Well, good morning everyone.
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Welcome to Anchor.
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This is day number three.
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We're on a roll here.
This is half way today.
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Because we have 24 presentations
and today we will do 4 more,
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which will give us 12
and we'll be half way.
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Today we are going to
study some introductory matters,
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and then we're going to
go to study the first seal.
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So I'm hoping that in
this session we will be able to
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do the introductory
matters and also the first seal.
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But if we are not able
to finish the first seal,
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we'll do it the second session.
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But we want to begin
with prayer, as we always do.
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So let's bow our
heads reverently for prayer.
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Father in heaven, we
thank You for the privilege
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of beginning this new day.
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Thank You, Lord,
for Your many blessings.
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Thank You because You
give us life this day.
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Thank You for Your Word.
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We ask that Your Holy
Spirit will be present
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to give us understanding into
the depths of this wonderful
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book, the book of Revelation.
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We place
ourselves in Your hands,
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pleading for Your presence.
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And we thank You
for being with us,
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because we ask it
in Jesus name, amen.
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Okay, we're going to page
111, skipping a few things here
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that we've
basically covered before.
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But I want to
deal with the subtitle,
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Ellen White and the Seven Seals,
on page 111 of your syllabus.
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And I want to remind those
who are watching the live stream
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and watching on our
SumTV channels that you can
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also get a syllabus
from us after the class ends.
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Or you can access it online and
you can download it if you wish,
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but it will be available
after the class is over.
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So anyway, if you want a
hard copy, you can contact us
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and get information about
how you can get a hard copy
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like the one that all
the students have here.
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So let's go to the section,
Ellen White and the Seven Seals.
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And I'm going to go through
this carefully because it
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deals with some
very important matters.
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At first sight, Ellen White
has little to say about the
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first four seals
and the seventh seal.
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In fact, as far as I know,
she never quotes Revelation 8:1,
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which is the seventh seal.
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However, don't be fooled.
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Though she does not have much
to say in terms of quantity,
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she does have several
qualitative statements
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that help us know when
the seals are fulfilled
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in the course of history.
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Ellen White also has
some significant statements
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besides a statement on the
first seal, the second seal,
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and the third
seal, at least hints,
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she has several
statements on the fifth seal
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and she has many, many
statements on the sixth seal.
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So it's very important for
us to realize that Ellen White
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does have quite a bit
to say about the seals,
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even though many times
she doesn't quote the verses,
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she is dealing with the
events that fulfill the seals.
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Now let's go to
the bottom of the page.
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In, Desire of
Ages, pages 833-835,
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which is the last
chapter of, Desire of Ages,
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Ellen White
explains the introductory
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vision to the seals.
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That's Revelation 4 and 5.
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We dedicated a significant
amount of time to study
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the introductory vision.
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In other words,
Jesus ascending to heaven
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and being installed as the High
Priest and sitting on the throne
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as the King of
the kingdom of grace.
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And then this applies
to Christ's inauguration as
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High Priest upon His ascension.
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This means that the
introductory vision gives us
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the crucial historical
starting point for the seals.
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Are you with me or not?
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So this gives us
the beginning point.
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The last chapter
of, Desire of Ages,
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is Ellen White's commentary
on the introductory vision
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right before the first
seal, which is the white horse.
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Then in, The Great
Controversy, page 641,
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Ellen White
places the seventh seal
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in the context of
the second coming.
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Now she doesn't
quote Revelation 8:1,
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but we're going to go
through a method where we can
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determine where Ellen
White is commenting on
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Bible passages even
though she doesn't particularly
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mention the verses.
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So we have the starting point
which is the introductory vision
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in the last
chapter of, Desire of Ages.
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And then you
have the seventh seal
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in, Great Controversy, page 641.
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So where would you
expect to find the fulfillment
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of the other seals, seal number
one through seal number six?
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It must be between the
last chapter of, Desire of Ages,
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and, Great
Controversy, page 641.
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Are you with me or not?
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As we shall see, several
times Ellen White applies the
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expression of the first seal,
"conquering and to conquer,"
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to the gospel
conquest of the early church.
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By the way, we're
going to notice something
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very interesting in a moment.
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So the first seal
would be the apostolic church
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going out
conquering and to conquer.
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With regard to the second
seal, Ellen White has a clear
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statement on the
meaning of the sword.
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The second rider
has a sword in his hand
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that takes away
peace from the earth.
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Ellen White has a
significant statement
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on when that is fulfilled.
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And then she applies
it to the persecutions
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that the early church, the
persecutions that they suffered
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at the hands of
the Roman Empire.
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Concerning the third seal, Ellen
White has a clear statement
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about the oil and the wine.
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Because oil and wine are
mentioned in the third seal.
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Furthermore, we shall see
in the course of our study
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that Ellen White had
several clear statements
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about the fifth and sixth seals.
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Later on in the book,
Great Controversy, I might say.
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Regarding the seventh
seal, she does not quote
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Revelation 8:1, but
clearly alludes to it.
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Now the next paragraph
is extremely important.
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The best commentary on the
introductory vision to the seals
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is the last chapter
of, The Desire of Ages.
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The title is, To My
Father and Your Father.
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Speaking to the disciples.
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The first two chapters of
the book, Acts of the Apostles,
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explain the
enthronement of Jesus in heaven
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on the day of Pentecost.
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So we have to link,
Acts of the Apostles,
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the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, that's when the seven
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spirits are sent to the
earth that we studied about.
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And then Ellen White, in
the book, The Great Controversy,
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expounds upon the seven
seals in their proper order,
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culminating on page
641 with the seventh seal.
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So the last chapter of,
Desire of Ages, actually has the
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introductory
vision, Revelation 4 and 5.
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The book, Acts of the Apostles,
has the enthronement of Christ
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when He arrives in heaven
and the description of the first
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seal, the conquest
of the early church.
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And then the
book, Great Controversy,
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has the comments on the second
seal through the seventh seal,
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culminating in, Great
Controversy, page 641.
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Are you with me or not?
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So what is the best
commentary on the seals?
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If I ask you, what is the
best commentary that has ever
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been written on the seals?
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The last chapter
of, Desire of Ages,
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the book, Acts of the Apostles,
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and the book, Great Controversy.
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And somebody asked yesterday
about what would be a good
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commentary on the
book of Revelation.
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Well, I gave you the
non-inspired commentaries,
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but the best
commentary on Revelation
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is the book, Great Controversy.
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I don't know whether
you've noticed, Ellen White
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follows the exact order
of the book of Revelation
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from beginning to end.
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She begins with the persecutions
in the early centuries,
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and then she moves on
to speak about the papacy,
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then she speaks
about the Millerites, 1844.
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Before that, she speaks
about the French Revolution.
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That's Revelation 11.
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Then she speaks about
the three angels' messages.
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Then she deals with
the final controversy.
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Then she deals
with the second coming.
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Then she deals with what
happens during the millennium.
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And then the
desolation of the earth.
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And then what
happens after the millennium.
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She's following the exact
order of the book of Revelation.
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It's the best commentary
on the book of Revelation,
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is the book, Great Controversy.
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But the problem is, Ellen
White many times does not quote
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the verses that
she's commenting on.
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We had an example of that
in the introductory vision.
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You know, you read
Revelation 4 and 5,
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it says there in the
throne room are the 24 elders,
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and the four living creatures
that have four faces, and so on,
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and you have the seven spirits,
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and you have one sitting on the
throne who is not identified,
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and then you have a lamb
as though it had been slain.
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You have all of these symbols.
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But Ellen White,
in her explanation,
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she says the
Father is on the throne.
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She's
interpreting who the person is.
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"The Father is on the throne."
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She says there are
cherubim and seraphim.
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The four living creatures.
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She doesn't say
four living creatures.
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She never quotes the verses.
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Then she says there also
are present the representatives
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of the worlds that never sinned.
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That would be the 24 elders.
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And then in, Acts of the
Apostles, she speaks about
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the sending of the Holy
Spirit to the earth on the
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day of Pentecost.
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But you would never
know that she's commenting
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on Revelation 4 by reading
what she's written because
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she doesn't quote Revelation 4.
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However, there is a hint.
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At the end of the chapter, the
last chapter of, Desire of Ages,
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she quotes Revelation 5:12-13.
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So if she's commenting at
the very end of the chapter
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Revelation 5:12-13, where
would you expect to find her
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commentary on Revelation 4?
00:11:04.53\00:11:06.93
In the previous pages, right?
00:11:08.40\00:11:10.93
So we have to
be good detectives.
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We have to look for clues.
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You know, not everything
is there on the surface.
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We have to think, we
have to look at the structure.
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What comes before, what comes
after, what order things are in.
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Let me give you one
other example of how,
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you know, we need to
look and read Ellen White
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when many times she doesn't
quote verses specifically,
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although she's commenting
on what the verses are saying.
