Welcome back. 00:00:16.64\00:00:18.01 How are you all doing? 00:00:19.31\00:00:20.75 Was the last lesson clear? 00:00:22.08\00:00:23.95 If it wasn't, it's going to be clear now. 00:00:24.99\00:00:27.16 Let's have a word of prayer, and we'll begin. 00:00:28.72\00:00:30.53 Father in heaven, we ask that as we study this lesson 00:00:30.56\00:00:33.33 about earth's two representatives, 00:00:33.36\00:00:35.56 that You will be with us, that You will instruct us, 00:00:35.60\00:00:38.77 and Lord, that You will make our hearts burn 00:00:39.60\00:00:42.80 for the end to come, to be in the presence of Jesus, 00:00:43.54\00:00:46.88 our beloved Savior, to worship Him and to worship You 00:00:46.91\00:00:50.51 throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. 00:00:50.55\00:00:52.65 What an honor that will be. 00:00:52.68\00:00:54.28 We look forward to that day. 00:00:54.88\00:00:56.42 Please instruct us now as we study this particular subject. 00:00:57.15\00:01:00.36 We pray in the name of Jesus, amen. 00:01:00.39\00:01:04.03 Alright, first of all, let's review what we studied 00:01:05.53\00:01:07.73 last time, because it's the foundation for 00:01:07.76\00:01:10.57 what we're going to look at next. 00:01:10.60\00:01:12.53 And page 59 of your syllabus you'll find a brief review 00:01:12.93\00:01:18.74 of the previous presentation. 00:01:18.77\00:01:20.31 First, there is life on other planets. 00:01:20.34\00:01:23.98 And each planet has its ambassador or representative. 00:01:24.41\00:01:28.58 And the inhabitants of other planets existed before 00:01:29.05\00:01:32.35 the creation of this world. 00:01:32.55\00:01:34.59 Secondly, at creation the morning stars, also known as 00:01:35.22\00:01:40.33 sons of God rejoiced and shouted for joy. 00:01:40.36\00:01:44.57 Then we find that God has a heavenly council 00:01:45.70\00:01:49.47 with representatives from the worlds that participate 00:01:49.97\00:01:52.97 in deliberations and decision-making. 00:01:53.01\00:01:56.18 In Job 1, the sons of God, that is the representatives 00:01:56.91\00:02:01.12 of the worlds, came to present themselves before the Lord 00:02:01.15\00:02:05.25 in the heavenly council. 00:02:05.55\00:02:07.16 In Job 2, the sons of God, or representatives of the worlds, 00:02:07.72\00:02:12.56 left after the first meeting and came back for a second meeting. 00:02:12.76\00:02:16.70 So they must not live in the presence of God all the time. 00:02:16.90\00:02:20.37 Ellen White refers to these representatives as strong angels 00:02:21.04\00:02:25.17 or the highest of angels. 00:02:25.21\00:02:27.38 And Satan came to the meetings of the heavenly council 00:02:28.24\00:02:31.91 in the Old Testament representing planet earth 00:02:31.95\00:02:35.48 because he had usurped Adam's position, who was the 00:02:35.68\00:02:39.75 rightful king of this earth when he was created. 00:02:39.79\00:02:43.66 We also noticed in our last study God's plan 00:02:44.46\00:02:47.96 for the human race. 00:02:48.00\00:02:49.53 We noticed that human beings were a new and distinct order 00:02:49.96\00:02:54.37 created for a specific purpose. 00:02:54.57\00:02:57.24 Also, we noticed that earth was the only planet 00:02:57.77\00:03:00.68 with the capacity to reproduce to fulfill that purpose. 00:03:00.78\00:03:05.25 God has a special plan for humans. 00:03:05.81\00:03:08.78 Both before man sinned and after man sinned, 00:03:09.52\00:03:14.36 He had the same plan. 00:03:14.39\00:03:15.96 In that plan, human beings would be equal to the angels, 00:03:16.52\00:03:20.66 sons of God, after passing the test. 00:03:20.70\00:03:23.90 And human beings would fill the vacancies that Satan and his 00:03:24.27\00:03:29.10 angels left when God expelled Lucifer from heaven. 00:03:29.14\00:03:34.58 So basically, in a nutshell, that is a review 00:03:35.48\00:03:38.75 of our last study together. 00:03:39.05\00:03:40.82 Now we want to talk about Adam, 00:03:41.38\00:03:43.99 the original representative of planet earth. 00:03:44.55\00:03:48.32 We're going to look at the characteristics of Adam. 00:03:48.36\00:03:51.09 First of all, Adam of course was a created being. 00:03:51.73\00:03:56.40 Let's read Genesis 1:26-27. 00:03:57.17\00:03:59.83 We probably can repeat this from memory. 00:03:59.87\00:04:02.70 So we find clearly that Adam and Eve were created by God. 00:04:29.73\00:04:35.54 They were created beings. 00:04:35.57\00:04:37.11 Of course, that goes without saying. 00:04:37.14\00:04:38.97 The Bible tells us that Adam was the son of God. 00:04:40.04\00:04:43.75 Notice Luke 3:38. 00:04:44.61\00:04:47.32 This is the end of the chapter. 00:04:48.45\00:04:50.39 It tells us that... 00:04:50.75\00:04:53.19 So Adam is called the son of God. 00:05:00.70\00:05:03.57 So we shouldn't be surprised if he should have been the 00:05:03.90\00:05:06.43 son of God to represent this planet in the heavenly council. 00:05:06.47\00:05:10.01 Now regarding Adam's status as the son of God, 00:05:10.71\00:05:13.98 Ellen White wrote this: 00:05:14.68\00:05:16.21 "The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, 00:05:16.91\00:05:21.42 traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, 00:05:21.88\00:05:27.86 mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. 00:05:28.06\00:05:32.53 Though formed from the dust, Adam was 'the son of God.' 00:05:32.99\00:05:39.20 He was placed as God's representative 00:05:39.53\00:05:43.24 over the lower orders of being." 00:05:43.27\00:05:46.31 So you'll notice here that both the Bible and the 00:05:47.11\00:05:49.98 spirit of prophecy identify Adam as the original 00:05:50.01\00:05:53.21 son of God on this planet and created by God. 00:05:53.25\00:05:58.75 Now the conclusion that we can reach from this is 00:05:59.75\00:06:03.09 that the original son of God on planet earth was Adam. 00:06:03.29\00:06:07.66 However, he was the son of God in a special and different 00:06:08.60\00:06:12.47 sense than we are. 00:06:12.50\00:06:13.94 Would you agree with that? 00:06:14.54\00:06:15.87 He was the son of God by creation, not by procreation. 00:06:17.34\00:06:22.64 In other words, we are sons of the son of the Son of God. 00:06:23.51\00:06:28.78 So Adam is unique, 00:06:29.92\00:06:32.29 because he came forth from the hands of the Creator. 00:06:32.75\00:06:35.56 He was not procreated, he was created. 00:06:35.76\00:06:39.16 So the son of God in a special sense. 00:06:39.19\00:06:42.86 Adam also wore a crown at creation. 00:06:43.47\00:06:46.87 He was crowned king of this world. 00:06:46.90\00:06:50.41 Of course, under the absolute kingship of Christ. 00:06:50.71\00:06:53.54 Notice Psalm 8:3-8. 00:06:53.91\00:06:56.91 It says, "When I consider Your heavens, 00:06:57.65\00:06:59.78 the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, 00:06:59.81\00:07:03.45 which You have ordained..." 00:07:03.49\00:07:05.05 The psalmist is speaking to the Lord. 00:07:05.09\00:07:06.99 See, because he's king, right? 00:07:26.64\00:07:28.44 So he has dominion. 00:07:28.48\00:07:30.15 When the Bible mentions heaven, earth, and seas, 00:07:43.32\00:07:45.99 it means everything relating to planet earth. 00:07:46.03\00:07:49.36 Heaven, earth, and waters. 00:07:49.63\00:07:52.87 And so, Adam was presented with a position of king. 00:07:53.23\00:07:57.77 He was crowned, according to Psalm 8, and all things 00:07:57.81\00:08:05.01 relating to this earth were his realm of dominion. 00:08:05.11\00:08:09.72 Now going to the next page, Ellen White confirms 00:08:10.92\00:08:14.56 that Adam was crowned king at creation. 00:08:14.66\00:08:17.49 She corroborates what we find in Psalm 8. 00:08:17.59\00:08:21.73 She wrote in, Review and Herald, February 24, 1874, 00:08:22.13\00:08:26.40 "Adam was crowned as king in Eden. 00:08:26.43\00:08:30.57 God gave him dominion over every living thing 00:08:31.11\00:08:34.78 that He had created. 00:08:34.81\00:08:36.41 The Lord blessed Adam and Eve with intelligence 00:08:36.68\00:08:38.98 such as He had not given to any animal creation. 00:08:39.01\00:08:41.98 He made Adam the rightful sovereign over all 00:08:42.65\00:08:47.76 the works of His hands." 00:08:47.79\00:08:49.82 So you'll notice that Adam was a created being, 00:08:50.46\00:08:54.00 he is called the son of God, in a unique sense, 00:08:54.53\00:08:59.43 he was crowned at creation as king, 00:08:59.77\00:09:03.81 and the realm of his dominion was planet earth. 