- [Announcer] This
presentation is brought to you
00:00:02.23\00:00:03.67
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:00:03.70\00:00:06.60
(upbeat music)
00:00:07.54\00:00:09.10
- Have you ever
seen a bald eagle's nest?
00:00:09.14\00:00:12.01
Eagles often use the
same nest year after year,
00:00:12.04\00:00:15.14
and over time, some
nests grow to enormous size,
00:00:15.18\00:00:19.05
many up to nine feet in
diameter and weighing two tons.
00:00:19.08\00:00:23.12
Both parents provide
well for their offspring,
00:00:23.15\00:00:25.69
and the young birds grow
quickly as they eat voraciously,
00:00:25.72\00:00:29.29
adding a pound every five days.
00:00:29.32\00:00:31.69
But eventually
they must learn to fly
00:00:31.73\00:00:33.73
and hunt for themselves.
00:00:33.76\00:00:35.20
Life for young eagles is tough,
00:00:35.23\00:00:37.03
and tragically only 10
to 20% survive to adulthood.
00:00:37.07\00:00:40.87
They get electrocuted
by landing on wires.
00:00:40.90\00:00:43.34
They're hunted by
poachers, hit by vehicles,
00:00:43.37\00:00:46.07
and sometimes
they simply starve.
00:00:46.11\00:00:48.11
They were once
declared an endangered species,
00:00:48.14\00:00:50.98
but they've made a
surprising comeback.
00:00:51.01\00:00:53.31
Because of its grace,
speed, strength, and its size,
00:00:53.35\00:00:57.09
the bald eagle was chosen
00:00:57.12\00:00:58.72
to symbolize the
United States of America.
00:00:58.75\00:01:01.42
Not only do nations
today choose animals
00:01:01.46\00:01:04.29
as their national
mascots or symbols.
00:01:04.33\00:01:07.13
The Bible also
uses different beasts
00:01:07.20\00:01:09.90
to identify the characteristics
00:01:09.93\00:01:11.73
of prominent
kingdoms in prophecy.
00:01:11.77\00:01:14.77
So join me now as we discover
what the Bible really says
00:01:14.80\00:01:18.44
about the future of the
United States of America.
00:01:18.47\00:01:21.34
The title of our
lesson is dealing
00:01:25.85\00:01:27.85
with "A
Mother-Daughter Conspiracy,"
00:01:27.88\00:01:31.25
and it's based
upon Mark 6:14-29.
00:01:31.29\00:01:36.29
You'll also find this referenced
in the Book of Matthew.
00:01:37.63\00:01:39.66
Jesus tells us that John
the Baptist was the greatest
00:01:39.69\00:01:43.26
of the prophets, not
that he worked longer,
00:01:43.30\00:01:46.13
he never wrote a book,
00:01:46.17\00:01:47.77
but greatest in his dedication
00:01:47.80\00:01:50.51
in his message to prepare the
way for the king, the Messiah.
00:01:50.54\00:01:54.24
He was that voice
crying in the wilderness,
00:01:54.28\00:01:56.58
bringing the people
of God back to a revival,
00:01:56.61\00:02:00.32
calling the people of
Israel back to their Savior
00:02:00.35\00:02:03.82
and their Lord.
00:02:03.85\00:02:05.32
And because of John's
bold and faithful preaching,
00:02:05.35\00:02:08.99
he was not
intimidated by anyone.
00:02:09.02\00:02:11.46
John the Baptist came in
the spirit and power of Elijah,
00:02:11.49\00:02:14.36
according to the angel
that spoke to his father.
00:02:14.40\00:02:17.57
He was not afraid to say
to the scribes and Pharisees,
00:02:17.60\00:02:21.07
"You den of vipers,
00:02:21.10\00:02:22.57
who has warned you to
flee from the wrath to come?"
00:02:22.60\00:02:25.41
He was also not
afraid to tell King Herod,
00:02:25.44\00:02:28.48
"You are committing adultery
00:02:28.51\00:02:30.48
in that you took your
brother Phillip's wife."
00:02:30.51\00:02:33.21
Her name was Herodias.
00:02:33.25\00:02:34.78
And that really aggravated her,
00:02:35.68\00:02:37.25
and she stayed on King Herod,
00:02:37.29\00:02:38.69
said, "You need to
arrest that loud mouth."
00:02:38.72\00:02:41.62
Finally Herod gave in.
00:02:41.66\00:02:43.96
He had John put in prison
00:02:43.99\00:02:45.79
because of his
audacious preaching,
00:02:45.83\00:02:47.86
but she thought,
"That's not enough.
00:02:48.93\00:02:50.23
Herod likes him."
00:02:50.27\00:02:51.63
He would
occasionally go to the prison
00:02:51.67\00:02:53.80
and listen to John the Baptist
00:02:53.84\00:02:55.30
or have John the
Baptist brought up to the palace
00:02:55.34\00:02:57.34
and speak to him and
put 'em back in jail.
00:02:57.37\00:02:59.57
She said, "Well,
pretty soon, John the Baptist
00:02:59.61\00:03:02.01
is gonna wreck this
arrangement I've got."
00:03:02.04\00:03:03.65
Here's she's like the queen
now that she's enticed the king.
00:03:03.68\00:03:08.28
So Herod had a birthday party,
and she had a clever plan.
00:03:08.32\00:03:11.65
Herod had a few drinks,
00:03:12.82\00:03:14.22
and then she said, "Would
you like my daughter to dance?"
00:03:15.66\00:03:19.09
And he said, "Yeah."
00:03:19.13\00:03:20.96
And as she expected, he
made sort of a pompous boast,
00:03:21.00\00:03:24.50
and he said to Salome if
she'd come out and dance,
00:03:24.53\00:03:27.50
he said, "Ask whatever you will.
00:03:27.54\00:03:28.90
Anything up to half my
kingdom, I'll give it to you."
