Very well, our
final study for today.
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We are going to begin on
page 247 of your syllabus.
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I was told that you were
supposed to say, your syllabi.
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Not syllabuses.
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Then Melvin had a
good comeback on that one,
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which I'm not
going to share right now.
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But anyway, we're
going to begin on page 247.
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And basically, that's the
only page that we're going to
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deal with until we go
all the way to page 269.
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So the pages in
between 249 to 269, those pages
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describe, by the
publications of the day,
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the great
earthquake, the sun and moon,
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the signs in the sun and moon,
and the falling of the stars.
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So you can read all of
those reports of eye witnesses.
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Many people felt that the
end of the world had come.
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Others felt that the judgment
was right around the corner.
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Some people were
scared and some people were
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comforted that Jesus was coming.
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So they definitely saw
that these signs were unusual.
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Something unusual was happening.
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So let's have a word of prayer,
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and then we'll
read Matthew 24:29-31.
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And then I'll make some comments
from the spirit of prophecy.
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Father in heaven, as we
study this last session today,
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we ask for the
guidance of Your Spirit,
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as we have asked before.
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We can't help but
marvel at how wonderful and
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how harmonious is Your Word.
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Help us, Lord, to understand
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what we're going to
study in this session.
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We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Okay, let's notice Matthew 24.
This is not in your syllabus.
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Matthew 24:29-31
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I want you to notice the order
of events that we have here.
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The order of events.
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Verse 29 says, "Immediately
after the tribulation
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of those days..."
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So first of all, you
have the tribulation, right?
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"...the sun will be darkened,
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the moon will
not give its light,
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the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens
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will be shaken."
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So first of all, the
tribulation comes to an end,
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you have the
signs in the heavens.
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And then verse 30 says,
"Then the sign of the Son of Man
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will appear in heaven."
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So the signs in the
sun, moon, and stars
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announce the
coming of Jesus, right?
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So it says, "Then the
sign of the Son of Man
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will appear in heaven."
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And then what's going to
happen with all of the people?
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"...the tribes of
the earth will..." What?
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"...will mourn..."
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Is this when they're crying
for the rocks to fall upon them
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and hiding in the caves, which
would be Revelation's version?
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Yes.
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So it says, "...and then all the
tribes of the earth will mourn,
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and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven
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with power and great glory."
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And then notice
the following event.
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"And He will send His angels
with a great sound of a trumpet,
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and they will gather together
His elect from the four winds,
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from one end of
heaven to the other."
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Now I want you to
notice how Ellen White
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describes this sequence
of events in the exact order
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in the book, Great Controversy.
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Great Controversy, page 613.
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We're at the
top of page 247 now.
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In the, Great Controversy,
pages 613-634, Ellen White
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describes the great tribulation.
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Which is the first thing
that Matthew 24:29 mentions.
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So she mentions
the time of trouble,
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which is the first
phrase in Matthew 24:29.
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Then on pages 635-637 in the
chapter, God's People Delivered,
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she mentions the signs in the
sun, the moon, and the stars.
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Then following that,
Jesus descends from heaven,
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and the living
saints ask the question,
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"Who shall be able to stand?"
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Let's read about it there.
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"Before his presence, 'all
faces are turned into paleness;'
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upon the rejecters of
God's mercy falls the terror
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of eternal despair.
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'The heart melteth, and
the knees smite together...
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and the faces of them
all gather blackness.'"
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So let me ask you, is she
describing the destress that
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Matthew mentions here,
that all the tribes of the earth
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will mourn as they
see the Son of Man coming?
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Is she describing the
same, but in different words?
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Absolutely.
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And then notice the next
thing is, "The righteous cry
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with trembling, 'Who
shall be able to stand?'"
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Is that the ending
question in Revelation 6:17?
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Yes.
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"'Who shall be able to stand?'
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The angels' song..."
This is the seventh seal.
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"The angels' song is hushed,
and there is a period of..."
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What?
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"...of awful silence."
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And then you have
the final event that's
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mentioned in Matthew 24.
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A few pages later Ellen White
describes the arrival of Jesus
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and the sending of His angels
to gather together His elect.
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Let's read it.
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"The living righteous
are changed 'in a moment,
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in the twinkling of an eye.'
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At the voice of God
they were glorified;
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now they are made immortal,
and with the risen saints
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are caught up to meet
their Lord in the air.
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Angels 'gather together
His elect from the four winds,
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from one end of
heaven to the other.'"
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Do you see how she's
discussing Matthew 24:29-31
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in the exact order?
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So the signs that are mentioned
there in the sun, moon, stars,
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and the earthquake in
Matthew 24, is that occurring
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leading up to 1844 or
are these signs taking place
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as an announcement of
the second coming of Christ?
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It's clearly the
second set of signs.
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The second part
of the sixth seal.
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Okay, now let's go to page 269
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and discuss a little
bit more the second stage
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of the sixth seal.
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So are you clear on the
first stage of the sixth seal?
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The first stage are
the signs in the heavens
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and the great earthquake
that announces the end of the
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1260 days, the end of the
tribulation of God's people,
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the beginning of
the time of the end,
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and that soon the judging part
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of the fifth seal
is going to take place.
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God's people are
going to be vindicated
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in the heavenly judgment.
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But now we want to
talk about the second phase
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or the second
part of the sixth seal.
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As stated before, the question
of the martyrs in the fifth seal
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had to do with two events
that are related, yet separate:
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judging and avenging.
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The first part of the
sixth seal has to do with the
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first part of this
plea by the beginning of
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the judgment in heaven.
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That is to say, in 1844
God began the judgment process
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in heaven to vindicate the
saints that the little horn
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oppressed for
three and a half times.
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Part one of the sixth seal
deals with the judge aspect.
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The great earthquake
and the signs in the heavens
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in the sixth seal announced
the approach of this stage.
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The second part of the sixth
seal deals with the second part
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of the martyrs' plea;
that is the avenge aspect.
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We can see this
clearly in Revelation 6:17.
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The Lamb will now pour
out His wrath upon those
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who oppressed His people during
the second stage of persecution.
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In between the two
stages of the sixth seal,
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the judgment of
Revelation 7:1-8 takes place.
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That's the interlude between
the sixth and the seventh seal.
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The first part
of the sixth seal.
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So let's continue here.
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First, God vindicates the
martyrs whom the little horn
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slew during the 1260
years, as well as those who have
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professed the name of Jesus.
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And then at the very end of
this heavenly judgment process,
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God will judge and seal
the 144,000 living saints.
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By the way, this is
still happening during
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the first stage
of the sixth seal.
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The avenging part is
the second coming of Christ.
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So what takes place
during the judging phase
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of the sixth seal?
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God judges, first of
all, those who died. Right?
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Including the martyrs.
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And then He judges who?
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The 144,000.
Those who are alive.
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Probation closes,
the time of trouble,
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and then you have
the signs in the heavens,
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sun, moon, and
stars that announce
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the second coming of Christ.
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That's the chronology.
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Now let's notice this
statement from Ellen White
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in, Great Controversy, page 483.
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"As the books of the record
are opened in the judgment,
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the lives of..." How many?
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I thought it was
only the martyrs.
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Is it only the martyrs?
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So why does Revelation,
why does the first part of the
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sixth seal say that the
martyrs are going to be judged
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and the 144,000
are going to be judged?
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So that means that nobody else
is going to be judged, right?
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The fact that you have
an emphasis does not mean
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that it excludes
the broader picture.
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"As the books of record
are opened in the judgment,
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the lives of all who
have believed on Jesus
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come in review before God.
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Would that include
Presbyterians, and Lutherans,
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and Church of Christ,
and Jehovah Witnesses,
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and Mormons...
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Yes, everybody who
has ever claimed Christ.
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Now how does it
transpire, chronologically?
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"Beginning with those who
first lived upon the earth,
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our Advocate presents the cases
of each successive generation.."
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Would that include the martyrs?
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Yes.
