Hello and welcome
to A Sharper Focus.
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Welcome to Wednesday
night Bible study here
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in the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And when we say Thompsonville,
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I now have to say
Thompsonville, Illinois
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'cause as I was in Michigan
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and I saw a man with a T-shirt
that said, Thompsonville,
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and later I
asked and they told me
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that there's a
Thompsonville in Michigan.
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So Thompsonville, Illinois,
we are here at Route 149,
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and just before you
get on to the connection
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where Route 149
meets the Route 34
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on the left hand side
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more or less
about almost a mile,
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you'll find the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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the 3ABN, The Three Angels
Broadcasting Worship Center.
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And you are
welcome to participate
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in the Wednesday night
Bible study here with us,
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here with the group of
people that are with us.
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You can study
the Bible together.
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Not only that, we
can pray together.
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We also encourage you to come
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during our Sabbath
day worship service
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which is on Saturday.
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Saturday mornings we
are here beginning at nine,
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some people are here before,
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but you are welcome
to join us for worship
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and to praise God's name.
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Now those are the
ones we are mentioning,
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there are other activities
that take place at the church.
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There are prayer groups,
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there are people that meet
on Friday and different days
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but these are the ones
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that we are going
to mention to you,
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and if you need
more information stop by
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the Thompsonville Seventh-day
Adventist Church or call.
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Now we want to
encourage you to grab your Bible
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or something to
find that has the Bible,
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like a tablet, computer, phone,
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whatever it may be
but also we encourage you
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to find something to write with
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because we want to
share some scriptures with you
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that we hope you
will continue to study.
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So when you have
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the Wednesday night Bible study,
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we want you to be
like the people in Berea.
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Look into the scriptures to see
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if these things are true.
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My name is John Dinzey.
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It's a pleasure to be with you
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during this hour to
study God's Word together.
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Is it good to study
God's Word together?
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Would you say amen?
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Amen. Amen.
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It's good to study
God's Word together.
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And before we
launch into our study,
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I would like to ask
you to join me in prayer,
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then we may ask
the Lord to be with us,
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the Lord to guide us
and the Lord to speak to us.
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So let's go to
the Lord in prayer.
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Our loving heavenly Father,
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we thank You for Your goodness
and Your infinite mercy.
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We thank You, Lord,
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that Your mercies
are new every morning
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and we come
before You in Jesus' name
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to ask for Your blessing.
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The blessing of the Holy Spirit
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that we may
understand Your words
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and that we may fight courage
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and hope in Your Holy Scriptures
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because we know you
have a message for us,
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a message for us as individuals,
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a message that will help
us understand Your great love,
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also the warning
that You have for us
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that we may be ready for
the soon coming of our Lord
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and our Savior Jesus Christ.
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Thank You, Lord,
for hearing our prayer.
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We pray that You
will bless everyone
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that is here
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in the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and everyone that is joining us
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wherever they
may be in the world.
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We thank You, Father,
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for this medium of Three
Angels Broadcasting Network
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that through television,
radio, and the internet
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is bringing the
everlasting gospel
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to the world.
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Praise Your name and thank
you for joining us in this study
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in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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Well, brothers and
sisters, I have to tell you
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that I am not very good
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at coming up with
titles to messages.
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And so when they
asked me for a title,
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they took me by surprise
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because that was
completely out of my mind.
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And so I...
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The first title I submitted,
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I was like, "Wow,
that's a long title."
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And it wasn't that good I guess,
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but we came up with this title
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and there was no
comment made about it,
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so we kept this one.
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So this title is called,
"Christ return confirmed."
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Christ return confirmed.
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And if you
continue to be with us,
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I will tell you
where this title came from,
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Christ return confirmed.
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So let's go to our study,
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and we begin with Genesis 3:15.
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Genesis 3:15.
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Now we are unfortunately
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living in a
world where sin exists.
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And we live in a country
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and you live in a country
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where perhaps you may
trust a few people around you,
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but you don't know when someone
may show up at your house,
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or something may happen
that is a calamity, a tragedy
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and something that
will cause you harm
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or your family harm.
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We got into this
mess because Adam and Eve
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accepted to sin against God
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and sin against
the commandment of God.
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So in Genesis 3:15, God
is talking to Adam and Eve
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and He has a
message for the serpent.
