Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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The Final
Revolution with Ty Gibson.
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We welcome you, each one
of you, to this final meeting
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of our Final Revolution.
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And Ty Gibson has been
talking to us about God
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and His character, His
reputation around the world,
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and how important it is that
we give the real true picture
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of God as a loving God.
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Not as someone who's
seeking to have vengeance,
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but someone who wants
to save every single soul
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who will say, "I'm willing."
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And what a beautiful
message we've been hearing
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here in each one
of the presentations.
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And we look forward now
to the climax of this series,
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though we're sorry to see
it end, to be honest with you.
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We look forward to
this climatic message today
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about the character of
our God and His Son, Jesus,
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and how much they love us.
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The entire Godhead; the Father,
the Son, the Holy Spirit,
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entwined about saving mankind.
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What a beautiful, beautiful
message we have been receiving.
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Well just before the
message this afternoon,
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I'm going to invite
Pastor C.A. Murray to come.
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He's going to be singing for
us the song, Is It Any Wonder.
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Just before he sings, I'm
going to ask Pastor Murray
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to lead us in a word of prayer.
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Shall we pray.
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Gracious heavenly
Father, how thankful we are
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for Jesus, the Author
and Finisher of our faith.
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How our hearts have
burned within us these last
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several days as we
have heard the Word of God
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through the mouth
of your manservant.
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We thank You that You
have given him truths that are
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meat in due season
for our thirsty souls.
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And we thank You, Lord, that
he has been faithful to the call
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to preach the Word of Jesus.
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And now Father, we ask
again that You may be with him
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in a special way.
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Give him so that
he may give to us.
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Bless him so that he
may be a blessing to us.
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Use him to lift up the mighty
and matchless name of Jesus.
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And then give us again open
and receptive ears and hearts
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as we seek to do Your will.
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And we thank You, dear
Father, in Jesus' name, amen.
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When I think how Jesus loved
me, how He waited patiently,
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even when I turned
my back and walked away.
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When He knew I wanted every
thing this world could offer me,
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well I guess He knew
the price I'd have to pay.
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So He watched me
stumble downward,
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saw each compromise I made,
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heard each lie I
whispered just to get my way.
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Still He waited there to hear me
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when I cried to Him and prayed.
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Then He saved my soul
and that is why I say:
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Tell me, is it any
wonder that I love Him
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when you consider
all He's done for me?
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And is it any wonder
that I long to do His will
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and let His light
shine out for all to see?
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And is it any
wonder that I praise Him
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each time I think of
how He's made me free?
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And is it any wonder
that I've given Him my heart
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when Jesus freely
gave His life for me?
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When I think how Jesus loves
me, how He watches patiently,
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how His arms are
stretched to meet me when I run,
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when I'm
feeling down and lonely,
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how He's there to comfort me.
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In the darkness He
becomes my morning sun.
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When I think of
how He's healed me,
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how He's touched me in my pain,
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how His gentle hands
have wiped my tears away,
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how He's taken every heartache
and brought happiness again,
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oh I want the world
to hear me when I say:
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Tell me, is it any
wonder that I love Him
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each time I think of
how He's made me free?
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And is it any wonder
that I long to do His will
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and let His light
shine out for all to see?
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And is it any
wonder that I praise Him
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each time I think of
how He's made me free?
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And is it any wonder
that I've given Him my heart
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when Jesus freely
gave His life for me?
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Thank you, C.A. Praise God.
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I hope you had a good afternoon.
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Did you?
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Did you get
something yummy to eat?
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Let me just look out there.
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I think some of you may have
got something too yummy to eat.
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You might have to sit
up a little straighter,
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breathe a little deeper,
oxygenate your frontal lobe.
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Because this is the
meeting after lunch.
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So you know what
I'm talking about.
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Don't pretend like you don't.
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So I'm going to be squinting
occasionally and peering
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out there and making
sure that everybody is in tune
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with the message.
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I want to begin by telling
an old evangelistic story,
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but with a new twist.
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The story is told of
an old chess champion
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making his way one
leisurely afternoon
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through an art gallery.
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And as he came upon
painting after painting,
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admiring the work of great
artists, he finally came upon
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a particular painting
that captured his attention.
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Because the artist had
portrayed in the painting
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that a young man was
engaged with a game of chess
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with the devil himself.
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And as the chess
champion examined the painting,
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it was obvious what the
artist was trying to convey.
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Because the devil,
leaning over the board,
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had a grin of
triumph on his face.
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And the young man
playing the game with the devil
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looked very clearly
like he had lost the game.
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And the artist had titled
the painting, "Checkmate."
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The implication being,
of course, that the game
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was lost, and the
young man was the loser.
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But as the chess
master examined the painting,
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there was something about
it that made him uncomfortable.
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He kept looking and he
began to study the board itself
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and the placement of the pieces.
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And then it came to him
that something was wrong.
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He went to the
curator of the museum
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and he said, "Is there any
way that I could have a meeting
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with the artist who
created this painting?"
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So arrangements were
made and a day was set,
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and the chess master came
to the home of the artist.
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And he immediately
said, "Something is wrong
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with your painting."
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And artists don't
like to hear that.
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"No, nothing is
wrong with my painting."
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And yet, there was a slight
grin on the artist's face,
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as if maybe he knew what
the chess champion had noticed.
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Immediately, this man who
knew all about the game of chess
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began to set up a
board, putting all the pieces
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in exactly the places
where the artist had portrayed
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them to be in the painting.
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Once the board was completely
set, with very measured motion
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and a little bit of drama,
the chess master reached across
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and with one
move, he moved the king
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of the young man and
said, "There, you see?
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Now the devil is in checkmate.
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When the king has one more
move, the game isn't over."
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And you can go a lot of places
with that old evangelistic story
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at that point, can't you.
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I'd like to go a
new place with it.
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I'd like to suggest to you
that there is indeed, in fact,
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one move that we can make
as a people that would turn
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the game in favor of the
kingdom of God and put the devil
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and the kingdom of
darkness in checkmate.
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I believe that this is not
a matter of multiple choice.
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There aren't two or
three or four or five options.
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I believe with all my
heart, with deep conviction,
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that there is in fact
only one move we could make,
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as a people, at this juncture
of history that would have a
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telling affect upon
the direction history goes.
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Only one move we could
make that would in fact win
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the great controversy
for the kingdom of God.
00:12:28.33\00:12:31.11
Now I'm going to, of
course, spin this message
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divulging what I
believe that one move to be.
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And of course I'm hoping,
I'm praying, that you will
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see the picture and
you will resonate with me
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and you will adopt
this as your own conviction.
00:12:44.59\00:12:47.92
But before I actually
state what that one move is,
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it's necessary for us to
retrace our history as a people.
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Now I want to just
make a front note here.
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For anybody who's present who
is not a Seventh-day Adventist
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or any viewers who are not
Adventists, you're about to
00:13:03.84\00:13:07.08
listen in on a
little bit of in-house talk.
00:13:07.11\00:13:10.33
But that's okay.
00:13:10.36\00:13:11.97
You, I believe, also will
be benefited by what we're
00:13:12.00\00:13:15.04
going to discover in Scripture,
because the Advent Movement
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has implications for the
world, as we're about to see.
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So again, if you're not
a Seventh-day Adventist,
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I'm so glad you're joining us.
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.27
But just sit back, relax,
and take in a little bit of
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Adventist history
and begin to understand
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what it is that God
raised up this people to be.
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Because the fact is that God
is calling anyone and everyone
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who so desires to
become a part of this final
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revolutionary movement that
takes the gospel to the world
00:13:46.59\00:13:50.51
on a global scale.
00:13:50.54\00:13:52.22
Now to retrace our history,
we have to immediately remember
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that Adventism, we believe,
holds a very specific place
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in the trajectory of history.
00:14:02.89\00:14:05.15
Adventism did not come into
existence in a historic vacuum.
00:14:05.45\00:14:10.07
There were specific historic
phenomenon that led up to
00:14:10.27\00:14:15.81
the birth of Adventism.
00:14:15.84\00:14:17.66
And in fact, we believe
that the Advent movement
00:14:17.69\00:14:21.11
is one of only a very
few movements in history
00:14:21.14\00:14:25.70
that were actually
foretold in Bible prophecy.
00:14:25.73\00:14:29.11
Adventism was actually
seen by both Daniel and John,
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and they wrote what the
Lord showed them regarding
00:14:37.71\00:14:41.13
the rise of this movement.
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We trace our
beginnings as a people to 1844.
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That won't be a surprise
to any Seventh-day Adventist.