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"...and closes with..." Whom?
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"...with the living."
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When the living are judged,
are we still in the first
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part of the sixth seal?
00:11:07.16\00:11:08.63
Yes.
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Because the second part of the
sixth seal is when Jesus comes.
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And the signs in the
heavens announce His coming.
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Ellen White wrote about the
second part of the sixth seal,
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the avenging part, in, Great
Controversy, pages 641-642.
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Here, Ellen White
quotes Revelation 6:14-17.
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And then I have several
other passages in Scripture
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that you need to take a
look at in your personal study.
00:11:36.19\00:11:39.06
Revelation 19:3-10
presents a great multitude
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standing victoriously in heaven.
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Revelation 19:1-2 clearly
indicates that at this point
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the avenging has
already taken place.
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At this point, God
has judged the harlot
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and avenged His people.
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Revelation 19:17-18 marks
reference to the same groups
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of people as Revelation 6:15-16.
00:12:03.05\00:12:07.02
Now let's read this
passage from the chapter,
00:12:08.12\00:12:10.53
God's People
Delivered, so that we can catch
00:12:10.56\00:12:13.40
the sequence of events.
00:12:13.43\00:12:15.96
"Before His presence, 'all
faces are turned into paleness;'
00:12:16.46\00:12:20.54
upon the rejecters
of God's mercy falls the
00:12:20.87\00:12:23.71
terror of eternal despair.
00:12:23.74\00:12:25.51
The heart melteth, and
the knees smite together,
00:12:25.71\00:12:29.08
and the faces of
them all gather blackness.
00:12:29.44\00:12:32.11
The righteous
cry with trembling,
00:12:32.78\00:12:34.35
'Who shall be able to stand?'"
00:12:34.38\00:12:36.55
That's the last question
in the sixth seal, right?
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.45
The second part
of the sixth seal.
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.22
"The angels' song is hushed,
00:12:41.69\00:12:45.66
and there is a
period of awful silence."
00:12:46.49\00:12:48.73
What comes
immediately after the question,
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.10
"Who shall be able to stand?"
00:12:51.13\00:12:52.57
The seventh seal.
00:12:53.34\00:12:54.67
And what do you
have in the seventh seal?
00:12:55.54\00:12:57.34
Silence in heaven.
00:12:57.84\00:12:59.24
So what is the silence in
heaven for this short period
00:13:00.01\00:13:03.11
of about half an hour?
00:13:03.14\00:13:04.51
It is this silence
that is mentioned here
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.65
where the voices of the
singing angels are hushed.
00:13:08.02\00:13:13.36
So notice it continues saying,
"The angels' song is hushed,
00:13:14.72\00:13:18.53
and there is a
period of awful silence.
00:13:18.86\00:13:21.53
Then the voice of
Jesus is heard saying,
00:13:22.16\00:13:24.10
'My grace is
sufficient for you.'
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.03
The faces of the
righteous are lighted up,
00:13:26.33\00:13:28.30
and joy fills every heart.
00:13:28.50\00:13:30.21
And the angels strike a
note higher and sing again
00:13:30.47\00:13:34.01
as they draw
nearer to the earth."
00:13:34.04\00:13:35.98
Then she's going to
quote Revelation 6:14-17.
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.12
"The King of kings
descends upon the cloud,
00:13:40.52\00:13:42.55
wrapped in flaming fire.
00:13:42.98\00:13:44.52
The heavens are
rolled together as a scroll,
00:13:44.85\00:13:46.92
the earth trembles before him,
00:13:47.46\00:13:48.99
and every mountain and island
is moved out of its place."
00:13:49.02\00:13:51.99
Is that the sixth seal, the
second part of the sixth seal?
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.40
Yes.
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.20
"Our God shall come
and shall not keep silence.
00:13:56.23\00:13:58.70
A fire shall devour
before Him, and it shall be very
00:13:58.73\00:14:01.84
tempestuous round about Him.
00:14:01.87\00:14:03.64
He shall call to the heavens
from above, and to the earth,
00:14:04.21\00:14:07.91
that He may judge His people."
00:14:07.94\00:14:10.61
And then she
actually quotes verses 15-17.
00:14:11.01\00:14:14.85
"And the kings of the
earth, and the great men,
00:14:14.88\00:14:16.62
and the rich men, and the chief
captains, and the mighty men,
00:14:16.65\00:14:19.05
and every
bondman, and every freeman
00:14:19.09\00:14:20.96
hid themselves in the dens and
in the rocks of the mountains,
00:14:21.26\00:14:24.66
and said to the
mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us
00:14:24.69\00:14:28.26
and hide us from the face of
Him that sitteth on the throne,
00:14:28.30\00:14:31.03
and from the wrath of the Lamb.
00:14:31.23\00:14:32.83
For the great day
of his wrath is come;
00:14:32.87\00:14:35.44
and who shall be able to stand?"
00:14:35.47\00:14:37.67
And then I want you
to notice that the wicked
00:14:38.47\00:14:40.48
are going to ask
the same question.
00:14:40.51\00:14:42.18
She continues, "The
derisive jests have ceased.
00:14:42.94\00:14:48.15
Lying lips are
hushed into silence.
00:14:48.42\00:14:51.15
The clash of arms, the tumult
of battle, 'with confused noise,
00:14:51.29\00:14:55.42
and garments rolled
in blood,' is stilled.
00:14:55.46\00:14:58.83
Naught now is heard but
the voice of prayer and the
00:14:59.29\00:15:03.13
sound of
weeping and lamentation.
00:15:03.16\00:15:05.63
The cry bursts forth
from lips so lately scoffing,
00:15:06.27\00:15:10.07
'The great day of
His wrath is come,
00:15:10.64\00:15:12.41
and who shall
be able to stand?'"
00:15:12.44\00:15:14.71
So the wicked are going to ask
the question too, aren't they?
00:15:15.18\00:15:17.45
"The wicked pray to be
buried beneath the rocks
00:15:18.25\00:15:22.22
of the mountains rather
than meet the face of Him
00:15:22.35\00:15:25.72
whom they have
despised and rejected."
00:15:25.92\00:15:29.72
Do you see the
sequence of events?
00:15:29.76\00:15:31.99
How did Ellen White know how
to put all this stuff in order?
00:15:32.79\00:15:35.23
Lucky guess.
00:15:37.30\00:15:38.63
No, I don't think so.
00:15:38.90\00:15:40.64
Because she was inspired.
00:15:41.20\00:15:42.60
The Holy Spirit gave her the
information of how to write it.
00:15:42.64\00:15:47.74
Because the Holy Spirit not
only imparts the message to the
00:15:48.78\00:15:52.08
prophet, but
helps the prophet write.
00:15:52.11\00:15:54.75
That's why Ellen White,
many times, you know, she would
00:15:55.75\00:15:58.42
lay down the pen
and she would pray.
00:15:58.45\00:16:00.22
"Lord, help me
with this," you know.
00:16:01.02\00:16:02.99
Because she was not
proficient in writing.
00:16:03.02\00:16:07.16
She had to learn to write.
00:16:07.73\00:16:09.33
She had two and a half
years of primary education,
00:16:09.96\00:16:13.17
elementary education.
00:16:13.20\00:16:14.84
When you really consider that,
00:16:16.07\00:16:17.57
she would have to
had been inspired,
00:16:17.61\00:16:19.57
when we read her
writings of a person who had
00:16:21.14\00:16:23.95
only two and a half
years of primary education.
00:16:23.98\00:16:26.88
Now let's pursue the
question that is asked
00:16:27.52\00:16:31.79
at the end of the sixth seal,
00:16:31.82\00:16:34.59
the second half
of the sixth seal.
00:16:35.12\00:16:36.99
"The great day of
His wrath has come, and
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.16
who shall be able to stand?"
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.06
What does the
word, "stand," mean?
00:16:42.63\00:16:45.43
In several places
in the New Testament,
00:16:46.40\00:16:48.30
the word appears as
an antonym of, "fall."