00:03:28.94\00:03:31.64
So she came out, and
she did her exotic dance
00:03:32.77\00:03:36.75
and entertained king and
all the guests that were there,
00:03:36.78\00:03:39.68
the who's who in
the kingdom of Judah.
00:03:39.71\00:03:42.25
And he said, "What do you want?"
She wasn't sure what to ask for.
00:03:43.42\00:03:45.99
You think you'd
get a credit card
00:03:46.02\00:03:47.32
for Nordstrom's or something.
00:03:47.36\00:03:48.86
Went to her mother and
said, "What shall I ask for?"
00:03:50.09\00:03:51.53
She said, "You need to ask
00:03:51.56\00:03:53.63
for the head of John
the Baptist on a platter."
00:03:53.66\00:03:56.36
And I don't know
how reluctant she was,
00:03:57.70\00:03:59.87
but that's what she did.
00:03:59.90\00:04:01.77
The Bible tells us:
00:04:01.80\00:04:03.30
"So she went and said to
her mother, 'What shall I ask?'
00:04:03.34\00:04:05.84
She said, 'The head
of John the Baptist.'"
00:04:05.87\00:04:08.58
And when the king
heard this, he was so sorry,
00:04:08.61\00:04:11.28
but he had made a promise,
00:04:12.21\00:04:14.22
and a king
cannot change his word.
00:04:14.25\00:04:17.19
So an executioner went
to the prison forthwith.
00:04:17.22\00:04:21.06
John was
unceremoniously executed alone,
00:04:21.09\00:04:24.69
this great prophet,
00:04:24.73\00:04:27.03
and the head was
brought, it says,
00:04:27.10\00:04:28.36
in a charger to the mother.
00:04:28.40\00:04:31.03
John's disciples later
came and recovered his body
00:04:31.07\00:04:34.50
and buried his body.
00:04:34.54\00:04:35.87
Now, this is not the first time
00:04:36.91\00:04:39.17
that a
mother-daughter team conspires
00:04:39.21\00:04:43.28
to persecute a prophet of God.
00:04:43.31\00:04:46.68
You read in the
prophecies of Revelation
00:04:46.72\00:04:48.55
about
another-mother daughter team
00:04:48.58\00:04:51.49
that persecutes
the prophets of God.
00:04:51.52\00:04:53.96
John introduced
the ministry of Jesus.
00:04:53.99\00:04:56.12
Jesus ministered for
1,260 days, 3 1/2 years.
00:04:56.16\00:05:01.06
But the Bible tells us
00:05:02.20\00:05:03.50
that there's
another mother-daughter team
00:05:03.53\00:05:06.87
that persecuted
the prophets of God.
00:05:06.90\00:05:08.97
That leads us into
our lesson for tonight.
00:05:09.00\00:05:10.77
Question number one,
00:05:10.81\00:05:12.44
what other mother-daughter
team persecuted God's people
00:05:12.47\00:05:15.34
in the Old Testament?
00:05:15.38\00:05:17.11
I think many of you
are acquainted with a name,
00:05:17.15\00:05:19.08
though you may not know
all the story behind it.
00:05:19.11\00:05:22.58
Bible talks about Jezebel,
00:05:22.62\00:05:25.69
killed the prophets of the Lord.
00:05:25.72\00:05:28.96
King Ahab,
00:05:28.99\00:05:30.33
he married a princess
from the kingdom of Tyre,
00:05:31.53\00:05:35.43
and she was all engrossed and
very devoted to Baal worship.
00:05:35.46\00:05:39.07
That's what happens when
you marry outside your faith.
00:05:39.10\00:05:41.80
And she began to push the king
00:05:41.84\00:05:43.61
and push the king
and to push the king.
00:05:43.64\00:05:45.47
The Bible says, "Nobody
in Israel ever sold themself
00:05:45.51\00:05:48.34
to do Israel like Ahab, whom
his wife Jezebel stirred up."
00:05:48.38\00:05:53.38
One time Ahab said,
00:05:54.85\00:05:56.15
"I'd like to have
that vineyard nextdoor,
00:05:56.18\00:05:57.82
but Naboth doesn't
wanna sell it to me."
00:05:57.85\00:05:59.82
She said, "Give
me your signet ring.
00:05:59.85\00:06:01.29
I'll take care of it for you."
00:06:01.32\00:06:02.82
And she arranged a feast,
00:06:03.93\00:06:06.33
had everybody
falsely accuse Naboth.
00:06:06.36\00:06:08.86
He was taken out of the city.
00:06:08.90\00:06:10.30
He was executed, and
she came back and says,
00:06:10.33\00:06:12.13
"Now you can have that vineyard.
00:06:12.17\00:06:13.47
I killed the man who
owns it." Ruthless woman.
00:06:13.50\00:06:18.54
For 3 1/2 years, she
persecuted the prophets.
00:06:18.57\00:06:21.64
You remember the famine?
00:06:21.68\00:06:23.11
Elijah fled into the
wilderness 1,260 days.
00:06:23.14\00:06:28.15
That time period comes up in
Daniel, speaking of the beast,
00:06:29.58\00:06:32.75
and in Revelation several times.
00:06:32.79\00:06:35.06
Let me give you one more.
00:06:36.26\00:06:37.89
1,260 days was the time of
the famine in the days of Elijah
00:06:37.93\00:06:42.90
when Jezebel was
persecuting the prophets of God.
00:06:44.23\00:06:45.70
Obadiah the prophet hid
a bunch of them in caves.
00:06:45.73\00:06:48.30
You may have read about that.
00:06:48.34\00:06:50.14
1,260 days was a period
of time when Jesus taught,
00:06:50.17\00:06:55.18
and then He was executed.
00:06:56.04\00:06:57.38
1,260 days, 42
months, 3 1/2 years,
00:06:58.18\00:07:01.95
talking about
the Jewish calendar,
00:07:01.98\00:07:04.15
is the period of time
from the time of Christ
00:07:04.19\00:07:08.09
to the stoning of Stephen
00:07:08.12\00:07:10.16
when the gospel then
went to the Gentiles.
