Well, good
morning and Happy Sabbath.
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Happy Sabbath.
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It's a real pleasure to be
here on the true Lord's Day,
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the Holy Sabbath, the
seventh day of the week.
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In our last study together,
we were dealing a little bit
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with the Sabbath
as the Seal of God.
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Basically in this class,
we've studied the seven seals
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and in the last
presentation last evening,
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as well as the
presentations today,
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we are going to take a
look at the Seal of God
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and the Mark of the Beast,
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which is spoken of in
the interlude to the seals.
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So basically, we're
amplifying the interlude
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where you have the sealing,
the four winds, et cetera.
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Today in our study,
we are going to begin
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on page 373 of your syllabi.
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I got it right
that time, didn't I?
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And what we're going to do,
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we're not going to be
able to finish this lesson
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in one session.
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So what we're going to
do is do the first part,
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and then we're going
to finish this lesson
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and also the following lesson,
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which is basically
three pages and a little bit.
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So we're going to study
lessons from the forbidden tree
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and the idle Sabbath in
both sessions this morning.
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Then this afternoon,
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we're going to deal
with the last chapter
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that we find in the syllabus.
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So let's begin at
the top of page 373.
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In this study we will look at
the subject of the Seal of God
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and the Mark of the Beast
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from a different
perspective than usual.
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As we examine
the creation story,
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we noticed that Adam and Eve
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did not actually
see God create anything.
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Obviously, Adam did
not see God create anything
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during the first six days
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and Adam did not
see his own creation.
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And when God created
Eve, He put Adam to sleep.
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So they did not see God
create absolutely anything,
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therefore they had
no absolute rational,
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empirical,
scientific, or historical proof
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that God was
telling them the truth
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when He told them
that He was their Creator.
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Belief in Jesus as the Creator
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was a matter of
faith in His Word.
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Belief in Jesus, in other words,
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was not based on proof,
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but we'll see that it
was based on evidence.
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However, God does not
expect us to have blind faith.
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In matters of belief,
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there is no such
thing as blind faith
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because faith
is always sustained
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by evidence.
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So you'll notice that
there was no absolute proof
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or demonstration
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that God was the Creator.
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Adam and Eve did not
see God create anything.
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There was no demonstration
that Jesus was the Creator.
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And yet did Adam
and Eve have evidence
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that God was their Creator?
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Absolutely.
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Eve existed in
a beautiful world.
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God gave her a
wonderful husband.
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Jesus talked with
Adam and Eve face-to-face.
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They had fullness
of happiness and joy.
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In other words, Adam and Eve,
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and particularly
Eve at this point
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because we are going to
talk about the temptation
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that Eve faced.
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She had plenty of evidence
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that God was her Creator.
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In other words, her faith
was not based on blind faith.
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It was based on evidence.
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Ellen White has
correctly stated the following,
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"God never asks us to believe
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without giving
sufficient evidence
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upon which to base our faith.
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His existence, His character,
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the truthfulness of His Word
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are all established by testimony
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that appeals to our reason."
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And this testimony is what?
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Abundant.
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"Yet, God has never removed
the possibility of doubt.
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Our faith must
rest upon evidence,
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not demonstration.
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Those who wish to
doubt will have opportunity
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while those who really
desire to know the truth
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will find plenty of evidence
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on which to rest their faith."
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In another statement
that we find in Testimonies
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for the Church,
volume five, page 69,
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we find these words,
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"If you refuse to believe,
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until every
shadow of uncertainty
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and every
possibility of doubt is removed
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you will never believe,
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the doubt that the
man's perfect knowledge
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will never yield to faith.
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Faith rests on
evidence not word,
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not demonstration
because if God demonstrated
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to Adam and Eve
that He was the Creator,
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they would not
need to have faith
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because they saw it."
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That's why the Apostle
Paul in Romans 8:24 says,
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"Why would we
believe in something
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or have faith in something
that hasn't taken place yet,
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if we actually
have already seen it?"
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Now, let's
notice the next section,
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we're going to deal
with a question and answer
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sequence here in this lesson.
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According to the Bible,
who was the active agent
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in the creation of the world?
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We could read several verses,
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but we want to read one passage,
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particularly John 1:1-3.
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"In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God.
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He was in the
beginning with God.
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All things were
made through Him,
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and without Him
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nothing was made that was made."
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So if Jesus created all things,
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He also created what?
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He also created the Sabbath.
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This is why He later
explained in Mark 2:27,
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that the Son of
Man is Lord of what?
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The Son of Man is
the Lord of the Sabbath
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because He created all
things the first six days
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and on the seventh day
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He created holy time,
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so there's no doubt.
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The Bible tells us
that Jesus was the Creator.
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And we have plenty of
evidence to base our faith on,
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but we weren't there seen it,
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so we have no
absolute demonstration
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to prove that
God was the Creator.
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We have evidence that
we can rest our faith on.
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Now, what positive command
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did Jesus give Adam
and Eve when He created,
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I put Adam here
but it's Adam and Eve,
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Eve through Adam,
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when He created him or them?
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Genesis 2:15-16 tells us,
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"Then the Lord God took the man
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and put him in
the Garden of Eden
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to tend and keep it.
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And the Lord God
commanded the man..."
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Of course, first
Adam and then through Adam
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the command reaches Eve.
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"And the Lord God
commanded the man saying,
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'Of every tree of the
garden you may freely eat."
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So first of all, we
have a positive command.
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Before God tells
them what they can't do,
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God tells them what they can do.
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God tells him, "You can eat
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from all of the
trees of the garden.
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All of the trees
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are for your
personal enjoyment."
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But then we have
a negative command.
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Genesis 2:17, we
find these words,
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"But of the
tree of the knowledge
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of good and evil,
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you shall not eat,
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for in the day
that you eat of it,
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you shall surely die."
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So you'll notice
that in the first command
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that God gives to Adam and Eve,
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He tells them, "You can eat
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of all of the
trees of the garden,
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they are for your
personal use and consumption
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but there's one tree that
I forbid you to eat from."
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Now, we're going to see
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as we go along
why this is important.
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Now, the question is
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what was the
location of the tree
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from which they
were forbidden to eat?
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Well, Genesis 2:2-3,
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and I'm reading from
the NIV because it's clear.
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We find where
the tree was located,
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the tree that
tested Adam and Eve's faith
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that God was their Creator
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and He was the true God.
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"The woman said to the serpent,
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'We may eat fruit from
the trees in the garden,
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but God did say,
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'You must not eat from
the tree that is," where?
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"In the middle of the garden
and you must not touch it,
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or you will die.'"
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So where was
the tree that tested
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the faith of Adam and Eve
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that God was a true God,
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and He was the Creator?
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It was in the
middle of the garden.
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The tree that tested
the loyalty of Adam and Eve
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was located in the very middle.
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The tree was the external way
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in which God
could test Adam and Eve
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and their
internal commitment to Him.
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So do we have an external
test in the Garden of Eden
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like we were studying in
our last subject together?
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Yes.
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The evidence that
they actually trusted God
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was not eating from a tree.
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But their trust was really what?
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Their trust was inside
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and they showed it by
respecting God's tree.
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Now, who chose the tree
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from which Adam and
Eve were not to eat?
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Well, Genesis 2:17
tell us that God was the one
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who chose the tree
and pointed out the tree.
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"But of the
tree of the knowledge
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of good and evil
you shall not eat.
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For in the day
that you eat of it,
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you shall surely die."
00:10:59.52\00:11:02.32
By the way, when it
says, "You shall surely die."
00:11:02.36\00:11:04.96
In the Hebrew it says,
"You will die by death."
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I don't think there's
any other way of dying.
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What God is saying,
00:11:09.76\00:11:11.10
"You're going to
really die, truly die.
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You can take it to the
bank that you're going to die."
00:11:14.10\00:11:17.17
Now, let's read the note.
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God did not give Adam and Eve
the option of choosing the tree
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from which they could not eat.
00:11:24.18\00:11:26.51
God chose the specific tree,
00:11:26.55\00:11:29.78
pointed it out and
expected Adam and Eve
00:11:29.82\00:11:33.56
to abstain from
eating its fruit.
00:11:33.59\00:11:37.06
Now what was the
appearance of the tree like?
00:11:37.09\00:11:41.06
Genesis 2:15-17
00:11:41.10\00:11:44.47
tells us about this tree.
00:11:44.50\00:11:47.37
Is there any
evidence in the text
00:11:47.40\00:11:50.21
that the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil
00:11:50.24\00:11:52.31
was any different
than any other trees
00:11:52.34\00:11:54.68
in the garden?
00:11:54.71\00:11:56.14
No.
00:11:56.18\00:11:58.05
Let's read the note.
00:11:58.08\00:11:59.65
There is no evidence
that the tree of the knowledge
00:11:59.68\00:12:01.88
of good and evil
00:12:01.92\00:12:03.25
was any different
00:12:03.28\00:12:04.62
from the other
trees of the garden.
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.76
It was not taller or brighter,
00:12:06.79\00:12:10.03
neither did it have a
different type of fruit
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.83
than the other trees.
00:12:12.86\00:12:14.66
What made it different was
not its external appearance,
00:12:14.70\00:12:18.70
but the fact that
God had set it apart.
00:12:18.73\00:12:21.90
God identified
the tree by location,
00:12:21.94\00:12:24.91
not by appearance.
00:12:24.94\00:12:27.58
Notice this
interesting statement
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.61
from Ellen White,
00:12:29.64\00:12:30.98
the book Confrontation, page 12.
00:12:31.01\00:12:34.78
"Adam and Eve were permitted
to partake of every tree
00:12:34.82\00:12:38.85
in the garden saved one.
00:12:38.89\00:12:41.22
There was a single prohibition.
00:12:41.26\00:12:44.23
The forbidden tree was
as attractive and lovely
00:12:44.26\00:12:49.00
as any of the
trees in the garden.