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And this is not
directly related to the seals,
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but it's another illustration
of how we need to read,
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The Great Controversy.
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Ellen White, in the
chapter on, The Time of Trouble,
00:11:50.71\00:11:53.31
she comments on the 144,000.
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And she comments on
the first four plagues
00:11:58.78\00:12:02.22
of Revelation 16.
00:12:03.35\00:12:05.72
So in the chapter
on, The Time of Trouble,
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.66
she comments on
the first four plagues.
00:12:07.69\00:12:10.13
Very brief, less than one page,
00:12:10.16\00:12:12.49
she comments on
the first four plagues.
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But we don't find any
verse where she comments on
00:12:15.46\00:12:18.30
the fifth plague.
00:12:18.33\00:12:19.67
Or the sixth plague.
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.67
The drying up of the Euphrates.
00:12:22.14\00:12:23.81
And so you say, "Well,
Ellen White, you know, she had
00:12:24.77\00:12:27.58
something to say about
the first four, but she had
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.81
nothing to say about
plagues number 5 and 6.
00:12:29.84\00:12:32.81
She did, but she
doesn't quote the verses.
00:12:34.18\00:12:37.39
Now let's notice this.
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I know you don't have a
copy of, The Great Controversy,
00:12:40.46\00:12:42.86
but I'm going to show you
how important it is to just,
00:12:43.29\00:12:48.46
you know, try to read
between the lines what verses
00:12:49.43\00:12:52.73
Ellen White is commenting
on even though she does not
00:12:52.77\00:12:55.34
quote the verses specifically.
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.54
I'm going to the
chapter, God's People Delivered.
00:12:58.27\00:13:00.58
It's the first page
of, God's People Delivered.
00:13:01.58\00:13:05.18
It's, Great
Controversy, page 635.
00:13:05.21\00:13:08.15
In the previous
chapter she commented on the
00:13:08.42\00:13:11.02
the first four plagues.
00:13:11.05\00:13:12.62
You know.
00:13:13.09\00:13:14.42
And then after that
she doesn't quote about
00:13:14.46\00:13:18.19
the fifth or sixth plagues.
00:13:18.23\00:13:19.56
But what is the fifth plague?
It's the plague of darkness.
00:13:19.59\00:13:22.60
What is the sixth plague?
00:13:23.47\00:13:25.03
It's the drying up
of the river Euphrates.
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.70
And the seventh
plague is the voice in heaven
00:13:28.67\00:13:30.41
that causes the earthquake,
lightning, thundering, so on.
00:13:30.44\00:13:33.58
So notice, Great
Controversy, page 635.
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I'm only going to read
at the bottom of the page.
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"With shouts of triumph,
jeering, and imprecation,
00:13:43.32\00:13:47.16
throngs of evil men are about
to rush upon their prey..."
00:13:47.66\00:13:52.66
What is it that rushes?
00:13:53.50\00:13:54.96
Water rushes.
00:13:56.50\00:13:58.60
What does the waters represent?
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.14
What do they represent?
00:14:04.14\00:14:05.51
Multitudes,
nations, tongues, and peoples
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.34
that are inimical
to the people of God.
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.71
So they're about to
rush upon their prey,
00:14:10.81\00:14:13.42
"...when, lo, a dense blackness
deeper than the darkness
00:14:13.68\00:14:17.82
of the night
falls upon the earth."
00:14:17.85\00:14:19.72
Plague number 5, the darkness.
00:14:20.72\00:14:23.79
Doesn't quote the verse,
00:14:24.53\00:14:25.86
but she speaks of the darkness.
00:14:26.76\00:14:28.50
After she says that a
deep darkness, "deeper than the
00:14:29.00\00:14:35.50
darkness of the
night falls upon the earth.
00:14:35.54\00:14:37.54
Then a rainbow shining with
the glory from the throne of God
00:14:37.67\00:14:40.21
spans the heavens and seems to
encircle each praying company."
00:14:40.24\00:14:43.01
Now listen to this.
00:14:43.04\00:14:44.38
"The angry multitudes
are suddenly arrested."
00:14:44.41\00:14:47.52
What happens with
the rushing waters?
00:14:49.05\00:14:50.92
They're arrested.
00:14:51.59\00:14:52.92
What is that?
00:14:53.12\00:14:54.46
The drying up of the Euphrates.
00:14:54.76\00:14:56.52
Are you following me or not?
00:14:57.56\00:14:58.96
But she doesn't
quote the verses.
00:15:00.00\00:15:01.50
So you say she
doesn't have anything to say.
00:15:01.60\00:15:03.33
Yes she does.
00:15:03.37\00:15:04.70
So that's how we have
to read, Great Controversy,
00:15:05.33\00:15:09.24
Acts of the Apostles.
00:15:09.27\00:15:10.61
We have to look where
Ellen White is commenting
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.11
on Bible verses even
though she doesn't quote them.
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.51
And then I want you to notice,
00:15:15.78\00:15:17.35
and this is
where I got this clue,
00:15:18.45\00:15:20.52
"The multitudes
are suddenly arrested.
00:15:20.55\00:15:22.72
Their mocking cries die away.
00:15:22.75\00:15:24.52
The objects of their
murderous rage are forgotten.
00:15:24.55\00:15:26.99
With fearful foreboding
they gaze upon the symbol of
00:15:27.46\00:15:31.79
God's covenant and
long to be shielded
00:15:31.83\00:15:34.26
from its
overpowering brightness."
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.43
And then here's the clue that
I saw that helped me understand
00:15:36.73\00:15:41.10
that the arresting of the
multitudes is the drying up
00:15:41.14\00:15:45.64
of the waters and the darkness
deeper than the darkness of
00:15:45.67\00:15:48.74
midnight is the fifth plague.
00:15:48.78\00:15:50.88
At the end of page 636 Ellen
White quotes the seventh plague.
00:15:51.81\00:15:59.45
Let me just read that.
00:16:02.09\00:16:03.73
"The streams cease to flow.
00:16:05.46\00:16:07.06
Dark heavy clouds come up
and clash against each other.
00:16:07.10\00:16:10.00
In the midst of the
angry heavens is one clear
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.80
space of indescribable glory,
whence comes the voice of God
00:16:12.83\00:16:16.97
like the sound of many
waters, saying, 'It is done.'
00:16:17.01\00:16:20.38
Revelation 16:17."
00:16:20.41\00:16:22.31
The seventh plague.
00:16:22.58\00:16:23.91
And then she
says, "That voice shakes
00:16:24.55\00:16:27.48
the heavens and the earth.
00:16:28.55\00:16:30.12
There is a mighty earthquake
'such as was not since
00:16:30.49\00:16:35.96
men were upon the earth,
00:16:35.99\00:16:37.39
so mighty an
earthquake and so great.'"
00:16:37.43\00:16:40.10
Verses 17 and 18
of the seventh plague.
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.83
And then she goes on a
little bit further down
00:16:45.50\00:16:47.70
to speak about the hailstones
and the weight of the hailstones
00:16:47.74\00:16:50.51
about the weight of a talent.
00:16:50.54\00:16:51.97
Verses 19 and 21.
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.68
So she's commenting
on the seventh plague.
00:16:53.91\00:16:56.04
So where would you
expect to find her commentary
00:16:56.08\00:16:58.71
on the fifth and sixth?
00:16:58.75\00:17:00.42
So in the chapter,
The Time of Trouble,
00:17:03.39\00:17:05.52
she's commenting on
the first four plagues.
00:17:05.55\00:17:08.46
Then the darkness deeper
than the darkness of the night.
00:17:09.52\00:17:12.36
Doesn't quote the verses.
00:17:12.39\00:17:13.76
Then the multitudes
that want to rush upon
00:17:14.06\00:17:17.07
God's people are arrested.
00:17:17.10\00:17:18.50
That's the drying
up of the Euphrates.
00:17:18.53\00:17:20.14
And then she quotes the
verses having to do with
00:17:20.40\00:17:22.60
the seventh plague.
00:17:22.64\00:17:23.97
Are you following the method?
00:17:25.01\00:17:26.78
But for this, you know,
we have to dedicate time
00:17:27.54\00:17:30.65
and we have to, you know,
look at the sequence of things.
00:17:31.25\00:17:35.85
Not only just look at what we're
reading at any given moment.
00:17:36.89\00:17:40.36
We need to look at what
comes before, what comes after
00:17:40.39\00:17:43.46
the specific
context in which passages
00:17:43.66\00:17:46.86
or verses are found.
00:17:46.90\00:17:48.63
Now with that in
mind, let's go to page 121.
00:17:49.53\00:17:55.77
And we're going to notice here
a summary of the introductory
00:17:55.80\00:18:01.04
vision and the seven seals.
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.18
A summary of the introductory
vision and of the seven seals.
