male announcer:
This presentation is
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brought to you by the friends
of the Amazing Facts ministry.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: The Christians
of the Ancient Mediterranean
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world used catacombs, a
network of subterranean chambers
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and galleries for burial,
but during times of persecution,
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the catacombs became places
of refuge because burial grounds
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were guarded or
sacrosanct by Roman law.
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When churches above ground were
destroyed by imperial order,
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worshipers met
in catacomb chapels.
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By A.D. 200,
Christians had carved
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some 600 miles of
tombs in the volcanic rock
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in and around Rome.
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Eventually, the catacombs
expanded into honeycombs
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of galleries with
staircases and multiple levels.
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Romans preferred cremation,
but Christians followed
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the practice of
interring the dead in catacombs,
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which they called "coemeteria"
or "sleeping places,"
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to suggest
that, for a Christian,
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death is merely a sleep
before the Resurrection.
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Did you know that Jesus plainly
taught that death is a sleep?
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In fact, all of
Scripture confirms that it is
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an unconscious sleep until the
resurrection of Christ's return.
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So why is there
so much confusion,
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even among Christians,
over what happens when we die?
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And how can you protect yourself
against some of the potentially
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dangerous delusions
about death in the last days?
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¤¤¤
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Doug: Tonight's presentation
is very important, and it's--
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our story, we always
begin with, kind of, a storacle,
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an allegorical, metaphorical
Bible story that helps teach
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these theology points.
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It comes to us from 1 Samuel 28,
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and just give you a
little background here,
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the first king of
Israel was King Saul.
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He was anointed by
Samuel the prophet.
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Got two books in the
Bible, 1 and 2 Samuel.
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And when Saul was first
chosen, he was a good man,
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had a good heart,
had a humble attitude,
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but after he was
chosen to be king,
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you've heard that
expression, "Power corrupts,"
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"Absolute power corrupts"?
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Absolutely.
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And after he met with
some success and he gained some
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wealth and reputation,
over the years, he became proud,
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and finally he sort of cast
off God and began to grieve away
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the Holy Spirit,
started brooding.
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Bible says an evil
spirit began to torment him,
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and he gets so mad that
he'd throw a spear at David,
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who's a musician, or
even his own son, Jonathan.
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He killed a number of the
priests of God in a fit of
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jealousy and fear, and finally,
near the end of his life,
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he was facing a very big
battle against the Philistines.
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At this point,
Samuel the prophet,
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who had always guided
him earlier in his life
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had died off, and so he
was looking for some counsel,
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and the Bible said
God did not speak to him
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through the priests nor through
a prophet, and in desperation,
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looking for some guidance,
going against this massive
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Philistine army, he
said, "Well, find me a witch."
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He says, "Find me a
woman who is a medium,
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that I might go to
her and inquire of her."
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Now, that was absolutely
forbidden in the Bible.
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Well, his servants happened
to know there was still somebody
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in the area of En
Dor, not too far away,
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that had the
reputation of being a medium
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that can consult and conjure
up dead spirits, and so he went.
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He disguised himself because,
if she knew he was the king,
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she'd probably be afraid
to give him any information,
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and she went through her
incantations and whatever
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it was that she
did through gunpowder
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and the fire or something.
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It went "poof," and then this
apparition appeared that claimed
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to be Samuel the prophet come
back from the dead, and he gave
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an absolutely discouraging
message to Saul, saying,
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"You're going to die, and
you'll be with me tomorrow,
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and Israel's going to
die, and they're going to be
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defeated in battle."
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Saul just went to pieces.
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He just lost all his
courage, and, you know,
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the Bible tells us that one
of the most important things
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in battle is to have courage.
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You can read about
that in the book of Joshua.
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And the Bible tells us
in Leviticus 19, verse 31,
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and chapter 20,
verse 27, they were never
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to consult a witch or a medium.
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In absolute disregard of
that, that's what he did.
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The next day in battle,
the Philistines did overwhelm
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the discouraged soldiers,
and you've heard the expression
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"Fall on your sword"?
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That's what Saul did.
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When he realized he had
been wounded by the archers,
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he didn't want to be captured
and tortured by the Philistines.
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He literally fell on his
sword, and his armor bearer fell
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on his sword, and Saul
and his three sons died
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that same day together.
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Soon, David followed as king.
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But the big
question people want to know,
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"Was the form that Saul saw
actually Samuel the prophet?"
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I'm going to read you a verse
that is not in our study guide,
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and this comes to us
from 1 Chronicles chapter 10.
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You not only find
this story in 1 Samuel.
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You find it in 1
Chronicles chapter 10.
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They often cover
some of the same history.
