for
the coming of the Messiah.
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Notice Matthew
3:1-3, Matthew 3:1-3.
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That means the
Messiah is about to come,
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because the Jews were expecting
the coming of the kingdom.
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Verse 3.
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Speaking about John the Baptist.
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Now what does that
mean, Make His paths straight?
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Well, in antiquity when
a king was about to arrive,
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there was a group of individuals
who would be sent on the
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highways and on the roads to
make sure that they would remove
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all of the stones.
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They would fill in all of the
holes so that the king's chariot
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could come on the
road easily and smoothly.
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So that's what this means.
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Prepare the way of the
Lord; make His paths straight.
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In other words, prepare the way
for the coming of the Messiah.
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Notice Luke 1:16,
17, Luke 1:16, 17.
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Speaking about John the Baptist,
this is before his birth,
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And he will turn many
of the children of Israel
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to the Lord their God.
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Isn't that interesting
that he would turn the children
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of Israel to their God?
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That must mean that they went
astray from their God, right?
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And notice that his
mission is not with the world,
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his mission is with the church.
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His mission is with
those who claim to serve God.
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And so it says, And he
will turn many of the children
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of Israel to the Lord their God.
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That is John the Baptist
would go before the Messiah.
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In other words, to turn
around the disobedient so that
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they would follow the...
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And notice the ultimate purpose:
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What was the role
of John the Baptist?
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It was to prepare a
people to receive the Messiah
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who was about to come,
so that they would be ready
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to receive the kingdom.
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By the way, do you
know that John the Baptist
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was not an innovator?
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He did not bring new truth.
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And we're going to
look at this in a few
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moments more extensively.
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He actually was
a great restorer.
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Notice what we find in Matthew
17:11-13, Matthew 17:11-13.
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John the Baptist was not raised
up to bring revolutionary new
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truths, new doctrines.
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He was brought to restore
that which had been torn down.
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And, by the way, that's why the
New Testament calls him Elijah.
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Do you remember in the
Old Testament what Elijah did
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when he went to the
top of Mount Carmel?
00:10:53.31\00:10:55.12
It says that he took the
stones of the altar of the Lord
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that were laying all over the
place, and he built, he rebuilt,
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or he restored
the altar of the Lord.
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In other words he
restored true worship to God.
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Notice what it
says there in verse 11.
00:11:08.40\00:11:10.63
Jesus answered and said to them,
Indeed Elijah is coming first
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and will what?
will restore all things.
00:11:15.20\00:11:20.08
But I say to you,
Elijah has come already,
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and they did not know him.
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That means that they
rejected him, by the way.
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They did not know him, but
did to him whatever they wished.
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In other words
they mistreated him.
00:11:32.59\00:11:34.22
Now notice this, it continues
saying: Likewise the Son of man
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is also about to
suffer at their hands.
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See, the Messiah is going to
suffer at their hands just like
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John the Baptist
suffered at their hands.
00:11:46.50\00:11:49.34
And so it continues saying, Then
the disciples understood that He
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spoke to them of whom?
00:11:53.94\00:11:55.48
He spoke to them
of John the Baptist.
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Now folks this verse is telling
us that if they rejected the
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forerunner, they would
also reject the Messiah.
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.89
If you reject he who prepares
the way for the coming of the
00:12:04.92\00:12:09.22
Messiah, you will eventually
also reject the Messiah.
00:12:09.26\00:12:13.63
Because the word likewise is
used, Likewise the Son of man,
00:12:13.66\00:12:17.97
is also about to
suffer at their hands.
00:12:18.00\00:12:21.64
Now lets notice
something else interesting
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about John the Baptist.
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John the Baptist was
actually more than a prophet.
00:12:25.44\00:12:29.98
He was not the prophet;
he was more than a prophet.
00:12:30.01\00:12:33.42
Notice Luke 7:26, Luke 7:26.
00:12:33.45\00:12:40.12
Here Jesus is
speaking, and He says,
00:12:40.16\00:12:42.09
Let me ask you, Was
John the Baptist a prophet?
00:12:50.27\00:12:52.13
He most certainly was a prophet.
00:12:52.17\00:12:53.94
But he was not a prophet,
he was more than a prophet.
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Remember these details, because
we're going to come back to them
00:12:57.51\00:13:00.18
a little later on in our study.
00:13:00.21\00:13:02.28
Another interesting thing about
John the Baptist is that he did
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not perform any miracle.
00:13:05.95\00:13:08.22
Notice John 10:41, 42,
John 10:41, 42. It says here:
00:13:08.25\00:13:15.69
Came to Jesus, that is.
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That means no miracle.
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And so you notice
that John the Baptist did
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not perform any sign.
00:13:38.48\00:13:39.81
He did not perform any miracle,
which is a very important
00:13:39.85\00:13:43.85
detail as we study along.
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.75
Another interesting thing about
John the Baptist is that he had
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the testimony of Jesus.
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Notice John 5:31-33.
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And before we read
that passage I need to make
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a note of clarification,
and that is that in English
00:13:59.33\00:14:05.17
we have two words,
which is testify and witness.
00:14:05.21\00:14:09.68
Those two words are
the same Greek word.
00:14:09.71\00:14:14.02
So whenever you find
witness or testimony or testify,
00:14:14.05\00:14:17.89
they are the same Greek word.
00:14:17.92\00:14:19.85
Now notice John 5:31.
00:14:19.89\00:14:23.46
Jesus is speaking and He
says, If I bear witness...
00:14:23.49\00:14:28.40
That can be
translated testimony.
00:14:28.43\00:14:31.40
If I bear testimony of Myself,
My witness, or testimony,
00:14:31.43\00:14:36.87
is not true. There is another
who bears witness, or testimony,
00:14:36.91\00:14:42.18
of Me, and I know that
the witness, or testimony,
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which He witnesses, or
testifies of Me is true.
00:14:46.25\00:14:50.79
You have sent to John,
and he has borne witness,
00:14:50.82\00:14:55.46
or testimony, to the truth.
00:14:55.49\00:14:57.46
Do you get the impression
that John the Baptist had
00:14:57.49\00:14:59.96
the testimony of Jesus?
00:15:00.00\00:15:02.10
He most certainly did.
00:15:02.13\00:15:03.53
It's translated
witness, but it's the same word,
00:15:03.57\00:15:07.64
testimony, in English.
00:15:07.70\00:15:10.27
And so John had the testimony
of Jesus because he was raised
00:15:10.31\00:15:14.84
up to give witness,
or testimony, to Jesus.
00:15:14.88\00:15:18.58
Now another interesting
detail is that John the Baptist
00:15:18.61\00:15:22.75
was not the light.
00:15:22.78\00:15:24.62
Notice John 1:6-8, John 1: 6-8.
00:15:24.65\00:15:30.93
It says here: There
was a man sent from God
00:15:30.96\00:15:34.43
whose name was John.
00:15:34.46\00:15:37.07
This man came for a witness.
00:15:37.13\00:15:40.14
Here's the word again: came for,
to testify, or for a testimony,
00:15:40.17\00:15:44.44
to testify, or bear witness
of the light, that all through
00:15:44.47\00:15:49.04
him might believe.
00:15:49.08\00:15:50.65
Now notice this:
He was not that light.
00:15:50.68\00:15:54.98
Was John the Baptist that light?
00:15:55.02\00:15:56.42
No, he was not that light,
but was sent to bear witness...
00:15:56.45\00:16:01.12
Here's the idea again.
00:16:01.16\00:16:02.49
He was sent to
testify of that light.
00:16:02.52\00:16:05.69
So the question is, Was
John the Baptist the light?
00:16:05.73\00:16:09.93
No, John the
Baptist was not the light.
00:16:09.96\00:16:12.37
But was John
the Baptist a light?
00:16:12.40\00:16:16.00
He most certainly was.
00:16:16.04\00:16:17.84
Go with me to
John 5:35, John 5:35.
00:16:17.87\00:16:23.61
Here Jesus is speaking about
John the Baptist, and He says:
00:16:23.65\00:16:27.62
He was the burning
and shining what? lamp.
00:16:27.68\00:16:34.26
And you were willing, for a
time, to rejoice in his light.
00:16:34.29\00:16:40.16
Did John the Baptist have light?
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.26
He most certainly did.
00:16:42.30\00:16:43.97
Was he the light?
00:16:44.00\00:16:45.60
He was not the light, but he
was a light whose purpose was
00:16:45.63\00:16:50.54
to give witness to the light,
or to testify about the light.