00:09:03.84\00:09:07.38 He was the rightful sovereign of the earth. 00:09:07.41\00:09:10.18 Now how were Adam and Eve clothed at the very beginning? 00:09:10.78\00:09:15.02 You're going to see where we're going with all of these details. 00:09:15.75\00:09:18.75 Genesis 2:25 tells us that Adam and Eve were naked 00:09:18.85\00:09:22.79 when God created them. 00:09:22.82\00:09:24.39 Now they were naked with regard to human fabric clothing. 00:09:31.17\00:09:39.47 They were covered, but they were covered with a robe of light. 00:09:40.04\00:09:45.11 In other words, their garments were not made of human material. 00:09:45.58\00:09:50.25 They were covered with the glorious light of God. 00:09:50.29\00:09:52.95 Ellen White also wrote in, Christ's Object Lessons, 00:09:53.86\00:09:56.69 page 310-311, "The white robe of innocence 00:09:56.73\00:10:02.13 was worn by our first parents when they were placed 00:10:02.16\00:10:05.93 by God in the holy Eden. 00:10:05.97\00:10:07.90 They lived in perfect conformity to the will of God. 00:10:08.10\00:10:11.21 They gave all the strength of their affections 00:10:11.61\00:10:14.24 to their heavenly Father. 00:10:14.28\00:10:16.14 A beautiful soft light, the light of God, 00:10:16.18\00:10:20.25 enshrouded the holy pair. 00:10:20.28\00:10:22.22 This robe of light was a symbol of their spiritual 00:10:22.25\00:10:26.89 garments of heavenly innocence." 00:10:26.92\00:10:29.12 So how were Adam and Eve clothed at the beginning? 00:10:29.36\00:10:32.16 They were clothed in a robe of light, which Ellen White 00:10:32.36\00:10:34.90 identifies as a white robe of innocence. 00:10:34.93\00:10:38.63 So they were covered with white garments. 00:10:39.00\00:10:41.50 Now do you know that the angels also, wear garments of light? 00:10:42.67\00:10:46.98 In fact, the garments of light, or white, that the angels wear 00:10:48.01\00:10:52.91 are a reflection of the garments that God wears. 00:10:52.95\00:10:55.78 Because God's creation is to reflect God's glory. 00:10:55.82\00:11:00.22 Notice Matthew 28:2-3. 00:11:00.42\00:11:03.19 "And behold, there was a great earthquake..." 00:11:03.53\00:11:05.26 This is the resurrection of Jesus. 00:11:05.29\00:11:07.16 So human beings wear white garments 00:11:22.88\00:11:25.01 and the angels wear white garments 00:11:25.45\00:11:27.28 because both groups of beings reflect the glorious 00:11:27.32\00:11:31.65 robe of light of God. 00:11:31.69\00:11:33.46 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 45, Ellen White wrote, 00:11:33.92\00:11:36.96 "The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; 00:11:36.99\00:11:40.53 they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, 00:11:40.56\00:11:44.63 such as the angels wear." 00:11:44.83\00:11:47.10 So did Adam and Eve have the same garments 00:11:47.14\00:11:50.14 that the angels wear? 00:11:50.17\00:11:51.54 Absolutely. 00:11:51.57\00:11:52.91 Garments of light, white garments of light. 00:11:52.94\00:11:56.24 And this, of course, is a reflection of God's garments. 00:11:56.64\00:11:59.55 Notice Psalm 104:1-2. 00:11:59.58\00:12:02.62 So what kind of garment does God wear? 00:12:19.20\00:12:22.30 God wears a garment of light. 00:12:22.67\00:12:24.74 And He clothed Adam and Eve with a garment of light. 00:12:25.04\00:12:28.64 The angels are covered with a garment of light. 00:12:28.88\00:12:32.08 With white robes of light, if you please. 00:12:32.11\00:12:35.38 One further text on this point, Daniel 7:9. 00:12:35.85\00:12:38.85 Speaking about the beginning of the judgment. 00:12:39.69\00:12:41.82 So what do we find concerning Adam? 00:12:55.70\00:12:57.97 Adam was created, Adam was the son of God 00:12:58.34\00:13:02.58 in a unique sense, Adam was crowned at creation 00:13:02.61\00:13:07.02 to be king and his realm of dominion was planet earth, 00:13:07.05\00:13:12.72 Adam was covered with a robe, a white robe of light, 00:13:13.19\00:13:18.69 and Adam was placed as the father and representative 00:13:19.13\00:13:23.16 of the planet. 00:13:23.20\00:13:24.93 Let's notice, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 48. 00:13:25.50\00:13:28.54 We're at the bottom of page 63. 00:13:28.57\00:13:30.71 "In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation 00:13:31.54\00:13:36.81 in placing His blessing upon the seventh day. 00:13:37.18\00:13:40.38 The Sabbath was committed to Adam..." 00:13:40.95\00:13:42.78 Now listen carefully. 00:13:42.82\00:13:44.15 What was Adam? The what? 00:13:44.19\00:13:45.89 "...the father and representative of the 00:13:46.09\00:13:49.99 whole human family." 00:13:50.03\00:13:51.69 So who would have been at the heavenly council 00:13:51.73\00:13:54.13 if Adam had not sinned? 00:13:54.16\00:13:56.00 Adam. Because he represented, according to this, 00:13:56.20\00:13:59.13 the whole human family. 00:13:59.17\00:14:01.17 So in spite of the fact, this is a very interesting detail, 00:14:02.30\00:14:05.71 in spite of the fact that Eve sinned first, 00:14:05.74\00:14:08.71 God held Adam accountable for the inception of sin. 00:14:09.28\00:14:12.65 Why? 00:14:13.75\00:14:15.08 Because Adam was the head. 00:14:15.25\00:14:17.15 And I know people don't like to hear this. 00:14:17.62\00:14:19.89 Adam was placed at the head of the human race. 00:14:21.12\00:14:24.63 Does that make everybody else inferior? 00:14:25.29\00:14:27.46 No. It simply means that he's the leader. 00:14:27.80\00:14:30.57 He represents the planet. 00:14:31.03\00:14:32.73 Headship isn't bad, in other words. 00:14:33.23\00:14:37.11 Jesus came to redeem the position that Adam lost. 00:14:38.14\00:14:42.14 And for this reason, the Bible refers to Jesus as what? 00:14:42.51\00:14:46.61 The last Adam, not the last Eve. 00:14:46.88\00:14:50.25 As the sons of God in Job 1 and 2 were the representatives 00:14:50.95\00:14:54.66 of the worlds, so Adam represented planet earth. 00:14:54.69\00:14:59.63 Are we clear? 00:15:01.56\00:15:02.90 Now, you're going to see why I dedicated time to things 00:15:03.50\00:15:07.64 that you already knew. 00:15:07.67\00:15:09.07 What beings were present in Revelation chapter 4? 00:15:10.57\00:15:14.04 Now we're going to go to Revelation chapter 4 to see 00:15:14.08\00:15:16.08 who was present there. 00:15:16.11\00:15:17.45 Well, there were actually four orders of beings present there. 00:15:17.81\00:15:21.55 Number one, the Father who was sitting on the throne. 00:15:22.12\00:15:25.22 We studied this yesterday in our session. 00:15:25.25\00:15:27.69 Second, the seven Spirits before the throne. 00:15:27.96\00:15:30.56 Which represent what? 00:15:30.59\00:15:31.93 The fullness of the Holy Spirit. 00:15:32.29\00:15:34.33 The four living creatures, which are seraphim. 00:15:34.66\00:15:38.67 And cherubim, according to the spirit of prophecy. 00:15:38.70\00:15:41.07 And what other group? 00:15:41.37\00:15:42.84 The twenty-four elders. 00:15:42.87\00:15:44.47 Who is missing in chapter 4? 00:15:45.04\00:15:47.01 Jesus, and also what? 00:15:48.01\00:15:50.15 Also the angelic hosts are missing. 00:15:50.51\00:15:54.58 It is important to remember that the twenty-four elders 00:15:55.22\00:15:58.22 already surrounded the throne in chapter 4 before Jesus arrived 00:15:58.25\00:16:03.36 with the angel hosts and the first fruits in chapter 5. 00:16:03.39\00:16:07.30 So the twenty-four elders cannot be those 00:16:07.76\00:16:09.66 who resurrected with Jesus. 00:16:09.70\00:16:11.33 Because they were already there before Jesus arrived 00:16:11.53\00:16:14.57 with the first fruits. 00:16:14.60\00:16:15.97 Now, let's notice who joins the celebration in chapter 5. 00:16:16.54\00:16:20.61 All beings in chapter 4 reappear in chapter 5. 00:16:21.14\00:16:25.21 Except, in chapter 5, two are added. 00:16:25.88\00:16:29.92 The angelic hosts are added, and Jesus who presents Himself 00:16:30.39\00:16:35.89 as the Lamb as though He had been slain 00:16:35.92\00:16:39.59 is now present as well. 00:16:39.89\00:16:42.33 Now let's review something that we noticed before. 00:16:43.50\00:16:45.63 The twenty-four elders are angelic beings. 00:16:45.67\00:16:48.37 Are we all agreed on that? 00:16:48.40\00:16:49.97 They are angelic beings. 