Well, here we are,
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for our last session together
in the series on the seals,
00:00:16.48\00:00:21.78
I expect you to say oh.
00:00:21.82\00:00:23.75
It's been a good
experience, hasn't it?
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I've enjoyed it.
00:00:28.66\00:00:30.36
I've enjoyed having
fellowship with you all and,
00:00:30.39\00:00:34.50
and also studying to
prepare this particular seminar.
00:00:34.53\00:00:38.00
Remember next year we're gonna
do the trumpets, Lord willing.
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And what we wanna do
now is have a word of prayer
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and then we're
gonna start on page 401.
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So let's bow our heads.
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Father in heaven, we
thank You for the way
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in which You have manifested
Yourself here in this seminar.
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I thank You, Lord, for
each one of these precious souls
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that have come out to
dedicate an entire week
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to study this
portion from Your Word,
00:01:01.36\00:01:04.29
I ask, Lord, that You
will take what we've studied,
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and that it might
cause an impact in our lives
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and that we might be empowered
to share these beautiful truths
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with those who are
searching for something
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better than what they have.
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Be with us now as
we open Your Word,
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open our minds and
hearts and we thank You
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for the promise of Your presence
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and we claim that promise
in the precious name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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Page 401 in our syllabus,
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Seventh-day
Adventists are not the only ones
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who keep the Sabbath.
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The Seventh-day
Baptists are Sabbath keepers.
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There are Orthodox Jews,
there are Messianic Jews,
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there are various offshoots
of the Worldwide Church of God
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that still observe the Sabbath.
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And several Pentecostal churches
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keep the Sabbath as well.
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However, the
Seventh-day Adventist theology
00:02:02.02\00:02:04.19
of the Sabbath is different
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than the theology of the Sabbath
00:02:07.22\00:02:08.79
of all of these
different groups.
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The Adventist
view of the Sabbath
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is one of a kind, so to say.
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Ellen White once wrote
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to a Seventh-day Adventist
evangelist in Wisconsin.
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And she wrote some
very significant words about
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the way in which
this evangelist presented
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the doctrine of the Sabbath.
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And I want to
read that statement,
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it's found in
Testimonies for the Church,
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volume 1, page 337.
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As far as the
Sabbath is concerned,
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he occupies the same position
as the Seventh-day Baptists.
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By the way, the
Seventh-day Baptist
00:02:48.53\00:02:50.07
use the same
arguments that Adventist use
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in favor of the Sabbath.
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In all the creation,
God establishes Sabbath,
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it's in the fourth commandment,
Jesus kept the Sabbath,
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the apostles kept the Sabbath.
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They use the same
arguments that Adventist do.
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But now notice,
00:03:03.24\00:03:05.11
separate the
Sabbath from the messages,
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what does she
refer as the messages?
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The three angels'
messages, and it what?
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It loses its power.
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The Adventist Church
is the only one that links
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the Sabbath message
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with the three angels' messages.
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She continues,
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but when
connected with the message
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of the third
angel, a power attends it,
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which convicts
unbelievers and infidels,
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and brings them out with
strength to stand to live,
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grow and flourish in the Lord.
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So the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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is the only church
that I know of in the world
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that links the
third angel's message
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with the Sabbath.
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The third
angel's message mentions
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the mark of the beast,
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which is the
opposite of the seal of God,
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which is the Sabbath.
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Ellen White wrote
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that the
observance of the Sabbath
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will be the separating
wall between the faithful
00:04:01.40\00:04:05.21
and the unfaithful
in the final conflict.
00:04:05.24\00:04:08.91
That also is unique.
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There is no church
in the world that says
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that the Sabbath is
going to be the dividing line
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between the
righteous and the unrighteous
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in the end time,
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only the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And also, Ellen White emphasized
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that in the last days,
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God's remnant people
will have to proclaim
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the Sabbath more fully.
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Now, let's notice on page 402,
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two statements from
the Spirit of Prophecy,
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where Ellen White emphasizes
that the Seventh-day Adventist
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view of the
Sabbath is that the Sabbath
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will be the dividing wall
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between the
righteous and the unrighteous.
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And that in the
little time of trouble
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when the loud
cries being proclaimed,
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the Sabbath must be proclaimed
more fully than it is now.
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The first statement
we find in or actually
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it's the same
statement, Early Writings,
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page 33 and then page
34 is the second reference.
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Ellen White wrote, I
saw the holy Sabbath is,
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and will be the separating wall
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between the true Israel of God.
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Notice the
expression Israel of God,
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so it's spiritual Israel, right?
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Between the Israel,
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the true Israel of
God and unbelievers,
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and that the Sabbath
is the great question
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to unite the hearts of
God's dear waiting saints.
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And then comes the
additional statement
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from the same book,
Early Writings, page 34.
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I saw that God had children
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who do not see
and keep the Sabbath,
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they have not
rejected the light upon it.
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And at the commencement
of the time of trouble,
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this is not the
time of Jacob's trouble.
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This is a little time of trouble
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right before the
close of probation
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when the loud
cries been proclaimed,
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and the latter
rain is poured out.
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You'll notice that in a moment.
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They have not
rejected the light upon it
00:06:02.56\00:06:04.93
and at the commencement
of the time of trouble
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we were filled
with the Holy Ghost.
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See, there's the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
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as we went forth,
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and proclaimed the
Sabbath more fully.
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What does that mean more fully?
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It means that the
Sabbath will be proclaimed
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as the opposite of
the mark of the beast.
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Not only that the
Sabbath is God's rest day,
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but that it is
the exact opposite
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of the mark of the beast,
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which is being
pushed by the clergy,
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and by other churches.
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Now, how did this message
react upon those individuals
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who hear it?
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Well, some will accept it,
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but notice what
happens with others.
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This enraged the churches,
and nominal Adventists,
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as they could not
refute the Sabbath truth.
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And at this time, God's chosen,
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all saw clearly
that we had the truth
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and they came out,
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that's coming
out of the churches,
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the exit from Babylon,
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they came out and
endured the persecution with us.
00:07:06.15\00:07:10.13
I saw the sword, famine,
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pestilence and great
confusion in the land.
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The wicked thought
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that we had brought
the judgments upon them.
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And they rose
up and took counsel
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to rid the earth of us
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thinking that then
the evil would be stayed.
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So basically, the
Seventh-day Adventist view
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of the Sabbath is unique.
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It's gonna be the dividing wall.
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It needs to be connected
to the third angel's message
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and it needs to be contrasted
with the mark of the beast.
00:07:41.42\00:07:46.19
So the Sabbath for
Adventists is not simply
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one of the Ten Commandments.
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It is the seal of God,
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and will be the final test
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that will divide the
world into two groups,
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those who have the seal of God,
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and those who have
the mark of the beast.
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Another difference between
the Seventh-day Adventist
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manner of keeping the Sabbath
and that of many other churches
00:08:05.41\00:08:08.98
is that we believe
that we are to suspend
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all secular
activities for the full
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24 hours of the Sabbath.
00:08:13.59\00:08:16.69
Other churches
who keep the Sabbath
00:08:16.73\00:08:18.79
simply go to church on Sabbath,
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but then they'll go and
play football in the afternoon,
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or they'll watch a
football game on television.
00:08:23.33\00:08:25.90
But Seventh-day
Adventists believe
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that we should
suspend all secular activities
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for the 24 hours
from sundown Friday
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to sundown on Sabbath.
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Another difference between
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the Adventist
view of the Sabbath
00:08:37.11\00:08:38.45
and the view that is
held by some other churches
00:08:38.48\00:08:41.58
is that we link the Sabbath
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with the Most Holy
Place of the sanctuary.
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We believe that's
when someone enters
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the Most Holy Place
of the heavenly sanctuary
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by faith,
immediately they will see
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that the Sabbath is binding,
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because the law is in
the Ark of the Covenant.
00:08:57.20\00:08:59.87
And they will also see
that the Sabbath is binding,
00:08:59.90\00:09:02.87
because the Sabbath is
in the center of the law,
00:09:02.90\00:09:05.84
which is in the
Ark of the Covenant.
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So when you enter
the Most Holy Place,
00:09:08.74\00:09:11.15
immediately you see the law,
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it's still
binding and you also see
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that the
Sabbath is still binding
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because it is in the
central, center of the law.
00:09:17.32\00:09:21.06
Furthermore, the
Sabbath is highlighted
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in the Most Holy Place.
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You remember that
Ellen White had a vision
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where she saw a halo of
light around the Sabbath.
00:09:28.36\00:09:32.47
Where did she get that from?
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Well, the fact is that
the Sabbath is highlighted
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in the Ark of the Covenant,
00:09:37.21\00:09:38.97
because there you have the manna
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which taught Israel
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the importance of
keeping the Sabbath
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and it also is in
the fourth commandment,
00:09:46.55\00:09:48.98
remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:09:49.02\00:09:51.49
So in other words,
there's a double testimony
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to the Sabbath in
the Ark of the Covenant,
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the manna that God gave to teach
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Sabbath observance
and also the Sabbath
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as it is found in
the Ten Commandments.
00:10:02.60\00:10:06.57
Now what we wanna
do is we want to show
00:10:06.60\00:10:10.14
three things in
our study together.
00:10:10.17\00:10:12.57
Number one, that
the final conflict
00:10:12.61\00:10:15.74
will involve the
Ten Commandments.
00:10:15.78\00:10:19.21
That's a general statement.
00:10:19.25\00:10:21.02
Second, we want to see
that the final conflict
00:10:21.05\00:10:24.42
will not only have to do
with the Ten Commandments,
00:10:24.45\00:10:27.06
but with the first four
commandments especially.
00:10:27.09\00:10:30.49
And finally, we're gonna
see that the final conflict
00:10:30.53\00:10:33.66
has to do with the
fourth commandment.
00:10:33.70\00:10:36.20
So we're going from
broad, all of the commandments,
00:10:36.23\00:10:39.50
to the first four commandments
to the fourth commandment.
00:10:39.53\00:10:44.84
So let's notice
how the Bible testifies
00:10:44.87\00:10:47.11
that the final conflict
00:10:47.14\00:10:48.64
will be over the
Ten Commandments.
00:10:48.68\00:10:51.95
Revelation 12:17.
00:10:51.98\00:10:54.78
This is speaking
about the end time crisis.