00:18:03.75\00:18:08.78
Now the first paragraph,
we don't have time to do this,
00:18:10.32\00:18:12.79
but there's a striking
parallel between Matthew 24
00:18:12.82\00:18:15.66
and the seven seals.
00:18:15.69\00:18:17.03
You'll find
many, many parallels.
00:18:17.29\00:18:18.83
The sequence is basically
the same sequence as the seals.
00:18:18.86\00:18:23.10
The seals are parallel
in many ways to Matthew 24.
00:18:24.53\00:18:27.87
This indicates that the seals
describe, in symbolic language,
00:18:28.24\00:18:32.64
events that occur during the
Christian era because the events
00:18:32.74\00:18:36.91
in Matthew 24 are
in chronological order.
00:18:36.95\00:18:40.05
We don't have time to get
into that, but I did a series
00:18:40.72\00:18:43.52
on Matthew 24.
00:18:43.55\00:18:44.89
It's the most popular series
that Secrets Unsealed has.
00:18:44.92\00:18:47.72
And it was 14 presentations
studying the whole of Matthew 24
00:18:48.56\00:18:54.46
as well as the parallel
passages in Mark 13 and Luke 21.
00:18:54.50\00:18:57.93
You can, you know, you
can download that for free
00:18:58.57\00:19:01.80
or you can get a hard
copy here if you wish.
00:19:01.84\00:19:04.04
But we don't have
time to do the Matthew 24
00:19:04.07\00:19:06.91
parallel with the seals as well.
00:19:06.94\00:19:08.81
We just don't
have enough sessions.
00:19:08.84\00:19:10.45
The seven
churches, the next paragraph,
00:19:11.21\00:19:13.31
the seven churches are a
description of the internal
00:19:13.35\00:19:15.88
condition of the
church from apostolic times
00:19:15.92\00:19:18.39
until the second coming.
00:19:18.69\00:19:20.09
Even though the seals
cover the same historical period
00:19:20.99\00:19:24.49
as the churches, the
emphasis is different.
00:19:24.79\00:19:27.96
In other words, the time
period is the same, but the
00:19:28.00\00:19:30.47
emphasis is different between
the churches and the seals.
00:19:30.50\00:19:33.57
While in the churches the
emphasis falls upon the internal
00:19:34.04\00:19:38.61
condition of the church in
different periods of history,
00:19:38.64\00:19:41.71
the seals describe the external
forces that affect the church
00:19:42.08\00:19:46.25
during the same periods.
00:19:46.28\00:19:47.88
Now let's look at
the chronological flow
00:19:49.78\00:19:52.19
then of the seals.
00:19:52.22\00:19:53.96
And let me just
ask you this question.
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.56
This is the quiz
question for today.
00:19:56.59\00:19:59.56
How many times in, Great
Controversy, does Ellen White
00:20:00.66\00:20:03.87
mention the barbarian invasions?
00:20:03.90\00:20:06.47
This much.
00:20:11.77\00:20:13.11
So why do we have four trumpets
for the barbarian invasions
00:20:15.74\00:20:19.41
if they are so significant?
00:20:20.65\00:20:22.55
You know, we're going to
study the trumpets next year,
00:20:22.58\00:20:25.69
Lord willing.
00:20:25.72\00:20:27.06
If we're still here, if the
time of trouble hasn't come.
00:20:27.09\00:20:29.46
And things are moving very fast.
00:20:30.23\00:20:32.26
But, you know, Ellen White
does not see any significance
00:20:32.76\00:20:38.33
to Islam in the end time.
00:20:38.37\00:20:40.14
She has the one comment on 1840.
00:20:41.10\00:20:43.34
Yes, in, Great Controversy.
00:20:43.81\00:20:45.34
But that's practically the lone
statement that Ellen White has
00:20:45.67\00:20:49.61
on the Muslims.
00:20:49.81\00:20:51.68
Interesting.
00:20:52.61\00:20:53.95
You know, they called
it the Turk back then.
00:20:53.98\00:20:57.29
So anyway, that's
just a little side light.
00:20:57.79\00:21:00.76
Let's look at the sequence.
00:21:01.39\00:21:03.16
First, the Father sits
alone on His throne in the
00:21:03.96\00:21:06.83
Holy Place of the
heavenly throne room.
00:21:06.86\00:21:08.46
That's Revelation 4, right?
00:21:08.50\00:21:10.03
Yeah?
00:21:10.93\00:21:12.27
Then the cloud
catches Jesus up to the
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.57
Father's throne
in the Holy Place.
00:21:15.60\00:21:17.81
And you have Acts 1:9-11,
Desire of Ages, pages 830-833,
00:21:19.04\00:21:23.24
Acts of the
Apostles, pages 30-34.
00:21:23.28\00:21:26.05
Then the Father anoints
the War Hero as Priest and King
00:21:26.88\00:21:31.95
in the Holy Place, and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:21:31.99\00:21:35.79
on the day of
Pentecost announces this
00:21:35.82\00:21:37.83
heavenly event on earth.
00:21:37.86\00:21:39.53
Correct?
00:21:41.16\00:21:42.50
The seven spirits are what?
00:21:43.30\00:21:44.97
They are there in chapter 4,
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.14
and in chapter 5 they
are sent to the earth.
00:21:47.17\00:21:51.11
And then we have the seals,
00:21:52.57\00:21:54.84
the breaking of
the seals after that.
00:21:54.88\00:21:57.35
The breaking of the seals,
in other words, describe events
00:21:59.08\00:22:01.72
that transpire between the
moment that Jesus began His work
00:22:01.75\00:22:04.99
in the Holy place and when
finally He opens the scroll
00:22:05.39\00:22:09.76
to reveal who will
inherit what Adam lost.
00:22:09.79\00:22:12.39
Does that make sense?
00:22:13.16\00:22:14.50
The seven seals are simply the
span between the inauguration
00:22:16.43\00:22:20.34
and the consummation.
00:22:21.34\00:22:23.34
The events in between.
00:22:23.64\00:22:24.97
That's historicism.
00:22:25.17\00:22:26.71
If Adventists ever
get rid of historicism,
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.45
we have no reason to exist.
00:22:31.48\00:22:33.08
Because our origins are based
on a historicist understanding,
00:22:34.68\00:22:38.32
for example, of Revelation 10.
00:22:38.35\00:22:39.99
So if we discard the
method, we discard the message.
00:22:42.19\00:22:45.99
Because the message
is based on the method.
00:22:46.66\00:22:49.06
And there are many scholars
these days that are questioning
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.23
the historicist method
of interpreting prophecy.
00:22:52.27\00:22:55.00
Notable scholars.
00:22:55.40\00:22:56.74
It's dangerous ground
to get rid of the method,
00:22:57.84\00:23:01.14
because if you
have the wrong method,
00:23:01.18\00:23:03.21
you're going to reach
the wrong conclusions.
00:23:04.05\00:23:06.21
Now the first seal...
00:23:07.88\00:23:09.22
This is just so
you can get an overview
00:23:09.25\00:23:11.32
of what we're going to study.
00:23:11.35\00:23:12.69
The first seal
describes the conquests
00:23:12.72\00:23:16.29
of the apostolic church.
00:23:16.32\00:23:18.13
And that's found in, Acts
of the Apostles, pages 47-602.
00:23:18.89\00:23:23.87
The second seal, the red
horse, is the description of the
00:23:24.57\00:23:29.64
persecutions against Christians
by the Roman emperors,
00:23:29.67\00:23:33.54
the early Roman
emperors of the Christian age.
00:23:33.58\00:23:37.98
By persecution Satan attempts to
eradicate God's faithful people.
00:23:38.41\00:23:43.18
So Satan's first method, the red
horse, red is symbolic of blood.
00:23:43.22\00:23:48.19
Satan tries to get rid of
the church by persecution.
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.96
The third seal is a black horse.
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.96
Satan changes his strategy from
persecution to infiltration.
00:23:55.76\00:24:00.27
His philosophy was this: if you
cannot fight them, join them.
00:24:01.00\00:24:05.47
Christianity merges with
paganism and the darkness
00:24:06.11\00:24:10.55
of apostasy
enters the church during
00:24:10.58\00:24:12.78
the period of Constantine.
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.88
Great Controversy, pages 49-60.
00:24:16.99\00:24:19.52
See, Ellen White is
following the order.
00:24:19.85\00:24:21.69
The fourth seal, the pale
horse, it's the horse of death.
00:24:22.59\00:24:29.60
The famine of the third
horse is going to lead to death
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.13
in the fourth horse.
00:24:33.17\00:24:34.64
The apostasy in
the church intensifies
00:24:35.10\00:24:37.77
under the fourth horse and leads
to the emergence of papal Rome
00:24:37.81\00:24:41.91
who persecutes and kills
God's people for 1260 years.