00:16:50.51\00:16:51.84 Not of the regular angel hosts, but they are the highest 00:16:51.87\00:16:55.51 of angels, they are strong angels. 00:16:55.54\00:16:58.05 As we have seen, Ellen White, in the book, The Great Controversy, 00:16:58.61\00:17:02.72 states that the sons of God in the book of Job were angels. 00:17:03.05\00:17:07.26 This harmonizes with her view elsewhere 00:17:07.66\00:17:10.29 that the representatives of the worlds are powerful angels 00:17:10.59\00:17:14.90 or the highest of angels to whom God has delegated 00:17:14.93\00:17:19.30 the responsibility of ruling over the worlds 00:17:19.33\00:17:22.20 and representing them in the heavenly council. 00:17:22.30\00:17:25.01 And I'm not going to read the next statement from, 00:17:25.21\00:17:27.11 Great Controversy, page 518. 00:17:27.14\00:17:28.61 We read that before where Ellen White states clearly 00:17:28.64\00:17:31.85 that in Job when it says, "the sons of God 00:17:32.21\00:17:34.78 presented themselves before the Lord," 00:17:34.82\00:17:36.72 it was the angels of God that presented themselves 00:17:36.75\00:17:40.62 before the Lord. 00:17:40.72\00:17:42.06 So although the twenty-four elders are angelic, 00:17:42.52\00:17:45.19 They must not be confused with the regular angelic hosts. 00:17:45.83\00:17:49.53 Is there a distinction between the angels that presented 00:17:49.80\00:17:53.64 themselves before the Lord and the regular angelic hosts? 00:17:53.67\00:17:57.27 Is there a difference between the twenty-four elders 00:17:57.31\00:17:59.57 and the regular angelic hosts? 00:17:59.67\00:18:01.51 Let's read Revelation 5:11-12 00:18:02.21\00:18:04.08 and you'll see that this is the case. 00:18:04.11\00:18:05.71 Listen carefully now. 00:18:08.72\00:18:10.05 Are the elders part of the angelic hosts? 00:18:15.69\00:18:18.16 Are they? No. 00:18:19.09\00:18:21.13 Because it says, "I looked and I heard the voice of many angels 00:18:21.16\00:18:24.60 around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders..." 00:18:24.63\00:18:28.74 Are the elders distinct from the angelic hosts? 00:18:29.04\00:18:32.07 Absolutely. 00:18:32.11\00:18:33.44 "...and the number of them was ten thousand times 00:18:33.48\00:18:35.61 ten thousand, and thousands of thousands..." 00:18:35.64\00:18:37.25 That's a description of the angelic hosts. 00:18:37.45\00:18:40.12 Now let's take a look at the twenty-four elders. 00:18:49.12\00:18:51.63 Let's read Revelation 4:4 to notice the characteristics of 00:18:53.13\00:18:56.97 the twenty-four elders. 00:18:57.00\00:18:58.33 It says, "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones..." 00:18:58.70\00:19:01.54 So the elders sit on what? 00:19:02.64\00:19:04.34 On thrones. 00:19:05.21\00:19:06.54 Now, some have assumed that the twenty-four elders 00:19:19.19\00:19:24.53 cannot be angelic because their characteristics are human. 00:19:24.56\00:19:30.60 Are the twenty-four elders created beings? 00:19:33.17\00:19:36.34 You can notice that in Revelation 4:10-11. 00:19:37.01\00:19:39.97 They're created beings. 00:19:40.18\00:19:41.71 Do the twenty-four elders sit on thrones? 00:19:44.25\00:19:46.48 Yes. Does that mean that they're rulers? 00:19:47.32\00:19:49.62 Absolutely, yes. 00:19:50.39\00:19:51.85 And supposedly, angels aren't rulers. 00:19:52.82\00:19:55.22 They have crowns on their heads. 00:19:56.59\00:19:58.53 Another indication that they are kings or rulers. 00:19:59.26\00:20:02.53 And the word for, "crown," is, "Stephanos." 00:20:03.10\00:20:05.43 The victor's crown. 00:20:06.03\00:20:07.54 Some claim that the angels never won the victory over sin, 00:20:08.64\00:20:11.57 and therefore they do not wear crowns. 00:20:11.61\00:20:14.24 And finally, the elders wear white garments. 00:20:15.24\00:20:18.68 Elsewhere in the book of Revelation, it says that the 00:20:20.02\00:20:22.18 redeemed are the ones that wear white garments. 00:20:22.22\00:20:25.82 Are you seeing what the problem is? 00:20:25.85\00:20:27.56 They appear to be human by all the characteristics. 00:20:28.39\00:20:30.63 They're created, they sit on thrones, 00:20:30.66\00:20:33.09 which means they're rulers, they have the crowns of 00:20:33.13\00:20:35.60 the victor, which means that they must have overcome sin, 00:20:35.63\00:20:38.83 and they wear white garments. 00:20:38.87\00:20:40.40 Those are characteristics of humans, so they can't be angels. 00:20:40.70\00:20:43.77 Really? 00:20:45.91\00:20:47.24 Well, let's pursue this to see whether it's true or not. 00:20:47.51\00:20:51.85 Now however, hasty assumptions sometimes 00:20:52.25\00:20:56.02 lead to wrong conclusions. 00:20:56.05\00:20:57.75 Is it just possible that these characteristics fit 00:20:58.62\00:21:01.39 angelic beings just as well as human beings? 00:21:01.42\00:21:04.33 As we have seen, Ellen White used three expressions 00:21:05.19\00:21:08.60 to describe the group of the twenty-four elders. 00:21:08.63\00:21:11.20 She clearly believed that the elders were present 00:21:11.43\00:21:13.70 in heaven before Jesus arrived. 00:21:13.74\00:21:15.67 And I'm not going to read this quotation because 00:21:15.70\00:21:18.11 we've already read it before. 00:21:18.14\00:21:19.71 So let's ask, are angels created beings? 00:21:20.61\00:21:23.98 Of course, they are. 00:21:25.65\00:21:26.98 Notice Colossians 1:16. 00:21:27.08\00:21:29.52 Speaking about Jesus, it says, "For by Him 00:21:30.29\00:21:33.46 all things were created that are in heaven..." 00:21:33.89\00:21:37.29 Would that be the angels too? 00:21:37.33\00:21:38.79 "...that are in heaven and that are on earth, 00:21:39.09\00:21:41.53 visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions 00:21:41.80\00:21:44.70 or principalities or powers. 00:21:44.73\00:21:46.53 All things were created through Him and for Him." 00:21:46.63\00:21:49.50 Were the angels created? 00:21:49.54\00:21:51.01 Yes. 00:21:51.04\00:21:52.37 In, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906, 00:21:52.64\00:21:54.91 Ellen White wrote, "Before men or angels were created, 00:21:54.94\00:21:58.41 the Word was with God, and was God." 00:21:58.78\00:22:02.62 So clearly, she says, "Before men or angels were created..." 00:22:02.65\00:22:07.82 There's another quotation that we find in, 00:22:08.46\00:22:10.63 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 36. 00:22:10.66\00:22:12.86 "The son of God had wrought the Father's will 00:22:12.89\00:22:15.73 in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; 00:22:15.76\00:22:19.50 and to Him, as well as to God, their homage 00:22:20.07\00:22:22.97 and allegiance were due. 00:22:23.00\00:22:24.54 Christ was still to exercise divine power 00:22:24.57\00:22:27.28 in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. 00:22:27.31\00:22:31.05 So humans are created beings. 00:22:31.75\00:22:35.38 Angels are created beings. 00:22:35.42\00:22:38.15 Now do angels wear crowns? 00:22:38.55\00:22:40.99 See, the people who say that the elders cannot be angelic, 00:22:41.89\00:22:46.80 they have to be human because they wear crowns, 00:22:47.80\00:22:51.80 they say that the word, "Stephanos," the word, "crown," 00:22:53.17\00:22:56.04 in Greek, means the crown of the victor. 00:22:56.37\00:22:59.34 And you know, so these people had to have 00:23:00.24\00:23:03.04 gained the victor over sin. 00:23:03.08\00:23:04.41 It should have been human beings who gained the victor over sin. 00:23:04.45\00:23:07.38 Angels never gained the victor over sin. 00:23:07.42\00:23:09.55 That's the argument. 00:23:10.42\00:23:11.79 However, the word, Stephanos, even though generally it applies 00:23:12.45\00:23:18.19 to the victor's crown, it doesn't always apply 00:23:18.49\00:23:24.40 to the victor's crown. 00:23:24.43\00:23:25.77 It is also referred to in Scripture as the 00:23:26.27\00:23:29.97 crown that a king wears. 00:23:30.01\00:23:31.47 Because there's two words in Greek for crown. 00:23:32.14\00:23:35.21 One is the word, Stephanos, where my name comes from, 00:23:35.24\00:23:39.45 Stephen, and the other one is diadem. 00:23:39.48\00:23:43.22 In Revelation 19 where Jesus comes as King of kings 00:23:43.42\00:23:46.15 and Lord of lords, He has many diademata. 00:23:46.19\00:23:48.82 He has many crowns, in other words. 00:23:48.86\00:23:51.33 So, supposedly Stephanos refers only to the victor's 00:23:51.36\00:23:54.86 crown, so they must be human. 