00:16:48.34\00:16:52.17
In other words,
the words, "stand,"
00:16:53.07\00:16:54.91
is the opposite of, "fall."
00:16:54.94\00:16:56.64
Notice these verses that I have.
00:16:57.48\00:16:59.21
There's more in
the New Testament,
00:16:59.31\00:17:00.72
but I just gave a sampling.
00:17:00.75\00:17:02.28
A kingdom divided
against itself cannot stand.
00:17:02.88\00:17:08.59
You could say, cannot survive.
00:17:09.12\00:17:10.73
In other words, a
kingdom divided against itself
00:17:10.76\00:17:13.23
is doomed to fall.
00:17:13.33\00:17:16.40
Satan, at the beginning,
did not stand in the truth.
00:17:18.37\00:17:22.80
What does that mean, he
did not stand in the truth?
00:17:23.04\00:17:25.51
It means that he
fell from the truth.
00:17:26.01\00:17:28.64
The apostle Paul stated,
"He that thinks that he stands,
00:17:30.51\00:17:34.48
let him take heed lest he fall."
00:17:34.85\00:17:38.65
So there you have the two ideas.
00:17:38.69\00:17:40.69
To stand is not to fall.
00:17:40.72\00:17:43.53
And then you have
in Ephesians 6:11-13,
00:17:44.29\00:17:47.76
it says, "Put on the
whole armor of God...
00:17:48.33\00:17:50.53
In other words, so you don't
fall for the wiles of the devil.
00:17:54.60\00:17:57.51
Are you catching a
picture of what it means
00:18:19.49\00:18:21.16
what the question is,
who will be able to stand?
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.93
In other words, who
is not going to fall?
00:18:23.97\00:18:25.57
Who is going to
remain firm and solid
00:18:25.60\00:18:28.37
in the great day
of Christ's wrath?
00:18:28.60\00:18:30.57
2 Timothy 2:19
00:18:31.07\00:18:32.87
And then you have Luke
21:36 which is speaking
00:18:47.16\00:18:49.86
directly about
the second coming.
00:18:49.89\00:18:51.66
"Watch therefore,
and pray always..."
00:18:52.33\00:18:55.56
Because he's
mentioned all the signs.
00:18:59.83\00:19:01.84
What are God's people
going to say when Jesus comes.
00:19:09.48\00:19:11.78
"Lo, this is our God.
00:19:11.98\00:19:15.12
We have waited for
Him, and He will save us."
00:19:15.52\00:19:19.05
So while the wicked are saying,
00:19:19.45\00:19:20.79
"Who is going to
be able to stand?"
00:19:20.82\00:19:22.22
and they're running
to hide in the caves
00:19:22.26\00:19:23.86
and crying for the
rocks to fall on them,
00:19:24.06\00:19:25.89
God's people with hands
stretched out are saying,
00:19:25.93\00:19:28.20
"Lo, this is our God.
00:19:28.23\00:19:29.83
We have waited for
Him, and He will save us."
00:19:29.86\00:19:32.63
Why?
00:19:33.50\00:19:34.84
Because everyone who
names the name of Christ
00:19:35.30\00:19:37.67
departs from iniquity, is
what the apostle Paul tells us.
00:19:37.71\00:19:42.24
Now, Revelation 6:17
ends with a question.
00:19:43.11\00:19:48.25
"The great day of
His wrath has come,
00:19:49.95\00:19:51.69
and who shall be able to stand?"
00:19:51.72\00:19:53.25
Where would you expect to find
the answer to that question?
00:19:53.36\00:19:57.16
How about the next chapter?
00:19:58.19\00:19:59.89
Listen carefully now.
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.30
The next chapter takes us back.
00:20:05.27\00:20:07.64
Because verse 17 is describing
the second coming of Christ.
00:20:08.04\00:20:11.07
Too late to be saved,
too late to be sealed.
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.61
So chapter 7 is going
to take us back to answer,
00:20:14.31\00:20:17.11
who's going to be able to stand?
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.51
Those who, before
probation closed, were what?
00:20:19.01\00:20:21.95
Were sealed.
00:20:22.28\00:20:23.62
Are you with me or not?
00:20:23.65\00:20:24.99
So Revelation 7 is not in
chronological order with 6:17.
00:20:25.05\00:20:30.89
6:17 reaches the climax:
the signs in the heavens,
00:20:31.36\00:20:35.76
Jesus is coming, who
shall be able to stand.
00:20:36.13\00:20:39.90
And so the question is,
who's going to be able to stand?
00:20:40.30\00:20:42.30
So John is going to say now in
his writing, he's going to say,
00:20:42.34\00:20:45.11
"Let me tell you who's
going to be able to stand."
00:20:45.14\00:20:47.41
Those who were sealed,
the 144,000 who were sealed
00:20:47.44\00:20:52.01
during probationary time, at the
very end of probationary time
00:20:52.05\00:20:55.12
they are the ones that
are going to be able to stand.
00:20:55.15\00:20:57.22
Notice Revelation 7:1-4.
00:20:58.45\00:21:01.22
So let me ask you, is
probation still open here?
00:21:08.60\00:21:11.17
Of course, because they're
holding the winds of strife.
00:21:11.73\00:21:14.00
When they let them loose,
that's the time of trouble.
00:21:14.04\00:21:16.40
So they're
standing, they're holding
00:21:17.74\00:21:19.21
the four winds of the earth.
00:21:19.24\00:21:20.58
Those are all symbolic words.
00:21:27.18\00:21:29.45
We won't get into that now.
00:21:29.65\00:21:31.12
"Then I saw another angel..."
00:21:31.32\00:21:32.65
In other words, don't release
the winds, don't cause harm,
00:21:46.63\00:21:50.07
don't permit the
cataclysm to come, until what?
00:21:50.51\00:21:54.34
Does the sealing take
place before the second coming?
00:21:58.85\00:22:01.65
Does it take place
before the close of probation?
00:22:02.52\00:22:05.15
Absolutely.
00:22:05.65\00:22:06.99
So it says, "And
I heard the number
00:22:07.69\00:22:09.99
of those who were sealed..."
00:22:10.03\00:22:11.36
We'll deal with this when
we talk about the interlude.
00:22:11.39\00:22:13.36
And by the way, we're dealing
with spiritual Israel here.
00:22:20.47\00:22:23.61
We're not dealing
with literal Israelites.
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.27
Now this idea of sealing on the
forehead comes from Ezekiel 9.
00:22:27.64\00:22:32.31
Now we're not going to go
there fully and completely.
00:22:33.82\00:22:35.85
I'm just going to mention
something about Ezekiel 9.
00:22:35.88\00:22:38.79
In Ezekiel 8 you have
the deplorable condition
00:22:40.16\00:22:44.16
among those who
profess to be God's people.
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.59
We're not talking about the
Egyptians and the Babylonians
00:22:46.80\00:22:49.63
and the surrounding nations.
00:22:49.83\00:22:51.43
We're talking about
what was happening among
00:22:51.47\00:22:53.37
God's professed people.
00:22:53.40\00:22:54.87
The leaders were
turning their back to the temple
00:22:56.57\00:23:01.41
and they were
worshiping the sun to the east.
00:23:01.44\00:23:05.15
That was the
greatest abomination.
00:23:06.28\00:23:08.02
Because chapter 8,
God shows in chapter 8
00:23:08.45\00:23:11.92
to Ezekiel an
abomination, and Ezekiel says,
00:23:12.02\00:23:14.72
"Wow, that's bad, Lord."
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.09
God says, "You
ain't seen nothing yet.
00:23:16.12\00:23:18.73
I'll show you worse
abominations than that."
00:23:19.56\00:23:21.76
And so God shows
him another abomination.
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.03
And Ezekiel says, "That's bad."
00:23:26.03\00:23:27.87
God says, "You
haven't seen anything yet.
00:23:27.90\00:23:30.01
I'll show you a
worse one than this."