00:12:49.03\00:12:52.03
It was called
the tree of knowledge
00:12:52.07\00:12:54.17
because in partaking of
that tree of which God had said,
00:12:54.20\00:12:57.64
"Thou shalt not eat of it,"
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.31
they would have
the knowledge of sin
00:12:59.34\00:13:01.28
and experience in disobedience."
00:13:01.31\00:13:03.71
So Ellen White
tells us that this tree
00:13:03.75\00:13:06.35
was as attractive and lovely
00:13:06.38\00:13:08.15
as any of the other
trees in the garden.
00:13:08.18\00:13:10.79
In other words,
it wasn't taller.
00:13:10.82\00:13:12.85
It didn't have a
halo of light around it.
00:13:12.89\00:13:16.02
It didn't have a
bigger and juicer fruit.
00:13:16.06\00:13:18.33
It looked just like the
other trees of the garden.
00:13:18.36\00:13:21.96
Now, to whom did all the
trees of the garden belong?
00:13:22.00\00:13:26.27
All the trees of the
garden belong to God, right?
00:13:26.30\00:13:29.10
Even the ones that Adam and
Eve could partake of and use
00:13:29.14\00:13:32.24
for their own
personal consumption.
00:13:32.27\00:13:34.71
Notice Psalm 24:1-2,
this is where we find
00:13:34.74\00:13:37.91
that all of the trees
were the property of God
00:13:37.95\00:13:40.08
as well as everything else
00:13:40.12\00:13:41.52
that God made that Jesus made.
00:13:41.55\00:13:44.39
"The earth is the
Lord's and all its fullness."
00:13:44.42\00:13:48.39
That means everything in it.
00:13:48.42\00:13:50.29
"The world and
those who dwell therein."
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.96
And now we have the reason,
00:13:54.00\00:13:55.56
"For he has
founded it upon the seas,
00:13:55.60\00:13:59.47
and established
it upon the waters."
00:13:59.50\00:14:03.14
So to whom did all
of the trees belong,
00:14:03.17\00:14:06.37
the trees that
they could partake of,
00:14:06.41\00:14:08.28
and the tree that
they could not partake of?
00:14:08.31\00:14:10.35
All of them belong to God.
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.28
Now, you're probably wondering
why we're going through this
00:14:12.31\00:14:14.12
if you haven't heard
this presentation before.
00:14:14.15\00:14:16.99
There's an
intention and a purpose
00:14:17.02\00:14:18.52
why we're going through this,
00:14:18.55\00:14:20.12
and you'll see
it as we go along.
00:14:20.16\00:14:22.32
Let's read the notes.
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.23
"All the trees of the
garden were God's property
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.53
because He had created them.
00:14:27.56\00:14:30.00
However, the tree of knowledge
was in a special category.
00:14:30.03\00:14:34.40
It belonged to God what?
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.67
Exclusively in a special sense.
00:14:36.71\00:14:40.88
Even though the
other trees of the garden
00:14:40.91\00:14:42.78
also belong to God,
00:14:42.81\00:14:44.81
He permitted man to use them
for his own personal pleasure.
00:14:44.85\00:14:50.55
However, this particular
tree was not for man's use.
00:14:50.59\00:14:54.79
It was off limits."
00:14:54.82\00:14:58.29
Now how much of the
tree belongs to God?
00:14:58.33\00:15:02.00
Could man eat
just a little piece
00:15:02.03\00:15:04.30
of the fruit?
00:15:04.33\00:15:06.00
What would the
answer be to that?
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.14
Not even a
little piece of the skin
00:15:08.17\00:15:11.31
of the fruit of the tree.
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.51
The tree in its
entirety belong to God
00:15:13.54\00:15:17.21
and man could not partake of
00:15:17.25\00:15:19.45
any itsy bitsy piece of it.
00:15:19.48\00:15:24.29
Now, let's go to the subtitle,
Rejecting God as Creator.
00:15:24.32\00:15:29.39
What did Satan tell Eve
that she and her husband
00:15:29.42\00:15:33.33
would become if
they ate from the tree?
00:15:33.36\00:15:37.87
Genesis 3:4-5,
00:15:37.90\00:15:40.74
"Then the serpent
said to the woman,
00:15:40.77\00:15:43.34
'You will not surely die.
00:15:43.37\00:15:45.74
For God knows that
in the day you eat of it
00:15:45.77\00:15:48.98
your eyes will be opened,
00:15:49.01\00:15:51.11
and you will be like
God, knowing good and evil."
00:15:51.15\00:15:56.85
So what did Satan
tell Eve that she could be
00:15:56.89\00:15:59.32
if she actually
ate from the tree
00:15:59.35\00:16:01.22
and partook of the tree
that belonged only to God?
00:16:01.26\00:16:05.36
Eve, you will be like God.
00:16:05.39\00:16:10.40
Satan was giving her
an alternative explanation
00:16:10.43\00:16:13.60
to her existence.
00:16:13.64\00:16:15.90
And here we have the sequence.
00:16:15.94\00:16:17.91
Eve strayed from
her husband side.
00:16:17.94\00:16:21.04
Eve asked
herself why God forbade
00:16:21.08\00:16:23.65
eating from this one tree.
00:16:23.68\00:16:25.05
You can read this in
Patriarchs and Prophets.
00:16:25.08\00:16:27.18
When she comes to
the tree, she says,
00:16:27.22\00:16:28.55
"I wonder why God told us
00:16:28.58\00:16:30.55
that we couldn't eat
from this particular tree.
00:16:30.59\00:16:32.45
It's not taller.
00:16:32.49\00:16:33.82
It doesn't have a
halo of light around it.
00:16:33.86\00:16:35.22
The fruit looks pretty much
00:16:35.26\00:16:36.59
like the fruit
of the other trees.
00:16:36.62\00:16:38.06
I wonder what this tree
00:16:38.09\00:16:40.00
has that would lead God
to forbid us from eating it."
00:16:40.03\00:16:44.33
Perhaps she asked herself,
00:16:44.37\00:16:47.07
"Is it really true
that Jesus was the One
00:16:47.10\00:16:50.11
who created us as He told us?
00:16:50.14\00:16:52.64
After all, did
we actually see Him
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.74
create anything?"
00:16:55.78\00:16:57.68
She asked herself
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.05
if there might be an
alternative explanation
00:16:59.08\00:17:01.58
of their existence.
00:17:01.62\00:17:03.65
So Satan now takes advantage
00:17:03.69\00:17:05.52
because Satan can
read body language.
00:17:05.55\00:17:07.32
If you read
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:17:07.36\00:17:09.82
Ellen White explains
that as she saw this tree,
00:17:09.86\00:17:12.93
she asked herself,
00:17:12.96\00:17:14.30
"Why God would tell them
not to eat from the tree?"
00:17:14.33\00:17:17.97
And Satan is able
to read body language
00:17:18.00\00:17:22.14
and furthermore,
00:17:22.17\00:17:23.51
Ellen White explains that Eve,
00:17:23.54\00:17:26.01
when she came to
the foot of the tree,
00:17:26.04\00:17:29.18
she actually
expressed her thoughts audibly.
00:17:29.21\00:17:33.78
She was talking to herself,
but she didn't even realize it.
00:17:33.82\00:17:37.65
And so Satan now he says,
00:17:37.69\00:17:39.39
"I know what
she's thinking about,
00:17:39.42\00:17:40.82
why God told them not
to eat from this tree."
00:17:40.86\00:17:44.16
So Satan now is
going to use four methods
00:17:44.19\00:17:46.53
to deceive Eve.
00:17:46.56\00:17:48.23
First, he is going to
perform a counterfeit miracle.
00:17:48.26\00:17:53.10
And these methods
00:17:53.13\00:17:54.47
he's going to use all over again
00:17:54.50\00:17:55.84
at the end of time.
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.21
What was the
counterfeit miracle?
00:17:57.24\00:17:58.77
How many of you have
ever seen a talking snake?
00:17:58.81\00:18:03.95
Wouldn't it be a miracle
for a snake to talk to you?
00:18:03.98\00:18:06.88
You better believe it,
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.25
but the snake wasn't
talking, it was the devil.
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.09
But he made it appear
like the serpent was speaking,
00:18:10.12\00:18:12.95
so he performed a
counterfeit miracle.
00:18:12.99\00:18:15.52
He also
distorted the Word of God.
00:18:15.56\00:18:19.29
So God has told you that
00:18:19.33\00:18:20.66
you can't eat of
any tree of the garden,
00:18:20.70\00:18:22.93
and Eve has to correct him.
00:18:22.96\00:18:24.30
She said, "No, no, no,
that's not what God said.
00:18:24.33\00:18:25.93
God said that we
can eat from every tree
00:18:25.97\00:18:28.17
except this one."
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.17
In the third place,
00:18:30.21\00:18:31.71
Satan led Eve to follow
the testimony of her senses.
00:18:31.74\00:18:37.31
It says in Genesis 3:6
00:18:37.35\00:18:40.72
that he saw that the
fruit of the tree was good
00:18:40.75\00:18:44.65
and she was listening
00:18:44.69\00:18:46.29
that it was
going to make her wise.
00:18:46.32\00:18:48.32
She touched the
fruit and she did die
00:18:48.36\00:18:51.06
and so all of her
senses are involved.
00:18:51.09\00:18:53.16
She's following the
testimony of her senses.
00:18:53.19\00:18:56.53
And the last method of Satan
was the most deceptive of all,
00:18:56.56\00:19:00.50
and that was to tempt Eve
to follow her unaided reason
00:19:00.54\00:19:05.77
instead of
following the Word of God.
00:19:05.81\00:19:08.78
In other words,
Satan now offers Eve
00:19:08.81\00:19:11.85
an alternative
explanation of why God told them
00:19:11.88\00:19:15.58
not to eat from the tree.
00:19:15.62\00:19:17.89
He's going to tell Eve,
00:19:17.92\00:19:19.25
"It's not because
you're going to die
00:19:19.29\00:19:21.26
if you eat from the tree.