00:23:54.90\00:23:56.36 They gained the victory over sin. 00:23:56.40\00:23:57.93 However, the word, Stephanos is also used 00:23:58.43\00:24:01.64 for the crown of a king. 00:24:01.67\00:24:03.24 Notice Matthew 27:29. 00:24:03.27\00:24:05.71 And you can look at the parallel passages in the gospels as well. 00:24:05.74\00:24:08.81 This is when they put a crown of thorns on Jesus. 00:24:09.48\00:24:12.05 "When they has twisted a crown," a Stephanos... 00:24:12.25\00:24:15.05 So, can a Stephanos be the crown of a king, 00:24:28.20\00:24:31.73 and not necessarily of a victor? 00:24:32.60\00:24:34.60 Absolutely. 00:24:34.87\00:24:36.20 Because Jesus certainly was not victorious here 00:24:36.24\00:24:38.04 in the minds of the ones who put the crown on Him. 00:24:38.07\00:24:40.24 Notice Revelation 14:14. 00:24:41.11\00:24:43.21 Once again, the word, Stephanos is used. 00:24:43.24\00:24:45.51 "Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, 00:24:45.88\00:24:47.82 and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man..." 00:24:48.02\00:24:50.45 A Stephanos. 00:24:53.15\00:24:54.49 This text describes the close of probation 00:24:58.26\00:25:00.86 when at the conclusion of the investigative judgment, 00:25:00.90\00:25:03.53 Jesus receives the kingdom from His Father 00:25:03.63\00:25:06.53 and begins to reign as King. 00:25:06.57\00:25:08.87 So once again, this presents Jesus as King. 00:25:09.70\00:25:13.98 The emphasis is not on Jesus as victor, 00:25:14.01\00:25:16.54 the emphasis is on Jesus as King. 00:25:16.58\00:25:19.31 By the way in the Old Testament, the Septuagint translation 00:25:19.81\00:25:22.75 of the Old Testament uses the word, Stephanos, 00:25:22.78\00:25:25.52 as well on several occasions to describe the crown 00:25:25.55\00:25:29.79 that was worn by David and the kings of Israel. 00:25:29.82\00:25:32.49 So to say that because the elders wear a Stephanos 00:25:32.96\00:25:37.37 that means always the victor's crown 00:25:37.47\00:25:39.47 is simply not true. 00:25:40.17\00:25:41.50 Because it's used also for the crown of a king. 00:25:41.54\00:25:45.57 Now the question is, do angels wear crowns? 00:25:46.17\00:25:50.35 Of course, they do. 00:25:52.68\00:25:54.02 Notice all these statements of the spirit of prophecy. 00:25:54.52\00:25:56.85 When man sinned in the Garden of Eden. 00:25:57.89\00:25:59.82 This is on page 69. 00:25:59.85\00:26:01.62 "The news of man's fall spread through heaven. 00:26:02.26\00:26:05.49 Every harp was hushed. 00:26:05.99\00:26:07.56 The angels cast their..." What? 00:26:07.86\00:26:09.90 "...the crowns from their heads in sorrow." 00:26:10.17\00:26:12.93 When Jesus suffered in Gethsemane. 00:26:14.87\00:26:16.91 "There was no joy in heaven. 00:26:17.57\00:26:19.07 The angels cast their crowns and harps from them, 00:26:19.27\00:26:22.31 and with the deepest interest silently watched Jesus." 00:26:22.71\00:26:26.18 When Jesus ascended to heaven. 00:26:26.61\00:26:28.42 "Then the entire heavenly host surrounded their majestic 00:26:28.98\00:26:31.72 Commander, and with the deepest adoration bowed before Him 00:26:31.75\00:26:35.22 and cast their glittering crowns at His feet." 00:26:35.42\00:26:38.96 At the close of human probation. 00:26:39.83\00:26:41.70 "And all the angelic host laid off their crowns 00:26:41.90\00:26:44.90 as Jesus made the solemn declaration, 00:26:44.93\00:26:47.60 'he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; 00:26:47.80\00:26:50.24 he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; 00:26:50.44\00:26:52.97 he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; 00:26:53.34\00:26:55.71 and he that is holy, let him be holy still.'" 00:26:56.01\00:26:58.95 At the second coming. 00:26:59.45\00:27:00.78 "A retinue of holy angels with bright glittering crowns 00:27:01.08\00:27:04.89 upon their heads escorted Him on His way. 00:27:04.92\00:27:08.06 No language can describe the glory of the scene." 00:27:08.26\00:27:12.86 So do angels also wear crowns? 00:27:13.40\00:27:15.90 Are they created beings? 00:27:16.73\00:27:18.80 Yes, they wear crowns and they are created beings. 00:27:19.13\00:27:23.14 Do angels have white garments? 00:27:26.57\00:27:28.84 Notice the next page. 00:27:30.18\00:27:31.61 Matthew 28:2-3 00:27:32.28\00:27:34.08 Acts 1:10, the Ascension of Christ. 00:27:48.60\00:27:51.30 "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven 00:27:51.40\00:27:53.64 as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in..." What? 00:27:53.67\00:27:59.17 "...in white apparel." 00:27:59.37\00:28:00.78 Do angels also wear white? 00:28:00.81\00:28:03.24 Yes, they do. 00:28:03.71\00:28:05.05 And Ellen White adds these quotations. 00:28:05.31\00:28:07.78 Speaking about the angel who came to resurrect Jesus, 00:28:08.18\00:28:11.79 "His face was like the lightning, 00:28:11.82\00:28:13.86 and his garments..." What? 00:28:13.89\00:28:15.69 "...white as snow." 00:28:15.72\00:28:17.06 So do only the redeemed wear white garments? No. 00:28:17.09\00:28:20.33 See, you have to be careful when you study Scripture. 00:28:20.36\00:28:22.76 And not only conclude, "Well, in Revelation 00:28:23.37\00:28:25.80 the redeemed wear white. 00:28:25.83\00:28:27.17 So the twenty-four elders have to be human beings." 00:28:27.44\00:28:30.27 No, we have to look at all of the evidence, 00:28:30.61\00:28:33.51 and then reach our conclusions. 00:28:33.61\00:28:35.28 Here's another statement that we find 00:28:35.78\00:28:37.51 in, Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3, pages 200-201. 00:28:37.85\00:28:42.95 "As she," that is Mary, "stood weeping, she stooped down 00:28:43.49\00:28:46.89 to once more look into the sepulcher; 00:28:46.99\00:28:48.92 and lo, there were two angels, clothed in..." What? 00:28:48.96\00:28:53.46 "...garments of white." 00:28:53.50\00:28:55.90 And then the statement that we read before, 00:28:56.33\00:28:58.13 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 45. 00:28:58.17\00:29:00.27 "The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; 00:29:00.30\00:29:03.47 they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, 00:29:03.51\00:29:06.44 such as the angels wear." 00:29:06.54\00:29:10.31 Is that clear? 00:29:11.48\00:29:12.81 So do the characteristics of the twenty-four elders, 00:29:13.31\00:29:16.15 are they similar to the characteristics of the angels? 00:29:17.79\00:29:22.22 Sure, so they can very easily be angels. 00:29:23.22\00:29:25.66 They're created, they wear crowns, 00:29:25.93\00:29:29.03 they have white garments. 00:29:29.60\00:29:31.33 And by the way, the elders are the 00:29:32.23\00:29:33.94 representatives of the worlds. 00:29:33.97\00:29:35.54 That's why they wear crowns. 00:29:35.57\00:29:36.97 Because they're rulers of the worlds. 00:29:37.01\00:29:39.21 They sit on thrones. 00:29:39.67\00:29:41.01 They have dominion over a certain realm of God's creation. 00:29:41.04\00:29:45.21 Now once again, even though I read this yesterday, 00:29:45.95\00:29:49.42 and it's a rather extensive quotation, 00:29:49.45\00:29:52.25 I have to read it again in the light of the new evidence 00:29:52.29\00:29:54.82 that we've seen. 00:29:54.86\00:29:56.19 You know, every time that I read this passage, 00:29:56.32\00:29:58.63 it kind of gives me goosebumps. 00:29:58.66\00:30:00.56 And I wish I had been there when this happened, 00:30:01.13\00:30:04.40 when Jesus ascended to heaven. 00:30:04.43\00:30:06.30 Ellen White identifies who the twenty-four elders are. 00:30:07.40\00:30:12.71 Let's read at the top of page 71. 00:30:13.74\00:30:17.15 "All heaven was waiting to welcome the Savior 00:30:17.18\00:30:19.88 to the celestial courts. 00:30:19.91\00:30:21.58 As He ascended, He led the way, and the multitude of captives 00:30:22.05\00:30:27.36 set free at His resurrection followed." 00:30:28.19\00:30:30.59 Were the elders already there before Jesus 00:30:30.63\00:30:32.73 arrived with the captives? 00:30:32.76\00:30:34.20 See, the evidence is clear. 00:30:34.23\00:30:35.86 "The heavenly hosts, with shouts and acclamations 00:30:37.43\00:30:41.37 of praise and celestial song, attended the joyous train. 