00:16:50.57\00:16:55.78
So I guess we could say that
John the Baptist was a lesser
00:16:55.81\00:17:00.98
light, whose purpose was
to lead to the greater light.
00:17:01.02\00:17:06.52
And, by the way, this is not
my surmising, because let's read
00:17:06.55\00:17:11.13
verse 35 again, and
continue with verse 36.
00:17:11.16\00:17:14.50
It says, He, John, was
the burning and shining lamp.
00:17:14.53\00:17:18.67
And you were willing for a
time to rejoice in his light.
00:17:18.73\00:17:22.80
But then Jesus
says, But I have what?
00:17:22.87\00:17:25.51
a greater witness than John's.
00:17:25.54\00:17:28.88
So who was the lesser light?
00:17:28.91\00:17:32.18
John the Baptist
was the lesser light.
00:17:32.21\00:17:34.98
Who was the greater light?
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.79
The greater light, who gave
greater witness, was none less
00:17:36.82\00:17:41.52
than Jesus Christ.
00:17:41.56\00:17:42.89
In other words, John the Baptist
was the lesser light that God
00:17:42.92\00:17:46.36
raised up to give witness, or to
testify about the greater light.
00:17:46.39\00:17:51.03
I'd like to read you a statement
from that classic book about
00:17:51.07\00:17:55.70
Jesus called, The
Desire of Ages, Page 220.
00:17:55.74\00:18:00.18
The prophet John
was the connecting link
00:18:00.24\00:18:04.65
between the two dispensations.
00:18:04.68\00:18:06.95
That's between the
Old and New Testament.
00:18:06.98\00:18:08.98
As God's representative he
stood forth to show the relation
00:18:09.02\00:18:14.42
of the law and the prophets
to the Christian dispensation.
00:18:14.46\00:18:19.79
He was the lesser
light, which was to be followed
00:18:19.83\00:18:25.90
by a greater light.
00:18:25.93\00:18:28.90
In other words, John the
Baptist was a lesser light
00:18:28.94\00:18:32.51
to lead to the greater light.
00:18:32.54\00:18:34.34
He was not the light, but he
was a light, whose purpose was
00:18:34.38\00:18:39.31
to lead men and
women to the greater light.
00:18:39.35\00:18:42.75
But you know, it's
interesting as we read John 5,
00:18:42.78\00:18:46.55
there was another lesser light.
00:18:46.59\00:18:48.39
You see, John the
Baptist was not what we'd call
00:18:48.42\00:18:51.46
a Canonical prophet.
00:18:51.49\00:18:52.99
In other words He's not one of
the writers of the Scriptures.
00:18:53.03\00:18:56.73
We don't have a book in
the Bible that was written
00:18:56.77\00:18:59.30
by John the Baptist.
00:18:59.33\00:19:00.67
Does that make him less
of a prophet? Absolutely not.
00:19:00.70\00:19:03.87
He was still a prophet even
though he was not an individual
00:19:03.91\00:19:08.21
who had a book that
forms part of Scripture,
00:19:08.24\00:19:11.68
or part of the Bible.
00:19:11.71\00:19:13.05
In other words, he
was an extra- Canonical
00:19:13.08\00:19:16.55
prophet, if you please.
00:19:16.58\00:19:17.92
But do you know that there
was another lesser light besides
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.56
John the Baptist that gave
witness to the greater light?
00:19:20.59\00:19:23.46
You say, What was that light?
00:19:23.49\00:19:24.83
Go with me to John
5:39, 40, John 5:39, 40.
00:19:24.86\00:19:32.50
Here Jesus is speaking to
a group of Jews and He says,
00:19:32.53\00:19:35.50
You search the Scriptures...
00:19:35.54\00:19:37.47
Which Scriptures was
Jesus talking about here?
00:19:37.51\00:19:40.18
There was no New Testament.
00:19:40.21\00:19:41.81
Jesus was still in His
ministry, so there was no
00:19:41.84\00:19:44.75
New Testament written.
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.11
This is the Old
Testament Scriptures.
00:19:46.15\00:19:48.22
So He says, You search the
Scriptures for in them you think
00:19:48.25\00:19:52.39
you have eternal life,
and these are they which what?
00:19:52.42\00:19:56.22
which testify of Me.
00:19:56.26\00:19:58.39
What did the Old
Testament Scriptures do?
00:19:58.43\00:20:01.86
They testified of whom? Jesus.
00:20:01.90\00:20:04.67
What did John the Baptist do?
00:20:04.70\00:20:06.50
He testified of whom? of Jesus.
00:20:06.53\00:20:08.94
So how many
lesser lights do we have?
00:20:08.97\00:20:10.64
We have two lesser
lights that testified to Jesus,
00:20:10.67\00:20:14.08
the greater light.
00:20:14.11\00:20:15.44
We have John the Baptist,
a non-Canonical prophet,
00:20:15.48\00:20:18.35
and we have the
Scriptures, which are part
00:20:18.38\00:20:21.35
of the Biblical Cannon.
00:20:21.38\00:20:23.18
Notice also John
5:45-47, John 5:45-47.
00:20:23.22\00:20:30.23
Do not think that I
shall accuse you to the Father.
00:20:30.26\00:20:34.13
Jesus is speaking.
00:20:34.16\00:20:35.50
There is one who accuses
you: Moses, in whom you trust.
00:20:35.53\00:20:39.83
For if you believe
Moses, you would believe Me,
00:20:39.87\00:20:43.30
for he wrote about Me.
00:20:43.34\00:20:45.54
But if you do not
believe his writings,
00:20:45.57\00:20:47.64
how will you believe My words?
00:20:47.68\00:20:49.54
Whom did Moses write about?
00:20:49.58\00:20:51.21
He wrote about Jesus.
00:20:51.25\00:20:53.01
To whom did Moses give
testimony or witness? to Jesus.
00:20:53.05\00:20:57.09
In other words, Moses was a
lesser light who was to lead to
00:20:57.12\00:21:01.12
Jesus, the greater light.
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.79
So we have two lesser
lights: John the Baptist,
00:21:02.82\00:21:05.63
a non-Canonical prophet,
and we have the Scriptures
00:21:05.66\00:21:09.70
that are part of
the Biblical Cannon.
00:21:09.73\00:21:12.13
And, of course, the question
that begs to be answered
00:21:12.17\00:21:14.60
is this: Why did you need two
lesser lights to lead to Jesus,
00:21:14.64\00:21:20.64
the greater light?
00:21:20.68\00:21:22.01
Why did you need a non-Canonical
prophet, and why did you need
00:21:22.04\00:21:25.71
the writings of the Biblical
Cannon to give witness to
00:21:25.75\00:21:30.49
Jesus, the greater light?
00:21:30.52\00:21:31.85
Wasn't it enough just to have
the Scriptures as a lesser light
00:21:31.89\00:21:36.36
to lead to Jesus,
the greater light?
00:21:36.39\00:21:39.29
Let me explain the reason
why it was needed to have two
00:21:39.33\00:21:44.23
lesser lights to lead to
Jesus, the greater light.
00:21:44.27\00:21:47.74
And I want to frame
this by asking a question.
00:21:47.77\00:21:50.81
Do you believe that the
Jews could have accepted Jesus
00:21:50.84\00:21:55.74
simply by reading the
Scriptures of the Old Testament?
00:21:55.78\00:21:58.68
Do you think it would
have been possible for them to
00:21:58.71\00:22:01.75
recognize Jesus as the Messiah
only by reading the Scriptures
00:22:01.78\00:22:05.99
of the Old Testament, by
reading that lesser light?
00:22:06.02\00:22:08.46
Do you think so? I do.
00:22:08.49\00:22:11.09
You say, How do you know that?
00:22:11.13\00:22:13.50
Because every event of the
life of Jesus was choreographed
00:22:13.53\00:22:18.70
in the written Scriptures.
00:22:18.73\00:22:20.07
You have, in the
material that I gave you a list,
00:22:20.10\00:22:23.64
and I'm going to
go through it quickly.
00:22:23.67\00:22:25.01
We're not going to
read all of the verses.
00:22:25.04\00:22:27.14
The Old Testament
said that the Messiah would
00:22:27.18\00:22:29.38
be born in Bethlehem.
00:22:29.41\00:22:30.81
He would be born of a virgin.
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.25
His birth would be
announced by a star.
00:22:32.28\00:22:34.18
When He was born the
children would be massacred.
00:22:34.22\00:22:36.82
He would be called out of Egypt.
00:22:36.85\00:22:38.69
He would be baptized and
anointed at the end of the
00:22:38.72\00:22:41.12
69th week of Daniel 9.