00:19:21.29\00:19:22.99
God knows that if
you eat from this tree,
00:19:23.02\00:19:26.59
you are going to
be just like Him."
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.53
What he's hinting at,
00:19:28.56\00:19:30.17
is that God at some point
in the past ate from the tree,
00:19:30.20\00:19:34.47
and that made Him God.
00:19:34.50\00:19:36.94
And after that, He
intimidated everybody by saying,
00:19:36.97\00:19:40.04
"If you eat from this
tree, you're going to die."
00:19:40.08\00:19:42.24
But it's really because
God didn't want any rivals.
00:19:42.28\00:19:46.45
Are you understanding
what's happening here?
00:19:46.48\00:19:48.75
So what is the
devil leading Eve to do?
00:19:48.78\00:19:51.32
To question God's
story about her existence.
00:19:51.35\00:19:56.89
Now, let's read the note.
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.66
"Eve's only safety
was to have," what?
00:19:59.69\00:20:02.60
"Settled faith and
trust in the Word of God."
00:20:02.63\00:20:06.50
Period, God said it,
00:20:06.53\00:20:09.40
I believe it and
that settles it for me.
00:20:09.44\00:20:12.97
She was not to pay any
attention to the miracle.
00:20:13.01\00:20:15.84
She was not to pay attention
to the word of the serpent.
00:20:15.88\00:20:21.38
She was not to pay attention
00:20:21.42\00:20:23.39
to her senses or to the logical,
00:20:23.42\00:20:26.09
seemingly logical
explanation that the serpent
00:20:26.12\00:20:29.02
or Satan was offering her.
00:20:29.06\00:20:31.63
The purpose of
the tree was to test
00:20:31.66\00:20:34.83
Adam and Eve's
faith in the Lord,
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.67
to see if they were
willing to recognize Him
00:20:37.70\00:20:40.34
as their Creator
and the only true God.
00:20:40.37\00:20:43.47
That was the test.
00:20:43.51\00:20:45.11
In his temptation,
Satan was not telling Eve
00:20:45.14\00:20:48.51
that she and Adam
would be little gods,
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.05
if they ate from the tree.
00:20:51.08\00:20:53.08
He was actually insinuating
that at some time in the past,
00:20:53.11\00:20:57.75
God had eaten from the
tree and had become God.
00:20:57.79\00:21:01.96
And he assured Eve that
if she ate from the tree,
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.96
she would be God as well.
00:21:04.99\00:21:07.43
The Hebrew word for
gods in Genesis 3:5,
00:21:07.46\00:21:11.77
and that's the way
that it's translated
00:21:11.80\00:21:13.74
in the King James
Version, is Elohim.
00:21:13.77\00:21:16.57
It's a same identical word
that appears in Genesis 1:1
00:21:16.60\00:21:20.34
where it says,
"In the beginning God
00:21:20.38\00:21:22.51
created the
heavens and the earth."
00:21:22.54\00:21:24.75
Satan unabashedly
attacked God as the Creator
00:21:24.78\00:21:28.45
and His only right to be God.
00:21:28.48\00:21:32.32
He was not telling Eve
that she would be a little god,
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.19
but rather that she would be
00:21:35.22\00:21:36.66
on a level of equality with God.
00:21:36.69\00:21:39.79
Satan knew that the only
way he could get Adam and Eve
00:21:39.83\00:21:43.57
to dishonor their Creator
was by getting them to partake
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.10
of the one tree
00:21:47.14\00:21:48.47
that God had
reserved for Himself.
00:21:48.50\00:21:51.21
Are you catching the picture?
00:21:51.24\00:21:53.41
So it's an
attack on the Creator.
00:21:53.44\00:21:55.51
It's an attack on the true God.
00:21:55.54\00:21:57.61
If Satan can lead Eve
to partake of the one tree
00:21:57.65\00:22:01.15
that God reserved for Himself,
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.12
that would be actually
slapping the Creator in the face
00:22:03.15\00:22:06.82
and her wanting
to make herself God.
00:22:06.86\00:22:10.59
Now, let's go to
the next section.
00:22:10.63\00:22:12.49
Satan deceived Eve.
00:22:12.53\00:22:15.10
What excuse did Eve give to God
00:22:15.13\00:22:18.03
for eating from
the tree of knowledge?
00:22:18.07\00:22:20.57
Genesis 3:13,
00:22:20.60\00:22:23.14
"And the Lord God
said to the woman,
00:22:23.17\00:22:26.07
'What is this
that you have done?'
00:22:26.11\00:22:28.54
The woman said,
00:22:28.58\00:22:30.01
'The serpent
deceived me, and I ate.'"
00:22:30.05\00:22:35.68
I like the way the
King James says it,
00:22:35.72\00:22:39.39
"The serpent beguiled me..."
00:22:39.42\00:22:41.56
That's an old English word.
00:22:41.59\00:22:43.36
We don't use it very much,
00:22:43.39\00:22:44.73
but it sounds a lot
more sinister, I think.
00:22:44.76\00:22:47.53
"The serpent beguiled me."
00:22:47.56\00:22:49.16
It means that the
serpent deceived me.
00:22:49.20\00:22:52.13
Now, what do we need to do
in order to deceive someone?
00:22:52.17\00:22:57.97
We have to offer a counterfeit.
00:22:58.01\00:23:00.91
And there are three
aspects to a counterfeit.
00:23:00.94\00:23:04.21
First, in order
for a counterfeit
00:23:04.25\00:23:07.05
to be deceptive,
00:23:07.08\00:23:08.88
the counterfeit must
be as close as possible
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.65
to the what?
00:23:11.69\00:23:13.09
To the genuine.
00:23:13.12\00:23:14.89
You have fool's gold.
00:23:14.92\00:23:17.09
Well, you have to make
it look as close as possible
00:23:17.13\00:23:19.29
to real gold, right?
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.36
Secondly, the counterfeit comes
00:23:21.40\00:23:26.00
after the genuine in time.
00:23:26.03\00:23:28.57
That was a counterfeit...
00:23:28.60\00:23:29.94
The purpose of the
counterfeit is to counterfeit
00:23:29.97\00:23:32.21
that which is already genuine.
00:23:32.24\00:23:34.41
And three, the only way
to detect the counterfeit
00:23:34.44\00:23:38.38
is to what?
00:23:38.41\00:23:40.32
To compare with the genuine.
00:23:40.35\00:23:41.78
So in order to
detect the counterfeit,
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.65
do you have to know
what the genuine is?
00:23:43.69\00:23:46.15
Absolutely.
00:23:46.19\00:23:47.52
I want you to keep
those three ideas in mind
00:23:47.56\00:23:49.79
because they're very important.
00:23:49.82\00:23:51.16
First of all,
00:23:51.19\00:23:52.53
in order for a
counterfeit to be deceptive,
00:23:52.56\00:23:55.33
it must appear as close
as possible to the genuine.
00:23:55.36\00:23:58.60
Secondly, it comes
00:23:58.63\00:24:00.50
after the genuine
in time and three,
00:24:00.54\00:24:03.77
in order to detect it,
00:24:03.81\00:24:05.17
you must clearly
know what the genuine is.
00:24:05.21\00:24:09.71
Now, what was the penalty
for eating from the tree?
00:24:09.74\00:24:13.88
God told them explicitly.
00:24:13.92\00:24:15.98
Notice Genesis 2:17,
00:24:16.02\00:24:20.16
"But of the
tree of the knowledge
00:24:20.19\00:24:21.59
of good and evil,
00:24:21.62\00:24:22.96
you shall not eat,
00:24:22.99\00:24:24.33
for in the day
that you eat of it,
00:24:24.36\00:24:26.49
you shall surely die."
00:24:26.53\00:24:29.13
So the sentence for
partaking of God's tree
00:24:29.16\00:24:34.14
that He had reserved
for Himself was death.
00:24:34.17\00:24:38.41
So we've studied
00:24:38.44\00:24:40.24
the original
temptation in heaven.
00:24:40.28\00:24:41.88
There was this external tree
00:24:41.91\00:24:43.88
that tested the
internal commitment
00:24:43.91\00:24:46.41
of Adam and Eve to God.
00:24:46.45\00:24:48.45
Now, why have we
gone through this?
00:24:48.48\00:24:50.85
Because there's
a striking parallel
00:24:50.89\00:24:53.99
with the final test.
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.19
Only the final test is
not going to be over a tree,
00:24:56.22\00:24:59.66
the final test is
going to be over a day.
00:24:59.69\00:25:02.76
Now, let's notice the parallel.
00:25:02.80\00:25:05.90
What positive command
00:25:05.93\00:25:08.04
did God give in
the Fourth Commandment?
00:25:08.07\00:25:11.14
Exodus 20:8-9,
00:25:11.17\00:25:13.64
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:25:13.68\00:25:16.85
Six days you shall
labor and do all your work."
00:25:16.88\00:25:22.22
So let's read the note.
00:25:22.25\00:25:24.19
"God specified
00:25:24.22\00:25:25.55
that all the trees of the garden
00:25:25.59\00:25:26.92
were for man's personal use.
00:25:26.96\00:25:29.29
Similarly, He has specified
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.96
that the first
six days of the week
00:25:31.99\00:25:34.20
are for our own
personal use as well."
00:25:34.23\00:25:38.67
Now what negative command
00:25:38.70\00:25:40.30
did God give in
the Fourth Commandment?
00:25:40.34\00:25:42.97
After giving the
positive command saying
00:25:43.00\00:25:44.77
all six days are for
your own personal use,
00:25:44.81\00:25:48.34
yet in the Fourth Commandment,
00:25:48.38\00:25:49.71
God gives a negative command.
00:25:49.74\00:25:51.71
Exodus 20:10,
00:25:51.75\00:25:53.65
"But the seventh
day is the Sabbath
00:25:53.68\00:25:57.25
of the Lord your God.
00:25:57.29\00:25:58.99
In it you shall do no
work: you, nor your son,
00:25:59.02\00:26:02.66
nor your daughter,
nor your male servant,
00:26:02.69\00:26:04.89
nor your female servant,
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.46
nor your cattle,
00:26:06.49\00:26:07.83
nor your stranger who
is within your gates."