00:10:54.82\00:10:57.92
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman,
00:10:57.95\00:11:00.86
and he went to make war
00:11:00.89\00:11:02.89
with the rest of her offspring."
00:11:02.92\00:11:04.69
And why is he gonna
make war against this group?
00:11:04.73\00:11:08.06
"Who keep the
commandments of God
00:11:08.10\00:11:11.33
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ,"
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.94
which we know to be
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:11:13.97\00:11:17.14
So does the devil
hate the Ten Commandments?
00:11:17.17\00:11:19.87
Is the final
conflict going to have
00:11:19.91\00:11:21.64
to do with the Ten Commandments?
00:11:21.68\00:11:24.38
The devil, angry at those
who keep the Ten Commandments?
00:11:24.41\00:11:27.82
Absolutely.
00:11:27.85\00:11:29.48
Revelation 14:1 tells
us that the seal of God
00:11:29.52\00:11:34.09
is placed on the forehead.
00:11:34.12\00:11:36.59
Notice, let's read
that verse, Revelation 14:1,
00:11:36.62\00:11:40.40
"Then I looked, and behold,
a lamb standing on Mount Zion,
00:11:40.43\00:11:44.60
and with him 144,000,
00:11:44.63\00:11:47.37
having his Father's name
written on their foreheads."
00:11:47.40\00:11:52.07
So you'll notice
that the seal of God
00:11:52.11\00:11:54.91
is on the forehead.
00:11:54.94\00:11:56.85
Now, what is it that
God writes on our forehead?
00:11:56.88\00:12:02.22
His law.
00:12:02.25\00:12:03.79
Would that include the Sabbath?
00:12:03.82\00:12:05.89
Absolutely.
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.39
Let's notice Jeremiah 31:33.
00:12:07.42\00:12:11.36
And by the way,
this is also quoted
00:12:11.39\00:12:13.43
in Hebrews 8:7-13.
00:12:13.46\00:12:16.77
"But this is the covenant
00:12:16.80\00:12:18.50
that I will make
with the house of Israel
00:12:18.53\00:12:20.64
after those days,
00:12:20.67\00:12:22.00
says the Lord: I
will put My law," where?
00:12:22.04\00:12:26.44
"In their minds."
00:12:26.47\00:12:27.81
Is that where your forehead
is, your mind, the frontal lobe?
00:12:27.84\00:12:30.68
Yes.
00:12:30.71\00:12:32.05
"I will put My
law in their minds,
00:12:32.08\00:12:34.28
and write it on their hearts,
00:12:34.32\00:12:36.28
and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people."
00:12:36.32\00:12:40.02
So what is it that God
writes on the forehead?
00:12:40.06\00:12:42.92
The law, so the seal must
have something to do with what?
00:12:42.96\00:12:47.73
With the Ten Commandments,
with the law of God.
00:12:47.76\00:12:50.57
Notice Isaiah 8:16.
00:12:50.60\00:12:53.70
This is explicit, bind
up the testimony, seal what?
00:12:53.74\00:12:59.64
Seal the law among my disciples.
00:12:59.67\00:13:03.38
So what is it that is sealed?
00:13:03.41\00:13:05.61
The law.
00:13:05.65\00:13:07.42
Now let's notice 2 Timothy 2:19.
00:13:07.45\00:13:12.32
We're gonna find here,
00:13:12.35\00:13:14.19
what distinguishes the righteous
00:13:14.22\00:13:16.12
from the unrighteous.
00:13:16.16\00:13:17.93
It says there, the
Apostle Paul is writing.
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.56
"Nevertheless, the
solid foundation of God
00:13:20.60\00:13:23.37
stands having this seal."
00:13:23.40\00:13:26.33
So you'll notice here,
00:13:26.37\00:13:28.10
that the solid
foundation of God has a seal.
00:13:28.14\00:13:30.61
Now what is that seal?
00:13:30.64\00:13:32.27
The Lord knows
those who are His,
00:13:32.31\00:13:35.78
and let everyone who
names the name of Christ
00:13:35.81\00:13:40.92
depart from what?
00:13:40.95\00:13:42.68
Iniquity.
00:13:42.72\00:13:44.05
Who is it that has the seal?
00:13:44.09\00:13:46.59
People who, what?
00:13:46.62\00:13:48.19
Who depart from iniquity.
00:13:48.22\00:13:51.43
Now that word
iniquity is very interesting.
00:13:51.46\00:13:54.03
It's the word adikia in Greek.
00:13:54.06\00:13:57.37
You say, well, what
does that word mean?
00:13:57.40\00:13:59.50
It's translated
correctly iniquity.
00:13:59.53\00:14:02.94
However, I want you to notice
that the word iniquity there
00:14:02.97\00:14:06.68
is used synonymously
with another Greek word.
00:14:06.71\00:14:11.15
Let's notice Matthew 7:23.
00:14:11.18\00:14:15.18
"And then I will
declare to them,"
00:14:15.22\00:14:17.99
these are those who
profess to follow Jesus
00:14:18.02\00:14:20.69
but did not really,
"then I will declare to them,
00:14:20.72\00:14:24.39
'I never knew
you, depart from Me,
00:14:24.43\00:14:27.86
you who practice lawlessness!'"
00:14:27.90\00:14:32.10
Now, that's the New King
James, the old King James.
00:14:32.13\00:14:35.50
In 1 John 3:4,
translates that word,
00:14:35.54\00:14:40.81
anomias as
transgression of the law.
00:14:40.84\00:14:46.05
It translates it
differently here,
00:14:46.08\00:14:48.35
but it's the identical word.
00:14:48.38\00:14:49.82
See, the expression
transgression of the law
00:14:49.85\00:14:52.55
is one word in
Greek, the word anomias.
00:14:52.59\00:14:55.62
So Jesus is gonna say
to those who professed Him,
00:14:55.66\00:14:58.59
professed His
name, I never knew you,
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.53
depart from Me,
00:15:01.56\00:15:03.06
you who practice lawlessness
00:15:03.10\00:15:05.77
or you who are
transgressors of the law.
00:15:05.80\00:15:09.34
But now I want you to notice
that in the Gospel of Luke,
00:15:09.37\00:15:12.31
we have the same
statement of Jesus,
00:15:12.34\00:15:14.64
but a different word is used.
00:15:14.68\00:15:16.75
Notice Luke 13:27.
00:15:16.78\00:15:20.05
"But He will say, I
tell you, I do not know you,
00:15:20.08\00:15:24.02
where you are from.
00:15:24.05\00:15:25.42
Depart from Me, all
you workers of adikia,
00:15:25.45\00:15:29.79
all you workers of iniquity."
00:15:29.82\00:15:32.43
So let me ask you,
00:15:32.46\00:15:33.90
are transgressors of
the law and iniquity,
00:15:33.93\00:15:37.67
are they synonymous terms?
00:15:37.70\00:15:39.50
Yes.
00:15:39.53\00:15:40.87
So you could very
well translate Matthew 7:23
00:15:40.90\00:15:44.57
that depart from Me,
00:15:44.61\00:15:46.61
you who are
transgressors of the law.
00:15:46.64\00:15:50.95
So God's people have a
seal, what is that seal?
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.88
They depart from iniquity.
00:15:53.92\00:15:55.65
And what is iniquity?
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.12
Iniquity is
transgression of the law.
00:15:57.15\00:16:00.72
Notice Matthew 24:12,
00:16:00.76\00:16:03.63
this is in the
context of the signs
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.96
of the coming of Christ,
00:16:07.00\00:16:08.33
what condition
the world will be in.
00:16:08.36\00:16:10.57
It says, and
because of lawlessness,
00:16:10.60\00:16:14.30
that's the word
anomias, it can be translated.
00:16:14.34\00:16:16.91
"And because transgression
of the law will abound,
00:16:16.94\00:16:21.14
the love of many will grow cold,
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.31
but he who endures till
the end shall be saved."
00:16:24.35\00:16:28.45
So what is gonna characterize
the world at the end of time?
00:16:28.48\00:16:31.52
The transgression of the law.
00:16:31.55\00:16:35.16
I want you to notice
also Revelation 14:9-11,
00:16:35.19\00:16:39.16
this is the
third angel's message.
00:16:39.19\00:16:41.53
"Then a third
angel followed them,
00:16:41.56\00:16:43.10
saying with a loud voice,
00:16:43.13\00:16:45.70
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image,
00:16:45.73\00:16:48.70
and receives his
mark on his forehead,
00:16:48.74\00:16:51.11
or on his hand,
00:16:51.14\00:16:53.07
he himself shall
also drink of the wine
00:16:53.11\00:16:55.04
of the wrath of God,
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.58
which is poured
out full strength
00:16:56.61\00:16:58.25
into the cup of His indignation.
00:16:58.28\00:17:00.62
He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
00:17:00.65\00:17:02.92
in the presence
of the holy angels,
00:17:02.95\00:17:04.99
and in the presence of the Lamb.
00:17:05.02\00:17:07.02
And the smoke of their torment
ascends forever and ever,
00:17:07.06\00:17:10.16
and they have no
rest day or night,
00:17:10.19\00:17:12.43
who worship the
beast and his image,
00:17:12.46\00:17:14.76
and whoever receives
the mark of his name."
00:17:14.80\00:17:17.93
And what does the
very next verse say?
00:17:17.97\00:17:22.14
There's a
contrast now, isn't there?
00:17:22.17\00:17:25.51
There are those who
receive the mark of the beast
00:17:25.54\00:17:28.31
on their forehead
and worship the image,
00:17:28.34\00:17:30.78
but there's another group
that stand in contrast to those
00:17:30.81\00:17:34.58
in the very next verse.
00:17:34.62\00:17:36.69
What are they characterized by?
00:17:36.72\00:17:38.85
"Here is the
patience of the saints,
00:17:38.89\00:17:42.22
here are those who," what?
00:17:42.26\00:17:44.19
"Who keep the
commandments of God
00:17:44.23\00:17:46.80
and the faith of Jesus."
00:17:46.83\00:17:48.36
So if the faithful remnant
00:17:48.40\00:17:49.73
keeps the commandments of God,
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.17
what must characterize those
00:17:51.20\00:17:52.87
who worship the
beast and his image?
00:17:52.90\00:17:55.10
It must be that they transgress
the commandments of God.
00:17:55.14\00:17:59.71
So the first point is
that the final controversy,
00:17:59.74\00:18:02.84
the final conflict
is going to be related
00:18:02.88\00:18:06.05
to the Ten Commandments.