00:07:10.19\00:07:13.09
You read in the Book of
Esther, did you ever catch this?
00:07:13.13\00:07:16.16
"In the third year of
the reign of Ahasuerus,"
00:07:16.20\00:07:19.17
this is how the book begins,
00:07:19.20\00:07:21.04
"he had a feast
lasting 180 days."
00:07:21.07\00:07:23.34
What's half of 360?
00:07:23.37\00:07:24.97
180.
00:07:26.54\00:07:28.08
And at the end of
that period of time,
00:07:28.11\00:07:29.68
Vashti the queen is deposed,
00:07:29.71\00:07:32.81
and they begin the
search ultimately for Esther,
00:07:34.52\00:07:36.92
another 3 1/2.
00:07:36.95\00:07:38.35
You'll find that time
period continues to appear.
00:07:38.39\00:07:40.56
Prophetically, we
learned that from 538 to 1798,
00:07:40.59\00:07:45.53
you've got this other 1,260
year period of time, not days.
00:07:47.03\00:07:52.00
It's when you
use a day for year,
00:07:53.37\00:07:55.27
the Dark Ages when
religion was running things
00:07:55.30\00:07:58.74
in civilization.
00:07:58.77\00:08:00.78
Not only was it
Jezebel. Jezebel had a daughter.
00:08:00.81\00:08:03.78
Her name was Athaliah.
00:08:03.81\00:08:05.95
It says: "When Athaliah
saw that her son was dead,
00:08:05.98\00:08:08.92
she arose and destroyed
all of the royal heirs,"
00:08:08.95\00:08:11.72
the seed of David.
00:08:11.75\00:08:13.05
She tried to kill 'em all,
00:08:13.09\00:08:14.39
but one young boy
named Joash escaped.
00:08:14.42\00:08:17.09
And ultimately she
ruled for six years,
00:08:17.13\00:08:20.03
and then she was slain.
00:08:20.06\00:08:21.36
Question number two,
00:08:22.56\00:08:24.07
what is the second angel's
message in Revelation 14?
00:08:24.10\00:08:27.10
We talked about the
first angel's message:
00:08:27.14\00:08:28.80
"Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:08:28.84\00:08:30.17
for the hour of
his judgment is come.
00:08:30.21\00:08:31.67
And worship Him that
made the heaven and the earth
00:08:31.71\00:08:33.78
and the sea and the
fountains of waters."
00:08:33.81\00:08:35.48
The second angel has a message.
00:08:35.51\00:08:37.31
You read it in Revelation 14:8:
00:08:37.35\00:08:39.71
"Another angel followed, saying,
00:08:39.75\00:08:41.78
'Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city,
00:08:41.82\00:08:46.62
because she," now is
it talking about a city?
00:08:46.65\00:08:50.19
Is it talking about a church?
00:08:50.23\00:08:52.26
"For she has made all
nations drink of the wine
00:08:52.29\00:08:55.96
of the wrath of
her fornication."
00:08:56.00\00:08:58.07
We'll find out what that wine is
00:08:58.10\00:08:59.57
and who this woman is
and what that city is.
00:08:59.60\00:09:02.04
The Bible is
very clear about that.
00:09:02.07\00:09:04.21
Question number three,
00:09:04.24\00:09:05.67
how does God symbolize
Babylon in Revelation 17?
00:09:05.71\00:09:09.98
If you have your Bibles,
00:09:10.01\00:09:11.41
or you've got your
device with a Bible on it,
00:09:11.45\00:09:12.95
you'll wanna turn there with
me to the Book of Revelation,
00:09:12.98\00:09:15.25
last book in the
Bible, chapter 17.
00:09:15.28\00:09:17.52
And it describes
this very unusual woman.
00:09:18.69\00:09:23.66
Verse one: "Then
one of the seven angels
00:09:24.93\00:09:28.66
who had the seven bowls,"
these are the seven vials
00:09:28.70\00:09:31.20
with the plagues
that are poured out,
00:09:31.23\00:09:33.20
"he came, and he
talked with me saying,
00:09:33.23\00:09:35.34
'Come, I will
show you the judgment
00:09:35.37\00:09:37.51
of the great harlot
who sits on many waters
00:09:37.54\00:09:40.68
with whom the kings of the earth
have committed fornication,
00:09:40.71\00:09:43.75
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk
00:09:43.78\00:09:46.45
with the wine of
her fornication.'
00:09:46.48\00:09:49.05
So he carried me away in
the spirit into the wilderness.
00:09:49.08\00:09:52.19
And I saw a woman sitting
on a scarlet-colored beast
00:09:52.22\00:09:55.92
which was full of
names of blasphemy,
00:09:55.96\00:09:58.83
having seven heads and 10 horns.
00:09:58.86\00:10:02.16
The woman was arrayed
in purple and scarlet,
00:10:02.20\00:10:04.87
adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls,
00:10:04.90\00:10:07.90
having in her hand a golden
cup full of the abominations
00:10:07.94\00:10:11.51
and filthiness
of her fornication.
00:10:11.54\00:10:13.91
And on her forehead
a name was written."
00:10:13.94\00:10:16.21
Now, I'm hoping you're
realizing that this is symbolic
00:10:16.24\00:10:18.98
because you're probably
not gonna see too many people
00:10:19.01\00:10:21.28
that have a whole
paragraph on their forehead.
00:10:21.32\00:10:23.89
"On her forehead was written:
00:10:23.92\00:10:25.62
'Mystery, Babylon the
great, the mother of harlots,"
00:10:25.65\00:10:30.36
mother and daughters,
"'and abomination of the earth.'
00:10:30.39\00:10:34.93
"And I saw the woman drunk
with the blood of the saints
00:10:34.93\00:10:38.20
and with the blood
of the martyrs of Jesus.
00:10:38.23\00:10:41.27
And when I saw her, I
marveled with great amazement."