00:23:30.64\00:23:32.37
And the one that is the worst
of all was worshiping the sun.
00:23:32.41\00:23:36.81
And then in the very next
chapter, verses 16-17 talk about
00:23:38.05\00:23:43.15
worshiping the sun,
00:23:43.18\00:23:44.52
the very next
chapter speaks about an angel
00:23:44.85\00:23:47.42
with an inkhorn.
00:23:47.99\00:23:49.32
And he's coming to seal His
servants on their foreheads.
00:23:49.92\00:23:54.13
Who is the one who is sealed?
00:23:54.96\00:23:56.70
Those who sign and cry
because of the abominations
00:23:57.63\00:24:02.97
that are being
committed among God's people.
00:24:03.00\00:24:05.81
What would that be
equivalent to in the end time?
00:24:06.78\00:24:09.01
The loud cry.
00:24:09.44\00:24:11.05
Because the message is for those
who profess to be God's people.
00:24:13.42\00:24:16.72
Not only
Adventists, but non-Adventists.
00:24:17.09\00:24:19.42
And so what are the
faithful going to be doing
00:24:20.29\00:24:22.62
at the end of time?
00:24:22.66\00:24:23.99
They're going to be
participating in the sins
00:24:24.03\00:24:25.86
that are being committed
in the religious world?
00:24:25.89\00:24:28.46
No!
00:24:28.50\00:24:29.83
They're going to be sighing
and crying because of the
00:24:29.86\00:24:33.10
abominations that
take place in the earth.
00:24:33.13\00:24:35.30
And then, you know, I
don't know of anybody that
00:24:35.54\00:24:37.84
sighs and cries in silence.
00:24:37.87\00:24:40.61
This is talking
about sighing and crying.
00:24:42.98\00:24:44.71
This is talking about crying
out because of the abominations
00:24:44.75\00:24:47.82
that are being
committed in the earth.
00:24:47.85\00:24:50.12
So God is going to
place His seal upon those...
00:24:51.65\00:24:55.79
The seal, of
course, is the Sabbath.
00:24:55.82\00:24:57.63
We're going to study that
a little bit later towards
00:24:57.66\00:24:59.79
the end of this series.
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.30
He's going to place His
seal on those who sigh and cry
00:25:01.86\00:25:05.13
because of the
abominations that are
00:25:05.33\00:25:07.20
being committed in the world.
00:25:07.24\00:25:08.74
And the purpose of the
seal is so that the angels
00:25:09.57\00:25:13.88
can identify who is faithful,
00:25:13.91\00:25:16.64
and so that the angels can
protect them when probation
00:25:17.25\00:25:20.82
closes and the
time of trouble comes.
00:25:20.85\00:25:24.82
Now Revelation
7 doesn't describe
00:25:25.65\00:25:27.82
the character of this group.
00:25:27.86\00:25:29.32
Revelation 7 simply says that
the seal, the protective seal,
00:25:30.73\00:25:35.43
is placed on them.
00:25:35.46\00:25:36.80
So you ask the
question, what were they like?
00:25:37.37\00:25:40.44
Why were they able to stand?
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.24
Well, because they had the seal.
00:25:42.27\00:25:43.81
But why did they have the seal?
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.47
We have to go to
chapter 14 for that
00:25:47.04\00:25:49.01
where the same
group is mentioned.
00:25:49.04\00:25:50.85
Revelation 14:1-5
00:25:51.68\00:25:53.95
By the way, Revelation 14:1-5
really should be the conclusion
00:25:54.95\00:25:58.95
to chapter 13.
00:25:58.99\00:26:00.39
Chapter 13 speaks
about the trial of the beast,
00:26:01.39\00:26:04.79
over his image, over his mark,
and over the number of his name.
00:26:05.19\00:26:10.27
So when you get to
the end of chapter 13,
00:26:10.80\00:26:13.30
you say, "Well, did
everybody worship the beast?
00:26:13.94\00:26:17.54
Did everybody worship
the image of the beast?
00:26:18.84\00:26:21.11
Did everyone receive
the mark of the beast
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.35
so that they could buy and sell
and so they wouldn't be killed?"
00:26:23.38\00:26:25.58
When chapter 13 ends, it
looks like the whole world
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.92
has gone awry.
00:26:29.52\00:26:30.89
But chapter 14:1-5
says there was a group
00:26:32.15\00:26:36.06
that did not receive
the mark of the beast
00:26:36.86\00:26:38.46
or worship the
beast or his image.
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.13
And that group is called
the 144,000; the sealed ones.
00:26:41.73\00:26:44.27
But now we're going to
know why they're sealed.
00:26:44.37\00:26:46.43
Verse 1...
00:26:47.37\00:26:48.70
What's behind your forehead?
00:27:00.12\00:27:01.92
Your frontal lobe.
00:27:02.75\00:27:04.39
The center of decision.
00:27:05.85\00:27:08.16
Right?
00:27:08.82\00:27:10.16
Where you make
decisions for life or for death.
00:27:10.19\00:27:12.66
Moral decisions.
00:27:12.69\00:27:14.43
What does the
Father's name mean?
00:27:15.03\00:27:16.67
The name in the Bible
represents the character
00:27:17.73\00:27:20.37
of the person
who bears the name.
00:27:20.40\00:27:21.87
My parents
called me Stephen Paul.
00:27:21.97\00:27:24.67
Not because they thought
Stephen Paul sounded nice.
00:27:25.67\00:27:28.88
Because they wanted to
be, they wanted me to be
00:27:30.05\00:27:33.11
like the martyr
and the martyrizer.
00:27:33.31\00:27:35.88
No, they didn't want me
to be like the martyrizer,
00:27:38.05\00:27:40.19
except after his conversion.
00:27:41.49\00:27:43.46
In other words, they
gave me that name because
00:27:44.09\00:27:46.23
they said, "We want Steve to
be like Stephen and like Paul."
00:27:46.26\00:27:51.83
There was a purpose.
00:27:52.57\00:27:53.90
They wanted me to
reflect the character
00:27:53.94\00:27:55.97
of these two individuals.
00:27:56.17\00:27:57.51
I'm not worthy to
tie their sandals,
00:27:57.54\00:28:01.04
because these were
incredibly great men.
00:28:01.51\00:28:04.55
But the Father's name
means to have the character.
00:28:04.91\00:28:08.02
And the forehead
means in your mind.
00:28:08.68\00:28:10.75
God is going to write His law
in our minds and in our hearts.
00:28:10.79\00:28:15.46
It continues saying, "And I
heard a voice from heaven..."
00:28:16.12\00:28:18.29
Because they went through
an experience that no other
00:28:28.90\00:28:32.07
group has ever gone through.
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.44
They've gone
through the time of trouble.
00:28:33.48\00:28:34.84
So it says...
00:28:35.71\00:28:37.05
So they never
got married, right?
00:28:51.76\00:28:53.46
No. They did not have
illicit relationships with the
00:28:54.96\00:28:58.73
apostate churches, with
the harlot and her daughters.
00:28:58.77\00:29:01.97
We're dealing with symbols here.
00:29:02.00\00:29:03.71
"These are the ones who follow
the Lamb wherever His goes."
00:29:04.67\00:29:07.58
Including
Gethsemane and the cross.
00:29:07.61\00:29:10.35
Which means that there's
no deceit in their heart.
00:29:21.76\00:29:23.99
Because from the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaks.
00:29:25.33\00:29:28.26
Now we know why
they receive the seal.
00:29:35.20\00:29:37.11
Why did they receive the seal?
00:29:38.27\00:29:39.81
Because they had a
sterling character.
00:29:40.34\00:29:43.38
They had an intimate
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:29:44.18\00:29:46.88
They reflected the
image of Jesus fully.
00:29:46.92\00:29:49.75
They follow
Jesus wherever He goes,
00:29:49.78\00:29:51.99
this end time generation.