00:18:06.08\00:18:08.42
On one side will be those
who keep the Ten Commandments,
00:18:08.45\00:18:12.35
Satan will hate them,
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.82
the dragon will
be enraged with them.
00:18:13.86\00:18:16.02
And on the other hand,
00:18:16.06\00:18:17.49
there will be those
who break the commandments,
00:18:17.53\00:18:20.43
and Satan will
be fine with those,
00:18:20.46\00:18:23.06
because Satan hates God's law
00:18:23.10\00:18:25.60
from the time
that he was in heaven.
00:18:25.63\00:18:27.87
Now we wanna
notice a second point
00:18:27.90\00:18:30.31
and that is that
the final conflict
00:18:30.34\00:18:32.81
will be related to the first
four commandments of God's law.
00:18:32.84\00:18:36.98
Now we're streamlining it.
00:18:37.01\00:18:38.91
We started broadly
with the Ten Commandments,
00:18:38.95\00:18:41.38
now we're gonna see
that the final controversy
00:18:41.42\00:18:43.42
has to do with the
first four commandments
00:18:43.45\00:18:46.65
or the first table of the law.
00:18:46.69\00:18:49.36
I'm gonna skip
Deuteronomy 6:4 and following
00:18:49.39\00:18:54.00
because we read
this this morning.
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.13
But what I want you to notice
is that the final conflict
00:18:56.16\00:19:00.37
has to do with
worship, doesn't it?
00:19:00.40\00:19:04.67
Which table of the law
has to do with worship to God?
00:19:04.71\00:19:09.54
The first table of the law.
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.91
You see the
first table of the law,
00:19:11.95\00:19:14.02
the first four
commandments define and explain
00:19:14.05\00:19:19.15
what it means to
worship and love God.
00:19:19.19\00:19:22.62
The last six
commandments have to do
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.59
with our horizontal relationship
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.03
with our fellow human beings.
00:19:28.06\00:19:30.27
Now is the controversy
in the Book of Revelation
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.50
related to the
first table of the law?
00:19:33.54\00:19:37.51
Notice on page 406,
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.48
this very important detail.
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.78
Is everyone on earth
00:19:43.81\00:19:45.98
with the exception
of a very small remnant,
00:19:46.01\00:19:48.85
going to worship the dragon
00:19:48.88\00:19:50.92
and worship the
beast, yes or no?
00:19:50.95\00:19:53.52
Would that be a violation
of the commandment that says,
00:19:53.56\00:19:57.36
thou shalt have no
other gods before me?
00:19:57.39\00:20:00.33
Absolutely.
00:20:00.36\00:20:01.80
What about the
second commandment
00:20:01.83\00:20:03.20
that forbids the
worship of images?
00:20:03.23\00:20:06.70
What are people gonna
worship at the end of time?
00:20:06.74\00:20:09.30
The image of the beast.
00:20:09.34\00:20:11.44
Would that involve
the second commandment?
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.58
Absolutely.
00:20:13.61\00:20:15.31
What about the
third commandment,
00:20:15.34\00:20:16.85
respecting the name of God?
00:20:16.88\00:20:19.01
Revelation 13:6 says
that the beast blasphemes
00:20:19.05\00:20:22.98
the name of God.
00:20:23.02\00:20:25.12
So is the third
commandment involved?
00:20:25.15\00:20:27.46
Absolutely.
00:20:27.49\00:20:28.99
Is the fourth commandment,
00:20:29.02\00:20:31.06
the Creator involved
00:20:31.09\00:20:33.09
in the last
conflict in this world?
00:20:33.13\00:20:36.67
Yes, because
we've already identified
00:20:36.70\00:20:38.83
the seal of God as what?
00:20:38.87\00:20:40.74
As the Sabbath, and
the mark of the beast
00:20:40.77\00:20:43.30
as the observance of
the first day of the week,
00:20:43.34\00:20:46.27
once people are fully
cognizant of what the Sabbath
00:20:46.31\00:20:50.11
and what the Bible
says and history say
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.65
about the
Sabbath and about Sunday.
00:20:52.68\00:20:56.25
So, we find that
this final controversy
00:20:56.28\00:20:59.92
is gonna be related to
the first four commandments
00:20:59.95\00:21:03.93
of God's holy law.
00:21:03.96\00:21:06.03
However, there
is a smaller circle.
00:21:06.06\00:21:09.80
And that is that
the final controversy
00:21:09.83\00:21:12.33
is going to have to do
00:21:12.37\00:21:14.20
with the fourth
commandment of God's holy law.
00:21:14.24\00:21:18.71
So we've moved
from the controversy
00:21:18.74\00:21:20.54
being over the commandments,
00:21:20.58\00:21:22.48
to the controversy
primarily being related
00:21:22.51\00:21:25.98
to the first four commandments
to the conflict involving
00:21:26.01\00:21:30.79
the fourth of
the Ten Commandments.
00:21:30.82\00:21:34.22
Now let's pursue this.
00:21:34.26\00:21:36.02
Psalm 95:1-6 tells us
00:21:36.06\00:21:40.66
why we should worship God
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.06
because the final controversy
has to do with worship.
00:21:43.10\00:21:46.23
"Oh, come, let
us sing to the Lord!
00:21:46.27\00:21:49.60
Let us shout joyfully to
the Rock of our salvation.
00:21:49.64\00:21:53.34
Let us come before His
presence with thanksgiving.
00:21:53.38\00:21:56.14
Let us shout
joyfully to Him with psalms.
00:21:56.18\00:21:59.58
For the Lord is the great God
00:21:59.61\00:22:00.98
and the great
King above all gods.
00:22:01.02\00:22:03.32
In His hand are
of the deep places
00:22:03.35\00:22:04.82
of the earth, the heights
of the hills are His also.
00:22:04.85\00:22:08.49
The sea is His, for He made it,
00:22:08.52\00:22:10.63
and His hands
formed the dry land."
00:22:10.66\00:22:13.23
So these verses speak about
the fact that God is the what?
00:22:13.26\00:22:17.70
The Creator.
00:22:17.73\00:22:19.63
Now what is our
response to the Creator?
00:22:19.67\00:22:22.40
Verse 6, "Oh, come, let us."
00:22:22.44\00:22:24.97
what? "Worship."
00:22:25.01\00:22:26.98
And what? "Bow down."
00:22:27.01\00:22:29.44
And in case you
didn't understand,
00:22:29.48\00:22:30.81
worship and bow down,
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.18
let us kneel before
the Lord, our Maker.
00:22:32.21\00:22:37.55
So why do we worship God?
00:22:37.59\00:22:40.22
Because He is our Creator.
00:22:40.26\00:22:44.16
Notice Nehemiah 9:6 that
confirms the same thought.
00:22:44.19\00:22:49.40
"You alone are the
Lord, You have made heaven,
00:22:49.43\00:22:53.80
the heaven of
heavens, with all their host,
00:22:53.84\00:22:57.14
the earth and
everything in it, on it,
00:22:57.17\00:23:00.18
the seas, and
all that is in them,
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.04
and You preserve them all."
00:23:03.08\00:23:05.01
So once again, God is
presented as the Creator.
00:23:05.05\00:23:07.75
And now notice what
the host of heaven does,
00:23:07.78\00:23:09.68
because He's the Creator.
00:23:09.72\00:23:11.19
The host of heaven what?
00:23:11.22\00:23:13.66
Worships you.
00:23:13.69\00:23:16.36
Notice also Revelation 14:6-7.
00:23:16.39\00:23:18.93
The point that I
want us to catch now
00:23:18.96\00:23:20.93
is that we worship God
because He is the Creator.
00:23:20.96\00:23:25.60
Notice the
first angel's message.
00:23:25.63\00:23:27.90
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:23:27.94\00:23:30.94
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:23:30.97\00:23:33.21
who dwell on the earth,
00:23:33.24\00:23:34.58
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people
00:23:34.61\00:23:36.61
saying with a loud voice,
00:23:36.64\00:23:37.98
'Fear God, and
give glory to Him,
00:23:38.01\00:23:40.25
for the hour of
His judgment has come,"
00:23:40.28\00:23:42.08
and now notice,
00:23:42.12\00:23:43.45
"and worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:23:43.49\00:23:46.59
the sea, and springs of water."
00:23:46.62\00:23:48.99
Once again, we
worship God because of why?
00:23:49.02\00:23:52.46
Because He is the Creator.
00:23:52.49\00:23:54.93
That's a divine principle.
00:23:54.96\00:23:56.80
Notice Isaiah 66:22-23.
00:23:56.83\00:23:59.80
And here we're gonna find
00:23:59.83\00:24:01.17
another little
interesting detail,
00:24:01.20\00:24:03.67
where we're gonna
go next in our study.
00:24:03.71\00:24:05.87
Isaiah 66:22-23,
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.94
"For as the new
heavens and the new earth
00:24:08.98\00:24:11.75
which I will make,
God is speaking here,
00:24:11.78\00:24:14.45
shall remain
before Me, says the Lord,
00:24:14.48\00:24:16.99
so shall your descendants
and your name remain.
00:24:17.02\00:24:20.42
And it shall come to pass that
from one new moon to another,"
00:24:20.46\00:24:23.12
that means from
one month to another,
00:24:23.16\00:24:25.36
"and from one
Sabbath to another,
00:24:25.39\00:24:28.36
all flesh shall come
to worship before Me,
00:24:28.40\00:24:32.33
says the Lord."
00:24:32.37\00:24:35.10
Is it speaking
of a new creation?
00:24:35.14\00:24:37.91
Is God gonna create a
new heavens and new earth?
00:24:37.94\00:24:40.68
What are we going to
do because God created
00:24:40.71\00:24:44.08
the new heavens
and the new earth?
00:24:44.11\00:24:45.61
We're gonna
worship on which day?
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.52
On the Sabbath.
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.95
That's the additional point
that I want us to notice now.
00:24:49.98\00:24:53.12
The Sabbath is the sign
that we worship the Creator.
00:24:53.15\00:24:58.09
So God is the Creator.
00:24:58.13\00:25:00.20
We worship the Creator
because He is the Creator.
00:25:00.23\00:25:03.90
And we observe the Sabbath
00:25:03.93\00:25:05.50
because it is the
sign of the Creator.
00:25:05.53\00:25:09.07
Let's notice Genesis 131:2-3.