00:14:48.63\00:14:51.97
But what led up to 1844 and
its significance in prophecy
00:14:52.20\00:14:57.73
is something that we
need desperately to understand
00:14:57.76\00:15:01.17
and wrap our minds around.
00:15:01.20\00:15:02.69
Because leading up to
1844, Bible prophecy unfolds
00:15:03.24\00:15:08.10
before us a series of
events that involved movements
00:15:08.13\00:15:13.78
that took place
preparatory to Adventism,
00:15:13.81\00:15:17.88
going all the way back in
Bible prophecy to the prophecies
00:15:18.33\00:15:22.89
that are brought to view
in Daniel chapter 7 and 8,
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onward into chapter
9 as an explanation.
00:15:27.16\00:15:29.63
You'll see in just a moment
where I'm going with this.
00:15:29.66\00:15:31.69
And then jumping
forward, fast forwarding to
00:15:31.72\00:15:34.50
Revelation
chapters 10 through 14.
00:15:34.53\00:15:37.13
So right now we're going
to consider, we're going to
00:15:37.31\00:15:39.85
paint a picture of
history leading up to the
00:15:39.88\00:15:42.05
birth of Adventism...
00:15:42.08\00:15:43.45
Alright?
00:15:43.48\00:15:44.85
...by making use
of the prophetic data
00:15:44.88\00:15:47.57
in Daniel chapters 7 and
8 and Revelation chapters
00:15:47.60\00:15:52.04
10 through 14.
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In Daniel's prophecies, he saw
in vision the rise of a power
00:15:54.28\00:16:02.17
that would manifest
itself with two very
00:16:02.20\00:16:07.18
specific characteristics.
00:16:07.21\00:16:09.56
Number one, Daniel chapter
7 says this power would speak
00:16:09.59\00:16:15.15
great words
against the Most High.
00:16:15.18\00:16:18.95
Speak great words
against the Most High.
00:16:19.23\00:16:22.33
The fascinating thing
about this movement is that
00:16:22.63\00:16:25.27
while it was speaking
great words against God,
00:16:25.30\00:16:29.20
against the Most
High, it was purporting
00:16:29.23\00:16:32.77
to be God's true
representative on earth.
00:16:32.80\00:16:37.06
It bore the name Christian
through those middle ages,
00:16:37.25\00:16:40.92
through those dark ages.
00:16:40.95\00:16:42.64
That power was not maliciously
and overtly against Christ.
00:16:42.67\00:16:50.19
It was anti-Christ in the
sense that it had set itself up
00:16:50.22\00:16:55.33
in place of Christ.
00:16:55.36\00:16:57.13
It's a part of
history that I refer to as,
00:16:57.49\00:17:00.87
the grand masquerade.
00:17:00.90\00:17:02.68
This is when a power claiming
to be the Christian church
00:17:02.93\00:17:06.97
is simultaneously
putting forth information
00:17:07.00\00:17:11.34
that speaks great
words against the Most High.
00:17:11.37\00:17:14.49
A doctrinal system was formed
by this movement in history
00:17:14.52\00:17:21.46
called in Daniel
7, the little horn.
00:17:21.49\00:17:23.99
Called by Paul, the man of sin.
00:17:24.02\00:17:27.94
Called by John the
Revelator, the great harlot.
00:17:27.97\00:17:31.64
Also by John, Babylon.
00:17:31.67\00:17:34.19
This movement
manifested its power in history
00:17:34.22\00:17:40.06
by speaking great
words against the Most High.
00:17:40.09\00:17:42.84
That is to say, by
defaming the character of God
00:17:42.87\00:17:47.58
by the formulation
of a doctrinal system
00:17:47.61\00:17:50.77
that made God look to be
other than what He really is;
00:17:50.80\00:17:55.06
in the simplest
possible language.
00:17:55.09\00:17:56.87
The other evening, I
used a word that you will not
00:17:57.33\00:17:59.60
find in your dictionary.
00:17:59.63\00:18:01.00
This system achieved
the uglification of the
00:18:01.03\00:18:06.01
character of God in the minds
and hearts of human beings.
00:18:06.04\00:18:09.25
And that movement
that is prophesied of
00:18:09.95\00:18:13.31
in Daniel 7 and Daniel 8...
00:18:13.34\00:18:15.22
Now listen very carefully.
00:18:15.25\00:18:16.62
That movement took in
a large swath of history
00:18:16.65\00:18:20.74
leading up to 1844,
leading up to 1798 and 1844,
00:18:20.77\00:18:27.01
That power defamed the character
of God by blaspheming His name.
00:18:27.41\00:18:31.88
And I said there were two main
characteristics of the power.
00:18:31.91\00:18:34.82
The second characteristic
is, that it would speak great
00:18:34.85\00:18:37.74
words against the
Most High, number one;
00:18:37.77\00:18:39.47
and that it would persecute
the saints of the Most High God,
00:18:39.50\00:18:44.18
and that it would
make war on the saints.
00:18:44.21\00:18:47.68
And so the second characteristic
is that this power would use
00:18:47.94\00:18:52.27
coercion and force
in the name of God.
00:18:52.30\00:18:56.15
This power would shed
blood in the name of God.
00:18:56.34\00:19:00.06
This power would
co-opt, as a religious entity,
00:19:00.09\00:19:04.00
the power of the state
to take the military might
00:19:04.03\00:19:08.88
of the state under its
mesmerizing spell and its
00:19:08.91\00:19:13.84
coercive doctrine to use
the state to exercise force
00:19:13.87\00:19:19.60
in the name of Jesus.
00:19:19.63\00:19:21.24
And so millions upon millions
of people down through those
00:19:21.27\00:19:24.78
dark ages lost their lives
as martyrs in the name of Jesus.
00:19:24.81\00:19:31.53
This was being done with
God as the purported source
00:19:32.40\00:19:39.16
of these deeds through history.
00:19:39.19\00:19:41.75
So you've got
the picture so far?
00:19:41.78\00:19:43.19
This movement we're going
to simply call, bad religion.
00:19:43.29\00:19:47.11
We're talking here
about a segment of history
00:19:47.14\00:19:48.94
that involves the reign
of bad religion, alright?
00:19:48.97\00:19:52.60
Babylon; confusion.
00:19:52.63\00:19:54.57
Doctrinal confusion that
uglifies the character of God,
00:19:54.86\00:19:58.42
that defames the
character of God.
00:19:58.45\00:20:00.01
Now that movement, according to
Revelation chapters 10 and 11,
00:20:00.04\00:20:05.43
that movement created a
situation, psychologically
00:20:05.46\00:20:10.96
and emotionally and
spiritually in the world,
00:20:10.99\00:20:13.77
that gave rise to atheism.
00:20:14.68\00:20:16.76
Modern atheism was born in
the cradle of Papal dominance
00:20:17.84\00:20:23.48
in the French revolution.
00:20:23.51\00:20:24.99
According to the book
of Revelation, the beast
00:20:25.32\00:20:28.82
from the bottomless pit
that would make war against
00:20:28.85\00:20:31.81
God's two witnesses, the
Old and the New Testament,
00:20:31.84\00:20:34.99
the beast from the bottomless
pit is none other than
00:20:35.20\00:20:38.42
modern atheism.
00:20:38.72\00:20:40.31
It's crucial for us
to understand atheism,
00:20:40.51\00:20:43.41
as a people, for this reason.
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.19
Atheism was not born on
the scene of human history
00:20:45.50\00:20:49.06
as a scientific
revolution originally.
00:20:49.09\00:20:52.92
Darwin's theory of
evolution wouldn't come for
00:20:53.96\00:20:57.36
many years later.
00:20:57.39\00:20:59.00
Atheism originated as a
violent emotional theological
00:20:59.30\00:21:05.45
spiritual reaction
against the uglification of the
00:21:06.02\00:21:10.58
character of God, the
defamation of God's character.
00:21:10.61\00:21:13.51
Doctrines like eternal torment
and penance and indulgences.
00:21:13.62\00:21:18.48
The entire psycho-edifice
of salvation by works
00:21:18.51\00:21:23.79
that had so squashed the human
spirit capacity for loving God
00:21:23.82\00:21:29.56
and yet
requiring worship of Him.
00:21:29.59\00:21:32.29
Making people slaves to
a picture of God that they
00:21:32.97\00:21:36.50
could not adore,
that they couldn't desire,
00:21:36.53\00:21:39.61
that they couldn't
actually reverence and love.
