We are going to begin our presentation 00:00:17.55\00:00:20.42 for this afternoon. 00:00:20.45\00:00:22.62 Should I start? 00:00:22.65\00:00:23.99 All right, very good. 00:00:28.72\00:00:31.46 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 00:00:31.49\00:00:34.43 Father in heaven, we come before You once again, 00:00:34.46\00:00:36.43 as we've done several times before, 00:00:36.46\00:00:40.07 to ask that You will be with us in our study this afternoon. 00:00:40.10\00:00:44.24 Not only the two this afternoon, 00:00:44.27\00:00:45.97 but the one this evening as well. 00:00:46.01\00:00:48.48 We ask that You will give us clarity of thought, 00:00:48.51\00:00:52.31 because we've had lunch 00:00:52.35\00:00:53.72 and perhaps we're a little bit sleepy, 00:00:53.75\00:00:56.48 keep us awake and alert. 00:00:56.52\00:00:58.62 And we thank You for the promise 00:00:58.65\00:00:59.99 of Your presence. 00:01:00.02\00:01:01.56 And we claim that promise in the name of Jesus. 00:01:01.59\00:01:04.53 Amen. 00:01:04.56\00:01:06.70 All right, we're going to begin on page 315. 00:01:06.73\00:01:11.77 The Seventh Seal 00:01:11.80\00:01:14.14 Silence in Heaven. 00:01:14.17\00:01:18.21 And I've already alluded to this. 00:01:18.24\00:01:21.24 So I think you know what the seventh seal is, 00:01:21.28\00:01:23.65 but we want to study several things 00:01:23.68\00:01:25.68 relating to the period of the seventh seal. 00:01:25.71\00:01:30.09 The description of the seventh seal 00:01:30.12\00:01:32.79 is the shortest of all. 00:01:32.82\00:01:37.23 It speaks about half an hour of silence in heaven. 00:01:37.26\00:01:42.50 Now, there's been some discussion 00:01:42.53\00:01:44.10 among Seventh-day Adventist theologians 00:01:44.13\00:01:46.00 about the meaning of this approximately 00:01:46.03\00:01:50.24 half an hour. 00:01:50.27\00:01:51.94 A half hour in symbolic time 00:01:51.97\00:01:55.41 would be equivalent to about seven and a half days. 00:01:55.44\00:01:59.58 Some interpreters round off the seven and a half to seven. 00:01:59.61\00:02:03.69 And they affirm that the Second Coming of Jesus 00:02:03.72\00:02:06.15 will take seven days from beginning to end. 00:02:06.19\00:02:10.33 The silence, presumably, 00:02:10.36\00:02:12.16 will be because heaven is empty. 00:02:12.19\00:02:14.56 And everybody has come. 00:02:14.60\00:02:16.16 The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the angels, 00:02:16.20\00:02:18.67 everybody has come down to the earth. 00:02:18.70\00:02:20.27 So, supposedly, heaven is empty. 00:02:20.30\00:02:23.51 Although Ellen White never stated 00:02:23.54\00:02:25.77 that the Second Coming would take seven days, 00:02:25.81\00:02:28.88 she did write 00:02:28.91\00:02:30.35 that from the time that Jesus moved 00:02:30.38\00:02:32.31 from the Most Holy Place to the east, 00:02:32.35\00:02:35.32 there would be a period of several days, 00:02:35.35\00:02:38.79 or a number of days. 00:02:38.82\00:02:40.36 Let's read that statement. 00:02:40.39\00:02:42.02 It's found in Maranatha, page 287. 00:02:42.06\00:02:45.39 "And I saw a flaming cloud come where Jesus stood. 00:02:45.43\00:02:50.30 Then Jesus took His place on the cloud 00:02:50.33\00:02:53.10 that carried Him to the east, 00:02:53.13\00:02:55.47 where it first appeared to the saints on earth. 00:02:55.50\00:02:58.57 A small black cloud, 00:02:58.61\00:03:00.71 that was the sign of the Son of Man. 00:03:00.74\00:03:03.68 While the cloud was passing from the holiest to the east, 00:03:03.71\00:03:07.52 which took a number of days, 00:03:07.55\00:03:09.92 the synagogue of Satan worshiped 00:03:09.95\00:03:12.82 at the saints' feet." 00:03:12.85\00:03:14.69 So from the time that God utters His voice, 00:03:14.72\00:03:17.53 the 144,000 are delivered, 00:03:17.56\00:03:20.00 and there's a special resurrection, 00:03:20.03\00:03:22.40 Ellen White mentions that there is a number of days. 00:03:22.43\00:03:27.54 Other interpreters believe that the half hour 00:03:27.57\00:03:30.51 represents the seven days 00:03:30.54\00:03:32.97 that God's people will take to travel back 00:03:33.01\00:03:35.51 to heaven with Jesus 00:03:35.54\00:03:37.28 after the Second Coming. 00:03:37.31\00:03:39.51 And Ellen White does say that the trip to heaven 00:03:39.55\00:03:42.48 will take seven days. 00:03:42.52\00:03:43.99 In Early Writings, page 16, we find these words, 00:03:44.02\00:03:48.16 "We all entered the cloud together, 00:03:48.19\00:03:51.23 and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, 00:03:51.26\00:03:56.26 when Jesus brought the crowns 00:03:56.30\00:03:58.50 and with His own right hand placed them on our heads. 00:03:58.53\00:04:02.37 He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory." 00:04:02.40\00:04:06.88 So this indicates that the Feast of Tabernacles 00:04:06.91\00:04:09.91 is going to be celebrated in heaven. 00:04:09.94\00:04:11.71 You're dealing with palm branches here. 00:04:11.75\00:04:13.82 Leviticus 23:40, 00:04:13.85\00:04:15.38 mentions palm branches in connection 00:04:15.42\00:04:17.29 with the Feast of Tabernacles. 00:04:17.32\00:04:20.46 Now, this cannot be correct either. 00:04:20.49\00:04:23.66 Because the trip back to heaven 00:04:23.69\00:04:25.89 is not going to be a silent event. 00:04:25.93\00:04:27.93 It is going to be pretty noisy. 00:04:27.96\00:04:30.57 Great Controversy 645 speaks about 00:04:30.60\00:04:33.20 the journey back to heaven, 00:04:33.23\00:04:34.80 which takes seven days. 00:04:34.84\00:04:36.81 "On each side of the cloudy chariot, 00:04:36.84\00:04:38.84 are wings 00:04:38.87\00:04:40.38 and beneath it are living wheels. 00:04:40.41\00:04:45.25 And as the chariot rolls upward, 00:04:45.28\00:04:47.22 the wheels cry holy, 00:04:47.25\00:04:49.52 and the wings as they move, cry, holy 00:04:49.55\00:04:52.99 and the retinue of angels 00:04:53.02\00:04:54.59 cry holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. 00:04:54.62\00:04:59.39 And the redeemed shout, hallelujah, 00:04:59.43\00:05:02.50 as the chariot moves onward 00:05:02.53\00:05:04.37 toward the New Jerusalem." 00:05:04.40\00:05:05.73 Pretty noisy event, isn't it? 00:05:05.77\00:05:07.44 So, it couldn't be silence in heaven 00:05:07.47\00:05:09.27 for these seven days 00:05:09.30\00:05:11.17 because there's going to be lots of singing 00:05:11.21\00:05:13.24 and celebrating. 00:05:13.27\00:05:15.64 So, neither of these interpretations 00:05:15.68\00:05:17.78 is satisfactory. 00:05:17.81\00:05:19.85 When it comes to prophetic time, 00:05:19.88\00:05:21.42 God does not deal in approximations. 00:05:21.45\00:05:24.65 Whenever He reveals a prophetic period of time, 00:05:24.69\00:05:28.76 it is precise. 00:05:28.79\00:05:30.93 What then is the meaning of the about a half an hour? 00:05:30.96\00:05:36.16 The Spirit of Prophecy provides us 00:05:36.20\00:05:38.33 what I believe to be the definitive meaning. 00:05:38.37\00:05:42.34 The silence in heaven 00:05:42.37\00:05:44.41 must bear some relationship to the question 00:05:44.44\00:05:48.44 in the last part of the sixth seal. 00:05:48.48\00:05:50.35 What is the last part of the sixth seal? 00:05:50.38\00:05:51.95 What is the question? 00:05:51.98\00:05:53.65 The great day of His wrath has come, 00:05:53.68\00:05:55.82 and who shall be able to stand? 00:05:55.85\00:05:57.29 That's immediately before the seventh seal, right? 00:05:57.32\00:06:00.46 The second part of the sixth seal 00:06:00.49\00:06:02.96 is the avenging portion of the fifth seal. 00:06:02.99\00:06:05.69 We've dealt with this before. 00:06:05.73\00:06:07.60 "Now, God will turn the tables on those who oppressed, 00:06:07.63\00:06:11.40 persecuted, and killed His people. 00:06:11.43\00:06:14.67 As Jesus descends from heaven, the living saints, 00:06:14.70\00:06:18.24 along with those who died in the faith 00:06:18.27\00:06:20.51 of the third angel's message, 00:06:20.54\00:06:22.48 ask the question, 00:06:22.51\00:06:24.35 "Who shall be able to stand? 00:06:24.38\00:06:27.22 Following the question, 00:06:27.25\00:06:29.12 there is a period of awful silence in heaven." 00:06:29.15\00:06:33.49 Are you seeing the connection? 00:06:33.52\00:06:34.86 They asked the question, Revelation 6:17, 00:06:34.89\00:06:37.76 and then you have this period of awful silence. 00:06:37.79\00:06:42.73 Now, I believe that this period of awful silence, 00:06:42.76\00:06:45.27 we don't apply the year day principle 00:06:45.30\00:06:47.74 to the almost half an hour. 00:06:47.77\00:06:50.11 It is literal at this point. 00:06:50.14\00:06:53.48 So, it's a short period. 00:06:53.51\00:06:55.91 It's not a super long period, 00:06:55.94\00:06:57.65 seven days that God's people have to wait for the answer. 00:06:57.68\00:07:00.82 Notice how Ellen White describes this moment 00:07:00.85\00:07:03.25 of the awful silence in heaven. 00:07:03.28\00:07:04.62 Great Controversy, 641, "Before His presence, 00:07:04.65\00:07:08.26 all faces are turned into paleness, 00:07:08.29\00:07:11.06 upon the rejecters of God's mercy 00:07:11.09\00:07:13.19 falls the terror of eternal despair. 00:07:13.23\00:07:16.26 The heart melteth and the knees smite together 00:07:16.30\00:07:19.10 and the faces of them all gather blackness." 00:07:19.13\00:07:22.70 And, of course, those come from Jeremiah 36, 00:07:22.74\00:07:25.11 in the Book of Nahum 2:10. 00:07:25.14\00:07:27.84 "The righteous cry with trembling: 00:07:27.88\00:07:30.85 'Who shall be able to stand?'" 00:07:30.88\00:07:32.35 This is happening 00:07:32.38\00:07:33.72 during the Second Coming, right? 00:07:33.75\00:07:35.08 Jesus is on the way. 00:07:35.12\00:07:36.45 "Who shall be able to stand? 00:07:36.48\00:07:38.79 The angels' song is hushed, 00:07:38.82\00:07:42.06 and there is a period of," what? 00:07:42.09\00:07:45.23 "Of awful silence." 