Well, welcome to the
last session for today.
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We're advancing very well.
00:00:19.78\00:00:21.42
You know, I actually thought
that we were going to have to
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come back tomorrow to
talk a little bit more about
00:00:24.29\00:00:27.16
the 24 elders.
00:00:27.19\00:00:28.52
But I believe that we're
going to finish this afternoon,
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and so tomorrow in our
first session we will begin
00:00:31.39\00:00:35.16
to study the first seal.
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Because this is
about the seven seals.
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But of course, you can't
deal with the seven seals
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without the
introductory vision, right?
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So we had to deal
with Revelation 4 and 5.
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It's part of the
context of the seven seals.
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So let's have a word of prayer.
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And then we'll pick up where
we left off in our last class.
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Father in heaven, once
again we come before You
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realizing our insufficiency.
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Your ways are
higher than our ways.
00:01:02.79\00:01:04.89
You're all wise.
00:01:05.43\00:01:06.80
We are limited human
beings who need constant help
00:01:07.10\00:01:10.50
in order to even
understand Your Word.
00:01:10.53\00:01:12.57
So we ask for Your
presence, give us understanding,
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give us willing
hearts, give us open minds.
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We especially ask that
You will bless those who are
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watching the live
stream, those who are watching
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through our television stations,
particularly those who have
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never studied
these things before.
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Give them more than human wisdom
so that they might understand.
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Thank You, Lord,
for hearing our prayer.
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We ask it in the precious name
of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
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Amen.
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Alright, as we drew our
last session to a close,
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we were discussing the
second coming of Christ.
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And we want to pick
up where we left off.
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We noticed that at the second
coming, this earth will return
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to the condition it
was in before creation.
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Without form, void or empty,
and no light in the skies.
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There will be a few left.
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Who are the ones that
will be left when this
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catastrophe hits the earth?
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The righteous will be
the ones who are left.
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That is a remnant word.
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Those are the ones who
survived the catastrophe
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or the cataclysm.
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Now I want us to
go to Isaiah 24:21.
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Isaiah 24:21
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This comes immediately after
a passage that we already read.
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So we want to read the context.
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Let's go to verse 18, and then
we'll continue with verse 21.
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Verse 18 of Isaiah 24 says...
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There you find a vivid
description of what will happen
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at the second coming of Christ.
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And then we have verse
21, a very interesting verse.
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"It shall come to
pass in that day..."
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Which day?
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According to the
context, which day?
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The day in which
Jesus utters His voice
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and these things happen
that we just read about.
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How many groups are
going to be punished?
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Two.
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The first group is, "on
high the host of exalted ones,"
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and the second one is, "on the
earth the kings of the earth."
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Now I like the translation
of the Revised Standard Version
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of Isaiah 24:21 where it
says, "In that day the Lord will
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punish the powers
in the heavens above
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and the kings on
the earth below."
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So there's a group of heavenly
beings that are going to
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be punished, and there's
a group of earthly beings
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that are going to be punished,
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which are called
the kings of the earth.
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So God will punish two
groups when Jesus comes.
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The first is the heavenly group,
the second is the earthly group.
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Now we can understand the
expression "kings of the earth."
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That's quite simple.
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But what is meant by, as it
reads in the New King James,
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He will punish "on high
the host of the exalted ones,"
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or as Isaiah
24:21 in the RSV reads,
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"the powers in
the heavens above."
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What are the powers
in the heavens above
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that will be
punished when Jesus comes?
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Okay, the kings, we know that
earthly kings who are apostate
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are going to be punished.
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But who are these
beings in the heavens
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that are going to be punished?
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Well, let's read Ephesians 6:12.
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Ephesians 6:12
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"For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood..."
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What would that
mean, "We do not wrestle
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against flesh and blood"?
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Human beings.
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Because we have flesh and
blood, Jesus took the same,
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according to
the book of Hebrews.
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So it's a
euphemism for human beings.
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So who would be the
ones, the exalted ones,
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are the ones in the heavens
that are going to be punished
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when Jesus comes?
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It would be
Satan and his angels.
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Now let's read the note.
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In Scripture, the
expression, "flesh and blood,"
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refers to human
beings, Hebrew 2:14,
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and the heavenly
hosts are angels.
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2 Chronicles
18:18 and Luke 2:13-14
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refer to the hosts of heaven.
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The apostle Paul wrote
that we are not warring against
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human beings, but against
spiritual hosts of wickedness
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in heavenly realms.
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Elsewhere, the
apostle Paul calls Satan what?
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The prince of
the power of the air.
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So the hosts of
heaven in Isaiah 24 refers to
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Satan and his angels.
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So there's a heavenly group
that's going to be punished,
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Satan and his angels, and
there's an earthly group that is
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going to be punished,
which is described as the
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kings of the earth.
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Now notice Revelation 19:19.
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Here, Revelation
confirms that the kings
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are going to be punished.
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It says there,
"And I saw the beast,
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the kings of the
earth," same expression...
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And then verse 21 says that
the sword that comes out of the
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mouth of Jesus
destroys the wicked,
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the wicked kings.
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Now the punishment
of Satan and his angels
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and the wicked has two stages.
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You say, "What?
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Two stages to the punishment
of Satan and his angels
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and the wicked
kings of the earth?"
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Absolutely.
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Notice Isaiah 24:22,
the first half of the verse.
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It says there...
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Remember, God is going
to punish these two groups.
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What is the first
stage of the punishment?
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The first stage of
the punishment is that
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both the heavenly angels
and the kings of the earth
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will be
prisoners, according to this.
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They will be shut up in where?
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Prison.
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Now that word, pit,
is very interesting.
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The pit.
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That word is used both
as a place where people are
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retained as
prisoners while they are alive
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and it's also used to
describe a place where the dead
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are kept in
prison in a dead state.
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Let's notice the verses.
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First of all, Genesis 37:24.
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Here, it's speaking
about Joseph's brothers
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casting Joseph into a pit.
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The very same word that
appears in Isaiah 24:22.
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It says there
in Genesis 37:24...
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The word, pit, refers to a what?
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To a cistern or a water well.
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But it was dry.
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But it's the
identical word of Isaiah 24:22,
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the first half of the verse.
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So they cast Joseph into a
pit, and the pit was empty.
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There was no water in it.
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Was Joseph retained
in this place alive?
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Yes.
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Until they could decide what
they were going to do with him.
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Right?
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So the word,
pit, in Isaiah 24:22
00:09:52.15\00:09:56.16
can refer to a place of
retention of an individual
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for a period of time until
a decision is going to be made
00:10:00.26\00:10:04.17
about the final punishment
or the final thing that is
00:10:04.20\00:10:09.34
going to be done
with that individual.
00:10:09.37\00:10:11.44
Jeremiah was
also cast into a pit.
00:10:11.77\00:10:15.28
The same word of Isaiah 24.
00:10:15.31\00:10:17.71
It says in Jeremiah
38:6, this is the next page,
00:10:17.98\00:10:23.02
"So they took Jeremiah and
cast him into the dungeon..."
00:10:23.12\00:10:26.32
That word, dungeon, is the
identical word in Isaiah 24:22.
00:10:26.35\00:10:31.69
"And in the dungeon..."
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Once again, the same word
that we find in Isaiah 24.
00:10:43.44\00:10:46.44
"And in the dungeon
there was no water..."
00:10:46.64\00:10:48.74
So once again, it's a cistern.
00:10:48.78\00:10:50.75
So the question is, was Jeremiah
alive when he was retained
00:10:55.62\00:11:00.66
in this place?
00:11:00.69\00:11:02.02
He was alive.
00:11:02.06\00:11:03.39
So the word, pit,
can refer to a place
00:11:03.43\00:11:06.63
where people are retained alive
until a final decision is made
00:11:06.83\00:11:11.33
about what is going
to be done with them.
00:11:11.53\00:11:14.00
But the word, pit, is
also used to describe a place
00:11:14.50\00:11:17.97
where people are
retained in death.
00:11:18.01\00:11:20.51
In other words, it's
a synonym of the grave.
00:11:20.54\00:11:23.04
Notice what we
find in Isaiah 38:18;
00:11:24.08\00:11:29.15
the very same word.
00:11:29.18\00:11:30.59
"For Sheol cannot thank You..."
00:11:31.45\00:11:35.42
This is a synonymous
parallelism, by the way.
00:11:36.16\00:11:39.59
"For Sheol cannot thank You..."
00:11:39.96\00:11:42.06
That means the
grave. Sheol is the grave.
00:11:42.10\00:11:44.47
And the New King James
Version usually transliterates
00:11:45.00\00:11:48.27
the word, Sheol.