00:25:09.10\00:25:14.14
This is very interesting
00:25:14.18\00:25:16.51
because it
seems to say that God,
00:25:16.54\00:25:19.81
and that His work
at creation week twice.
00:25:19.85\00:25:22.82
Now you say,
00:25:22.85\00:25:24.19
how can you
finish something twice?
00:25:24.22\00:25:26.65
Well, let's read the
passage and then we'll see
00:25:26.69\00:25:29.26
what this is talking about.
00:25:29.29\00:25:31.83
Then God saw, this is 1:31.
00:25:31.86\00:25:35.60
And by the way,
we're gonna notice
00:25:35.63\00:25:36.97
that 2:1 really
belongs with Chapter 1.
00:25:37.00\00:25:39.87
Okay?
00:25:39.90\00:25:41.24
So 2:1 is in the wrong chapter,
00:25:41.27\00:25:43.77
it really should be
the concluding verse
00:25:43.81\00:25:45.61
of Chapter 1, you'll
see that in a minute.
00:25:45.64\00:25:48.11
"Then God saw
everything that He had made,
00:25:48.14\00:25:50.71
and indeed, it was very good.
00:25:50.75\00:25:52.75
So that, so the evening
and morning were the sixth day,
00:25:52.78\00:25:56.32
thus, the heavens and the earth,
00:25:56.35\00:25:58.39
and all the hosts
of them were finished."
00:25:58.42\00:26:01.56
Which day did God finish?
00:26:01.59\00:26:04.16
The sixth day.
00:26:04.19\00:26:05.53
But now we have a problem.
00:26:05.56\00:26:06.90
Verse 2, "And
on the seventh day,
00:26:06.93\00:26:08.83
God ended His work."
00:26:08.86\00:26:11.60
Now you say, well,
it says ended there.
00:26:11.63\00:26:13.57
And before that
it says finished.
00:26:13.60\00:26:15.00
It's identical Hebrew word.
00:26:15.04\00:26:17.14
So you could translate it.
00:26:17.17\00:26:18.61
"And on the seventh day,
00:26:18.64\00:26:19.97
God finished His
work that He had done
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.81
and He rested on the seventh day
00:26:22.84\00:26:24.25
from all His
work that He had done.
00:26:24.28\00:26:26.45
Then God blessed the seventh day
00:26:26.48\00:26:27.92
and sanctified it,
00:26:27.95\00:26:29.28
because in it He
rested from all His work,
00:26:29.32\00:26:31.59
which God had created and made."
00:26:31.62\00:26:33.72
How many times that
God finished His work
00:26:33.76\00:26:36.62
during creation week?
00:26:36.66\00:26:38.29
Twice.
00:26:38.33\00:26:39.69
He finished on the sixth day.
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.73
And then we are told
00:26:42.76\00:26:44.10
that He finished
on the seventh day.
00:26:44.13\00:26:46.57
So how can you
finish something twice?
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.24
Let me give you an illustration.
00:26:48.27\00:26:50.07
I want you to imagine an artist
00:26:50.11\00:26:52.47
who's painting a
beautiful picture of nature.
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.08
First thing he does
is get the wooden frame
00:26:56.11\00:27:00.02
and he takes the canvas,
00:27:00.05\00:27:01.68
and he staples
that to the frame.
00:27:01.72\00:27:03.95
The first day, he adds
some background colors.
00:27:03.99\00:27:07.19
And at the end of the
first day of his work,
00:27:07.22\00:27:09.16
he looks and he says it's good.
00:27:09.19\00:27:12.63
The second day,
he paints a blue sky
00:27:12.66\00:27:15.93
with maybe a few
clouds here and there
00:27:15.96\00:27:18.43
and when he finishes
his work, the second day,
00:27:18.47\00:27:21.00
he steps back and
looks and he says it's good.
00:27:21.04\00:27:24.77
The third day,
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.14
he paints some
trees and some flowers,
00:27:26.17\00:27:28.54
and some green grass and
when he finishes his third,
00:27:28.58\00:27:31.68
his work, the third day, he
looks and he says it's good.
00:27:31.71\00:27:36.58
On the fourth day, he
paints a sun in the sky,
00:27:36.62\00:27:39.82
you know, and a moon
because sometimes you can see
00:27:39.85\00:27:41.89
the moon in the daytime
00:27:41.92\00:27:43.43
and he finishes his
work the fourth day,
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.69
and he steps back
and he says it's good.
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.13
The fifth day he
paints some birds in the trees
00:27:49.16\00:27:51.87
and flying through the air,
00:27:51.90\00:27:53.60
and he paints some fish
jumping out of the waters
00:27:53.64\00:27:56.30
and when he finishes
his work the fifth day,
00:27:56.34\00:27:58.57
he looks and he says it's good.
00:27:58.61\00:28:01.91
The sixth day he sits down,
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.75
and he paints some land animals,
00:28:03.78\00:28:06.48
and then he
paints a man and a woman
00:28:06.51\00:28:09.25
standing in the midst of
this majestic scene of nature,
00:28:09.28\00:28:13.36
as the final touches
to the canvas steps back
00:28:13.39\00:28:17.29
and he's finished the portrait,
00:28:17.33\00:28:20.30
he looks and he
says it is very good.
00:28:20.33\00:28:26.17
Is he finished?
00:28:26.20\00:28:29.70
I just said he
added the final touches.
00:28:29.74\00:28:32.84
He's finished.
00:28:32.87\00:28:34.21
But is something missing?
00:28:34.24\00:28:36.01
What is missing?
00:28:36.04\00:28:37.91
What is missing is the
signature of the person
00:28:37.95\00:28:41.38
who painted the picture.
00:28:41.42\00:28:44.59
Are you with me?
00:28:44.62\00:28:46.35
The seventh day is
God signature on creation.
00:28:46.39\00:28:50.99
And when we keep the Sabbath,
00:28:51.03\00:28:52.36
we are
recognizing and announcing
00:28:52.39\00:28:55.70
that we believe
that God is the Creator,
00:28:55.73\00:28:58.07
the Creator of the
heavens and the earth.
00:28:58.10\00:29:00.57
So we worship God
because He's the Creator,
00:29:00.60\00:29:03.04
and the seal or sign
of God as the Creator,
00:29:03.07\00:29:06.31
the signature of God
on His work of creation
00:29:06.34\00:29:09.51
is the holy Sabbath.
00:29:09.54\00:29:13.52
Notice Exodus 31:16-17.
00:29:13.55\00:29:16.12
The Sabbath is
spoken of as a sign.
00:29:16.15\00:29:18.45
It says, therefore
the children of Israel,
00:29:18.49\00:29:20.86
and we are Israel,
spiritually speaking,
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.92
the 144,000 are sealed
from the tribes of Israel.
00:29:22.96\00:29:26.80
So it says, "Therefore
the children of Israel
00:29:26.83\00:29:29.46
shall keep the
Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath
00:29:29.50\00:29:32.53
throughout their generations
as a perpetual covenant."
00:29:32.57\00:29:35.74
It is a what?
00:29:35.77\00:29:37.94
A sign that we recognize what?
00:29:37.97\00:29:40.41
That God is our Creator.
00:29:40.44\00:29:42.34
"It is a sign between Me
00:29:42.38\00:29:44.51
and the children
of Israel forever.
00:29:44.55\00:29:46.72
For in six days the Lord
made the heavens in the earth,
00:29:46.75\00:29:49.48
and on the seventh day He
rested and was refreshed."
00:29:49.52\00:29:53.79
Notice also
Ezekiel 20:12 and verse 20.
00:29:53.82\00:29:59.03
"Moreover, I
also gave them," what?
00:29:59.06\00:30:03.23
"My Sabbath, God
says, to be a," what?
00:30:03.26\00:30:06.80
There it is, a sign
or a signature or seal.
00:30:06.84\00:30:09.47
"A sign between them and Me,
00:30:09.50\00:30:11.64
that they might know
00:30:11.67\00:30:13.44
that I am the Lord
who sanctifies them."
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.68
And then verse 20,
"Hallow my Sabbath."
00:30:16.71\00:30:19.01
That it mean
sanctify, keep them holy,
00:30:19.05\00:30:21.28
My Sabbath,
00:30:21.32\00:30:22.65
and they will
be once again what?
00:30:22.68\00:30:24.29
A sign between Me and you,
00:30:24.32\00:30:27.12
that you may know that
I am the Lord your God.
00:30:27.16\00:30:30.96
What does keeping
the Sabbath means?
00:30:30.99\00:30:32.86
It means that we are
announcing to the world,
00:30:32.89\00:30:35.96
that God is our Lord
that God is the Creator.
00:30:36.00\00:30:40.77
It's the visible
sign that we believe
00:30:40.80\00:30:44.21
that creation
literally took place six days,
00:30:44.24\00:30:47.38
God rested the seventh.
00:30:47.41\00:30:48.74
And when we rest the seventh,
00:30:48.78\00:30:50.11
we are announcing
00:30:50.15\00:30:51.71
that we believe
the creation story.
00:30:51.75\00:30:55.22
By the way, some
people might say, well,
00:30:55.25\00:30:57.05
but it says the Bible is,
00:30:57.09\00:30:58.42
in the Bible that
the Sabbath is the sign,
00:30:58.45\00:31:00.32
it doesn't say it's the seal.
00:31:00.36\00:31:01.76
Well, in the Bible,
00:31:01.79\00:31:03.12
sign and sealed are
used interchangeably.
00:31:03.16\00:31:05.89
Notice Romans 4:11.
00:31:05.93\00:31:08.93
I'm reading now
00:31:08.96\00:31:10.30
from the New
International Version,
00:31:10.33\00:31:12.30
speaking about Abraham,
and he received the what?
00:31:12.33\00:31:16.44
The sign of circumcision.
00:31:16.47\00:31:19.21
And then it
continues, saying what, a what?
00:31:19.24\00:31:21.84
A seal of the righteousness
that he had by faith
00:31:21.88\00:31:25.61
while he was
still uncircumcised.
00:31:25.65\00:31:27.45
So then he is the
father of all who believe,
00:31:27.48\00:31:30.69
but have not been circumcised
in order that righteousness
00:31:30.72\00:31:33.72
might be credited to them.
00:31:33.76\00:31:35.52
So sign and seal are
used interchangeably.
00:31:35.56\00:31:39.63
The Sabbath is the sign
of God or the seal of God.