00:07:45.26\00:07:47.60 That's the seventh seal. 00:07:47.63\00:07:49.86 "Then the voice of Jesus is heard saying: 00:07:49.90\00:07:52.57 'My grace is sufficient for you.' 00:07:52.60\00:07:55.50 The faces of the righteous are lighted up, 00:07:55.54\00:07:57.87 and joy feels every heart 00:07:57.91\00:07:59.91 and the angels strike a lot higher and sing again, 00:07:59.94\00:08:03.01 as they draw still nearer to the earth."' 00:08:03.04\00:08:06.51 And then a little bit later on, 00:08:06.55\00:08:08.28 the wicked will ask the same question. 00:08:08.32\00:08:10.99 But the celebration is taking place already, 00:08:11.02\00:08:13.36 the angels and the redeemed are singing the song. 00:08:13.39\00:08:17.13 We find in Great Controversy, 642, the very next page, 00:08:17.16\00:08:22.00 "The derisive jests have ceased, 00:08:22.03\00:08:25.70 lying lips are hushed into silence. 00:08:25.73\00:08:29.67 The clash of arms, the tumult of battle 00:08:29.70\00:08:33.54 with confused noise 00:08:33.58\00:08:34.91 and garments rolled in blood is stilled." 00:08:34.94\00:08:38.25 Do you notice also, 00:08:38.28\00:08:39.85 that the wicked are going to be in silence? 00:08:39.88\00:08:42.62 The righteous are singing 00:08:42.65\00:08:43.99 according to what we just noticed, 00:08:44.02\00:08:45.35 but the wicked, it says they're hushed into silence, 00:08:45.39\00:08:48.42 and they are stilled. 00:08:48.46\00:08:51.19 "Not now is heard, 00:08:51.23\00:08:53.13 but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping 00:08:53.16\00:08:55.63 and lamentation. 00:08:55.66\00:08:57.17 The cry bursts forth from lips so lately scoffing: 00:08:57.20\00:09:01.44 'The great day of His wrath is come, 00:09:01.47\00:09:03.44 and who shall be able to stand?' 00:09:03.47\00:09:05.97 The wicked pray to be buried beneath the rocks 00:09:06.01\00:09:08.28 of the mountains 00:09:08.31\00:09:09.64 rather than meet the face of Him, 00:09:09.68\00:09:11.61 whom they have despised and rejected." 00:09:11.65\00:09:14.02 Is this an allusion to the last part 00:09:14.05\00:09:16.08 of the sixth seal? 00:09:16.12\00:09:17.72 Yes or no? 00:09:17.75\00:09:19.42 Where it says here 00:09:19.45\00:09:20.79 that they want to be buried beneath 00:09:20.82\00:09:24.03 the rocks at the mountains? 00:09:24.06\00:09:25.89 Yes, that's a description of the second part 00:09:25.93\00:09:28.73 of the sixth seal. 00:09:28.76\00:09:30.57 Notice that the question, "Who shall be able to stand," 00:09:30.60\00:09:33.87 is followed immediately by an awful silence in heaven. 00:09:33.90\00:09:38.44 Who can miss the fact that this is a commentary 00:09:38.47\00:09:41.21 on Revelation 6:17 and Revelation 8:1? 00:09:41.24\00:09:45.28 The question at the end of the sixth seal 00:09:45.31\00:09:48.48 is followed by silence in heaven in the seventh. 00:09:48.52\00:09:52.49 In a previous section, 00:09:52.52\00:09:53.86 we noticed several Biblical passages 00:09:53.89\00:09:56.19 where the same question appears, 00:09:56.22\00:09:58.36 followed by a description of the sterling character 00:09:58.39\00:10:01.76 of the righteous. 00:10:01.80\00:10:04.33 Now, we need to go back to something that we looked at 00:10:04.37\00:10:07.84 at the very beginning of our study together, 00:10:07.87\00:10:11.37 when we dealt with the introductory vision. 00:10:11.41\00:10:14.21 And that is the unfurling of the scroll 00:10:14.24\00:10:17.81 that is mentioned in the right hand 00:10:17.85\00:10:20.45 of the one who is sitting on the throne. 00:10:20.48\00:10:23.52 This is going to take us 00:10:23.55\00:10:24.99 beyond the second coming of Christ, 00:10:25.02\00:10:27.56 because the breaking of the seventh seal 00:10:27.59\00:10:30.26 is not necessarily the unfurling of the scroll. 00:10:30.29\00:10:33.06 Are you with me or not? 00:10:33.09\00:10:34.73 So, you have you have this awful silence in heaven. 00:10:34.76\00:10:38.03 That's the breaking of the seventh seal. 00:10:38.07\00:10:40.17 But now, we're going to look at the unfurling of the scroll, 00:10:40.20\00:10:43.44 which takes place 00:10:43.47\00:10:44.81 after the seventh seal is broken. 00:10:44.84\00:10:47.74 So, what period is being pointed out here? 00:10:47.78\00:10:51.35 We've already noticed this 00:10:51.38\00:10:52.71 when we studied the introductory vision. 00:10:52.75\00:10:54.52 The unfurling of the scroll takes place 00:10:54.55\00:10:58.45 after the 1000 years. 00:10:58.49\00:11:00.99 So, it's after the seventh seal is broken 00:11:01.02\00:11:03.63 at the Second Coming. 00:11:03.66\00:11:05.23 Now let's take a look at this. 00:11:05.26\00:11:07.90 On our next page, page 318, 00:11:07.93\00:11:11.23 we're going to notice the unfurling of the scroll 00:11:11.27\00:11:13.70 of Revelation 5 00:11:13.74\00:11:15.50 has to do with post-millennial events. 00:11:15.54\00:11:18.97 At this stage, the lion of the tribe of Judah 00:11:19.01\00:11:22.28 will unfurl the scroll 00:11:22.31\00:11:24.68 to reveal the doom of the wicked. 00:11:24.71\00:11:29.08 The Great Controversy, page 666 and forward, 00:11:29.12\00:11:33.69 describes the white throne judgment. 00:11:33.72\00:11:36.76 Jesus is sitting on this white throne 00:11:36.79\00:11:39.23 above the holy city. 00:11:39.26\00:11:41.13 "As all nations are before the judgment bar of God, 00:11:41.16\00:11:45.40 the scroll is finally opened before the entire universe. 00:11:45.43\00:11:50.94 And every tongue will confess, 00:11:50.97\00:11:53.51 and every knee will bow to the supremacy of Jesus." 00:11:53.54\00:11:58.08 Great Controversy 668 and 669, 00:11:58.11\00:12:01.45 as well as Philippians 2, 00:12:01.48\00:12:03.22 have you ever read where it says 00:12:03.25\00:12:04.59 that every knee will bow 00:12:04.62\00:12:05.95 and every tongue confess 00:12:05.99\00:12:07.82 that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father? 00:12:07.86\00:12:11.56 Well, that was fulfilled, 00:12:11.59\00:12:13.40 you know, when Jesus went to heaven, partially. 00:12:13.43\00:12:16.26 But if you read Philippians 2, it says 00:12:16.30\00:12:18.50 everybody in heaven and on earth, 00:12:18.53\00:12:20.60 and under the earth is singing this song 00:12:20.64\00:12:23.17 of Philippians Chapter 2. 00:12:23.20\00:12:24.77 And by the way, the original source 00:12:24.81\00:12:27.18 for Philippians 2:5-11 is found in Isaiah 45:23, 00:12:27.21\00:12:31.58 which is in a judgment context of the nations. 00:12:31.61\00:12:35.38 So, this is the time 00:12:35.42\00:12:37.22 that God is going to open up the records, 00:12:37.25\00:12:39.25 and He's going to show the wicked 00:12:39.29\00:12:40.62 why they were lost. 00:12:40.66\00:12:43.66 In Great Controversy, 671, 00:12:43.69\00:12:46.59 the white robed throne that is before the throne, 00:12:46.63\00:12:49.36 sings the song of Revelation 5:12. 00:12:49.40\00:12:52.33 I want you to catch this point now. 00:12:52.37\00:12:54.07 Do you remember that in the introductory vision, 00:12:54.10\00:12:56.84 we have the song of the angels, which is Revelation 5:12, 00:12:56.87\00:13:01.48 and Revelation 5:13? 00:13:01.51\00:13:03.78 Remember, we mentioned that? 00:13:03.81\00:13:05.35 Does that totally and completely 00:13:05.38\00:13:06.92 fulfill those verses 00:13:06.95\00:13:08.48 during the introductory vision? 00:13:08.52\00:13:10.12 No. 00:13:10.15\00:13:11.49 Because if you notice Revelation Chapter 5, 00:13:11.52\00:13:14.06 and let's go there for a moment, 00:13:14.09\00:13:15.49 Revelation 5:12-13. 00:13:15.52\00:13:18.73 It wasn't fully fulfilled back then. 00:13:18.76\00:13:20.93 In other words, it was partially fulfilled, 00:13:20.96\00:13:23.23 and it will be fulfilled completely 00:13:23.26\00:13:26.13 at the time 00:13:26.17\00:13:27.50 after the millennium. 00:13:27.54\00:13:28.87 It says there in Revelation 5:12, 00:13:28.90\00:13:34.31 let's read verse 11, for the context, 00:13:34.34\00:13:36.41 "Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels 00:13:36.44\00:13:38.71 around the throne, 00:13:38.75\00:13:40.08 and the living creatures, 00:13:40.12\00:13:41.45 and the elders, 00:13:41.48\00:13:42.82 and the number of them 00:13:42.85\00:13:44.19 was ten thousand times ten thousand, 00:13:44.22\00:13:46.35 and thousands of thousands, 00:13:46.39\00:13:48.72 saying with a loud voice: 00:13:48.76\00:13:50.86 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, 00:13:50.89\00:13:52.99 to receive power and riches and wisdom 00:13:53.03\00:13:55.43 and strength in honor and glory and blessing." 00:13:55.46\00:13:58.87 And then verse 13, "And every creature 00:13:58.90\00:14:02.07 which is in heaven and on earth 00:14:02.10\00:14:04.64 and under the earth and such as are in the sea, 00:14:04.67\00:14:08.54 and all that are in them, I heard saying, 00:14:08.58\00:14:11.58 'Blessing and honor and glory and power 00:14:11.61\00:14:16.95 be to Him who sits on the throne, 00:14:16.99\00:14:19.12 and to the Lamb forever and ever!"' 00:14:19.15\00:14:22.52 Was that fully and completely fulfilled 00:14:22.56\00:14:25.16 during the introductory vision, 00:14:25.19\00:14:26.59 where everyone in the universe is singing these songs? 00:14:26.63\00:14:31.20 No. 00:14:31.23\00:14:32.57 That's why Ellen White, here, on page 671, 00:14:32.60\00:14:36.17 she once again quotes Revelation 5:12 and 13, 00:14:36.20\00:14:40.98 to describe the song that is sung 00:14:41.01\00:14:43.58 after the millennium, 00:14:43.61\00:14:45.18 because now all of creation is going to sing. 00:14:45.21\00:14:48.28 The fullest fulfillment of these verses 00:14:48.32\00:14:51.69 that were mentioned in the introductory vision. 