00:11:48.30\00:11:49.64
In other words, it
writes it in English
00:11:49.67\00:11:52.04
just like it appears in Hebrew.
00:11:52.07\00:11:53.71
So the pit, is that a
place where people are
00:12:06.69\00:12:10.53
retained in a dead state?
00:12:10.56\00:12:13.03
Yes, because the verse says,
"Sheol," which is the grave,
00:12:13.66\00:12:16.77
"cannot thank You,
death cannot praise You;
00:12:16.80\00:12:20.00
those who go down to the
pit," which is a synonym,
00:12:20.04\00:12:23.51
"cannot hope for Your truth."
00:12:23.54\00:12:27.44
Now let me ask you this.
00:12:28.54\00:12:30.51
Is God going to
imprison Satan and his angels
00:12:30.95\00:12:36.35
in a living
state when Jesus comes?
00:12:36.38\00:12:40.32
Are they going to
be retained in prison?
00:12:41.12\00:12:43.86
Yes.
00:12:43.89\00:12:45.23
Let's notice Revelation 20:2-3.
00:12:45.56\00:12:49.86
Revelation 20:2-3
00:12:49.90\00:12:51.73
This is the mighty angel
that descends from heaven
00:12:53.17\00:12:55.80
with a chain in his hand.
00:12:55.84\00:12:57.64
The word, abussos.
00:13:09.75\00:13:11.92
It's the same word that
appears in the Greek translation
00:13:12.29\00:13:15.79
of the Old
Testament in Genesis chapter 1
00:13:15.82\00:13:18.56
where it says, the deep.
00:13:18.59\00:13:20.46
The abussos, the abyss.
00:13:20.50\00:13:22.70
It's not a good translation,
"the bottomless pit."
00:13:22.80\00:13:25.97
Really, it's the abyss.
00:13:26.23\00:13:28.04
It's the abussos.
00:13:28.07\00:13:29.50
And what happens when
he's thrown into the pit?
00:13:29.84\00:13:32.27
It says, "...and shut him up..."
00:13:32.87\00:13:35.41
Is he living when he's shut up?
00:13:36.04\00:13:37.81
Is he in a living state?
00:13:38.11\00:13:39.61
Satan and his angels,
the powers that are on high?
00:13:40.12\00:13:42.85
Yes.
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.22
So is Satan going to be
retained with his angels,
00:13:55.60\00:14:00.44
when Jesus comes the
second time, on this earth
00:14:00.84\00:14:03.84
as a prison house?
00:14:03.87\00:14:05.34
Yes he is.
00:14:05.37\00:14:06.71
That is the prison
of the powers on high.
00:14:06.74\00:14:10.75
Now, what's going to happen
with the kings of the earth?
00:14:11.38\00:14:14.12
And not only the kings of the
earth, but all of the wicked.
00:14:14.32\00:14:16.58
What's going to happen with
them during the thousand years?
00:14:16.62\00:14:18.95
Are they going to also
be retained here on earth
00:14:19.82\00:14:22.19
in a dead state?
00:14:22.22\00:14:23.66
Absolutely.
00:14:23.69\00:14:25.03
Notice Revelation 20:5.
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.10
"But the rest of the dead..."
00:14:27.13\00:14:29.30
So are the wicked alive during
the period of the millennium?
00:14:35.54\00:14:39.77
No. But are they
prisoners during the millennium?
00:14:39.87\00:14:43.91
Yes. They're
prisoners of the grave.
00:14:43.95\00:14:47.18
Now how long does this
first stage of punishment last?
00:14:47.88\00:14:52.25
This is the big question.
00:14:52.29\00:14:53.62
Are you seeing the
first stage of the punishment?
00:14:53.66\00:14:55.42
The first stage of
the punishment is that
00:14:56.83\00:14:59.23
Satan and his angels are thrown
into prison in a living state.
00:14:59.26\00:15:02.93
The wicked are thrown into
the prison in a dead state.
00:15:02.96\00:15:07.80
And they're here.
00:15:07.84\00:15:09.17
The question is, how long
are they going to be here?
00:15:09.20\00:15:11.34
Well, notice Isaiah 24:22,
the second part of the verse.
00:15:11.67\00:15:18.51
Let's read the entire verse.
00:15:18.55\00:15:20.15
"They will be gathered together
as prisoners are gathered
00:15:20.72\00:15:23.59
in the pit and will
be shut up in the prison.
00:15:23.62\00:15:27.19
After many days
they will be punished."
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.89
Now wait a minute.
00:15:31.49\00:15:32.83
Weren't they already
punished before that?
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.63
They weren't?
00:15:38.30\00:15:39.63
Well, it says here in
Isaiah 24:21, it says,
00:15:40.34\00:15:45.74
"In that day the Lord
will punish the powers in the
00:15:45.77\00:15:49.08
heavens above and the
kings of the earth below."
00:15:49.11\00:15:51.81
So are they punished when
they are thrown into prison?
00:15:53.11\00:15:55.35
Yeah.
00:15:55.88\00:15:57.22
But is that
their final punishment?
00:15:57.25\00:15:58.95
No. Because it
says, "After many days..."
00:15:59.25\00:16:02.32
After they're
thrown into prison.
00:16:02.52\00:16:04.69
"After many days
they will be..." What?
00:16:05.19\00:16:08.43
"...they will be punished."
00:16:08.46\00:16:09.96
Now have you ever wondered
why Seventh-day Adventists
00:16:10.93\00:16:15.70
apply the year/day
principle to the 1260 days,
00:16:15.74\00:16:20.71
the 42 months, the
time, times, dividing of time,
00:16:20.74\00:16:24.31
the 2300 days, the 10
days of persecution under
00:16:24.51\00:16:28.58
the church of Smyrna.
00:16:28.62\00:16:31.29
You know, we apply
the year/day principle
00:16:31.32\00:16:33.66
that a day is equal to a year.
00:16:33.69\00:16:35.39
Why don't we do the
same with the 1000 years?
00:16:35.42\00:16:38.73
Because the
Bible itself interprets
00:16:39.29\00:16:43.26
the many days as years.
00:16:43.30\00:16:45.60
You see, in the book of
Isaiah it says that they're
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.20
going to be imprisoned how long?
00:16:49.24\00:16:51.31
They will be imprisoned or
they will be punished many days.
00:16:51.77\00:16:56.98
How many days are those?
00:16:57.01\00:16:58.68
How does
Revelation interpret that?
00:16:59.85\00:17:01.95
Revelation interprets
that, the many days, as what?
00:17:01.98\00:17:05.85
A thousand years.
00:17:06.05\00:17:07.39
So in Isaiah it's days,
in Revelation it's years.
00:17:07.49\00:17:11.83
In other words,
days are equal to what?
00:17:12.36\00:17:14.60
To years.
00:17:14.63\00:17:15.96
So when you compare
Isaiah and Revelation,
00:17:16.26\00:17:18.63
those two books, the Bible
itself applies the year/day
00:17:19.07\00:17:23.77
principle to the thousand years.
00:17:23.81\00:17:25.17
Because the text
in Isaiah says, days,
00:17:25.21\00:17:27.81
and Revelation
interprets that as years.
00:17:28.11\00:17:31.78
And then what
happens after the many days,
00:17:32.15\00:17:36.25
or after the thousand years?
00:17:36.28\00:17:37.82
What's going to happen with
those powers of the heavens,
00:17:37.85\00:17:42.82
and the kings of the
earth, and all the wicked?
00:17:43.02\00:17:45.09
Well, the New
Jerusalem is going to descend.
00:17:45.13\00:17:48.90
Right?
00:17:48.93\00:17:50.27
Now I want you to
notice Revelation 21:2.
00:17:51.73\00:17:55.04
"Then I, John,
saw the holy city..."
00:17:56.00\00:17:59.94
So what's going to
happen when after many days,
00:18:08.72\00:18:12.69
it says, after many
days, the powers in the heavens
00:18:12.72\00:18:15.59
and the kings of the
earth are going to be punished?
00:18:15.79\00:18:18.53
What is going to happen?
00:18:18.63\00:18:19.96
The New
Jerusalem is going to what?
00:18:20.00\00:18:21.50
It's going to descend.
00:18:22.13\00:18:23.57
It says, "I, John,
saw the holy city..."
00:18:24.33\00:18:26.23
By the way, is that
what Isaiah says as well?
00:18:26.53\00:18:29.20
Notice Isaiah 24:23.
00:18:30.04\00:18:32.77
This is on page
102 of your syllabus.