00:21:39.64\00:21:42.48
Humanity was held captive
until finally the human spirit
00:21:43.57\00:21:48.20
created in God's image,
and therefore longing for
00:21:48.23\00:21:52.14
liberty and freedom, could
handle the pressure no longer.
00:21:52.17\00:21:56.18
And in the French Revolution,
human beings rose up against
00:21:56.21\00:22:01.04
that system and essentially
said this, "If God is like that,
00:22:01.07\00:22:06.66
we want nothing to do with Him."
00:22:06.69\00:22:08.18
And that's the
birth of modern atheism.
00:22:08.69\00:22:10.40
That's why philosophers
and historians first referred
00:22:10.43\00:22:14.96
to the rise of
atheism in human history,
00:22:14.99\00:22:17.37
not as scientific
atheism, but as protest atheism.
00:22:17.40\00:22:21.44
They were
protesting a picture of God,
00:22:22.02\00:22:25.78
a caricature of God, a rendering
of His character that they
00:22:26.14\00:22:30.55
found mentally and
emotionally untenable.
00:22:30.58\00:22:33.54
So, "If God's like that,
we don't believe in God."
00:22:33.89\00:22:38.14
You see how that works?
00:22:38.17\00:22:39.54
So you have two movements now.
00:22:39.57\00:22:41.10
You have the reign
of bad religion in which
00:22:41.13\00:22:44.15
God's character is
severely misrepresented by a
00:22:44.18\00:22:47.01
doctrinal system and by
the use of coercion and force
00:22:47.04\00:22:49.86
in the name of God.
00:22:49.89\00:22:51.26
Then out of that movement
arises a second movement.
00:22:51.29\00:22:54.97
And that is modern
atheism as a violent reaction of
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.98
unbelief against that false
rendering of God's character.
00:22:59.01\00:23:03.44
Then Daniel 7 and 8,
Revelation 10 through 14,
00:23:04.11\00:23:09.84
in this very, very specific
historic lineage, brings to view
00:23:09.87\00:23:16.59
a point in history where
the tables will be turned.
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.49
And we have bad religion, the
birth of atheism, and then what?
00:23:20.37\00:23:25.01
Well, Daniel 7 and 8
portrays it this way.
00:23:25.04\00:23:27.96
The angel in Daniel 8
sees what has been described in
00:23:28.55\00:23:33.41
the vision of chapter
7; God's character defamed,
00:23:33.44\00:23:37.56
the persecution of the saints,
the little horn misrepresenting
00:23:37.79\00:23:41.08
and blaspheming
the character of God.
00:23:41.11\00:23:43.18
And then an angel in
chapter 8 of Daniel and verse 13
00:23:43.21\00:23:48.07
poses a question.
00:23:48.10\00:23:49.50
"How long?" is the question.
00:23:50.25\00:23:52.49
"How long?"
00:23:52.52\00:23:53.89
Well the question refers back
to what has just been revealed.
00:23:54.09\00:23:57.06
How long, listen carefully,
will this system reign
00:23:57.09\00:24:02.33
misrepresenting the character
of God in the name of God?
00:24:03.07\00:24:05.93
How long will the
grand masquerade continue?
00:24:06.95\00:24:10.79
How long will human
beings receive this horrible
00:24:10.82\00:24:15.32
misrepresentation
of God's character?
00:24:15.35\00:24:17.51
"How long?" said the angel.
00:24:17.54\00:24:19.75
And another angel answered
back and said, in verse 14
00:24:19.78\00:24:24.88
of Daniel 8, "Unto two
thousand three hundred days.
00:24:24.91\00:24:27.75
Then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed."
00:24:27.78\00:24:30.79
I want you to notice, my dear
Advent brothers and sisters,
00:24:30.82\00:24:34.20
that the message of
the 2300 day prophecy,
00:24:34.23\00:24:38.44
Daniel 8:14, is an
angel giving a direct answer
00:24:38.47\00:24:42.76
to the question
of another angel.
00:24:42.79\00:24:44.58
One angel has asked how
long this darkness regarding the
00:24:45.00\00:24:48.93
character of God.
00:24:48.96\00:24:50.33
The other angel answers, "Unto
two thousand three hundred days.
00:24:50.36\00:24:54.15
Then the
sanctuary will be cleansed."
00:24:54.18\00:24:57.12
Another version says, "The
sanctuary will be made right."
00:24:57.15\00:25:00.57
Well this power had interposed
itself between human beings
00:25:00.77\00:25:04.73
and the true sanctuary of
God from whence forgiveness
00:25:04.76\00:25:07.99
of sins comes by grace
through faith alone in Christ.
00:25:08.02\00:25:11.03
So there was this dark
interposition of an earthy
00:25:11.56\00:25:16.12
system that set up its colossal
masquerade in the name of God,
00:25:16.15\00:25:20.82
and people's vision of the
true gospel and the plan of
00:25:20.85\00:25:24.46
salvation was blocked.
00:25:24.49\00:25:26.24
The movement that is
prophesied of in Daniel 8:14,
00:25:27.01\00:25:31.05
listen carefully
now, is in direct response
00:25:31.08\00:25:34.88
to that reign of darkness.
00:25:34.91\00:25:37.84
Adventism is
foretold in Daniel 8:14,
00:25:38.05\00:25:42.47
"Unto two thousand three
hundred days," 2300 years,
00:25:42.50\00:25:46.15
then something new is
going to happen in history.
00:25:46.67\00:25:50.67
There will be the
birth of a new movement
00:25:50.70\00:25:52.85
that will rectify
human understanding regarding
00:25:52.88\00:25:57.79
the true sanctuary of God,
the true heavenly priesthood,
00:25:57.82\00:26:01.54
The entire plan of salvation
will be restored to its
00:26:01.57\00:26:05.34
rightful place in the
minds and hearts of human beings
00:26:05.37\00:26:08.52
to correct this reign
of spiritual darkness.
00:26:09.47\00:26:13.86
Do you see that
history and how it flows?
00:26:13.89\00:26:15.92
Well then, when we go
forward to Revelation 10,
00:26:15.95\00:26:19.54
we have the apostle
John receiving a vision.
00:26:20.68\00:26:23.27
In that vision, he
sees Jesus having a little
00:26:23.84\00:26:28.40
book in His hand.
00:26:28.43\00:26:29.80
The little book that Jesus,
in chapter 10 of Revelation,
00:26:30.61\00:26:34.01
has in His hand is none
other than the book of Daniel.
00:26:34.04\00:26:37.29
Which Daniel was told
would be sealed until the
00:26:37.76\00:26:40.24
time of the end.
00:26:40.27\00:26:41.96
"Shut up the
prophecies of your book, Daniel,
00:26:41.99\00:26:44.47
until the time of the end."
00:26:44.50\00:26:45.87
The book is shut, it's sealed.
00:26:45.90\00:26:47.52
But now in Revelation 10,
Jesus is standing before John
00:26:47.55\00:26:51.70
and the little book is opened.
00:26:51.73\00:26:54.74
He hands the
little book to John.
00:26:55.04\00:26:57.05
John, at this point,
is a microcosm in prophecy
00:26:57.08\00:27:00.18
of the advent movement.
00:27:00.21\00:27:01.69
He hands the book to John and
He says, "John, I want you to
00:27:01.89\00:27:04.09
do something with this book.
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.49
Eat it."
00:27:05.52\00:27:06.89
Oh, that's a strange request.
00:27:06.92\00:27:08.29
John eats the little book,
only to discover that it is
00:27:08.92\00:27:12.11
sweet to the taste,
but bitter in the belly.
00:27:12.14\00:27:15.30
And this is Bible prophecy
foretelling that there would
00:27:15.33\00:27:18.34
be a Bible study movement
that would arise on the scene of
00:27:18.37\00:27:22.77
human history at the end of
time that would have a specific
00:27:22.80\00:27:26.08
interest in studying
the prophecies of Daniel;
00:27:26.11\00:27:28.48
processing, digesting,
masticating, believing
00:27:28.51\00:27:32.31
the prophecies of
Daniel, eating them.
00:27:32.34\00:27:34.33
They would make a
discovery that would be sweet,
00:27:34.36\00:27:37.57
that would end in bitterness.
00:27:37.60\00:27:40.28
And we rightfully
call this experience,
00:27:40.31\00:27:42.47
the Great Disappointment,
because those early advent
00:27:42.50\00:27:44.91
believers, they thought that
Jesus was going to come in 1844.
00:27:44.94\00:27:50.66
And He did not.
00:27:50.69\00:27:52.06
Hence, the great disappointment.