00:14:51.72\00:14:54.46 So, this is the moment toward which Revelation 5:12 and 13 00:14:54.49\00:14:59.13 pointed in the introductory vision. 00:14:59.16\00:15:01.90 And, of course, here, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 00:15:01.93\00:15:05.70 will be finally consummated. 00:15:05.73\00:15:09.07 Of course, the big question is this, 00:15:09.10\00:15:10.84 what does the sealed book contain? 00:15:10.87\00:15:13.68 And why would it be so catastrophic 00:15:13.71\00:15:15.68 for the book to remain sealed? 00:15:15.71\00:15:18.15 Well, as I mentioned, 00:15:18.18\00:15:20.92 when we talked about the introductory vision, 00:15:20.95\00:15:23.49 this scroll contains the last will 00:15:23.52\00:15:28.72 and testament of the human race. 00:15:28.76\00:15:30.93 Adam was the king of planet Earth. 00:15:30.96\00:15:33.90 And this was his territory. 00:15:33.93\00:15:36.06 He lost to Satan. 00:15:36.10\00:15:38.33 It was necessary for Jesus to pay a price to buy it back, 00:15:38.37\00:15:42.90 so that He could eventually give it back to Adam, 00:15:42.94\00:15:46.04 and all of his descendants. 00:15:46.07\00:15:48.01 And, of course, what the scroll reveals 00:15:48.04\00:15:51.18 is who has a right to inherit what Adam lost? 00:15:51.21\00:15:56.52 Who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ 00:15:56.55\00:15:59.62 that actually paid the ransom 00:15:59.65\00:16:01.72 for the sin of the human race? 00:16:01.76\00:16:05.76 I want you to notice on page 319, 00:16:05.79\00:16:08.13 we're not going to read all of these statements again. 00:16:08.16\00:16:10.90 But I want to read the one at the foot of page 319. 00:16:10.93\00:16:15.00 "A will, according to the Praetorian Testament, 00:16:15.04\00:16:18.97 in Roman law, bore the seven seals 00:16:19.01\00:16:22.21 of the seven witnesses on the threads 00:16:22.24\00:16:24.61 that secured the tablets or parchment. 00:16:24.65\00:16:27.88 Such a testament 00:16:27.92\00:16:29.25 could not be carried into execution 00:16:29.28\00:16:32.12 till all the seven seals were loosed." 00:16:32.15\00:16:35.49 Now, let's stop there for a moment. 00:16:35.52\00:16:36.99 Let me ask you this. 00:16:37.03\00:16:38.46 Can just anyone open a will, unseal a will? 00:16:38.49\00:16:43.93 Or is there someone who is worthy to unseal a will? 00:16:43.97\00:16:49.67 There's somebody who has been delegated, 00:16:49.70\00:16:52.37 that has been given the responsibility to remove, 00:16:52.41\00:16:56.31 so to speak, the seal from the will, 00:16:56.34\00:16:59.11 so that the will will reveal 00:16:59.15\00:17:01.32 who inherits and what they inherit. 00:17:01.35\00:17:05.15 That's what you have in the scroll. 00:17:05.19\00:17:07.56 God's people, of course, are in heaven at this point, 00:17:07.59\00:17:10.56 they came back to the earth, 00:17:10.59\00:17:12.23 and they have inherited what Adam lost. 00:17:12.26\00:17:15.43 But now, God is going to show the wicked, 00:17:15.46\00:17:17.73 the reason why they did not get the inheritance that Adam lost. 00:17:17.77\00:17:23.07 I want you to notice also a couple of statements 00:17:23.10\00:17:26.31 on the next page, page 320. 00:17:26.34\00:17:29.28 "The central item, the seven sealed scroll, 00:17:29.31\00:17:33.55 portrays a will or testament, 00:17:33.58\00:17:36.69 for that is precisely what such a seven seal document 00:17:36.72\00:17:40.32 was in Roman law in John's day." 00:17:40.36\00:17:43.96 We find then, 00:17:43.99\00:17:45.33 that the picture we have here, 00:17:45.36\00:17:47.76 we have in the subdivision of Revelation 4:1 through 8:1, 00:17:47.80\00:17:52.60 is a court scene 00:17:52.63\00:17:54.74 in which a will or testament is to be opened. 00:17:54.77\00:17:58.44 In the context of Revelation, 00:17:58.47\00:18:00.58 this will or testament will be a title deed, 00:18:00.61\00:18:04.71 as it were to man's lost inheritance. 00:18:04.75\00:18:08.38 An inheritance that has been repurchased by Christ, 00:18:08.42\00:18:12.69 the Lamb. 00:18:12.72\00:18:14.12 Thus, the scroll is a book of destiny. 00:18:14.16\00:18:16.96 The opening of it means inheritance 00:18:16.99\00:18:19.39 in God's kingdom. 00:18:19.43\00:18:20.96 Its remaining closed means forfeiture. 00:18:21.00\00:18:24.43 No wonder John wept when he thought 00:18:24.47\00:18:27.00 no one could open the scroll. 00:18:27.04\00:18:28.80 Are you catching the picture? 00:18:28.84\00:18:30.84 This is the will and testament of the human race. 00:18:30.87\00:18:33.74 What would happen if this scroll remained sealed? 00:18:33.78\00:18:38.61 No one would inherit. 00:18:38.65\00:18:41.02 Now, let's notice also two statements 00:18:41.05\00:18:43.22 from Ellen White. 00:18:43.25\00:18:45.22 "There in His open hand," 00:18:45.25\00:18:46.65 she clearly says that this scroll contains 00:18:46.69\00:18:49.12 the whole history of the world, 00:18:49.16\00:18:50.49 every decision that everyone made, 00:18:50.53\00:18:52.19 that every nation made. 00:18:52.23\00:18:54.43 "There in His open hand lay the book, 00:18:54.46\00:18:56.63 the roll of the history of God's providences, 00:18:56.67\00:18:59.33 the prophetic history of nations and the church. 00:18:59.37\00:19:02.94 Herein what's contained the divine utterances, 00:19:02.97\00:19:05.81 His authority, His commandments, His laws, 00:19:05.84\00:19:08.88 the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, 00:19:08.91\00:19:11.78 and the history of all ruling powers 00:19:11.81\00:19:15.05 in the nations. 00:19:15.08\00:19:16.45 In symbolic language was contained in that roll 00:19:16.48\00:19:20.02 the influence of every nation, 00:19:20.06\00:19:22.96 tongue and people 00:19:22.99\00:19:24.76 from the beginning of earth's history 00:19:24.79\00:19:27.40 to its close." 00:19:27.43\00:19:30.50 So, what you have there 00:19:30.53\00:19:32.20 is the total history of the world 00:19:32.23\00:19:35.17 contained in the scroll. 00:19:35.20\00:19:37.67 Now, there's another statement by Ellen White 00:19:37.71\00:19:39.74 where she actually mentions one event 00:19:39.77\00:19:41.61 that was recorded in the scroll. 00:19:41.64\00:19:43.88 You know, this statement that we just read, 00:19:43.91\00:19:45.58 it's kind of just general. 00:19:45.61\00:19:46.95 It's the role of the history of God's providences, 00:19:46.98\00:19:49.32 it has a prophetic history of the nations and the church, 00:19:49.35\00:19:52.65 it has the history of all the ruling powers 00:19:52.69\00:19:54.29 of the nations, 00:19:54.32\00:19:55.66 it gives the history of the world 00:19:55.69\00:19:57.03 from beginning to end. 00:19:57.06\00:19:58.39 That's basically a general statement. 00:19:58.43\00:19:59.76 And now, she gives a statement 00:19:59.79\00:20:01.23 where she specifies a specific event 00:20:01.26\00:20:04.17 that was recorded in that scroll. 00:20:04.20\00:20:06.84 Christ's Object Lessons, page 294. 00:20:06.87\00:20:09.60 "Thus, the Jewish leaders made their choice." 00:20:09.64\00:20:11.74 That is when they said, 00:20:11.77\00:20:13.11 release unto us Barabbas and crucify Christ. 00:20:13.14\00:20:16.24 And we have no king but Caesar. 00:20:16.28\00:20:18.45 "Their decision was registered in the book 00:20:18.48\00:20:22.55 which John saw in the hand of Him 00:20:22.58\00:20:24.52 that sat upon the throne, 00:20:24.55\00:20:26.39 the book which no man could open. 00:20:26.42\00:20:29.36 In all its vindictiveness, 00:20:29.39\00:20:32.46 this decision will appear before them in the day 00:20:32.49\00:20:36.50 when this book is unsealed 00:20:36.53\00:20:38.50 by the lion of the tribe of Judah." 00:20:38.53\00:20:41.54 So, we have one historical event 00:20:41.57\00:20:43.37 that Ellen White mentions 00:20:43.41\00:20:44.77 that was written in the scroll, 00:20:44.81\00:20:46.94 that is going to be unsealed. 00:20:46.98\00:20:49.74 I like that word unsealed, that is going to be unsealed 00:20:49.78\00:20:53.88 after the millennium, 00:20:53.92\00:20:55.62 so that all of the wicked can see the reason 00:20:55.65\00:20:57.72 why they were lost. 00:20:57.75\00:21:00.02 Now, several important points emerge 00:21:00.06\00:21:01.99 from this statement of Ellen White. 00:21:02.02\00:21:04.16 Ellen White is writing about the year 1900. 00:21:04.19\00:21:06.93 That's when Christ's Object Lessons 00:21:06.96\00:21:08.30 was actually published. 00:21:08.33\00:21:10.07 It is clear that at this point, the scroll was still sealed. 00:21:10.10\00:21:13.17 Would you agree with that? 00:21:13.20\00:21:14.97 Because she says when the scroll will be open. 00:21:15.00\00:21:17.41 So, in other words, it wasn't open at this point. 00:21:17.44\00:21:20.08 Furthermore, in order for those who cried out 00:21:20.11\00:21:22.38 release unto us Barabbas, 00:21:22.41\00:21:24.05 to see the consequences of the decision 00:21:24.08\00:21:26.82 they made in the past, 00:21:26.85\00:21:28.28 they must what? 00:21:28.32\00:21:30.62 They have to be alive. 00:21:30.65\00:21:32.05 So, they have to what? 00:21:32.09\00:21:33.76 Resurrect. 00:21:33.79\00:21:35.12 When is it that all the wicked are going to resurrect? 00:21:35.16\00:21:38.66 After the millennium. 00:21:38.69\00:21:40.26 So, when is the scroll opened? 00:21:40.30\00:21:43.40 After the millennium. 00:21:43.43\00:21:46.00 Is that after the breaking of the seventh seal 00:21:46.03\00:21:48.17 after the silence in heaven? 00:21:48.20\00:21:50.21 It most certainly is. 00:21:50.24\00:21:52.21 This means that the scroll will remain sealed 00:21:52.24\00:21:55.18 until they resurrect in the second resurrection 00:21:55.21\00:21:58.25 after the millennium. 00:21:58.28\00:22:01.05 Now, I want us to notice a couple of verses, 00:22:01.08\00:22:03.55 two or three verses, in Revelation Chapter 20. 