00:31:39.66\00:31:45.50
But in the Bible,
there's a contrary sign
00:31:45.53\00:31:48.34
as we discussed
00:31:48.37\00:31:49.70
in our last
presentation this morning.
00:31:49.74\00:31:52.67
Let's go through this again.
00:31:52.71\00:31:54.61
Ezekiel 8:16-18,
00:31:54.64\00:31:59.45
Jerusalem is
committing serious abominations,
00:31:59.48\00:32:02.25
the greatest of
which was sun worship.
00:32:02.28\00:32:05.79
It says there in verse 16.
00:32:05.82\00:32:08.12
"So He brought me
into the inner court
00:32:08.16\00:32:10.99
of the Lord's house,
00:32:11.03\00:32:12.56
and there, at the door
of the temple of the Lord,
00:32:12.59\00:32:15.00
between the porch and the altar,
00:32:15.03\00:32:17.33
were about twenty five men
00:32:17.37\00:32:19.17
with their backs
toward the temple of the Lord,
00:32:19.20\00:32:22.27
and their faces toward the east,
00:32:22.30\00:32:24.81
and they were worshiping
the sun toward the east.
00:32:24.84\00:32:28.04
And he said to me,
00:32:28.08\00:32:29.41
'Have you seen
this, O son of man?
00:32:29.44\00:32:31.51
Is it a trivial
thing to the house of Judah
00:32:31.55\00:32:33.55
to commit abominations
which they commit here."
00:32:33.58\00:32:37.42
So is worshiping
the sun an abomination?
00:32:37.45\00:32:40.06
Absolutely.
00:32:40.09\00:32:41.86
"For they have filled
the land with violence,
00:32:41.89\00:32:45.23
then they have
returned to provoke Me to anger.
00:32:45.26\00:32:48.26
Indeed, they put the
branch to their nose."
00:32:48.30\00:32:51.13
In other words, they
snub their nose at Me.
00:32:51.17\00:32:53.87
"Therefore I
will act in My fury.
00:32:53.90\00:32:57.17
My eye will not
spare, nor will I have pity,
00:32:57.21\00:33:01.01
and though they cry in my ears
00:33:01.04\00:33:03.35
with a loud
voice, I will not hear."
00:33:03.38\00:33:08.58
Was everybody in
the city of Jerusalem
00:33:08.62\00:33:10.72
committing these abominations,
00:33:10.75\00:33:12.19
or was there a
small, faithful remnant?
00:33:12.22\00:33:14.79
There was a
small, faithful remnant,
00:33:14.82\00:33:17.29
therefore it was
necessary to do what with them?
00:33:17.33\00:33:20.30
It was necessary to seal them
00:33:20.33\00:33:24.70
with a protective seal,
00:33:24.73\00:33:26.53
before the
destruction came, correct?
00:33:26.57\00:33:29.74
And so you have this angel
00:33:29.77\00:33:31.44
with the writer's
inkhorn in his hand,
00:33:31.47\00:33:33.88
and he's
commanded to place a seal
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.98
on the foreheads of
those who sigh and cry
00:33:36.01\00:33:39.68
because of the abominations
00:33:39.71\00:33:41.35
that are being
committed in the earth.
00:33:41.38\00:33:43.95
And then the command is given
to the other destroying angels
00:33:43.99\00:33:47.06
with the battle
axes in their hands,
00:33:47.09\00:33:49.26
after he seals the faithful,
00:33:49.29\00:33:51.66
after they're
signaled for protection,
00:33:51.69\00:33:54.80
go through the midst
of the city, destroy,
00:33:54.83\00:33:58.47
have no pity, and begin where?
00:33:58.50\00:34:02.00
Begin at My sanctuary
00:34:02.04\00:34:05.91
with the religious leaders.
00:34:05.94\00:34:09.54
That's the picture.
00:34:09.58\00:34:10.91
We didn't read the
passage, but that's the picture.
00:34:10.95\00:34:14.25
Now, did the
Sabbath have anything
00:34:14.28\00:34:15.82
to do with the
destruction of Jerusalem?
00:34:15.85\00:34:18.75
The desecration of
the Sabbath did it.
00:34:18.79\00:34:21.19
Remember we read this morning
that God said to the Jews,
00:34:21.22\00:34:24.53
He said, "If you
keep the Sabbath,
00:34:24.56\00:34:26.33
this city is gonna
be remained forever."
00:34:26.36\00:34:28.53
In other words,
00:34:28.56\00:34:29.93
it's not gonna be
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
00:34:29.96\00:34:31.73
But if you
trample on the Sabbath,
00:34:31.77\00:34:34.07
if you do
business on the Sabbath,
00:34:34.10\00:34:36.17
then I'm gonna destroy the city.
00:34:36.20\00:34:38.17
Let's just read Jeremiah 17:27.
00:34:38.21\00:34:43.85
"But if you will not heed
Me, to hallow the Sabbath day,
00:34:43.88\00:34:49.42
such as not carrying a burden
00:34:49.45\00:34:51.29
when entering the
Gates of Jerusalem
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.36
on the Sabbath day,
00:34:53.39\00:34:55.06
then I will kindle
a fire in its gates
00:34:55.09\00:34:57.59
like Nebuchadnezzar did,
00:34:57.63\00:34:59.36
and it shall devour
the palaces of Jerusalem,
00:34:59.39\00:35:02.66
and it shall not be quenched."
00:35:02.70\00:35:07.40
Did Sabbath
desecration have anything
00:35:07.44\00:35:09.30
to do with the
destruction of Jerusalem?
00:35:09.34\00:35:11.21
Yes.
00:35:11.24\00:35:12.57
Did sun worship have anything
00:35:12.61\00:35:14.21
to do with the
destruction of Jerusalem?
00:35:14.24\00:35:16.85
Would they have
been worshiping the sun
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.81
if they were keeping the Sabbath
00:35:19.85\00:35:21.42
in honor of the Creator?
00:35:21.45\00:35:23.42
Absolutely not.
00:35:23.45\00:35:24.79
So you have the
Sabbath and you have the sun,
00:35:24.82\00:35:29.02
the worship of the sun
related in this passage,
00:35:29.06\00:35:31.89
would you expect
to find something
00:35:31.93\00:35:33.73
so similar in the end time?
00:35:33.76\00:35:36.06
Of course, the Christian
world doesn't worship the sun.
00:35:36.10\00:35:39.67
But as we noticed this morning,
00:35:39.70\00:35:41.27
when we spoke
about the idol Sabbath,
00:35:41.30\00:35:43.77
worshiping on
the day of the sun,
00:35:43.81\00:35:46.27
in principle,
00:35:46.31\00:35:47.64
is the same as
worshiping the sun.
00:35:47.68\00:35:50.35
Because the sun was
not made for worship,
00:35:50.38\00:35:52.55
it's a secular object.
00:35:52.58\00:35:54.78
The first day of the
week was not made for worship,
00:35:54.82\00:35:57.82
it is a secular day.
00:35:57.85\00:35:59.69
So whatever man
establishes for worship,
00:35:59.72\00:36:02.52
that God has not established
for worship is ultimately what?
00:36:02.56\00:36:06.80
Is ultimately idolatry.
00:36:06.83\00:36:09.80
And so you have this contrast
00:36:09.83\00:36:11.83
between Revelation
13:16-17 and Revelation 14:1.
00:36:11.87\00:36:17.71
Let's read
Revelation 14:1 first,
00:36:17.74\00:36:20.24
this is page 411.
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.24
"Then I looked, and behold,
a Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
00:36:22.28\00:36:27.28
and with him one
hundred and forty-four thousand,
00:36:27.32\00:36:29.78
having His Father's
name written," where?
00:36:29.82\00:36:32.19
"On their foreheads."
00:36:32.22\00:36:34.06
Now, you'll notice
in the previous chapter,
00:36:34.09\00:36:36.29
that there's another group.
00:36:36.32\00:36:38.56
The faithful
have the seal of God
00:36:38.59\00:36:40.33
on their foreheads.
00:36:40.36\00:36:41.80
But in the very
previous chapter,
00:36:41.83\00:36:44.30
in verses 16 and 17,
you have the other group.
00:36:44.33\00:36:47.24
What does the other group have?
00:36:47.27\00:36:49.30
The mark of the beast.
00:36:49.34\00:36:50.91
Notice Revelation 13:16-17,
00:36:50.94\00:36:54.48
"He causes all,
both small and great,
00:36:54.51\00:36:57.21
rich and poor, free and slave,
00:36:57.25\00:36:59.78
to receive a mark
on their right hand
00:36:59.81\00:37:01.68
or on their foreheads,
00:37:01.72\00:37:03.82
and that no one may buy or sell
except one who has the mark,
00:37:03.85\00:37:08.32
or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name."
00:37:08.36\00:37:13.19
So the question is,
does the final controversy
00:37:13.23\00:37:17.00
have to do with
the issue of Sabbath
00:37:17.03\00:37:20.07
versus Sunday observance?
00:37:20.10\00:37:22.50
Is the Sabbath the
sign of the Creator
00:37:22.54\00:37:25.04
or the seal of the Creator?
00:37:25.07\00:37:26.78
Yes, it's the seal that God
put on His work of creation,
00:37:26.81\00:37:30.65
the seventh day.
00:37:30.68\00:37:33.05
Now let's look at an analogy
that helps us understand this.
00:37:33.08\00:37:37.69
We mentioned that
the fourth commandment
00:37:37.72\00:37:40.09
has three
characteristics that identify
00:37:40.12\00:37:43.66
who the lawgiver is.
00:37:43.69\00:37:45.49
First of all, the
name of the person
00:37:45.53\00:37:49.26
who is giving the law.
00:37:49.30\00:37:51.30
Secondly, the office
or position of the person
00:37:51.33\00:37:54.94
who is giving the law.
00:37:54.97\00:37:57.01
Finally, the
jurisdictional territory
00:37:57.04\00:38:00.18
where the lawgiver
is, is reigning over.
00:38:00.21\00:38:05.31
Now notice this statement
00:38:05.35\00:38:06.68
that we find in
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:38:06.72\00:38:09.02
Great Controversy, page 452.
00:38:09.05\00:38:12.42
The seal of God's law is
found in the fourth commandment.
00:38:12.45\00:38:17.13
This only of all
10 brings to view
00:38:17.16\00:38:21.63
the name and the
title of the lawgiver.