00:26:07.86\00:26:11.20
Six days are for
your personal use.
00:26:11.23\00:26:14.94
The other day, the
seventh day is off limits.
00:26:14.97\00:26:18.54
It belongs to me.
00:26:18.57\00:26:21.04
As God reserved one
tree exclusively for Himself,
00:26:21.08\00:26:25.18
the Fourth
Commandment underlines the fact
00:26:25.21\00:26:27.42
that God has
reserved the seventh day
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.25
of the week for Himself.
00:26:29.28\00:26:31.22
The Bible tells us
00:26:31.25\00:26:32.59
that the Sabbath
was God's rest day
00:26:32.62\00:26:35.12
before it became
a rest day for man.
00:26:35.16\00:26:38.63
This is why God calls
the Sabbath, My holy day.
00:26:38.66\00:26:43.20
And that's the reason
00:26:43.23\00:26:44.57
why it is called the
Sabbath of the Lord your God
00:26:44.60\00:26:49.04
because it belongs
exclusively to Him.
00:26:49.07\00:26:52.01
It is off limits to man,
00:26:52.04\00:26:54.64
just like the
tree of the knowledge
00:26:54.68\00:26:56.75
of good and evil
was off limits to man.
00:26:56.78\00:26:59.98
Where do you think
the Fourth Commandment
00:27:04.89\00:27:07.06
is located in the law of God?
00:27:07.09\00:27:10.03
It's in the very
center of the law of God.
00:27:10.06\00:27:13.23
The tree of knowledge
00:27:13.26\00:27:14.60
that tested the
faith of Adam and Eve
00:27:14.63\00:27:16.60
was located in the
middle of the garden.
00:27:16.63\00:27:19.37
Likewise, the
Sabbath commandment
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.17
is in the very
center of God's law.
00:27:21.20\00:27:24.31
And now we're going to cover
something very interesting.
00:27:24.34\00:27:27.58
And I didn't
place the illustrations
00:27:27.61\00:27:31.21
in the syllabus,
00:27:31.25\00:27:32.58
but what I'll do is
I'll make sure I get copies
00:27:32.61\00:27:35.48
of those so that you have them.
00:27:35.52\00:27:38.19
But anyway,
likewise, let's go back here
00:27:38.22\00:27:43.22
to the beginning of the note.
00:27:43.26\00:27:44.59
The tree of knowledge the test
of the faith of Adam and Eve
00:27:44.63\00:27:46.56
was located in the
middle of the garden.
00:27:46.59\00:27:48.83
Likewise, the
Sabbath commandment
00:27:48.86\00:27:50.47
is in the very
center of God's law.
00:27:50.50\00:27:53.27
Archaeological
discoveries at Ugarit,
00:27:53.30\00:27:56.74
which is in, what is Syria,
00:27:56.77\00:28:01.38
unmistakably revealed
that ancient law codes
00:28:01.41\00:28:05.78
had the seal in the
middle of the tablet.
00:28:05.81\00:28:08.82
The seal always
contain three elements.
00:28:08.85\00:28:12.12
Number one, the
name of the lawgiver.
00:28:12.15\00:28:15.89
Number two, the
official function
00:28:15.92\00:28:18.09
or office of the lawgiver.
00:28:18.13\00:28:20.56
And number three,
00:28:20.60\00:28:21.93
the jurisdictional territory
00:28:21.96\00:28:24.10
over which the official governs.
00:28:24.13\00:28:26.47
Even in ancient seals
in the middle of a tablet,
00:28:26.50\00:28:30.31
you have these three elements
to make the seal authentic.
00:28:30.34\00:28:34.61
Of all of the Ten Commandments,
00:28:34.64\00:28:36.18
only the Fourth
contains these three elements.
00:28:36.21\00:28:39.28
His name is the Lord your God.
00:28:39.31\00:28:42.58
His title or office is Creator.
00:28:42.62\00:28:46.29
His jurisdictional territory
00:28:46.32\00:28:48.19
in the Fourth
Commandment is heaven,
00:28:48.22\00:28:49.69
earth, the seas and
the fountains of waters.
00:28:49.72\00:28:53.90
Now, according to God
Himself, what is His covenant?
00:28:53.93\00:28:58.27
Deuteronomy 4:13,
00:28:58.30\00:29:01.44
"So He declared
to you His covenant,
00:29:01.47\00:29:04.27
which He
commanded you to perform,
00:29:04.31\00:29:06.64
the Ten Commandments,
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.01
and he wrote them on
two tablets of stone."
00:29:08.04\00:29:10.71
So the Ten
Commandments are God's what?
00:29:10.75\00:29:13.52
They are God's covenant.
00:29:13.55\00:29:16.72
And how many
sides of the tablets
00:29:16.75\00:29:18.89
did God write
the Ten Commandments?
00:29:18.92\00:29:21.92
You know, some people
are surprised about this,
00:29:21.96\00:29:23.89
but they're written on
both sides of the tablets.
00:29:23.93\00:29:26.43
Notice Exodus 32:15-16,
00:29:26.46\00:29:29.40
"And Moses turned and
went down from the mountain,
00:29:29.43\00:29:32.30
and the two
tablets of the testimony
00:29:32.33\00:29:34.20
were in his hand.
00:29:34.24\00:29:35.57
The tablets were
written on what?"
00:29:35.60\00:29:38.01
We're going to see
00:29:38.04\00:29:39.37
there's an
archeological reason for this.
00:29:39.41\00:29:41.51
God gave the law in the
time when there were covenants
00:29:41.54\00:29:45.61
such as the Ten Commandments
in the surrounding nations.
00:29:45.65\00:29:49.18
The tablets were
written on both sides,
00:29:49.22\00:29:52.05
on the one side
and on the other,
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.59
they were written.
00:29:54.62\00:29:56.12
Now the tablets
were the work of God
00:29:56.16\00:29:58.46
and the writing was the writing
of God engraved on the tablets.
00:29:58.49\00:30:04.13
Now, the note is
very significant.
00:30:04.17\00:30:06.94
Clay tablets have been on earth
00:30:06.97\00:30:09.70
in the city of Ugarit
00:30:09.74\00:30:13.24
and this land of
Canaan that's actually Syria,
00:30:13.27\00:30:16.58
just north of
the land of Canaan.
00:30:16.61\00:30:18.81
These tablets contain covenants
00:30:18.85\00:30:21.58
between greater
and lesser kings.
00:30:21.62\00:30:25.09
The tablets contain
writing on both sides.
00:30:25.12\00:30:28.66
And the interesting
thing is the same material
00:30:28.69\00:30:31.13
that's written on the front side
00:30:31.16\00:30:32.49
is written again on the backside
00:30:32.53\00:30:34.03
of these tablets.
00:30:34.06\00:30:35.40
You say, "Well, why would
they write the same information
00:30:35.43\00:30:38.93
on the front of the clay tablets
00:30:38.97\00:30:40.54
as on the back of
the clay tablets?"
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.37
You're going to
see that in the minute,
00:30:42.40\00:30:43.87
in a moment.
00:30:43.91\00:30:45.24
So the tablets
contain writing on both sides,
00:30:45.27\00:30:49.64
and in the middle of one side
00:30:49.68\00:30:51.95
is the authentic
seal of the lawgiver
00:30:51.98\00:30:54.45
and you can find this huge seal
00:30:54.48\00:30:56.72
that is impressed in the
middle of the clay tablet
00:30:56.75\00:30:59.59
when the clay is soft.
00:30:59.62\00:31:01.79
So what happens when
they impress the seal
00:31:01.82\00:31:04.09
in the middle of
the tablet on one side?
00:31:04.13\00:31:06.23
It obliterates
much of the writing.
00:31:06.26\00:31:10.03
And so they would
write the same thing
00:31:10.07\00:31:11.70
on the backside
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.07
so that you could
read the entire covenant
00:31:13.10\00:31:14.97
because the seal
was on the front side.
00:31:15.00\00:31:17.91
I have bunches of
pictures of this one.
00:31:17.94\00:31:19.74
At one time I was
presenting a series of meetings
00:31:19.77\00:31:24.25
at Andrews University Seminary
00:31:24.28\00:31:26.55
during their week of prayer
00:31:26.58\00:31:28.02
and during the day
00:31:28.05\00:31:29.45
I went to this
library to do research.
00:31:29.48\00:31:33.09
And, you know, I like to just go
00:31:33.12\00:31:35.46
from bookcase to bookcase,
00:31:35.49\00:31:38.73
looking at the
different books to see
00:31:38.76\00:31:40.66
what I find being interesting
00:31:40.70\00:31:42.10
and I noticed these
great big green books.
00:31:42.13\00:31:44.67
And the title of them
is, Ugarit or Ugaritica.
00:31:44.70\00:31:48.57
And so, I don't know
why I was curious about
00:31:48.60\00:31:51.07
taking one of those
down there huge volumes,
00:31:51.11\00:31:53.71
and there were several of them.
00:31:53.74\00:31:55.54
So I decided I would
take one off the shelf,
00:31:55.58\00:31:57.95
and I went to the table there
00:31:57.98\00:31:59.65
and I started
leafing through them.
00:31:59.68\00:32:01.15
And then suddenly
I saw these tablets,
00:32:01.18\00:32:05.02
many different tablets
that were unearthed in Ugarit.
00:32:05.05\00:32:10.29
And these tablets
were written on both sides
00:32:10.33\00:32:14.16
and in the center
of the tablet always
00:32:14.20\00:32:16.97
was the
dynastic seal of the king
00:32:17.00\00:32:19.43
that is making the covenant.
00:32:19.47\00:32:21.44
And on one side the
seal is impressed on the clay
00:32:21.47\00:32:24.84
it obliterates the
writing on the front side,
00:32:24.87\00:32:27.18
so they write
the same information
00:32:27.21\00:32:28.94
on the backside,
00:32:28.98\00:32:30.31
very significant,
00:32:30.35\00:32:31.68
and the seal was in
the center of the tablet.