00:27:52.09\00:27:53.54
This was not a movement
that was formed by a few
00:27:53.57\00:27:58.68
fanatical Bible students.
00:27:59.37\00:28:01.44
This was a worldwide phenomenon
that was made up of Baptists,
00:28:01.47\00:28:06.56
Seventh-day Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians,
00:28:06.59\00:28:09.36
Catholics, even
some devout Jews.
00:28:09.39\00:28:13.57
And that movement that is
described experienced that
00:28:13.91\00:28:17.13
great disappointment
when Jesus didn't come.
00:28:17.16\00:28:19.22
At that point you
think that's it, it's over.
00:28:19.25\00:28:21.15
The advent movement
scatters and it fractures.
00:28:21.18\00:28:24.08
But then something happens.
00:28:24.11\00:28:26.31
When you come to the end
of chapter 10 of Revelation...
00:28:26.51\00:28:28.92
And this is the verse I
want you to see right now
00:28:28.95\00:28:30.97
and focus on.
00:28:31.00\00:28:32.37
When you come to the end
of Revelation chapter 10...
00:28:32.57\00:28:35.53
This is astounding.
00:28:36.64\00:28:38.19
The great
disappointment has occurred.
00:28:38.22\00:28:40.38
And then you think,
well that's the end of it.
00:28:40.90\00:28:43.34
And that advent people
begin to scatter and fragment
00:28:44.50\00:28:48.79
and feel like, "Wow, we were
wrong, that's the end of it."
00:28:48.82\00:28:51.95
But look at verse 11.
00:28:51.98\00:28:54.05
The angel says...
00:28:54.51\00:28:55.92
And the angel in this particular
context is none other than Jesus
00:28:55.95\00:28:59.53
as a messenger,
the divine Son of God.
00:28:59.56\00:29:01.74
He's not an angel in the
sense that we think of angels
00:29:01.77\00:29:04.40
as created beings.
00:29:04.43\00:29:05.80
But He's the one
holding the little book
00:29:05.83\00:29:07.44
that gave it to John.
00:29:07.47\00:29:09.45
And He says to him in
verse 11, "You must prophesy..."
00:29:09.48\00:29:14.45
What's the word?
00:29:14.48\00:29:15.85
"...again..." On what scale?
00:29:15.88\00:29:18.13
"...unto many peoples,
nations, tongues, and kings."
00:29:19.73\00:29:23.89
In other words, the
movement is not over.
00:29:23.92\00:29:26.27
It's just beginning.
00:29:26.30\00:29:28.91
And now it's to
take on worldwide scope,
00:29:28.94\00:29:31.88
and it is to prophesy again.
00:29:31.91\00:29:34.28
It had prophesied before.
00:29:34.31\00:29:36.25
The disappointment occurred.
00:29:36.63\00:29:38.48
And now it was to
prophesy again before the world.
00:29:38.58\00:29:42.86
Which begs the
question immediately,
00:29:42.89\00:29:44.69
"What were they to prophesy?"
00:29:44.72\00:29:46.41
To prophesy means
to proclaim a message,
00:29:46.44\00:29:49.77
a heaven sent message.
00:29:49.80\00:29:52.28
What were they to prophesy?
00:29:52.31\00:29:53.68
What would be the
content of that message?
00:29:53.71\00:29:56.52
Well it's very fascinating.
00:29:56.55\00:29:57.97
Because as that advent movement
regrouped and began to restudy,
00:29:58.00\00:30:04.00
truths began to unfold to
their minds, as chapter 11
00:30:04.76\00:30:09.39
of Revelation
verse 19 began to occur.
00:30:09.92\00:30:12.48
"Then the temple of
God was opened in heaven,
00:30:12.68\00:30:15.60
and the ark of His covenant
was seen in His temple."
00:30:15.63\00:30:18.87
Notice something.
00:30:19.07\00:30:20.57
That these people who
have now regrouped and they're
00:30:20.77\00:30:24.55
beginning to restudy and
figure out what went wrong,
00:30:24.58\00:30:27.56
why the disappointment, they
receive the mandate from Christ,
00:30:27.59\00:30:31.08
"prophesy again," and
Jesus leads them to discover
00:30:31.11\00:30:34.92
the Most Holy Place.
00:30:34.95\00:30:36.66
The temple of God
is opened in heaven.
00:30:36.69\00:30:38.66
They step in by
faith and by Bible study,
00:30:38.69\00:30:40.85
into the Most Holy Place.
00:30:40.88\00:30:42.25
Not geographically
literally, of course.
00:30:42.28\00:30:43.72
But through
Scripture, they make their way
00:30:43.75\00:30:45.94
into the Most Holy Place.
00:30:45.97\00:30:47.59
We know it's the Most
Holy Place because it says
00:30:47.62\00:30:50.05
the temple of God
was opened in heaven,
00:30:50.08\00:30:51.61
and His ark was seen,
the ark of the testament.
00:30:51.64\00:30:55.73
This is the Most Holy Place.
00:30:55.76\00:30:57.78
That's our
location in history now.
00:30:57.81\00:31:00.46
They step into
the Most Holy Place,
00:31:01.32\00:31:03.17
and as they begin to
examine their surroundings,
00:31:03.20\00:31:06.23
a series of
truths begin to unfold.
00:31:06.26\00:31:09.14
They open the content of
the ark, they open the lid,
00:31:09.99\00:31:12.73
and they see the
Ten Commandments.
00:31:12.76\00:31:14.44
The Law of God, the immutability
of the Law of God is recovered
00:31:15.03\00:31:18.67
as a vital Bible truth.
00:31:18.70\00:31:20.07
They notice particularly
one of the commandments that
00:31:20.10\00:31:23.06
has been laid aside;
the Sabbath commandment.
00:31:23.09\00:31:25.34
And it becomes a
Sabbath keeping movement.
00:31:25.77\00:31:27.67
They notice the two covering
cherubs intently looking
00:31:28.00\00:31:31.74
on the mercy seat and
the Law and the Shekinah.
00:31:31.77\00:31:35.49
And they turn around and
they see that the veil of the
00:31:35.52\00:31:38.89
Most Holy Place is embroidered
with angelic figures.
00:31:38.92\00:31:43.65
And they realize that
this is cosmic in scope
00:31:43.86\00:31:47.00
and they begin developing
the great controversy motif.
00:31:47.03\00:31:51.06
And realize that this
great controversy involves
00:31:51.09\00:31:55.25
heaven and earth.
00:31:55.28\00:31:56.65
And there's an
intersection between the two.
00:31:56.68\00:31:58.86
And that there's something
greater at stake than merely
00:31:58.89\00:32:01.73
individual salvation.
00:32:01.76\00:32:03.38
The character of God
has been defamed in history.
00:32:03.41\00:32:06.21
There's a violent
cultural and religious reaction
00:32:06.24\00:32:09.71
against the
falsification of God's character
00:32:09.74\00:32:13.40
with atheism rising against it.
00:32:13.43\00:32:15.66
They realize now that they
live at a time in history when
00:32:15.69\00:32:18.35
the character of God is to
be vindicated and exonerated.
00:32:18.38\00:32:22.32
Beautified rather than
uglified before the world.
00:32:22.52\00:32:25.89
That men, women, and children
the world over are in desperate
00:32:25.92\00:32:29.53
need of seeing the truth about
God with unprecedented clarity.
00:32:29.56\00:32:36.20
What is the
movement to prophesy?
00:32:36.23\00:32:38.02
The movement is to prophesy
a message that exonerates the
00:32:38.05\00:32:43.64
character of God.
00:32:43.67\00:32:45.04
A whole new system
of truth begins to form.
00:32:45.21\00:32:49.58
A chain of truth link by link.
00:32:49.61\00:32:52.53
The Sabbath, the state
of the dead, the judgment.
00:32:52.56\00:32:55.01
All of these truths
begin to be formulated
00:32:55.24\00:32:58.74
in this budding phase
of the advent movement.
00:32:58.77\00:33:02.19
But here's the thing.
00:33:03.01\00:33:04.38
As that movement got off
the ground, God specifically
00:33:04.83\00:33:09.10
conveyed to the
movement early on that there was
00:33:09.13\00:33:12.63
to be a particular focus.
00:33:12.66\00:33:14.79
And the particular focus was
brought to view in what I call,
00:33:15.03\00:33:18.73
two early course setting
visions; visions that set
00:33:18.76\00:33:24.45
true north for the
movement, theologically.
00:33:24.48\00:33:27.02
The first vision was
given to William Miller.