00:22:03.59\00:22:06.55 Do you know that Revelation Chapter 20 contains 00:22:06.59\00:22:11.73 both the millennial judgment 00:22:11.76\00:22:14.16 and the post-millennial judgment? 00:22:14.20\00:22:17.73 Do you realize that the books 00:22:17.77\00:22:19.33 will be opened during the 1000 years, 00:22:19.37\00:22:21.27 the scroll will be shown to God's people 00:22:21.30\00:22:23.64 during the 1000 years, 00:22:23.67\00:22:25.04 because we're going to see why the wicked were lost, 00:22:25.07\00:22:27.44 and we're going to dictate sentence, right? 00:22:27.48\00:22:29.58 "Judgment was committed to those," 00:22:29.61\00:22:31.78 it says in Revelation 20:4, 00:22:31.81\00:22:34.15 "Who were beheaded for the word of God, 00:22:34.18\00:22:35.78 the testimony of Jesus, 00:22:35.82\00:22:37.15 did not worship the beast or his image, 00:22:37.19\00:22:38.82 or received his mark." 00:22:38.85\00:22:40.39 So, there's a millennial judgment, 00:22:40.42\00:22:42.42 but there is also a post-millennial judgment 00:22:42.46\00:22:44.73 in Revelation Chapter 20. 00:22:44.76\00:22:46.09 Let's notice this, Revelation Chapter 20, 00:22:46.13\00:22:49.36 and let's read beginning with verse 11. 00:22:49.40\00:22:53.97 "Then I saw a great white throne 00:22:54.00\00:22:56.14 and Him who sat on it, 00:22:56.17\00:22:58.01 from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. 00:22:58.04\00:23:00.78 And there was found no place for them." 00:23:00.81\00:23:03.18 This is the Second Coming of Christ. 00:23:03.21\00:23:05.88 Do the heavens, you know, do they? 00:23:05.91\00:23:11.75 How would I say it? 00:23:11.79\00:23:13.12 Do they roll up like a scroll at the second coming of Christ? 00:23:13.15\00:23:17.79 Absolutely. 00:23:17.83\00:23:20.76 Is the earth found in its place? 00:23:20.80\00:23:22.93 No. 00:23:22.96\00:23:24.40 Verse 11, is describing the second coming of Christ. 00:23:24.43\00:23:27.87 By the way, when Jesus returns, does He return on a throne? 00:23:27.90\00:23:32.54 What does Revelation 6 say? 00:23:32.57\00:23:34.88 "Hide us from the one who is seated," where? 00:23:34.91\00:23:39.15 "On the throne." 00:23:39.18\00:23:41.15 So, in Revelation 19, He comes on a horse, 00:23:41.18\00:23:43.99 in Revelation Chapter 6, He comes on a throne. 00:23:44.02\00:23:47.06 So you say there's a contradiction there. 00:23:47.09\00:23:48.42 No, it's talking about function. 00:23:48.46\00:23:51.13 The horse means that Jesus 00:23:51.16\00:23:53.43 is a conquering general of the armies. 00:23:53.46\00:23:56.73 In Revelation Chapter 6, 00:23:56.77\00:23:58.13 it means that He is King of His kingdom. 00:23:58.17\00:24:00.57 Are you with me or not? 00:24:00.60\00:24:01.94 So, it's talking about function. 00:24:01.97\00:24:03.57 So, this, verse 11 is speaking about 00:24:03.61\00:24:05.81 the Second Coming of Christ. 00:24:05.84\00:24:07.34 And then verse 12 is referring to the millennial judgment. 00:24:07.38\00:24:11.58 "And I saw the dead," the what? 00:24:11.61\00:24:15.52 "The dead," which dead? 00:24:15.55\00:24:18.69 Well, has to be the lost 00:24:18.72\00:24:20.56 because all of the righteous dead 00:24:20.59\00:24:22.32 resurrected before the 1000 years. 00:24:22.36\00:24:24.79 So, it says that, "And I saw the dead, 00:24:24.83\00:24:26.16 small and great standing before God..." 00:24:26.19\00:24:28.00 How can dead people stand before God? 00:24:28.03\00:24:31.97 Through the records, that's right. 00:24:32.00\00:24:34.00 "And I saw the dead, small and great, 00:24:34.04\00:24:35.64 standing before God, 00:24:35.67\00:24:37.14 and books were opened. 00:24:37.17\00:24:39.67 And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. 00:24:39.71\00:24:42.94 And the dead," not those who are living, 00:24:42.98\00:24:45.18 but the dead were what? 00:24:45.21\00:24:47.32 "Were judged according to their works, 00:24:47.35\00:24:49.48 by the things which were written 00:24:49.52\00:24:50.99 in the books." 00:24:51.02\00:24:52.35 That is the millennial judgment. 00:24:52.39\00:24:54.56 But then I want you to notice in verse 13, 00:24:54.59\00:24:57.63 you have the books opened again. 00:24:57.66\00:24:59.76 But when they're opened again, the wicked have resurrected 00:24:59.79\00:25:03.03 after the 1000 years. 00:25:03.06\00:25:04.50 It says in verse 13, 00:25:04.53\00:25:05.97 "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, 00:25:06.00\00:25:08.60 and Death and Hades delivered up the dead 00:25:08.64\00:25:10.71 who were in them." 00:25:10.74\00:25:12.07 What does it mean that Death and Hades 00:25:12.11\00:25:13.48 delivered up the dead? 00:25:13.51\00:25:15.78 People are what? 00:25:15.81\00:25:17.15 The wicked are resurrecting. 00:25:17.18\00:25:18.71 And then it says, "And they were judged 00:25:18.75\00:25:21.32 each one according to his," what? 00:25:21.35\00:25:24.52 So, is there a post-millennial judgment also? 00:25:24.55\00:25:27.69 Absolutely. And then comes the punishment. 00:25:27.72\00:25:29.89 It says in verse 14, "Then Death and Hades 00:25:29.92\00:25:33.13 were cast into the lake of fire. 00:25:33.16\00:25:34.83 This is the second death." 00:25:34.86\00:25:36.20 And some people say, "Well, 00:25:36.23\00:25:37.57 why does the book of life come to view after the 1000 years?" 00:25:37.60\00:25:40.87 Well, it comes to view to show why the wicked weren't in it. 00:25:40.90\00:25:45.61 God is going to take the Book of Life, 00:25:45.64\00:25:47.48 He's going to say, "See, you're not in here. 00:25:47.51\00:25:49.81 Do you want to know why you're not in here? 00:25:49.84\00:25:51.51 Because of what's in the books, 00:25:51.55\00:25:53.38 because of what the panorama reveals." 00:25:53.42\00:25:55.98 And so, it says that, "Anyone not found written 00:25:56.02\00:25:58.25 in the Book of Life 00:25:58.29\00:25:59.79 was cast into the lake of fire." 00:25:59.82\00:26:03.73 Now, Ellen White describes this fantastic scene 00:26:03.76\00:26:07.76 after the 1000 years. 00:26:07.80\00:26:09.73 In Great Controversy, I've read this before, 00:26:09.76\00:26:11.87 but I think that we need to read it again 00:26:11.90\00:26:13.60 because now we're dealing with the seventh seal, 00:26:13.64\00:26:16.54 and it's been a while 00:26:16.57\00:26:17.91 since we dealt with the introductory vision. 00:26:17.94\00:26:19.64 So, Great Controversy, 00:26:19.67\00:26:21.98 page 666 to 669. 00:26:22.01\00:26:26.35 "Above the throne, 00:26:26.38\00:26:28.18 is revealed the cross and like a," what? 00:26:28.22\00:26:33.59 "Panoramic view," 00:26:33.62\00:26:35.12 and I've added in brackets and high death, 00:26:35.16\00:26:37.86 "Appear the scenes," where does that start? 00:26:37.89\00:26:41.33 "Appear the scenes," of what? 00:26:41.36\00:26:43.57 "Adam's temptation and fall," what else? 00:26:43.60\00:26:48.44 "And the successive steps 00:26:48.47\00:26:50.64 in the great plan of redemption." 00:26:50.67\00:26:53.61 Is that the whole history of the world? 00:26:53.64\00:26:55.54 Yes. 00:26:55.58\00:26:56.91 The Savior's lowly birth, now comes the list, 00:26:56.95\00:26:58.91 the Savior's lowly birth, 00:26:58.95\00:27:00.48 His early life of simplicity and obedience, 00:27:00.52\00:27:02.72 His baptism in the Jordan, 00:27:02.75\00:27:04.59 the fast and temptation in the wilderness, 00:27:04.62\00:27:06.72 His public ministry, 00:27:06.76\00:27:08.26 unfolding to men heaven's most precious blessings, 00:27:08.29\00:27:11.16 the day is crowded with deeds of love and mercy, 00:27:11.19\00:27:13.66 the nights of prayer 00:27:13.70\00:27:15.03 and watching in the solitude of the mountains, 00:27:15.06\00:27:17.03 the plotting of envy, hate and malice... 00:27:17.07\00:27:19.47 Which repaid His benefits, 00:27:24.31\00:27:26.31 the awful mysterious agony in Gethsemane, 00:27:26.34\00:27:28.74 beneath the crushing weight of the sins of the whole world, 00:27:28.78\00:27:31.71 His betrayal into the hands of the murderous mob, 00:27:31.75\00:27:34.75 the fearful events of that night of horror, 00:27:34.78\00:27:37.32 the unresisting prisoner, 00:27:37.35\00:27:38.89 forsaken by His best loved disciples, 00:27:38.92\00:27:41.19 rudely carried through the streets of Jerusalem, 00:27:41.22\00:27:43.66 the Son of God exultingly displayed before Annas, 00:27:43.69\00:27:46.59 arraigned in the high priest's palace, 00:27:46.63\00:27:48.80 in the judgment hall of Pilate, 00:27:48.83\00:27:50.60 before the cowardly and cruel Herod, 00:27:50.63\00:27:52.83 mocked, insulted, tortured and condemned to die. 00:27:52.87\00:27:56.17 All are what? 00:27:56.20\00:27:58.24 Vividly portrayed. 00:27:58.27\00:28:00.51 The movie. 00:28:00.54\00:28:01.88 Could wait to make a fantastic movie 00:28:04.81\00:28:07.28 out of all this? 00:28:07.32\00:28:09.75 Could we ever? 00:28:09.78\00:28:11.65 And it's not an imaginary thing, 00:28:11.69\00:28:14.36 it's what really happened, and what will really happen. 00:28:14.39\00:28:20.03 But that the life of Christ is... 00:28:20.06\00:28:22.26 Are they seeing the entire life of Christ? 00:28:22.30\00:28:24.50 Every detail? 00:28:24.53\00:28:25.97 Yes. 00:28:26.00\00:28:27.34 "And now before the swaying multitude 00:28:27.37\00:28:29.47 are revealed the final scenes: 00:28:29.50\00:28:31.34 the Patient Sufferer treading the path to Calvary, 00:28:31.37\00:28:34.64 the Prince of heaven hanging upon the cross, 00:28:34.68\00:28:37.05 the haughty priests and the jeering rabble 00:28:37.08\00:28:39.45 deriding his expiring agony, 00:28:39.48\00:28:41.65 the supernatural darkness, the heaving earth, 00:28:41.68\00:28:43.99 the rent rocks, the open graves, 00:28:44.02\00:28:45.95 marking the moment when the world's Redeemer 00:28:45.99\00:28:48.06 yielded up His life. 00:28:48.09\00:28:49.82 The awful spectacle appears just as it was. 00:28:49.86\00:28:55.10 What kind of technology are we talking about here? 00:28:55.13\00:28:58.53 Satan, his angels, 00:28:58.57\00:28:59.90 and his subjects have no power to turn 00:28:59.93\00:29:02.57 from the picture of their own work. 00:29:02.60\00:29:04.41 Each actor recalls the part that he performed. 