00:22:41.16\00:22:43.12
He would do
marvelous and powerful works.
00:22:43.16\00:22:45.09
He would be a powerful speaker.
00:22:45.13\00:22:46.70
The Jews would
reject His message.
00:22:46.73\00:22:48.66
They would serve Him with
their lips, while their hearts
00:22:48.70\00:22:50.87
were far from Him.
00:22:50.90\00:22:52.23
He would march into
Jerusalem on a donkey,
00:22:52.27\00:22:54.67
in the midst of
great acclamation.
00:22:54.70\00:22:56.40
He would cast the money
changers out of the temple.
00:22:56.44\00:23:00.18
Zeal for God's
house would consume Him.
00:23:00.21\00:23:02.64
He would be sold for
thirty pieces of silver.
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.21
His disciples would
forsake Him in the garden.
00:23:05.25\00:23:08.08
He would die a vicarious death.
00:23:08.12\00:23:10.49
He would say on the
cross, My God, My God,
00:23:10.52\00:23:12.95
Why have You forsaken Me?
00:23:12.99\00:23:14.56
His hands and His
feet would be pierced.
00:23:14.59\00:23:17.36
Lots would be
cast upon His garments.
00:23:17.39\00:23:19.49
His heart would be
poured out like water.
00:23:19.53\00:23:22.56
His enemies
would spit in His face.
00:23:22.60\00:23:24.67
His enemies would dare Him
to come down from the cross.
00:23:24.70\00:23:27.60
None of His
bones would be broken.
00:23:27.64\00:23:29.57
He would say on
the cross, I thirst.
00:23:29.60\00:23:31.67
His passion would last
three days and three nights.
00:23:31.71\00:23:34.74
He would be buried in
the tomb of a rich man.
00:23:34.78\00:23:37.08
He would
resurrect on the third day.
00:23:37.11\00:23:39.08
He would ascend to heaven.
00:23:39.11\00:23:40.45
And He would sit at
the Father's right hand.
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.78
Was there enough evidence in
the written Scriptures to show
00:23:42.82\00:23:46.59
them that Jesus was
the Messiah? Absolutely.
00:23:46.62\00:23:50.39
So could they have just
discerned the Messiah by looking
00:23:50.43\00:23:54.26
at this lesser light; the
written Scriptures? Absolutely.
00:23:54.30\00:23:58.27
So the question is, Why didn't
they discern Jesus, the Messiah,
00:23:58.30\00:24:05.37
in the written Scriptures?
00:24:05.41\00:24:06.81
The simple reason is that
they were living after a period
00:24:06.84\00:24:11.31
which is called the
Intertestamental period.
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.12
It's a period of
prophetic silence of 400 years
00:24:14.15\00:24:18.19
between the book of Malachi,
and when John the Baptist
00:24:18.22\00:24:22.09
appeared on the scene.
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.46
During that period
the people of Israel
00:24:23.49\00:24:27.06
fell into great darkness.
00:24:27.10\00:24:28.80
Many wrong teachings, many
heresies penetrated Judaism,
00:24:28.83\00:24:34.67
like keeping the
Sabbath legalistically,
00:24:34.70\00:24:37.01
like the idea of the immortality
of the soul, among other things,
00:24:37.04\00:24:40.58
came in among the Jewish nation,
and they were in great darkness.
00:24:40.61\00:24:45.58
And they read the Scriptures
as they wished to read them.
00:24:45.61\00:24:48.78
They wanted the Messiah
to come as a glorious king,
00:24:48.82\00:24:51.75
and that's the way that
they read the Scriptures
00:24:51.79\00:24:54.06
of the Old Testament.
00:24:54.09\00:24:56.59
Notice Matthew 4:16.
00:24:56.62\00:25:00.23
It speaks about the
condition of the people.
00:25:00.26\00:25:03.33
It says the people who sat
in darkness have seen what?
00:25:03.37\00:25:08.37
a great light. And upon those
who sat in the region and shadow
00:25:08.40\00:25:13.48
of death light has dawned.
00:25:13.51\00:25:15.84
So what condition were
the people in when Jesus came?
00:25:15.88\00:25:18.78
They were in what?
00:25:18.81\00:25:20.15
They were in darkness.
00:25:20.18\00:25:21.68
Notice Luke 1:78, 79.
00:25:21.72\00:25:25.59
It says here: Through
the tender mercy of our God,
00:25:25.62\00:25:29.36
with which the dayspring...
00:25:29.39\00:25:31.73
That is the dawning of the sun.
00:25:31.76\00:25:33.60
...the dayspring from on high
has visited us to give light
00:25:33.63\00:25:38.67
to those who sit what?
in darkness, and the shadow
00:25:38.70\00:25:42.87
of death, to guide our
feet into the way of peace.
00:25:42.90\00:25:47.58
So were the Jews understanding
the Old Testament? No.
00:25:47.61\00:25:53.42
Were they oblivious to
the coming of the Messiah
00:25:53.45\00:25:57.55
as He was predicted in
the Old Testament? Absolutely.
00:25:57.59\00:26:01.02
So do you know what God did?
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.86
He says, I'm going to
give them a little help.
00:26:02.89\00:26:05.63
I'm going to raise a non-writing
prophet, a non-Canonical prophet
00:26:05.66\00:26:11.83
that will shine on the pages of
the Old Testament so that they
00:26:11.87\00:26:17.74
can discern the
Messiah when He comes.
00:26:17.77\00:26:21.38
In other words, God is
saying I'm going to help them
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.91
understand the prophecies of the
Old Testament, so that they can
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.55
see the Messiah when He comes.
00:26:28.58\00:26:30.95
They can understand that this
is the Messiah when He comes.
00:26:30.99\00:26:34.52
In other words, John the Baptist
was not raised up to bring
00:26:34.56\00:26:38.66
new light, but to shine upon
the pages of the Old Testament
00:26:38.69\00:26:42.30
so that they could
understand the prophecies
00:26:42.33\00:26:44.83
that they had misunderstood.
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.57
His role was to amplify,
explain, correct them from the
00:26:46.60\00:26:52.47
mistakes they had committed in
studying the other lesser light,
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.11
the written Scriptures, so that
they could discern the Messiah
00:26:56.14\00:27:00.02
in these prophecies.
00:27:00.05\00:27:02.02
You see, the people in the
days of John the Baptist claimed
00:27:02.05\00:27:05.25
to be God's people.
00:27:05.29\00:27:06.62
They professed to be
waiting for the Messiah.
00:27:06.65\00:27:10.36
They professed to love God.
00:27:10.39\00:27:13.19
And yet these very people would
ultimately end up crucifying
00:27:13.23\00:27:18.60
the Messiah, because they
misunderstood the Old Testament.
00:27:18.63\00:27:21.34
So God says, I'm going to raise
up John the Baptist to interest
00:27:21.37\00:27:24.77
them in the study of prophecy.
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.31
They're going to see this
man who dresses like Elijah,
00:27:26.34\00:27:29.81
eats like Elijah, lives
in the dessert like Elijah,
00:27:29.84\00:27:33.21
he talks like Elijah, and maybe
that's going to remind them of
00:27:33.25\00:27:37.82
Malachi 4, where it says,
I'm going to send you Elijah
00:27:37.85\00:27:42.46
before the great and
terrible day of the Lord.
00:27:42.49\00:27:44.43
Maybe this will jog their
thought processes and they'll
00:27:44.46\00:27:47.93
study the prophecies again
from the other lesser light,
00:27:47.96\00:27:50.67
the written Scriptures,
so that they can understand
00:27:50.70\00:27:53.20
that the Messiah has come.
00:27:53.23\00:27:55.24
In other words, He did
not come to bring new light.
00:27:55.27\00:27:58.27
He came to shine upon the light
that had already been given.
00:27:58.31\00:28:06.35
Let me give you an illustration.
00:28:06.38\00:28:08.35
When I came here to Fresno
Central Church, one night I went
00:28:08.38\00:28:11.85
to our tape room here,
and I was going to look for a
00:28:11.89\00:28:15.06
cassette tape, and
I went into the room.
00:28:15.09\00:28:17.99
It was pitch dark.
00:28:18.03\00:28:19.36
I'd never been in the room, but
they told me where the cassettes
00:28:19.39\00:28:21.36
were, so I went in.
00:28:21.40\00:28:22.80
The first thing that you do
is try and find the light switch
00:28:22.83\00:28:25.10
so that you can turn on the
light and find it, you know.
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.94
So I passed my
hand over the wall.
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.17
And for the life
of me, I couldn't find
00:28:29.20\00:28:30.81
any switch anywhere.