00:32:31.71\00:32:35.08
I'm going to give you...
00:32:35.12\00:32:36.45
I'll take some photocopies
00:32:36.48\00:32:37.99
that you'll be
able to take with you.
00:32:38.02\00:32:40.39
Let's continue here.
00:32:40.42\00:32:41.89
The seal of authenticity
00:32:41.92\00:32:43.66
in the middle of the
tablet contains the name,
00:32:43.69\00:32:47.76
the title and
jurisdictional territory
00:32:47.80\00:32:51.53
of the lawgiving king.
00:32:51.57\00:32:54.14
One is reminded of
the Ten Commandments.
00:32:54.17\00:32:56.97
They are a covenant
between God and His people
00:32:57.01\00:33:00.08
and the tablets were
written on both sides.
00:33:00.11\00:33:03.31
One would
therefore expect God's seal
00:33:03.35\00:33:05.58
to be in the very center
00:33:05.61\00:33:06.95
of the Ten
Commandments and it is,
00:33:06.98\00:33:09.85
The Fourth
Commandment is the only one
00:33:09.88\00:33:12.05
that identifies the
name of the lawgiver,
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.79
his function or office
00:33:14.82\00:33:17.33
and his
jurisdictional territory.
00:33:17.36\00:33:21.60
So we ask the question,
according to God Himself,
00:33:21.63\00:33:26.10
what is His covenant?
00:33:26.13\00:33:28.10
The Ten Commandments.
00:33:28.14\00:33:29.90
Where would we
expect to find God seal
00:33:29.94\00:33:32.97
in the Ten Commandments?
00:33:33.01\00:33:34.44
In the middle of the tablet.
00:33:34.48\00:33:36.18
Where was the tree
in the Garden of Eden
00:33:36.21\00:33:38.55
that tested Adam and Eve?
00:33:38.58\00:33:40.68
In the middle of the
garden, as we noticed.
00:33:40.72\00:33:43.92
Now, who chose the
seventh day Sabbath
00:33:43.95\00:33:46.39
as the specific day of rest?
00:33:46.42\00:33:49.26
Exodus 16:29, "See!
00:33:49.29\00:33:52.66
For the Lord has
given you the Sabbath."
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.70
Who did?
00:33:54.73\00:33:56.06
"The Lord has
given you the Sabbath,
00:33:56.10\00:33:58.00
therefore He gives
you on the sixth day bread
00:33:58.03\00:34:00.57
for two days.
00:34:00.60\00:34:01.94
Let every man
remain in his place,
00:34:01.97\00:34:03.84
let no man go out of his
place on the seventh day."
00:34:03.87\00:34:08.34
God chose the tree
00:34:08.38\00:34:10.78
from which Adam and
Eve were not to eat.
00:34:10.81\00:34:14.18
In like manner, God established
the seventh day at creation
00:34:14.22\00:34:17.65
as His day of rest.
00:34:17.69\00:34:19.69
God has not given man
the option of choosing
00:34:19.72\00:34:23.02
on which day he
will abstain from work.
00:34:23.06\00:34:25.83
The Fourth
Commandment does not say,
00:34:25.86\00:34:27.86
"Remember to
keep one day in seven,
00:34:27.90\00:34:30.30
or remember to
keep every seventh day
00:34:30.33\00:34:32.80
or remember to rest
or take time to rest."
00:34:32.83\00:34:36.47
God said, "The
seventh day is the Sabbath
00:34:36.50\00:34:40.14
of the Lord your God."
00:34:40.18\00:34:41.78
God did not give man the option.
00:34:41.81\00:34:43.85
God chose the day.
00:34:43.88\00:34:45.21
Who chose the tree?
00:34:45.25\00:34:47.48
God chose the tree.
00:34:47.52\00:34:49.75
Now, here we come to
a very important point.
00:34:49.78\00:34:53.99
How many days belong to God?
00:34:54.02\00:34:56.93
All days belong to
God because He made them,
00:34:56.96\00:35:01.63
but the Sabbath
belongs to God how?
00:35:01.66\00:35:05.70
In a special way.
00:35:05.73\00:35:07.90
It is God's exclusive property.
00:35:07.94\00:35:11.27
It is holy,
00:35:11.31\00:35:12.87
and we are not to
use it for ourselves.
00:35:12.91\00:35:15.48
And you'll always
meet people that will say,
00:35:15.51\00:35:17.31
"I believe that
all days are God's."
00:35:17.35\00:35:20.65
Now, how are you
going to answer that,
00:35:20.68\00:35:22.02
all days are God's?
00:35:22.05\00:35:23.39
It's true.
00:35:23.42\00:35:24.75
Yes, I agree with you,
but not all days are holy.
00:35:24.79\00:35:29.06
That's the answer
that we have to give.
00:35:29.09\00:35:30.93
All days are God's
but not all days are holy.
00:35:30.96\00:35:33.16
All trees were God's,
00:35:33.19\00:35:35.23
but one tree was exclusively His
00:35:35.26\00:35:37.77
that He reserved for Himself.
00:35:37.80\00:35:40.14
Let's continue here.
00:35:40.17\00:35:41.50
The same principle
applies to the Sabbath
00:35:41.54\00:35:43.44
as applies to the tithe.
00:35:43.47\00:35:47.21
Some people affirm,
00:35:47.24\00:35:48.58
"I believe that all
days are God's days."
00:35:48.61\00:35:51.15
And they are right,
00:35:51.18\00:35:52.51
but this does not mean
that all days are holy.
00:35:52.55\00:35:55.65
How much of our
money belongs to God?
00:35:55.68\00:35:57.95
All our money belongs
to God because God says,
00:35:57.99\00:36:01.22
"Mine is the silver
and Mine is the gold,"
00:36:01.26\00:36:03.53
Haggai 2:8.
00:36:03.56\00:36:05.49
However, this does not
mean that all our money is what?
00:36:05.53\00:36:08.80
Holy.
00:36:08.83\00:36:10.53
God did not say
that all days are holy.
00:36:10.57\00:36:13.70
There is only one day
that God identified as holy,
00:36:13.74\00:36:16.57
the Sabbath.
00:36:16.60\00:36:18.47
And then we have the stories
that I mentioned yesterday,
00:36:18.51\00:36:20.74
the story of Nadab and Abihu,
00:36:20.78\00:36:23.61
and the story of Belshazzar.
00:36:23.65\00:36:25.65
They illustrate two
serious sins against God.
00:36:25.68\00:36:31.42
The story of Nadab
and Abihu, God said,
00:36:31.45\00:36:35.92
"When you mingle
incense with fire,
00:36:35.96\00:36:39.16
I want you to take the
fire from the altar of sacrifice
00:36:39.19\00:36:42.00
because that's the fire
that I rain from heaven.
00:36:42.03\00:36:44.07
That's holy fire."
00:36:44.10\00:36:46.27
But Nadab and Abihu,
under the influence of wine...
00:36:46.30\00:36:50.04
Is Babylon going to be
under the influence of wine
00:36:50.07\00:36:52.21
at the end of time?
00:36:52.24\00:36:53.91
Absolutely, wine is involved,
but it's spiritual wine.
00:36:53.94\00:36:56.88
It's false doctrine.
00:36:56.91\00:36:58.75
Under the influence of wine,
00:36:58.78\00:37:00.48
they took common ordinary fire
00:37:00.52\00:37:03.39
and they offered it to
God as if it were holy.
00:37:03.42\00:37:08.19
And what did God say?
00:37:08.22\00:37:09.56
"God said no
problem, fire is fire."
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.03
No.
00:37:13.06\00:37:14.43
Let me ask you, do you think
00:37:14.46\00:37:15.80
the chemical
properties of the fire
00:37:15.83\00:37:17.67
that they took was
the same as the fire
00:37:17.70\00:37:20.14
from the altar?
00:37:20.17\00:37:21.50
Sure.
00:37:21.54\00:37:22.90
Do you think that if
they put their fingers
00:37:22.94\00:37:24.57
in both fires their
finger would be burned?
00:37:24.61\00:37:26.91
Of course.
00:37:26.94\00:37:28.28
Did the fire look the same?
00:37:28.31\00:37:29.98
Sure.
00:37:30.01\00:37:31.35
What distinguished the fire
00:37:31.38\00:37:32.71
that they were supposed to take?
00:37:32.75\00:37:34.72
The fact that God
had said it was holy.
00:37:34.75\00:37:37.45
It has nothing to
do with appearance.
00:37:37.49\00:37:40.19
What happened with them
00:37:40.22\00:37:41.56
as a result of taking
something that was common
00:37:41.59\00:37:43.59
and presenting it
as if it was holy?
00:37:43.63\00:37:45.99
The Bible says fire came
out from the Most Holy Place
00:37:46.03\00:37:49.96
and consumed
them in the sanctuary.
00:37:50.00\00:37:52.83
Then we have the
story of Belshazzar,
00:37:52.87\00:37:55.07
also under the
influence of wine.
00:37:55.10\00:37:59.14
And he's by the way,
the last king of Babylon
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.84
and in Revelation we
have Babylon the great.
00:38:01.88\00:38:04.71
And he was drinking
wine and so he says,
00:38:04.75\00:38:07.82
"Let's bring the holy vessels
00:38:07.85\00:38:10.19
and make a common use of
them and put wine in them."
00:38:10.22\00:38:14.46
So he's doing the opposite.
00:38:14.49\00:38:15.82
He's taking
something that's holy
00:38:15.86\00:38:17.89
and he's treating
it as if it was common.
00:38:17.93\00:38:21.43
What happened with Belshazzar?
00:38:21.46\00:38:23.73
That very night he was slain
00:38:23.77\00:38:26.63
and the kingdom
was taken from him.