00:10:41.30\00:10:45.47
Now, if you still
got your Bibles open,
00:10:45.51\00:10:47.88
just jump to verse nine.
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.21
The angel begins
to explain the vision:
00:10:49.24\00:10:51.95
"Here is the
mind that has wisdom:
00:10:51.98\00:10:54.32
The seven heads
are seven mountains
00:10:54.35\00:10:56.35
on which the woman sits."
00:10:56.38\00:10:58.19
It's definitely not
talking about ancient Babylon.
00:10:58.22\00:11:00.29
There were no mountains
around ancient Babylon.
00:11:00.32\00:11:02.69
You look in verse 15:
"The waters which you saw,
00:11:04.09\00:11:07.30
where the harlot sits, are
peoples, multitudes, nations."
00:11:07.30\00:11:11.50
It's not one nation.
00:11:11.53\00:11:12.83
Nations this woman is over,
00:11:12.87\00:11:15.14
and tongues,
languages, many languages.
00:11:15.17\00:11:18.01
And if you're in doubt,
you go to the last verse:
00:11:18.04\00:11:21.24
"The woman that you
saw is that great city
00:11:21.28\00:11:24.01
that reigns over
the kings of the earth."
00:11:24.05\00:11:26.61
What great city was
reigning over the kings
00:11:26.65\00:11:28.68
of the earth when
John was imprisoned
00:11:28.72\00:11:31.09
on the island of
Patmos and had his vision?
00:11:31.12\00:11:33.92
So here you have a
picture of a woman.
00:11:33.96\00:11:36.96
What does a woman
represent? A church.
00:11:36.99\00:11:40.30
This woman has
become unfaithful.
00:11:40.33\00:11:43.03
Tells us, first of all, it
says she's guilty of blasphemy.
00:11:43.06\00:11:45.87
Now when we say blasphemy,
00:11:45.90\00:11:47.84
let's use the
Biblical definition.
00:11:47.87\00:11:50.01
The religious leaders said
00:11:50.04\00:11:51.54
that Jesus was
guilty of blasphemy because
00:11:51.57\00:11:54.34
Jesus claimed the prerogatives
that belonged to God.
00:11:54.38\00:11:57.71
That's a
definition for blasphemy.
00:11:57.75\00:11:59.78
When Jesus said he
could forgive sin, they said,
00:11:59.81\00:12:02.62
"That's blasphemy.
00:12:02.65\00:12:03.95
Who can forgive
sin but God alone?"
00:12:03.99\00:12:05.42
They're right, but
Jesus is God the Son, correct?
00:12:05.45\00:12:08.66
It says she's arrayed.
Here's something very practical.
00:12:08.69\00:12:11.33
It talks about some
of the principle colors.
00:12:11.36\00:12:13.23
She's arrayed in
purple and scarlet
00:12:13.26\00:12:16.33
and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls.
00:12:16.36\00:12:19.83
It says she has harlot
daughters who have also fallen.
00:12:19.87\00:12:23.87
Now, the average people
couldn't read the Bible,
00:12:23.91\00:12:26.41
but the priests had them.
00:12:26.44\00:12:27.88
And as they would read
the Bible, often in Latin,
00:12:27.91\00:12:30.85
they realized there
was a great disparity
00:12:30.88\00:12:32.48
between what the
church was practicing
00:12:32.51\00:12:34.52
and the doctrines of the Bible,
00:12:34.55\00:12:37.05
and they would protest.
00:12:37.09\00:12:38.62
And ultimately it
became a showdown.
00:12:38.65\00:12:40.52
On October 31st,
just about 500 years ago,
00:12:40.56\00:12:43.69
a little more
than 500 years ago,
00:12:43.73\00:12:45.49
Martin Luther nailed his
protests, those 95 theses,
00:12:45.53\00:12:49.30
on the doors of
the Wittenberg Church.
00:12:49.33\00:12:51.73
And they said it was
because of certain doctrines,
00:12:51.77\00:12:55.07
but when they came out they
didn't come all the way out.
00:12:55.10\00:12:59.14
What I mean by that is they
protested certain doctrines,
00:12:59.17\00:13:02.58
but they still retained
in their teachings things
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.88
that could not be
found in the Bible
00:13:04.91\00:13:06.48
'cause they were traditions
that they just had for years.
00:13:06.51\00:13:09.35
So just like a mother is
gonna have some resemblance to,
00:13:09.38\00:13:11.99
or daughter's gonna have
some resemblance to the mother,
00:13:12.02\00:13:14.56
these daughters have some
resemblance to the mother.
00:13:14.59\00:13:17.86
And we'll go through
what those characteristics are
00:13:17.89\00:13:19.93
in just a moment.
00:13:19.96\00:13:21.26
Don't go anywhere, friends.
00:13:22.56\00:13:23.87
We'll be back in just a moment
00:13:23.90\00:13:25.20
for the rest of
today's presentation.
00:13:25.23\00:13:27.90
You probably already know
00:13:27.94\00:13:29.94
that the United States is one
of the most powerful economic
00:13:29.97\00:13:33.21
and military nations in history.
00:13:33.24\00:13:35.98
But have you ever wondered
if the Bible has anything
00:13:36.01\00:13:39.11
to say about the
US in Bible prophecy?
00:13:39.15\00:13:41.48
What if I told you that it does?
00:13:42.35\00:13:44.15
Would it surprise
you? Well, it's true.
00:13:44.19\00:13:47.12
Using vivid symbolic imagery,
00:13:47.16\00:13:49.52
the Book of Revelation
details the rise of America
00:13:49.56\00:13:53.19
and the prominent
role that it will play
00:13:53.23\00:13:55.20
in the last days
of human history.
00:13:55.23\00:13:57.67
If you'd like to know more
about this important subject,
00:13:57.70\00:14:00.30
Amazing Facts wants to
send you a special gift
00:14:00.34\00:14:03.17
called "The USA
in Bible Prophecy."