00:28:30.84\00:28:32.17
I looked up, and, you know,
I could kind of see that there
00:28:32.21\00:28:34.58
was a bulb in the ceiling.
00:28:34.61\00:28:36.41
So I said, There's got to be
somewhere to turn the light on.
00:28:36.44\00:28:38.51
But, you know, in spite of the
fact that I looked and looked,
00:28:38.55\00:28:41.52
I couldn't find it,
so finally I gave up.
00:28:41.55\00:28:43.15
I said, I'm going
to go to my office.
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.52
I'm going to get a flashlight.
00:28:44.55\00:28:45.89
So I went to the
office and I got a flashlight,
00:28:45.92\00:28:48.02
came to the tape room, turned
on the flashlight, and I started
00:28:48.06\00:28:51.93
flashing the light on the walls.
00:28:51.96\00:28:53.33
And man, I still
couldn't find a switch anywhere.
00:28:53.36\00:28:56.06
So I said, Huh, I've got the
flashlight, I'm going to look
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.87
for the tape, so I went into
a cupboard that was just about
00:28:58.90\00:29:02.67
floor level, and the flashlight
veered, or turned up just a
00:29:02.70\00:29:08.38
little bit, and when it
turned up I saw under one of the
00:29:08.41\00:29:11.21
shelves there the light switch.
00:29:11.25\00:29:13.45
Who would have guessed
that it would be under a shelf?
00:29:13.48\00:29:15.22
Who would ever think so?
00:29:15.25\00:29:16.58
And so what do
you think that I did?
00:29:16.62\00:29:18.22
I turned on the greater light.
00:29:18.25\00:29:20.69
What was the
purpose of the flashlight?
00:29:20.72\00:29:23.06
The purpose of the flashlight
was to help me find the switch
00:29:23.09\00:29:27.16
to the greater light.
00:29:27.20\00:29:28.53
And that was the
purpose of John the Baptist.
00:29:28.56\00:29:31.27
It was to shine on the pages
of the Old Testament so that the
00:29:31.30\00:29:36.00
people could
discern, so that the people
00:29:36.04\00:29:37.97
could see the Messiah.
00:29:38.01\00:29:39.54
For example, you know when John
the Baptist introduces Jesus,
00:29:39.57\00:29:43.31
he says, Behold the
Lamb of God who takes away
00:29:43.35\00:29:48.65
the sin of the world.
00:29:48.68\00:29:50.02
Boy, that was some
revolutionary new truth.
00:29:50.05\00:29:52.35
Was that a revolutionary new
truth? Behold the Lamb of God?
00:29:52.39\00:29:56.52
Would people say, I don't
see a lamb, I see a man? No.
00:29:56.56\00:30:02.33
What would they think of?
00:30:02.36\00:30:03.70
Oh, lambs are
sacrificed morning and evening.
00:30:03.73\00:30:07.80
Isaiah 53 speaks about the
lamb taken to the slaughter.
00:30:07.84\00:30:12.61
The lamb, yeah, could this be
the lamb that we're expecting?
00:30:12.64\00:30:18.78
In other words, John the
Baptist was not bringing any new
00:30:18.81\00:30:22.95
revolutionary light.
00:30:22.98\00:30:24.32
What he was doing was saying,
Here is the Lamb that was
00:30:24.35\00:30:27.99
predicted in Bible prophecy.
00:30:28.02\00:30:29.39
Go back to Isaiah, go back to
the sanctuary service and study
00:30:29.42\00:30:34.00
about the coming of the Messiah.
00:30:34.03\00:30:35.76
In other words he's shining
upon the pages of the Old
00:30:35.80\00:30:38.90
Testament so that both of these
lights, John the Baptist and the
00:30:38.93\00:30:43.27
Old Testament can reveal
clearly that Jesus Christ is
00:30:43.30\00:30:47.58
the expected Messiah.
00:30:47.61\00:30:49.94
Are you understanding
the role of John the Baptist
00:30:49.98\00:30:52.61
not to bring new
truth, new doctrines?
00:30:52.65\00:30:55.88
But, unfortunately, the Bible
tells us that John the Baptist
00:30:55.92\00:30:59.55
was rejected by
God's own people.
00:30:59.59\00:31:02.49
Matthew 11:18 says, For John
came neither eating nor drinking
00:31:02.52\00:31:09.26
and they say, He has a demon.
00:31:09.30\00:31:11.27
They even said that he was demon
possessed; God's own people.
00:31:11.30\00:31:16.00
He was rejected by
the leaders especially.
00:31:16.04\00:31:19.37
Notice Luke 7:29, 30.
00:31:19.41\00:31:21.51
And when all of the people heard
him, that is John the Baptist,
00:31:21.54\00:31:26.51
even the tax
collectors justified God.
00:31:26.55\00:31:28.68
See, the problem was
not with the common people.
00:31:28.72\00:31:30.82
So it says: And when all the
people heard him, even the tax
00:31:30.85\00:31:35.76
collectors justified
God, Having been baptized with
00:31:35.79\00:31:38.59
the baptism of John.
00:31:38.63\00:31:39.96
But the Pharisees...
00:31:40.00\00:31:41.76
By the way, the Pharisees
would be the preachers.
00:31:41.80\00:31:44.20
And lawyers... That
would be the theologians today.
00:31:44.23\00:31:49.24
But the Pharisees, and
the lawyers, or the preachers,
00:31:49.27\00:31:53.78
and the theologians rejected
the will of God for themselves,
00:31:53.81\00:31:57.51
not having been baptized by Him.
00:31:57.55\00:32:01.32
And as we read previously,
in Matthew 17:12, 13 it says:
00:32:01.35\00:32:08.92
Jesus is speaking.
00:32:08.96\00:32:10.29
But I say to you that
Elijah has come already,
00:32:10.33\00:32:12.43
and they did not know him.
00:32:12.46\00:32:14.66
That means that they
rejected him, by the way.
00:32:14.70\00:32:17.53
They did not know him, but
did to him whatever they wished.
00:32:17.57\00:32:21.57
Likewise the Son of man is also
about to suffer at their hands.
00:32:21.60\00:32:26.24
Then the disciples
understood that he spoke to them
00:32:26.27\00:32:30.15
of John the Baptist.
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.28
So let me ask you this, Did
the Jews reject the Messiah?
00:32:34.15\00:32:38.69
They did. Especially the
religious leaders? they did.
00:32:40.12\00:32:45.03
Why did they reject the Messiah?
00:32:45.06\00:32:47.23
Because if you
reject the lesser light,
00:32:47.26\00:32:49.80
you will reject
the greater light.
00:32:49.83\00:32:52.87
They rejected the Scriptures,
and the rejected John.
00:32:52.90\00:32:56.60
And therefore they were
not prepared to receive Jesus,
00:32:56.64\00:32:59.67
the greater light.
00:32:59.71\00:33:01.04
You see the Jews,
they boasted, they said:
00:33:01.08\00:33:03.28
We have Moses, we
have the Old Testament.
00:33:03.31\00:33:07.95
But they didn't understand
anything of the Old Testament.
00:33:07.98\00:33:11.25
They were in blindness.
00:33:11.29\00:33:12.89
They were in darkness.
00:33:12.92\00:33:14.26
And therefore God
said, I'm going to help them
00:33:14.29\00:33:16.62
by sending a lesser light to
lead them to the greater light.
00:33:16.66\00:33:21.90
By the way, John
the Baptist was not
00:33:21.93\00:33:24.77
omniscient or infallible.
00:33:24.80\00:33:28.10
Prophets were human.
00:33:30.34\00:33:31.67
John the Baptist
grew in understanding.
00:33:31.71\00:33:35.11
John the Baptist, for
example, believed that Jesus,
00:33:35.14\00:33:39.11
that there was only going to
be one coming of the Messiah.
00:33:39.15\00:33:41.45
The Messiah was going to come.
00:33:41.48\00:33:43.12
He was going to
destroy the wicked.
00:33:43.15\00:33:47.42
And He was going to reign
on the throne in Jerusalem.
00:33:47.46\00:33:50.59
You read his preaching in
Matthew 3 and it's very obvious
00:33:50.63\00:33:53.96
that he believed that
there was only going to be one
00:33:54.00\00:33:55.53
coming of the Messiah.
00:33:55.56\00:33:56.90
And as you continue reading
Scripture you'll notice that
00:33:56.93\00:34:01.07
when John the Baptist was in
prison, he sent some messengers
00:34:01.10\00:34:04.47
to Jesus and said, Now I
need to get this straight.