00:38:26.67\00:38:28.27
If God allows people
to take a common day,
00:38:31.64\00:38:37.25
like Sunday,
which is a working day,
00:38:37.28\00:38:40.15
and to present it to
Him as if it were holy,
00:38:40.18\00:38:43.05
that would be the same as
the sin of Nadab and Abihu.
00:38:43.08\00:38:46.99
And if God allows
people to take a holy day
00:38:47.02\00:38:49.99
like the Sabbath,
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.36
and treat it like it's common,
00:38:51.39\00:38:52.89
that would be like
the sin of Belshazzar.
00:38:52.93\00:38:55.50
God is going to
have to apologize
00:38:55.53\00:38:57.30
to those people
from the Old Testament.
00:38:57.33\00:38:59.70
But you might say,
00:38:59.73\00:39:01.07
"Well, back then
God was all justice
00:39:01.10\00:39:04.01
and now He's all mercy."
00:39:04.04\00:39:06.68
God's character doesn't change.
00:39:06.71\00:39:09.01
When God says the
seventh day is a Sabbath.
00:39:09.04\00:39:11.71
He means the seventh day.
00:39:11.75\00:39:14.25
He doesn't mean the first day.
00:39:14.28\00:39:15.82
First day is a secular day.
00:39:15.85\00:39:17.49
Six days are for you,
the seventh day God says,
00:39:17.52\00:39:20.79
"It's mine."
00:39:20.82\00:39:22.16
Just like in the
garden, God said,
00:39:22.19\00:39:23.93
"All of the trees are for
your personal consumption,
00:39:23.96\00:39:26.43
but this one tree
is off limits to you."
00:39:26.46\00:39:30.70
Notice this statement
00:39:30.73\00:39:32.07
that we find in Spiritual Gifts,
00:39:32.10\00:39:33.44
volume 4A, pages 14 and 15.
00:39:33.47\00:39:36.60
When God says,
"Keep the seventh day,"
00:39:36.64\00:39:40.11
He does not mean
the sixth nor the first
00:39:40.14\00:39:43.98
but the very day
He has specified.
00:39:44.01\00:39:46.55
Is that true of the
tree in the garden also?
00:39:46.58\00:39:48.45
Yes.
00:39:48.48\00:39:50.02
If men substitute a
common day for the sacred,
00:39:50.05\00:39:54.59
and say that
will do just as well,
00:39:54.62\00:39:57.23
they insult the maker of
the heavens and the earth.
00:39:57.26\00:40:01.13
Did Eve insult the
maker of heaven and earth
00:40:01.16\00:40:03.90
by eating from God's tree?
00:40:03.93\00:40:06.10
You're catching
the parallels here.
00:40:06.13\00:40:08.97
So once again, if men
substitute a common day
00:40:09.00\00:40:11.61
for the sacred and say
that will do just as well,
00:40:11.64\00:40:14.74
they insult the maker of
the heavens and the earth,
00:40:14.78\00:40:17.55
who made the
Sabbath to commemorate
00:40:17.58\00:40:20.05
His resting upon the seventh day
00:40:20.08\00:40:22.45
after creating
the world in six days.
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.45
It is dangerous
business in the service of God
00:40:25.49\00:40:28.82
to deviate from
His institutions.
00:40:28.86\00:40:31.56
Those who have to do
with God, who is infinite,
00:40:31.59\00:40:35.16
who explicitly directs
in regard to His own worship
00:40:35.20\00:40:38.50
should follow the exact course
00:40:38.53\00:40:41.27
He has prescribed
and not feel at liberty
00:40:41.30\00:40:44.87
to deviate in
the smallest respect
00:40:44.91\00:40:48.48
because they
think it will answer
00:40:48.51\00:40:50.58
just as well.
00:40:50.61\00:40:51.95
God will teach all His creatures
00:40:51.98\00:40:54.28
that He means just what He says.
00:40:54.32\00:40:58.09
That's a powerful
statement, isn't it?
00:40:58.12\00:41:01.22
Now let's talk about
the Sabbath and astronomy.
00:41:01.26\00:41:05.29
Thought question,
00:41:05.33\00:41:06.80
is there any astronomical reason
00:41:06.83\00:41:09.80
for a seven-day week?
00:41:09.83\00:41:12.93
No astronomical reason.
00:41:12.97\00:41:14.80
Let's read the note.
00:41:14.84\00:41:16.30
There is an astronomical reason
or explanation for the year.
00:41:16.34\00:41:20.44
It takes our planet 365,
actually 365 and a quarter days
00:41:20.48\00:41:24.75
to make one
complete turn around the sun.
00:41:24.78\00:41:27.65
There is an
astronomical explanation
00:41:27.68\00:41:30.19
for the month.
00:41:30.22\00:41:31.55
It is the interval
between one new moon
00:41:31.59\00:41:33.52
and the other.
00:41:33.56\00:41:34.89
There is an astronomical
explanation for the day.
00:41:34.92\00:41:38.23
It is the amount of time
00:41:38.26\00:41:39.59
that it takes our planet
to make one complete turn
00:41:39.63\00:41:42.03
around its axis.
00:41:42.06\00:41:43.87
However, there is no
astronomical explanation
00:41:43.90\00:41:46.74
for a seven-day week.
00:41:46.77\00:41:48.74
The only reason we
have a seven-day week
00:41:48.77\00:41:51.51
is that God made
it so at creation.
00:41:51.54\00:41:55.31
Notice Signs of the
Times, March 20, 1879,
00:41:55.34\00:41:59.38
the first week in
which God performed the work
00:41:59.41\00:42:02.72
of creation in six days
00:42:02.75\00:42:04.09
and rested on the seventh day
was just like every other week.
00:42:04.12\00:42:09.72
The great God in
His days of creation,
00:42:09.76\00:42:12.19
and day of rest
measured off the first cycle
00:42:12.23\00:42:15.66
as a sample for successive weeks
00:42:15.70\00:42:18.57
till the close of time.
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.14
The weekly cycle
of seven literal days,
00:42:21.17\00:42:23.74
six for labor, and
the seventh for rest,
00:42:23.77\00:42:26.64
which has been preserved
00:42:26.68\00:42:28.68
and brought down
through Bible history
00:42:28.71\00:42:30.95
originated in the great facts
00:42:30.98\00:42:34.55
of the first seven days.
00:42:34.58\00:42:37.95
Let me ask you,
00:42:37.99\00:42:40.16
do all the days of
the week look alike?
00:42:40.19\00:42:44.09
Yes or no?
00:42:44.13\00:42:45.46
Yes.
00:42:45.49\00:42:46.83
Does the sun rise
and set on the Sabbath
00:42:46.86\00:42:48.26
as well as the other days?
00:42:48.30\00:42:50.10
Yeah.
00:42:50.13\00:42:51.47
Do each of them have 24 hours?
00:42:51.50\00:42:54.54
Do we go to bed and
get up on every day?
00:42:54.57\00:42:58.31
Sure.
00:42:58.34\00:43:00.11
So the Sabbath, by
its external appearance,
00:43:00.14\00:43:03.48
looks like every other day.
00:43:03.51\00:43:05.91
Just like that tree
looked like every other tree.
00:43:05.95\00:43:09.68
What made the tree distinct?
00:43:09.72\00:43:12.75
Not its appearance,
00:43:12.79\00:43:14.39
but the fact that
God had set it apart.
00:43:14.42\00:43:17.79
What makes the Sabbath unique?
00:43:17.83\00:43:21.00
It's like every other day,
00:43:21.03\00:43:23.47
except for the fact
that God set it apart
00:43:23.50\00:43:26.57
as His day of rest.
00:43:26.60\00:43:30.77
Now, what great fact
00:43:30.81\00:43:32.27
does the Bible
Sabbath memorialize?
00:43:32.31\00:43:37.05
Exodus 20:11, let me ask you,
00:43:37.08\00:43:39.95
if Adam and Eve
respected the tree,
00:43:39.98\00:43:41.78
would that show
that they believe
00:43:41.82\00:43:43.15
that God was the only
true God and the Creator?
00:43:43.18\00:43:46.25
If they respected the
tree, the external tree,
00:43:46.29\00:43:48.46
they would be showing
that they had faith in God.
00:43:48.49\00:43:51.49
Their external act of
obedience showed their faith.
00:43:51.53\00:43:55.56
Is that true also
with regard to the Sabbath?
00:43:55.60\00:43:59.27
Note Exodus
20:11, "For in six days,
00:43:59.30\00:44:02.87
the Lord made the
heaven and the earth,
00:44:02.90\00:44:04.74
the sea and all that in them is
00:44:04.77\00:44:07.24
and rested on the seventh day.
00:44:07.28\00:44:09.04
Therefore the Lord blessed
the Sabbath day and," what?
00:44:09.08\00:44:12.68
"And sanctified
it or made it holy."
00:44:12.71\00:44:16.12
The Sabbath is a
memorial of the Creator.
00:44:16.15\00:44:19.55
And by observing it,
00:44:19.59\00:44:22.32
we are recognizing the
fact that He alone is God
00:44:22.36\00:44:26.43
and that we are His what?
00:44:26.46\00:44:28.43
That we are His creatures.
00:44:28.46\00:44:30.20
If we remember the tree
of knowledge in the garden
00:44:30.23\00:44:32.57
also tested man's willingness
to accept God's sovereignty
00:44:32.60\00:44:36.24
as the only true Creator God.
00:44:36.27\00:44:40.04
When we keep the Sabbath,
00:44:40.08\00:44:41.41
whom are we recognizing
as the only true God?
00:44:41.44\00:44:45.91
Well, notice Ezekiel
20:20, "Hallow my Sabbaths,
00:44:45.95\00:44:51.09
and they will be a
sign between Me and you,
00:44:51.12\00:44:55.09
that you may know," what?
00:44:55.12\00:44:57.06
"That I am the Lord your God."
00:44:57.09\00:45:01.86
As abstaining from
the tree of knowledge
00:45:01.90\00:45:04.17
was an external sign of loyalty
00:45:04.20\00:45:07.04
so abstaining from
our own secular affairs
00:45:07.07\00:45:11.21
on Sabbath is an external
sign of loyalty to the true God.