00:14:03.20\00:14:06.91
This short but insightful
study guide will astound you
00:14:06.94\00:14:10.51
as you see for
yourself how the Book
00:14:10.55\00:14:12.51
of Revelation
pinpoints the United States
00:14:12.55\00:14:15.45
as a major player in
these end-time events
00:14:15.48\00:14:18.32
and what you can
do to be ready for it.
00:14:18.35\00:14:20.46
To get your free copy,
call the number on your screen
00:14:20.49\00:14:23.49
and ask for offer 181,
or visit the web address.
00:14:23.53\00:14:27.66
And after you read
this incredible resource,
00:14:27.66\00:14:29.93
make sure and
share it with a friend.
00:14:29.96\00:14:32.20
Well, let's get back to the
rest of today's presentation
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.70
and learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:14:34.74\00:14:37.51
Says she was a
persecuting power.
00:14:38.67\00:14:40.94
She persecuted and
martyred the saints.
00:14:42.11\00:14:44.58
Now we're living in a
little more sophisticated time
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.82
in history, but if you
go back a few hundred years,
00:14:46.85\00:14:49.52
I don't know if
you've read in history
00:14:49.55\00:14:50.85
about the Spanish Inquisition.
00:14:50.89\00:14:52.69
But Karen and I were in Spain.
00:14:53.66\00:14:56.29
Oh, it's been three
or four years ago now.
00:14:56.32\00:14:58.79
And while we were there,
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.96
we'd go by several of
the shops on the streets,
00:15:01.00\00:15:03.26
and it would
say, pay a few pesos,
00:15:03.30\00:15:06.90
and you can go down and
look at the torture implements
00:15:06.94\00:15:09.60
underneath the churches.
00:15:09.64\00:15:11.47
And we went down, and oh man,
00:15:11.51\00:15:13.21
it was just very disturbing
00:15:14.14\00:15:17.78
to look at
these torture machines
00:15:17.81\00:15:20.12
and tools that they had
to try to get these people
00:15:20.15\00:15:24.29
that were heretics
to recant or repent
00:15:24.32\00:15:27.59
or extracting confessions.
00:15:27.62\00:15:29.99
And I won't even go into detail
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.03
because children
will watch these programs,
00:15:32.06\00:15:34.83
but you can look it
up if you're curious
00:15:34.86\00:15:37.50
if you got a strong stomach.
00:15:37.53\00:15:39.37
And this didn't
happen for a year or two.
00:15:39.40\00:15:41.54
The numbers from historians
are somewhere between 30
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.41
and 50 million
people, Christians and Jews,
00:15:44.44\00:15:49.14
were killed by the church
during this time of persecution.
00:15:49.18\00:15:53.42
Friends, this
was no small thing.
00:15:53.45\00:15:55.58
A few hundred years, we
start forgetting what happened.
00:15:55.62\00:15:58.72
And Jesus did
not operate that way,
00:15:58.75\00:16:01.29
saying, "If you
don't agree with me,
00:16:01.32\00:16:02.62
or you don't follow
me, I'm gonna torture you."
00:16:02.66\00:16:05.26
He invited people to follow.
00:16:05.29\00:16:06.93
If they walked
away, they walked away.
00:16:06.96\00:16:08.46
I mean, Jesus used love.
00:16:08.50\00:16:09.80
He you did not
use force and pain
00:16:09.83\00:16:11.70
to make someone follow Him.
00:16:11.73\00:16:13.54
It's says she sits
upon seven mountains.
00:16:13.57\00:16:16.57
You could Google
it on your phone,
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.47
just don't do it right now,
00:16:18.51\00:16:19.84
city of seven hills.
00:16:21.21\00:16:22.84
So you got a
woman, represents what?
00:16:22.88\00:16:25.75
Church.
00:16:25.78\00:16:27.98
This great city reigns
over the kings of the earth,
00:16:28.02\00:16:30.02
sits among seven hills,
00:16:30.85\00:16:32.45
scarlet and purple, wealth.
00:16:33.39\00:16:36.89
Goes on to say that she's
also got a gold cup in her hand,
00:16:38.33\00:16:41.96
says that she rules
over the kings of the earth.
00:16:42.00\00:16:44.73
You know if you read
anything about history
00:16:45.90\00:16:48.50
during the Dark Ages,
00:16:48.54\00:16:50.31
By the way, you know why
the Dark Ages were called dark?
00:16:50.34\00:16:53.54
'Cause the church said
that the average person
00:16:53.58\00:16:55.48
should not be reading the Bible
because there's too much risk.
00:16:55.51\00:16:57.71
They won't understand it.
00:16:57.75\00:16:59.21
They said the church
must interpret it for you.
00:16:59.25\00:17:00.92
The Bibles were often in Latin,
00:17:00.95\00:17:03.08
and they were chained in
the walls of the monasteries
00:17:03.12\00:17:06.72
and the churches.
00:17:06.76\00:17:08.99
And the average
person did not have the Word.
00:17:09.02\00:17:12.56
Martin Luther
translated the Bible
00:17:12.59\00:17:14.23
into the language of the people,
00:17:14.30\00:17:15.56
as did Wycliffe
and many of the others.
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.33
They wanted to give
the Word to the people,
00:17:17.37\00:17:19.27
and that's when there
was an explosion of belief
00:17:19.30\00:17:22.14
and revival when the people
could read for themselves.
00:17:22.17\00:17:25.24
Jesus spoke to
the common people.
00:17:25.27\00:17:27.18
Anyone can understand
the teachings of Christ.
00:17:27.21\00:17:29.74
That was called the Dark Ages
00:17:29.78\00:17:31.08
because the Bible
is a lamp to my feet
00:17:31.11\00:17:32.48
and a light to my path.
00:17:32.51\00:17:33.82
You take away the
light, you've got darkness.
00:17:33.85\00:17:36.95
That's what happened.