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Satan used the serpent
as a medium to tempt Eve,
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and now God is
talking to the serpent
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in Genesis 3:15 in the hearing
of course of Adam and Eve.
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And in this verse,
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we find a promise from the Lord
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because even though the
devil had defeated Adam and Eve,
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God sent them a
message of hope in Genesis 3:15
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which are these words.
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"And I," that is God,
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"will put enmity
between you and the woman,
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and between your
seed and her seed.
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He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel."
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And so here we
have God telling us
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that He would
put some separation,
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some, not total communion
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but that God will
bring in an enmity,
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a separation between
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the woman and
the seed of the woman
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and the seed of the serpent.
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In other words, those
that follow the devil.
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And so God was going to
bring in the seed, Jesus Christ,
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to crush the head of the serpent
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with is the mortal blow.
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If you want to
kill a serpent, a snake,
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people know that
you crush their heads.
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And so this was a promise
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that God was going to
send His only begotten Son
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to save those that
are willing to be saved,
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and I hope you are one of those
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that wants to be
saved through Jesus Christ.
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And so this is the
promise of the Lord.
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And since that promise was made,
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it entered into the
heart of the sons of God,
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those that love the Lord to
see that reality come to pass.
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When the Son of God
will crush the serpent's head
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and we will be
totally liberated from sin,
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its consequences, its effects,
and even the atmosphere of sin
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because even the
atmosphere of sin
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is not desirable.
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And I don't know
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if you had been in a
place or have entered somewhere
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where there's this
heavy air that is negative
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and you just don't
feel good being there.
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Has anybody been in
a situation like that?
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I have also.
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And don't feel comfortable,
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want to leave as
soon as possible.
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And so, God wants to
completely deliver us from sin,
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its influence, its
cause, its destruction
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and God will completely do
that in the time of the end.
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Now, not only do
we have this promise,
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but we have many
promises in the Bible
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concerning the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
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I would like to take
you to the New Testament
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which speaks of
something in the Old Testament
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which was one of the
prophets of the Lord that may,
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that presented a
message to God's children.
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That is in Jude 14-15.
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Jude 14-15.
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There is one chapter,
so we say Jude 1:14-15.
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And so, I hope
you write this down
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because as time
seems to be escaping us,
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I will begin
reading a little faster
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and so let's go to Jude 1:14-15.
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"Now Enoch, the
seventh from Adam,
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prophesied about
these men also, saying,
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'Behold, the Lord comes
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with ten
thousands of His saints,
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to execute judgment on all,
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to convict all who
are ungodly among them
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of all their ungodly deeds
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which they have
committed in an ungodly way,
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and of all the harsh things
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which ungodly sinners
have spoken against Him.'"
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So we see here that
he is talking literally
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about the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
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Now he uses a term,
"ten thousand of his saints,"
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which means an
innumerable company
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of his saints.
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And so this is also
a promise of the hope
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that was in God's
children for Jesus to return.
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When you go to 1 Kings 8:56,
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1 Kings 8:56,
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there's a
wonderful declaration there
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in 1 Kings 8
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I'm sorry verses 56
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1 Kings 56,
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God had made many promises
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to the people of Israel
that if they were faithful,
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God will be faithful
and bless them abundantly.
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And we come to a time
when God had done that,
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the people had been
faithful to the Lord
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and the Lord
fulfilled His promises.
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Notice what 1 Kings 8:56 says,
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"Blessed be the Lord,
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who has given rest
to His people Israel,
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according to all
that He promised.
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There has not failed one
word of all His good promise,
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which He promised
through His servant Moses."
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Marvelous.
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We see here a declaration
that every one of the promises
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that God had made
were fulfilled by God.
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Not one word failed.
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Praise the Lord.
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And so we can see evidence
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that when God
promises something,
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He keeps His promise.
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Would you say amen to that?
00:11:00.19\00:11:01.52
God keeps His promises.
00:11:01.56\00:11:03.93
And, of course,
00:11:03.96\00:11:05.29
many of the promises of the Lord
00:11:05.33\00:11:06.66
come up on
conditions of faithfulness,
00:11:06.70\00:11:09.93
obedience to Him,
00:11:09.96\00:11:12.30
and so you can
go to many places,
00:11:12.33\00:11:14.34
you can find
some of the promises
00:11:14.37\00:11:16.10
that God made to His people,
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just read the Book of Exodus,
read the Book of Deuteronomy,
00:11:18.27\00:11:21.48
and you'll see
many promises there.