00:24:42.48\00:24:47.15
In other words, there's lots
of martyrs during that period.
00:24:47.18\00:24:50.15
So then we come
to the fifth seal.
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.32
Are you seeing that
there's a sequence here?
00:24:53.36\00:24:55.72
These are not just
separate disconnected events.
00:24:56.32\00:24:58.76
The conquest of the early
church leads Satan to say,
00:24:59.66\00:25:03.26
"I've got to get rid of
this through persecution."
00:25:03.30\00:25:05.60
But when he persecutes the
church, it grows all the more.
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.27
So he says, "I've
got to change my method."
00:25:08.30\00:25:09.94
So you have the black horse.
00:25:09.97\00:25:11.31
He infiltrates the
church with apostasy.
00:25:11.34\00:25:13.64
And then the papacy
becomes a persecutor
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.54
and kills the martyrs.
00:25:16.58\00:25:18.01
So under the fifth seal,
the martyrs are crying out
00:25:18.51\00:25:20.72
and saying, "Hey,
we're on the right side
00:25:20.75\00:25:24.02
and the papacy is
on the wrong side,
00:25:24.05\00:25:25.65
and we're being killed."
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.02
And they're crying
out from under the altar.
00:25:27.06\00:25:28.49
Are you with me or not?
00:25:28.52\00:25:29.86
Those who pagan and papal
Rome slew cry out for justice.
00:25:31.69\00:25:36.33
By the way, the
judgment of Daniel 7,
00:25:36.97\00:25:39.00
the purpose of the judgement
of Daniel 7 is to reverse
00:25:40.04\00:25:43.41
the unjust earthly judgments.
00:25:44.01\00:25:47.08
You know, there's this big
debate about Daniel chapter 7.
00:25:47.18\00:25:50.55
We use it to speak about
the investigative judgment
00:25:50.58\00:25:53.85
of all those who
profess Jesus Christ.
00:25:54.75\00:25:57.15
But Desmond Ford
who passed away recently
00:25:58.02\00:26:00.56
says the central theme
of Daniel 7 is not upon
00:26:00.59\00:26:04.53
God's people, it's upon the
punishment of the little horn.
00:26:04.56\00:26:07.73
But when you read
the chapter carefully,
00:26:09.03\00:26:10.80
the little horn, it
says in Daniel 7, prospered.
00:26:11.87\00:26:15.30
Things went well.
00:26:15.34\00:26:16.67
The saints were given
into his hand for 1260 years;
00:26:17.44\00:26:20.74
times, times, and
the dividing of time.
00:26:20.78\00:26:22.61
So in other words, the papacy
prevailed and the saints lost.
00:26:23.11\00:26:29.38
Was that just?
00:26:30.45\00:26:31.79
No.
00:26:32.12\00:26:33.46
Earthly courts
condemned God's people.
00:26:33.49\00:26:35.86
So what does God do in
the investigative judgment?
00:26:36.62\00:26:39.09
What He does, He revokes the
judgments of the earthly courts
00:26:40.60\00:26:44.67
and He rewards the
saints of the Most High.
00:26:45.00\00:26:47.24
So the central theme
is not the punishment
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.37
of the little horn for
persecuting the saints,
00:26:50.41\00:26:53.04
it's vindicating the saints who
were persecuted by the papacy.
00:26:53.07\00:26:56.64
And that's clear.
00:26:57.65\00:26:59.01
Because Jesus
goes before the Father,
00:26:59.65\00:27:01.38
before the Ancient of Days,
clearly it says in Daniel 7,
00:27:01.42\00:27:05.25
Jesus goes to
receive the kingdom.
00:27:05.29\00:27:07.62
And then the kingdom is given
to the saints of the Most High
00:27:08.69\00:27:12.29
and to Jesus.
00:27:12.33\00:27:13.66
So those who were
persecuted and killed,
00:27:13.93\00:27:18.57
now the heavenly
judgment reverses the judgments,
00:27:19.33\00:27:22.40
the unjust
judgments on earth and rewards
00:27:22.44\00:27:26.44
the saints of the Most High.
00:27:26.47\00:27:27.81
So the central theme of
Daniel 7 is not the punishment
00:27:28.01\00:27:31.48
of the little horn.
00:27:31.51\00:27:32.85
The central theme is the
rewarding of God's people that
00:27:32.88\00:27:35.15
have been
mistreated by the little horn.
00:27:35.18\00:27:37.39
Are you following me or not?
00:27:38.05\00:27:39.39
Now let's continue
here then the fifth seal.
00:27:40.16\00:27:43.22
Those whom pagan and papal
Rome slew cry out for Justice.
00:27:43.56\00:27:47.73
And I have in parentheses,
the judgment in Daniel 7
00:27:48.80\00:27:51.17
reverses the sentences
in the earthly tribunals.
00:27:51.20\00:27:54.17
In answer to their
pleas, what does God do
00:27:55.00\00:27:57.74
when the martyrs under
the altar are crying out?
00:27:57.77\00:28:00.74
What does God do?
00:28:00.78\00:28:02.11
He gives them a white robe.
00:28:02.68\00:28:04.45
Well, they're dead.
00:28:05.38\00:28:06.72
It means that
they're saved, right?
00:28:07.22\00:28:09.18
Because they have the
righteousness of Christ.
00:28:09.22\00:28:11.39
And what does He tell them?
00:28:11.79\00:28:13.25
He says, rest a little while
00:28:13.82\00:28:16.89
until the rest of
the martyrs are killed.
00:28:18.09\00:28:20.56
And then he'll be rewarded
with the rest of the martyrs.
00:28:22.46\00:28:25.13
Does this give us the idea that
the same power that persecuted
00:28:25.60\00:28:28.60
in the past is going to
persecute again in the future?
00:28:28.64\00:28:31.37
Hmm.
00:28:32.14\00:28:33.48
The sixth seal.
00:28:35.64\00:28:36.98
Signs in the sun, moon, and the
stars, and a great earthquake.
00:28:37.65\00:28:41.22
The sixth seal has two
parts, we're going to notice.
00:28:42.22\00:28:45.05
And the two parts are separated
by a long period of time.
00:28:46.12\00:28:49.79
The first part of the sixth
seal is Revelation 6:12-13.
00:28:50.49\00:28:54.60
And the significant thing
is, you know, Ellen White,
00:28:55.36\00:28:57.63
this is so interesting, Ellen
White quotes Revelation 6:12-13.
00:28:57.67\00:29:02.20
And then 200 pages
later in, Great Controversy,
00:29:05.24\00:29:09.04
she quotes Revelation 6:14-17.
00:29:09.08\00:29:12.05
Why would she do that?
00:29:14.08\00:29:15.42
Because there's a time
gap, there's all sorts of events
00:29:16.85\00:29:20.49
that transpire between the
first part of the sixth seal
00:29:20.52\00:29:24.03
and the last part
of the sixth seal.
00:29:24.06\00:29:25.99
The last part of the sixth seal
is the second coming of Christ.
00:29:26.96\00:29:30.10
So let's go through this.
00:29:31.87\00:29:33.40
The fulfillment of the
first part of the sixth seal,
00:29:33.44\00:29:35.77
Revelation 6:12-13,
occurs between 1755 and 1833.
00:29:35.80\00:29:41.01
The second part of the
sixth seal, Revelation 6:14-17,
00:29:42.41\00:29:46.85
will occur at the second coming.
00:29:46.88\00:29:48.58
And then in between that
you have Revelation 7:1-8.
00:29:49.32\00:29:52.39
It describes the period
between the first and the second
00:29:52.85\00:29:55.82
part of the sixth seal.
00:29:55.86\00:29:57.39
The sealing.
00:29:58.03\00:29:59.36
And then, of course,
you have the seventh seal,
00:30:00.30\00:30:03.03
which is silence in
heaven for about half an hour.
00:30:03.23\00:30:05.90
And I don't believe we apply
the year/day principal there.
00:30:06.94\00:30:10.11
Because after the close of
probation, the time periods
00:30:10.74\00:30:15.31
are to be understood literally.
00:30:15.34\00:30:16.95
And we'll come
back to that later.
00:30:17.11\00:30:19.25
So under the seventh seal, there
is a period of awful silence
00:30:20.12\00:30:23.59
during the second coming
of Christ when the redeemed
00:30:23.62\00:30:27.46
cry out, "Who
shall be able to stand?"
00:30:27.49\00:30:30.29
Ellen White says
that when Jesus is coming,
00:30:30.33\00:30:33.90
He hasn't arrived at the
earth yet, the saints cry out,
00:30:33.93\00:30:38.63
"Who shall be able to stand?"
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.00
That's the last part
of the sixth seal, right?
00:30:41.37\00:30:43.64
And then Ellen White says
that there's an awful period of
00:30:44.67\00:30:47.48
silence in heaven.