00:17:36.99\00:17:38.65
How do the beasts of
Revelation 13 and 17 compare?
00:17:38.69\00:17:42.72
It tells us: "I stood
upon the sand of the sea,
00:17:42.76\00:17:45.29
and I saw a beast
rising up out of the sea,
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.96
having seven heads and 10 horns,
00:17:47.96\00:17:51.47
and on his heads
a blasphemous name."
00:17:51.50\00:17:55.57
Now, not only do you see
this here in Revelation 13:1.
00:17:55.60\00:17:59.14
You look in Revelation 12,
00:17:59.17\00:18:01.44
and it talks about a beast
with seven heads and 10 horns.
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.41
Now, if you're
driving down the road,
00:18:05.48\00:18:07.05
you've seen a deer
crossing before, right?
00:18:07.08\00:18:09.92
Have you ever seen a
crossing where you got a beast
00:18:09.95\00:18:12.85
with seven heads and 10 horns?
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.22
No.
00:18:15.26\00:18:16.86
And it says: "I
saw a woman sitting
00:18:16.89\00:18:18.39
on a scarlet beast which
was full of names of blasphemy,
00:18:18.43\00:18:22.03
having seven
heads and 10 horns."
00:18:22.06\00:18:25.10
It's very interesting
that you've got this beast.
00:18:25.13\00:18:28.60
Now is this a literal
beast in the last days,
00:18:28.64\00:18:30.67
or is it a symbol?
00:18:30.71\00:18:33.21
This is symbolic. So
there's a big similarity.
00:18:34.44\00:18:38.61
Revelation 12,
you've got that beast,
00:18:38.65\00:18:41.42
and it says that
it's the power of Rome
00:18:41.45\00:18:43.99
that tries to destroy
the baby, the manchild,
00:18:44.02\00:18:46.72
as soon as it was born.
00:18:46.76\00:18:48.16
The Roman power tried to destroy
Jesus when he was a baby.
00:18:48.19\00:18:51.06
What is the meaning and
the origin of the word Babylon?
00:18:52.53\00:18:54.96
Well, you go back
to the Tower of Babel.
00:18:56.16\00:18:57.67
You read in Genesis 11:4,6,7:
00:18:57.70\00:19:01.40
"Let us build ourselves a city
00:19:01.44\00:19:03.71
and a tower whose
top is in the heavens.
00:19:03.74\00:19:07.01
And the Lord said,
'Let us go down there
00:19:07.04\00:19:08.88
and confuse their language,
00:19:08.91\00:19:10.81
that they may not understand
one another's speech.'
00:19:10.85\00:19:14.18
Therefore the name
of it is called Babel
00:19:14.22\00:19:16.02
because there the Lord confused
the language of the earth."
00:19:16.05\00:19:19.49
So one of the characteristics
00:19:19.52\00:19:20.82
of Babylon is
confusion of doctrines.
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.09
There's just a lot of
different beliefs out there
00:19:24.13\00:19:26.09
that leave people wondering
what in the world is going on.
00:19:26.13\00:19:28.76
There's a confusion in Babylon.
00:19:28.80\00:19:31.50
How does God describe Babylon
in urging His people to leave?
00:19:31.53\00:19:35.27
Revelation 18:2,
00:19:36.67\00:19:38.37
and it says, "He cried
mightily with a loud voice,
00:19:39.77\00:19:41.98
saying, 'Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen,
00:19:42.01\00:19:46.98
and has become the
dwelling place of demons
00:19:48.12\00:19:49.65
and the prison of
every foul spirit.'"
00:19:49.68\00:19:52.39
Now why does he say,
00:19:52.42\00:19:53.72
"Babylon the great
is fallen, is fallen?"
00:19:53.76\00:19:56.32
Well, you had the fall of
Babylon back when the children
00:19:56.36\00:19:58.49
of Israel were in
Babylon in the Old Testament.
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.03
But then Babylon falls
again in prophetic times.
00:20:01.06\00:20:04.70
Now let me put you in the
Bible mind for just a moment.
00:20:04.73\00:20:09.50
The children of Israel,
they were captives in Babylon,
00:20:09.54\00:20:13.68
but long before that,
where did Abraham come from?
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.71
Mesopotamia.
00:20:18.18\00:20:19.88
Abraham brought his wife and
his family out of Mesopotamia,
00:20:19.91\00:20:24.15
the same region of Babylon.
00:20:24.19\00:20:25.92
Anything that was
over the Euphrates River
00:20:25.95\00:20:28.29
was in that territory.
00:20:28.32\00:20:29.72
He brought her out of
Babylon into the promised land.
00:20:29.76\00:20:33.03
Abraham then has a son.
00:20:33.06\00:20:34.36
What's his name? Isaac.
00:20:34.36\00:20:37.97
And God says to Abraham,
00:20:38.00\00:20:40.34
"Don't want your son marrying
one of these Canaanite girls.
00:20:40.37\00:20:43.41
He's gotta go back
and bring his wife out."
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.91
So a servant comes and
gets a wife named Rebecca,
00:20:45.94\00:20:48.84
brings her out of Mesopotamia
into the promised land.
00:20:48.88\00:20:52.41
Jacob then goes
looking for a wife.
00:20:52.45\00:20:54.28
Where's he go?
00:20:54.32\00:20:55.75
Back across the Euphrates.
00:20:55.78\00:20:57.99
He ends up with four
for the price of one.
00:20:58.02\00:21:00.12
He gets Rachel and her sister
00:21:00.99\00:21:02.72
and the two
handmaids and all the kids.
00:21:02.76\00:21:05.19
They come out of
Babylon into the promised land.
00:21:05.23\00:21:09.33
Then the children of Israel,
00:21:09.36\00:21:10.60
because of their unfaithfulness,
are conquered by Nebuchadnezzar.
00:21:10.63\00:21:12.93
They're carried
off to Mesopotamia.