00:29:52.02\00:29:53.66
Now this is not the only place
where this question appears,
00:29:53.99\00:29:57.09
"The great day of
His wrath has come
00:29:57.83\00:29:59.66
and who shall be able to stand?"
00:29:59.69\00:30:01.30
Let's examine some other places
where this question appears.
00:30:01.33\00:30:04.40
Joel 2:11
00:30:05.27\00:30:07.04
Joel 2:11 is the
culmination of a description
00:30:07.94\00:30:11.31
of the second coming.
00:30:11.34\00:30:12.67
We're not going
to read verses 1-10,
00:30:12.71\00:30:14.04
but it's
describing the second coming.
00:30:14.08\00:30:15.74
And notice how the
second coming comes to an end.
00:30:16.11\00:30:19.31
The question is asked again,
just like in Revelation 6.
00:30:19.35\00:30:22.42
"The Lord gives
voice before His army,
00:30:22.75\00:30:25.39
for His camp is very great;
00:30:25.69\00:30:27.69
for strong is the One
who executes His word.
00:30:27.72\00:30:31.13
For the day of the Lord
is great and very terrible;
00:30:31.16\00:30:35.20
who can endure it?"
00:30:35.40\00:30:37.03
Is that the same basic question?
00:30:37.27\00:30:39.00
Yes.
00:30:39.50\00:30:40.84
Where would you
expect to find the answer?
00:30:41.07\00:30:42.80
How about the following verses?
00:30:44.47\00:30:46.27
Incidentally, the
following verses are describing
00:30:47.58\00:30:49.98
the Day of Atonement.
00:30:50.01\00:30:51.35
Do you know, in
the Day of Atonement,
00:30:52.01\00:30:53.42
not only did the
priest cleanse the Sanctuary,
00:30:53.68\00:30:56.05
but the people also
had to afflict their souls
00:30:56.89\00:31:00.26
and cleanse their
lives in parallel fashion
00:31:00.46\00:31:03.46
to what was
happening in the Sanctuary.
00:31:03.49\00:31:05.39
Notice the terminology
here, how this is referring
00:31:06.33\00:31:08.83
to the Day of Atonement.
00:31:08.86\00:31:10.20
Are we now in
the Day of Atonement?
00:31:10.47\00:31:12.10
Is the Day of Atonement
going to come to an end?
00:31:12.93\00:31:14.90
What will happen with
those who have not sent
00:31:16.27\00:31:19.11
their sins to the Sanctuary?
00:31:19.14\00:31:20.88
They will not be able to stand.
00:31:22.81\00:31:24.41
Notice the
answer to the question.
00:31:25.41\00:31:27.45
"'Now
therefore,' says the Lord..."
00:31:27.65\00:31:29.85
The Day of Atonement
was the only fast required
00:31:36.12\00:31:38.69
in the Hebrew
religious calendar.
00:31:38.73\00:31:41.50
Does this sound
like signing and crying?
00:31:47.77\00:31:49.97
Yes.
00:31:50.37\00:31:51.71
What was it that
announced the Day of Atonement?
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.53
Trumpets.
00:32:16.20\00:32:17.53
Once again, the only
day required for a fast
00:32:20.30\00:32:23.07
was the Day of Atonement.
00:32:23.10\00:32:24.54
Nobody exempt from gathering.
00:32:36.32\00:32:38.25
In other words, you
know, it's a priority
00:32:42.42\00:32:45.59
to get a character ready
for the coming of the Lord.
00:32:46.83\00:32:50.00
And what are the
priests suppose to be doing?
00:32:50.20\00:32:52.13
What are they
supposed to be doing?
00:32:55.40\00:32:56.87
Encouraging the church to
jump and roll in the aisles.
00:32:57.61\00:33:00.38
No.
00:33:00.68\00:33:02.01
So who are the ones
that are going to be able to
00:33:21.76\00:33:23.93
endure the great
day of God's wrath?
00:33:23.97\00:33:26.40
Those that successfully pass
through the Day of Atonement
00:33:26.60\00:33:30.21
through fasting,
weeping, mourning over sin,
00:33:31.37\00:33:35.91
rending the heart, gathering
around the heavenly Sanctuary
00:33:35.94\00:33:39.95
by faith, returning to God,
00:33:39.98\00:33:42.32
and praying that the
Lord will spare His people.
00:33:44.59\00:33:47.19
That's not the only place
where the question is asked.
00:33:48.72\00:33:51.09
Isaiah 33:14-16
00:33:52.19\00:33:56.16
You have the question.
00:33:57.53\00:33:58.87
You know, you ask
people from other churches,
00:34:15.35\00:34:17.52
you know, "What's going
to happen with the wicked?"
00:34:17.55\00:34:20.26
they say, "They're going to burn
in the fires of hell forever.
00:34:20.29\00:34:22.99
They're going to be in
the fire forever and ever
00:34:24.66\00:34:26.49
writhing in pain."
00:34:26.53\00:34:28.86
Surprise, surprise, the only
ones who are going to be able
00:34:29.70\00:34:32.03
to live in the fire are
the righteous, not the wicked.
00:34:32.07\00:34:34.50
You say, "What!"
00:34:36.17\00:34:37.51
You know, you have a
little example of this:
00:34:38.47\00:34:39.87
Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
00:34:39.91\00:34:41.71
The fire didn't burn them.
00:34:43.41\00:34:44.78
They were in the
midst of the fire.
00:34:44.88\00:34:46.21
And that was a
little human fire.
00:34:46.25\00:34:47.82
Now notice the
answer to the question.
00:34:49.15\00:34:51.15
"Who among us shall
dwell with the devouring fire?
00:34:51.19\00:34:54.19
Who among us shall dwell
with everlasting burnings?"
00:34:54.22\00:34:57.09
Very similar to the
question of Revelation 6:17.
00:34:57.29\00:35:00.16
Now comes the answer.
00:35:00.20\00:35:01.53
Notice the emphasis
on lifestyle, conduct,
00:35:01.56\00:35:06.10
the way that
people live their lives.
00:35:06.90\00:35:09.20
Practical godliness.
00:35:09.74\00:35:11.97
Here's the answer.
00:35:12.31\00:35:13.64
By the way, when the
Bible speaks about walking
00:35:15.01\00:35:17.75
in a symbolic way, it's
speaking about your behavior.
00:35:17.78\00:35:20.78
A reference to
the great multitude.
00:35:50.01\00:35:52.08
They will thirst no more
and they will hunger no more.
00:35:52.18\00:35:55.12
That's not the only
place the question is asked.
00:35:56.38\00:35:58.55
Psalm 15:1
00:35:59.25\00:36:02.32
"Lord, who may
abide in Your tabernacle?
00:36:03.36\00:36:07.30
Who may dwell
in Your holy hill?"
00:36:08.16\00:36:10.80
What is God's holy hill?
00:36:10.83\00:36:12.23
Mount Zion. Where
are the 144,000 standing?
00:36:14.87\00:36:17.67
On Mount Zion.
00:36:18.57\00:36:19.91
Now once again, the
answer is your conduct.
00:36:26.25\00:36:29.98
The life.
00:36:31.05\00:36:32.39
He doesn't break his
promises, in other words.
00:36:57.08\00:36:59.05
He doesn't charge an
exorbitant amount of interest.
00:37:01.45\00:37:04.69
In other words,
shall be able to what?
00:37:13.23\00:37:15.46
To stand.
00:37:15.50\00:37:16.90
That's not the only
place the question is asked.
00:37:17.90\00:37:20.04
Psalm 24:3-6
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.37
This is the song
that was sung when Jesus
00:37:25.04\00:37:28.01
ascended to
heaven the first time.
00:37:28.04\00:37:29.71
When Jesus returns to heaven,
00:37:30.55\00:37:32.21
the question will
be asked once more.
00:37:32.25\00:37:34.95
"Who may ascend
into the holy hill?
00:37:35.58\00:37:39.42
Or who may stand
in His holy place?"
00:37:40.12\00:37:43.96
Where would you
expect to find the answer?