00:29:04.44\00:29:08.24 Herod, who slew 00:29:08.28\00:29:09.61 the innocent children of Bethlehem 00:29:09.64\00:29:11.45 that he might destroy the King of Israel, 00:29:11.48\00:29:13.45 the base Herodias, 00:29:13.48\00:29:14.98 upon whose guilty soul rests the blood of John the Baptist, 00:29:15.02\00:29:18.75 the weak, time-serving Pilate, 00:29:18.79\00:29:20.99 the mocking soldiers, 00:29:21.02\00:29:22.66 the priests and rulers 00:29:22.69\00:29:24.16 and the maddened throng who cried, 00:29:24.19\00:29:25.99 'His blood be on us, and our children!' 00:29:26.03\00:29:28.46 All behold the enormity of their guilt. 00:29:28.50\00:29:31.27 They vainly seek to hide 00:29:31.30\00:29:32.80 from the divine majesty of His countenance, 00:29:32.83\00:29:35.24 outshining the glory of the sun, 00:29:35.27\00:29:37.24 while the redeemed cast their crowns 00:29:37.27\00:29:39.67 at the Savior's feet, 00:29:39.71\00:29:41.04 exclaiming, "He died for me!'" 00:29:41.08\00:29:44.51 So, then, Ellen White turns to the period of the apostles, 00:29:44.55\00:29:48.78 "Amid the ransomed throng are the apostles of Christ, 00:29:48.82\00:29:51.75 the heroic Paul, the ardent Peter, 00:29:51.79\00:29:54.96 the loved and loving John, 00:29:54.99\00:29:56.83 and their true-hearted brethren, 00:29:56.86\00:29:58.66 and with them the vast host of martyrs, 00:29:58.69\00:30:01.33 while outside the walls, 00:30:01.36\00:30:03.40 with every vile and abominable thing, 00:30:03.43\00:30:06.10 are those by whom they were persecuted, 00:30:06.13\00:30:08.34 imprisoned, and slain." 00:30:08.37\00:30:10.54 So, you have kind of a reversal, 00:30:10.57\00:30:12.21 don't you here? 00:30:12.24\00:30:14.01 "There is Nero, 00:30:14.04\00:30:15.71 that monster of cruelty and vice, 00:30:15.74\00:30:18.18 beholding the joy and exaltation of those 00:30:18.21\00:30:21.35 whom he once tortured, 00:30:21.38\00:30:23.22 and in whose extremist agony he found satanic delight. 00:30:23.25\00:30:27.86 His mother is there to witness the result of her own work, 00:30:27.89\00:30:31.79 to see how the evil stamp of character 00:30:31.83\00:30:34.30 transmitted to her son, 00:30:34.33\00:30:36.13 the passions encouraged and developed 00:30:36.16\00:30:38.00 by her influence and example, 00:30:38.03\00:30:39.97 have borne fruit in crimes 00:30:40.00\00:30:42.14 that caused the world to shudder." 00:30:42.17\00:30:44.14 Then she turns to the period of papal supremacy. 00:30:44.17\00:30:48.84 Are you following what the scroll contains? 00:30:48.88\00:30:52.58 "There are papist priests, and prelates, 00:30:52.61\00:30:56.28 who claimed to be Christ's ambassadors, 00:30:56.32\00:30:58.89 yet employed the rack, 00:30:58.92\00:31:00.49 the dungeon and the stake 00:31:00.52\00:31:02.49 to control the consciences of his people. 00:31:02.52\00:31:05.19 They are the proud pontiffs, 00:31:05.23\00:31:06.73 who exalted themselves above God, 00:31:06.76\00:31:09.46 and presumed to change the law of the Most High. 00:31:09.50\00:31:13.34 Those pretended fathers of the church 00:31:13.37\00:31:15.70 have an account to render to God, 00:31:15.74\00:31:18.47 from which they would feign be excused, too late. 00:31:18.51\00:31:22.44 They are made to see that the omniscient one 00:31:22.48\00:31:25.25 is jealous of His law, 00:31:25.28\00:31:26.88 and that He will in no wise clear the guilty. 00:31:26.92\00:31:29.98 They learn now that Christ identifies His interest 00:31:30.02\00:31:33.39 with that of His suffering people 00:31:33.42\00:31:35.42 in the field of force of His own words, 00:31:35.46\00:31:38.06 in as much as He hath done it 00:31:38.09\00:31:40.16 unto one of the least of these my brethren, 00:31:40.20\00:31:43.16 ye have done it unto me. 00:31:43.20\00:31:45.20 The whole wicked world, 00:31:45.23\00:31:46.77 stand arraigned at the bar of God, 00:31:46.80\00:31:50.84 on charge of," what? 00:31:50.87\00:31:52.67 "On charge of high treason 00:31:52.71\00:31:54.94 against the government of heaven, 00:31:54.98\00:31:56.81 they have none to plead their cause. 00:31:56.85\00:31:59.78 They are without excuse, 00:31:59.81\00:32:01.55 and the sentence of eternal death 00:32:01.58\00:32:04.25 is pronounced against them. 00:32:04.29\00:32:07.56 "Quite a vivid description, isn't it, 00:32:07.59\00:32:10.46 of the moment when the scroll is unfurled? 00:32:10.49\00:32:14.16 So, we've dealt with the entire sweep 00:32:14.20\00:32:17.03 of the seven seals. 00:32:17.07\00:32:19.63 They're not so difficult to understand, are they? 00:32:19.67\00:32:23.04 Actually quite easy when you apply 00:32:23.07\00:32:24.67 historicist principles. 00:32:24.71\00:32:26.74 You start in Revelation 4 and 5, 00:32:26.78\00:32:29.88 and in Revelation Chapter 4 and 5, 00:32:29.91\00:32:31.68 you have the inaugural vision. 00:32:31.71\00:32:34.18 There present in the heavenly throne room 00:32:34.22\00:32:37.42 is the Father sitting on His throne, 00:32:37.45\00:32:39.79 cherubim and seraphim are there, 00:32:39.82\00:32:42.16 the seven lamps of fire, the Holy Spirit is there, 00:32:42.19\00:32:44.96 the four living creatures are there, the 24 elders, 00:32:44.99\00:32:47.63 the representatives of the worlds, 00:32:47.66\00:32:49.26 they're all gathered there. 00:32:49.30\00:32:51.27 And the heavenly hosts are singing a song of praise 00:32:51.30\00:32:54.34 to the one who is sitting on the throne. 00:32:54.37\00:32:56.17 And the song has to do with the Creator. 00:32:56.20\00:33:00.84 Missing in Chapter 4 are the angelic hosts, 00:33:00.88\00:33:06.11 and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, 00:33:06.15\00:33:08.48 because they are on their way to heaven. 00:33:08.52\00:33:12.29 And then in Chapter 5, 00:33:12.32\00:33:13.99 you have the angel hosts arriving, 00:33:14.02\00:33:17.03 and Jesus Christ arriving with them. 00:33:17.06\00:33:19.76 And now, as they enter the gates of the city, 00:33:19.79\00:33:22.66 they're singing praises to the Lord, hallelujah. 00:33:22.70\00:33:26.30 And they're singing these songs 00:33:26.33\00:33:27.67 that we find in Revelation 5:11-13. 00:33:27.70\00:33:32.17 And then suddenly, Jesus raises His hand, 00:33:32.21\00:33:35.98 or His hands and He says, "Wait, 00:33:36.01\00:33:40.98 I have to go before My Father. 00:33:41.02\00:33:43.65 I have to make certain, 00:33:43.69\00:33:45.62 everybody needs to know 00:33:45.65\00:33:47.12 that My sacrifice has been accepted." 00:33:47.16\00:33:50.16 So, He approaches the Father. 00:33:50.19\00:33:52.53 And He speaks those words of John 17. 00:33:52.56\00:33:54.46 "Father, I wish that those who have given Me 00:33:54.50\00:33:57.87 will be with Me where I am." 00:33:57.90\00:34:00.97 And now, the Father embraces His Son, 00:34:01.00\00:34:03.44 and He says, "Your sacrifice is accepted. 00:34:03.47\00:34:06.31 You will be able to bring 00:34:06.34\00:34:08.24 Your brothers and sisters home." 00:34:08.28\00:34:10.58 And then, the Father's voice is heard saying, 00:34:10.61\00:34:13.72 "Worship Him, all the hosts of heaven." 00:34:13.75\00:34:16.89 And now, suddenly, there's an explosion of praise. 00:34:16.92\00:34:19.82 And then Jesus is clothed 00:34:19.85\00:34:22.56 with the garments of the high priest, 00:34:22.59\00:34:24.39 which we haven't dealt with, it's in 00:34:24.43\00:34:25.83 Leviticus 8 and Psalm 133. 00:34:25.86\00:34:28.26 There's a limit to what we can study. 00:34:28.30\00:34:30.27 He's invested as the high priest, 00:34:30.30\00:34:32.57 and He sits on the throne of grace, 00:34:32.60\00:34:34.74 and now begins the Christian dispensation. 00:34:34.77\00:34:40.51 And so, then you have the first horse, 00:34:40.54\00:34:42.61 the white horse, 00:34:42.64\00:34:43.98 representing the Apostolic Church, 00:34:44.01\00:34:46.01 after the day of Pentecost. 00:34:46.05\00:34:47.78 The church goes out conquering, and to conquer. 00:34:47.82\00:34:50.92 Thousands upon thousands are coming into the church. 00:34:50.95\00:34:55.19 Paganism is losing its subjects. 00:34:55.22\00:34:58.56 And now Satan says, "If this continues, 00:34:58.59\00:35:01.66 paganism is going to disappear. 00:35:01.70\00:35:04.30 All of my followers are going to become Christians." 00:35:04.33\00:35:06.67 He says, "I got to do something about this." 00:35:06.70\00:35:09.74 So, then you have the red horse, 00:35:09.77\00:35:11.31 the horse of bloodshed. 00:35:11.34\00:35:13.21 Satan says, "I know how to get rid of these, 00:35:13.24\00:35:16.54 I will persecute them, 00:35:16.58\00:35:18.58 I will influence the Roman emperors to come 00:35:18.61\00:35:21.85 after them, and to kill them 00:35:21.88\00:35:24.49 if they refuse to follow the religion, 00:35:24.52\00:35:26.35 the pagan religion of the Roman Empire." 00:35:26.39\00:35:30.33 But the plan backfires. 00:35:30.36\00:35:32.56 Because Satan sees 00:35:32.59\00:35:34.43 that the church is growing even faster 00:35:34.46\00:35:36.97 than before he began the persecutions. 00:35:37.00\00:35:39.30 He says, "This isn't working, 00:35:39.33\00:35:41.04 I'm going to have to go to a plan B. 00:35:41.07\00:35:44.27 "And so now he says, 00:35:44.31\00:35:45.64 "If you can't fight them, join them." 00:35:45.67\00:35:47.38 And so, now, you have the black horse, 00:35:47.41\00:35:49.34 the horse of darkness, 00:35:49.38\00:35:50.81 because we saw that darkness and blackness in the Bible 00:35:50.85\00:35:54.02 symbolize the fact that the Word of God is not there. 