00:33:27.05\00:33:29.74
And you can read it for yourself
in the book Early Writings,
00:33:29.94\00:33:32.73
pages 81 through 84.
00:33:32.76\00:33:34.44
William Miller received a
vision, and in that vision
00:33:34.47\00:33:37.24
he saw a room
with a single table.
00:33:38.10\00:33:43.10
And on that table, a jewel box.
00:33:43.13\00:33:45.86
He walked into the room
and he saw this beautiful box.
00:33:46.21\00:33:49.69
He called it in his vision,
in the vernacular of the time,
00:33:49.72\00:33:52.74
a casket.
00:33:52.77\00:33:54.14
He opened the jewel
box, the casket, and in it
00:33:54.17\00:33:57.83
he saw in his vision, he
saw rubies, and sapphires,
00:33:57.86\00:34:03.12
and emeralds, and diamonds, and
gold coins, and silver coins.
00:34:03.45\00:34:07.55
And he describes this
beautiful collection of jewels,
00:34:07.58\00:34:11.64
and how that they were
placed in a certain order.
00:34:11.67\00:34:14.61
And then as he kept looking,
people began to enter the room
00:34:15.89\00:34:19.60
and to handle the jewels, and
to move them around the room,
00:34:19.63\00:34:22.65
and to scatter them throughout
the room with the debris that
00:34:22.68\00:34:25.05
they brought in on
their feet, Miller says.
00:34:25.08\00:34:27.47
And they were scattered on the
floor and all over the table.
00:34:27.50\00:34:31.14
And some people
brought in similar jewels that
00:34:31.17\00:34:34.73
were counterfeits and you could
hardly tell the difference.
00:34:34.76\00:34:37.37
And Miller began to
lament the horrible situation.
00:34:37.40\00:34:40.74
And just then, as he was
on the verge of tears because
00:34:40.77\00:34:44.63
these priceless jewels
had been scattered among
00:34:44.66\00:34:47.62
false counterfeits,
just as he was on the verge
00:34:47.65\00:34:51.49
of total discouragement,
Miller says, "And in my vision,
00:34:51.52\00:34:54.72
a man with a dirt
brush entered the room."
00:34:54.75\00:34:57.45
A broom.
00:34:57.48\00:34:58.85
And this man begins to
sweep the room clean of all the
00:34:59.34\00:35:02.66
false jewels, the counterfeits.
00:35:02.69\00:35:04.50
He begins to sweep out all
the debris that was tracked in
00:35:04.53\00:35:07.14
on the feet of the many
people handling the jewels.
00:35:07.17\00:35:10.79
This is none other than
Jesus sweeping out of the house
00:35:10.82\00:35:15.06
all of these false
ideas that were being mingled
00:35:15.46\00:35:20.63
with the true jewels.
00:35:20.66\00:35:22.55
And then once all
the false was swept out,
00:35:22.58\00:35:25.65
Miller said that the man with
the dirt brush gathered up the
00:35:25.68\00:35:28.63
true jewels and put them
in a larger casket this time,
00:35:28.66\00:35:32.22
and placed them in an order.
00:35:33.38\00:35:35.28
And then these words
from Miller, "They shown forth
00:35:36.41\00:35:41.06
with ten times their
former glory in the vision."
00:35:41.09\00:35:47.30
Miller had just seen that there
would be down through history
00:35:47.50\00:35:52.50
a mingling of false and
true doctrines that would
00:35:52.53\00:35:56.56
obscure the truth of the
gospel and the character of God.
00:35:56.59\00:36:00.26
That there would be a cleansing
movement in history that
00:36:00.46\00:36:03.54
would sweep out the counterfeits
and bring in, restore the true
00:36:03.57\00:36:08.20
jewels to their proper setting.
00:36:08.23\00:36:10.21
And once the true
jewels of truth were restored
00:36:10.24\00:36:13.37
in proper relation,
one to another, they would
00:36:13.40\00:36:16.23
shine forth with ten times
their former glory and power.
00:36:16.26\00:36:20.04
In other words, there
would be a final movement
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.49
that would render the truth
to the world with unprecedented
00:36:22.99\00:36:27.26
power and illumination.
00:36:27.29\00:36:30.18
That's the first
vision that I refer to as a
00:36:30.61\00:36:33.02
course setting vision.
00:36:33.05\00:36:34.42
God was saying to the
early advent movement,
00:36:34.45\00:36:36.24
"You need to go in the direction
of gathering up the jewels
00:36:36.27\00:36:39.77
of truth and put them in the
right relation, one to another."
00:36:39.80\00:36:44.22
And as we're going to
see, something significant is
00:36:44.25\00:36:46.54
being conveyed here.
00:36:46.57\00:36:47.94
The second course setting
vision was one held by a young
00:36:47.97\00:36:50.82
teenage girl named Ellen White.
00:36:50.85\00:36:52.51
Ellen White received this
vision and it is recorded in
00:36:52.54\00:36:55.21
the book Early
Writings, pages 78 and 79.
00:36:55.24\00:36:58.50
Now watch this.
00:36:58.53\00:36:59.96
In this early vision,
the teenage Ellen White
00:36:59.99\00:37:04.20
saw a large temple
structure in the distance.
00:37:04.23\00:37:08.57
She made her way to the temple
and she entered the building.
00:37:08.60\00:37:15.12
Now if there are any
engineers or builders here,
00:37:16.15\00:37:18.93
you'll understand the
significance of this vision.
00:37:18.96\00:37:21.39
She says, "As I entered
the temple, as I entered the
00:37:21.42\00:37:25.10
structure, the building,"
she said, "I saw that the entire
00:37:25.13\00:37:28.57
structure was supported
by one immense pillar."
00:37:28.60\00:37:32.62
Quote, unquote.
00:37:32.65\00:37:34.02
She examined the
building, the structure,
00:37:34.05\00:37:38.03
and just one central pillar is
supporting the entire edifice.
00:37:38.33\00:37:43.52
Amazing.
00:37:43.72\00:37:45.09
She looks at the one immense
pillar wondering what its
00:37:45.12\00:37:48.84
significance is, and she sees...
00:37:48.87\00:37:51.63
Her words, not mine.
00:37:51.66\00:37:53.20
...that to it, to the
pillar, was tied a lamb
00:37:53.23\00:37:58.48
all mangled and bleeding.
00:37:58.51\00:38:01.13
And those who entered
the building, she says,
00:38:01.99\00:38:05.44
quote, unquote, "seemed
to know that he was wounded
00:38:05.47\00:38:10.02
on their account."
00:38:10.05\00:38:11.67
And everybody who
entered the temple, she says,
00:38:11.70\00:38:13.74
must make their way to
that one immense pillar,
00:38:13.77\00:38:17.67
to that lamb, and
confess their sins.
00:38:17.70\00:38:21.69
What had she just seen?
00:38:22.54\00:38:24.12
The temple represents
the entire structure of truth
00:38:24.92\00:38:27.48
that was being recovered at this
critical juncture of history.
00:38:27.51\00:38:31.02
This great building of
truth, this structure, however,
00:38:31.82\00:38:36.65
is supported by one
immense pillar of truth.
00:38:37.05\00:38:41.92
That one immense pillar of
truth that supports the entire
00:38:42.81\00:38:45.80
structure of truth is none other
than the cross of Jesus Christ.
00:38:45.90\00:38:51.91
The lamb is tied to the
pillar, bleeding and mangled.
00:38:52.11\00:38:56.21
And so God had just communicated
to the advent movement
00:38:56.24\00:38:59.98
true north.
00:39:00.38\00:39:01.75
The entire edifice of truth
must be kept in perspective.
00:39:01.83\00:39:05.71
It must be kept in
clear relation to the cross,
00:39:05.74\00:39:10.41
to the gospel, to the
great love of God demonstrated
00:39:10.44\00:39:14.09
at Calvary.
00:39:14.12\00:39:15.49
Every truth of Scripture would
find its significance and its
00:39:15.52\00:39:19.97
power in direct
relation to the cross.
00:39:20.00\00:39:23.70
The Faith I Live By, page
50, later on, years later,
00:39:24.14\00:39:27.95
Ellen White would put
this very idea received in that
00:39:27.98\00:39:30.39
vision in perspective.
00:39:30.42\00:39:31.79
And she said, and I
quote, "There is one..."
00:39:31.82\00:39:34.89
Note the language.
00:39:34.92\00:39:36.29
"There is one great
central truth to be kept ever
00:39:36.32\00:39:43.02
before the mind in the
searching of the Scriptures;
00:39:43.05\00:39:46.18
Christ and Him crucified.