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"So Saul died for
his unfaithfulness
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which he committed against
the Lord, because he did not
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keep the word of the
Lord, and because he consulted
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a medium for guidance.
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But he did not inquire
of the Lord, therefore,
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the Lord killed him."
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So when he inquired of Samuel
the prophet, the Bible says,
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"He did not
inquire of the Lord."
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That was not Samuel the prophet.
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That was not the Lord's counsel
or the Lord's message to him.
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It says that this
was an apparition,
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a spirit that was
conjured up by a witch.
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You read in 1 Kings chapter 22,
verse 22, "The Lord said to him,
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'In what way?'
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So he said, 'I will go
out and be a lying spirit
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in the mouth of
all of his prophets.'"
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This is when Micaiah the
prophet was talking to Ahab
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and Jehoshaphat, and he
said there are lying spirits.
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Look also again what we just
read in Revelation 16, verse 14,
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"For they are the spirits
of demons performing signs,"
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and you can read in 2
Corinthians chapter 11,
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"For Satan
himself is transformed
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into an angel of light."
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Satan can create illusions,
and we need to understand
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what does the Bible say
happens when a person dies.
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All right, question number two,
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"Do dead people come
back to converse with
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or to haunt the living?"
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Listen to what the Bible says.
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We believe the Bible, amen?
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So let's find out
what the Bible says.
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Ecclesiastes 9,
verse 5, Solomon wrote,
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"For the living know that
they will die, but the dead--"
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what's that say up there?--
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"know nothing, and
they have no more reward,"
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meaning of in this life, "for
the memory of them is forgotten.
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Also, their
love, their hatred--"
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they're not
loving or hating anybody.
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You don't have to worry
about ghosts haunting you
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because they're mad at you--
"their envy has now perished.
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Nevermore will they have a share
in anything done under the sun,
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meaning in this life."
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They don't come
back to this life.
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The Bible's clear it's
appointed unto man once to die;
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after that the judgment."
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You don't keep coming
back and haunting people
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and meddling with
what's going on down here.
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You're asleep
until the resurrection.
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Psalm 115, verse 17, "The
dead do not praise the Lord."
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That's pretty clear.
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First thing I'd do if I
died and I went to heaven,
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what would I do?
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I'd say, "Praise the
Lord, I'm here," right?
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So the Bible says, "The
dead do not praise the Lord."
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Then you can read
in Psalm 6, verse 5,
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"In death there is
no remembrance of Thee."
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People who die, they're
not thinking of the Lord.
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Job 7, verse 10, it says,
again, speaking of the dead,
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"He will never
return to his house."
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He's not going anywhere to
haunt anybody at that time.
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And, again, another verse
in Isaiah 38, when Hezekiah was
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told by Isaiah the prophet, he
said, "Put your house in order,
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" "You're going to die,"
Hezekiah began to pray and cry,
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and he said,
"Death cannot praise You."
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He says, "I'm
going to praise You.
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If I'm dead, I can't do that."
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So the idea that, as soon
as you die, you're leaping up
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and down in the presence
of the Lord, praising God,
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you don't find
that in the Bible.
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Psalm 146, verse 6, "Put
not your trust in princes,
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neither in the son of
man, in whom there is no help.
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His breath goes forth.
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In that very day,
his thoughts perish.
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His plans perish."
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He's not thinking or
planning anything--what it says.
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"Where do the dead
people go when they die?"
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It says here in Job 21:32,
"He is brought to the grave.
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He remains in the tomb.
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All who are in their
graves--" when Jesus comes--
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this is John
chapter 5, verse 28 and 29.
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"All who are in their
graves will hear His voice."
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How can they hear
His voice in the graves
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if they're already in heaven?
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Does that make sense?
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These are the words of Jesus.
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It's all through
the New Testament.
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"The Bible makes it plain
that King David will be saved."
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Everyone knows good
King David killed Goliath.
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Man after God's own heart.
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He will be in heaven.
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When he died, the Bible says,
"He slept with his fathers."
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"Is he in heaven now?"
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Some people say, "Well,
no one really went to heaven
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till Jesus died on the cross,
and then they went to heaven
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when Jesus raised."
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Well, you read
in the book of Acts,
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40 days after
Jesus has gone to heaven,
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you can read,
Peter, where he says
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in Acts chapter 2,
verse 29, "Men and brethren--"
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this was during
his public sermon--
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"let me freely speak to
you of the patriarch David,
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that he is dead and
buried, and his tomb is with us
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to this day."
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David's tomb is still,
to this day, in Jerusalem.
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And then he goes on.
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He says, in verse 34,
"For David did not ascend
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into the heavens."
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Now, I don't know
how more clear it can be.