00:21:12.97\00:21:16.07
After 70 years in Mesopotamia,
Cyrus the Persian comes,
00:21:16.10\00:21:20.08
conquers Belshazzar,
00:21:20.11\00:21:23.61
and he says, "I'm
gonna let the people go."
00:21:23.65\00:21:25.28
Now the problem is whenever
you stay someplace for 70 years,
00:21:25.31\00:21:30.32
I've seen how much stuff I
bring when I go on a weekend.
00:21:31.72\00:21:33.52
You ever go
camping for a weekend,
00:21:34.76\00:21:36.22
and you come back with just
half the food is still there?
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.86
If you stay
somewhere for 70 years,
00:21:40.20\00:21:42.16
and you make friends
and you have a family,
00:21:42.20\00:21:44.73
and you learn the language,
00:21:44.77\00:21:46.27
and then all of a
sudden after 70 years
00:21:46.30\00:21:48.37
of being in a country
00:21:48.40\00:21:49.90
and really getting to
where you kind of feel at home,
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.64
then God says
through his prophets,
00:21:51.67\00:21:54.01
"Let's go back to
the promised land."
00:21:54.04\00:21:55.88
You go, "Oh that sounds
exciting, sounds like an
00:21:55.91\00:21:59.55
adventure, but kind of
comfortable right now."
00:21:59.58\00:22:02.58
God says, "You need
to come out of Babylon
00:22:02.62\00:22:04.22
'cause plagues are
gonna fall on Babylon.
00:22:04.25\00:22:06.29
You need to go to the land
like your father Abraham did,
00:22:06.32\00:22:09.76
where I'm gonna give
you this land forever.
00:22:09.79\00:22:11.66
You need to have faith.
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.09
Trust me."
00:22:13.13\00:22:14.63
There was a lot of reluctance
among the children of Israel
00:22:14.66\00:22:17.13
and Babylon about coming out.
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.37
In the last days,
God is calling people
00:22:19.40\00:22:22.04
that believe His Word
back to the Word of God.
00:22:22.07\00:22:25.44
Now that's gonna mean for
some people changing churches.
00:22:25.47\00:22:30.08
That is not easy.
00:22:30.11\00:22:32.05
People say, "Oh, our family's
been believing these things
00:22:32.08\00:22:34.72
and part of this
church for years.
00:22:34.75\00:22:36.65
All our friends are there."
00:22:36.69\00:22:38.62
Are they teaching the truth?
00:22:38.65\00:22:40.39
Are they practicing,
00:22:40.42\00:22:41.72
are they proclaiming
the truth of Jesus Christ?
00:22:41.76\00:22:44.59
Babylon is fallen.
00:22:44.63\00:22:45.93
Come before it's too late
00:22:45.96\00:22:48.36
'cause when Jesus comes back,
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.43
He's gonna have a united people
00:22:50.47\00:22:52.60
that are building
once again on the Word.
00:22:52.63\00:22:54.37
Jesus said when the storm comes,
00:22:54.40\00:22:56.00
wise man builds on
the what? The rock.
00:22:57.21\00:22:59.87
Foolish man builds on the?
00:22:59.91\00:23:01.58
See, you know that story.
00:23:01.61\00:23:03.65
You sing about it, right?
00:23:03.68\00:23:05.28
And what is that rock?
00:23:06.55\00:23:08.12
"He that hears these
words of mine and does them,
00:23:08.15\00:23:12.29
he'll be like the wise
man building on the rock."
00:23:12.32\00:23:14.76
Hearing the word and what?
00:23:14.79\00:23:17.43
Doing it, doing the Word.
00:23:17.46\00:23:20.20
When the storm comes,
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.50
you realize the storm
comes to the wise man,
00:23:21.53\00:23:23.53
and the storm comes to the fool?
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.27
Jesus says not
if the storm comes.
00:23:25.30\00:23:28.07
He says when the storm comes.
00:23:28.10\00:23:29.70
Friends, a storm is coming,
00:23:29.74\00:23:31.81
and the only way we're
gonna get through that storm
00:23:31.84\00:23:33.74
is to be founded on the
rock of Jesus and His truth.
00:23:33.78\00:23:37.15
And this is a message
that's going to the world
00:23:37.18\00:23:39.11
in the last days.
00:23:39.15\00:23:40.45
It doesn't matter
how comfortable we are
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.65
in the various teachings.
00:23:42.68\00:23:45.49
We need to come back to
the Word in these last days.
00:23:45.52\00:23:49.02
So he cries
mightily, "Babylon is fallen.
00:23:49.06\00:23:51.26
Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her sins."
00:23:51.29\00:23:54.96
Now, see, when
people don't know something,
00:23:55.00\00:23:58.47
that's one thing, but
once we know God's will,
00:23:58.50\00:24:01.14
if we continue persisting
in disobeying, it becomes sin.
00:24:01.17\00:24:04.77
Let me illustrate.
00:24:04.81\00:24:06.11
Years ago,
00:24:06.14\00:24:07.44
I need two hands
for this illustration.
00:24:07.48\00:24:09.14
Years ago, I heard about a
man that had a fabric shop,
00:24:10.58\00:24:14.45
and this is back in England.
00:24:14.48\00:24:16.02
They used to pick
the size of the foot,
00:24:17.69\00:24:20.56
and the inch was based upon
the size of the king's foot.
00:24:20.59\00:24:24.56
And so this man had a
yardage shop, and he sold cloth.
00:24:24.59\00:24:28.30
And for years, he sold to
everybody in the community,
00:24:28.33\00:24:30.43
and he'd measure
it off on his table.
00:24:30.47\00:24:32.30
He had this tape measure,
00:24:32.33\00:24:33.77
and he'd measure off the
cloth, and then he'd cut it.
00:24:33.80\00:24:35.40
And he'd sell it, wrap
it up to the customers.
00:24:35.44\00:24:37.74
And one day after
30 years in his shop,
00:24:38.91\00:24:40.78
someone came in to buy some
cloth, and they went back home.