00:39:46.81\00:39:49.42
Every other truth..."
00:39:49.45\00:39:51.71
Put whatever you
want there in the...
00:39:52.87\00:39:54.46
Not whatever you want,
put what belongs there.
00:39:54.49\00:39:56.09
The Sabbath, the state
of the dead, the judgment,
00:39:56.12\00:39:58.83
the immutability of
God's law, the health message.
00:39:58.86\00:40:02.16
The entire structure of truth.
00:40:02.19\00:40:04.30
Notice she says,
"Every other truth is invested
00:40:04.33\00:40:09.52
with influence and
power, corresponding to
00:40:09.55\00:40:14.98
its relation to this
theme," end of quote.
00:40:15.01\00:40:18.96
In other words, the
truth of God's matchless love
00:40:18.99\00:40:24.14
revealed in the
supreme sacrifice of Calvary
00:40:24.17\00:40:28.23
is the one truth that
gives power and influence
00:40:28.94\00:40:33.97
to every other truth.
00:40:34.17\00:40:35.74
Think of it this way.
00:40:35.94\00:40:37.31
That temple
vision is helpful here.
00:40:37.34\00:40:39.43
Imagine a physical structure,
a building, and let's just say
00:40:39.46\00:40:43.08
it's an octagon structure.
00:40:43.11\00:40:45.37
It has eight sides
with eight windows.
00:40:45.40\00:40:48.10
And you can make your
way around this building
00:40:48.13\00:40:51.29
to each of the windows.
00:40:51.32\00:40:53.07
And in the
building, there is one object.
00:40:53.39\00:40:58.61
And it is the cross of Christ
where God's love was manifested.
00:40:58.64\00:41:03.65
Wherever you go around
this structure, if you go to
00:41:03.68\00:41:06.99
any one of the windows
on the building and you look
00:41:07.02\00:41:10.95
through that
window, you are looking at
00:41:10.98\00:41:13.79
the cross through different
windows of understanding.
00:41:13.82\00:41:18.72
Let's call those
windows, the various key truths
00:41:18.92\00:41:21.97
that were recovered
in the advent movement.
00:41:22.00\00:41:24.11
You're looking through
one window and it is the
00:41:24.14\00:41:26.78
immutability of God's law.
00:41:26.81\00:41:28.56
But you're looking through
the law to see the cross.
00:41:29.35\00:41:32.89
You move to this side and
you're standing before the
00:41:32.92\00:41:35.39
window that we're going
to label, the Sabbath truth.
00:41:35.42\00:41:37.77
But the Sabbath has
no influence or power.
00:41:37.80\00:41:40.24
It has no significance
except as it bears relation
00:41:40.27\00:41:43.88
to the love of God
manifested at Calvary.
00:41:44.65\00:41:47.08
So I'm looking through the
Sabbath truth to understand
00:41:47.11\00:41:50.30
the significance of the
rest that I have in Christ
00:41:50.33\00:41:55.15
that the Sabbath signifies.
00:41:55.18\00:41:57.09
I move around the building
and I come to the window
00:41:57.12\00:41:59.84
that we're going to
label, the judgment.
00:41:59.87\00:42:01.67
But think about it, if
you communicate to the world,
00:42:01.90\00:42:04.79
if you preach to the world,
if you preach to yourself,
00:42:04.82\00:42:07.30
the truth of the
judgment but you withhold
00:42:07.33\00:42:10.54
the gospel of Christ, you
have rendered the judgment
00:42:10.57\00:42:13.78
in a way that can only
instill fear and apprehension,
00:42:13.81\00:42:17.77
but not a sense of desire
to want to be a participant
00:42:17.80\00:42:21.39
in the final judgment.
00:42:21.42\00:42:22.92
The Old Testament prophets
saw the judgment as good news.
00:42:22.95\00:42:27.06
They asked for it.
00:42:27.16\00:42:28.53
They said, "God, when
are You going to judge?
00:42:28.56\00:42:30.25
When are You going
to make things right?
00:42:30.28\00:42:31.82
When is it all going
to be straightened out
00:42:31.85\00:42:33.67
and rectified, Lord?"
00:42:33.70\00:42:35.07
The Old Testament
prophets, they wanted judgment.
00:42:35.10\00:42:37.80
Daniel chapter 7 and 8 says
that when the judgment occurs,
00:42:38.17\00:42:41.31
that it's a positive event.
00:42:41.34\00:42:43.15
It's not a negative event.
00:42:43.18\00:42:44.55
Why? Because Daniel says
that when the judgment is
00:42:44.58\00:42:47.16
set and the books are opened,
00:42:47.19\00:42:48.58
judgment will be made
in favor of the saints
00:42:50.14\00:42:53.21
of the Most High God.
00:42:53.24\00:42:54.62
So there's good news
in the judgment truth
00:42:54.65\00:42:56.75
if you look at the
judgment through the window
00:42:56.78\00:42:59.61
and see the cross
through that doctrine.
00:42:59.64\00:43:03.07
And walk to any of
the windows of truth,
00:43:03.10\00:43:05.26
walk around the building.
00:43:05.29\00:43:06.66
Whatever the message is,
the message is the gospel.
00:43:06.69\00:43:10.61
Whatever the truth is that
we're preaching at any given
00:43:10.64\00:43:13.82
point in our communication
of the gospel, our message,
00:43:13.85\00:43:19.17
whatever it is that we're
preaching, there's only...
00:43:19.20\00:43:22.92
What does she say?
00:43:22.95\00:43:24.32
"...one great central truth ever
to be kept before the mind in
00:43:24.35\00:43:29.11
the searching of the Scriptures;
Christ and Him crucified."
00:43:29.14\00:43:32.06
This isn't just
Ellen White's view.
00:43:32.85\00:43:35.61
This is exactly what
the apostle Paul said.
00:43:35.64\00:43:37.95
Paul said, "I have
determined not to know anything
00:43:38.29\00:43:41.43
among you but Jesus
Christ and Him crucified."
00:43:41.46\00:43:45.20
Was Paul simply saying
in a very simplistic sense,
00:43:45.87\00:43:49.69
was Paul saying, "I'm not
going to deal with any other
00:43:49.72\00:43:52.77
subject matter at all."
00:43:52.80\00:43:54.67
No, he dealt with a
large body of subject matter
00:43:55.09\00:43:59.51
if you read his writings.
00:43:59.54\00:44:00.91
His point is not that, "I
won't talk about anything else.
00:44:00.94\00:44:04.69
I won't preach anything else."
00:44:04.72\00:44:06.09
His point is, "I won't
preach anything else except for
00:44:06.12\00:44:09.06
in the light that
shines from Calvary.
00:44:09.09\00:44:11.86
Calvary will be
the informational bank
00:44:11.89\00:44:16.65
of data that
will give significance
00:44:16.68\00:44:19.33
to everything I preach."
00:44:19.36\00:44:21.29
But what happened
in Adventist history,
00:44:21.49\00:44:23.71
as God gave us these
early course setting visions,
00:44:23.81\00:44:27.32
something happened.
00:44:27.35\00:44:28.86
As early as 1852, in Review
And Herald, December 31, 1852,
00:44:28.89\00:44:34.44
Ellen White identified
this early advent movement
00:44:34.47\00:44:38.09
as settling in to
the Laodicean condition.
00:44:38.12\00:44:41.87
1852.
00:44:41.90\00:44:43.28
We've not gone that far down
the history of this movement.
00:44:43.31\00:44:47.35
From 1844 to 1852,
and already she says,
00:44:47.38\00:44:51.54
the words addressed to
the Laodicean church describe
00:44:51.57\00:44:54.56
their present
condition perfectly.
00:44:54.59\00:44:57.46
What's the Laodicean condition
that begin to settle in
00:44:58.06\00:45:02.03
among God's people,
among the advent movement?
00:45:02.06\00:45:05.66
Well, Revelation
chapter 3 tells us what that
00:45:05.69\00:45:08.27
Laodicean condition is.
00:45:08.30\00:45:10.17
It is the ultimate self-delusion
in which the True Witness,
00:45:10.38\00:45:15.02
Jesus Christ, says
to the Laodicean church,
00:45:15.05\00:45:17.80
"You think that you are
rich and increased with goods
00:45:18.22\00:45:22.19
and have need to nothing.
00:45:22.22\00:45:23.59
That's your self perception."
00:45:23.76\00:45:25.60
Now He's not talking
about material wealth.
00:45:25.80\00:45:28.26
He's talking about doctrinal
wealth, theological wealth.