00:34:04.51\00:34:07.04
This Messiah isn't fitting
with my view of the Messiah.
00:34:07.08\00:34:10.85
So he sends the message, Are you
the one that we're expecting?
00:34:10.88\00:34:14.62
or are we to expect another?
00:34:14.65\00:34:16.42
Folks this is the same
John the Baptist that...
00:34:16.45\00:34:18.59
He didn't say, Maybe
this is the Lamb of God who
00:34:18.62\00:34:21.32
takes away the sin...
00:34:21.36\00:34:22.69
He said, Behold the
Lamb of God who takes away
00:34:22.72\00:34:24.69
the sin of the world.
00:34:24.73\00:34:26.06
And now he's
saying, Are you the Messiah,
00:34:26.09\00:34:27.73
or are we to expect another?
00:34:27.76\00:34:29.30
You see, he did not
fully understand all of the
00:34:29.33\00:34:32.63
implications of Bible prophecy.
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.64
By the way, when those
messengers went to see Jesus
00:34:34.67\00:34:38.41
all day Jesus healed the
sick, and He cast out demons.
00:34:38.44\00:34:41.31
He did His marvelous works,
and He told the disciples,
00:34:41.34\00:34:43.78
Go tell John what you saw.
00:34:43.85\00:34:45.31
And John finally understood
that the Messiah's coming was
00:34:45.35\00:34:48.85
going to have two stages.
00:34:48.88\00:34:50.22
But the point is that he
grew in his understanding.
00:34:50.25\00:34:54.96
Was John a false prophet because
he did not fully understand
00:34:54.99\00:34:58.99
from the start? Absolutely not.
00:34:59.03\00:35:01.06
Was John the Baptist any less
of a prophet because he grew
00:35:01.10\00:35:05.10
in his understanding in the
course of time? Absolutely not.
00:35:05.13\00:35:08.47
He was a true prophet, but
he grew in his understanding.
00:35:08.50\00:35:11.94
It would be unfair to
look at the John the Baptist
00:35:11.97\00:35:14.58
who preached at the beginning
and say that that was the same
00:35:14.61\00:35:17.85
John the Baptist who had
developed in his understanding
00:35:17.88\00:35:20.62
when he finally
understood the mission
00:35:20.65\00:35:22.88
of the Messiah in prison.
00:35:22.92\00:35:25.35
Now we're going to
talk about another prophet.
00:35:25.39\00:35:28.72
This is an end time prophet.
00:35:28.76\00:35:31.09
Interestingly
enough, this prophet,
00:35:31.13\00:35:35.06
whose name is Ellen White,
arose also in the midst of
00:35:35.10\00:35:39.30
a great religious revival.
00:35:39.33\00:35:40.67
It's known as the
great second advent movement,
00:35:40.70\00:35:44.27
which took place in
the 1830's through 1844.
00:35:44.31\00:35:49.88
And do you know that
this religious revival was the
00:35:49.91\00:35:53.75
fulfillment of the same
prophecy that was fulfilled by
00:35:53.78\00:35:59.12
John the Baptist when
he came and baptized Jesus,
00:35:59.15\00:36:01.56
or anointed the Messiah.
00:36:01.59\00:36:03.83
Because the 2300 day
prophecy, the first part
00:36:03.86\00:36:06.83
of it is the 70 weeks.
00:36:06.86\00:36:08.23
The second part of
it is the 2300 days.
00:36:08.26\00:36:12.33
So it's the same identical
prophecy, only John the Baptist
00:36:12.37\00:36:16.20
comes at the end
of the first segment.
00:36:16.24\00:36:17.91
Ellen White rises after
the second segment of the same
00:36:17.94\00:36:22.44
prophecy, in the midst of
a great religious revival.
00:36:22.48\00:36:25.68
Ellen White was
asked if she was a prophet.
00:36:25.71\00:36:28.15
Interesting! Do
you know what she said?
00:36:28.18\00:36:31.42
Let me just read. This is
in Selected Messages, Volume 1,
00:36:31.45\00:36:34.52
Page 36. She's giving
a speech in Battle Creek,
00:36:34.56\00:36:38.03
which is a famous Seventh-day
Adventist church in Michigan.
00:36:38.06\00:36:41.60
During the discourse I
said that I did not claim
00:36:41.63\00:36:46.23
to be a prophetess.
00:36:46.27\00:36:47.60
Some were
surprised at this statement.
00:36:47.64\00:36:50.31
And as much is being
said in regard to it,
00:36:50.34\00:36:52.91
I will make an explanation.
00:36:52.94\00:36:54.44
Others have called me a
prophetess, but I have never
00:36:54.48\00:36:59.25
assumed that title.
00:36:59.28\00:37:00.62
I have not felt that it was my
duty to thus designate myself.
00:37:00.65\00:37:06.49
Selected Messages, Volume
1, Page 35, she said this:
00:37:06.52\00:37:10.99
When I was last in Battle
Creek I said before a large
00:37:11.03\00:37:14.96
congregation that I did
not claim to be a prophetess.
00:37:15.00\00:37:18.03
Twice I referred to this matter,
intending each time to make
00:37:18.07\00:37:22.60
the statement, I do not
claim to be a prophetess.
00:37:22.64\00:37:26.27
If I spoke otherwise than this,
let all now understand that what
00:37:26.31\00:37:31.88
I had in mind to say was
that I do not claim the title
00:37:31.91\00:37:36.02
of prophet or prophetess.
00:37:36.05\00:37:38.25
So what happened when
people asked Ellen White if
00:37:40.29\00:37:42.32
she was a prophetess?
00:37:42.36\00:37:45.86
She said, No, I
don't claim the title.
00:37:45.89\00:37:48.16
Is that similar to what happened
with John the Baptist? Um.
00:37:48.20\00:37:51.23
So who was Ellen White?
00:37:51.27\00:37:52.93
Selected
Messages, Volume 1, Page 34.
00:37:52.97\00:37:56.07
And I'm telling you what, Ellen
White did not sit down to make
00:37:56.10\00:37:58.54
this parallel that I'm
sharing with you today.
00:37:58.57\00:38:02.04
Selected
Messages, Volume 1, Page 34.
00:38:02.11\00:38:05.91
Ellen White says: But my
work has covered so many lines
00:38:05.95\00:38:09.98
that I cannot call myself other
than what? a messenger sent to
00:38:10.02\00:38:14.76
bear a message from the Lord to
His people, and to take up work
00:38:14.79\00:38:19.49
in any line that He points out.
00:38:19.53\00:38:21.56
So who was she? the
Lord's what? messenger.
00:38:21.63\00:38:25.03
Does that ring a bell?
00:38:25.07\00:38:26.40
Notice Selected
Messages, Volume 1, Page 32.
00:38:26.43\00:38:29.64
Early in my youth I
was asked several times,
00:38:29.67\00:38:33.11
Are you a prophet?
00:38:33.14\00:38:34.48
I have ever responded,
I am the Lord's messenger.
00:38:34.51\00:38:39.81
I know that many
have called me a prophet,
00:38:39.88\00:38:42.72
but I have made no
claim to this title.
00:38:42.78\00:38:45.55
My Savior declared me to
be His what? His messenger.
00:38:45.59\00:38:51.89
So like John the Baptist, she
is the messenger of the Lord.
00:38:51.96\00:38:56.10
By the way, do you know
that some people accused
00:38:56.13\00:38:58.97
Ellen White; said she couldn't
be a true prophet because
00:38:59.00\00:39:00.97
she didn't perform miracles?
00:39:01.00\00:39:02.34
Notice Selected Messages,
Volume 2, Pages 53, 54.
00:39:06.54\00:39:07.88
Some declare their unbelief in
the work that the Lord has given
00:39:07.91\00:39:11.18
me to do because, as
they say, Mrs. E. G. White
00:39:11.21\00:39:15.38
works no miracles.
00:39:15.42\00:39:17.22
Was there another individual
who worked no miracles?
00:39:17.29\00:39:20.62
John the Baptist. She continues
saying: But those who look for
00:39:20.66\00:39:25.76
miracles as a
sign of Divine guidance
00:39:25.79\00:39:28.96
are in grave
danger of deception.
00:39:29.00\00:39:32.10
Did Ellen White have
the testimony of Jesus?
00:39:32.13\00:39:35.80
She most certainly did.
00:39:35.84\00:39:37.54
By the way, she wrote
a series of books called
00:39:37.57\00:39:40.41
Testimonies for the Church.
00:39:40.44\00:39:41.94
In fact she called her writings
The Testimonies many times.