00:37:44.66\00:37:46.39
In the following verses.
00:37:46.43\00:37:47.76
Notice once again the emphasis
on lifestyle and conduct.
00:37:47.80\00:37:52.20
And you're saying, "Well,
Pastor Bohr believes that we're
00:37:52.23\00:37:54.07
saved because of our lifestyle."
00:37:54.10\00:37:55.54
No, no, no.
00:37:55.57\00:37:56.91
I'm saying that when we know
Jesus and we have an intimate
00:37:58.41\00:38:02.21
relationship with Jesus,
our lifestyle will change.
00:38:02.24\00:38:05.98
The change is an
evidence of salvation,
00:38:07.28\00:38:09.82
it is not the
cause of salvation.
00:38:09.85\00:38:11.82
Let me ask you, when you
turn on your car in the morning,
00:38:14.39\00:38:19.69
when the road is
in good condition,
00:38:19.73\00:38:21.76
there's no snow,
it hasn't rained,
00:38:23.50\00:38:26.00
and you put your car in
drive, which wheels move first,
00:38:26.94\00:38:30.81
the front wheels
or the back wheels?
00:38:30.84\00:38:32.67
Well somebody always asks,
00:38:35.98\00:38:38.48
"Is it front wheel
drive or back wheel drive?"
00:38:38.51\00:38:41.22
Let's suppose
it's back wheel drive.
00:38:43.18\00:38:45.19
What happens as soon
as the back wheels move?
00:38:45.65\00:38:48.79
The front wheels follow.
00:38:49.12\00:38:50.86
Where there is true
saving faith, works follow.
00:38:52.36\00:38:56.43
That's why Paul, we
have Paul and we have James.
00:38:57.60\00:39:00.34
Paul says we're justified
by faith without works of law.
00:39:00.84\00:39:05.27
And James says yes,
by a faith that works.
00:39:05.31\00:39:08.24
Because a faith that
doesn't work isn't faith.
00:39:09.74\00:39:12.25
You know, if God said to Noah,
"Noah, build an ark for Me.
00:39:13.58\00:39:16.89
There's going to be a flood."
00:39:18.09\00:39:19.42
Noah says, "Thank You, Lord,
for this great revelation."
00:39:19.45\00:39:22.59
and sits.
00:39:23.43\00:39:24.76
How did Noah show
that he believed God
00:39:25.26\00:39:27.66
when it had never rained?
00:39:27.70\00:39:29.36
He got the hammers,
and he got the saws,
00:39:30.17\00:39:33.44
and he got the nails,
and he started building.
00:39:33.47\00:39:37.97
That's why faith
without works is dead.
00:39:39.37\00:39:41.51
True faith is a working faith.
00:39:41.61\00:39:44.35
Faith is an action word.
00:39:44.38\00:39:46.25
That's why you have the
emphasis on lifestyle here.
00:39:47.32\00:39:51.22
It's not that the
lifestyle is saving you,
00:39:51.25\00:39:53.25
the lifestyle is
showing that you're saved.
00:39:53.29\00:39:55.49
So notice, verses
4-6 has the answer.
00:39:57.43\00:40:00.36
And then the
question is asked...
00:40:24.95\00:40:27.12
After describing the lifestyle,
00:40:27.16\00:40:28.99
then you have the
entrance into heaven.
00:40:29.19\00:40:32.13
So your lifestyle reveals
whether you're ready to enter
00:40:56.85\00:41:00.36
into heaven.
00:41:00.46\00:41:01.86
And I'm not going to
read the last statement
00:41:02.89\00:41:05.06
because time is flying by.
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.86
But we noticed that
at the second coming
00:41:08.36\00:41:10.93
the Father is not
coming at the second coming.
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.37
Neither are the
cherubim or the seraphim.
00:41:14.34\00:41:16.47
Neither are the
representatives of the worlds.
00:41:17.47\00:41:20.08
Neither the Holy Spirit,
because He's been withdrawn
00:41:21.61\00:41:24.71
from the earth at
the close of probation.
00:41:24.75\00:41:26.75
Who's going to come?
00:41:28.12\00:41:29.45
Jesus and the holy angels.
00:41:30.02\00:41:31.75
And then they will begin
the journey back to heaven.
00:41:33.32\00:41:37.63
And this hymn will be sung.
00:41:38.49\00:41:40.13
And who will be waiting
at the gates of the city
00:41:40.80\00:41:44.93
to welcome His children home?
00:41:45.13\00:41:47.47
The Father of all mercies,
it says in this quotation,
00:41:48.50\00:41:52.71
will be there.
00:41:52.74\00:41:54.08
And He'll say,
"Welcome home, children.
00:41:54.34\00:41:57.08
This is the place
I prepared for you."
00:41:57.11\00:42:00.42
As the song goes.
00:42:00.45\00:42:01.78
That's not the only place where
the question is asked though.
00:42:02.55\00:42:04.85
Notice Nahum 1:6-7.
00:42:05.72\00:42:08.99
That is, those
who have faith in Him.
00:42:32.18\00:42:34.75
The question is also
asked in Malachi 3:1-3.
00:42:35.42\00:42:39.55
This is speaking about John the
Baptist in its original context.
00:42:43.43\00:42:46.33
At the end of time it's
God's people who prepare the way
00:42:46.36\00:42:49.10
for the coming of Christ.
00:42:49.13\00:42:50.47
He came in 1844 to
judge the dead, but then He's
00:42:57.07\00:42:59.41
going to come to
judge the living.
00:42:59.44\00:43:00.88
Notice Ellen White's comment.
00:43:31.07\00:43:33.31
"Says the prophet, 'Who may
abide the day of His coming?
00:43:34.44\00:43:38.31
And who shall
stand when He appeareth?
00:43:38.91\00:43:41.28
For He is like a refiner's
fire and like fuller's soap.
00:43:41.65\00:43:44.69
And He shall sit as a refiner
and a purifier of silver.
00:43:44.72\00:43:47.72
And He shall purify the
sons of Levi, and purge them
00:43:47.76\00:43:51.46
as gold and silver that
they may offer unto the Lord
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.63
an offering in righteousness.'"
00:43:54.66\00:43:56.00
She's quoting the passage
that we just read from Malachi.
00:43:56.03\00:43:58.63
And then comes her comment.
00:43:59.13\00:44:00.74
Those who are living upon
the earth when the intercession
00:44:00.94\00:44:04.67
of Christ shall cease in
the sanctuary above are to stand
00:44:04.71\00:44:08.71
in the sight of a holy
God without a mediator.
00:44:08.74\00:44:11.48
Their robes must be spotless,
their characters must be
00:44:12.15\00:44:17.79
purified from sin by
the blood of sprinkling.
00:44:17.82\00:44:21.22
Through the grace of God and
their own diligent effort..."
00:44:21.92\00:44:25.13
You say, "Oh, so it's 50/50."
00:44:26.23\00:44:28.56
Who gives us the
ability to put forth efforts?
00:44:30.17\00:44:33.64
God does.
00:44:34.00\00:44:35.34
"Through the grace of God
and their own diligent effort,
00:44:35.64\00:44:38.64
they must be..." What?
00:44:38.94\00:44:41.14
"...conquerors in
the battle with evil.
00:44:41.74\00:44:44.95
While the investigative judgment
is going forward in heaven,
00:44:45.31\00:44:47.98
while the sins of penitent
believers are being removed
00:44:48.45\00:44:50.89
from the sanctuary,
there is to be a special work
00:44:50.92\00:44:54.82
of purification,
of putting away sin
00:44:54.86\00:44:58.79
among God's people upon earth.
00:44:59.29\00:45:01.80
This work is more
clearly presented in the
00:45:02.00\00:45:04.43
messages of Revelation 14."
00:45:04.47\00:45:07.47
The beautiful thing is,
folks, those individuals
00:45:09.24\00:45:13.11
who have this intimate
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:45:13.21\00:45:16.98
is because they have
spent time with Christ.