00:18:33.17\00:18:36.85
It says, "Then the
moon will be disgraced..."
00:18:37.21\00:18:39.75
Interesting.
00:18:52.13\00:18:53.46
So what's going to
happen after the punishment
00:18:54.50\00:18:57.07
of the powers of the heavens
and the kings of the earth?"
00:18:57.10\00:19:00.27
It says here that "the
Lord will reign on Mount Zion
00:19:01.84\00:19:06.47
and in Jerusalem and
before His elders gloriously."
00:19:06.51\00:19:10.78
And we are told that
the moon will be disgraced
00:19:11.28\00:19:13.82
and the sun shall be ashamed.
00:19:14.02\00:19:16.75
Now is there a parallel with
that in the book of Revelation?
00:19:17.29\00:19:20.56
There most certainly is.
00:19:21.22\00:19:22.59
What happens
after the many days?
00:19:23.36\00:19:24.86
What happens after
the thousand years?
00:19:24.89\00:19:26.33
Does the holy city, New
Jerusalem, descend from heaven?
00:19:26.36\00:19:29.06
Yes.
00:19:29.36\00:19:30.70
Is Satan released
from his prison? Yes.
00:19:30.73\00:19:33.03
Are the kings of
the earth released from
00:19:33.07\00:19:34.57
the prison of death?
00:19:34.60\00:19:35.94
Yes.
00:19:35.97\00:19:37.31
And what descends from heaven?
00:19:37.74\00:19:39.44
The holy city,
the New Jerusalem.
00:19:40.04\00:19:41.91
And is there any
need of sun or moon?
00:19:42.74\00:19:46.15
No. Notice Revelation 21:23.
00:19:46.68\00:19:49.25
And many people
misunderstand this.
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.39
So some people say, "Well,
when the New Jerusalem descends,
00:20:07.44\00:20:10.54
no more day and no more night.
00:20:10.57\00:20:12.17
There's not going to
be any sun and any moon."
00:20:13.17\00:20:16.31
Then we have a serious problem.
00:20:16.34\00:20:17.68
If there's no sun or
moon, there's no months.
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.65
Right?
00:20:22.08\00:20:23.42
There's no week.
00:20:23.55\00:20:24.89
Because the day
is marked by the sun,
00:20:25.42\00:20:26.92
the rising and
setting of the sun.
00:20:26.96\00:20:28.42
So if there's no sun and no moon
when everything is finished,
00:20:28.46\00:20:32.73
then that means, what
happens with the Sabbath?
00:20:32.76\00:20:36.43
You have to have the weekly
cycle of days to have a Sabbath.
00:20:37.57\00:20:40.14
What happens with going
to eat from the tree of life
00:20:40.44\00:20:42.60
from month to month, or
from one new moon to another?
00:20:42.64\00:20:45.27
It disappears as well.
00:20:45.31\00:20:46.64
Notice that this
text does not say
00:20:47.31\00:20:50.45
that there will
not be any sun or moon.
00:20:50.48\00:20:52.85
All over the world.
00:20:54.98\00:20:56.32
It says the city has
no need of sun or moon.
00:20:57.05\00:21:02.39
Because Isaiah tells us
that the moon will be disgraced
00:21:02.42\00:21:06.09
and the sun will be ashamed.
00:21:06.13\00:21:08.03
Let me give you an illustration.
00:21:08.93\00:21:10.27
In Fresno in July it's very hot.
00:21:11.53\00:21:13.94
The sun beats down,
not a cloud in the sky.
00:21:15.24\00:21:19.17
It's not like home on
the range, by the way.
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.48
Where seldom is
heard a discouraging word,
00:21:23.11\00:21:25.45
and the skies are
not cloudy all day.
00:21:25.48\00:21:28.15
It's boiling hot here.
00:21:28.95\00:21:30.62
So I want you to imagine
me on a very bright sunny day.
00:21:30.65\00:21:36.42
I go out the front door of my
house and I have a flashlight.
00:21:36.93\00:21:39.89
And I have the
flashlight on and I'm shining
00:21:40.70\00:21:42.56
the flashlight on the ground.
00:21:42.60\00:21:44.23
I believe that
some people would say,
00:21:46.07\00:21:47.44
"Let's take this
guy to the nut house."
00:21:47.47\00:21:49.40
The flashlight is on.
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.01
Can you see the
beam of the flashlight?
00:21:53.51\00:21:55.94
Why not?
00:21:56.24\00:21:57.58
Because the light
of the sun outshines
00:21:58.11\00:22:00.48
the light of the flashlight.
00:22:00.52\00:22:01.88
But the flashlight is on.
00:22:01.92\00:22:03.59
Is there going to be a sun
and is there going to be a moon?
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.82
Yes, there will be.
00:22:08.52\00:22:09.86
But the light in the
city will be so bright
00:22:09.89\00:22:13.43
that it will
eclipse the light of the sun
00:22:14.20\00:22:18.57
and the light of the moon.
00:22:18.77\00:22:20.94
Are you with me?
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.14
So now, what is stage
two of the punishment?
00:22:23.67\00:22:28.14
I want you to get the picture.
00:22:28.78\00:22:30.15
The first stage
of the punishment,
00:22:31.21\00:22:32.85
the powers in the
heavens, what happens with them?
00:22:33.55\00:22:36.52
They're thrown into prison.
00:22:37.15\00:22:38.62
Those individuals, those kings
of the earth that are alive,
00:22:39.32\00:22:43.32
are destroyed at
the second coming.
00:22:43.36\00:22:45.76
They're in the prison of death.
00:22:45.96\00:22:47.83
How long do they remain there?
00:22:48.30\00:22:49.90
A thousand years. The many days.
00:22:50.77\00:22:53.13
After the many days,
what comes down from heaven?
00:22:53.64\00:22:56.27
The New Jerusalem.
00:22:57.27\00:22:58.61
No need of sun, no need of moon.
00:22:58.94\00:23:01.34
And now comes the
second stage of the punishment.
00:23:01.38\00:23:05.38
What is the second
stage of the punishment?
00:23:06.45\00:23:09.45
Revelation 20:7-9
00:23:09.78\00:23:12.22
Who else will be
released from their prison.
00:23:18.89\00:23:20.93
The wicked.
00:23:22.40\00:23:23.73
Remember, the rest of
the dead did not live again
00:23:23.97\00:23:26.57
until the
thousand years were ended.
00:23:27.40\00:23:29.10
Who are the rest of the dead?
00:23:29.64\00:23:31.14
The wicked, that's right.
00:23:32.07\00:23:33.88
So are the wicked
released from their prison?
00:23:34.08\00:23:36.38
Oh yeah.
00:23:36.41\00:23:37.75
Is Satan and his
angels released from prison?
00:23:38.28\00:23:40.62
Oh yeah.
00:23:40.65\00:23:41.98
They're going to go
among all of the wicked.
00:23:42.05\00:23:44.49
Notice what it continues saying.
00:23:44.52\00:23:45.85
"Now when the
thousand years have expired,
00:23:45.89\00:23:47.62
Satan will be
released from his prison
00:23:47.66\00:23:49.96
and will go out to
deceive the nations..."
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.83
Now wait a minute,
didn't all the nations die
00:23:53.36\00:23:55.13
at the second coming?
00:23:55.16\00:23:56.50
They must have
resurrected. Hello.
00:23:59.00\00:24:01.07
In order for him to deceive the
nations, the nations that died
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.57
at the second coming must
have come forth from the grave.
00:24:04.61\00:24:07.18
And now comes the
second stage of the punishment.
00:24:24.89\00:24:27.90
This is the final
stage of the punishment.
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.13
This is what the
Bible calls what?
00:24:40.88\00:24:43.28
It calls it, second death.
00:24:43.88\00:24:47.68
Now let's unpack that
for a moment, second death.
00:24:49.18\00:24:52.25
It's final, the second stage.
00:24:52.55\00:24:53.89
Are you seeing the two stages?
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.39
This is the
second and final stage.
00:24:55.72\00:24:57.83
Second death.
00:24:58.13\00:24:59.46
Now in order to have second
death, you have to have a...
00:24:59.59\00:25:02.30
First death. Of course.
00:25:02.86\00:25:04.43
Now let's look at it this way.
00:25:04.47\00:25:06.10
Everyone in this
world has had a first birth.
00:25:06.80\00:25:12.31
Right?
00:25:13.01\00:25:14.34
Come to life the first time.
00:25:14.38\00:25:16.31
If you die before Jesus comes,
that will be your first death.
00:25:17.65\00:25:24.69
Right?
00:25:25.05\00:25:26.39
That will be the first death.