00:39:41.98\00:39:46.45
But not only this, the Bible
shows that the end time church
00:39:46.48\00:39:50.92
would have the
testimony of Jesus Christ,
00:39:50.95\00:39:53.12
the prophetic gift.
00:39:53.15\00:39:54.52
You say, How do we know that?
00:39:54.56\00:39:56.12
Let's notice three verses:
Revelation 12:17 that we already
00:39:56.16\00:40:00.43
looked at the beginning of
our study; Revelation 12:17.
00:40:00.46\00:40:04.00
Now the question is, what is
the testimony of Jesus Christ
00:40:14.01\00:40:17.11
that the remnant has?
00:40:17.15\00:40:18.48
Revelation 19:10 give
us a definition. It says:
00:40:18.51\00:40:22.45
John falls at
the feet of an angel.
00:40:24.69\00:40:26.25
What do the
brethren of John have?
00:40:38.80\00:40:40.54
The brethren of John
have the testimony of Jesus.
00:40:40.57\00:40:44.67
So what is the
testimony of Jesus that the
00:40:51.61\00:40:53.85
end time remnant has?
the spirit of prophecy.
00:40:53.88\00:40:56.45
And John's brothers
have the testimony of Jesus.
00:40:56.48\00:40:58.95
Now go with me to Revelation
22:8, 9, Revelation 22:8, 9.
00:40:58.99\00:41:07.16
Once again this same type of
scene that we saw in Chapter 19.
00:41:18.74\00:41:22.41
Verse 9.
00:41:22.44\00:41:23.78
What did the brethren have
according to Revelation 19:10?
00:41:31.02\00:41:33.99
The brethren had the
what? the testimony of Jesus.
00:41:34.02\00:41:36.93
But here it says what they are.
00:41:36.96\00:41:38.66
It says in Verse 9: Then he said
to me, See that you do not do
00:41:38.69\00:41:43.50
that for I am
your fellow servant,
00:41:43.53\00:41:45.37
So what is it to have
the testimony of Jesus?
00:41:53.54\00:41:57.58
It's to be a what? a prophet.
00:41:57.65\00:42:01.38
So would we expect the
end time remnant church
00:42:01.42\00:42:04.85
to have a prophet?
00:42:04.89\00:42:06.35
We most certainly would.
00:42:06.39\00:42:08.12
Because the end time church
has the testimony of Jesus,
00:42:08.16\00:42:11.39
which is the spirit of prophecy.
00:42:11.43\00:42:14.36
And the reason why it's
called the testimony of Jesus
00:42:14.40\00:42:16.70
is because that end
time prophet is going to
00:42:16.73\00:42:19.43
give witness to Jesus.
00:42:19.47\00:42:21.27
That end time prophet is going
to give testimony about Jesus.
00:42:21.30\00:42:26.24
By the way, do you
know that Ellen White also,
00:42:26.27\00:42:29.18
even though she did not
claim to be a prophet, she says,
00:42:29.24\00:42:33.21
My work is greater
than the work of a prophet.
00:42:33.25\00:42:36.62
Notice Selected
Messages, Volume 1, Page 32,
00:42:36.65\00:42:39.95
My work includes much more
than the word prophet signifies.
00:42:39.99\00:42:45.39
On Page 36 she says, My
commission embraces the work of
00:42:45.43\00:42:50.83
a prophet, but it
does not end there.
00:42:50.87\00:42:52.97
It embraces much more than
the minds of those who have been
00:42:53.03\00:42:57.74
sowing the seeds of
unbelief can comprehend.
00:42:57.77\00:43:00.88
And on Page 36 she says, My
work includes much more than
00:43:00.91\00:43:05.71
this name signifies.
00:43:05.75\00:43:07.22
I regard myself as a messenger
entrusted by the Lord with
00:43:07.28\00:43:11.59
messages for His people.
00:43:11.62\00:43:14.22
So even though she did
not claim to be a prophet,
00:43:14.26\00:43:18.16
she was greater than a prophet.
00:43:18.19\00:43:21.40
Do you know why? Because
John the Baptist was to join,
00:43:21.46\00:43:26.50
or unite, the Old
Testament period with the
00:43:26.53\00:43:29.27
New Testament period.
00:43:29.30\00:43:30.64
The role of Ellen White was
the create the link between this
00:43:30.67\00:43:34.91
dispensation and the coming
of the kingdom of Jesus Christ
00:43:34.94\00:43:39.48
at His second coming.
00:43:39.51\00:43:40.85
In other words, as John the
Baptist was to prepare people
00:43:40.88\00:43:44.25
for the first coming of Jesus,
Ellen White was raised up to
00:43:44.29\00:43:47.62
prepare a people for
the second coming of Jesus.
00:43:47.66\00:43:50.89
And both stand at the
turning point of a dispensation:
00:43:50.93\00:43:54.40
John the Baptist between
the Old and the New Testament,
00:43:54.43\00:43:57.90
Ellen White
between the New Testament
00:43:57.93\00:44:00.04
and the coming kingdom.
00:44:00.07\00:44:01.60
By the way, do you know that
Ellen White also referred to
00:44:01.64\00:44:05.61
herself as a lesser light?
00:44:05.64\00:44:07.54
Notice Selected
Messages, Volume 3, Page 30.
00:44:07.58\00:44:11.51
She says, Little heed is given
to the Bible, and the Lord has
00:44:11.55\00:44:17.89
given a lesser light to
lead men and women to what?
00:44:17.92\00:44:22.69
to the greater light.
00:44:22.72\00:44:24.06
And some people have mistakenly
assumed that Ellen White is
00:44:24.09\00:44:26.80
saying here that the Bible is
the greater light, and she's a
00:44:26.83\00:44:29.60
little lesser light that
was raised up to give light,
00:44:29.63\00:44:33.20
and show people the greater
light, which is the Bible.
00:44:33.23\00:44:36.34
But what's she's saying is
that people ignore the Bible
00:44:36.37\00:44:39.44
just like the Jews
ignored the Scriptures.
00:44:39.47\00:44:41.54
And God raised her up to shine
upon the pages of the Bible
00:44:41.58\00:44:46.38
so that they
could see Jesus Christ
00:44:46.41\00:44:48.95
in the Old and New Testament.
00:44:48.98\00:44:50.35
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:44:50.39\00:44:51.72
Some people might ask, Pastor,
why do you have two smaller
00:44:51.75\00:44:56.76
lights at the end of time?
00:44:56.79\00:44:58.13
Why do you have a
Canonical source of light,
00:44:58.16\00:45:03.26
which is the Scriptures,
and a non-Canonical prophet
00:45:03.30\00:45:07.04
whose writings
are not in Scripture?
00:45:07.10\00:45:08.64
Why would you need to
have two lesser lights?
00:45:08.67\00:45:10.81
Isn't it enough just to have
the Scriptures? that one lesser
00:45:10.84\00:45:15.38
light that leads to
Jesus the greater light?
00:45:15.41\00:45:18.18
Let me explain the reason why.
00:45:18.21\00:45:19.65
You see, just like the
Intertestamental period brought
00:45:19.71\00:45:23.39
darkness into the Jewish
nation, so the middle ages,
00:45:23.42\00:45:27.06
known as the dark
ages, brought darkness into
00:45:27.09\00:45:30.39
the Christian church.
00:45:30.43\00:45:31.76
Many counterfeit doctrines,
false doctrines, like the idea
00:45:31.79\00:45:34.70
that Sunday is the day
that we're supposed to worship,
00:45:34.73\00:45:38.07
the immortality of the soul, and
many other kindred doctrines:
00:45:38.10\00:45:42.64
the idea of an
eternally burning hell.
00:45:42.67\00:45:44.77
All of these things were brought
into the Christian church.
00:45:44.84\00:45:47.44
Darkness came into
the Christian church.
00:45:47.48\00:45:49.71
And so what God did was raise
up Ellen White to shine on the
00:45:49.74\00:45:54.05
pages of the Bible, so
that as she shone on the
00:45:54.08\00:45:56.62
pages of the Bible the
truth could be recovered,
00:45:56.65\00:46:00.49
and people could see
the fullness of truth.
00:46:00.52\00:46:03.29
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:46:03.32\00:46:05.89
Was she raised up
to bring new light?
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.43
Was she raised up to bring
new revolutionary doctrines
00:46:08.46\00:46:11.60
that no one had ever
heard before? Absolute not!
00:46:11.63\00:46:14.24
She was to rescue, to restore
that which had been buried,
00:46:14.27\00:46:19.27
and had been forgotten
by the Christian world,
00:46:19.34\00:46:22.04
so that people
could see Jesus once again
00:46:22.08\00:46:25.21
in the teachings of the Bible.