00:30:41.40\00:30:45.17 As they drew near to the city of God, 00:30:46.34\00:30:48.88 the escorting angels give the challenge, 00:30:49.58\00:30:52.31 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be lifted up, ye everlasting 00:30:52.61\00:30:56.99 doors; and the King of glory shall come in.' 00:30:57.02\00:30:58.99 Joyfully, the waiting sentinel angels respond, 00:30:59.52\00:31:02.72 'Who is this King of glory?' 00:31:02.76\00:31:04.69 This they say, not because they know not who He is, 00:31:05.09\00:31:07.76 but because they would hear the answer of exalted praise. 00:31:07.96\00:31:11.00 'The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 00:31:11.37\00:31:14.37 Lift up your heads...'" 00:31:14.40\00:31:15.74 Why would it say, "mighty in battle," by the way? 00:31:15.77\00:31:18.04 Because He's just come from battle with the devil 00:31:19.37\00:31:21.48 in the Garden of Gethsemane on the cross. 00:31:21.51\00:31:23.58 And He's gained the victory. 00:31:24.31\00:31:25.65 Yeah, He's wounded. That's true. 00:31:25.68\00:31:27.02 He has the battle wounds. 00:31:27.05\00:31:28.38 But He's alive. 00:31:28.48\00:31:29.85 And so it says, "'The Lord strong and mighty, 00:31:30.49\00:31:33.12 the Lord mighty in battle. 00:31:33.46\00:31:35.22 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, 00:31:35.26\00:31:38.36 ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.' 00:31:38.39\00:31:41.10 Again the challenge is heard, 'Who is this King of glory?' 00:31:41.50\00:31:44.77 For the angels never weary of hearing His name exalted. 00:31:44.87\00:31:48.07 The escorting angels make reply, 'The Lord of hosts; 00:31:48.10\00:31:51.14 He is the King of glory.'" 00:31:51.17\00:31:53.48 Would you have liked to have been there? 00:31:54.08\00:31:55.98 Oh wow! 00:31:56.64\00:31:57.98 You know, we would need different eardrums 00:31:58.61\00:32:01.12 than what we have now. 00:32:01.15\00:32:02.48 God is going to have to give us new physiology 00:32:04.12\00:32:07.49 in order to be able to hear the praise of 00:32:07.69\00:32:09.66 millions of angels singing. 00:32:09.69\00:32:11.46 You know Enrico Caruso, the great tenor, 00:32:11.79\00:32:15.20 you know, he could break glasses with his voice. 00:32:15.40\00:32:18.27 Now image, that's why God's voice causes an earthquake, 00:32:18.53\00:32:22.80 a global earthquake that, 00:32:22.84\00:32:24.74 you know, makes mountains disappear and islands disappear. 00:32:24.77\00:32:28.01 She continues writing, "Then the portals of the 00:32:28.51\00:32:30.81 city of God are opened wide, and the angelic throng," 00:32:30.85\00:32:35.38 that is the multitude of angels, "sweep through the gates 00:32:35.72\00:32:39.55 amid a burst of rapturous music." 00:32:39.59\00:32:42.02 In other words, the angels are singing. 00:32:42.06\00:32:44.29 "There is the throne..." 00:32:45.19\00:32:46.53 Now you tell me if she's commenting 00:32:46.56\00:32:48.03 on Revelation 4 and 5. 00:32:48.06\00:32:49.40 "There is the throne..." 00:32:49.43\00:32:50.77 That would be Revelation 4:2. 00:32:51.73\00:32:53.10 I've added in brackets explanations. 00:32:53.13\00:32:55.84 "...and around it the rainbow of promise." 00:32:56.14\00:32:57.97 Is the rainbow in Revelation 4? 00:32:58.01\00:32:59.81 Yes. 4:3. 00:33:00.08\00:33:01.44 "There are cherubim and seraphim." 00:33:01.64\00:33:03.71 Who would they be equivalent to? 00:33:03.75\00:33:05.51 The four living creatures. 00:33:06.48\00:33:08.12 "The commanders of the angel hosts, the sons of God, 00:33:08.78\00:33:11.39 the representatives of the unfallen worlds..." 00:33:11.42\00:33:14.16 Who would they be? 00:33:14.19\00:33:15.52 The twenty-four elders. 00:33:15.72\00:33:17.06 "...are assembled. 00:33:17.09\00:33:18.43 And then she explains who these representatives are. 00:33:18.49\00:33:21.73 "The heavenly council before which Lucifer had accused 00:33:21.76\00:33:25.03 God and His Son, the representatives 00:33:25.07\00:33:27.80 of those sinless realms over which Satan had thought 00:33:27.84\00:33:31.01 to establish his dominion, 00:33:31.04\00:33:32.51 all are there to welcome the Redeemer." 00:33:32.54\00:33:35.51 See, the heavenly council is gathered together. 00:33:35.54\00:33:37.31 What for? For the party. 00:33:37.35\00:33:39.41 For the reception of Jesus back to heaven. 00:33:40.22\00:33:43.08 The victorious war Hero is coming back. 00:33:43.82\00:33:46.92 He had promised He was coming back. 00:33:47.46\00:33:49.19 And He did. 00:33:49.22\00:33:50.56 "They are eager to celebrate His triumph 00:33:50.86\00:33:52.89 and to glorify their King." 00:33:52.93\00:33:54.36 But now suddenly there's going to be silence. 00:33:54.40\00:33:56.36 "However, He waves them back. 00:33:56.40\00:33:58.37 Not yet, He cannot now receive the coronet of glory 00:33:59.00\00:34:03.14 and the royal robe." 00:34:03.17\00:34:04.57 So is He going to be installed as King? 00:34:04.61\00:34:07.04 of the kingdom of grace? Yes. 00:34:07.08\00:34:09.01 "He enters into the presence of His Father." 00:34:09.04\00:34:11.38 See, this is Revelation 5:7. 00:34:11.41\00:34:13.42 It says He comes to the one who is seated on the throne. 00:34:13.45\00:34:17.59 "He point to His wounded head, the pierced side, 00:34:17.92\00:34:20.76 the marred feet; He lifts His hands, 00:34:20.79\00:34:23.06 bearing the print of the nails." 00:34:23.09\00:34:24.46 What is Jesus presenting Himself as 00:34:24.49\00:34:27.03 according to Revelation? 00:34:27.06\00:34:28.40 The Lamb as though it has been slain. 00:34:28.63\00:34:30.43 Are you noticing that Ellen White is not using the symbols? 00:34:30.47\00:34:33.40 She is interpreting the symbols. 00:34:33.44\00:34:35.30 She's telling us what the symbols mean. 00:34:36.34\00:34:38.17 She doesn't say, four living creatures. 00:34:38.37\00:34:39.81 She doesn't say, twenty-four elders. 00:34:39.84\00:34:41.31 She doesn't say, a Lamb as though He had been slain. 00:34:41.34\00:34:43.81 She doesn't say, one sitting on the throne. 00:34:44.45\00:34:46.28 She says, the Father. 00:34:46.31\00:34:47.85 She says, the representatives of the worlds. 00:34:48.05\00:34:50.79 She says, the cherubim and the seraphim. 00:34:50.82\00:34:56.12 And she says, Jesus with His wounds. 00:34:56.42\00:34:59.33 She's interpreting and explaining Revelation 4 and 5. 00:34:59.56\00:35:04.17 She continues writing, "He points to His wounded head, 00:35:04.20\00:35:06.87 the pierced side, the marred feet; 00:35:06.90\00:35:08.90 He lifts His hands, bearing the print of nails, 00:35:09.10\00:35:11.77 He points to the tokens of His triumph; 00:35:11.81\00:35:14.44 He presents to God the wave sheaf, 00:35:14.64\00:35:17.55 those raised with Him as representatives 00:35:17.58\00:35:19.51 of that great multitude who shall come forth 00:35:19.55\00:35:22.12 from the grave at His second coming. 00:35:22.15\00:35:23.79 He approaches the Father..." 00:35:24.79\00:35:26.22 Remember that everything is silent at this moment. 00:35:26.72\00:35:28.72 "He approaches the Father, with whom there is joy 00:35:28.76\00:35:31.43 over one sinner that repents, 00:35:31.46\00:35:33.03 who rejoices over one with singing. 00:35:33.23\00:35:35.33 Before the foundations of the earth were laid, 00:35:35.56\00:35:37.50 the Father and the Son had united in a covenant 00:35:37.53\00:35:39.77 to redeem man if Satan should overcome him. 00:35:39.80\00:35:42.40 They had clasped their hands in a solemn pledge 00:35:42.74\00:35:45.61 that Christ should become the surety," or the guarantee, 00:35:45.81\00:35:48.71 "for the human race. 00:35:48.74\00:35:50.08 This pledge Christ has fulfilled. 00:35:50.11\00:35:52.81 When upon the cross He cried out, 'It is finished,' 00:35:52.91\00:35:55.42 He addressed the Father. 00:35:55.45\00:35:56.99 The compact had been fully carried out. 00:35:57.49\00:35:59.69 Now He declares, 'Father, it is finished. 00:36:00.16\00:36:03.39 I have done Thy will, O My God. 00:36:03.43\00:36:05.49 I have completed the work of redemption. 00:36:05.53\00:36:08.26 If Thy justice is satisfied, I will that they also 00:36:08.56\00:36:13.44 whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am.'" 00:36:13.47\00:36:17.67 And what will reveal the right that they have 00:36:19.04\00:36:22.04 to be with Him where He is? 00:36:22.08\00:36:23.68 The contents of the scroll. 00:36:25.11\00:36:26.72 The will that is found in this scroll. 00:36:27.32\00:36:30.82 "The voice of God is heard proclaiming 00:36:31.42\00:36:33.62 that justice is satisfied. 