00:30:47.51\00:30:49.84
And then after the
awful period of silence,
00:30:50.95\00:30:52.88
which is the seventh
seal, a voice is heard saying,
00:30:52.91\00:30:56.28
"My grace is
sufficient for you."
00:30:56.48\00:30:59.25
That is the seventh seal.
00:31:00.56\00:31:02.29
And we're going to
study all of these things.
00:31:03.63\00:31:05.19
I just want you to
get the overview now.
00:31:05.23\00:31:07.73
And finally, the last paragraph,
when the seventh seal is
00:31:09.03\00:31:11.60
broken, God will
take His people to heaven.
00:31:11.63\00:31:15.00
For how long?
00:31:16.24\00:31:17.57
For a thousand years.
00:31:17.91\00:31:19.51
They will be able to do what?
00:31:20.21\00:31:22.28
To examine the
contents of the scroll.
00:31:22.98\00:31:25.35
What does the scroll contain?
00:31:26.11\00:31:27.65
We studied this. What
does the scroll contain?
00:31:28.65\00:31:30.72
The whole history of the world,
00:31:31.99\00:31:33.32
and the decisions
that each person made
00:31:33.36\00:31:35.36
within the history of the world
00:31:35.39\00:31:36.99
that determines their
salvation or their perdition.
00:31:37.03\00:31:39.76
Remember the case of the
religious leaders that said,
00:31:40.30\00:31:44.00
"Release unto us Barabbas."
00:31:44.03\00:31:45.97
Ellen White says that their
act was written in the book.
00:31:46.63\00:31:49.30
Are they going to see that
event and why they're lost? Yes.
00:31:49.67\00:31:53.64
So the book reveals
why people are saved
00:31:53.68\00:31:55.81
and why people are lost.
00:31:55.84\00:31:57.18
Let me ask you, after the
millennium, is there going to be
00:31:57.21\00:31:58.98
a great panoramic view where
the wicked are going to see
00:31:59.01\00:32:01.98
why they were lost?
00:32:02.02\00:32:03.35
That's the final
unfurling of the scroll.
00:32:04.59\00:32:08.36
It's after the millennium.
00:32:08.66\00:32:09.99
But God's people
will examine the contents
00:32:10.03\00:32:11.89
during the millennium.
00:32:11.93\00:32:13.26
Are you with me or not?
00:32:13.29\00:32:14.63
After the millennium,
God will open the scroll
00:32:15.33\00:32:18.20
and reveal its contents to
the lost outside the Holy City,
00:32:18.23\00:32:22.57
and then God will create a
new heavens and a new earth
00:32:22.60\00:32:28.68
where righteousness dwells.
00:32:28.71\00:32:30.85
So that basically is
an overview of the seals.
00:32:31.31\00:32:34.72
Is that clear?
00:32:34.75\00:32:36.08
Sequence clear?
00:32:36.28\00:32:37.62
Okay, now we're going to
study specifically the events
00:32:37.82\00:32:41.79
in more detail.
00:32:42.19\00:32:43.53
So let's go to page 139.
00:32:43.56\00:32:45.73
We've got about 25 minutes.
00:32:46.26\00:32:48.10
I don't know if we'll be
able to finish the first seal,
00:32:48.13\00:32:50.30
but we'll give it a shot.
00:32:50.33\00:32:51.77
Revelation 6:1-2
00:32:53.97\00:32:56.94
That's page 139 in the syllabus.
00:32:58.54\00:33:01.21
"Now I saw when the
Lamb opened one of the seals;
00:33:01.71\00:33:04.65
and I heard one of the four
living creatures saying with
00:33:05.21\00:33:08.02
a voice like
thunder, 'Come and see.'
00:33:08.05\00:33:11.35
And I looked, and
behold, a white horse."
00:33:11.99\00:33:14.56
That's the reason why Steve
Wohlberg called his ministry
00:33:16.12\00:33:20.76
White Horse Media.
00:33:20.80\00:33:22.23
I like that name.
00:33:22.66\00:33:24.00
Isn't that a nice
name for a ministry?
00:33:24.47\00:33:26.63
So it says, "And I looked,
and behold, a white horse.
00:33:27.34\00:33:30.94
He who sat on it had a bow;
00:33:31.51\00:33:33.84
and a crown was given to him,
00:33:34.88\00:33:37.15
and he went out
conquering and to conquer."
00:33:37.78\00:33:41.72
Now there are several
symbols in these verses.
00:33:42.75\00:33:45.79
First, there is a white horse.
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.72
Secondly, there is a
rider on the white horse.
00:33:48.39\00:33:51.26
Third, the rider
has a crown on his head.
00:33:51.89\00:33:54.63
Fourth, he has
a bow in his hand.
00:33:55.63\00:33:59.07
If he's going to conquer,
you know, the bow definitely is
00:33:59.40\00:34:03.64
an item of war of that time.
00:34:03.67\00:34:06.17
And with the crown and the
bow, he goes out conquering
00:34:06.37\00:34:10.81
and to conquer.
00:34:10.85\00:34:12.78
So let's notice, first
of all, what is meant by the
00:34:13.88\00:34:17.12
white horse and its rider.
00:34:17.15\00:34:18.52
How do we determine
what is meant by the
00:34:18.55\00:34:20.39
white horse and the rider?
00:34:20.42\00:34:21.89
Does Revelation 6:1-2 explain
what the horse and rider are?
00:34:24.46\00:34:29.73
No. So how can
we ever decipher it?
00:34:30.37\00:34:33.13
We allow Scripture
to interpret Scripture.
00:34:34.97\00:34:38.01
You say, why do we do that?
00:34:40.04\00:34:41.44
Let me ask you,
who inspired Scripture?
00:34:42.34\00:34:44.25
The Holy Spirit.
00:34:45.35\00:34:46.68
Did the Holy Spirit
put everything in Scripture
00:34:47.05\00:34:49.52
that we need to
understand Scripture?
00:34:49.55\00:34:51.25
Or did He miss something
where we can't explain something
00:34:53.72\00:34:57.03
because He forgot to put
something in there that explains
00:34:57.06\00:34:59.59
what we're reading?
00:34:59.63\00:35:00.96
No.
00:35:01.00\00:35:02.33
The Holy Spirit placed in
Scripture everything we need
00:35:02.80\00:35:06.00
to understand Scripture.
00:35:06.03\00:35:07.57
So when you find a
symbol that is not explained,
00:35:09.27\00:35:11.47
you go to other places in the
Bible that explains the symbol.
00:35:11.51\00:35:14.81
It's that simple.
It's not rocket science.
00:35:15.98\00:35:18.25
And there are people
in the Adventist church,
00:35:18.78\00:35:20.35
scholars today, that are
questioning the principle
00:35:20.38\00:35:24.39
of sola scriptura,
or the principle of
00:35:24.42\00:35:26.82
Scripture as
its own interpreter.
00:35:26.86\00:35:28.29
They say, "Well, you
know, you have to stay
00:35:28.56\00:35:31.29
within the passage itself.
00:35:31.33\00:35:32.86
You know, this is
the proof text method."
00:35:32.89\00:35:35.86
So what they do is they
speak negatively if this method
00:35:36.50\00:35:40.84
of allowing Scripture
to interpret Scripture.
00:35:40.87\00:35:42.47
Because they say that's the
proof, you find all these verses
00:35:42.50\00:35:45.57
as proof texts.
00:35:45.61\00:35:47.21
Well, maybe
they are proof texts.
00:35:48.08\00:35:49.84
They prove that
we're right, huh?
00:35:50.48\00:35:52.01
Now notice Zechariah 10:3-6.
00:35:54.55\00:35:57.39
Zechariah is a very prophetic
book with lots of symbols.
00:35:57.42\00:36:01.16
It's one of the most
difficult books to understand
00:36:01.19\00:36:03.96
in the whole Bible, Zechariah.
00:36:03.99\00:36:05.89
But you'll notice
in Zechariah 10:3-6
00:36:07.50\00:36:11.07
that God's people, Judah, are
compared to a conquering horse.
00:36:11.10\00:36:17.51
And I'm going
to read the verses.
00:36:18.94\00:36:20.51
God is speaking.
00:36:20.81\00:36:22.14
So what does the horse
represent in this passage?
00:36:41.56\00:36:44.73
Judah.
00:36:45.87\00:36:47.20
And who is riding the horse?
00:36:48.74\00:36:51.21
The Lord is riding the horse.
00:36:52.57\00:36:54.44
So once again it says,
"...and will make them,"
00:36:56.04\00:36:59.61
that is Judah, "as His
royal horse in the battle."
00:37:00.22\00:37:05.55
So is there going to be
conquering and to conquer?
00:37:06.02\00:37:08.52
Absolutely.