00:10:04.87\00:10:06.17
This is not complicated.
00:10:06.20\00:10:07.50
He says, good King David,
someone saved, he is dead,
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he is buried, he's not in
heaven, and this is a long time
00:10:10.34\00:10:13.38
after the Resurrection.
00:10:13.41\00:10:15.74
And you can read in 1
Corinthians chapter 15,
00:10:15.78\00:10:18.01
verse 22, "For
in Adam all die--"
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because of the sin of Adam,
we all struggle with death--
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"even so in Christ
shall all be made alive.
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But each one in its own order.
00:10:26.92\00:10:28.99
Here's the order:
Christ the firstfruits,
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afterward those who are
Christ's at His coming."
00:10:31.79\00:10:36.43
When are they raised?
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"At His coming."
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The Lord will descend
from heaven with a shout,
00:10:39.90\00:10:41.54
the voice of the
archangel, the trump of God.
00:10:41.57\00:10:43.41
The dead in Christ will rise."
00:10:43.44\00:10:45.14
They are resting in peace.
00:10:45.17\00:10:47.24
Even Martin
Luther understood that.
00:10:47.28\00:10:48.71
The great reformer, he
said, "God, Jesus will come,
00:10:48.74\00:10:51.41
and when He comes, He'll
knock on the grave and say,
00:10:51.45\00:10:52.88
'Dr. Martin, wake up,'"
because they're sleeping.
00:10:52.91\00:10:56.48
"But isn't it true
that the soul is immortal
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and that only the body dies?"
00:10:59.15\00:11:02.22
What's the Bible say?
00:11:02.26\00:11:03.93
"The soul who
sins--" Ezekiel 18, verse 4--
00:11:03.96\00:11:07.03
"will die."
00:11:07.10\00:11:09.46
Job 4:17, "Can mortal man
be more righteous than God?"
00:11:09.50\00:11:14.04
We don't have immortality yet.
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That's why God chased
Adam and Eve out of the garden
00:11:17.11\00:11:19.24
that they might not
eat from the tree of life,
00:11:19.27\00:11:21.31
and they were going to die.
00:11:21.34\00:11:23.11
Says, "In the day that you eat
thereof, you will surely die."
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.25
Look at 1 Timothy
chapter 6, verse 15 and 16,
00:11:25.28\00:11:28.18
"The King of
kings, the Lord of lords,
00:11:28.22\00:11:31.72
who alone has immortality."
00:11:31.75\00:11:35.56
If that's clear, say, "Amen."
00:11:35.59\00:11:37.63
So, when people say,
"You've got an immortal soul"
00:11:37.66\00:11:41.26
and that you're destined to
live through eternity, well,
00:11:41.30\00:11:45.13
Jesus said in John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world,
00:11:45.17\00:11:49.47
He gave His only begotten
00:11:49.50\00:11:50.84
Son, that whoever believes
in Him might not perish,
00:11:50.87\00:11:54.18
but have everlasting life."
00:11:54.21\00:11:56.34
Immortality is
conditional unbelief in Christ.
00:11:56.38\00:12:00.95
Isn't this what the
Bible is telling us?
00:12:00.98\00:12:03.22
"When will the
righteous receive immortality?"
00:12:03.25\00:12:06.99
"We will all be
changed in a moment,
00:12:07.02\00:12:11.36
in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet."
00:12:11.39\00:12:15.43
Goes on and says, "For
the trumpet will sound,
00:12:15.46\00:12:18.70
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:12:18.73\00:12:20.54
and this mortal
must put on immortality.
00:12:20.57\00:12:23.81
For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.98
with a shout," and I
quoted this to you a moment ago,
00:12:27.01\00:12:29.08
1 Thessalonians 4:16.
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.45
"The Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout,
00:12:31.48\00:12:34.35
with the voice of the archangel,
and the trumpet of God.
00:12:34.38\00:12:37.02
And the dead in
Christ will rise first."
00:12:37.05\00:12:41.56
So there's
resurrection of the dead,
00:12:41.59\00:12:43.56
and this is our
first resurrection.
00:12:43.59\00:12:45.73
It happens when
the Lord comes back.
00:12:45.76\00:12:48.03
And so, "But Pastor Doug,
we've just heard so many people
00:12:48.06\00:12:51.90
say that you die, and you
immediately go to the Lord,"
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.47
and they talk about so-and-so:
"They're in heaven now."
00:12:54.50\00:12:57.14
And we know they mean
well because they're thinking,
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.34
you know, based upon
the time they'll experience,
00:12:59.37\00:13:01.44
but it hasn't happened yet,
and the reason I keep pressing
00:13:01.48\00:13:03.98
it's important
to understand that--
00:13:04.01\00:13:06.21
you remember our opening story?