00:36:33.66\00:36:35.32 Satan is vanquished. 00:36:35.66\00:36:37.79 Christ's toiling, struggling ones on earth 00:36:38.03\00:36:41.00 are 'accepted in the Beloved.' 00:36:41.13\00:36:43.23 Before the heavenly angels and the representatives 00:36:43.90\00:36:47.70 of unfallen worlds..." 00:36:47.74\00:36:49.07 Is there a distinction between the angels 00:36:49.10\00:36:50.97 and the representatives? 00:36:51.01\00:36:52.34 Yes, absolutely. 00:36:52.41\00:36:54.18 "...they are declared justified. 00:36:54.64\00:36:57.65 Where He is, there His church shall be. 00:36:57.81\00:37:01.58 'Mercy and truth are met together; 00:37:01.98\00:37:03.62 righteousness and peace have kissed each other.' 00:37:03.65\00:37:05.72 The Father's arms encircle His Son, 00:37:05.99\00:37:08.42 and the word is given, 'Let all the angels 00:37:08.52\00:37:11.86 of God worship Him.'" 00:37:11.89\00:37:13.83 And now the silence is broken. 00:37:14.73\00:37:16.90 The suspense is over. 00:37:17.40\00:37:19.23 "With joy unutterable, rulers, principalities and 00:37:19.93\00:37:24.44 powers acknowledge the supremacy of 00:37:24.47\00:37:27.18 the Prince of life. 00:37:27.21\00:37:28.58 The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, 00:37:28.61\00:37:32.31 while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, 00:37:32.35\00:37:35.38 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, 00:37:35.42\00:37:38.82 and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, 00:37:38.85\00:37:41.66 and glory, and blessing.' 00:37:41.69\00:37:43.83 Revelation 5:12" 00:37:44.09\00:37:45.43 In case you still don't believe that Ellen White 00:37:45.46\00:37:47.60 is dealing with Revelation 4 and 5. 00:37:47.63\00:37:49.26 "Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, 00:37:50.07\00:37:54.14 till heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. 00:37:54.17\00:37:58.71 Love has conquered. 00:37:58.91\00:38:00.91 The lost is found. 00:38:00.94\00:38:02.88 Heaven rings with voices in lofty strains proclaiming; 00:38:02.91\00:38:06.41 'Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power 00:38:06.72\00:38:09.78 be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, 00:38:09.98\00:38:12.15 and unto the Lamb forever and ever.'" 00:38:12.19\00:38:15.06 By the way, the first fruits that Jesus took to heaven 00:38:15.26\00:38:18.03 are the little down payment that all of His children 00:38:19.26\00:38:23.20 are going to be taken there, all of those who died in Christ. 00:38:23.23\00:38:26.10 They are the sample, they are the guarantee. 00:38:26.13\00:38:30.41 So we don't say, "I hope that Jesus will 00:38:30.67\00:38:33.07 resurrect people some day." 00:38:33.11\00:38:34.44 He's already done it so that we can be sure 00:38:34.64\00:38:38.78 that if He's taken the sample, He's going to take 00:38:38.81\00:38:41.48 all of His children home, all of those who died in Christ. 00:38:41.52\00:38:45.42 But now we notice that a star is missing in heaven 00:38:46.49\00:38:49.12 at this great celebration. 00:38:50.69\00:38:52.39 Praise the Lord that there is no sour note there. 00:38:52.43\00:38:55.03 Who was absent? 00:38:56.93\00:38:58.27 Satan was absent when the heavenly council met 00:38:59.00\00:39:01.80 to receive the Redeemer. 00:39:01.84\00:39:03.17 Why was Satan absent? 00:39:03.20\00:39:05.27 Because at the cross, Jesus cast out 00:39:06.57\00:39:09.41 the ruler of this world. 00:39:09.44\00:39:11.01 And now the world has a new Ruler. 00:39:11.48\00:39:14.65 Shortly before dying on the cross... 00:39:15.88\00:39:17.69 This is page 74. 00:39:17.72\00:39:19.09 Shortly before dying on the cross, Jesus predicted 00:39:19.29\00:39:23.43 that He would evict Satan from heaven as the ruler 00:39:23.53\00:39:28.36 and representative of the world in John 12:31-33. 00:39:28.40\00:39:33.07 See, there's a casting out of Satan also at the cross, folks. 00:39:33.23\00:39:36.50 And in context, Revelation 12:7-12 00:39:37.34\00:39:42.01 is really dealing with the second casting out of 00:39:42.04\00:39:44.81 Satan from heaven at the cross in the sympathies of the 00:39:44.85\00:39:47.88 heavenly beings and as the representative of this world. 00:39:47.92\00:39:50.85 Satan no longer represents this world. 00:39:51.05\00:39:52.99 Jesus does. 00:39:53.02\00:39:54.36 Because He bought it back by paying a price. 00:39:54.52\00:39:56.93 That's what the word, redeemed, means. 00:39:57.33\00:39:59.46 So John 12:31-33 says, "Now is the judgment of this world; 00:40:00.00\00:40:04.70 now the ruler of this world..." 00:40:04.73\00:40:07.27 This is just a few days before the death of Christ. 00:40:07.90\00:40:10.34 "...now the ruler of this world will be..." What? 00:40:10.54\00:40:13.01 "...cast out." 00:40:13.04\00:40:14.38 Was Satan cast out at the cross? 00:40:14.41\00:40:15.74 Yes. 00:40:15.78\00:40:17.11 "'And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, 00:40:17.15\00:40:19.71 will draw all peoples to Myself.' 00:40:19.75\00:40:21.75 This He said signifying by what death He would die." 00:40:21.78\00:40:25.49 What is it that expelled Satan from heaven? 00:40:25.52\00:40:28.06 The death of Christ. 00:40:28.56\00:40:29.89 That's why Jesus presenting Himself as the Lamb 00:40:29.92\00:40:32.33 with the wounds is significant. 00:40:32.43\00:40:34.33 He's gained the victory. 00:40:34.36\00:40:35.70 He's come from the battlefield. 00:40:35.73\00:40:37.27 Many years later, John described the victory 00:40:38.27\00:40:41.44 celebration that transpired in heaven when Jesus 00:40:41.47\00:40:44.97 gained the victory on the cross and resurrected from the dead. 00:40:45.01\00:40:48.34 In Revelation 12:10-12 we have this victorious song. 00:40:48.64\00:40:52.38 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 00:40:52.98\00:40:55.55 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, 00:40:55.92\00:40:59.55 and the power of His Christ have come, 00:40:59.59\00:41:01.62 for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them 00:41:01.82\00:41:04.46 before our God day and night has been..." What? 00:41:04.49\00:41:07.60 "...has been cast down." 00:41:07.63\00:41:09.33 This cannot be referring to the original casting down 00:41:09.73\00:41:12.57 of Satan from heaven, because at that time 00:41:12.60\00:41:14.74 there were no brethren to accuse. 00:41:14.77\00:41:16.71 Because the brethren had not even been created yet. 00:41:18.14\00:41:21.54 So this must refer to another casting out later on. 00:41:21.84\00:41:25.28 Ellen White, in, The Present Truth, 00:41:25.48\00:41:27.22 February 18, 1886, wrote about this heavenly celebration. 00:41:27.25\00:41:31.59 She actually applies this hymn of Revelation 12 00:41:31.62\00:41:34.99 to the victory of Jesus at the resurrection. 00:41:35.02\00:41:37.43 "At the death of Jesus, the earth was wrapped in profound 00:41:37.66\00:41:40.83 darkness at midday; but at the resurrection 00:41:40.86\00:41:43.97 the brightness of the angels illuminates the night, 00:41:44.00\00:41:47.00 and the inhabitants of heaven sing with great joy and triumph, 00:41:47.04\00:41:51.14 'Thou hast vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness. 00:41:51.34\00:41:54.58 Thou has swallowed up death in victory. 00:41:54.61\00:41:57.68 "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven..."'" 00:41:58.01\00:42:00.72 Now she's going to quote Revelation 12. 00:42:00.82\00:42:02.72 "Now is come salvation, and strength, 00:42:02.75\00:42:04.85 and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; 00:42:04.89\00:42:07.79 for the accuser of our brethren is cast down..." 00:42:07.82\00:42:10.73 Notice, cast down just like Jesus said, 00:42:10.76\00:42:13.06 "The prince of this world will be cast down." 00:42:13.09\00:42:15.76 "...the accuser of our brethren is cast own, 00:42:16.06\00:42:18.53 which accused them before our God day and night." 00:42:18.57\00:42:24.17 So who is the new representative now 00:42:25.14\00:42:28.18 that has the crown, and is the Son of Man, 00:42:28.21\00:42:32.35 and is clothed in white? 00:42:32.65\00:42:35.48 Who is it? It's Jesus. 00:42:35.52\00:42:37.35 So let's talk about that new representative. 00:42:37.39\00:42:39.69 This is the bottom of page 74. 00:42:40.62\00:42:42.92 Jesus is the new representative 00:42:42.96\00:42:44.69 of the human race in the heavenly courts. 