00:24:40.81\00:24:42.81
They came back and said,
00:24:42.84\00:24:44.25
"I went to make some
pillows out of that cloth,
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.08
and you sold me short."
00:24:46.11\00:24:47.52
He said, "Absolutely not."
He said, "Bring me the cloth."
00:24:47.55\00:24:49.82
And he put it
back together again,
00:24:49.85\00:24:51.15
and he said,
"Look, it matches up."
00:24:51.19\00:24:53.59
And they pulled
out a tape measure,
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.12
and they measured his
tape measure on the table,
00:24:56.16\00:24:59.26
and his tape measure on the
table was like two inches short.
00:24:59.29\00:25:02.46
And he was stunned by
this 'cause he's an honest man,
00:25:02.50\00:25:05.97
and evidently the king had
died somewhere during the time,
00:25:06.00\00:25:08.50
and they had
changed the standard.
00:25:08.54\00:25:10.24
And the standard had changed,
00:25:11.51\00:25:13.14
but he hadn't changed his table.
00:25:14.11\00:25:16.38
Well, he didn't know.
00:25:16.41\00:25:17.88
He may have been robbing
people without knowing it
00:25:17.91\00:25:19.85
because there
was something wrong
00:25:19.88\00:25:21.18
with his scale, his measurement.
00:25:21.22\00:25:22.52
You see what I'm saying?
00:25:22.55\00:25:23.85
But once that is
brought to his attention,
00:25:23.89\00:25:26.29
it was not a sin before.
00:25:26.32\00:25:28.56
Once that is
brought to his attention,
00:25:28.59\00:25:30.33
if he continues using
that faulty measurement,
00:25:30.36\00:25:33.86
is he still an honest man?
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.20
No, 'cause now he
knows. See what I'm saying?
00:25:36.67\00:25:39.50
And so some of you are saying,
00:25:39.53\00:25:41.44
"Pastor Doug, I wish he
never came to this seminar
00:25:41.47\00:25:44.07
'cause now I
just know too much."
00:25:44.11\00:25:46.01
Don't, the
truth is not a burden.
00:25:47.14\00:25:48.84
It's a blessing.
00:25:48.88\00:25:50.18
The truth will
set you free, amen?
00:25:50.21\00:25:51.51
- [Congregant] Yes.
00:25:51.55\00:25:52.85
- What will prevent
God's end-time people
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.18
from being deceived?
00:25:54.22\00:25:55.55
Only one thing, friends:
00:25:56.32\00:25:58.05
"To the law and the testimony.
00:25:58.09\00:26:00.42
If they do not speak
according to this word,"
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.42
that's the Word of God,
the law and the prophets,
00:26:02.46\00:26:04.66
"there is no light in them."
00:26:04.69\00:26:06.39
We need to follow the
light in the last days.
00:26:06.43\00:26:08.80
Now in Noah's day,
there's only one way of escape,
00:26:08.83\00:26:12.67
and that way of
escape was to get in the ark.
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.70
There's one ark.
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.04
There was one door in the ark,
00:26:16.07\00:26:17.51
and He called His
people into the safety of that.
00:26:17.54\00:26:20.41
And I think you've heard
God's voice tonight speaking
00:26:20.44\00:26:22.78
through His Word, and He wants
you to be part of that group.
00:26:22.81\00:26:26.31
He says, "Come
out of her my people."
00:26:26.35\00:26:29.05
- [Announcer]
Don't forget to request
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.06
today's
life-changing free resource.
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.49
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail.
00:26:37.53\00:26:39.63
You can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:26:39.66\00:26:42.13
or mobile device.
00:26:42.16\00:26:43.47
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:26:43.50\00:26:46.23
simply text the keyword
on your screen to 40544,
00:26:46.27\00:26:50.24
or visit the web
address shown on your screen
00:26:50.27\00:26:53.07
and be sure to select
the digital download option
00:26:53.11\00:26:55.51
on the request page.
00:26:55.54\00:26:57.01
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word
00:26:57.05\00:27:00.05
with Amazing Facts,
wherever and whenever you want,
00:27:00.08\00:27:03.15
and most important,
to share it with others.
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.99
(thunder cracking)
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.13
- [Announcer]
Written by the hand of God
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.40
and spoken with His voice,
00:27:13.43\00:27:15.40
some words will never fade.
00:27:17.03\00:27:19.77
- [Announcer] Get
Pastor Doug Batchelor's
00:27:28.11\00:27:29.48
12-part sermon series
on the 10 Commandments
00:27:29.51\00:27:31.55
by calling 800-538-7275,
or visit afbookstore.com.
00:27:31.58\00:27:36.52
- [Announcer] Did
you know Amazing Facts
00:27:37.79\00:27:39.12
has a free Bible
school that you can do
00:27:39.15\00:27:41.16
from the comfort
of your own home?
00:27:41.19\00:27:42.89
It includes 27 beautifully
illustrated study lessons
00:27:42.92\00:27:46.26
to aid in your
study of God's Word.
00:27:46.29\00:27:48.43
Sign up today for this
free Bible study course
00:27:48.46\00:27:50.97
by calling 1-844-215-7000.
00:27:51.00\00:27:54.30
That's 1-844-215-7000.
00:27:54.34\00:27:56.27
(gentle music)
00:27:56.30\00:27:58.97
(inspirational music)
00:27:59.01\00:28:02.11
- [Announcer] Don't forget
to request today's free offer.
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.65
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:05.68\00:28:07.42
And thank you for
your continued support
00:28:07.45\00:28:09.52
as we take the gospel of
Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:09.55\00:28:12.75
We hope you'll join us next week
00:28:12.79\00:28:14.49
as we delve deep
into the Word of God
00:28:14.52\00:28:16.93
to explore more amazing facts.
00:28:16.96\00:28:19.43
This presentation
was brought to you
00:28:24.00\00:28:25.40
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:28:25.43\00:28:28.30