00:38:21.66\00:38:25.10
It declares him to be
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.97
the Creator of the
heavens and the earth,
00:38:27.00\00:38:29.74
and thus shows
his claim to what?
00:38:29.77\00:38:32.41
To reverence and
worship above all others.
00:38:32.44\00:38:36.04
Aside from this precept,
00:38:36.08\00:38:38.25
there is
nothing in the Decalogue
00:38:38.28\00:38:40.38
to show by whose
authority the law is given.
00:38:40.42\00:38:43.69
When the Sabbath was
changed by the papal power,
00:38:43.72\00:38:46.86
the seal was taken from the law.
00:38:46.89\00:38:50.26
The disciples of Jesus
are called upon to restore it
00:38:50.29\00:38:53.96
by exalting the Sabbath
of the fourth commandment
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.70
to its rightful position,
00:38:56.73\00:38:58.43
to its rightful position
as the Creator's memorial
00:38:58.47\00:39:01.87
and the sign of His authority.
00:39:01.90\00:39:06.07
Have you ever
noticed the Great Seal
00:39:06.11\00:39:08.34
of the President
of the United States?
00:39:08.38\00:39:10.95
How many elements
does the seal contain?
00:39:10.98\00:39:14.02
It says, Donald Trump,
00:39:14.05\00:39:18.05
that's the name, President,
00:39:18.09\00:39:21.42
that's his title,
United States of America,
00:39:21.46\00:39:25.89
that's his
jurisdictional territory.
00:39:25.93\00:39:29.00
And you might say, well,
00:39:29.03\00:39:30.37
but that's just
seals these days,
00:39:30.40\00:39:33.07
who knows that in
the times of the Bible,
00:39:33.10\00:39:35.17
you had to have those
three elements for a seal.
00:39:35.20\00:39:37.31
The fact is that I
spoke about those seals,
00:39:37.34\00:39:40.08
and in a moment we're
gonna come back to that
00:39:40.11\00:39:42.08
where the ancient
seals that were stamped
00:39:42.11\00:39:44.88
in the middle
of the clay tablet,
00:39:44.91\00:39:46.68
have those three elements,
00:39:46.72\00:39:48.58
because you have to
know who the lawgiver is,
00:39:48.62\00:39:51.59
has to be identified.
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.29
You also have to identify
00:39:53.32\00:39:55.16
what right he
has to give that law
00:39:55.19\00:39:57.46
as well as what
territory that law applies to.
00:39:57.49\00:40:01.46
So you have the
testimony of analogy.
00:40:01.50\00:40:05.53
You also have the
testimony of archaeology
00:40:05.57\00:40:08.37
as we mentioned this morning.
00:40:08.40\00:40:10.27
The dynastic seals
in the city of Ugarit
00:40:10.31\00:40:14.61
were very similar to
the Ten Commandments.
00:40:14.64\00:40:17.61
They wrote
covenants on both sides
00:40:17.65\00:40:20.28
of the tablets of clay
00:40:20.32\00:40:21.95
and in the middle of the tablet,
00:40:21.98\00:40:23.92
they placed the
dynastic seal of the great king.
00:40:23.95\00:40:27.46
The seal had three elements,
the name of the lawgiver,
00:40:27.49\00:40:31.36
his title, and his
jurisdictional territory.
00:40:31.39\00:40:34.90
The Ten
Commandments are very similar.
00:40:34.93\00:40:37.10
And you know, one
of those tablets says
00:40:37.13\00:40:39.63
the name of the
king is Suppiluliuma,
00:40:39.67\00:40:43.20
king of Ugarit.
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.91
You have those three
elements on the seal.
00:40:45.94\00:40:48.81
Now this is what's interesting,
00:40:48.84\00:40:50.18
the parallel
between those seals,
00:40:50.21\00:40:52.65
and or those tablets
and the Ten Commandments.
00:40:52.68\00:40:56.38
The city was in the
general geographical territory
00:40:56.42\00:41:00.06
of Israel, it was in
Syria north of Israel.
00:41:00.09\00:41:02.86
The Ten Commandments
are also God's covenant
00:41:02.89\00:41:05.29
as we noticed this morning.
00:41:05.33\00:41:07.13
The Ten Commandments
were also written on tables,
00:41:07.16\00:41:09.73
stone, yes, not clay, but stone
because they were permanent.
00:41:09.76\00:41:13.94
The tables were
written on both sides,
00:41:13.97\00:41:16.74
like the ancient seals,
00:41:16.77\00:41:19.01
and in the
middle of the tablets,
00:41:19.04\00:41:21.28
what do you have?
00:41:21.31\00:41:22.81
The Sabbath commandment
stamped in the middle
00:41:22.84\00:41:25.41
just like on
these ancient tablets.
00:41:25.45\00:41:28.12
And the fourth
commandment contains the name,
00:41:28.15\00:41:30.82
the office and the
title of the lawgiver.
00:41:30.85\00:41:34.66
In Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 307, Ellen White wrote,
00:41:34.69\00:41:38.69
the fourth commandment
is the only one of all 10
00:41:38.73\00:41:42.13
in which are found both the name
00:41:42.16\00:41:43.93
and title of the lawgiver.
00:41:43.97\00:41:46.03
It is the only one that shows
00:41:46.07\00:41:48.14
by whose
authority the law is given.
00:41:48.17\00:41:51.54
Thus, it
contains the seal of God
00:41:51.57\00:41:54.01
affixed to His law
as evidence of what?
00:41:54.04\00:41:58.21
Of its authenticity.
00:41:58.25\00:42:01.42
What makes a document authentic?
00:42:01.45\00:42:04.95
Because it has the
signature or the seal on it.
00:42:04.99\00:42:08.39
So it says affixed
to His law as evidence
00:42:08.42\00:42:10.79
of its
authenticity as well as what?
00:42:10.83\00:42:14.00
As well as binding force.
00:42:14.03\00:42:17.53
We also have the
testimony of history to show
00:42:17.57\00:42:20.10
that the final controversy
is going to have to do
00:42:20.14\00:42:23.34
with the fourth
commandment of God's law.
00:42:23.37\00:42:26.37
Daniel 7 has a
sequence of nations.
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.61
You have a lion
which represents Babylon,
00:42:29.64\00:42:32.21
you have a bear, Medo-Persia,
you have a leopard, Greece,
00:42:32.25\00:42:36.28
you have a dragon
beast, the Roman Empire.
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.75
The dragon beast
then sprouts 10 horns,
00:42:38.79\00:42:41.16
the Roman Empire is divided,
00:42:41.19\00:42:42.92
then among the 10
horns rises a little horn.
00:42:42.96\00:42:46.73
So it's a power that arises
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.36
after the Roman
Empire is divided,
00:42:48.40\00:42:51.10
speaks blasphemies
against the Most High,
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.80
persecute the
saints of the Most High,
00:42:53.84\00:42:56.20
its dominion last time
times and the dividing of time,
00:42:56.24\00:42:59.91
which is
equivalent to 1260 years.
00:42:59.94\00:43:03.18
And there's
another characteristic,
00:43:03.21\00:43:05.15
this little horn,
which represents the papacy
00:43:05.18\00:43:07.82
very clearly, by
the sequence of powers,
00:43:07.85\00:43:10.72
it thought that
it could change what?
00:43:10.75\00:43:14.26
That it could
actually change God's holy law.
00:43:14.29\00:43:19.03
Does the papacy claim
that it has changed God's law,
00:43:19.06\00:43:22.36
that it has the
power to change God's law?
00:43:22.40\00:43:24.90
Absolutely.
00:43:24.93\00:43:26.27
So history
proves that at the time
00:43:26.30\00:43:29.34
when prophecy
indicated, the papacy rose,
00:43:29.37\00:43:32.61
and changed the day
of worship from Sabbath,
00:43:32.64\00:43:35.54
the sign of the
Creator, to Sunday,
00:43:35.58\00:43:38.01
the sign of the papacy,
00:43:38.05\00:43:40.28
instead of a
sign of the Creator.
00:43:40.32\00:43:43.59
In Revelation 12:14-17, I
want to read those verses,
00:43:43.62\00:43:48.52
and then we're
going to unpack them.
00:43:48.56\00:43:50.83
"Now when the dragon saw that
he had been cast to the earth,
00:43:50.86\00:43:54.10
he persecuted the woman
00:43:54.13\00:43:55.60
who gave birth
to the male child.
00:43:55.63\00:43:57.70
But the woman was given
two wings of a great eagle,
00:43:57.73\00:44:00.37
that she might fly
into the wilderness
00:44:00.40\00:44:02.14
to her place,
00:44:02.17\00:44:03.51
where she is
nourished for a time, times,
00:44:03.54\00:44:05.81
and half a time,
00:44:05.84\00:44:07.18
from the
presence of the serpent."
00:44:07.21\00:44:08.54
Is that the same time period
as a little horn, yes or no?
00:44:08.58\00:44:11.21
Same time period.
00:44:11.25\00:44:12.81
Now notice, "So
the serpent spewed
00:44:12.85\00:44:15.12
water out of his mouth,
like a flood after the woman,
00:44:15.15\00:44:17.89
that he might cause her
00:44:17.92\00:44:19.25
to be carried away by the flood.
00:44:19.29\00:44:20.99
But the earth helped the woman."
00:44:21.02\00:44:22.49
What is the earth
that helped the woman?
00:44:22.52\00:44:25.33
The territory of the earth.
00:44:25.36\00:44:26.90
It doesn't, it's not
a beast that rises yet,
00:44:26.93\00:44:28.80
it's the territory.
00:44:28.83\00:44:30.83
There was no
United States of America
00:44:30.87\00:44:33.13
when the pilgrims came here.
00:44:33.17\00:44:34.97
This was a colony of
Great Britain of England.
00:44:35.00\00:44:39.94
And so it says here,
"But the earth helped a woman,
00:44:39.97\00:44:43.14
and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood
00:44:43.18\00:44:46.25
which the dragon had
spewed out of his mouth."
00:44:46.28\00:44:49.25
So in other words,
00:44:49.28\00:44:50.62
or the United
States the territory,
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.32
the United States
becomes a refuge for those
00:44:52.35\00:44:54.46
who are fleeing from Europe?
00:44:54.49\00:44:56.26
Do you think the devil was happy
00:44:56.29\00:44:57.66
that the United States
provided refuge for those
00:44:57.69\00:44:59.93
who were persecuted in Europe?