00:25:26.42\00:25:27.76
Is that final death?
00:25:27.79\00:25:29.19
No.
00:25:29.49\00:25:30.83
If you were
righteous, if you accepted Jesus
00:25:31.99\00:25:35.76
as your Savior and His
righteousness covered you,
00:25:35.80\00:25:39.73
then you will die no more.
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.84
You suffer only first death.
00:25:44.04\00:25:45.74
But if you were unrighteous,
you will also resurrect,
00:25:46.37\00:25:51.31
according to what we just
noticed in Revelation 20:5,
00:25:51.61\00:25:54.65
but those
individuals who rejected Jesus
00:25:54.92\00:25:58.59
will now suffer second death.
00:25:58.62\00:26:02.62
They will die
for the second time.
00:26:02.96\00:26:04.29
The first time
was physical death.
00:26:04.33\00:26:06.09
The last time is eternal death.
00:26:06.73\00:26:09.53
Death from which
there is no resurrection.
00:26:09.83\00:26:13.54
They will sleep
an eternal sleep.
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.67
Jeremiah says in chapter
21, "And they shall not awake."
00:26:16.37\00:26:22.18
The final stage of punishment.
00:26:22.48\00:26:25.08
Then God will create a
new heavens and a new earth.
00:26:25.41\00:26:29.85
Let me just read you
this very interesting passage
00:26:29.88\00:26:34.42
that Ellen White wrote.
00:26:34.46\00:26:35.79
I referred to it
in the last class.
00:26:35.82\00:26:37.23
Early Writings, page 41.
00:26:37.26\00:26:39.19
But before I do, let me read you
what we find in Genesis 1:16-18.
00:26:39.69\00:26:46.97
It's speaking about
the sun and the moon.
00:26:47.57\00:26:50.01
It says, "Then God
made two great lights,
00:26:51.17\00:26:53.68
the greater light
to rule the day..."
00:26:53.71\00:26:56.64
So the sun rules, right?
00:26:57.88\00:27:00.02
"...to rule the day, and the
lesser light to rule the night.
00:27:00.92\00:27:04.65
Hey made the stars also.
00:27:05.19\00:27:06.65
God set them in the firmament
of the heavens to give light
00:27:07.06\00:27:10.06
on the earth and to rule
over the day and over the night,
00:27:10.09\00:27:14.73
and to divide the
light from darkness.
00:27:15.16\00:27:16.90
And God saw that it was good."
00:27:16.93\00:27:19.10
So what are the rulers of
the heavens, literally speaking?
00:27:19.13\00:27:22.97
The sun and the moon.
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.37
Now during the thousand years,
according to Jeremiah chapter 4,
00:27:26.34\00:27:29.71
this world is going to
be without form and void,
00:27:29.98\00:27:33.28
and the heavens
are going to be dark.
00:27:33.31\00:27:35.35
There will be no
light on the planet.
00:27:36.15\00:27:39.15
Now when the New Jerusalem
descends there will be.
00:27:39.49\00:27:41.82
But before the New
Jerusalem descends,
00:27:42.36\00:27:43.99
this planet will be in darkness.
00:27:44.03\00:27:45.89
Why?
00:27:45.93\00:27:47.26
Well, now I want to
read, Early Writings, page 41.
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.43
"December 16, 1848,
the Lord gave me a view..."
00:27:51.17\00:27:55.40
The word, view, means a vision.
00:27:55.67\00:27:57.34
"...of the shaking of
the powers of the heavens.
00:27:57.64\00:28:01.14
I saw that when the
Lord said, 'heaven,'
00:28:01.41\00:28:03.91
in giving the signs recorded
by Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
00:28:04.11\00:28:07.45
He meant heaven, and
when he said, 'earth,'
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.85
He meant earth.
00:28:10.89\00:28:12.22
The powers of heaven are
the sun, moon, and stars.
00:28:12.49\00:28:16.79
They rule in the heavens.
00:28:17.09\00:28:19.53
The powers of earth are
those that rule on the earth."
00:28:19.76\00:28:23.26
And then she states this:
00:28:24.10\00:28:25.73
"The powers of heaven will
be shaken at the voice of God.
00:28:25.77\00:28:29.70
Then the sun, moon,
and stars will be moved
00:28:29.90\00:28:35.31
out of their places.
00:28:35.34\00:28:36.91
They will not pass away, but
be shaken by the voice of God."
00:28:37.21\00:28:42.95
So that's why the
planet is going to be dark.
00:28:44.12\00:28:45.85
Because the sun, moon, and stars
are moved out of their places.
00:28:45.89\00:28:48.72
There will no longer be
any lights on this earth
00:28:49.26\00:28:51.53
until God creates a new
heavens and a new earth.
00:28:51.56\00:28:54.76
And then he's going to
bring the sun, moon, and stars
00:28:54.86\00:28:58.43
once again and place them
where they can benefit the earth
00:28:58.63\00:29:02.20
like at the
beginning at creation.
00:29:02.24\00:29:04.37
Now, what is
life going to be like
00:29:05.51\00:29:07.91
after the second
stage of punishment?
00:29:07.94\00:29:10.28
What is life with
God going to be like?
00:29:10.31\00:29:12.71
Well, let's notice the
next section in our syllabus,
00:29:13.25\00:29:16.18
page 103.
00:29:16.22\00:29:18.09
Revelation 21:1.
00:29:18.75\00:29:20.76
Then you have this
beautiful promise in verse 4
00:29:29.96\00:29:32.37
that is read many
times at funerals.
00:29:32.40\00:29:34.70
Notice Isaiah 25:8.
00:29:56.09\00:29:58.43
"He will swallow
up death forever,
00:29:59.09\00:30:01.80
and the Lord God will
wipe away tears from all faces;
00:30:02.26\00:30:06.23
the rebuke of His
people He will take away
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.90
from all the earth;
for the Lord has spoken."
00:30:09.94\00:30:13.74
And then comes this
interesting verse, Isaiah 24:23,
00:30:14.34\00:30:20.05
where the word, elders, is used.
00:30:21.08\00:30:23.55
It says, "Then the moon will be
disgraced and the sun ashamed;
00:30:24.09\00:30:29.06
for the Lord of hosts
will reign on Mount Zion
00:30:29.39\00:30:32.49
and in Jerusalem and
before His elders gloriously."
00:30:32.53\00:30:38.73
God is going to
rule before His what?
00:30:39.60\00:30:41.77
He's going to
rule before His elders.
00:30:42.90\00:30:45.61
Who would those elders be?
00:30:46.31\00:30:48.38
We've already found them
in the book of Revelation.
00:30:49.68\00:30:55.42
Not only when Jesus ascended,
but also when Jesus comes.
00:30:56.08\00:31:00.42
The great multitude is there.
00:31:00.46\00:31:02.06
The elders will be there, the
representatives of the worlds
00:31:02.26\00:31:05.36
that never sinned.
00:31:05.39\00:31:06.73
In fact, on the very
next page, Review and Herald,
00:31:07.00\00:31:09.40
September 25,
1900, Ellen White wrote,
00:31:09.43\00:31:13.47
"God has worlds upon worlds
that are obedient to His law."
00:31:13.80\00:31:19.64
It's not only 24.
00:31:19.67\00:31:21.11
"These worlds are
conducted with reference
00:31:21.61\00:31:24.05
to the glory of the Creator.
00:31:24.08\00:31:25.75
As the inhabitants of
these worlds see the great price
00:31:26.18\00:31:29.22
that has been
paid to ransom man,
00:31:29.42\00:31:31.45
they are filled with amazement.
00:31:31.65\00:31:33.86
With intense interest
they watch the controversy
00:31:33.89\00:31:36.56
between Christ and
Satan; and as this controversy
00:31:36.59\00:31:39.86
progresses, and the glory of God
shines brighter and brighter,
00:31:39.89\00:31:43.50
they give praise to God."
00:31:43.70\00:31:46.33
So there are worlds
upon worlds in the universe
00:31:47.40\00:31:50.97
that are observing what is
happening here on this earth.
00:31:51.01\00:31:54.48
Now the next point
that I want us to notice,
00:31:54.84\00:31:56.75
because we're
talking about the elders,
00:31:56.78\00:31:58.65
God is going to reign
before His elders gloriously.
00:31:58.68\00:32:03.55
We've already identified the
elders as the representatives
00:32:03.59\00:32:06.45
of the worlds that gather
together in heavenly counsel
00:32:06.49\00:32:09.76
at business meetings
to discuss certain issues
00:32:09.79\00:32:12.63
relating to the universe.