00:37:08.72\00:37:10.06
Is there a bow
in the first seal?
00:37:17.93\00:37:20.30
Yes.
00:37:20.34\00:37:21.67
"Ruler." Interesting.
00:37:28.81\00:37:30.15
Does the rider have a crown?
00:37:30.18\00:37:31.51
Yes.
00:37:32.21\00:37:33.55
Is this a conquering horse?
00:37:38.79\00:37:40.46
Oh yes it is.
00:37:40.66\00:37:42.09
Ah, who's riding the horse?
00:37:50.17\00:37:51.93
His people are the horse.
00:37:53.57\00:37:54.97
Let me ask you, does
the horse guide the rider
00:37:55.24\00:37:58.71
or does the
rider guide the horse?
00:37:58.74\00:38:00.08
Well, sometimes the horse does,
if it's a rebellious horse.
00:38:01.38\00:38:04.51
But normally it would be
the rider that guides the horse.
00:38:05.71\00:38:09.15
So notice, once again it
says, "They shall fight because
00:38:10.09\00:38:12.95
the Lord is with them."
00:38:12.99\00:38:14.32
See, the horse
represents God's people.
00:38:19.23\00:38:21.16
Now notice what Ellen White
has to say where she explains
00:38:36.44\00:38:40.92
what the horse represents.
00:38:40.95\00:38:42.55
This is Review and
Herald, July 10, 1900.
00:38:43.89\00:38:47.46
"God desired His
people to go forth
00:38:48.02\00:38:52.99
conquering and to conquer."
00:38:53.40\00:38:55.83
So what does
the horse represent?
00:38:56.43\00:38:58.40
His people.
00:38:59.07\00:39:00.40
In another statement,
Prophets and Kings, page 725,
00:39:01.07\00:39:04.17
this is speaking
about the final conquering,
00:39:06.21\00:39:09.78
when the loud cry is proclaimed.
00:39:09.88\00:39:12.25
"Clad in the armor of
Christ's righteousness,
00:39:12.55\00:39:15.75
the church is to enter
upon her final conflict.
00:39:16.35\00:39:20.82
Fair as the
moon, clear as the sun,
00:39:20.86\00:39:24.63
and terrible as
an army with banners,
00:39:25.13\00:39:27.90
she," that is the
church, "is to go forth into
00:39:28.10\00:39:31.57
all the world..." Doing what?
00:39:31.60\00:39:34.27
"...conquering and to conquer."
00:39:34.30\00:39:36.97
So what does the
white horse represent?
00:39:37.64\00:39:40.14
It represents the church.
00:39:40.18\00:39:42.44
Defeating the
enemies of the church.
00:39:42.74\00:39:44.31
Conquering and to conquer.
00:39:44.35\00:39:46.38
Ellen White also described Jesus
as the rider on the white horse.
00:39:47.32\00:39:51.82
It is the rider
who guides the horse,
00:39:52.65\00:39:55.02
not the horse
that guides the rider.
00:39:55.06\00:39:57.03
That is, the rider of
the horse symbolizes Jesus
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.26
and the horse itself
represents His people.
00:40:01.30\00:40:05.00
Notice volume 4 of the,
Bible Commentary, page 1146.
00:40:06.03\00:40:10.11
"The issue of the
battle does not rest upon
00:40:10.51\00:40:12.74
the strength of mortal man.
00:40:12.77\00:40:14.34
'The Lord shall go
forth as a might man,
00:40:15.48\00:40:18.31
He shall stir up
jealousy like a man of war.
00:40:18.81\00:40:22.15
He shall cry, yea, roar;
00:40:22.48\00:40:24.99
He shall prevail
against His enemies.'
00:40:25.45\00:40:28.32
In the power of Him who rides
forth conquering and to conquer,
00:40:29.02\00:40:35.00
weak finite man
may gain the victory."
00:40:35.03\00:40:38.60
So who is the rider?
00:40:39.03\00:40:40.54
The rider is Jesus.
00:40:41.44\00:40:43.17
And who is the horse?
00:40:43.57\00:40:45.37
Ah, the horse is the church.
00:40:46.17\00:40:48.24
Colporteur Ministry, page 155.
00:40:49.08\00:40:52.05
"God's workers must
gain a far deeper experience.
00:40:52.45\00:40:57.22
If they will
surrender all to Him,
00:40:57.52\00:40:59.52
He will work mightily for them.
00:40:59.85\00:41:02.86
They will plant the standard
of truth upon fortresses
00:41:03.29\00:41:05.99
till then held by Satan,
and with shouts of victory
00:41:06.03\00:41:10.70
take possession of them.
00:41:10.73\00:41:12.33
They bear the scars of
battle, but there comes to them
00:41:12.63\00:41:16.37
the comforting message
that the Lord will..." What?
00:41:16.40\00:41:20.14
"...will lead
them..." See, the horse.
00:41:20.48\00:41:22.24
"...will lead them on
conquering and to conquer."
00:41:22.28\00:41:27.62
And then you have,
Christian Service, page 166.
00:41:28.85\00:41:32.15
Christ identifies His
interests with the interests
00:41:32.55\00:41:37.03
of His faithful people;
00:41:37.06\00:41:38.69
He suffers in the
person of His saints.
00:41:38.99\00:41:41.73
And whoever touches His
chosen ones, touches Him."
00:41:41.96\00:41:46.03
In other words, there's a close
intimate relationship between
00:41:46.07\00:41:49.04
the rider and the horse.
00:41:49.07\00:41:50.67
You know, just not
anybody can ride a horse.
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.78
There's a rapport
between the horse and the rider.
00:41:54.98\00:41:58.05
Notice, In
Heavenly Places, page 313.
00:41:59.28\00:42:02.45
"The world today is in a
crying need of a revelation
00:42:02.88\00:42:07.29
of Christ Jesus..." How?
00:42:07.39\00:42:10.23
"...in the person of His saints.
00:42:10.86\00:42:13.70
God desires that His people
shall stand before the world..."
00:42:14.33\00:42:17.93
What kind of what?
00:42:18.43\00:42:19.87
"...a holy people."
00:42:20.57\00:42:21.90
What color is the horse?
00:42:21.94\00:42:23.37
What does white represent?
00:42:24.31\00:42:25.81
We'll come back
to this in a moment.
00:42:26.54\00:42:28.44
So once again, "God desires
that His people shall stand
00:42:29.28\00:42:32.48
before the world a holy people.
00:42:32.51\00:42:34.38
Why?
00:42:34.42\00:42:35.75
Because there is a world
to be saved by the light..."
00:42:35.78\00:42:38.95
By the way,
light is white, right?
00:42:39.35\00:42:40.79
We studied that yesterday.
00:42:40.82\00:42:42.36
"...of the gospel truth;
and as the message of truth
00:42:42.66\00:42:46.06
that is to call men out of
darkness into God's marvelous
00:42:46.53\00:42:50.13
light is given by the church,
the lives of its members,
00:42:50.17\00:42:55.07
sanctified by the Spirit
of truth, are to bear witness
00:42:55.10\00:42:58.21
to the verity of the
messages proclaimed."
00:42:58.24\00:43:01.18
So we've interpreted
what the rider represents
00:43:01.71\00:43:05.58
and what the horse represents.
00:43:05.61\00:43:06.95
The horse represents the church,
and the rider that guides
00:43:06.98\00:43:10.35
the horse is Jesus
Christ going out conquering
00:43:10.39\00:43:15.09
and to conquer.
00:43:15.12\00:43:16.49
The bottom of page 141.
00:43:18.16\00:43:20.03
Scripture uses
different symbols to illustrate
00:43:21.06\00:43:23.73
the intimate relationship
between Jesus and His people.
00:43:23.77\00:43:27.00
Whoever touches His
people touches whom?
00:43:27.80\00:43:31.37
Touches the Lord.
00:43:31.81\00:43:33.24
And you know, I
have illustrations here.
00:43:33.88\00:43:37.15
Whoever touches
the head touches what?
00:43:37.71\00:43:40.75
Touches the body,
touches the head, right?
00:43:40.78\00:43:42.95
For example, when somebody
pricks you with a needle,
00:43:44.35\00:43:46.49
does the head feel it?
00:43:47.96\00:43:49.29
Yeah, it's the head that
feels it, by the way, folks.
00:43:49.39\00:43:51.79
You say, "Oh, my hand felt it."
00:43:52.99\00:43:54.60
Yeah, but it's being
processed by the brain.
00:43:54.63\00:43:56.73
So whoever hurts the
body of Christ hurts Christ.
00:43:57.07\00:44:01.64
Whoever messes
with the shepherd,
00:44:02.80\00:44:05.04
or with the sheep,
is messing with whom?
00:44:06.64\00:44:09.78
With the shepherd.
00:44:10.61\00:44:11.95
Whoever messes with the bride
is messing with the husband.