00:44:59.96\00:45:01.56
No.
00:45:01.60\00:45:02.93
Is he going to
launch a final persecution
00:45:02.96\00:45:05.60
against God's people?
00:45:05.63\00:45:06.97
Yes.
00:45:07.00\00:45:08.34
And what will it be about?
00:45:08.37\00:45:09.80
Notice verse 17, "And
the dragon was enraged
00:45:09.84\00:45:14.74
with the woman,"
00:45:14.78\00:45:16.11
that's because the
earth has helped a woman,
00:45:16.14\00:45:18.11
"and he went to," what?
00:45:18.15\00:45:20.12
"To make war with
the remnant of her seed,
00:45:20.15\00:45:22.92
or the rest of her offspring,
00:45:22.95\00:45:24.65
who keep the commandments of God
00:45:24.69\00:45:26.79
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:45:26.82\00:45:30.33
So let's notice the sequence.
00:45:30.36\00:45:32.29
The dragon
persecutes the faithful church
00:45:32.33\00:45:34.83
for time, times and
the dividing of time
00:45:34.86\00:45:37.83
1260 years.
00:45:37.87\00:45:40.04
Towards the end of
this period, the earth,
00:45:40.07\00:45:42.44
the territory of
the United States
00:45:42.47\00:45:44.67
helps the woman who
is persecuted in Europe
00:45:44.71\00:45:47.51
by swallowing up the
waters of persecution.
00:45:47.54\00:45:50.91
But then the dragon hates
the remnant because of that,
00:45:50.95\00:45:53.92
and will once again
persecute the remnant.
00:45:53.95\00:45:56.99
What characterizes that remnant
00:45:57.02\00:45:59.32
that arises the
rage of the dragon?
00:45:59.35\00:46:03.93
They keep the
commandments of God,
00:46:03.96\00:46:06.36
but they have something else,
the testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:46:06.39\00:46:10.83
What is the
testimony of Jesus Christ?
00:46:10.87\00:46:13.44
It's the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:46:13.47\00:46:16.00
By the way, do you
know that this beast
00:46:16.04\00:46:18.31
that will restore
the power to the papacy,
00:46:18.34\00:46:21.01
that makes the
image to the beast,
00:46:21.04\00:46:22.74
the beast that
rises from the earth
00:46:22.78\00:46:24.11
that has two horns like a lamb?
00:46:24.15\00:46:26.01
Do you know what that beast
is called in Revelation 16?
00:46:26.05\00:46:29.25
The false prophet.
00:46:29.28\00:46:32.65
So do you think that
God in the last days,
00:46:32.69\00:46:35.39
if the devil is gonna
raise up a false prophet,
00:46:35.42\00:46:39.29
God is going to
raise up a true prophet
00:46:39.33\00:46:42.06
to counteract the
prophetic scenario
00:46:42.10\00:46:44.17
of the false prophet?
00:46:44.20\00:46:45.53
Yes.
00:46:45.57\00:46:46.90
Does Ellen
White give us a clear,
00:46:46.94\00:46:48.27
crystal clear
picture of end time events,
00:46:48.30\00:46:53.17
correcting
futurism and preterism,
00:46:53.21\00:46:55.61
she does in the minutest detail.
00:46:55.64\00:46:58.85
So God not only
raised up a remnant
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.38
who teaches that we have to keep
00:47:01.42\00:47:02.95
all of the commandments of God,
00:47:02.98\00:47:04.55
but He raised up a remnant
that has the gift of prophecy
00:47:04.59\00:47:07.86
to correct the counterfeit
views of Bible prophecy
00:47:07.89\00:47:11.23
that are being taught out there.
00:47:11.26\00:47:15.30
Now, history also
proves that the final conflict
00:47:15.33\00:47:20.44
is gonna be
concerning Sabbath and Sunday,
00:47:20.47\00:47:23.87
and that the
papacy actually changed
00:47:23.91\00:47:26.98
the day of worship.
00:47:27.01\00:47:29.31
Let's notice several
statements that we find here.
00:47:29.34\00:47:33.15
For all ages, for ages,
00:47:33.18\00:47:34.88
all Christian nations
look to the Catholic Church.
00:47:34.92\00:47:38.29
And as we have
seen the various states
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.96
enforced by law, her
ordinances as to worship
00:47:40.99\00:47:45.19
and cessation
of labor on Sunday.
00:47:45.23\00:47:47.13
Do you notice how she
linked up with the state here?
00:47:47.16\00:47:50.47
Protestantism in discarding
the authority of the church
00:47:50.50\00:47:54.24
has no good reason
for its Sunday theory
00:47:54.27\00:47:57.27
and ought logically to
keep Saturday as the Sabbath.
00:47:57.31\00:48:01.68
The state in passing laws
00:48:01.71\00:48:03.91
for the due
sanctification of Sunday
00:48:03.95\00:48:06.38
is unwittingly acknowledging
00:48:06.41\00:48:09.18
the authority of
the Catholic Church
00:48:09.22\00:48:12.45
and carrying out
more or less faithfully
00:48:12.49\00:48:15.29
its prescription.
00:48:15.32\00:48:16.66
Yeah, this is a
bold faced admission.
00:48:16.69\00:48:19.79
They're saying that the state
did what the church wanted.
00:48:19.83\00:48:23.67
The statement continues,
00:48:23.70\00:48:25.03
the Sunday as a day of the week
00:48:25.07\00:48:26.90
set apart for the
obligatory public worship
00:48:26.94\00:48:29.77
of Almighty God
is purely a creation
00:48:29.80\00:48:34.11
of the Catholic Church.
00:48:34.14\00:48:35.58
And that's not
written by a Protestant,
00:48:35.61\00:48:37.65
this is written
by a Roman Catholic.
00:48:37.68\00:48:40.02
Notice the next statement,
00:48:40.05\00:48:41.98
Protestants accept
Sunday rather than Saturday
00:48:42.02\00:48:45.32
as the day for public worship.
00:48:45.35\00:48:48.39
After the Catholic
Church made the change,
00:48:48.42\00:48:51.43
notice the word change.
00:48:51.46\00:48:53.43
But the Protestant mind
does not seem to realize
00:48:53.46\00:48:56.46
that in accepting the Bible,
00:48:56.50\00:48:58.50
in observing the Sunday
00:48:58.53\00:49:00.30
they are accepting the
authority of the spokesman
00:49:00.34\00:49:04.01
for the church, the Pope.
00:49:04.04\00:49:07.14
So what are Protestants doing
00:49:07.18\00:49:08.64
following the authority of whom?
00:49:08.68\00:49:10.41
Of the Pope.
00:49:10.45\00:49:11.88
Here's another one.
00:49:11.91\00:49:13.48
Question: What Bible
authority is there for changing
00:49:13.52\00:49:17.09
the Sabbath from the seventh
to the first day of the week?
00:49:17.12\00:49:20.49
Who gave the Pope the authority
to change a command of God?
00:49:20.52\00:49:24.59
Answer: It was
the Catholic Church
00:49:24.63\00:49:27.20
that by the
authority of Jesus Christ,
00:49:27.23\00:49:29.90
which is not true,
has transferred this rest
00:49:29.93\00:49:34.44
from the Bible
Sabbath to the Sunday.
00:49:34.47\00:49:36.97
Thus, the observance of
Sunday by the Protestants
00:49:37.01\00:49:40.71
is an homage they pay,
00:49:40.74\00:49:43.14
in spite of themselves
00:49:43.18\00:49:44.98
to the authority of
the Catholic Church.
00:49:45.01\00:49:49.12
Here's another one.
00:49:49.15\00:49:50.99
What is the third commandment?
00:49:51.02\00:49:52.52
Roman Catholics believe
that the third commandment
00:49:52.55\00:49:55.52
is the one that speaks about
the observance of the Sabbath.
00:49:55.56\00:49:58.73
But anyway, what is
the third commandment?
00:49:58.76\00:50:01.36
Answer: The third
commandment is remember
00:50:01.40\00:50:04.03
that thou keep
holy the Sabbath day.
00:50:04.07\00:50:06.67
Question: Which
is the Sabbath day?
00:50:06.70\00:50:09.07
Answer: Saturday
is the Sabbath day.
00:50:09.10\00:50:12.14
Question: Why do we observe
Sunday instead of Saturday?
00:50:12.17\00:50:16.41
Answer: The Catholic
Church after changing the day
00:50:16.44\00:50:21.62
of rest from Saturday,
00:50:21.65\00:50:23.12
the seventh day of
the week to Sunday,
00:50:23.15\00:50:25.42
the first day made
the third commandment
00:50:25.45\00:50:27.82
referred to Sunday,
00:50:27.86\00:50:29.19
as the day to be
kept as the Lord's day.
00:50:29.22\00:50:31.83
See, they don't even try to hide
00:50:31.86\00:50:33.80
that they were the ones
who changed the day of worship,
00:50:33.83\00:50:35.96
just like the Bible
says the little horn did.
00:50:36.00\00:50:39.30
Here's another one.
00:50:39.33\00:50:41.00
Prove to me
from the Bible alone,
00:50:41.04\00:50:43.37
that I am bound
to keep Sunday holy.
00:50:43.41\00:50:45.97
There is no such
law in the Bible.
00:50:46.01\00:50:47.91
It is the law
00:50:47.94\00:50:49.28
of the Holy
Catholic Church alone.
00:50:49.31\00:50:51.11
The Bible says,
00:50:51.15\00:50:52.48
remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:50:52.51\00:50:54.42
The Catholic Church
says no, by my what?
00:50:54.45\00:50:59.19
She claiming to be god on earth.
00:50:59.22\00:51:01.59
Absolutely, by my divine power,
00:51:01.62\00:51:04.09
I abolish the
Sabbath day and command you
00:51:04.13\00:51:07.96
to keep holy the
first day of the week.
00:51:08.00\00:51:10.37
And lo, the
entire civilized world
00:51:10.40\00:51:13.60
bows down in reverent obedience
00:51:13.64\00:51:16.60
to the command of
the Holy Catholic Church.
00:51:16.64\00:51:20.81
Here's another one.
00:51:20.84\00:51:22.34
Of course, the Catholic Church
00:51:22.38\00:51:23.78
claims that the
change was her act.
00:51:23.81\00:51:26.25
And the act is a what?