00:32:12.66\00:32:14.43
Now the church below is a
reflection of the church above.
00:32:15.60\00:32:20.97
Let me ask you, does the
church below have elders?
00:32:22.10\00:32:25.01
The church below has elders.
00:32:27.41\00:32:29.08
So is it just perhaps possible
that if we see what the role
00:32:29.11\00:32:32.91
of the elders on earth is, we
might understand a little better
00:32:32.95\00:32:37.02
what the role of
the elders in heaven is?
00:32:37.05\00:32:39.45
Let's read this statement.
00:32:40.82\00:32:42.32
Counsels to the
Church, page 240-241.
00:32:42.62\00:32:46.46
"The church of God below is one
with the church of God above.
00:32:46.83\00:32:52.10
Believers on the earth
and the beings in heaven
00:32:52.57\00:32:55.70
who have never fallen
constitute one church.
00:32:55.74\00:32:59.01
Every heavenly intelligence
is interested in the assemblies
00:32:59.57\00:33:03.35
of the saints who on
earth meet to worship God.
00:33:03.38\00:33:06.65
In the inner court of heaven
they listen to the testimony
00:33:07.08\00:33:10.12
of the witnesses for Christ
in the outer court on earth,
00:33:10.15\00:33:14.22
and the praise and thanksgiving
from the worshipers below
00:33:14.26\00:33:17.06
is taken up in the heavenly
anthem, and praise and rejoicing
00:33:17.09\00:33:21.16
sound through the heavenly
courts because Christ has not
00:33:21.20\00:33:24.33
died in vain for
the fallen sons of Adam.
00:33:24.37\00:33:28.10
While angels drink from
the fountainhead, the saints
00:33:28.57\00:33:31.81
on earth drink of the pure
streams flowing from the throne,
00:33:31.84\00:33:36.18
the streams that make
glad the city of our God."
00:33:36.21\00:33:39.91
So is the earthly
church a reflection
00:33:39.95\00:33:42.95
of the heavenly church?
00:33:42.98\00:33:44.82
Absolutely.
00:33:45.22\00:33:46.55
So must the organization
of the earthly church
00:33:46.59\00:33:49.22
reflect the organization
of God's kingdom in heaven?
00:33:49.42\00:33:54.70
Absolutely.
00:33:55.16\00:33:56.50
Now let's notice that
God is not a dictator.
00:33:57.23\00:34:01.60
He has a heavenly council,
as we've noticed, that meets
00:34:02.97\00:34:05.51
on a regular
basis to make decisions
00:34:05.54\00:34:07.44
concerning the
administration of the universe.
00:34:07.64\00:34:10.25
God runs the
universe as a republic
00:34:10.55\00:34:13.28
with representatives
from different regions
00:34:14.72\00:34:18.42
having voice and vote.
00:34:18.45\00:34:20.56
Would you agree with that?
00:34:21.62\00:34:22.96
That the heavenly council
people, the heavenly members,
00:34:24.19\00:34:27.36
have voice and vote?
00:34:27.40\00:34:28.73
Remember the passage in
Chronicles where God said,
00:34:29.96\00:34:33.94
"Who's going to
tell Ahab to go to battle
00:34:33.97\00:34:36.34
so that he gets killed?"
00:34:36.37\00:34:37.71
It says one member
of the council said this
00:34:37.94\00:34:40.18
and the other member
of the council said this.
00:34:40.21\00:34:42.21
And they could
not reach a consensus.
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.25
So then Satan, who loses
his position at the cross,
00:34:45.21\00:34:47.78
says, "I'll do it."
00:34:47.98\00:34:49.32
So are there
deliberations in heaven?
00:34:50.65\00:34:52.95
There are
deliberations in heaven.
00:34:53.19\00:34:55.12
Are there deliberations on earth
00:34:55.82\00:34:58.19
where you also have a meeting
where all the representatives
00:34:58.49\00:35:01.10
of the world come together.
00:35:01.13\00:35:02.93
Absolutely.
00:35:03.13\00:35:04.47
Now, you need to
read all these quotations
00:35:04.50\00:35:07.70
in this paragraph here
at the end of the paragraph.
00:35:08.74\00:35:11.67
In the heavenly
hosts there are ranks.
00:35:12.47\00:35:15.64
There are Michael the
archangel, cherubim, seraphim,
00:35:16.78\00:35:21.25
tall commanding
angels, strong angels,
00:35:21.28\00:35:23.49
the highest of
angels, and common angels.
00:35:23.52\00:35:26.69
Colossians 1
describes these orders of being
00:35:26.96\00:35:29.39
in the heavenly universe.
00:35:29.42\00:35:30.76
So are there different
responsibilities and ranks
00:35:30.79\00:35:33.56
and offices in
the heavenly economy?
00:35:33.66\00:35:37.53
Yes. Would we
expect the same on earth?
00:35:37.83\00:35:40.34
By the way, who is it
that revealed gospel order?
00:35:40.37\00:35:46.91
Who is it that revealed
the plan that the church
00:35:47.91\00:35:49.98
should have deacons, the
church should have elders,
00:35:50.01\00:35:53.88
the church should
have departmental leaders,
00:35:53.92\00:35:56.25
the church should have
a president that presides?
00:35:56.28\00:35:59.22
Who came up with that?
00:35:59.25\00:36:00.59
Did the apostles
come up with that?
00:36:00.62\00:36:01.96
They said, "Oh, let's
just invent this organization."
00:36:01.99\00:36:04.16
No.
00:36:04.19\00:36:05.53
Who revealed gospel order?
00:36:05.59\00:36:07.56
God revealed Gospel order.
00:36:08.13\00:36:10.60
And what is God doing?
00:36:11.17\00:36:12.50
He's simply structuring
the gospel order on earth
00:36:12.53\00:36:15.84
as a miniature of the
way that heaven functions.
00:36:15.87\00:36:19.81
Notice Colossians 1:16.
00:36:20.58\00:36:22.94
And now notice
the different ranks.
00:36:27.88\00:36:29.65
Are there different categories,
or gifts, you might say,
00:36:37.36\00:36:41.33
in the heavenly economy?
00:36:41.36\00:36:42.83
Absolutely.
00:36:43.03\00:36:44.37
Notice, when
Jesus ascended to heaven
00:36:44.57\00:36:46.50
there were different groups.
00:36:46.53\00:36:47.97
It says, "With joy unutterable,
rulers and principalities
00:36:48.00\00:36:53.38
and powers
acknowledge the supremacy
00:36:53.41\00:36:57.21
of the Prince of life."
00:36:57.25\00:36:58.98
So when Jesus
ascended to heaven,
00:37:00.18\00:37:02.12
these rulers,
rulers sit on thrones,
00:37:02.55\00:37:06.15
were present to receive Him.
00:37:06.35\00:37:08.32
It is interesting that while
Colossians 1:16 uses the word,
00:37:08.92\00:37:12.76
"thrones", Ellen White
refers to those who occupy
00:37:12.79\00:37:16.83
the thrones as what?
00:37:16.87\00:37:18.80
Rulers.
00:37:19.20\00:37:20.54
Interestingly enough.
00:37:20.57\00:37:21.94
It is clear that the
rulers who sat on the thrones
00:37:22.44\00:37:25.87
when Jesus ascended were
not human because they were
00:37:25.91\00:37:29.61
already there
when Jesus arrived.
00:37:29.64\00:37:31.71
Clearly, the resurrected
saints who ascended with Jesus
00:37:31.75\00:37:35.22
cannot be the 24
elders who sit on thrones.
00:37:35.25\00:37:39.09
By the way, does Satan also
have an organizational system?
00:37:39.45\00:37:42.82
Does Satan know how God's
kingdom in heaven is organized?
00:37:42.86\00:37:46.39
Do you think maybe he's
patterned it after that?
00:37:47.36\00:37:49.66
He had the inside scoop.
00:37:51.33\00:37:53.64
He was there
closest to the throne.
00:37:54.57\00:37:56.64
Jesus was sitting
next to the Father,
00:37:56.74\00:37:58.81
but Lucifer was
next right there.
00:37:58.84\00:38:01.04
He knows how the
heavenly economy functions.
00:38:01.41\00:38:04.15
So he says, "Let's
go ahead and copy it."
00:38:04.18\00:38:06.65
Satan not only copied
God's organizational system,
00:38:07.32\00:38:10.62
he also has a council of angels
that meet on a regular basis
00:38:10.65\00:38:16.22
to lay out plans
to counteract God.
00:38:16.26\00:38:18.59
And you can read all
those statements there
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.03
where Ellen White talks
about Satan's earthly council.