00:45:17.01\00:45:19.58
How do we come to know someone?
00:45:20.12\00:45:22.28
By spending time
with them, right?
00:45:23.52\00:45:25.42
How do we come to know Jesus?
00:45:25.95\00:45:27.92
By spending time
with Him in prayer,
00:45:28.42\00:45:30.53
in Bible study,
talking about Him passionately.
00:45:31.03\00:45:35.66
You know, I also was a student
in our university in Colombia.
00:45:36.16\00:45:40.00
I studied three years
of my college down there.
00:45:40.04\00:45:42.37
There were eight
of us in one room.
00:45:42.64\00:45:44.47
Because there were
lots of students back then.
00:45:45.94\00:45:48.14
And I had a guy in our
room that had this girlfriend.
00:45:48.61\00:45:53.25
And from the time that
he came through the door
00:45:53.52\00:45:55.62
till the time that he left,
00:45:55.92\00:45:57.25
he was always
talking about his girlfriend.
00:45:57.29\00:45:59.45
He just about drove us crazy.
00:46:00.16\00:46:01.92
"Oh, she's this.
She's so beautiful for this.
00:46:02.19\00:46:04.39
And she did this
and she did that."
00:46:04.43\00:46:06.26
Why did he talk
so much about her?
00:46:07.30\00:46:09.16
Duh! Because he loved her.
00:46:10.07\00:46:11.47
So if we love Jesus, how is
it that we don't tell anybody
00:46:12.00\00:46:14.50
that we love Jesus?
00:46:14.54\00:46:15.87
Why don't we
witness about Jesus and say,
00:46:15.97\00:46:17.64
"Oh, you need to
know my beloved Jesus."
00:46:17.67\00:46:20.44
See?
00:46:20.48\00:46:21.81
Isaiah 54:8-10 tells us
that God will protect those
00:46:22.84\00:46:26.72
who have an intimate
relationship with Christ
00:46:26.75\00:46:29.12
through Bible
study, prayer, and through
00:46:29.15\00:46:31.32
talking to others about Jesus.
00:46:31.35\00:46:33.12
God is speaking here.
00:46:35.26\00:46:36.59
So He's referring
to the days of Noah.
00:46:48.00\00:46:49.87
This is a reference
to the second coming.
00:46:49.90\00:46:52.51
Isn't that a beautiful promise?
00:47:15.76\00:47:17.20
And then we have Psalm 46.
00:47:18.07\00:47:20.40
Oh, what a beautiful psalm.
00:47:20.50\00:47:22.00
It inspired
Martin Luther to write,
00:47:22.04\00:47:24.01
"A mighty fortress is our God."
00:47:24.04\00:47:26.61
In fact, he's
paraphrasing some of the phrases
00:47:26.64\00:47:28.81
that we find in Psalm 46.
00:47:28.91\00:47:31.11
And I'm going to read it.
00:47:31.15\00:47:32.48
This is the time of trouble.
00:47:38.62\00:47:39.99
Is this describing that time?
00:47:47.33\00:47:49.20
Yes.
00:47:49.40\00:47:50.73
"Though its waters
roar and be troubled..."
00:47:50.97\00:47:53.47
That's Luke 21.
00:47:53.50\00:47:54.84
And then comes an
interesting sudden contrast.
00:47:58.47\00:48:01.54
Suddenly there's a
real peaceful scene here.
00:48:06.75\00:48:09.55
And then he goes back to the
other thing he was talking to.
00:48:22.76\00:48:26.50
That was just a little
parenthetical statement.
00:48:26.53\00:48:28.80
Once again now,
the psalmist says...
00:48:29.17\00:48:31.41
These are the
promises that we have to claim
00:49:07.98\00:49:10.25
during that period,
because the whole world
00:49:10.71\00:49:12.95
will be allied
against God's people.
00:49:13.25\00:49:16.38
Now do you remember in
the introductory vision
00:49:17.45\00:49:19.99
that Jesus is seen
as a lamb and a lion?
00:49:20.02\00:49:23.99
Let me ask you, in which way
are a lamb and a lion similar?
00:49:24.79\00:49:28.96
They're totally opposites.
00:49:30.07\00:49:31.57
So how is it that
Jesus can be presented
00:49:32.30\00:49:34.50
as a lamb and as a lion?
00:49:34.70\00:49:38.31
There's a paradox here.
00:49:38.34\00:49:40.01
On page 279, in, Sons and
Daughters of God, page 358,
00:49:40.68\00:49:45.95
Ellen White wrote,
"The Lion of Judah,
00:49:45.98\00:49:48.68
so terrible to the
rejecters of His grace,
00:49:49.12\00:49:52.25
will be the Lamb of God
to the obedient and faithful.
00:49:52.52\00:49:56.52
The pillar of fire
that speaks terror and wrath
00:49:56.99\00:49:59.39
to the transgressor of God's law
is a token of light and mercy
00:49:59.43\00:50:04.40
and deliverance to those
who have kept His commandments.
00:50:04.43\00:50:07.44
The strong arm to smite
the rebellious will be strong
00:50:07.64\00:50:13.11
to deliver the loyal."
00:50:13.14\00:50:15.54
In another statement, she wrote,
Adventist Bible Commentary,
00:50:16.08\00:50:19.25
volume 5, page
1107, "The death of Christ
00:50:19.28\00:50:23.42
brings to the rejecter of His
mercy the wrath and judgments
00:50:23.45\00:50:28.12
of God unmixed with mercy."
00:50:28.16\00:50:30.23
That's the plagues,
isn't it, unmixed with mercy.
00:50:30.26\00:50:33.06
"This is..." What?
"...the wrath of the Lamb."
00:50:33.43\00:50:37.50
Now the next
paragraph is very important.
00:50:38.80\00:50:41.10
In the garden and on the
cross, Jesus drank the cup of
00:50:41.67\00:50:45.84
the wrath of
God without mixture?
00:50:45.87\00:50:48.11
Is that true?
00:50:48.38\00:50:49.71
John 18:11 Jesus
speaks about drinking the cup
00:50:50.88\00:50:55.62
that His Father has given Him.
00:50:55.65\00:50:57.62
He drank it for how many people?
00:50:58.85\00:51:00.69
For every person
who has ever lived.
00:51:01.49\00:51:03.89
Those who receive
Jesus as personal Savior,
00:51:04.43\00:51:07.16
those who claim the
life and the death of Christ,
00:51:07.20\00:51:11.37
will not have to
drink the cup because
00:51:11.40\00:51:13.70
Christ drank the cup for them.
00:51:13.74\00:51:16.07
However, those who
reject the cross of Jesus,
00:51:17.17\00:51:20.01
they reject Christ, they
reject His drinking the cup
00:51:20.04\00:51:23.04
in their place, will
have to drink their own cup
00:51:23.08\00:51:27.65
of the wrath of God
without mixture of mercy.
00:51:28.02\00:51:32.25
The final page.
00:51:34.06\00:51:35.39
Now if Ellen White
quotes Revelation 6:12-13 in,
00:51:35.42\00:51:39.19
Great
Controversy, pages 303 and 333,
00:51:39.23\00:51:42.23
and then quotes
Revelation 6:14-17
00:51:42.86\00:51:45.83
in, Great
Controversy, pages 641-642,
00:51:46.03\00:51:48.97
then the sealing must take place
in between these two periods.
00:51:49.74\00:51:53.38
And this is exactly the case.
00:51:53.41\00:51:55.04
So we know where the
interlude fits, right?
00:51:55.08\00:51:57.75
It's the final sealing
of those who are alive.
00:51:58.31\00:52:01.32
It is interesting to
study the sequence of chapters
00:52:02.25\00:52:06.59
between pages 304 and 641.
00:52:06.62\00:52:09.62
Because wouldn't we expect
the interlude to be between
00:52:09.92\00:52:12.89
page 333 and page 641?