00:13:06.25\00:13:09.05
King Saul was deceived and
discouraged by an evil spirit
00:13:09.08\00:13:13.36
posing as Samuel the prophet.
00:13:13.39\00:13:16.36
And remember what I just
read there in Revelation?
00:13:16.39\00:13:19.09
These unclean spirits go out
to the leaders of the world to
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.66
gather them together to battle,
to deceive them with lying signs
00:13:21.70\00:13:26.30
and lying wonders, and the
Bible talks about lying spirits,
00:13:26.33\00:13:29.57
and Satan can create illusions.
00:13:29.60\00:13:32.94
Just up the street here from
where we're having this meeting,
00:13:32.97\00:13:36.51
there's a little establishment
where you could pay them
00:13:36.54\00:13:38.58
a price, I suppose--
I've not been there--
00:13:38.61\00:13:40.42
and they will
give you a reading.
00:13:40.45\00:13:43.85
They'll try and contact
your departed loved ones.
00:13:43.89\00:13:46.29
A lot of them are charlatans.
00:13:46.32\00:13:47.89
Some of them may be in
cahoots with the enemy.
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.36
I don't know--not
going to find out.
00:13:50.39\00:13:52.76
Or they'll read your
tarot cards and Ouija boards.
00:13:52.79\00:13:56.70
And, you know, friends,
I'm talking about something
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.53
I know a little bit about
because I grew up as a pagan.
00:13:58.57\00:14:01.60
My mother used
to write horoscopes.
00:14:01.64\00:14:04.64
She actually has an album.
00:14:04.67\00:14:06.27
You can even see
it on the internet.
00:14:06.31\00:14:07.81
She wrote horoscope songs.
00:14:07.84\00:14:09.51
She wrote 12 songs, one for each
of the horoscopes, and I said,
00:14:09.54\00:14:12.51
"Mom, you believe that stuff?"
00:14:12.55\00:14:14.75
She said, "No," but it pays.
00:14:14.78\00:14:18.25
But we had a lot of friends.
00:14:18.29\00:14:19.59
They were all into seances,
and we were part of seances
00:14:19.62\00:14:22.79
and the Ouija boards,
and I don't know if anyone's
00:14:22.82\00:14:27.60
old enough to remember.
00:14:27.60\00:14:28.90
They used to have a
national television program.
00:14:28.93\00:14:30.47
It was actually a soap
opera called "Dark Shadows."
00:14:30.50\00:14:34.50
Some of you guys,
you remember that.
00:14:34.54\00:14:36.27
Two of the actors, the principal
actors in that were friends
00:14:36.30\00:14:39.07
of ours, and they'd come to our
house, and we'd go to theirs,
00:14:39.11\00:14:41.64
and those people were into
some really weird, dark stuff.
00:14:41.68\00:14:46.72
It happens more than you think.
00:14:46.75\00:14:48.78
There are some people in
high places who think that
00:14:48.82\00:14:50.69
they're consulting with the dead
or getting some spiritual advice
00:14:50.72\00:14:53.76
like that, and what if--
if the devil can come down
00:14:53.79\00:14:59.26
and impersonate Christ,
can his fallen demons look
00:14:59.29\00:15:02.46
like departed Bible characters?
00:15:02.50\00:15:05.57
¤¤¤
00:15:05.60\00:15:07.40
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:15:07.44\00:15:08.74
We'll be back in just
a moment with the rest
00:15:08.77\00:15:10.17
of today's presentation.
00:15:10.21\00:15:11.84
One of the most confusing
subjects in our world today is
00:15:11.87\00:15:14.98
the big question
"What happens when we die?"
00:15:15.01\00:15:19.38
Seems like everywhere you
turn, someone out there has
00:15:19.41\00:15:21.48
a different opinion about
the afterlife, whether heaven,
00:15:21.52\00:15:24.79
hell, purgatory, limbo,
or eternal nonexistence.
00:15:24.82\00:15:28.76
Well, are you tired
of all the contradictory
00:15:28.79\00:15:31.23
and confusing messages?
00:15:31.26\00:15:33.43
Wouldn't you like to know
what the Bible really says
00:15:33.46\00:15:35.86
once and for all?
00:15:35.90\00:15:37.83
To help answer
all of your questions,
00:15:37.87\00:15:39.50
Amazing Facts would like to send
you a very special free gift.
00:15:39.53\00:15:43.17
It's called "The
Afterlife Mystery."