00:44:12.45\00:44:19.55
And Jesus, as the
sovereign Commander,
00:44:20.62\00:44:23.12
whoever messes with His armies
is messing with the Commander.
00:44:24.89\00:44:29.46
Revelation 19 describes the
time when the church militant
00:44:30.83\00:44:35.07
will become the
church triumphant
00:44:35.67\00:44:37.81
when the spiritual victories
of Christ through the church
00:44:38.47\00:44:41.34
during the Christian
dispensation become the
00:44:41.38\00:44:44.85
literal victory of Jesus and
His church at the second coming.
00:44:44.88\00:44:48.25
Because at the end of the book,
we find the white horse again.
00:44:48.28\00:44:51.99
And the rider on the horse.
00:44:53.52\00:44:55.16
Revelation
19:11-12 describes that.
00:44:57.93\00:45:00.26
So at this point the church
militant, the church that is
00:45:17.41\00:45:21.92
described in the first seal
now is the church victorious.
00:45:21.95\00:45:26.15
Because Jesus is
coming on a white horse
00:45:26.19\00:45:28.29
with the armies of
heaven to deliver His people
00:45:28.32\00:45:31.13
from literal death at
the hands of their enemies.
00:45:31.23\00:45:34.36
Now let's talk
about the color white.
00:45:34.96\00:45:37.03
The horse is white.
00:45:37.83\00:45:39.47
Futurists and dispensationalists
believe that the white horse
00:45:40.27\00:45:44.11
symbolizes a future antichrist
00:45:44.14\00:45:46.71
that will pass
himself off as Christ.
00:45:47.28\00:45:50.15
They say, see, he's going
to pass himself out as white,
00:45:52.38\00:45:55.12
but he's really the antichrist.
00:45:55.15\00:45:57.29
The problem with
this is it doesn't fit
00:45:57.95\00:46:00.19
with the book of Revelation.
00:46:00.22\00:46:01.56
I have this quotation
from George Eldon Ladd
00:46:01.59\00:46:04.06
who was a scholar,
a very good scholar,
00:46:04.89\00:46:07.60
not an Adventist,
but he wrote about the
00:46:07.63\00:46:09.56
color white in Revelation.
00:46:09.60\00:46:11.17
And I read, it's
from a book that he wrote.
00:46:11.20\00:46:15.80
I didn't provide
the reference here,
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.57
but I can get that for you.
00:46:18.61\00:46:20.41
"In the Revelation, white
is always a symbol of Christ,
00:46:20.44\00:46:24.61
or of something
associated with Christ,
00:46:25.01\00:46:28.15
or of spiritual victory."
00:46:28.18\00:46:30.25
Like the great multitude
who are clothed in white robes.
00:46:30.35\00:46:33.76
"Thus the exalted Christ
has white hair, white as wool;
00:46:34.72\00:46:39.73
the faithful will receive
a white stone with a new name
00:46:40.20\00:46:43.77
written on it; they
are to wear white garments;
00:46:43.80\00:46:47.20
the 24 elders are clad in white;
the martyrs are given white
00:46:47.24\00:46:51.11
robes, as is the
great numberless throng;
00:46:51.14\00:46:55.04
the Son of Man is
seen on a white cloud;
00:46:55.08\00:46:57.48
He returns on a white
horse accompanied by the
00:46:57.85\00:47:00.58
armies of heaven who are clad
in white and ride white horses;
00:47:00.62\00:47:04.69
in the final judgment, God is
seated on a great white throne."
00:47:04.89\00:47:08.42
So how can you say that the
white horse of the first seal
00:47:08.46\00:47:12.03
represents the antichrist.
00:47:12.53\00:47:14.50
In Revelation, the color
white is always identified
00:47:14.80\00:47:18.03
with Christ and with
the followers of Christ.
00:47:18.07\00:47:21.54
Now why white?
00:47:21.97\00:47:23.44
Why is the horse white? The
horse represents the church.
00:47:23.81\00:47:26.57
Why would the horse be white?
00:47:26.61\00:47:28.38
Because in Scripture,
white represents what?
00:47:29.28\00:47:32.88
It represents purity.
00:47:33.38\00:47:35.12
And you have several verses here
that we're not going to read.
00:47:35.45\00:47:39.89
Was the apostolic
church a pure church
00:47:40.32\00:47:43.89
in doctrine and lifestyle?
00:47:43.93\00:47:45.99
We're going to read in a moment
a quotation from Ellen White.
00:47:46.83\00:47:49.70
Yes, it was a pure church
in doctrine and in lifestyle.
00:47:49.73\00:47:54.90
Now here comes
another important point.
00:47:55.00\00:47:56.94
However, white is
also the color of what?
00:47:57.54\00:48:00.44
It's the color of light.
00:48:01.34\00:48:02.91
And light symbolizes what?
00:48:03.55\00:48:05.65
The Word of God.
00:48:06.48\00:48:07.82
"Your Word is a lamp unto my
feet and a light unto my path."
00:48:08.28\00:48:14.89
And light is white.
00:48:15.42\00:48:18.36
So white would also represent
the witness of the church
00:48:18.39\00:48:23.43
through the Word.
00:48:24.33\00:48:26.07
So white is also
the color of light.
00:48:27.64\00:48:30.04
And light
symbolizes the Word of God.
00:48:30.07\00:48:32.14
And you can look up the verses.
00:48:32.17\00:48:33.91
During the white horse
period the church is pure,
00:48:35.41\00:48:38.38
and it is the what?
00:48:39.18\00:48:41.02
The light of the world.
00:48:42.95\00:48:44.42
Are you following the argument?
00:48:45.25\00:48:46.82
It's the light of the world.
00:48:46.86\00:48:48.29
In obedience to
the rider's command,
00:48:49.26\00:48:51.39
the earliest church, that
is the horse, witnessed where?
00:48:51.83\00:48:56.53
In Jerusalem, in
Judea, in Samaria,
00:48:57.23\00:49:01.70
and unto the
uttermost ends of the earth.
00:49:02.20\00:49:05.17
The church won
victory after victory
00:49:05.97\00:49:09.21
and the gospel went to
the entire Roman Empire
00:49:09.64\00:49:13.42
in a single generation.
00:49:13.45\00:49:15.62
Was the apostolic
church a conquering church?
00:49:16.82\00:49:19.85
Was it a pure church?
00:49:20.72\00:49:22.36
It was certainly a pure church.
00:49:22.56\00:49:24.43
Did it shed light,
which is the Word of God?
00:49:24.96\00:49:28.73
Absolutely.
00:49:29.03\00:49:30.37
Did it take away
subjects from Satan's kingdoms?
00:49:31.10\00:49:33.94
By the thousands.
00:49:34.50\00:49:36.34
Now the white horse
stands in contrast to the
00:49:37.41\00:49:39.81
black horse of darkness.
00:49:39.84\00:49:43.24
We're going to see
that black and darkness
00:49:43.28\00:49:46.31
are used synonymously.
00:49:46.35\00:49:48.12
In other words, the black
horse is the horse of darkness.
00:49:48.85\00:49:51.42
When darkness
comes into the church.
00:49:51.45\00:49:53.79
When the church loses its
purity of doctrine and lifestyle
00:49:54.09\00:49:57.96
it becomes what?
00:49:57.99\00:49:59.59
It becomes a black horse.
00:50:00.03\00:50:01.76
Now Ellen White
describes the early church.
00:50:03.47\00:50:05.87
"The early Christians
were indeed a peculiar people.
00:50:06.43\00:50:10.14
Their blameless
deportment and unswerving faith
00:50:11.71\00:50:17.15
were a continued reproof that
disturbed the sinner's peace."
00:50:17.81\00:50:21.85
So, do you have a
fight going on here?
00:50:22.95\00:50:25.35
Oh, you have a real struggle.
00:50:25.39\00:50:28.39
Though few in numbers,
without wealth, position,
00:50:29.82\00:50:35.16
or honorary titles, they
were a terror to evildoers
00:50:35.46\00:50:40.84
wherever their character
and doctrines were known."
00:50:40.87\00:50:45.67
So it wasn't only doctrines,
it was their lifestyle.
00:50:46.88\00:50:49.38
"Therefore, they
were hated by the wicked,
00:50:50.55\00:50:53.01
even as the
ungodly Cain hated Abel.
00:50:53.31\00:50:55.82
For the same
reason that Cain slew Abel
00:50:56.42\00:50:58.92
did those who sought
to throw off the restraint
00:50:58.95\00:51:02.42
of the Holy Spirit
put to death God's people.
00:51:02.46\00:51:06.23
It was for the same
reason that the Jews rejected
00:51:06.93\00:51:09.53
and crucified the
Savior; because the..." What?
00:51:09.56\00:51:12.77
"...the purity and
holiness of His character..."