00:45:28.29\00:45:31.59
"Yes, all of these truths
have been recovered, but now
00:45:31.62\00:45:34.80
having recovered these truths,
you think that these truths
00:45:34.83\00:45:38.57
in and of themselves
make you rich and increased
00:45:38.60\00:45:41.93
with spiritual goods."
00:45:41.96\00:45:43.54
But simultaneously,
something was happening.
00:45:43.87\00:45:46.56
"You think that you're
rich and increased with goods
00:45:46.59\00:45:48.36
and have need of nothing.
00:45:48.39\00:45:49.90
But I say unto you
that you are miserable,
00:45:49.93\00:45:53.50
poor, blind, and naked.
00:45:53.53\00:45:55.90
That's My
assessment," Jesus says.
00:45:56.44\00:45:59.25
But what
constituted this condition?
00:45:59.28\00:46:03.27
Well Jesus goes on
to describe the remedy.
00:46:03.30\00:46:05.66
He says, "You need three things.
00:46:06.54\00:46:08.08
You need gold tried in the
fire, you need white raiment,
00:46:08.97\00:46:12.21
and you need eye salve."
00:46:12.24\00:46:13.61
Three symbols that convey
something very, very important.
00:46:13.86\00:46:17.24
Gold tried in the fire
is defined in Scripture
00:46:17.58\00:46:20.61
as faith operating
or working by love.
00:46:20.71\00:46:25.45
The white raiment symbolizes
the righteousness of Christ
00:46:26.41\00:46:29.50
as our only hope of salvation.
00:46:29.53\00:46:31.70
And the eye salve
represents the ministry and work
00:46:31.80\00:46:34.76
of the Holy Spirit
to give discernment,
00:46:34.79\00:46:37.55
spiritual discernment, so
we can see our true condition
00:46:37.58\00:46:41.49
as a people.
00:46:41.52\00:46:42.89
The True Witness says
that, "You, as a people,
00:46:42.92\00:46:45.61
are in the Laodicean condition.
00:46:45.64\00:46:47.87
You have inflated your
sense of self, you've blown up
00:46:47.90\00:46:53.28
this picture of
yourself in which you think
00:46:53.31\00:46:55.59
that you're rich and
increased with goods.
00:46:56.00\00:46:57.38
But the fact is,
you're missing vital elements.
00:46:57.41\00:46:59.96
Yes, you believe and preach that
the law is not done away with.
00:46:59.99\00:47:03.44
'It's not abolished,
it's not nailed to the cross.
00:47:03.47\00:47:05.33
And we can prove it.
00:47:05.36\00:47:06.73
The seventh day is the
Sabbath and not the first day.'
00:47:06.76\00:47:08.82
And you're doing a good job
all lawyer like of proving it.
00:47:08.85\00:47:12.86
But you're missing
some vital elements.
00:47:13.23\00:47:15.16
You need faith
that works by love.
00:47:15.70\00:47:17.32
You need the
righteousness of Christ.
00:47:17.35\00:47:18.79
You need the
ministry of the Holy Spirit
00:47:18.82\00:47:20.78
to clear your vision.
00:47:20.81\00:47:22.22
You need Christ central to every
doctrine you hold as a people.
00:47:22.25\00:47:28.49
That I have
given you as a people.
00:47:28.52\00:47:30.48
I tried to tell you early on
in those course setting visions
00:47:30.51\00:47:34.21
that there's one immense
pillar of truth that invests
00:47:34.24\00:47:37.63
the others with
power and influence.
00:47:37.66\00:47:40.48
But you have now
become a people who are
00:47:40.51\00:47:45.05
rich in doctrinal
knowledge, but you're missing
00:47:45.08\00:47:49.04
vital elements."
00:47:49.07\00:47:50.60
Later on, the advent
movement, as it progressed,
00:47:50.80\00:47:54.73
there were two pieces
of art that were developed
00:47:54.76\00:47:57.28
in Adventist history
that are more significant
00:47:57.31\00:48:00.03
than any other art in
the history of this movement.
00:48:00.06\00:48:04.64
The first piece of art
was issued in the year 1876.
00:48:05.31\00:48:12.26
And you're looking
at it on the screen.
00:48:12.29\00:48:15.71
This piece of art was
created as an evangelistic tool.
00:48:15.74\00:48:19.06
James White commissioned it and
it was to be set up on an easel.
00:48:20.00\00:48:24.32
The same thing that we do today
when we use PowerPoint slides.
00:48:25.27\00:48:28.13
It was just a teaching tool.
00:48:28.16\00:48:29.67
And this picture was
intended to convey the message
00:48:29.70\00:48:34.59
so that the evangelist
and preacher would point to
00:48:34.62\00:48:36.61
various elements in the
message as he was preaching.
00:48:36.64\00:48:39.51
You will notice in the picture,
look at it very carefully,
00:48:39.54\00:48:42.44
that the Ten Commandments
are front and center
00:48:42.96\00:48:45.53
hanging on the
tree of life, no less.
00:48:45.56\00:48:48.75
And the cross is kind
of off to the side and
00:48:49.17\00:48:52.41
portrayed as receding.
00:48:52.44\00:48:54.42
The Ten Commandments
hanging on the tree of life.
00:48:55.23\00:48:58.29
The painting was, or the
engraving, as it was called,
00:48:58.32\00:49:02.51
was entitled, "The Way Of Life,
00:49:02.54\00:49:04.97
From Paradise Lost
To Paradise Restored."
00:49:05.17\00:49:08.29
Now here's what happened.
00:49:08.32\00:49:09.69
This tool was used
for years in Adventism
00:49:11.35\00:49:15.43
"to preach the
message," quote, unquote.
00:49:16.09\00:49:18.94
After James died in 1882,
Ellen White was devastated.
00:49:19.39\00:49:26.24
Because James and Ellen had
been having personal discussions
00:49:26.27\00:49:31.40
in which they were longing
for justification by faith,
00:49:31.43\00:49:36.18
righteousness by
faith, the grace of God,
00:49:36.21\00:49:39.36
the gospel, the love.
00:49:39.39\00:49:40.76
What she called, "the
matchless love of God."
00:49:40.79\00:49:43.89
They were longing for
this emphasis to be brought
00:49:44.62\00:49:48.06
front and center in the
Adventist theological structure.
00:49:48.09\00:49:51.49
James died before he
could launch the second version
00:49:51.88\00:49:55.73
of this evangelistic
tool, which you'll look at now.
00:49:55.76\00:49:58.89
So after his death, Ellen
White took the old picture with
00:49:59.05\00:50:04.20
the Law of God
hanging on the tree of life
00:50:04.23\00:50:06.00
front and center, she took
that picture out of commission,
00:50:07.14\00:50:11.16
out of circulation.
00:50:11.19\00:50:12.56
Ellen White then commissioned
a new picture in 1883.
00:50:12.59\00:50:18.55
And that new picture
that was commissioned,
00:50:19.01\00:50:22.35
you'll notice that
there's a difference.
00:50:22.70\00:50:24.38
First of all,
what's the title now?
00:50:24.41\00:50:26.14
Can you see the title?
00:50:26.17\00:50:27.54
"Christ, The Way Of
Life," is the new title.
00:50:27.57\00:50:31.17
You'll notice now that
the cross of Jesus Christ
00:50:31.67\00:50:35.06
is looming large front and
center in the picture of truth.
00:50:35.09\00:50:39.66
Where's the Law of God?
00:50:40.24\00:50:41.82
Well don't say it's not there.
00:50:41.85\00:50:43.22
It is there exactly
where it ought to be.
00:50:43.25\00:50:45.31
It's portrayed in the upper
left hand corner of the picture
00:50:45.34\00:50:49.43
with the dark clouds,
the thunder, the lightening,
00:50:49.46\00:50:52.21
and the Mount Sinai.
00:50:52.24\00:50:54.43
In other words, it was
to be communicated that the
00:50:54.46\00:50:58.20
Law of God in and of
itself had no saving power,
00:50:58.23\00:51:01.35
saving virtue.
00:51:01.38\00:51:02.75
That the Savior is Jesus Christ.
00:51:02.78\00:51:05.36
The law, quoting Paul in
Galatians, is a schoolmaster
00:51:05.39\00:51:09.10
to bring us to Christ.
00:51:09.13\00:51:10.50
So the law, Romans chapter
3, is a functional device
00:51:12.14\00:51:17.74
by which, Paul says, "By the
law is the knowledge of sin."
00:51:17.77\00:51:21.04
It exposes our need.