00:15:43.20\00:15:46.17
This attractive, full-color
magazine provides simple
00:15:46.21\00:15:49.41
but vital biblical facts to
help you decode death, hell,
00:15:49.44\00:15:53.55
and eternal life, amid all of
the confusing deceptions today.
00:15:53.58\00:15:57.75
In a
captivating, contemporary way,
00:15:57.79\00:16:00.22
it presents powerful
lessons about what happens
00:16:00.26\00:16:02.72
when we die and,
more importantly,
00:16:02.76\00:16:05.03
how you can be
ready for eternity.
00:16:05.06\00:16:07.30
To get your free copy, call
the phone number on the screen
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.80
and ask for Offer Number
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00:16:09.83\00:16:14.17
and after you read
this incredible resource,
00:16:14.20\00:16:16.81
be sure and
share it with a friend.
00:16:16.84\00:16:18.51
Let's return now to
today's presentation
00:16:19.11\00:16:21.04
and learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.55
¤¤¤
00:16:24.58\00:16:26.25
Doug: I remember
hearing this story,
00:16:26.28\00:16:27.58
and this an anecdotal story.
00:16:27.62\00:16:29.45
I can't prove it, but someone
told me that they knew a lady
00:16:29.48\00:16:33.46
that was in San Francisco--this
was during the Vietnam War--
00:16:33.49\00:16:36.86
and that she was a Christian.
00:16:36.89\00:16:39.76
Her belief was
always that you die,
00:16:39.79\00:16:41.06
and you sleep
until the resurrection,
00:16:41.10\00:16:43.53
and she got one of those
terrible notices from the army,
00:16:43.57\00:16:47.84
and it said, "We
regret to inform you
00:16:47.87\00:16:50.11
that your son is missing
in action and presumed dead."
00:16:50.14\00:16:53.84
And, of course, she was
devastated, and she was alone.
00:16:53.88\00:16:57.21
She had no husband, and she
was grieving in her apartment
00:16:57.25\00:16:59.81
building there in San Francisco
for weeks, and one day,
00:16:59.85\00:17:03.32
she woke up at night, and there
was her son standing at the foot
00:17:03.35\00:17:09.09
of her bed, and
she was terrified.
00:17:09.12\00:17:12.09
He says, "Mother, don't worry.
00:17:12.13\00:17:13.43
I'm fine."
00:17:13.46\00:17:14.73
And she was wondering
because he made no profession
00:17:14.76\00:17:16.23
of being a Christian.
00:17:16.26\00:17:17.57
He was living a pretty wild life
the last she heard from him.
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.37
And he said, "Oh,
everyone goes to heaven.
00:17:20.40\00:17:23.24
Don't worry.
00:17:23.27\00:17:24.57
God just puts these things about
the lake of fire in the Bible
00:17:24.61\00:17:26.71
to scare people into being
good," and giving all these
00:17:26.74\00:17:30.28
very strange interpretations,
but it made her feel so good
00:17:30.31\00:17:33.58
because it looked just like her
son, sounded just like her son,
00:17:33.62\00:17:36.08
knew things only
her son would know,
00:17:36.12\00:17:38.69
and this happened several times,
and then, one day, there was a--
00:17:38.72\00:17:41.89
door rang, her apartment.
00:17:41.92\00:17:44.19
She opened up the door,
and there's her son again
00:17:44.23\00:17:47.30
except now he's in uniform,
and his arm is in a sling.
00:17:47.30\00:17:50.43
And she said, "Why are
you meeting me out here
00:17:50.47\00:17:52.23
in the hall?"
00:17:52.27\00:17:53.57
He said, "What are
you talking about?"
00:17:53.60\00:17:54.90
She reached out.
It was really her son.
00:17:54.94\00:17:56.24
She touched him.
00:17:56.27\00:17:57.91
And evidently, he
said, "No, I was wounded,
00:17:57.94\00:18:00.08
but I'm not dead.
00:18:00.11\00:18:01.64
They, just, they gave
you some bad paperwork.
00:18:01.68\00:18:03.31
I'm so sorry that you
thought that I was dead."
00:18:03.35\00:18:04.75
You know,
that's happened before.
00:18:04.78\00:18:06.08
Parents get the message that
their kids are presumed dead,
00:18:06.11\00:18:08.15
and then they're not.
00:18:08.18\00:18:10.09
Well, what was appearing to that
woman, claiming to be her son?
00:18:10.12\00:18:13.25
And you wonder if the
demons had a computer breakdown.
00:18:13.29\00:18:16.32
They didn't get
their stories straight.