00:51:13.27\00:51:16.20
See, that's the color white.
00:51:16.24\00:51:17.67
"...because the purity
and holiness of His character
00:51:17.71\00:51:20.68
was a constant rebuke to their
selfishness and corruption.
00:51:20.71\00:51:25.08
From the days of Christ until
now, His faithful disciples
00:51:26.01\00:51:29.28
have excited the hatred
and opposition of those who
00:51:29.38\00:51:32.82
love and follow
the ways of sin."
00:51:32.85\00:51:35.72
So do you see the
number of times Ellen White
00:51:35.82\00:51:37.73
in this statement emphasizes
the purity of the early church,
00:51:37.76\00:51:40.80
of their
lifestyle, of their doctrine,
00:51:40.83\00:51:42.86
the fact that they witnessed?
00:51:42.90\00:51:44.60
See, this is all related to
the symbols in the first horse.
00:51:44.70\00:51:48.10
Now what does the bow represent?
00:51:49.34\00:51:52.07
Well, in ancient times
what weapons were used?
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.64
Well, they used the
sword, but they also used what?
00:51:55.68\00:51:58.35
The bow.
00:51:58.58\00:51:59.91
2 Kings 13:17 shows us
that the bow represents
00:52:00.22\00:52:06.39
God's deliverance in battle.
00:52:07.42\00:52:09.19
The bow and arrows.
00:52:09.22\00:52:10.59
In, Acts of the Apostles,
page 45, you find the commentary
00:52:11.36\00:52:15.06
of Ellen White on the bow.
00:52:15.10\00:52:17.07
"The arguments of the
apostles alone, though clear and
00:52:17.17\00:52:20.57
convincing, would not
have removed the prejudice
00:52:20.60\00:52:23.81
that had
withstood so much evidence.
00:52:23.84\00:52:26.14
However, the Holy
Spirit sent the arguments home
00:52:26.34\00:52:30.51
to hearts with divine power.
00:52:30.55\00:52:32.61
The words of the apostles..."
00:52:33.05\00:52:35.25
And I have in brackets
here, now that the seven spirits
00:52:36.85\00:52:40.16
had been sent into all
the earth, the apostles shoot
00:52:40.19\00:52:43.22
the arrows, and the
Spirit through the ministration
00:52:43.26\00:52:45.53
of the angels
guides them to the heart.
00:52:45.56\00:52:47.50
"The words of the
apostles were as..." What?
00:52:48.46\00:52:52.03
"...sharp arrows of the
Almighty, convicting men
00:52:52.63\00:52:56.17
of their terrible guilt
in rejecting and crucifying
00:52:56.20\00:52:59.11
the Lord of glory."
00:52:59.14\00:53:00.48
So the church is going
out to conquer with the bow.
00:53:00.51\00:53:03.65
And what do the
arrows represent?
00:53:04.25\00:53:06.61
They represent the Holy Spirit
guiding the arrows to the heart
00:53:07.48\00:53:11.59
to bring about conversions.
00:53:11.62\00:53:13.09
Desire of Ages, page 104.
00:53:14.19\00:53:16.36
"God does not send messengers
to flatter the sinner.
00:53:16.99\00:53:19.96
He delivers no message of
peace to lull the unsanctified
00:53:20.46\00:53:24.40
into fatal security.
00:53:24.43\00:53:26.03
He lays heavy burdens upon
the conscience of the wrongdoer
00:53:26.37\00:53:30.24
and pierces the soul
with arrows of conviction."
00:53:30.27\00:53:35.28
Gospel Workers, pages 150-151.
00:53:36.71\00:53:39.51
"The words of
Christ were as..." What?
00:53:39.61\00:53:42.18
"...sharp arrows..."
00:53:42.48\00:53:44.02
Did the apostles shoot arrows?
00:53:44.05\00:53:47.46
Oh yeah, they shot
arrows. Symbolically.
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.93
And who directed
the arrows to the heart?
00:53:51.26\00:53:53.73
Ah, the Holy Spirit.
00:53:54.03\00:53:55.36
The seven spirits that
were sent to the earth.
00:53:55.40\00:53:57.87
"The words of
Christ were as sharp arrows
00:53:58.27\00:54:00.14
which went to
the mark and wounded
00:54:00.17\00:54:02.07
the hearts of His hearers.
00:54:02.10\00:54:03.44
Every time He addresses the
people, whether His audience
00:54:03.47\00:54:05.77
was large or small, His
words took saving effect
00:54:05.81\00:54:08.51
upon the soul of someone."
00:54:08.54\00:54:10.11
And then comes this
beautiful statement.
00:54:10.15\00:54:11.81
Christ Object Lessons, page 158.
00:54:11.85\00:54:14.02
"The Pharisee felt
no conviction of sin.
00:54:14.05\00:54:16.69
The Holy Spirit
could not work with him.
00:54:17.05\00:54:19.42
His soul was encased
in a self-righteous armor
00:54:19.62\00:54:22.62
which the arrows of
God, barbed and true-aimed
00:54:22.82\00:54:27.83
by angel hands,
failed to penetrate."
00:54:27.86\00:54:31.83
So are you catching
the picture about what the
00:54:32.93\00:54:34.90
first seal is all about?
00:54:34.94\00:54:36.34
The church is going out
conquering and to conquer.
00:54:37.01\00:54:39.77
Jesus is guiding the church.
00:54:39.81\00:54:41.71
You know, arrows are being
shot. Souls are being converted.
00:54:41.74\00:54:46.65
So let's take a
look at the crown.
00:54:48.28\00:54:50.49
Because the rider has a crown.
00:54:50.52\00:54:52.15
The word of crown
here is stephanos.
00:54:53.15\00:54:55.52
With few exceptions,
like we noticed yesterday,
00:54:56.39\00:54:58.66
the stephanos crown is the
one that is given to a victor.
00:54:58.69\00:55:03.57
For example, it was given
to victors in the Olympic games
00:55:03.87\00:55:07.70
in the times of
the Roman Empire.
00:55:07.80\00:55:09.84
Revelation 2:10
00:55:10.84\00:55:12.94
We're going to
read several verses now.
00:55:13.24\00:55:15.14
Probably some of them we'll have
to read in the next session.
00:55:15.18\00:55:18.15
But we're going to see that
the crown involves a struggle,
00:55:18.91\00:55:23.32
fighting, going out
conquering and to conquer,
00:55:23.35\00:55:25.89
and getting a crown
because victory is being gained.
00:55:25.92\00:55:29.42
Revelation 2:10, which we're
going to take a look at later.
00:55:30.03\00:55:33.46
See, once again,
faithfulness in the battle.
00:55:46.88\00:55:49.34
James 1:12
00:55:53.85\00:55:55.32
"Blessed is the man
who endures temptations."
00:55:55.78\00:55:57.89
See, once again,
there's the trial, the battle.
00:55:57.92\00:55:59.95
2 Timothy 4:7-8
00:56:09.73\00:56:11.83
Had the apostle
Paul gained the victory?
00:56:11.87\00:56:13.97
Oh yeah.
00:56:14.00\00:56:15.34
He's about to be
beheaded, and he says,
00:56:15.37\00:56:17.01
"I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race,
00:56:17.04\00:56:20.48
I have kept the faith.
00:56:20.51\00:56:21.84
Finally, there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness
00:56:22.14\00:56:26.08
which the Lord,
the righteous Judge,
00:56:26.11\00:56:27.78
will give me on that
Day; and not to me only,
00:56:27.82\00:56:30.89
but also to all who
have loved His appearing."
00:56:31.09\00:56:34.96
And then you have this
passage in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
00:56:35.72\00:56:41.03
where the apostle Paul uses the
example of the Olympic games.
00:56:41.06\00:56:46.40
So what does a crown represent?
00:57:24.67\00:57:27.44
It represents victory in battle.
00:57:27.54\00:57:30.31
It represents victory in trials.
00:57:30.65\00:57:33.05
Is that true of
the apostolic church?
00:57:34.12\00:57:36.32
Did they gain
victory after victory? Yes.
00:57:36.52\00:57:39.62
Now in our next
class we're going to finish
00:57:39.72\00:57:42.52
our study of the first
horse, and then we're going to
00:57:42.56\00:57:45.06
get into the second horse.
00:57:45.09\00:57:46.86
We're going to
look at the phrase,
00:57:46.90\00:57:48.50
conquering and to conquer.
00:57:48.53\00:57:50.97
We've put all of
the symbols together,
00:57:51.37\00:57:53.23
we have one thing that
we still need to study.
00:57:53.34\00:57:55.27
What does it mean
that the early church
00:57:55.30\00:57:57.31
went out
conquering and to conquer?
00:57:57.34\00:58:00.34
That will be the
study for our next lesson.
00:58:00.38\00:58:03.75