00:35:54.05\00:35:57.99 There's a scarcity of bread. 00:35:58.02\00:36:00.49 In other words, there's hunger because the traditions of men 00:36:00.52\00:36:03.16 have replaced the Word of God. 00:36:03.19\00:36:05.26 And now the church embraces the world, 00:36:05.29\00:36:07.83 the church becomes culturally conditioned, 00:36:07.86\00:36:10.73 the church now becomes politically correct. 00:36:10.77\00:36:14.34 And it wants to be accepted by the empire, 00:36:14.37\00:36:16.94 and the world walks into the church, 00:36:16.97\00:36:19.87 and the church becomes corrupted. 00:36:19.91\00:36:22.28 And as a result, there's famine, 00:36:22.31\00:36:24.61 because there's a scarcity of the Word of God, 00:36:24.65\00:36:26.95 and the light of the church grows dim, 00:36:26.98\00:36:30.05 because you have the black horse, 00:36:30.09\00:36:32.32 the horse of darkness. 00:36:32.35\00:36:35.66 So, Satan says, "Well, this is working quite well." 00:36:35.69\00:36:39.79 But he notices that there are certain individuals 00:36:39.83\00:36:42.56 who will not adopt the customs of paganism. 00:36:42.60\00:36:46.67 There's a small remnant that refuse to be infiltrated. 00:36:46.70\00:36:51.41 And so, Satan says, 00:36:51.44\00:36:52.77 "I have to do something about this." 00:36:52.81\00:36:54.61 So, then you have the yellow horse, 00:36:54.64\00:36:56.71 which is the horse of death. 00:36:56.75\00:36:58.35 Death and Hades follow this horse. 00:36:58.38\00:37:01.18 So, the idea now is to kill people, 00:37:01.22\00:37:03.95 first of all, spiritually by famine, 00:37:03.99\00:37:07.19 and then to kill them physically through mechanism 00:37:07.22\00:37:10.83 such as the inquisition, 00:37:10.86\00:37:12.66 if they don't agree with the teachings 00:37:12.69\00:37:14.93 and practices of the church. 00:37:14.96\00:37:16.77 And so, during this period, 00:37:16.80\00:37:18.43 you have millions and millions of martyrs 00:37:18.47\00:37:21.50 that are being slain for the Word of God, 00:37:21.54\00:37:24.21 and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:37:24.24\00:37:27.58 Are you following me? 00:37:27.61\00:37:29.28 And so now, a great injustice has been performed. 00:37:29.31\00:37:32.78 Because the righteous die and the unrighteous live. 00:37:32.81\00:37:37.62 The little horn prospered. 00:37:37.65\00:37:40.02 Power was given to the little horn 00:37:40.06\00:37:42.02 to oppress the saints of the Most High. 00:37:42.06\00:37:43.86 What justice is there in this? 00:37:43.89\00:37:46.93 There is no justice. 00:37:46.96\00:37:48.60 The human courts have made wrong decisions. 00:37:48.63\00:37:51.67 They've condemned the righteous, 00:37:51.70\00:37:53.44 and they have justified the wicked. 00:37:53.47\00:37:56.60 And so now, the martyrs under the fifth seal cry out, 00:37:56.64\00:38:01.28 and they say, "How long, O Lord, 00:38:01.31\00:38:04.88 do you not judge and avenge our blood 00:38:04.91\00:38:09.28 which is shed by this system on the earth?" 00:38:09.32\00:38:12.55 I'm paraphrasing, obviously. 00:38:12.59\00:38:15.02 "And then, each one of these martyrs who died 00:38:15.06\00:38:18.46 during the period of papal supremacy 00:38:18.49\00:38:20.83 is given a white robe." 00:38:20.86\00:38:22.53 This is a way in which God says, 00:38:22.56\00:38:24.43 "Your case is secure. 00:38:24.47\00:38:25.90 Don't worry, you have the white robe." 00:38:25.93\00:38:28.14 And by the way, we receive that white robe 00:38:28.17\00:38:30.74 before Jesus comes. 00:38:30.77\00:38:32.64 Are you aware of that? 00:38:32.67\00:38:34.74 Do you remember the parable 00:38:34.78\00:38:36.31 that we find in Matthew Chapter 22, 00:38:36.34\00:38:38.45 of the man who sneaked 00:38:38.48\00:38:39.85 into the wedding chamber without a garment? 00:38:39.88\00:38:44.39 And then the judge comes and he says, 00:38:44.42\00:38:47.22 "How did you sneak in here without the garment?" 00:38:47.26\00:38:49.59 Does that mean anyone is going to sneak into heaven 00:38:49.62\00:38:52.06 at the Second Coming? 00:38:52.09\00:38:53.43 No. 00:38:53.46\00:38:54.80 It means that there are counterfeit Christians. 00:38:54.83\00:38:57.13 Counterfeit Christians 00:38:57.17\00:38:58.50 that have their name written in the book, 00:38:58.53\00:39:00.10 but when the books are opened, 00:39:00.14\00:39:01.54 it will be shown 00:39:01.57\00:39:02.94 that they were counterfeit Christians, 00:39:02.97\00:39:05.34 because the church has true and counterfeit. 00:39:05.37\00:39:09.31 Does the church have wise and foolish virgins? 00:39:09.34\00:39:13.38 Does the church have weed and tares? 00:39:13.42\00:39:16.15 Does the church have good and bad fish? 00:39:16.18\00:39:19.29 Does the church have individuals who say, 00:39:19.32\00:39:21.06 "Lord, Lord, 00:39:21.09\00:39:22.42 didn't we perform miracles in Your name 00:39:22.46\00:39:24.43 and cast out demons in Your name, 00:39:24.46\00:39:26.06 and prophesied in Your name?" 00:39:26.09\00:39:27.50 And Jesus is going to say well, because you had My name, come? 00:39:27.53\00:39:30.87 No, "I never knew you, you workers of iniquity." 00:39:30.90\00:39:35.24 Is there in the church, a group of people 00:39:35.27\00:39:37.21 who have the form of godliness, 00:39:37.24\00:39:39.17 but don't have the true power of godliness in their lives? 00:39:39.21\00:39:41.91 Yes. 00:39:41.94\00:39:43.28 So, does God have to make a work of separation 00:39:43.31\00:39:45.75 between the righteous and the unrighteous? 00:39:45.78\00:39:47.38 Absolutely. 00:39:47.42\00:39:48.95 So, what God does with the martyrs, 00:39:48.98\00:39:51.09 He says to them, and obviously, they're dead, 00:39:51.12\00:39:53.56 but this is a figurative thing. 00:39:53.59\00:39:55.02 He says to these martyrs, "Don't worry, 00:39:55.06\00:39:58.13 your case is secure, you're fine. 00:39:58.16\00:40:01.60 You're going to be judged, and you're going to be avenged. 00:40:01.63\00:40:04.77 "And so, they're given white robes. 00:40:04.80\00:40:06.37 That means that they're covered 00:40:06.40\00:40:07.74 with the righteousness of Christ. 00:40:07.77\00:40:09.10 They're okay. 00:40:09.14\00:40:11.14 And so, that is the cry of the martyrs 00:40:11.17\00:40:14.41 under the fifth seal. 00:40:14.44\00:40:16.81 Now, is there going to be a judgment in heaven 00:40:16.85\00:40:19.51 that will reveal in heaven 00:40:19.55\00:40:22.05 in the investigative judgment, 00:40:22.08\00:40:23.79 that these individuals were faithful 00:40:23.82\00:40:26.12 and their oppressors were wicked? 00:40:26.15\00:40:28.12 Yes. 00:40:28.16\00:40:29.49 That is the judge part of the fifth seal. 00:40:29.52\00:40:34.33 But also, we have an avenge part. 00:40:34.36\00:40:38.20 When does the avenging take place? 00:40:38.23\00:40:41.14 It takes place at the time of the sixth seal. 00:40:41.17\00:40:43.91 And so now, the martyrs are crying out, 00:40:43.94\00:40:46.14 God tells them, "Your case is secure, 00:40:46.17\00:40:48.38 don't worry about it. 00:40:48.41\00:40:49.74 But you're going to have to rest for a while, 00:40:49.78\00:40:51.81 because there's going to be another group of martyrs 00:40:51.85\00:40:54.08 in the future. 00:40:54.12\00:40:55.45 And when that number of martyrs is complete, 00:40:55.48\00:40:58.15 then I will avenge you." 00:40:58.19\00:41:01.69 So, the fifth seal has how many stages? 00:41:01.72\00:41:04.73 It has two stages. 00:41:04.76\00:41:06.16 The first stage is the martyrs of the past, 00:41:06.19\00:41:08.93 the second stage is the martyrs of the future. 00:41:08.96\00:41:11.80 The purpose of the judgment in heaven, 00:41:11.83\00:41:13.74 is to do the judging first 00:41:13.77\00:41:16.44 to show that God's people are worthy of being saved. 00:41:16.47\00:41:19.91 That's done while they're still dead. 00:41:19.94\00:41:23.71 How many stages do we have in the sixth seal? 00:41:23.75\00:41:27.05 And so now, in the six seal, 00:41:27.08\00:41:28.82 there are signs like the great earthquake of Lisbon, 00:41:28.85\00:41:32.72 and the sun darkened, 00:41:32.75\00:41:36.29 and the moon turning like blood, 00:41:36.32\00:41:37.99 and the stars falling from heaven, 00:41:38.03\00:41:39.73 17 AD, 1833. 00:41:39.76\00:41:41.96 And what is the purpose of these signs? 00:41:42.00\00:41:43.83 To announce that the judging portion 00:41:43.87\00:41:47.30 of the fifth seal is about to begin? 00:41:47.34\00:41:50.81 Now, the investigative judgment is going to begin in 1844, 00:41:50.84\00:41:55.01 the Millerite movement is going to announce it. 00:41:55.04\00:41:57.78 And so now, in 1844, the judging portion begins, 00:41:57.81\00:42:02.75 and beginning with those who died, 00:42:02.78\00:42:04.49 including all of those who died, 00:42:04.52\00:42:06.45 but the martyrs in the case of Revelation Chapter 5 and 6, 00:42:06.49\00:42:09.99 all of their cases are examined. 00:42:10.03\00:42:11.93 And in the heavenly court, 00:42:11.96\00:42:13.29 a judgment is pronounced in favor 00:42:13.33\00:42:16.03 of the saints of the Most High, 00:42:16.06\00:42:17.63 in favor of the martyrs 00:42:17.67\00:42:19.57 who died because of their faith. 00:42:19.60\00:42:21.84 Have they been avenged yet? 00:42:21.87\00:42:24.67 No, they haven't been avenged yet. 00:42:24.71\00:42:26.41 They've been judged worthy of eternal life, 00:42:26.44\00:42:29.34 in the heavenly court, in the investigative judgment, 00:42:29.38\00:42:32.48 but it still remains for them to be what? 00:42:32.51\00:42:35.48 Avenged. 00:42:35.52\00:42:37.05 Let me ask you, is there going to be under the sixth seal, 00:42:37.09\00:42:41.12 signs in the heavens again? 00:42:41.16\00:42:44.09 Is there going to be a great earthquake? 00:42:44.13\00:42:46.26 We notice this. 00:42:46.29\00:42:48.40 Is the sun going to be darkened? 