00:38:23.06\00:38:26.84
Ephesians 6:12
00:38:27.74\00:38:30.01
This is page 106.
00:38:30.21\00:38:32.27
"For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood,
00:38:32.57\00:38:35.61
but against principalities..."
00:38:36.01\00:38:37.45
Notice the categories again.
00:38:37.48\00:38:38.91
"...principalities, against
powers, against the rulers
00:38:38.98\00:38:43.62
of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of
00:38:43.65\00:38:46.62
wickedness in
the heavenly places."
00:38:46.65\00:38:49.06
Once again, Colossians 2:15.
00:38:49.42\00:38:52.29
"Having disarmed
principalities and powers,
00:38:52.33\00:38:55.60
He made a public
spectacle of them,
00:38:55.63\00:38:57.77
triumphing over them in it."
00:38:57.80\00:38:59.93
Then Ellen White makes
this very interesting comment
00:38:59.97\00:39:02.80
that we find in,
Great Controversy, page 513,
00:39:02.84\00:39:05.74
on the way in which
Satan's kingdom is organized.
00:39:05.77\00:39:09.14
She wrote, "Evil spirits, in
the beginning created sinless,
00:39:10.05\00:39:14.88
were equal in nature, power,
and glory with the holy beings
00:39:14.92\00:39:19.45
that are now God's messengers.
00:39:19.49\00:39:21.96
But fallen through sin,
they are leagued together
00:39:22.29\00:39:25.89
for the dishonor of God
and the destruction of men.
00:39:25.93\00:39:29.03
United with Satan in his
rebellion, and with him cast out
00:39:29.66\00:39:34.00
from heaven, they have,
through all succeeding ages,
00:39:34.04\00:39:38.87
cooperated with him
in his warfare against
00:39:38.97\00:39:43.04
the divine authority."
00:39:43.08\00:39:44.48
And now comes the key portion.
00:39:44.51\00:39:46.08
"We are told in Scripture
of their confederacy and..."
00:39:46.28\00:39:50.49
What else?
00:39:51.39\00:39:52.72
"...government, of
their various..." What?
00:39:52.75\00:39:56.12
"...orders, of their
intelligence and subtlety,
00:39:56.42\00:40:00.06
and of their malicious
designs against the peace
00:40:00.56\00:40:03.80
and happiness of men."
00:40:04.00\00:40:06.03
So let me ask you, does
Satan have a government?
00:40:07.57\00:40:10.34
Yes. Does he have
orders in his government?
00:40:11.54\00:40:14.21
Speaking about the
angels that he leads.
00:40:14.44\00:40:16.14
They're
intelligent, they're subtle,
00:40:16.18\00:40:18.55
and they also gather in council
00:40:18.58\00:40:20.68
to decide what to
do in certain cases.
00:40:21.75\00:40:24.39
In fact, Ellen White
says that there was a council
00:40:24.59\00:40:27.46
where Satan
gathered his angels together,
00:40:27.49\00:40:30.33
and he says, "You know, as
far as tempting Adam and Eve
00:40:30.53\00:40:34.10
is concerned, you
folks are not going to do it.
00:40:34.13\00:40:36.50
I'm going to go personally
and I'm going to do that."
00:40:36.53\00:40:38.67
And Satan was on the
track of Jesus personally
00:40:39.27\00:40:42.90
all during the
ministry of Christ.
00:40:43.81\00:40:45.81
So basically, Satan has
an organizational system
00:40:46.01\00:40:50.88
with different
orders, and he has a council.
00:40:50.91\00:40:55.45
God also has an
organizational system,
00:40:55.48\00:40:58.95
which is basically the
system of organization of the
00:40:59.05\00:41:01.62
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:41:01.66\00:41:03.22
How is the Seventh-day
Adventist Church organized?
00:41:04.19\00:41:06.46
We have a General
Conference, we have Divisions,
00:41:07.00\00:41:10.33
we have Unions,
we have Conferences,
00:41:10.80\00:41:13.70
we have districts, and
we have local churches.
00:41:14.24\00:41:17.74
Do we have heads over each one
of those levels of organization?
00:41:18.41\00:41:23.35
Do we have
within that organization
00:41:23.95\00:41:26.01
elders and deacons,
00:41:26.05\00:41:27.75
and different
functions in the church?
00:41:28.08\00:41:29.82
Of course.
00:41:29.85\00:41:31.19
Is this dictated by God?
00:41:31.35\00:41:34.39
God says, "You
occupy this position,
00:41:34.42\00:41:36.39
you occupy this position."
00:41:36.42\00:41:37.93
Or is this a republic
where people have a vote?
00:41:37.96\00:41:40.60
Are you catching my point?
00:41:42.46\00:41:44.00
So basically, what I'm saying
is that the elders on earth
00:41:44.60\00:41:50.67
are a reflection of
the functions of the elders
00:41:51.54\00:41:54.68
in the heavenly economy.
00:41:54.71\00:41:56.31
Let's notice what the
roles of the elders are.
00:41:57.05\00:41:59.68
At the bottom of page 106.
00:42:00.62\00:42:03.28
Titus 1:5, here Paul
commands Titus to appoint elders
00:42:03.75\00:42:09.89
in some of the cities.
00:42:09.92\00:42:11.49
Thank you very
much. You're still awake.
00:42:12.63\00:42:14.43
In every city of
the Roman Empire.
00:42:15.50\00:42:18.60
Would these elders be
a representative council
00:42:20.24\00:42:24.54
of everything that
happened in the empire?
00:42:25.11\00:42:27.18
Yes.
00:42:27.64\00:42:28.98
It says, "For this
reason I left you in Crete,"
00:42:29.11\00:42:31.78
writes Paul to Titus,
"that you should..." Do what?
00:42:31.81\00:42:35.98
Ah. "...that you
should set in order the things
00:42:36.75\00:42:40.32
that are lacking,
and appoint..." What?
00:42:40.36\00:42:43.26
"...elders in every
city as I commanded you."
00:42:43.46\00:42:46.96
So are the elders in all
of the places of the empire
00:42:47.90\00:42:52.70
to represent the church of God?
00:42:53.87\00:42:57.14
Absolutely.
00:42:57.47\00:42:58.81
Now, were the
elders also rulers?
00:42:59.34\00:43:03.71
Yes they were.
00:43:04.65\00:43:05.98
Notice Numbers 11:16-17.
00:43:06.05\00:43:08.55
And then we'll go
to the New Testament.
00:43:08.58\00:43:10.89
Were they representatives
of the entire congregation?
00:43:17.89\00:43:20.66
Yes they were.
00:43:21.26\00:43:22.60
And what is one of
the responsibilities?
00:43:42.08\00:43:43.95
They shall what?
00:43:43.99\00:43:45.32
Ellen White amplifies
this point by stating in,
00:43:52.09\00:43:56.97
Acts of the Apostles, page 94,
00:43:57.00\00:43:59.10
"Later, when choosing
seventy elders to share with him
00:43:59.30\00:44:04.41
the
responsibilities of..." What?
00:44:04.61\00:44:06.81
"...leadership..."
00:44:06.84\00:44:08.18
So what are the elders?
00:44:08.21\00:44:09.54
They're leaders.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.25
And in a moment we're going
to see that they're rulers.
00:44:11.28\00:44:13.58
They set the house in order.
00:44:13.85\00:44:15.42
They represent the
church in different regions.
00:44:15.88\00:44:20.09
Are you catching
the picture or not?
00:44:20.12\00:44:21.62
"Later, when choosing seventy
elders to share with him the
00:44:22.39\00:44:25.09
responsibilities of
the leadership, Moses was
00:44:25.13\00:44:28.33
careful to select as his
helpers men possessing dignity,
00:44:28.36\00:44:32.33
sound judgment, and experience.
00:44:32.43\00:44:34.60
In his charge to these elders
at the time of their ordination,
00:44:34.90\00:44:39.54
he outlined some of the
qualifications that fit a man
00:44:39.74\00:44:43.75
to be a wise
ruler in the church."
00:44:43.78\00:44:48.62
Are the elders in the
heavenly economy rulers?
00:44:49.75\00:44:52.45
They wear crowns.
00:44:53.96\00:44:55.29
Where do they rule?
00:44:56.06\00:44:57.39
One of them rules the
entire universe, right?
00:44:58.13\00:45:00.60
No.
00:45:00.63\00:45:01.96
They rule over regions.
00:45:02.00\00:45:03.53
They keep it in order.
00:45:03.87\00:45:05.20
They're representatives
before the council.