00:42:44.73\00:42:46.96 Scripture describes Jesus as the last Adam 00:42:47.20\00:42:50.10 because He recovered what the first Adam lost. 00:42:50.30\00:42:53.74 1 Corinthians 15:22 states... 00:42:54.24\00:42:56.81 In chapter 15:45, the apostle Paul wrote... 00:43:04.05\00:43:07.85 Because the last Adam has the power to resurrect. 00:43:14.69\00:43:17.56 In Romans 5:18, the apostle Paul wrote, 00:43:17.99\00:43:21.33 "Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment came upon 00:43:21.36\00:43:25.17 all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness 00:43:25.20\00:43:31.04 of one, the free gift came upon all men 00:43:31.07\00:43:34.61 unto justification of life." 00:43:34.64\00:43:37.55 So Jesus is the second Adam. 00:43:38.15\00:43:42.22 Jesus gained the victory where the first Adam failed. 00:43:42.52\00:43:45.62 Therefore, Jesus now occupies the position 00:43:45.89\00:43:48.79 that the original Adam had before he sinned. 00:43:48.82\00:43:51.93 Now let me ask you, is Jesus the Son of God? 00:43:53.19\00:43:55.50 Like Adam was? 00:43:57.17\00:43:58.50 Yes. 00:43:58.90\00:44:00.24 Before His incarnation, Jesus was the divine Son of God. 00:44:00.30\00:44:03.87 And after His incarnation, He continued being 00:44:04.31\00:44:06.27 the divine Son of God, I might say. 00:44:06.31\00:44:08.34 In, Manuscript 40, 1886, Ellen White wrote, 00:44:08.94\00:44:11.95 "The divine Son of God left the throne of heaven 00:44:11.98\00:44:14.45 and gave His life for us, and for our sakes became poor. 00:44:14.48\00:44:18.49 He clothed His divinity with humanity." 00:44:18.52\00:44:21.02 So Jesus is the Son of God by divine 00:44:21.06\00:44:26.19 because He has the divine nature, 00:44:26.39\00:44:28.23 but Jesus is the Son of God in a new sense when 00:44:28.60\00:44:31.57 He becomes incarnate. 00:44:31.60\00:44:32.93 Because God prepared a body for Him. 00:44:33.84\00:44:37.64 His body was created by God the Father. 00:44:37.84\00:44:40.34 It says in Luke 1:35... 00:44:40.71\00:44:42.78 This is speaking about Jesus as the Son of God 00:44:42.98\00:44:45.41 after His incarnation. 00:44:45.45\00:44:46.78 So Jesus, in His humanity, was He created? 00:45:01.36\00:45:04.70 Is Jesus created as a human being? 00:45:04.73\00:45:06.84 Yes, He is. 00:45:07.34\00:45:08.67 Not as the divine Son of God. 00:45:08.70\00:45:10.91 He is created like Adam. 00:45:11.11\00:45:13.14 In His humanity He was created. 00:45:13.98\00:45:16.18 Is He the Son of God, therefore, in His incarnation? 00:45:16.38\00:45:20.22 Absolutely. 00:45:20.25\00:45:21.58 When Jesus went to heaven, was He crowned as King? 00:45:21.62\00:45:25.29 Does Jesus now have a crown as King? 00:45:25.82\00:45:28.72 Absolutely. 00:45:28.76\00:45:30.09 Hebrews 4:16 00:45:30.13\00:45:32.29 So is Jesus King of the kingdom of grace? 00:45:39.97\00:45:43.84 Yeah, because He sits on a what? 00:45:43.87\00:45:45.57 On a throne. 00:45:45.87\00:45:47.21 Like Adam was to sit on a throne originally. 00:45:47.24\00:45:50.21 We find this statement in, God's Amazing Grace, page 68. 00:45:51.21\00:45:54.78 "The throne of grace represents the kingdom of grace; 00:45:54.82\00:45:59.82 for the existence of a throne 00:45:59.85\00:46:01.99 implies the existence of a kingdom." 00:46:02.02\00:46:05.76 So whose kingdom is this now, this earth? 00:46:06.23\00:46:09.13 It is the kingdom that belongs to Jesus. 00:46:09.76\00:46:12.37 He sits on the throne. He is the Son of God. 00:46:12.40\00:46:16.07 He gained the victory. 00:46:16.50\00:46:18.74 And He, of course in His humanity, 00:46:19.37\00:46:21.74 was created by the Father. 00:46:21.78\00:46:23.71 So who is the new head and representative 00:46:23.75\00:46:26.28 of planet earth? 00:46:26.31\00:46:27.85 Jesus is the second Adam. Or the last Adam. 00:46:29.98\00:46:33.02 He now represents this earth. 00:46:33.32\00:46:36.99 Notice the next session on page 77. 00:46:37.86\00:46:41.03 You have this quotation actually from Psalm 8:3-5. 00:46:41.60\00:46:47.30 And now this is going to be very interesting. 00:46:47.34\00:46:49.67 When you read Psalm 8:3-5 in its original context, 00:46:50.81\00:46:55.01 it's speaking about Adam. 00:46:55.44\00:46:56.98 The first Adam. 00:46:58.01\00:46:59.35 But when the apostle Paul, who I believe is behind 00:47:00.22\00:47:04.19 the writing of the book of Hebrews, 00:47:04.22\00:47:05.85 when he quotes Psalm 8:3-5, he applies it to Christ. 00:47:05.89\00:47:11.26 Interesting, isn't it? 00:47:11.99\00:47:13.36 In its original context, it applies to Adam. 00:47:13.56\00:47:16.30 In its second context, it is re-applied to Jesus Christ. 00:47:16.53\00:47:21.40 Let's read Hebrews 2:5-9. 00:47:21.44\00:47:24.31 "For He..." 00:47:25.37\00:47:26.71 That is God the Father. 00:47:27.94\00:47:29.28 See, he's quoting Psalm 8. 00:47:43.12\00:47:44.59 So in its original context, this is talking about Adam 00:47:54.14\00:47:57.01 before he sinned. 00:47:57.04\00:47:58.44 It continues. 00:47:58.74\00:48:00.08 Was Adam made a little lower than the angels? 00:48:16.69\00:48:18.73 Yes. 00:48:18.76\00:48:20.10 So once again you have the theme of the two Adams. 00:48:30.64\00:48:33.68 The creation of the first Adam. 00:48:33.71\00:48:35.44 He was given dominion over all things. 00:48:35.48\00:48:37.88 He blew it. He lost it. 00:48:38.25\00:48:39.95 Satan took it away and occupied the throne. 00:48:39.98\00:48:43.35 He usurped it. 00:48:43.39\00:48:44.72 But then comes the second Adam. 00:48:44.75\00:48:46.32 And all things are now under subjection to Him 00:48:46.35\00:48:49.52 because He is the King of this planet 00:48:49.56\00:48:52.73 and the new representative of planet earth, 00:48:52.76\00:48:54.93 because He tasted death for all. 00:48:54.96\00:48:57.60 Ellen White expands upon this. 00:48:57.63\00:48:59.77 "The human race does not stand in the righteousness 00:49:00.44\00:49:03.67 of character which Adam possessed at his creation. 00:49:03.71\00:49:06.91 Although neglect to keep the requirements of God is sin, 00:49:07.34\00:49:11.05 and the wages of sin is death, yet there is no claim made 00:49:11.61\00:49:15.72 that man may have eternal life except through the obedience 00:49:15.75\00:49:19.92 and righteousness of Jesus Christ..." 00:49:19.95\00:49:22.22 And now notice, we read this about Adam. 00:49:22.52\00:49:25.09 But now it says, "...is the representative 00:49:25.49\00:49:28.36 and head of all humanity." 00:49:28.40\00:49:30.77 So who was the original head and representative? 00:49:31.77\00:49:34.27 Adam. Who is it now? 00:49:34.60\00:49:36.27 So why not the first Adam? 00:49:37.31\00:49:38.64 Because he blew it. 00:49:38.67\00:49:40.01 Notice this statement. 00:49:41.64\00:49:42.98 Signs of the Times, January 16, 1896. 00:49:43.35\00:49:46.72 "Jesus humbled Himself, clothing His divinity with humanity, 00:49:46.75\00:49:50.99 in order that He might stand as the head and representative 00:49:51.02\00:49:56.16 of the human family, and by both precept and example 00:49:56.19\00:49:59.36 condemn sin in the flesh, 00:49:59.39\00:50:01.06 and give the lie to Satan's charges." 00:50:01.10\00:50:04.97 Two more statements, and then we'll ask whether Adam 00:50:05.00\00:50:08.84 will be restored to his original ruler ship. 00:50:08.87\00:50:12.17 It's a fascinating statement from the spirit of prophecy. 00:50:12.21\00:50:15.38 Manuscript 126, 1901 00:50:15.74\00:50:18.25 "As representative of the fallen race, Christ passed over 00:50:19.25\00:50:23.75 the same ground on which Adam stumbled and fell. 00:50:23.79\00:50:26.89 By a life of perfect obedience to God's law, 00:50:27.26\00:50:29.96 Christ redeemed man from the penalty 00:50:29.99\00:50:32.49 of Adam's disgraceful fall." 00:50:32.53\00:50:35.06 The Gospel Herald, March 1, 1901 00:50:35.83\00:50:38.23 "Christ was to suffer in our behalf, standing..." Where? 00:50:38.27\00:50:41.87 "...at the head of humanity as representative of the race. 00:50:41.90\00:50:46.74 He was to work out the character which every follower of His 00:50:46.78\00:50:50.98 is to work out, through the provision He has made: 00:50:51.01\00:50:54.12 His infinite sacrifice, His life and death on earth." 00:50:54.32\00:50:58.09 Not only His death but His life and death on earth. 