00:52:12.93\00:52:16.40
Would we expect that
Revelation 7 interlude
00:52:16.43\00:52:19.03
to fit in there somewhere?
00:52:19.07\00:52:20.40
Absolutely.
00:52:20.67\00:52:22.00
So what do we find in
those chapters in between?
00:52:22.04\00:52:24.97
Well, Ellen White
portrays William Miller.
00:52:25.81\00:52:30.21
What did
William Miller announce?
00:52:31.25\00:52:32.95
The hour of His judgment.
00:52:33.95\00:52:35.52
We have chapters on
the three angels' messages,
00:52:36.38\00:52:38.92
Jesus' work in
the Most Holy Place,
00:52:39.49\00:52:41.89
the sealing, the
close of probation,
00:52:42.19\00:52:44.93
and the time of trouble.
00:52:45.13\00:52:46.73
And then she expounds upon
the last part of the sixth seal
00:52:47.23\00:52:50.07
in, Great
Controversy, pages 641-642.
00:52:50.27\00:52:53.47
So if you want to know
everything that's going to
00:52:53.50\00:52:55.34
happen between
pages 333 and page 641,
00:52:55.37\00:53:00.14
all you have to do is
study the chapters in between
00:53:00.18\00:53:02.74
and you'll get the full picture.
00:53:02.78\00:53:04.35
Thus, we must study the
fifth and sixth seals together.
00:53:05.81\00:53:09.18
The sixth seal answers
the pleas of the two groups
00:53:09.65\00:53:13.09
of martyrs in the fifth.
00:53:13.12\00:53:14.59
From 538 to 1798 God's martyrs
were crying out for justice.
00:53:15.02\00:53:19.73
God gave those white robes
and told them to rest a while
00:53:20.00\00:53:23.77
until the second group
of martyrs is complete.
00:53:23.80\00:53:26.30
In 1844, the process
of judging the little horn
00:53:26.77\00:53:30.11
and throwing out the
verdicts of human courts began.
00:53:30.77\00:53:34.18
The judgment began with
the dead who trusted in Jesus.
00:53:34.41\00:53:37.15
Including the
martyrs, of course.
00:53:37.18\00:53:39.01
Then the judgment of
the living will take place
00:53:39.21\00:53:41.22
at the very end of the judgment.
00:53:41.25\00:53:43.15
After God judges
the dead and the living,
00:53:43.35\00:53:45.29
He will destroy the
little horn at the second coming
00:53:45.69\00:53:48.62
and give His saints the kingdom.
00:53:49.36\00:53:51.06
Thus, God will have
judged the little horn
00:53:51.09\00:53:53.53
and avenged His people.
00:53:53.73\00:53:57.00
And then what
is going to happen?
00:53:57.50\00:53:59.13
Well, let's notice
the last paragraph.
00:53:59.53\00:54:01.74
Ellen White
quotes Revelation 7:9-17,
00:54:02.70\00:54:07.04
which speaks of the
great multitude which no one
00:54:07.34\00:54:09.78
can number, and
Revelation 14:1-5
00:54:09.81\00:54:13.88
in, Great Controversy,
pages 648, 649, and 665.
00:54:13.92\00:54:19.82
On page 646, those who overcame
receive from Jesus the crown,
00:54:20.66\00:54:27.36
the name, and the harp.
00:54:28.06\00:54:30.77
At this point, God's
people have joined Jesus where?
00:54:31.67\00:54:36.30
On the throne, as was
promised in Revelation 3:21.
00:54:36.60\00:54:40.68
Do you remember what
Revelation 3:21 said?
00:54:41.34\00:54:43.71
"To him who overcomes, I
will grant to sit with Me
00:54:44.45\00:54:49.65
on My throne, as I also overcame
00:54:49.68\00:54:52.05
and sat with My
Father on His throne."
00:54:52.32\00:54:54.19
So what is the
picture of the seals?
00:54:54.72\00:54:56.36
We still haven't
dealt with the seventh seal
00:54:56.39\00:54:58.39
except very briefly.
00:54:58.43\00:54:59.79
Basically, the seven
seals cover the period
00:55:00.90\00:55:05.00
from the inauguration of
Christ through the events that
00:55:05.40\00:55:10.97
take place in Christian history,
culminating with the sealing,
00:55:11.01\00:55:15.48
the time of trouble, and
the second coming of Christ.
00:55:16.75\00:55:20.12
And what's going to
happen with the overcomers?
00:55:20.58\00:55:22.85
Jesus came to
this earth, overcame,
00:55:23.82\00:55:27.16
sat with His
Father on His throne.
00:55:27.49\00:55:29.46
During the period
of the seven seals,
00:55:30.16\00:55:32.43
actually the first six seals,
what are God's people doing?
00:55:32.86\00:55:36.87
They're overcoming, right?
00:55:37.70\00:55:39.67
And then the great
multitude, it says,
00:55:40.27\00:55:43.14
will be there at the throne.
00:55:43.34\00:55:45.17
In other words, the
seven seals are the period
00:55:45.24\00:55:48.94
between the time when
we overcome and finally sit
00:55:48.98\00:55:54.72
with Jesus on His throne.
00:55:54.82\00:55:57.19
So, what do you think?
00:55:58.45\00:56:02.02
Do you understand the
seals a little bit better now?
00:56:02.89\00:56:05.19
You know, it's not just
a whole bunch of symbolism
00:56:06.19\00:56:09.33
that nobody can understand.
00:56:09.36\00:56:10.93
All we have to do
is look at the symbols,
00:56:11.17\00:56:14.10
we have to look at the context,
we have to compare other verses,
00:56:14.97\00:56:19.87
we have to look
at the structure,
00:56:20.48\00:56:22.48
the sequence of
events, in other words.
00:56:22.68\00:56:25.25
And then all of the
studies that we've done,
00:56:25.28\00:56:27.95
we put it all
together and we have a mosaic.
00:56:27.98\00:56:30.62
We have a
complete picture of exactly
00:56:30.92\00:56:33.76
what is going to transpire.
00:56:33.79\00:56:36.62
So the question is, who
is going to be able to stand?
00:56:37.13\00:56:43.40
Folks, it is time for
us to get serious about our
00:56:44.50\00:56:48.30
personal relationship
with the Lord Jesus.
00:56:48.34\00:56:50.54
It's time for us to
open the Scriptures and to
00:56:51.67\00:56:54.98
search the
Scriptures, not read them.
00:56:55.01\00:56:57.25
Yeah, reading is okay,
but search the Scriptures.
00:56:57.28\00:57:00.48
Feed ourselves with the Word.
00:57:00.68\00:57:03.12
Because the Word is bread.
00:57:03.15\00:57:04.69
Let the light come in so
that it can shine through us.
00:57:05.39\00:57:08.42
It's also time for us
to be a people of prayer.
00:57:09.46\00:57:12.26
You know, in
prayer we speak to Jesus,
00:57:13.43\00:57:15.86
and in the Bible
Jesus speaks to us.
00:57:15.90\00:57:17.83
And then it is also time for
us to get off our warm chairs
00:57:18.57\00:57:24.14
and start telling people
about the wonderful relationship
00:57:25.34\00:57:28.64
that we have with Jesus Christ.
00:57:28.68\00:57:30.38
And of course, we can't
tell people about a wonderful
00:57:31.18\00:57:33.25
relationship unless we have it.
00:57:33.28\00:57:35.18
And so we live, I
believe, in the last segments
00:57:36.05\00:57:40.26
of time, or of the
history of the world.
00:57:40.29\00:57:44.09
Things are happening
right and left which indicate
00:57:44.69\00:57:48.30
clearly that we are
in the very threshold
00:57:48.70\00:57:52.20
of the final events of
the book of Revelation.
00:57:52.53\00:57:54.80
So I trust that what
we've studied will be a benefit
00:57:54.84\00:57:58.01
and an inspiration to us
so that we will form this
00:57:58.04\00:58:02.58
deep profound
relationship with Jesus.
00:58:02.61\00:58:05.81