00:45:05.47\00:45:08.40
Is this reflected
in the church on earth?
00:45:08.44\00:45:11.57
It should be, anyway.
00:45:12.17\00:45:14.21
Or are the angels at the
next constituency session
00:45:14.24\00:45:16.98
saying, "Boy, I
sure hope that I'm named
00:45:17.01\00:45:20.48
president of that conference."
00:45:20.52\00:45:22.35
No.
00:45:23.35\00:45:24.69
Maybe there's an election.
00:45:26.76\00:45:28.09
Everybody's happy with
whatever decision God makes.
00:45:28.12\00:45:31.76
Notice 1 Timothy 5:17.
00:45:32.13\00:45:35.20
1 Timothy 3:4-5
basically has the same idea.
00:45:54.88\00:45:59.42
The bishop or
overseer must be "one who rules
00:45:59.62\00:46:05.19
his own house well,
having his children..." How?
00:46:05.23\00:46:09.26
"...in submission
with all reverence;
00:46:09.66\00:46:12.90
for if a man does not
know how to rule his own house,
00:46:12.93\00:46:17.31
how will he take
care of..." What?
00:46:17.34\00:46:20.18
"...of the church of God?"
00:46:20.21\00:46:21.71
Now let me ask you, these elders
that were named all over the
00:46:23.14\00:46:27.35
Roman Empire, did
they gather now and then
00:46:27.38\00:46:31.25
to deal with the world
business of the church?
00:46:31.29\00:46:34.62
Did they gather in
council to deal with the
00:46:36.36\00:46:38.06
business of the church?
00:46:38.09\00:46:39.49
Is that true of the
heavenly council too?
00:46:40.86\00:46:42.90
Are you seeing the parallel?
00:46:43.67\00:46:45.00
Notice what we
find in Acts 15:6.
00:46:46.27\00:46:49.87
The first general
conference of history.
00:46:49.90\00:46:53.27
It was the
issue of circumcision.
00:47:00.75\00:47:02.98
In other words the idea
was, do the Gentiles need to be
00:47:03.28\00:47:06.39
circumcised like the
Jews in order to be saved?
00:47:06.42\00:47:10.06
And so, it
became a real problem.
00:47:10.83\00:47:12.96
And so, what decision was made?
00:47:13.70\00:47:16.23
Well, let's bring all
of the elders, all of the
00:47:16.60\00:47:19.23
representatives in
the whole Roman Empire...
00:47:19.27\00:47:22.80
By the way, not all
of the church members,
00:47:23.47\00:47:25.97
but the elders who
represent individual churches.
00:47:26.27\00:47:28.68
Let's bring them and discuss
this issue and reach a decision
00:47:28.71\00:47:33.92
that applies to
the entire church.
00:47:34.12\00:47:36.62
And so it says in Acts 16:4-5,
00:47:37.42\00:47:40.29
"And as they went
through the cities,
00:47:40.32\00:47:42.49
they delivered to
them the decrees..."
00:47:42.69\00:47:45.33
Ah, so was there a decree
made at the general conference?
00:47:46.33\00:47:49.56
And what did everybody say?
00:47:50.87\00:47:52.20
Everybody was super happy
with the decision that was made
00:47:52.23\00:47:54.70
by all the delegates
at the general conference.
00:47:54.74\00:47:56.97
No. You can continue
reading the book of Acts.
00:47:58.21\00:48:00.24
There were rabble-rousers
that didn't like the decision.
00:48:00.28\00:48:02.81
And they caused
all sorts of problems.
00:48:03.51\00:48:05.35
Maybe this has something
to say about what's happening
00:48:05.38\00:48:07.32
in the church today where
people are not willing to abide
00:48:07.35\00:48:11.52
by a decision that was
reached three times by the
00:48:11.55\00:48:13.62
General Conference
session, by the representatives
00:48:13.66\00:48:16.06
that came together.
00:48:16.09\00:48:17.43
I mean, how many times does
the Holy Spirit have to speak?
00:48:17.86\00:48:20.36
The Bible says, in the
voice of two or three witnesses
00:48:21.86\00:48:24.10
every word is confirmed.
00:48:24.13\00:48:25.50
So there's not
only two, there's three.
00:48:26.37\00:48:28.30
Just in case.
00:48:28.34\00:48:29.67
But there's all
kinds of problems now.
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.67
Because there are
people who do not want to abide
00:48:32.87\00:48:34.94
by the decision that was
made by the world church.
00:48:34.98\00:48:37.38
Let's not get into that.
00:48:40.02\00:48:41.42
"And as they went
through the cities,
00:48:43.92\00:48:45.72
they delivered to them
the decrees to keep..."
00:48:45.92\00:48:49.36
Were the elders
the representatives
00:48:56.63\00:48:58.23
from all over the empire? Yes.
00:48:58.27\00:49:00.54
Notice this
comment from Ellen White.
00:49:09.91\00:49:11.91
"The order that was maintained
in the early Christian church
00:49:12.11\00:49:15.82
made it possible for
them to move forward solidly
00:49:16.22\00:49:19.99
as a well-disciplined army
clad with the armor of God.
00:49:20.09\00:49:24.76
The companies of
believers, though scattered,"
00:49:25.26\00:49:28.20
listen carefully,
"over a large territory,
00:49:28.23\00:49:30.67
were all members of one
body; all moved in concert
00:49:30.70\00:49:35.47
and in harmony with one another.
00:49:35.50\00:49:37.41
When dissension
arose in a local church,
00:49:37.94\00:49:40.88
as later it did in
Antioch and elsewhere,
00:49:41.18\00:49:45.95
and the believers were
unable to come to an agreement
00:49:46.41\00:49:49.02
among themselves, such matters
were not permitted to create
00:49:49.05\00:49:52.85
a division in the church..."
00:49:52.89\00:49:54.29
Is this true of what happened
in heaven, the council that
00:49:54.62\00:49:57.79
God established in heaven
when there was this discordant
00:49:57.83\00:50:00.86
note of Lucifer?
00:50:00.90\00:50:02.53
Did God gather the
heavenly council together
00:50:02.56\00:50:04.80
to say, "Let's discuss this."
00:50:05.00\00:50:07.64
Yes.
00:50:07.94\00:50:09.27
So it says here, once
again, "When dissension arose
00:50:09.47\00:50:12.77
in a local church, as
later it did arise in Antioch
00:50:12.81\00:50:16.04
and elsewhere, and the
believers were unable to
00:50:16.08\00:50:17.98
come to an
agreement among themselves,
00:50:18.01\00:50:19.95
such matters were not
permitted to create a division
00:50:19.98\00:50:22.38
in the church, but
were referred to a..." What?
00:50:22.42\00:50:25.69
"...to a general council of
the entire body of believers,
00:50:26.22\00:50:30.43
made up of appointed
delegates from the various
00:50:30.63\00:50:35.06
local churches, with
the apostles and elders
00:50:35.10\00:50:38.10
in positions of
leading responsibility."
00:50:38.13\00:50:40.97
Wow!
00:50:41.67\00:50:43.00
"Thus the efforts of Satan
to attack the church in isolated
00:50:45.61\00:50:49.44
places were met by concerted
action on the part of all,
00:50:49.48\00:50:53.65
and the plans of
the enemy to disrupt
00:50:53.95\00:50:56.12
and destroy were thwarted."
00:50:56.15\00:50:59.35
Does God want the church to
run like His heavenly council?
00:51:00.76\00:51:04.29
Does He have representatives
from the entire universe
00:51:05.99\00:51:07.96
that come to
deliberate in heaven?
00:51:08.00\00:51:09.60
They're called elders.
00:51:10.20\00:51:11.53
Who are the
representatives on earth?
00:51:12.57\00:51:14.40
They're called elders.
00:51:15.10\00:51:16.44
So let's summarize.
00:51:17.71\00:51:19.41
The elders are what?
00:51:20.41\00:51:21.94
Rulers and overseers.
00:51:22.61\00:51:24.95
Supervisors, if you please.
00:51:25.75\00:51:27.82
They are what else?
00:51:28.48\00:51:30.22
Representatives.
00:51:30.59\00:51:32.72
God runs a representative
style of government.
00:51:33.19\00:51:36.73
God does not run a dictatorship.
00:51:36.76\00:51:39.79
Let me ask you, could God
run the universe all by Himself?
00:51:41.16\00:51:44.00
Of course He could.
00:51:45.47\00:51:46.80
Absolutely.
00:51:47.47\00:51:48.80
But God is a delegator.