00:46:25.25\00:46:26.95
Do you know that Ellen White
herself says that if people had
00:46:27.02\00:46:29.95
paid attention to the Bible, God
would have never raised her up?
00:46:29.98\00:46:32.85
Let me ask you, If the
Jews had discerned Jesus
00:46:32.92\00:46:35.79
in the Old Testament, do
you think God would have raised
00:46:35.82\00:46:38.06
up John the Baptist?
00:46:38.09\00:46:39.43
If they'd seen all that
the Messiah was going to do,
00:46:39.46\00:46:42.63
and when Jesus came they would
have receive Him with open arms,
00:46:42.66\00:46:45.37
would God have raised up
John the Baptist? no purpose.
00:46:45.40\00:46:48.77
Would God have raised up Ellen
G. White if the Christian world
00:46:48.80\00:46:54.38
was practicing the
truth, and believing
00:46:54.41\00:46:56.51
what the Bible
teaches? Absolutely not!
00:46:56.54\00:46:58.58
In fact, notice Ellen White
had something very interesting
00:46:58.61\00:47:02.12
to say about her writings.
00:47:02.18\00:47:03.52
Volume 5 of the
Testimonies, Pages 664 and 665,
00:47:03.55\00:47:07.16
she says this, speaking to an
individual: You are not familiar
00:47:07.19\00:47:11.96
with the Scriptures.
00:47:11.99\00:47:13.33
If you had made God's Word your
study, with a desire to reach
00:47:13.36\00:47:17.63
the Bible's standard, and
attain to Christian perfection,
00:47:17.67\00:47:22.30
you would not have
needed the Testimonies.
00:47:22.34\00:47:24.94
Is the Bible sufficient?
00:47:24.97\00:47:27.74
Would the Bible have
been sufficient? Yes.
00:47:27.78\00:47:31.58
Why did God raise her up?
00:47:31.61\00:47:32.98
Because He wanted
people to understand the Bible;
00:47:33.01\00:47:36.48
people who were in darkness.
00:47:36.52\00:47:37.85
You know, would you be critical
of that? that God wants to give
00:47:37.89\00:47:41.49
a helping hand to the Christian
world, so that they can truly
00:47:41.52\00:47:45.36
understand what
the Bible contains?
00:47:45.39\00:47:47.53
She continues saying: It
is because you have neglected
00:47:47.56\00:47:51.53
to acquaint yourselves
with God's inspired book...
00:47:51.57\00:47:55.54
See, because you
neglected to study the Bible.
00:47:55.57\00:47:58.71
...that He has sought
to reach you by simple,
00:47:58.74\00:48:01.81
direct testimonies, calling
your attention to the words
00:48:01.84\00:48:06.11
of inspiration which
you had neglected to obey,
00:48:06.15\00:48:10.45
and urging you to fashion your
lives in accordance with its
00:48:10.49\00:48:14.56
pure and elevated teachings.
00:48:14.59\00:48:16.42
Where did Ellen White
direct people? to the Bible.
00:48:16.46\00:48:21.10
Notice what she continues
saying: The Lord designs to warn
00:48:21.13\00:48:25.73
you, to reprove, to counsel
through testimonies given,
00:48:25.77\00:48:30.37
and to impress your
minds... Listen to this.
00:48:30.41\00:48:33.64
...with the importance
of the truth of His Word.
00:48:33.68\00:48:36.98
The written Testimonies
are not to give new light...
00:48:37.05\00:48:40.32
Is that clear?... but to
impress vividly upon the hearts
00:48:41.85\00:48:47.52
the truths of
inspiration already revealed.
00:48:47.56\00:48:51.99
Man's duty to God and to his
fellow man, has been distinctly
00:48:52.03\00:48:56.56
specified in God's Word,
yet but few of you are obedient
00:48:56.60\00:49:01.10
to the light given.
00:49:01.17\00:49:02.50
Additional truth
is not brought out.
00:49:02.54\00:49:04.41
She's talking
about her writings.
00:49:04.44\00:49:06.78
But God has through the
testimonies simplified the great
00:49:06.81\00:49:11.51
truths already given, and in
His own chosen way brought them
00:49:11.55\00:49:15.58
before the people to awaken,
and impress the mind with them,
00:49:15.62\00:49:19.35
that all may be
left without excuse.
00:49:19.42\00:49:23.76
Does she have it straight?
00:49:25.49\00:49:27.00
Just like John the Baptist.
00:49:28.33\00:49:29.76
Not to bring new light, not to
bring new doctrines, but to lead
00:49:29.80\00:49:34.87
people to once again understand
the light that is given
00:49:34.90\00:49:38.44
in Scripture, so that
through both a clear discernment
00:49:38.47\00:49:41.98
can be gained of Jesus Christ.
00:49:42.04\00:49:44.05
Just to give an illustration:
A few years ago I was preaching
00:49:44.08\00:49:47.62
in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
00:49:47.65\00:49:48.98
I was listening
to a radio talk show.
00:49:49.02\00:49:51.05
And this individual,
not a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:49:51.09\00:49:54.56
he was answering questions.
00:49:54.59\00:49:55.92
And this individual
called and he said, Sir,
00:49:55.96\00:49:58.06
I have two questions.
00:49:58.09\00:49:59.43
My first Bible question
is, Is it a sin to smoke?
00:49:59.46\00:50:03.60
And the second question
is, Is God going to send me
00:50:03.63\00:50:07.94
to hell for smoking?
00:50:07.97\00:50:09.30
And he said, I'll hang up
and take the answer on the air.
00:50:09.34\00:50:12.77
Now I was very amazed by the
questions, but I was even more
00:50:12.81\00:50:16.54
amazed by the answers.
00:50:16.58\00:50:17.91
This minister who was answering
the questions says, Well, with
00:50:17.95\00:50:21.35
regard to your first question,
I can assure you that smoking
00:50:21.38\00:50:25.02
isn't a sin, because you
don't find a text in the Bible
00:50:25.05\00:50:27.72
that says, Thou shall not smoke.
00:50:27.76\00:50:29.32
And he said, With
regards to your second question,
00:50:31.16\00:50:34.03
whether God is going to
send you to hell for smoking,
00:50:34.10\00:50:36.93
No, to the contrary.
00:50:36.97\00:50:38.87
You might make it
to heaven quicker.
00:50:38.90\00:50:41.10
Because he believed that
the man's soul was immortal.
00:50:41.14\00:50:44.97
And if he dies quicker
he'll go to heaven quicker.
00:50:45.01\00:50:47.54
This was a Christian minister
answering questions on the air.
00:50:47.58\00:50:51.28
Now let me ask you, Is there
a text in the Bible that says
00:50:51.31\00:50:54.98
thou shall not
smoke? No, there isn't.
00:50:55.02\00:50:57.19
But are there texts in Scripture
that forbid smoking? Yes.
00:50:57.22\00:51:01.12
The Bible says, Thou
shall not kill quickly.
00:51:01.16\00:51:04.29
That's not what the Bible says.
00:51:04.33\00:51:06.29
The Bible says,
Thou shall not kill.
00:51:06.33\00:51:08.00
Whether you kill slowly with
a cigarette, or whether you kill
00:51:08.03\00:51:11.43
quickly with a gun
makes no difference.
00:51:11.50\00:51:13.47
Both are killing. It's
violating the commandment
00:51:13.50\00:51:16.14
thou shall not kill.
00:51:16.20\00:51:17.54
Besides, the Bible says
that our body is the temple
00:51:17.57\00:51:20.08
of the Holy Spirit.
00:51:20.11\00:51:21.44
Do you know that Ellen White
says that it's a sin to smoke?
00:51:21.48\00:51:23.51
Because it
violates the temple of God.
00:51:23.55\00:51:25.75
So is she really
adding to Scripture?
00:51:25.78\00:51:27.98
She's not adding
anything to Scripture.
00:51:28.02\00:51:30.15
What she's doing is
she's taking the principles
00:51:30.19\00:51:32.99
and she's amplifying Scripture.
00:51:33.02\00:51:35.19
Her writings are
like a telescope.
00:51:35.22\00:51:37.33
Let me ask you, When an
individual, when an astronomer
00:51:37.36\00:51:40.96
looks through a telescope
at the stars, does he see stars
00:51:41.00\00:51:44.53
that you don't see with
your simple eyesight? Yes.
00:51:44.57\00:51:47.87
So the telescope is
creating those stars.