00:18:16.36\00:18:18.56
But you could see how easily
people, when they're missing
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.90
a loved one--now,
someone else is thinking,
00:18:20.93\00:18:22.56
"Pastor Doug,
I'm having problems
00:18:22.60\00:18:23.97
with what you're saying
right now because my loved one,
00:18:24.00\00:18:27.64
my spouse," or somebody,
"died, and I've sensed them
00:18:27.67\00:18:31.44
with me, I've heard them
guide me, and I just know
00:18:31.47\00:18:34.91
they're--I felt their
spirit, and, you know,
00:18:34.94\00:18:37.81
I'm not denying that you've
had these sensations, friends,
00:18:37.85\00:18:40.78
and it's not always diabolical.
00:18:40.82\00:18:42.95
My brother died of
cystic fibrosis when he was 35.
00:18:42.98\00:18:46.92
He's my older brother.
00:18:46.96\00:18:48.76
From the time I was born until
he died, he was always there
00:18:48.79\00:18:51.66
my whole life, and even after
he died, I'd reach for the phone
00:18:51.69\00:18:55.56
to call him because I
used to call him all the time,
00:18:55.60\00:18:57.93
and I remember reaching
for the phone to call him.
00:18:57.97\00:19:00.27
I just felt his presence,
and then I realized he was dead.
00:19:00.30\00:19:03.74
I'd forgotten.
00:19:03.77\00:19:05.24
I've talked to widows,
who, after their spouse dies--
00:19:05.27\00:19:07.78
and they say, you know,
"A few weeks later, I get up,
00:19:07.81\00:19:11.48
and I call down the hall and
say, "Jack, can you come here?"
00:19:11.51\00:19:14.02
And then they remember
that their husband's gone.
00:19:14.05\00:19:16.35
And your mind is filled with
the memories of people you love.
00:19:16.38\00:19:20.99
It's very normal to have
those sensations and memories,
00:19:21.02\00:19:24.19
and you might even have a dream
where God gives you some comfort
00:19:24.23\00:19:26.66
in a dream.
00:19:26.70\00:19:27.96
That's between you and God.
00:19:28.00\00:19:29.30
It doesn't give us
our basis for truth.
00:19:29.33\00:19:32.30
You know what I'm saying?
00:19:32.33\00:19:33.57
The Bible truth is very clear:
They are sleeping a painless,
00:19:33.60\00:19:37.91
dreamless sleep
until the resurrection.
00:19:37.94\00:19:41.81
"How does the Bible
repeatedly refer to death?"
00:19:41.84\00:19:46.18
John 11:11 and verse 14, Jesus,
speaking of Lazarus, he said,
00:19:46.21\00:19:51.55
"Our friend Lazarus
sleeps," and the disciples said,
00:19:51.59\00:19:54.86
"It's good that he's asleep.
00:19:54.89\00:19:56.19
He's sick.
00:19:56.22\00:19:57.53
You know, if he sleeps,
maybe the fever will break,
00:19:57.56\00:19:58.86
and he'll be better."
00:19:58.89\00:20:00.20
Jesus said, "No,
no, Lazarus is dead."
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.93
Jesus actually used the
term "sleep," and He had to say,
00:20:01.96\00:20:04.07
"You don't understand
what I mean by 'sleep.'
00:20:04.10\00:20:05.80
I mean, he's dead."
00:20:05.83\00:20:08.17
Then later, He said, "I'm
going that I might wake him."
00:20:08.20\00:20:10.77
Jesus goes down to
Bethany where Lazarus is buried.
00:20:10.81\00:20:13.48
It takes a few
days to get there,
00:20:13.51\00:20:15.18
and when He tells Martha to roll
away the stone from the grave,
00:20:15.21\00:20:18.88
she says, "Lord, by this time,
00:20:18.91\00:20:20.85
there's a bad odor because
the decomposition has begun.
00:20:20.88\00:20:24.15
He's been dead
for several days."
00:20:24.19\00:20:26.02
He said, "'Trust me.
Roll away the stone.'
00:20:26.05\00:20:28.12
And when Jesus
said these things,
00:20:28.16\00:20:30.49
He cried out with a
loud voice," John 11:43,
00:20:30.53\00:20:34.00
"'Lazarus, come forth.'
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.16
And he who had died
came out bound hand and foot
00:20:36.20\00:20:39.07
with graveclothes"
that had been embalmed
00:20:39.10\00:20:41.47
and soaked in ointments.
00:20:41.50\00:20:43.94
Now, think for a
minute: If Lazarus had been dead
00:20:43.97\00:20:49.84
for several days and if you
go right to heaven when you die,
00:20:49.88\00:20:53.45
and if he's a
good friend of Jesus,
00:20:53.48\00:20:54.85
he probably went
to heaven, right?