00:51:49.64\00:51:51.01
God does not need indispensably
to organize His kingdom
00:51:52.27\00:52:00.42
where He delegates
responsibility to different
00:52:00.45\00:52:03.18
levels of beings
with different gifts
00:52:03.22\00:52:05.59
and different responsibilities.
00:52:05.79\00:52:07.56
But God enjoys
delegating responsibility
00:52:08.09\00:52:11.89
to the beings from His kingdom.
00:52:12.09\00:52:14.56
Isn't that wonderful?
00:52:14.60\00:52:15.93
That God doesn't
say, "Do it this way."
00:52:16.26\00:52:18.03
"Why, Lord." "Because I say so."
00:52:18.23\00:52:19.87
No. God runs a
republican style of government.
00:52:20.17\00:52:25.07
I'm not talking about the
Republican party, by the way.
00:52:25.11\00:52:27.74
I'm talking about a republic,
00:52:27.78\00:52:30.28
where the government
is run by representatives
00:52:30.48\00:52:33.92
elected by the
people and who come together
00:52:33.95\00:52:37.45
and never agree on
anything in the United States.
00:52:37.55\00:52:41.12
So they're rulers and overseers.
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.43
They are representatives.
00:52:44.76\00:52:46.46
They attend and
deliberate in council.
00:52:46.90\00:52:49.70
They are administrators
of a section of the church.
00:52:49.86\00:52:53.94
By the way, are the
elders supposed to offer prayers
00:52:55.37\00:52:58.11
for the saints?
00:52:58.14\00:52:59.54
You think?
00:53:00.84\00:53:02.18
How about the elders in heaven?
00:53:03.41\00:53:04.75
Do they present the
prayers of God's people?
00:53:04.78\00:53:07.82
Yes. They're spiritual leaders.
00:53:08.65\00:53:11.19
Just like the angels
are spiritual leaders.
00:53:11.59\00:53:14.06
Notice this beautiful statement.
00:53:14.52\00:53:16.93
By the way, the angels have
a much more important function
00:53:16.96\00:53:20.53
than we generally realize.
00:53:20.56\00:53:23.33
My personal opinion is that
the church needs a thirty-third,
00:53:24.80\00:53:28.20
no, a thirtieth
fundamental belief.
00:53:28.70\00:53:32.74
I believe
there's twenty-nine now.
00:53:32.97\00:53:34.31
Or are there twenty-eight?
00:53:34.34\00:53:35.68
Are there twenty-eight.
00:53:36.28\00:53:37.61
So we need a
twenty-ninth fundamental belief.
00:53:37.95\00:53:40.52
And that is regarding angels.
00:53:41.55\00:53:44.12
Angels are critically important
00:53:45.42\00:53:47.82
in the way that
God runs the universe.
00:53:47.86\00:53:50.39
As you can tell by
the dream that Jacob had,
00:53:50.66\00:53:53.70
and the fact that
the veil of the Sanctuary
00:53:53.73\00:53:57.37
that divided the Holy
from the Most Holy Place
00:53:57.40\00:53:59.50
was embroidered with
angels ascending and descending.
00:53:59.53\00:54:03.14
So when the incense
was mingled with the fire,
00:54:03.67\00:54:07.21
with the coals of the
fire, and the smoke ascended
00:54:07.24\00:54:10.45
over the veil into
the presence of God,
00:54:10.48\00:54:14.92
what you have represented
is the prayers of the saints
00:54:16.38\00:54:18.85
taken by the
angels to Jesus Christ
00:54:18.89\00:54:22.92
for Jesus Christ to
intercede with the Father.
00:54:22.96\00:54:25.96
And by the way, the
Roman Catholic church
00:54:26.16\00:54:28.86
establishes another level.
00:54:28.90\00:54:30.47
They say you have
to plea to the saints.
00:54:31.13\00:54:34.17
That the saints are the
ones that take the prayers
00:54:34.20\00:54:36.84
to Jesus, and then Jesus
presents them to the Father.
00:54:36.87\00:54:39.51
No. What happens is
the Roman Catholic church
00:54:39.54\00:54:42.01
is leaving the
angels without a job.
00:54:42.11\00:54:44.71
Because it's the job of
the angels to take our prayers
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.95
to Jesus.
00:54:50.59\00:54:51.92
And for Jesus to
mingle them with the merits
00:54:51.95\00:54:54.62
of His sacrifice before
the Father so that our prayers
00:54:54.66\00:54:58.79
are acceptable in His sight.
00:54:58.83\00:55:00.73
It's not the saints.
00:55:00.76\00:55:02.26
Notice this beautiful statement.
00:55:03.63\00:55:05.20
"Let the members of
every family bear in mind that
00:55:05.63\00:55:08.90
they are closely
allied to heaven.
00:55:08.94\00:55:11.17
The Lord has a special
interest in the families
00:55:11.57\00:55:14.21
of His children here below.
00:55:14.24\00:55:15.91
Angels offer the smoke
of the fragrant incense
00:55:16.28\00:55:20.28
for the praying saints."
00:55:20.32\00:55:21.92
And we notice that the
highest of angels are the
00:55:21.95\00:55:23.62
ones that do this.
00:55:23.65\00:55:24.99
"Then in every family
let prayer ascend to heaven
00:55:25.02\00:55:27.82
both in the morning and
at the cool sunset hour,
00:55:27.86\00:55:30.89
in our behalf presenting
before God the Savior's merits.
00:55:31.33\00:55:34.93
Morning and evening the
heavenly universe take notice
00:55:35.13\00:55:38.57
of every praying household."
00:55:38.60\00:55:41.00
One final comment,
because time has run out,
00:55:42.34\00:55:44.84
on the number twenty-four.
00:55:45.04\00:55:46.54
There were twenty-four courses
of priests in the Sanctuary.
00:55:47.08\00:55:51.08
In other words, twice a year
there were groups of priests
00:55:51.88\00:55:56.62
that for two weeks in the year
they served in the Sanctuary.
00:55:56.65\00:56:01.62
So the question is,
do the angels perform
00:56:02.36\00:56:06.46
a work in the
Sanctuary of burning incense
00:56:06.49\00:56:09.66
and presenting
it before the Lord?
00:56:09.70\00:56:11.50
Yes. So I believe
the twenty-four courses
00:56:11.53\00:56:14.87
on earth are really a reflection
of the turns that the elders
00:56:14.90\00:56:23.81
take in heaven to present
the prayers of the saints
00:56:23.85\00:56:27.78
before God.
00:56:27.82\00:56:29.18
So basically, the elders,
when it comes to the future,
00:56:29.75\00:56:35.89
are going to be what they have
been all throughout history.
00:56:36.56\00:56:42.20
That is, that they are
going to be representatives
00:56:42.46\00:56:46.67
of the entire universe
before the heavenly council.
00:56:46.70\00:56:50.24
And God will have
business meetings now and then
00:56:50.67\00:56:53.51
where He will call
the leaders or the elders
00:56:53.71\00:56:56.98
to come to the meeting.
00:56:57.01\00:56:58.48
This means that not
all of us are going to
00:56:59.18\00:57:02.15
come to the meetings.
00:57:02.18\00:57:03.62
We will do it
through our representatives
00:57:03.65\00:57:07.72
that God chooses
according to the abilities
00:57:07.82\00:57:11.49
that they have received.
00:57:11.53\00:57:13.29
And there will be
people with greater abilities
00:57:13.50\00:57:15.43
and lesser
abilities in the kingdom.
00:57:15.46\00:57:17.60
But we will all grow,
we'll continue to grow
00:57:17.63\00:57:20.27
in our
relationship with the Lord.
00:57:20.30\00:57:22.10
So I hope that what we've
studied has at least jogged
00:57:22.20\00:57:26.91
our thinking
processes as to why the elders
00:57:26.94\00:57:31.78
are called elders in
these passages of the
00:57:31.81\00:57:35.55
book of Revelation.
00:57:35.58\00:57:36.92
That what happens on
earth is really a reflection
00:57:36.95\00:57:41.09
of the way in which God runs the
universe in the heavenly realm.
00:57:41.39\00:57:46.39
And if we're not
good leaders here,
00:57:46.70\00:57:48.33
we will never be
good leaders there.
00:57:49.13\00:57:51.00
If we don't set
things in order here,
00:57:51.33\00:57:53.17
we would never set
them in order there.
00:57:53.20\00:57:55.20
If we aspire to
someone else's position,
00:57:55.60\00:57:58.37
we're never
going to make it there.
00:57:58.74\00:58:00.28
So I trust that what
we've studied has been useful
00:58:00.74\00:58:03.08
in our walk with the Lord.
00:58:03.48\00:58:05.01