00:51:26.28\00:51:28.72
A mark of her
ecclesiastical power.
00:51:28.75\00:51:32.95
Here's another one.
00:51:32.99\00:51:34.32
There's many of
them, a word about Sunday.
00:51:34.36\00:51:37.39
God said, remember that
thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
00:51:37.43\00:51:40.63
The Sabbath was
Saturday, not Sunday.
00:51:40.66\00:51:43.13
Why then do we keep
Sunday holy instead of Saturday?
00:51:43.16\00:51:46.33
The church altered the
observance of the Sabbath
00:51:46.37\00:51:49.47
to the observance of Sunday.
00:51:49.50\00:51:51.51
Protestants who say
they go by the Bible
00:51:51.54\00:51:54.28
and the Bible only,
00:51:54.31\00:51:55.94
and that they do
not believe anything
00:51:55.98\00:51:57.41
that is not in the Bible
00:51:57.45\00:51:59.21
must be rather puzzled
by the keeping of Sunday,
00:51:59.25\00:52:02.85
when God distinctly said,
keep holy the Sabbath day.
00:52:02.88\00:52:07.56
The word Sunday does not
come anywhere in the Bible.
00:52:07.59\00:52:10.06
So without knowing it,
00:52:10.09\00:52:12.43
they're obeying the authority
of the Catholic Church.
00:52:12.46\00:52:17.33
I read the one
by Father O'Brien,
00:52:17.37\00:52:20.00
in the work the book
The Faith of Millions
00:52:20.04\00:52:21.94
he taught at the
University of Notre Dame
00:52:21.97\00:52:24.61
for many years in
the theology department.
00:52:24.64\00:52:27.28
What did he say?
00:52:27.31\00:52:28.64
He says, listen,
Protestants by keeping Sunday,
00:52:28.68\00:52:32.21
they have not been
able to sever themselves
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.25
totally from the mother.
00:52:34.28\00:52:36.69
They are like a little
boy, who runs away from home,
00:52:36.72\00:52:41.26
but still carries in his pocket,
00:52:41.29\00:52:43.79
a picture of his
mother, or a lack of her hair.
00:52:43.83\00:52:47.70
In other words,
00:52:47.73\00:52:49.06
there has not been a
total severing of Protestants
00:52:49.10\00:52:52.33
from the Roman Catholic Church.
00:52:52.37\00:52:53.84
And that's why
00:52:53.87\00:52:55.20
they are quickly
returning to mother.
00:52:55.24\00:53:00.58
Now, let's go to page 417.
00:53:00.61\00:53:05.61
We're almost to the end.
00:53:05.65\00:53:07.78
Let's go to the
bottom of the page.
00:53:07.82\00:53:10.22
The Sabbath will
be the great test
00:53:10.25\00:53:13.76
of loyalty, for it
is the point of truth,
00:53:13.79\00:53:17.13
especially controverted.
00:53:17.16\00:53:19.29
When the final test
00:53:19.33\00:53:20.66
shall be brought
to bear upon men,
00:53:20.70\00:53:22.76
then the line of distinction
will be drawn between those
00:53:22.80\00:53:26.23
who serve God and
those who serve Him not.
00:53:26.27\00:53:30.21
While the
observance of the false Sabbath
00:53:30.24\00:53:32.81
in compliance with
the law of the state,
00:53:32.84\00:53:35.68
contrary to the
fourth commandment,
00:53:35.71\00:53:37.95
will be avowal,
that's an announcement
00:53:37.98\00:53:40.58
of allegiance to a power
that is an opposition to God.
00:53:40.62\00:53:44.22
The keeping of a true Sabbath
in obedience to God's law
00:53:44.25\00:53:48.09
is an evidence of
loyalty to the Creator.
00:53:48.12\00:53:51.03
While one class by
accepting the sign of submission
00:53:51.06\00:53:53.73
to earthly powers,
receive the mark of the beast,
00:53:53.76\00:53:57.47
the other choosing
the talk of allegiance
00:53:57.50\00:54:00.27
to divine authority.
00:54:00.30\00:54:01.70
Receive the seal of God.
00:54:01.74\00:54:06.17
Are only literal Jews gonna
be sealed with the seal of God?
00:54:06.21\00:54:12.08
Of course not.
00:54:12.11\00:54:13.95
People from every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people
00:54:13.98\00:54:16.62
are gonna be sealed
with the seal of God.
00:54:16.65\00:54:19.15
That's why the messages,
00:54:19.19\00:54:20.52
the three angels' messages
00:54:20.56\00:54:21.89
are proclaimed
to the whole world.
00:54:21.92\00:54:23.76
That proves that the
144,000 the end time generation
00:54:23.79\00:54:27.70
are not literal Jews.
00:54:27.73\00:54:29.66
They are spiritual Jews.
00:54:29.70\00:54:31.47
They truly are
committed to Jesus Christ
00:54:31.50\00:54:34.20
as Savior and Lord.
00:54:34.24\00:54:36.87
I want to mention
one further thing.
00:54:36.91\00:54:40.54
You'll notice
that the seal of God
00:54:40.58\00:54:42.81
is placed only on the forehead.
00:54:42.84\00:54:45.55
Why?
00:54:45.58\00:54:47.18
Because God's
people will serve God
00:54:47.22\00:54:51.82
totally and completely
00:54:51.85\00:54:53.19
because they're
persuaded in their mind
00:54:53.22\00:54:54.86
that that's
what they need to do.
00:54:54.89\00:54:57.69
On the other
hand, there are those
00:54:57.73\00:54:59.76
who receive the
mark of the beast,
00:54:59.79\00:55:01.16
they will receive it where?
00:55:01.20\00:55:03.16
On the forehead or
on their right hand.
00:55:03.20\00:55:07.67
Why would they
receive it on their forehead?
00:55:07.70\00:55:09.74
Because they are
totally persuaded and convinced
00:55:09.77\00:55:13.38
that Sunday is the day
that they're supposed to keep.
00:55:13.41\00:55:16.04
They are totally
and completely deceived.
00:55:16.08\00:55:19.18
Why on the right hand?
00:55:19.21\00:55:21.28
Because the right hand
represents the ability to work.
00:55:21.32\00:55:25.32
There will be people
00:55:25.35\00:55:26.69
who know that the
Sabbath is a day of rest.
00:55:26.72\00:55:29.66
They are not deceived
in following the beast,
00:55:29.69\00:55:33.63
they will receive
the seal on their hand,
00:55:33.66\00:55:37.30
which means that they will do it
00:55:37.33\00:55:38.67
out of convenience,
00:55:38.70\00:55:40.04
because they want
to be able to work.
00:55:40.07\00:55:42.90
And they don't
want to be subjects
00:55:42.94\00:55:44.31
of the death decree
even though they know
00:55:44.34\00:55:46.47
in their minds,
00:55:46.51\00:55:47.84
they have not given
their minds over to the beast.
00:55:47.88\00:55:50.51
Are you following me or not?
00:55:50.55\00:55:52.55
It's the same way
that Adam and Eve sinned.
00:55:52.58\00:55:54.85
Let me ask you,
00:55:54.88\00:55:56.22
did Adam and
Eve sin differently?
00:55:56.25\00:55:58.29
Yes, they did.
00:55:58.32\00:56:00.72
Eve was totally deceived.
00:56:00.76\00:56:03.96
In her mind, she
was convinced the devil
00:56:03.99\00:56:06.26
took possession of her mind.
00:56:06.29\00:56:08.13
And she was totally convinced
00:56:08.16\00:56:10.27
that what the
serpent was said was true.
00:56:10.30\00:56:13.37
How about Adam?
00:56:13.40\00:56:15.37
Did Adam know
that Eve had blown it?
00:56:15.40\00:56:18.57
Yes.
00:56:18.61\00:56:19.97
Why did he sin?
00:56:20.01\00:56:21.94
He sinned out of convenience.
00:56:21.98\00:56:24.08
He said, I cannot
bear the thought of this,
00:56:24.11\00:56:28.35
the thought of living
without my precious Eve.
00:56:28.38\00:56:33.09
He knew that she had done wrong.
00:56:33.12\00:56:35.72
In other words, his
mind was not deceived.
00:56:35.76\00:56:38.66
He did it out of convenience.
00:56:38.69\00:56:41.80
So there will be
two kinds of people
00:56:41.83\00:56:43.47
that receive the
mark of the beast.
00:56:43.50\00:56:45.53
Those who are totally persuaded
that the beast is right.
00:56:45.57\00:56:48.70
They're deceived in their
minds And there will be those
00:56:48.74\00:56:51.81
that know that
the beast is wrong
00:56:51.84\00:56:53.88
but to be able to buy or sell,
00:56:53.91\00:56:55.84
to be able to carry on business,
00:56:55.88\00:56:57.85
to be able to continue living
00:56:57.88\00:57:00.28
because a death
decree has been given,
00:57:00.32\00:57:02.45
they will say, we
know that this isn't right,
00:57:02.48\00:57:05.82
but we will receive
the mark on our hand.
00:57:05.85\00:57:10.93
So this is that conflict,
00:57:10.96\00:57:13.03
this is the trial
that awaits God's people.
00:57:13.06\00:57:18.50
And I trust that as
we've studied these lessons,
00:57:18.53\00:57:21.30
that our faith has grown,
00:57:21.34\00:57:23.64
we are stronger
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:57:23.67\00:57:26.34
We are more convicted
and convinced that God
00:57:26.37\00:57:29.51
has given this church the truth,
00:57:29.54\00:57:31.98
and that we will ask
God to give us the ability
00:57:32.01\00:57:35.22
to go out and share
the marvelous message
00:57:35.25\00:57:38.62
that God has given
00:57:38.65\00:57:39.99
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:57:40.02\00:57:41.76
in his present truth.
00:57:41.79\00:57:44.03
This church has the
truth, and Satan knows it.
00:57:44.06\00:57:47.96
That's why he's causing
00:57:48.00\00:57:49.33
all kinds of
internal division in fighting,
00:57:49.36\00:57:52.83
because he
doesn't want the truth
00:57:52.87\00:57:54.57
as it is in
Jesus to be proclaimed.
00:57:54.60\00:57:57.11
May we be among those
00:57:57.14\00:57:59.34
that will proclaim God's message
00:57:59.37\00:58:02.08
with the utmost
power of the Spirit.
00:58:02.11\00:58:04.98