00:42:48.43\00:42:50.30 Is the moon going to be darkened? 00:42:50.33\00:42:52.10 Are the stars going to be darkened? 00:42:52.13\00:42:54.10 Yes. 00:42:54.14\00:42:55.47 What does this announce? 00:42:55.50\00:42:57.01 It announces that the oppression 00:42:57.04\00:42:59.41 of all of the martyrs, 00:42:59.44\00:43:00.91 those who died in the first stage 00:43:00.94\00:43:02.54 and the second stage, 00:43:02.58\00:43:03.91 now they are going to be what? 00:43:03.95\00:43:06.01 They are going to be avenged by the Second Coming of Jesus, 00:43:06.05\00:43:09.32 they will live and the wicked will perish. 00:43:09.35\00:43:14.56 Now, is there a sealing that takes place 00:43:14.59\00:43:16.66 before the great time of trouble? 00:43:16.69\00:43:19.03 Yes, that's the interlude. 00:43:19.06\00:43:21.26 The sealing of the final generation 00:43:21.30\00:43:24.20 that protects them during the time of trouble. 00:43:24.23\00:43:28.10 And then, as Jesus descends from heaven, 00:43:28.14\00:43:31.61 He's avenged those who died 00:43:31.64\00:43:33.91 because He's punished the harlot. 00:43:33.94\00:43:35.44 Revelation 19:1-2 says 00:43:35.48\00:43:37.25 that, "He has avenged their blood, 00:43:37.28\00:43:40.28 the blood of the martyrs upon the harlot," 00:43:40.32\00:43:43.28 then, as Jesus descends, 00:43:43.32\00:43:47.66 there is an awful period of silence. 00:43:47.69\00:43:51.23 The saints ask, "Who shall be able to stand?" 00:43:51.26\00:43:56.23 The answer is a period of silence. 00:43:56.26\00:43:59.67 That's the seventh seal. 00:43:59.70\00:44:01.80 And then, a voice is heard saying, 00:44:01.84\00:44:03.77 "My grace is sufficient for you." 00:44:03.81\00:44:08.48 And then, this isn't mentioned directly in the seals. 00:44:08.51\00:44:12.31 It alludes to the Second Coming by the awful period of silence. 00:44:12.35\00:44:15.98 "Then Jesus descends from heaven, 00:44:16.02\00:44:18.69 He resurrects those who died before 1844, 00:44:18.72\00:44:22.99 and they are caught up along with the saints 00:44:23.02\00:44:27.03 who resurrected in the special resurrection, 00:44:27.06\00:44:29.30 along with 144,000 living saints, 00:44:29.33\00:44:32.53 they are caught up in the clouds 00:44:32.57\00:44:35.04 to meet Jesus in the air. 00:44:35.07\00:44:36.60 And then Jesus will transfer them 00:44:36.64\00:44:39.51 to heaven for a working vacation." 00:44:39.54\00:44:44.48 It'll be nice to be in heaven, 00:44:44.51\00:44:46.08 but we're going to have work for 1000 years. 00:44:46.11\00:44:49.32 The Bible says 00:44:49.35\00:44:50.69 that, "The righteous will now sit on thrones." 00:44:50.72\00:44:54.82 See, the tables have been turned. 00:44:54.86\00:44:57.39 Now they rule, whereas previously, 00:44:57.43\00:45:00.06 the rulers finish them off. 00:45:00.10\00:45:01.96 And so now, with Jesus, they will sit on thrones. 00:45:02.00\00:45:07.34 The books will be opened of all of the wicked people 00:45:07.37\00:45:10.64 that remain behind, 00:45:10.67\00:45:12.51 and the righteous will be able to see 00:45:12.54\00:45:14.74 why those outside the city, 00:45:14.78\00:45:17.28 who will be outside the city were not saved. 00:45:17.31\00:45:20.38 And not only that, 00:45:20.42\00:45:22.15 they will also, along with Jesus, 00:45:22.18\00:45:24.55 pronounce the length of the sentence 00:45:24.59\00:45:27.66 of the individuals 00:45:27.69\00:45:29.02 according to their works. 00:45:29.06\00:45:32.76 After every case has been examined 00:45:32.79\00:45:35.00 in the heavenly judgment, 00:45:35.03\00:45:36.93 the heavenly jury has pronounced sentence, 00:45:36.97\00:45:40.30 then Jesus says it's time to go back home. 00:45:40.34\00:45:44.47 And I say Jesus because this Jesus' home too, 00:45:44.51\00:45:47.24 you know, He became incarnate here. 00:45:47.28\00:45:49.71 And so, Jesus now with all of the saints 00:45:49.74\00:45:52.85 descends from heaven, 00:45:52.88\00:45:55.08 once again with a shout, 00:45:55.12\00:45:56.58 undoubtedly with singing and joyful celebration, 00:45:56.62\00:46:02.12 and He comes down with all of the redeemed 00:46:02.16\00:46:05.63 from all ages from heaven down to the earth. 00:46:05.66\00:46:09.80 Holy city descends as well. 00:46:09.83\00:46:12.10 The feet of Jesus rest upon the Mount of Olives. 00:46:12.13\00:46:15.80 The Mount of Olives is split in two 00:46:15.84\00:46:17.84 and you have this large plain 00:46:17.87\00:46:19.47 upon which the holy city, 00:46:19.51\00:46:21.31 New Jerusalem will rest. 00:46:21.34\00:46:23.78 Then, Jesus and the saints enter the gates of the city, 00:46:23.81\00:46:28.35 and the gates are shut. 00:46:28.38\00:46:30.52 The wicked who have resurrected, 00:46:30.55\00:46:32.59 Satan tells them, "Hey, 00:46:32.62\00:46:36.66 I was the one who resurrected you. 00:46:36.69\00:46:39.26 So, imagine I have the power. 00:46:39.29\00:46:40.86 Look at them inside. 00:46:40.90\00:46:42.23 They're the few. 00:46:42.26\00:46:43.63 We are the many. 00:46:43.67\00:46:45.07 We are much more than them." 00:46:45.10\00:46:47.20 The Book of Revelation describes the wicked 00:46:47.24\00:46:49.44 as the sand of the sea. 00:46:49.47\00:46:52.54 I mean, Ellen White in Great Controversy says 00:46:52.57\00:46:55.48 that the troops outside the city, 00:46:55.51\00:46:59.31 the number of the troops are equal 00:46:59.35\00:47:02.52 to the number of all of the soldiers 00:47:02.55\00:47:05.62 that have fought in all of the wars 00:47:05.65\00:47:07.72 in the history of planet earth. 00:47:07.76\00:47:10.43 That's millions and millions. 00:47:10.46\00:47:12.59 And so, Satan gathered with his angels, 00:47:12.63\00:47:14.73 they plan how they're going to overcome the city. 00:47:14.76\00:47:16.67 He meets with the great military leaders 00:47:16.70\00:47:18.50 of the world, 00:47:18.53\00:47:19.87 they start building 00:47:19.90\00:47:21.24 the infrastructure of the world. 00:47:21.27\00:47:24.27 Because everything has been ruined 00:47:24.31\00:47:25.84 when Jesus came, 00:47:25.87\00:47:27.24 and they have to build powerful weapons, 00:47:27.28\00:47:28.98 they're not going to attack the city with bows and arrows, 00:47:29.01\00:47:31.55 and with swords, 00:47:31.58\00:47:32.91 it's going to be with sophisticated weapons. 00:47:32.95\00:47:35.28 And now, they're ready to attack the city. 00:47:35.32\00:47:37.75 They say, "We can gain the victory over." 00:47:37.79\00:47:40.46 Up till this point, Satan is deceiving the nations. 00:47:40.49\00:47:43.66 Have you read in Revelation 20, 00:47:43.69\00:47:45.26 where it says that he will go out 00:47:45.29\00:47:46.63 to deceive the nations? 00:47:46.66\00:47:48.80 So now, he goes out. 00:47:48.83\00:47:50.17 He says, "That city is ours. 00:47:50.20\00:47:52.30 The one inside is a usurper, we can conquer that city. 00:47:52.33\00:47:55.67 We're much more than the ones inside." 00:47:55.70\00:47:57.57 So, everybody prepares for battle. 00:47:57.61\00:48:01.48 And they march, the armies march 00:48:01.51\00:48:04.15 across the surface of the earth 00:48:04.18\00:48:06.75 with military precision. 00:48:06.78\00:48:08.48 See, they went to boot camp. 00:48:08.52\00:48:10.12 It's going to take a while 00:48:10.15\00:48:11.49 to organize an army such that. 00:48:11.52\00:48:13.19 They're not going to just attack the city 00:48:13.22\00:48:15.49 willy-nilly without any preparation, 00:48:15.52\00:48:17.36 they prepare. 00:48:17.39\00:48:18.73 They prepare a strategy. 00:48:18.76\00:48:20.13 And when they're about to attack the holy city, 00:48:20.16\00:48:23.80 the scroll is unfurled. 00:48:23.83\00:48:28.00 They're outside the city, 00:48:28.04\00:48:30.14 and now the scroll that was in the right hand 00:48:30.17\00:48:34.71 of the one who was seated on the throne 00:48:34.74\00:48:36.61 is going to be unfurled before them. 00:48:36.64\00:48:39.88 And that's what we read 00:48:39.91\00:48:41.25 from Great Controversy, 666 to 669. 00:48:41.28\00:48:44.95 They will see all of the history of the world. 00:48:44.99\00:48:48.36 How Adam and Eve sinned, the flood. 00:48:48.39\00:48:52.76 All of the stories of the Old Testament, 00:48:52.79\00:48:54.50 the period of Israel, the prophets, 00:48:54.53\00:48:56.67 the period of the Hebrew kings, 00:48:56.70\00:48:58.83 John the Baptist, the coming of Jesus, 00:48:58.87\00:49:01.04 all of the events of the life of Jesus, 00:49:01.07\00:49:03.47 the final scenes of His life, 00:49:03.51\00:49:05.91 all will be seen. 00:49:05.94\00:49:07.71 And then the history will pass 00:49:07.74\00:49:09.54 on to the period of the early church, 00:49:09.58\00:49:12.11 Paul, and all of the other apostles, 00:49:12.15\00:49:14.45 all of the leaders of the church 00:49:14.48\00:49:16.38 are seen in this panoramic view. 00:49:16.42\00:49:19.39 And then, you have the period of the Middle Ages, 00:49:19.42\00:49:22.69 the period when popes and princes 00:49:22.72\00:49:25.39 and prelates persecuted God's people, 00:49:25.43\00:49:27.76 it's all presented vividly 00:49:27.80\00:49:30.27 in this panoramic view. 00:49:30.30\00:49:33.97 And even though Ellen White doesn't mention it, 00:49:34.00\00:49:36.50 there's no doubt whatsoever, 00:49:36.54\00:49:38.24 that we're also going to see the scenes 00:49:38.27\00:49:40.14 that took place after the Dark Ages, 00:49:40.18\00:49:42.34 after the Middle Ages, 00:49:42.38\00:49:43.95 because we're going to be able to see 00:49:43.98\00:49:45.41 the entire history of the world 00:49:45.45\00:49:47.15 from beginning to end. 00:49:47.18\00:49:50.05 When Satan and his angels 00:49:50.09\00:49:52.42 and the wicked see this panoramic view. 00:49:52.45\00:49:57.79 The wicked suddenly awaken from their slumber, 00:49:57.83\00:50:01.80 from their anesthesia. 