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.35
If you're Lazarus and
you die and you're in heaven,
00:20:57.39\00:21:00.52
and you're up there, and
you're hearing angelic music,
00:21:00.56\00:21:03.49
and you're, you know--
got this glorified body,
00:21:03.53\00:21:06.93
and you're in the
presence of God, and you see
00:21:06.96\00:21:08.73
there's golden streets and
all these wonders of heaven,
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.37
and you're just reaching
out for the tree of life,
00:21:11.40\00:21:13.80
and all of a sudden,
"poof," you're back on earth,
00:21:13.84\00:21:15.97
and you're wrapped
up in graveclothes,
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.17
would you think that was a nice
thing that Jesus did for you?
00:21:18.21\00:21:22.31
Oh, that wouldn't be very nice.
00:21:22.34\00:21:24.81
You know, there are
about a dozen resurrections
00:21:24.85\00:21:28.22
in the Bible, and the reason
I say, "about," is because,
00:21:28.25\00:21:31.32
when Paul was stoned,
some believe that Paul actually
00:21:31.35\00:21:35.79
was raised by the Lord.
00:21:35.82\00:21:37.13
He had been stoned to death,
but God raised him back up again
00:21:37.16\00:21:38.86
because everyone who
walked away thought he was dead,
00:21:38.89\00:21:41.76
and when Eutychus fell
out the window, everyone said,
00:21:41.80\00:21:45.83
"He's dead," and the pulse, you
know, his life was still in him.
00:21:45.87\00:21:48.24
They wondered, "Was
that a resurrection?"
00:21:48.27\00:21:49.70
So it's hard sometimes
to count a few of them,
00:21:49.74\00:21:51.07
but there are at least 12
resurrections in the Bible.
00:21:51.11\00:21:53.51
Do you realize that in
all of these resurrections,
00:21:53.54\00:21:57.35
not one of the people
involved ever comments
00:21:57.38\00:22:00.38
and says anything about
what they experienced in death?
00:22:00.42\00:22:04.25
Now, if Lazarus was alive
today and he had been dead
00:22:04.29\00:22:08.52
for four days, and somebody
came back from the dead,
00:22:08.56\00:22:13.36
every news station in the
world would have representatives
00:22:13.40\00:22:16.90
that would be there.
00:22:16.93\00:22:18.23
They would push a microphone
up into Lazarus's face,
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.47
and they'd say,
"What was it like?
00:22:20.50\00:22:22.90
What did you
experience? What happened?"
00:22:22.94\00:22:25.64
But none of the Jews
anywhere in the Bible comment
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.61
on any of these
resurrections, saying,
00:22:27.64\00:22:29.68
"What did you
experience in death?"
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.21
Because they all knew
that death was like a--" what?
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.82
"Sleep."
00:22:33.85\00:22:35.42
It is a dreamless sleep.
00:22:35.45\00:22:36.75
They didn't know anything.
00:22:36.79\00:22:38.09
Solomon said, "The
dead know--" how much?
00:22:38.12\00:22:39.72
"Nothing."
00:22:39.75\00:22:41.46
That, to me, I think,
is pretty strong evidence.
00:22:41.49\00:22:44.63
The Bible tells us that
none of the resurrection
00:22:44.66\00:22:47.03
has ever commented on
what they experienced.
00:22:47.10\00:22:50.83
"Why does Satan want us
to believe that the spirits
00:22:50.87\00:22:53.17
of the dead are actually alive?"
00:22:53.20\00:22:56.97
For false christs and false
prophets will rise and show
00:22:57.01\00:23:00.54
great signs and wonders," Bible
tells us, if it were possible,
00:23:00.58\00:23:04.61
"to deceive, even if
possible, the elect."
00:23:04.65\00:23:08.88
Jesus says, "See, I'm
telling you beforehand,
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.59
do not be deceived
by these evil spirits."
00:23:11.62\00:23:15.32
Three unclean frogs, and
they're going to claim to be
00:23:15.36\00:23:19.16
the spirits of the departed.
00:23:19.19\00:23:20.76
They're going to
deceive leaders of the world.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.90
"How effective will Satan's
use of these evil spirits be
00:23:22.93\00:23:25.97
in the last days?"
00:23:26.00\00:23:27.87
Answer?
00:23:27.90\00:23:29.70
"By your sorceries, all
the nations were deceived."
00:23:29.74\00:23:34.38
I just told you
that, in North America,
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.24
50%, roughly 50%, 45% of
the people believe in ghosts,
00:23:36.28\00:23:43.52
and about 20% believe you
can communicate with the dead.
00:23:43.55\00:23:46.29
That's frightening when
you think about it how easily
00:23:46.32\00:23:49.19
so many people will
be deceived by that.