00:45:11.24\00:45:17.08
How many hours of the
Sabbath belong to God?
00:45:17.11\00:45:19.25
Can we use just a little
itsy bitsy piece of skin?
00:45:22.62\00:45:27.16
Leviticus 23:32,
00:45:27.19\00:45:30.46
"It shall be to you a
Sabbath of solemn rest,
00:45:30.49\00:45:34.70
and you shall
afflict your souls."
00:45:34.73\00:45:37.27
This is talking
about the Day of Atonement,
00:45:37.30\00:45:38.90
but the principle is
00:45:38.93\00:45:40.27
when the
Sabbath begins and ends.
00:45:40.30\00:45:42.57
It says, "On the ninth
day of the month at evening,
00:45:42.60\00:45:46.31
from evening to evening,
00:45:46.34\00:45:48.51
you shall
celebrate your Sabbath."
00:45:48.54\00:45:51.51
Now, when is the evening?
00:45:51.55\00:45:53.95
Mark 1:32 tells us
when the evening is.
00:45:53.98\00:45:57.12
"At evening,
when the sun had set,
00:45:57.15\00:46:00.86
they brought him
all who were sick,
00:46:00.89\00:46:03.36
and those who
were demon possessed."
00:46:03.39\00:46:05.99
How much of the time of
the Sabbath belongs to God,
00:46:06.03\00:46:10.03
23 hours, 59
minutes and 59 seconds?
00:46:10.07\00:46:14.20
No, from sundown to sundown,
00:46:14.24\00:46:18.81
the Sabbath belongs to God,
00:46:18.84\00:46:20.81
just like the entire
tree and all the fruit
00:46:20.84\00:46:24.15
belong exclusively to God.
00:46:24.18\00:46:27.78
Some people might say, "Well,
all that fruit went to waste."
00:46:27.82\00:46:31.42
No, because in
the Garden of Eden,
00:46:31.45\00:46:33.36
probably the fruit on
that tree didn't actually fall.
00:46:33.39\00:46:38.39
But anyway, we
don't know that for sure.
00:46:38.43\00:46:39.96
Let's read the note.
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.46
"We must keep the
Sabbath from evening to evening,
00:46:41.50\00:46:44.43
that is from sundown to sundown.
00:46:44.47\00:46:47.14
The evening and morning
marked each day of creation.
00:46:47.17\00:46:50.71
The entire 24-hour
period belongs to God.
00:46:50.74\00:46:54.31
Not one little itsy bitsy second
00:46:54.34\00:46:57.18
can be used for our
own secular affairs.
00:46:57.21\00:47:00.32
The Commandment
forbids going out
00:47:00.35\00:47:01.95
to eat in a
restaurant, playing ball."
00:47:01.98\00:47:05.45
I've enumerated some things here
00:47:05.49\00:47:07.09
sleeping all afternoon...
00:47:07.12\00:47:08.56
Watching certain
kinds of television.
00:47:11.79\00:47:13.96
Not all, you
know, you can watch 3ABN
00:47:14.00\00:47:16.30
and of course SUM TV,
00:47:16.33\00:47:19.57
shopping at the mall, et cetera.
00:47:19.60\00:47:21.60
Those are all
secular activities.
00:47:21.64\00:47:24.64
If we love Jesus, it
will be our great pleasure
00:47:24.67\00:47:27.84
to leave aside
our common endeavors
00:47:27.88\00:47:30.65
to concentrate only
on Him on the Sabbath.
00:47:30.68\00:47:34.62
It will be a delight
00:47:34.65\00:47:36.35
and we will not
desire to do anything else
00:47:36.38\00:47:39.22
other than enhance
our relationship with Him
00:47:39.25\00:47:41.69
because strong relationships
are based on spending time.
00:47:41.72\00:47:46.16
We will not do as Israel
was doing in the days of Hosea
00:47:46.19\00:47:49.63
when they were longing
for the Sabbath to be over
00:47:49.66\00:47:52.67
so that they could carry
on their own secular business.
00:47:52.70\00:47:55.57
You can read that in Amos 8:5.
00:47:55.60\00:47:58.64
Ellen White well remarks
00:47:58.67\00:48:00.18
and I'm going to read
three or four statements now
00:48:00.21\00:48:02.58
from her writings.
00:48:02.61\00:48:03.95
"A partial
observance of the Sabbath
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.51
is not accepted by the Lord
00:48:06.55\00:48:08.92
and as a worse effect
upon the minds of sinners
00:48:08.95\00:48:12.29
then if you made no profession
of being a Sabbath keeper.
00:48:12.32\00:48:15.96
They perceive that your
life contradicts your belief
00:48:15.99\00:48:18.83
and lose faith in Christianity.
00:48:18.86\00:48:21.86
The Lord means what He says."
00:48:21.90\00:48:25.27
That's Four Testimonies, 248.
00:48:25.30\00:48:27.00
On page 249, she wrote,
00:48:27.04\00:48:29.10
"It is as ruthless
a violation of the law
00:48:29.14\00:48:32.47
to occasionally use the
Sabbath for secular business
00:48:32.51\00:48:36.01
as to entirely reject it,
00:48:36.04\00:48:38.28
for it is making
the Lord's Commandment
00:48:38.31\00:48:40.18
a matter of convenience."
00:48:40.22\00:48:43.45
On page 250, we
find this statement,
00:48:43.49\00:48:46.19
"Many excuse themselves
for violating the Sabbath
00:48:46.22\00:48:49.69
by referring to your example."
00:48:49.72\00:48:51.49
She's writing to a
certain individual.
00:48:51.53\00:48:53.43
"They argue that
it's so good a man
00:48:53.46\00:48:55.50
who believes the
seventh day as the Sabbath
00:48:55.53\00:48:57.63
can engage in
worldly employments
00:48:57.67\00:49:00.97
on that day
00:49:01.00\00:49:02.34
when circumstances
seem to require it."
00:49:02.37\00:49:04.71
We were talking about
this yesterday, right?
00:49:04.74\00:49:07.34
"Surely, they can do the
same without condemnation.
00:49:07.38\00:49:11.08
Many souls will face
you in the judgment,"
00:49:11.11\00:49:13.75
she's writing to a
specific individual,
00:49:13.78\00:49:15.85
"making your influence an excuse
00:49:15.88\00:49:18.55
for their
disobedience of God's law.
00:49:18.59\00:49:20.99
Although this will be
no apology for their sin,
00:49:21.02\00:49:24.36
yet it will tell
fearfully against you."
00:49:24.39\00:49:28.83
Then she also wrote about
00:49:28.86\00:49:30.33
guarding the
edges of the Sabbath.
00:49:30.37\00:49:31.87
Six Testimonies, 356,
00:49:31.90\00:49:34.50
"We should jealously
guard the edges of the Sabbath.
00:49:34.54\00:49:38.61
Remember that every
moment is consecrated."
00:49:38.64\00:49:41.78
How much?
00:49:41.81\00:49:43.14
Every moment is
consecrated holy time.
00:49:43.18\00:49:45.95
"Whenever it is
possible, employers
00:49:45.98\00:49:48.35
should give their workers
the hours from Friday noon
00:49:48.38\00:49:51.42
until the
beginning of the Sabbath."
00:49:51.45\00:49:53.12
We do that at Secrets Unsealed.
00:49:53.15\00:49:56.69
We give everybody off at noon
00:49:56.73\00:49:58.76
and we don't work
on Friday afternoon
00:49:58.79\00:50:01.00
because it's preparation day.
00:50:01.03\00:50:02.96
"Give them time for preparation
00:50:03.00\00:50:05.73
that they may
welcome the Lord's Day
00:50:05.77\00:50:08.40
with quietness of
mind by such a course
00:50:08.44\00:50:11.94
you will suffer no loss
00:50:11.97\00:50:14.71
even in temporal things."
00:50:14.74\00:50:18.78
Powerful
statements, aren't they?
00:50:18.81\00:50:20.25
That's a promise.
00:50:20.28\00:50:21.98
Does Satan hate the Sabbath?
00:50:22.02\00:50:23.72
Yes.
00:50:23.75\00:50:26.82
Why would he hate the Sabbath?
00:50:26.86\00:50:28.92
Well, let's go to Isaiah 14:14.
00:50:28.96\00:50:31.93
This is when he is in heaven.
00:50:31.96\00:50:34.63
What great aspirations
did Lucifer have in heaven
00:50:34.66\00:50:37.73
that led to his downfall?
00:50:37.77\00:50:39.60
He said what?
00:50:39.63\00:50:41.14
"I will ascend
00:50:41.17\00:50:42.64
above the heights of the clouds,
00:50:42.67\00:50:45.07
I will be like the Most High."
00:50:45.11\00:50:47.54
What did Satan want to be?
00:50:47.58\00:50:49.41
He wanted to be God.
00:50:49.44\00:50:52.15
So couldn't he keep the Sabbath
and still claimed to be God?
00:50:52.18\00:50:55.62
No, because the Sabbath
points out the true God.
00:50:55.65\00:50:59.22
So if Satan kept the Sabbath,
then Satan will be saying
00:50:59.25\00:51:03.89
that the Lord is the true God.
00:51:03.93\00:51:06.36
So Satan had to adopt what?
00:51:06.39\00:51:09.33
His own day
00:51:09.36\00:51:11.00
so that he
could claim to be God.
00:51:11.03\00:51:13.67
Notice, let's read the note.
00:51:13.70\00:51:15.70
"There can be no doubt
that Satan hates the Sabbath
00:51:15.74\00:51:19.11
because it reveals what?
00:51:19.14\00:51:21.61
The absolute
distinction between the Creator
00:51:21.64\00:51:24.95
and the creature.
00:51:24.98\00:51:26.55
At the beginning,
00:51:26.58\00:51:27.92
Lucifer later called
Satan wanted to be God,
00:51:27.95\00:51:31.05
which is a preposterous
idea for a mere creature.