00:50:01.83\00:50:04.70 And they suddenly look at Satan, 00:50:04.73\00:50:08.54 and they say, "You are the one. 00:50:08.57\00:50:14.14 You are the guilty one. 00:50:14.18\00:50:17.01 You're a deceiver." 00:50:17.05\00:50:18.38 And many people think 00:50:21.55\00:50:23.22 that the wicked are going to be destroyed 00:50:23.25\00:50:25.15 as they attack the holy city. 00:50:25.19\00:50:28.02 The wicked never attacked the holy city. 00:50:28.06\00:50:30.96 They prepare to attack the holy city. 00:50:30.99\00:50:34.06 The armies come together to attack the holy city. 00:50:34.10\00:50:36.90 They never attack the holy city. 00:50:36.93\00:50:41.27 When they see that Satan has deceived them, 00:50:41.30\00:50:44.91 they turn at Satan and they say, 00:50:44.94\00:50:48.44 "You are the guilty one." 00:50:48.48\00:50:49.91 And Ellen White states that, 00:50:49.94\00:50:53.25 "The wicked will avalanche themselves 00:50:53.28\00:50:56.08 upon Satan as wild beasts." 00:50:56.12\00:51:00.79 Wow. 00:51:00.82\00:51:03.76 But God in His mercy will cause fire 00:51:03.79\00:51:07.66 to descend from heaven to consume Satan, 00:51:07.70\00:51:12.23 and his angels, and the wicked. 00:51:12.27\00:51:15.47 And after each one receives the reward 00:51:15.50\00:51:19.21 according to their works, 00:51:19.24\00:51:21.64 according to what we read in Revelation Chapter 20, 00:51:21.68\00:51:24.15 it's simple justice. 00:51:24.18\00:51:27.85 Depending on the crime is the sentence 00:51:27.88\00:51:30.09 and the punishment, right? 00:51:30.12\00:51:31.75 Not all crimes are punished equally, 00:51:31.79\00:51:34.02 because not all are as serious as others. 00:51:34.06\00:51:37.26 And so now, fire descends from heaven 00:51:37.29\00:51:40.00 and it consumes Satan, 00:51:40.03\00:51:42.76 and his angels, and the wicked. 00:51:42.80\00:51:46.33 And after a period of time, 00:51:46.37\00:51:50.51 they're reduced to ashes. 00:51:50.54\00:51:53.34 And then the earth is cleansed by the fire. 00:51:53.38\00:51:57.21 And God will create or recreate 00:51:57.25\00:52:01.35 what we might say a new heavens 00:52:01.38\00:52:04.95 and a new earth 00:52:04.99\00:52:06.59 on which righteousness dwells. 00:52:06.62\00:52:11.03 What will be the sign of the new creation? 00:52:11.06\00:52:14.16 The Sabbath. 00:52:17.57\00:52:20.67 What was the sign of the original creation? 00:52:20.70\00:52:23.34 Sabbath. 00:52:23.37\00:52:25.04 What was the sign of redemption? 00:52:25.07\00:52:26.57 Where did Jesus rest? 00:52:26.61\00:52:28.58 In the tomb, which day? 00:52:28.61\00:52:30.28 The Sabbath. 00:52:30.31\00:52:31.75 Which day will be the day to go to worship God 00:52:31.78\00:52:34.82 because new heavens and new earth 00:52:34.85\00:52:36.22 have been created? 00:52:36.25\00:52:37.65 The Sabbath. 00:52:37.69\00:52:39.05 It shall be from new moon to new moon. 00:52:39.09\00:52:42.22 People get hung up with that new moon. 00:52:42.26\00:52:44.09 You know, they say, 00:52:44.13\00:52:45.46 "We got to celebrate the feast." 00:52:45.49\00:52:46.83 No, new moon simply means month. 00:52:46.86\00:52:50.97 From month to month. 00:52:51.00\00:52:53.27 Why are we going to go to the presence of God 00:52:53.30\00:52:55.50 from month to month? 00:52:55.54\00:52:57.71 Because there is a tree 00:52:57.74\00:52:59.31 that produces its fruit every month. 00:52:59.34\00:53:03.08 You see, the tree of life functions 00:53:03.11\00:53:06.41 as a battery charger. 00:53:06.45\00:53:10.45 We don't have inherent life, 00:53:10.49\00:53:12.02 not even Adam and Eve before they sinned. 00:53:12.05\00:53:14.92 They had to continue eating from the tree of life 00:53:14.96\00:53:17.93 to continue living. 00:53:17.96\00:53:19.79 Why did those individuals before the flood 00:53:19.83\00:53:22.96 lived to be almost 1000 years old? 00:53:23.00\00:53:24.93 Because they had a fully charged battery. 00:53:24.97\00:53:28.60 But as time has gone by, 00:53:28.64\00:53:30.31 the battery has been depleted and as a result, 00:53:30.34\00:53:33.17 people live a lot shorter lives. 00:53:33.21\00:53:35.21 If God allowed the human race to continue to existing, 00:53:35.24\00:53:38.48 eventually, it will extinguish itself. 00:53:38.51\00:53:41.15 The vitality will be gone. 00:53:41.18\00:53:43.92 So, God's people will go, 00:53:43.95\00:53:45.79 like Adam and Eve would have done 00:53:45.82\00:53:47.19 in the Garden of Eden, 00:53:47.22\00:53:48.56 from month to month, 00:53:48.59\00:53:50.33 to eat from the tree of life. 00:53:50.36\00:53:52.59 And you know God is a God of variety. 00:53:52.63\00:53:55.86 You know, it's not going to be the same fruit every month. 00:53:55.90\00:53:59.20 You know, one month it will probably be mangoes. 00:53:59.23\00:54:03.34 I'm speculating now. 00:54:03.37\00:54:05.54 Another month, it might be oranges, 00:54:05.57\00:54:07.44 another month, apples, 00:54:07.48\00:54:08.94 another month, pears, who knows? 00:54:08.98\00:54:11.81 But each month it will be a different fruit. 00:54:11.85\00:54:14.92 But we will not only go from month to month, 00:54:14.95\00:54:18.05 we will also go from Sabbath to Sabbath, 00:54:18.09\00:54:22.12 to commemorate 00:54:22.16\00:54:23.49 the creation of new heavens and new earth. 00:54:23.53\00:54:26.13 That's what Isaiah 66:22-23 says. 00:54:26.16\00:54:30.80 So, let me ask you, 00:54:30.83\00:54:32.90 has God changed in His plan for the day of worship? 00:54:32.93\00:54:37.61 I mean, how much sense does it make to say 00:54:37.64\00:54:40.31 in Genesis, it was the Sabbath. 00:54:40.34\00:54:43.28 With Israel and the manna, it was the Sabbath. 00:54:43.31\00:54:46.31 In the fourth commandment, the Sabbath. 00:54:46.35\00:54:49.42 When Jesus came to this earth, the Sabbath. 00:54:49.45\00:54:52.62 The apostles in the Book of Acts, 00:54:52.65\00:54:54.89 they kept the Sabbath. 00:54:54.92\00:54:57.39 And the new heavens and new earth, the Sabbath. 00:54:57.43\00:54:59.59 But meanwhile, Sunday. 00:54:59.63\00:55:00.96 Doesn't work. 00:55:04.47\00:55:06.63 The Sabbath has been God's sign all throughout human history. 00:55:06.67\00:55:11.74 And today, it's very common to find articles 00:55:11.77\00:55:14.08 in newspaper where people, 00:55:14.11\00:55:16.41 you know, they say, 00:55:16.44\00:55:17.78 "We need to get back to keeping the Sabbath." 00:55:17.81\00:55:20.25 But they're not talking about the seventh day, 00:55:20.28\00:55:21.92 they're talking about Sunday, 00:55:21.95\00:55:23.28 as if it was a Sabbath. 00:55:23.32\00:55:24.65 That's a misnomer. 00:55:24.69\00:55:26.05 You can't call Sunday the Sabbath. 00:55:26.09\00:55:29.32 The Sabbath is the seventh day, Sunday is the first day. 00:55:29.36\00:55:34.26 And some people even play tricks 00:55:34.30\00:55:36.13 with calendars. 00:55:36.16\00:55:37.70 You know, they'll start the week with Monday. 00:55:37.73\00:55:40.90 So, if you start the week with Monday, 00:55:40.94\00:55:43.00 what is the seventh day? 00:55:43.04\00:55:44.37 Sunday. 00:55:44.41\00:55:46.51 Really crafty, isn't it? 00:55:46.54\00:55:48.24 That doesn't work. 00:55:48.28\00:55:50.08 Because if Sunday is the seventh day, 00:55:50.11\00:55:52.05 it doesn't square with the Bible, 00:55:52.08\00:55:53.42 because the Bible tells us 00:55:53.45\00:55:54.78 that Jesus resurrected the first day, 00:55:54.82\00:55:56.25 not the seventh. 00:55:56.28\00:55:58.52 So, you can prove biblically that this is totally wrong. 00:55:58.55\00:56:03.06 Somebody says, "But, Pastor, 00:56:03.09\00:56:04.43 how do you know that the Sabbath 00:56:04.46\00:56:07.03 that exist today is the same Sabbath 00:56:07.06\00:56:09.46 of the times of Christ?" 00:56:09.50\00:56:11.80 And so what I ask these people, I ask, 00:56:11.83\00:56:14.50 "Well, what day of the week do you keep?" 00:56:14.54\00:56:16.17 They said, "Well, we keep Sunday." 00:56:16.20\00:56:18.37 "Said, "Why do you keep Sunday?" 00:56:18.41\00:56:19.74 "Well, because Jesus resurrected that day." 00:56:19.77\00:56:21.98 I say, "So you're telling me that Sunday, 00:56:22.01\00:56:23.81 today, is the same Sunday that Jesus resurrected?" 00:56:23.85\00:56:26.65 Well, Sunday, today is the same day 00:56:26.68\00:56:29.08 that Jesus resurrected, 00:56:29.12\00:56:30.45 then Sabbath is the same day of Sabbath, 00:56:30.49\00:56:32.55 that He rested in the tomb." 00:56:32.59\00:56:34.39 And then they say, "How do you know 00:56:34.42\00:56:36.12 that the Sabbath today 00:56:36.16\00:56:37.49 is the same Sabbath of creation?" 00:56:37.53\00:56:39.09 And I simply say, 00:56:39.13\00:56:40.46 "Because Jesus kept the Sabbath, 00:56:40.50\00:56:42.03 and He wasn't going to keep the wrong day." 00:56:42.06\00:56:46.60 So, people offer all kinds of excuses 00:56:46.63\00:56:48.87 to be disobedient to God, 00:56:48.90\00:56:50.97 and substitute their own ideas. 00:56:51.01\00:56:53.54 So, let me ask you, 00:56:53.58\00:56:54.91 would this panorama that I've described, 00:56:54.94\00:57:00.02 as we finish our study of the seven seals, 00:57:00.05\00:57:02.82 we're going to deal with still the seal of God. 00:57:02.85\00:57:06.05 Would it make a fantastic movie? 00:57:06.09\00:57:10.19 I just gave you the script. 00:57:10.23\00:57:14.43 I already have been playing around 00:57:14.46\00:57:16.06 with the idea in my mind, 00:57:16.10\00:57:17.43 you know, I'm not a script writer. 00:57:17.47\00:57:18.83 But I have lots of interesting ideas. 00:57:18.87\00:57:20.67 Who knows? 00:57:20.70\00:57:22.04 Let's pray so that the Lord will guide. 00:57:22.07\00:57:24.44 If this is His will, then it will become a reality, 00:57:24.47\00:57:27.31 so that many can know 00:57:27.34\00:57:29.21 what the Bible really says 00:57:29.24\00:57:31.21 about the end times. 00:57:31.25\00:57:32.58