00:50:58.19\00:51:01.39 By the way, let me ask you this, what was more important, 00:51:01.76\00:51:04.76 the life of Jesus or His death? 00:51:04.79\00:51:07.13 What was more important, His perfect life or His death? 00:51:11.40\00:51:13.94 They're both absolutely essential. 00:51:18.34\00:51:20.38 Because He wove a robe of righteousness, 00:51:21.44\00:51:24.81 that's His life, His sinless life, 00:51:26.18\00:51:28.98 so that we can claim that robe to cover us. 00:51:29.52\00:51:33.59 And then He took all of the sins upon Himself 00:51:34.99\00:51:38.46 and suffered the penalty. 00:51:38.49\00:51:40.00 So He weaves the robe by His life 00:51:40.50\00:51:43.10 and He pays the penalty by His death. 00:51:43.53\00:51:45.67 So both are vitally important. 00:51:46.33\00:51:48.20 And you know, you have people say, 00:51:48.24\00:51:49.67 "Well, it's the cross. Only the cross." 00:51:49.70\00:51:51.27 No, it's not only the cross. 00:51:51.31\00:51:52.71 Let me ask you, what's more important, 00:51:53.88\00:51:55.31 the life of Christ, the death of Christ, or His resurrection? 00:51:57.01\00:52:00.82 What's more important, the life of Christ, the death of Christ, 00:52:04.95\00:52:07.79 His resurrection, or His intercession? 00:52:07.89\00:52:10.19 There's no one thing that's more important than the other. 00:52:12.99\00:52:15.26 The cross is central, yes. 00:52:15.30\00:52:17.17 It's a central pillar. 00:52:18.00\00:52:19.50 However, all of the other steps that Jesus takes 00:52:21.67\00:52:25.31 are equally important because one builds on the other. 00:52:25.51\00:52:28.24 And to say, "Everything was finished at the cross. 00:52:29.61\00:52:31.78 All we have to do is talk about the cross." 00:52:31.81\00:52:33.38 No, no, no. 00:52:33.42\00:52:34.75 Now the question is, is God going to restore 00:52:35.42\00:52:38.45 the throne and the realm to the original head and 00:52:40.02\00:52:45.46 representative and cover him with white robes, 00:52:45.49\00:52:49.23 put a crown on his head, and restore him to what he was 00:52:49.43\00:52:54.14 before he sinned? 00:52:54.17\00:52:55.50 We have this remarkable statement from, 00:52:55.70\00:52:57.37 Great Controversy, page 647. 00:52:57.41\00:53:00.44 This is after the second coming and the ascension into heaven. 00:53:01.88\00:53:07.05 "As the ransomed ones are welcomed to the City of God, 00:53:07.32\00:53:10.59 there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration. 00:53:10.85\00:53:16.79 The two Adams are about to meet. 00:53:16.83\00:53:20.10 The Son of God is standing with outstretched arms 00:53:20.46\00:53:23.30 to receive the father of our race; the being whom He created, 00:53:23.33\00:53:27.17 who sinned against his Maker, and for whose sin 00:53:27.20\00:53:30.54 the marks of the crucifixion are borne upon the Savior's form. 00:53:30.57\00:53:33.98 As Adam discerns the prints of the cruel nails, 00:53:34.64\00:53:37.71 he does not fall upon the bosom of his Lord, 00:53:38.11\00:53:40.88 but in humiliation casts himself at His feet, crying, 00:53:41.35\00:53:45.25 'Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain!' 00:53:45.99\00:53:50.03 Tenderly the Savior lifts him up and bids him to look 00:53:50.66\00:53:54.76 once more upon the Eden home from which he has 00:53:54.80\00:53:58.60 so long been exiled. 00:53:58.63\00:54:01.20 After his expulsion from Eden, Adam's life on earth 00:54:01.77\00:54:05.64 was filled with sorrow. 00:54:05.67\00:54:07.34 Every dying leaf, every victim of sacrifice, every blight upon 00:54:07.64\00:54:12.35 the fair face of nature, every stain upon man's purity, 00:54:12.38\00:54:17.05 was a fresh reminder of his sin. 00:54:17.25\00:54:19.79 Terrible was the agony of remorse as he beheld 00:54:20.42\00:54:23.89 iniquity abounding, and in answer to his warnings 00:54:23.99\00:54:27.50 met the reproaches cast upon himself as the cause of sin." 00:54:27.53\00:54:31.53 People are saying, "Who are you to lecture us? 00:54:32.63\00:54:35.70 We're here in this condition because of you." 00:54:36.67\00:54:39.77 He had to live with that for over 900 years. 00:54:40.64\00:54:44.75 Must have been a terrible experience to see the world 00:54:47.25\00:54:49.45 fall into the condition that it was before the flood. 00:54:49.92\00:54:52.62 She continues, "With patient humility, he bore for nearly 00:54:53.46\00:54:58.66 a thousand years the penalty of transgression. 00:54:58.69\00:55:02.16 Faithfully did he repent of his sin and trust in the merits 00:55:02.53\00:55:07.20 of the promised Savior, and he died in the hope 00:55:07.40\00:55:11.47 of the resurrection." 00:55:11.51\00:55:12.84 And now comes the portion that we want to notice. 00:55:12.87\00:55:15.31 "The Son of God redeemed man's failure and fall; 00:55:15.34\00:55:20.45 and now, through the work of the atonement, 00:55:20.48\00:55:23.52 Adam is reinstated in his first dominion." 00:55:23.55\00:55:28.36 Everything will have come full circle. 00:55:30.36\00:55:32.49 Adam will be restored to the throne as the head 00:55:33.36\00:55:37.93 and representative of humanity. 00:55:38.27\00:55:41.10 Jesus will have occupied that position until He can 00:55:41.54\00:55:44.21 return the position to Adam, having rescued that position 00:55:44.24\00:55:49.64 back by His life and by His death. 00:55:49.68\00:55:52.58 There's nothing more that Jesus wants... 00:55:53.65\00:55:56.02 There's nothing that Jesus wants more 00:55:57.42\00:55:59.62 than for us to be with Him. 00:55:59.99\00:56:01.49 He expressed that in John chapter 14, 00:56:03.19\00:56:05.79 where after He had told the disciples He was leaving, 00:56:06.90\00:56:09.46 and Peter says, "Where are You going?" 00:56:10.80\00:56:12.40 Jesus says, "Where I am going, you can't follow Me now. 00:56:13.23\00:56:15.34 You will follow Me later." 00:56:15.37\00:56:16.71 Peter says, "No, I don't want to follow later. 00:56:16.74\00:56:18.07 I want to go now." 00:56:18.11\00:56:19.44 Jesus knows the disciples are very troubled, 00:56:21.04\00:56:23.04 so He says, "Let not your heart be troubled. 00:56:23.08\00:56:25.05 You believe in God, believe also in Me. 00:56:26.72\00:56:30.59 In My Father's house are many mansions." 00:56:31.35\00:56:34.46 You know, sometimes we think that Jesus went to heaven 00:56:34.86\00:56:36.83 to do some heavenly contracting. 00:56:36.86\00:56:38.63 You know, "He went to build mansion for us." 00:56:39.39\00:56:40.93 Now I realize that Ellen White says that Jesus is preparing 00:56:40.96\00:56:43.87 mansions for us, but Jesus does not need 2000 years 00:56:43.90\00:56:47.47 to build houses. 00:56:47.50\00:56:48.84 The mansion, by the way, we're already there. 00:56:49.90\00:56:51.94 "In My Father's house are many mansions," Jesus said. 00:56:52.97\00:56:56.11 "If it were not so, I would have told you. 00:56:56.31\00:56:58.61 I go to prepare a place for you." 00:56:59.48\00:57:02.25 And you know, usually we say, "Well, you know, 00:57:02.92\00:57:05.02 He goes to prepare the place by planting trees 00:57:05.05\00:57:07.42 and making the place pretty." 00:57:07.46\00:57:08.79 Well, He's going to do that too. 00:57:08.82\00:57:10.86 But He actually prepares the place by the work 00:57:11.89\00:57:14.20 that He does in heaven. 00:57:14.23\00:57:15.56 By His intercession and by His work in the judgment. 00:57:15.60\00:57:18.37 "In My Father's house are many mansion. 00:57:19.57\00:57:21.24 If it were not so, I would have told you. 00:57:21.27\00:57:22.87 I go to prepare a place for you. 00:57:22.90\00:57:24.67 And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again..." 00:57:24.84\00:57:28.58 And now comes this passion, "I will come again 00:57:28.61\00:57:30.91 and receive you to Myself, that where I am, 00:57:31.18\00:57:34.98 there you may be also." 00:57:35.28\00:57:37.92 The apostle Paul ends that famous passage, 00:57:39.29\00:57:41.46 resurrection passage in 1 Thessalonians 4, 00:57:41.49\00:57:44.26 where he speaks about those who are asleep rising 00:57:44.53\00:57:46.96 and those who are alive and remain caught up in the clouds. 00:57:47.00\00:57:49.66 Have you ever noticed how the apostle Paul ends that? 00:57:49.70\00:57:52.33 He says, "And thus we shall always be with the Lord." 00:57:52.53\00:57:58.31 It's all about being with Jesus. 00:57:58.87\00:58:01.34 That's the culmination of the whole plan of salvation. 00:58:01.71\00:58:05.81