00:51:47.90\00:51:50.74
The telescope is
inventing those stars.
00:51:50.77\00:51:53.58
Are those stars out there?
00:51:53.61\00:51:55.28
What is the purpose of the
telescope? to create new stars,
00:51:55.31\00:51:58.91
or to help us see the
stars that are already there?
00:51:58.95\00:52:01.98
It's for us to see the
stars that are already there.
00:52:02.02\00:52:04.99
Ellen White's
writings are like a telescope.
00:52:05.02\00:52:07.66
If we had spiritual discernment
we wouldn't need the telescope.
00:52:07.69\00:52:12.33
But because the Christian world
is so messed up in its belief
00:52:12.36\00:52:15.83
system, especially about
prophecy, God says, I'm going to
00:52:15.86\00:52:19.33
raise up a prophet, and
I'm going to help them along,
00:52:19.37\00:52:22.54
so that they can come back to
the teachings of the Scriptures.
00:52:22.57\00:52:26.14
Let me give you, in closing,
a parallel that will help you
00:52:29.54\00:52:34.48
understand what I'm saying.
00:52:34.52\00:52:35.85
How many of you have ever
received a visit from a Mormon,
00:52:35.88\00:52:40.86
from a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ
00:52:40.89\00:52:43.06
of Latter Day Saints?
00:52:43.09\00:52:44.43
I see several hands going up.
00:52:44.46\00:52:45.79
By the way, they're good people.
00:52:45.83\00:52:47.33
You know, they have
very high family principles.
00:52:47.36\00:52:50.43
They also have very
good health principles.
00:52:50.47\00:52:53.23
Sometimes they have better
health principles than we do
00:52:53.27\00:52:56.04
as Seventh-day
Adventists, sad to say.
00:52:56.07\00:52:57.87
And they're more family focused,
many times, than we are.
00:52:57.91\00:53:00.74
But having said that,
when they come to the home,
00:53:00.78\00:53:03.95
if they've been to your
house, (they've been to my
00:53:03.98\00:53:07.12
house several times), what is
the first thing that they want
00:53:07.15\00:53:10.75
to teach you when
they come to your house?
00:53:10.79\00:53:13.59
What is the first
study that they give you?
00:53:13.62\00:53:16.36
The whole history of
what? of the Book of Mormon.
00:53:16.39\00:53:22.83
How Joseph Smith
found the golden plates,
00:53:22.86\00:53:25.97
and how Maroni actually
translated these golden plates
00:53:26.00\00:53:31.97
that were in ancient Egyptian,
and how Joseph Smith translated
00:53:32.01\00:53:35.58
them, and the result
is the Book of Mormon.
00:53:35.61\00:53:37.35
That's their first
Bible study; the whole history
00:53:37.38\00:53:40.12
of the Mormon church.
00:53:40.15\00:53:41.48
And the history of the Mormon
book, which is called another
00:53:41.52\00:53:50.03
testament of Jesus Christ.
00:53:50.06\00:53:51.39
You've seen the
advertisements on television.
00:53:51.43\00:53:53.86
Why do they want to
give you the Bible study
00:53:53.90\00:53:56.50
on the Book of Mormon first?
00:53:56.53\00:53:58.03
Let me explain why.
00:53:58.10\00:53:59.43
Because many of
their doctrines they cannot
00:53:59.47\00:54:01.74
prove from the Bible.
00:54:01.77\00:54:03.10
So the first thing that
they have to do is convince you
00:54:03.14\00:54:06.37
that the book of Mormon
is as inspired as the Bible,
00:54:06.41\00:54:10.01
and as reliable as the Bible, so
that then in the Bible studies
00:54:10.05\00:54:14.35
from then on they can
use not only the Bible,
00:54:14.38\00:54:16.79
but also the Book of Mormon.
00:54:16.82\00:54:18.15
In other words, for them
the Book of Mormon, listen,
00:54:18.19\00:54:21.82
supplements Scripture.
00:54:21.86\00:54:23.93
It does not
compliment Scripture,
00:54:23.96\00:54:26.93
it supplements Scripture.
00:54:26.96\00:54:28.73
It has many truths that
are not contained in Scripture,
00:54:28.76\00:54:31.87
according to them.
00:54:31.90\00:54:33.23
The whole history of
the native Americans,
00:54:33.27\00:54:36.24
they say, is in
there and not in the Bible.
00:54:36.27\00:54:39.74
So they have to convince
you that the Book of Mormon is
00:54:39.77\00:54:42.91
as reliable as the Bible.
00:54:42.94\00:54:44.28
Do you know,
Seventh-day Adventists do it
00:54:44.31\00:54:46.21
just the other way around.
00:54:46.25\00:54:47.58
When we give a series of
Bible studies, or a series of
00:54:47.62\00:54:51.32
evangelist meetings,
we go through the Bible
00:54:51.35\00:54:53.69
point by point: state of
the dead, the Sabbath, the law,
00:54:53.72\00:54:57.16
grace, God's grace, healthful
living, baptism, you name it.
00:54:57.23\00:55:00.20
We go through what the Bible
has to say, and then when we
00:55:00.26\00:55:03.20
get to the end... And
I hope that we do this.
00:55:03.23\00:55:05.17
When we get to the end
we say, Oh, by the way,
00:55:05.20\00:55:07.14
we also have a prophet.
00:55:09.20\00:55:11.17
You noticed that we haven't
gotten any of our teachings
00:55:11.21\00:55:14.94
from the prophet;
all from the Bible.
00:55:14.98\00:55:17.51
But the prophet amplifies,
and helps us understand what is
00:55:17.55\00:55:23.08
contained in Scripture, and it's
explained in a beautiful way.
00:55:23.12\00:55:27.89
Are you
understanding the difference?
00:55:27.92\00:55:30.86
Ellen White was raised
up by God to be an end time
00:55:30.93\00:55:36.33
John the Baptist to prepare
God's people in every sphere
00:55:36.36\00:55:41.37
of life: health, publishing,
education, spiritual life,
00:55:41.40\00:55:46.37
institutions, you name it, to
prepare a people in all of the
00:55:46.44\00:55:50.01
areas of life to be
ready for the second coming
00:55:50.05\00:55:53.82
of Jesus Christ
in power and glory;
00:55:53.85\00:55:56.25
just like John the Baptist was
raised up to prepare a people
00:55:56.28\00:55:59.79
for the first coming of Jesus.
00:55:59.82\00:56:01.46
And I'm sad to say that many,
even within the Seventh-day
00:56:01.49\00:56:04.66
Adventist church, are
criticizing Ellen White.
00:56:04.69\00:56:06.86
Books like The White Lie,
all kinds of Internet sites
00:56:06.90\00:56:12.67
that basically trash
the writings of Ellen White
00:56:12.70\00:56:18.47
with vitriolic hatred.
00:56:18.51\00:56:19.91
Do you know, I learned something
long ago, and that is you don't
00:56:19.94\00:56:23.81
get your concept of
someone, or of a church,
00:56:23.85\00:56:26.55
from their friends
or from their enemies.
00:56:26.58\00:56:29.18
You don't get your concept
of a church from the enemies
00:56:29.22\00:56:32.95
of that church, because they're
going to make matters worse
00:56:32.99\00:56:36.69
than they really are.
00:56:36.73\00:56:38.06
And you don't get your
concept from their friends,
00:56:38.09\00:56:40.80
because they're going to
make the church look better
00:56:40.83\00:56:44.00
than it really is.
00:56:44.03\00:56:45.37
What you do is you go and
you check it out for yourself.
00:56:45.40\00:56:49.50
You don't go to the Internet
sites, or to books written
00:56:49.57\00:56:53.91
about Ellen White.
00:56:53.94\00:56:55.28
You go to the source itself.
00:56:55.31\00:56:57.75
And, by the way, Ellen
White was not infallible,
00:56:57.78\00:57:00.45
she was not omniscient.
00:57:00.48\00:57:01.82
She grew in her understanding.
00:57:01.85\00:57:03.32
If you want to see this,
just compare Early Writings
00:57:03.35\00:57:06.59
and the book, The
Great Controversy.
00:57:06.65\00:57:07.99
She grew in her
ability of describing truth.
00:57:08.02\00:57:11.69
And so God has given
this marvelous message
00:57:11.76\00:57:14.60
to the Seventh-day
Adventist church for us
00:57:14.66\00:57:17.47
to share to the world.
00:57:17.50\00:57:18.83
And I pray to God
that we will appreciate it,
00:57:18.87\00:57:21.20
and share it like
the leaves of Autumn.
00:57:21.24\00:57:24.51