00:11:21.51\00:11:23.71
So now we want to invite you
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to go to Job 19
00:11:26.25\00:11:28.95
Job 19:25-27.
00:11:28.98\00:11:32.75
Now when I mentioned
Job, many people remember Job
00:11:32.79\00:11:35.22
as a man that went
through horrendous things
00:11:35.26\00:11:39.96
as he encountered one
tragedy after another.
00:11:40.00\00:11:45.73
Satan was attacking this man
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.34
practically in a horrendous way.
00:11:48.37\00:11:51.41
We've talked about
this in other times
00:11:51.44\00:11:53.58
during the
Wednesday night Bible study.
00:11:53.61\00:11:55.34
But notice the hope
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that burned in the heart of Job.
00:11:57.61\00:12:00.68
Job 19:25-27, notice,
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"For I know that
my Redeemer lives,
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And He shall stand
at last on the earth.
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And after my skin is
destroyed, this I know,
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That in my
flesh I shall see God,
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Whom I shall see for myself,
00:12:18.60\00:12:20.34
And my eyes shall
behold, and not another.
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How my heart yearns within me!"
00:12:23.94\00:12:27.68
And so he is talking
about the second coming.
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When everything
is said and done,
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I know that my Redeemer
lives and that He shall stand.
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That means He
will be in control,
00:12:36.38\00:12:38.25
He will be in-charge,
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He, my Redeemer will
stand at the latter day
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as it says in the King James.
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And he is talking
00:12:46.73\00:12:48.06
that even after
his flesh is destroyed,
00:12:48.10\00:12:49.96
he is talking
about the resurrection
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because he says,
"After my skin is destroyed,
00:12:51.37\00:12:54.84
this I know, that in
my flesh I shall see God,"
00:12:54.87\00:12:57.14
talking about the resurrection
when we shall be transformed
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in the twinkling of a
night at the last trumpet
00:13:00.58\00:13:03.95
we shall be changed.
00:13:03.98\00:13:05.31
This corruptible
shall put on incorruption
00:13:05.35\00:13:08.02
and this mortal
shall put on immortality,
00:13:08.05\00:13:12.39
thus, that is
what the Bible says.
00:13:12.42\00:13:14.16
Would you say amen to that?
00:13:14.19\00:13:15.59
Praise the Lord.
00:13:15.62\00:13:16.96
I want to take
you to another promise
00:13:16.99\00:13:18.33
found in the Book of Psalms 50,
00:13:18.36\00:13:20.53
Psalms 50, and we are
going to read Psalms 50
00:13:20.56\00:13:25.80
and this one we
will begin in verse 3.
00:13:25.83\00:13:30.37
Psalms 50:3,
00:13:30.41\00:13:33.51
and this is what
the Bible tells us.
00:13:33.54\00:13:36.01
"Our God shall
come," praise the Lord,"
00:13:36.04\00:13:40.02
and shall not keep silent.
00:13:40.05\00:13:41.68
A fire shall devour before Him,
00:13:41.72\00:13:44.12
and it shall be very tempestuous
00:13:44.15\00:13:46.52
all around Him.
00:13:46.55\00:13:47.89
He shall call to
the heavens from above,
00:13:47.92\00:13:49.72
and to the earth, that
He may judge His people."
00:13:49.76\00:13:53.29
So even in the Book of Psalms,
00:13:53.33\00:13:54.83
you find promises
of the Lord's coming.
00:13:54.86\00:13:57.37
Verse 5, what is He gonna do?
00:13:57.40\00:13:59.63
"He is gonna gather
My saints together to Me,
00:13:59.67\00:14:03.37
those who have
made a covenant with Me
00:14:03.41\00:14:05.97
by sacrifice."
00:14:06.01\00:14:08.11
He is gonna what?
Gather His saints.
00:14:08.14\00:14:10.68
And those who had
made a covenant with Him
00:14:10.71\00:14:13.18
by sacrifice.