00:23:49.22\00:23:52.06
Some will start believing
in it but don't believe in
00:23:52.09\00:23:53.96
it now when the devil begins to
perform these signs and wonders.
00:23:54.00\00:23:56.83
Revelation 18, "Babylon
the great is fallen, is fallen,
00:23:56.87\00:24:01.24
has become the
dwelling place of demons,
00:24:01.27\00:24:03.94
a prison for every foul--"
00:24:03.97\00:24:06.84
the word "foul"
there means "evil spirit."
00:24:06.88\00:24:09.28
Paul says, "We do not
wrestle against flesh and blood
00:24:09.31\00:24:11.68
but principalities and
powers and rulers of wickedness
00:24:11.71\00:24:13.88
in high places."
00:24:13.92\00:24:16.28
Well, there are evil spirits
that are out there that want
00:24:16.32\00:24:18.75
to deceive, and they're
going to use the belief that
00:24:18.79\00:24:21.12
the dead aren't really
dead to deceive people.
00:24:21.16\00:24:24.89
The Bible says in Revelation
12:9, "That serpent of old,
00:24:24.93\00:24:28.13
called the Devil and Satan,
who deceives the whole world."
00:24:28.16\00:24:32.80
What was the first
deception that Satan made?
00:24:32.83\00:24:38.97
God said, "You
disobey, you will die."
00:24:39.01\00:24:41.61
What did the devil say?
00:24:41.64\00:24:43.45
"You will not really die."
00:24:43.48\00:24:45.75
And what does most
of the world believe?
00:24:45.78\00:24:48.32
That you don't really die.
00:24:48.35\00:24:50.52
Even in churches, pastors are
saying, "You don't really die.
00:24:50.55\00:24:53.52
You live forever.
00:24:53.56\00:24:55.72
Somewhere, you just can't die.
00:24:55.76\00:24:57.46
You're immortal."
00:24:57.49\00:24:58.96
The Bible says, you're going
to sleep until the resurrection.
00:24:58.99\00:25:02.40
"How does God regard
these miracles by evil angels?"
00:25:02.43\00:25:05.60
"A man or a woman who is
a medium shall surely be put
00:25:05.63\00:25:09.07
to death."
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.41
Now, I'm not
expecting you to go on a rampage
00:25:10.44\00:25:12.24
through the
community and fulfill that.
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.64
Just telling you that, when
they lived under a theocracy,
00:25:14.68\00:25:16.85
it was the most
severe penalty for mediums.
00:25:16.88\00:25:20.98
I'm not suggesting we
revive the Salem witch trials.
00:25:21.02\00:25:23.65
Everyone clear on that?
00:25:23.69\00:25:26.32
But there was a
pretty severe punishment.
00:25:26.35\00:25:29.42
Some will depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits
00:25:29.46\00:25:33.06
and doctrines of devils."
00:25:33.09\00:25:35.53
And, again,
"having no fellowship
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.93
with the
unfruitful works of darkness."
00:25:37.97\00:25:40.37
Someone asked last night
how I felt about Halloween,
00:25:40.40\00:25:43.20
and I said, "I don't
want to have any fellowship
00:25:43.24\00:25:44.94
with the
unfruitful works of darkness,"
00:25:44.97\00:25:47.41
Ephesians 5, verse 11.
00:25:47.44\00:25:49.31
"Now the works of the flesh
are evident, which are adultery,
00:25:49.34\00:25:52.48
fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness," and notice,
00:25:52.51\00:25:55.28
"not only idolatry, sorcery."
00:25:55.32\00:25:59.09
"By her sorceries,
all nations are deceived,"
00:25:59.12\00:26:02.02
it says,
regarding Babylon the great,
00:26:02.06\00:26:04.36
and then it fills out that
verse in Galatians chapter 5,
00:26:04.39\00:26:07.30
"Sorcerers will have their part
in the lake that burns with fire
00:26:07.36\00:26:10.60
and brimstone, which
is the second death."
00:26:10.63\00:26:13.47
It's a pretty severe thing,
and, yet there are Christians
00:26:13.50\00:26:16.24
that are promoting sorceries,
saying that you can talk
00:26:16.27\00:26:18.21
to the dead.
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.34
"What glorious power
does God offer to His people
00:26:20.38\00:26:23.48
in the last days?"
00:26:23.51\00:26:25.45
The power that he's offering
us as a gift is the power
00:26:25.48\00:26:28.52
of His resurrection,
"That I might know Him
00:26:28.55\00:26:31.35
and the power of
His Resurrection."
00:26:31.39\00:26:33.66
Friends, I want to get that
new glorified body, don't you?
00:26:33.69\00:26:37.03
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