00:51:22.08\00:51:24.01
It's a tutor.
00:51:24.49\00:51:25.86
It's a disciplinarian
to bring us to the Savior.
00:51:25.89\00:51:28.51
But it has no saving
virtue in and of itself.
00:51:28.54\00:51:31.29
So this new picture
was put into circulation.
00:51:32.01\00:51:35.29
This is a very critical thing to
understand in Adventist history.
00:51:35.32\00:51:39.13
Be we, as a people,
launched the movement
00:51:39.41\00:51:42.86
with a very specific
historic and prophetic mandate.
00:51:43.74\00:51:48.79
"Prophecy again."
00:51:48.82\00:51:50.19
A message was to be given.
00:51:50.22\00:51:51.80
A structure of
truth was formulated.
00:51:52.79\00:51:55.25
God said to this people,
one immense pillar of truth.
00:51:55.80\00:52:00.05
Hold Christ central and the rest
of it will make saving sense.
00:52:00.09\00:52:03.61
And then we, as a
people, began to formulate
00:52:04.08\00:52:07.88
a method of communication
and preaching and evangelism
00:52:07.91\00:52:12.57
that caused Christ
to recede from view
00:52:12.91\00:52:16.06
and the doctrines,
in and of themselves,
00:52:16.26\00:52:18.09
to be brought front and
center as mere doctrinal facts
00:52:18.12\00:52:21.55
to be proven rather
than as truths through which
00:52:21.58\00:52:27.44
the character of God could
be vindicated and understood.
00:52:27.47\00:52:30.58
So Ellen White began to make a
series of diagnostic statements.
00:52:30.80\00:52:35.71
I'm going to give
you three or four of them
00:52:37.77\00:52:39.45
as I watch the clock.
00:52:39.48\00:52:40.92
Diagnostic statement
number one from the book,
00:52:41.78\00:52:43.91
Faith And
Works, pages 15 and 16.
00:52:43.94\00:52:45.72
Don't miss a word of this.
00:52:45.75\00:52:47.21
"On the one hand," she says,
"religionists generally have
00:52:48.08\00:52:52.38
divorced the
law from the gospel,
00:52:52.41\00:52:54.18
but we, while we
on the other hand,"
00:52:54.90\00:52:58.30
we Adventists on the other
hand, "have almost done the same
00:52:58.33\00:53:01.30
from another standpoint.
00:53:01.33\00:53:03.02
We have not held up before
the people the righteousness of
00:53:04.18\00:53:08.05
Christ and the full significance
of His great plan of redemption.
00:53:08.08\00:53:12.06
We have left out
Christ and His matchless love,
00:53:12.09\00:53:15.77
and brought in
theories and reasonings,
00:53:15.80\00:53:18.90
and preached
argumentative discourses."
00:53:19.20\00:53:21.88
End of quote.
00:53:21.91\00:53:23.28
Adventism began to
develop what Ellen White called,
00:53:23.38\00:53:25.84
the "argumentative discourse."
00:53:25.87\00:53:28.63
We began to develop a
method of preaching that...
00:53:29.00\00:53:33.53
In the simplest
way I can portray it
00:53:33.56\00:53:35.26
in the time that we have.
00:53:35.29\00:53:36.87
We began to view, for example,
the Sabbath truth as merely
00:53:36.90\00:53:40.36
right day versus wrong
day, "And we can prove it
00:53:40.91\00:53:43.17
with these 46 verses.
00:53:43.20\00:53:45.13
Let us close with prayer."
00:53:45.82\00:53:47.23
But no, it wasn't
time to close with prayer
00:53:48.76\00:53:50.73
once you simply demonstrate
right day versus wrong day.
00:53:50.76\00:53:54.13
The Sabbath truth is a larger
truth that preaches the gospel
00:53:54.16\00:53:58.64
of rest in Christ
for a completed salvation
00:53:58.67\00:54:04.48
to which I can't contribute
as a fallen human being.
00:54:04.51\00:54:08.58
So she says we, as a
people, began to leave out the
00:54:08.61\00:54:11.84
matchless love of Christ.
00:54:11.87\00:54:13.24
Diagnostic statement number two.
00:54:13.27\00:54:15.07
Selected
Messages, Volume 2, page 87.
00:54:15.27\00:54:18.28
"The truth for this time," she
says, "is broad in its outlines,
00:54:18.31\00:54:21.96
far reaching, and
embracing many doctrines;
00:54:21.99\00:54:25.75
but these doctrines
are not detached items,
00:54:26.28\00:54:31.32
which mean little.
00:54:31.35\00:54:32.72
They are united by golden
threads, forming a complete
00:54:32.75\00:54:37.79
whole, with Christ
as the living center."
00:54:37.82\00:54:41.15
End of quote.
00:54:41.18\00:54:42.55
What did she just say?
00:54:42.58\00:54:43.95
She said, "Do not configure
your understanding of the truth.
00:54:43.98\00:54:49.25
Don't look at it as a
series of detached items
00:54:49.70\00:54:53.72
that are
separated from one another.
00:54:53.75\00:54:55.95
The system of truth God
has given us as a people
00:54:55.98\00:54:58.91
is to be viewed as
connected with golden threads
00:54:58.94\00:55:02.31
of grace and gospel
significance with Christ
00:55:02.34\00:55:05.45
as the living center."
00:55:05.48\00:55:07.71
Then Adventism begins
to make brilliant sense.
00:55:07.91\00:55:12.21
Brilliant intellectual sense,
brilliant emotional sense,
00:55:12.24\00:55:15.71
brilliant relational sense.
00:55:15.74\00:55:17.63
It becomes much more
understandable and transforming
00:55:17.92\00:55:23.35
when every truth
is viewed in Christ.
00:55:23.38\00:55:27.48
She went on in a
third diagnostic statement
00:55:27.51\00:55:30.31
in the 1888 materials, page 810.
00:55:31.29\00:55:36.07
She says that basically,
quote unquote, that Adventist
00:55:36.10\00:55:41.16
preaching of that era
had become as void of Christ
00:55:41.19\00:55:46.44
as was the offering of Cain.
00:55:46.47\00:55:48.46
Quote unquote.
00:55:48.94\00:55:50.31
Diagnostic
statement number four, is it?
00:55:50.34\00:55:53.34
She said in 1888 materials, page
842, "The preaching of Christ
00:55:53.65\00:55:57.75
crucified has been strangely
neglected by our people."
00:55:57.78\00:56:02.01
I'm simply giving you a
sampling of what was happening
00:56:02.49\00:56:05.17
historically in Adventism.
00:56:05.20\00:56:07.16
We had settled into
the Laodicean condition.
00:56:07.19\00:56:09.53
And having done so, we
had emasculated the message.
00:56:09.56\00:56:13.07
We had drained it of its
power by making it merely
00:56:13.10\00:56:17.07
a series of factual
argumentative sermons
00:56:17.10\00:56:20.10
void of the gospel.
00:56:20.13\00:56:21.82
And then as that
history unfolded, a new picture
00:56:22.10\00:56:26.07
began to emerge in the
preaching of a few individuals
00:56:26.10\00:56:29.53
in Adventist history, namely
A.T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner
00:56:29.56\00:56:33.12
in 1888 at the
General Conference session,
00:56:33.15\00:56:35.83
and Ellen White.
00:56:35.86\00:56:37.41
As they travelled the camp
meeting circuit, they began to
00:56:37.44\00:56:40.16
preach justification by faith.
00:56:40.19\00:56:42.77
And as that era came to a
conclusion, or was coming to
00:56:43.15\00:56:46.87
a close, Ellen White
would make this statement,
00:56:46.90\00:56:50.21
Review And
Herald, December 23, 1890,
00:56:50.44\00:56:54.34
that in the final
revolution, the final movement,
00:56:54.82\00:56:57.40
the loud cry, the
latter rain, that movement that
00:56:57.43\00:57:00.86
brings to closure
the great controversy and
00:57:00.89\00:57:03.66
hastens the coming of
Jesus, she said and I quote,
00:57:03.69\00:57:05.89
"One interest will prevail,
one subject will swallow up
00:57:05.92\00:57:11.54
all others; Christ
our Righteousness."
00:57:11.57\00:57:16.92
End of quote.
00:57:16.95\00:57:18.32
And it is that message
that constitutes the one move
00:57:18.93\00:57:23.44
that we, as a people, must
make, that we desperately need
00:57:24.07\00:57:27.50
to make, to turn the game and
to win the great controversy.
00:57:27.53\00:57:31.95