00:51:31.09\00:51:34.92
Satan's hatred
for the Sabbath stems
00:51:34.96\00:51:37.66
from the fact that it identifies
00:51:37.69\00:51:39.53
the true Creator,
00:51:39.56\00:51:41.06
whose position
he wanted to usurp.
00:51:41.10\00:51:44.33
We can discern
Satan's hatred for the Sabbath
00:51:44.37\00:51:46.77
by the way he led
Israel to persistently violated
00:51:46.80\00:51:49.44
in the Old Testament,
00:51:49.47\00:51:50.94
by the way in which
the religious leaders
00:51:50.97\00:51:52.84
of Christ they
distorted its meaning,
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.44
and by the way
Christians distain
00:51:55.48\00:51:57.85
and attack it today."
00:51:57.88\00:52:00.55
All you have to do to see
00:52:00.58\00:52:01.92
how much Satan hates the Sabbath
00:52:01.95\00:52:03.42
is look at the
history of the Sabbath,
00:52:03.45\00:52:05.95
and how Satan has led people
either to distort the Sabbath
00:52:05.99\00:52:10.03
or to idolize the Sabbath.
00:52:10.06\00:52:13.56
Now, let's talk about
00:52:13.60\00:52:14.93
the genuine and the counterfeit.
00:52:14.96\00:52:17.17
Which genuine day of worship
00:52:17.20\00:52:18.97
did God create at the beginning?
00:52:19.00\00:52:22.07
Well, let's read a
text that we already know.
00:52:22.10\00:52:26.78
We've read many, many times
00:52:26.81\00:52:28.14
so we can probably
repeat from memory.
00:52:28.18\00:52:30.11
"Then God
blessed the seventh day
00:52:30.15\00:52:32.95
and sanctified it,
00:52:32.98\00:52:34.58
because in it He
rested from all His work
00:52:34.62\00:52:38.39
which God had created and made."
00:52:38.42\00:52:41.82
Now do you suppose
that if God has the Sabbath
00:52:41.86\00:52:45.56
as His sign as a true God,
00:52:45.59\00:52:48.93
and as the Creator,
00:52:48.96\00:52:50.83
if Satan wants to
occupy the position of God,
00:52:50.87\00:52:54.27
can he keep the same day?
00:52:54.30\00:52:56.40
No, because the
Sabbath points to the true God.
00:52:56.44\00:52:58.77
So must the devil
adopt another day,
00:52:58.81\00:53:01.28
which is his
creation to exalt him as God?
00:53:01.31\00:53:05.08
Absolutely. Let's read the note.
00:53:05.11\00:53:07.35
"Satan has a counterfeit
for each one of God's truths.
00:53:07.38\00:53:12.79
It is important to remember
00:53:12.82\00:53:14.19
that the
counterfeit in most cases..."
00:53:14.22\00:53:16.42
Not always because
Satan sometimes preempts,
00:53:16.46\00:53:19.09
when he knows
what's going to happen,
00:53:19.13\00:53:20.46
he preempts it.
00:53:20.50\00:53:21.90
For example, did Satan know that
00:53:21.93\00:53:24.27
there's going to
be a great revival
00:53:24.30\00:53:25.87
right around the
corner among God's people?
00:53:25.90\00:53:28.27
Yeah, Ellen White says
that before that happens,
00:53:28.30\00:53:30.81
Satan is going to
introduce a counterfeit,
00:53:30.84\00:53:33.51
but the counterfeit always
has reference to the genuine.
00:53:33.54\00:53:36.34
But generally,
the counterfeit comes
00:53:36.38\00:53:39.65
after the genuine to
counterfeit the genuine.
00:53:39.68\00:53:43.18
So now notice, it is
important to remember
00:53:43.22\00:53:46.12
that the
counterfeit in most cases comes
00:53:46.15\00:53:48.16
after the genuine in time.
00:53:48.19\00:53:50.56
And the counterfeit
deceives because it is so what?
00:53:50.59\00:53:54.30
So similar to the genuine.
00:53:54.33\00:53:57.27
Is Sunday a day?
00:53:57.30\00:53:59.23
Does it have 24 hours?
00:53:59.27\00:54:02.00
Do you get up and go
to sleep on that day?
00:54:02.04\00:54:04.87
Does the sun rise
and set on that day?
00:54:04.91\00:54:07.41
Yeah.
00:54:07.44\00:54:08.84
Do people purport that
keeping that day honors God?
00:54:08.88\00:54:12.85
Yeah, perfect counterfeit.
00:54:12.88\00:54:16.32
God's genuine day of
worship at the very beginning
00:54:16.35\00:54:19.45
was the seventh day Sabbath.
00:54:19.49\00:54:21.89
Would we then expect a
counterfeit day of worship
00:54:21.92\00:54:25.39
later on in history?
00:54:25.43\00:54:27.50
Would it be a day that
purportedly honors God?
00:54:27.53\00:54:31.57
Yes, to both questions.
00:54:31.60\00:54:34.30
However, in
order to be deceptive,
00:54:34.34\00:54:36.20
it would have to be a day
that supposedly honors God.
00:54:36.24\00:54:40.91
Which day of worship
00:54:40.94\00:54:43.04
has the Christian world embraced
00:54:43.08\00:54:46.45
that seemingly honors
God but really does not?
00:54:46.48\00:54:51.89
The answer is
unmistakable, Sunday.
00:54:51.92\00:54:56.42
Thought question,
00:54:56.46\00:54:57.79
this is our last
point in this first session.
00:54:57.83\00:55:00.76
Is the Sabbath really
better than any other day?
00:55:00.80\00:55:04.63
What is the true issue involved
in keeping the exact day
00:55:04.67\00:55:09.20
that God has specified?
00:55:09.24\00:55:12.94
Let's read the note.
00:55:12.97\00:55:14.98
"The Sabbath is not better
than any other day per se.
00:55:15.01\00:55:19.41
The central issue
00:55:19.45\00:55:20.85
in the Sabbath
Sunday controversy
00:55:20.88\00:55:23.65
is not whether one day
is better than the other.
00:55:23.69\00:55:27.66
The central issue is
whose authority do we obey?
00:55:27.69\00:55:32.83
By keeping the Sabbath
00:55:32.86\00:55:34.33
we are recognizing the authority
00:55:34.36\00:55:37.20
of the one who established it.
00:55:37.23\00:55:40.07
On the other
hand, by keeping Sunday
00:55:40.10\00:55:42.90
we are recognizing many
people perhaps inadvertently,
00:55:42.94\00:55:48.31
we are recognizing
the authority of the power
00:55:48.34\00:55:52.65
that made it a day of worship."
00:55:52.68\00:55:55.55
And what power is that,
00:55:55.58\00:55:57.75
that made Sunday
the day of worship?
00:55:57.79\00:56:00.79
The Roman Catholic papacy,
the little horn or the beast.
00:56:00.82\00:56:05.89
Daniel 7:25, speaking
about this little horn
00:56:05.93\00:56:09.76
that spoke blasphemies
against the Most High
00:56:09.80\00:56:12.93
and that persecuted
the saints of the Most High
00:56:12.97\00:56:15.87
and ruled for time,
00:56:15.90\00:56:17.27
times and the dividing of time.
00:56:17.31\00:56:19.44
We're also told
that this little horn
00:56:19.47\00:56:22.34
thought that it
could change God's law.
00:56:22.38\00:56:26.61
Which day does the papacy
say that we're supposed to keep?
00:56:26.65\00:56:30.05
We're supposed to keep Sunday.
00:56:30.09\00:56:32.45
But when we keep Sunday,
00:56:32.49\00:56:34.09
we are honoring
the power that claims
00:56:34.12\00:56:36.29
to have changed the day.
00:56:36.32\00:56:38.19
Let me ask you, what
would the papacy have to be
00:56:38.23\00:56:40.73
in order to change God's law?
00:56:40.76\00:56:42.40
It would have to be God
00:56:42.43\00:56:44.33
because only God
can change His law.
00:56:44.37\00:56:46.74
That's why 2
Thessalonians Chapter 2 says
00:56:46.77\00:56:49.90
that the man of sin,
00:56:49.94\00:56:51.67
which is another way of
describing the little horn,
00:56:51.71\00:56:54.08
or the beast, or the harlot.
00:56:54.11\00:56:56.38
The man of sin sits
in the temple of God,
00:56:56.41\00:57:00.68
claiming to be what?
00:57:00.72\00:57:02.75
Claiming to be God.
00:57:02.78\00:57:04.92
Only God could change
His law and of course,
00:57:04.95\00:57:07.36
God isn't going
to change His law.
00:57:07.39\00:57:09.09
So and the papacy says,
00:57:09.12\00:57:10.63
"We changed the
Sabbath to Sunday."
00:57:10.66\00:57:13.19
It is claiming to
exercise the power
00:57:13.23\00:57:16.43
and prerogative of God.
00:57:16.46\00:57:18.30
It is usurping
the position of God.
00:57:18.33\00:57:21.00
And who is behind it all?
00:57:21.04\00:57:23.14
The one who said,
00:57:23.17\00:57:25.14
"I will be like the Most High."
00:57:25.17\00:57:29.74
So, folks, the issue
of Sabbath and Sunday
00:57:29.78\00:57:32.18
is an issue of authority.
00:57:32.21\00:57:35.32
If Adam and Eve
respected God's tree,
00:57:35.35\00:57:38.05
they would be
respecting His authority.
00:57:38.09\00:57:41.16
Human beings at the end of time,
00:57:41.19\00:57:42.82
who respect God's day are
respecting God's authority.
00:57:42.86\00:57:47.00
We cannot
substitute anything in place
00:57:47.03\00:57:49.90
of what God has
said that we should do.
00:57:49.93\00:57:53.03
We need to strictly obey
what He has told us to do.
00:57:53.07\00:57:57.97
And we'll always come out well
00:57:58.01\00:58:00.54
if we do what God instructs
us and commands us to do.
00:58:00.58\00:58:05.11