00:14:13.21\00:14:14.55
In other words,
those that have chosen
00:14:14.58\00:14:16.28
to be faithful to the Lord.
00:14:16.32\00:14:19.39
Now let's go to one
of the precious promises
00:14:19.42\00:14:22.09
in the Bible found
in the New Testament
00:14:22.12\00:14:24.33
in John 14
00:14:24.36\00:14:28.46
and many people
know this by memory.
00:14:28.50\00:14:31.20
John 14
00:14:31.23\00:14:32.70
and we are going to read
00:14:32.73\00:14:34.70
verses 1, 2, and 3.
00:14:34.74\00:14:39.04
John 14:1-3.
00:14:39.07\00:14:40.64
This is one of the verses
00:14:40.68\00:14:42.14
that very young
I learned in memory
00:14:42.18\00:14:46.15
and my father used
to quote it quite often.
00:14:46.18\00:14:48.55
Notice what the Bible says.
00:14:48.58\00:14:49.92
"Let not your heart be troubled,
00:14:49.95\00:14:52.39
you believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:14:52.42\00:14:55.82
In My Father's
house are many mansions,
00:14:55.86\00:14:57.89
if they were not so..."
00:14:57.93\00:14:59.49
What is He gonna do?
00:14:59.53\00:15:00.86
"I would have told you.
00:15:00.90\00:15:02.23
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.10
And if I go to
prepare a place for you,
00:15:04.13\00:15:07.24
I will" what?
00:15:07.27\00:15:09.14
"Come again and" what?
00:15:09.17\00:15:10.81
"Receive you to
Myself, that where I am,
00:15:10.84\00:15:13.51
there you may be also."
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.54
Some of these words
remind you of the verse
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.85
we just read in
the Book of Psalms.
00:15:17.88\00:15:19.61
"Gather His saints."
00:15:19.65\00:15:20.98
This is what He says, "I
will receive you to Myself,
00:15:21.02\00:15:25.05
that where I am
there you may be also."
00:15:25.09\00:15:27.56
So here is the
place where I found
00:15:27.59\00:15:31.19
the title to today's message.
00:15:31.23\00:15:33.80
It's a promise from Jesus
00:15:33.83\00:15:35.90
that He will come again
and receive us to Himself.
00:15:35.93\00:15:39.33
In other words, the
promises that He has made
00:15:39.37\00:15:42.50
He will fulfill.
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.01
And Jesus is promising,
00:15:44.04\00:15:45.91
"I will return.
00:15:45.94\00:15:48.44
I will come again and
receive you to Myself."
00:15:48.48\00:15:51.61
So I am telling you that
Christ has confirmed His return.
00:15:51.65\00:15:56.55
He has confirmed His return.
00:15:56.58\00:15:58.49
You know after flying
00:15:58.52\00:16:01.49
from place to
place you discover,
00:16:01.52\00:16:03.43
especially when
you fly overseas,
00:16:03.46\00:16:05.73
that the airlines want
you to confirm your flight.
00:16:05.76\00:16:09.86
They want to know that
you are gonna show up for,
00:16:09.90\00:16:13.13
to sit on your seat
that you have purchased
00:16:13.17\00:16:15.94
and sometimes they are not so...
00:16:15.97\00:16:19.74
They are not pushing this
00:16:19.77\00:16:21.41
as much as they used to
00:16:21.44\00:16:23.11
because even today,
00:16:23.14\00:16:24.55
you don't even
have to call them,
00:16:24.58\00:16:26.15
you can just go online
and check the information,
00:16:26.18\00:16:29.28
make sure that your
flight is your correct flight
00:16:29.32\00:16:31.95
and say I want to check-in.
00:16:31.99\00:16:33.76
You can check-in 24 hours before
00:16:33.79\00:16:35.92
you even go to the airport.
00:16:35.96\00:16:37.79
And so you are confirming.
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.06
And Jesus Christ
has confirmed His return
00:16:40.10\00:16:43.26
and He will return
for those that love Him,
00:16:43.30\00:16:45.43
and I hope you have
that hope in your heart.
00:16:45.47\00:16:49.30
Jesus Christ has
confirmed His return,
00:16:49.34\00:16:52.24
and I say, praise
the Lord for that.
00:16:52.27\00:16:54.58
Would you say amen? Amen.
00:16:54.61\00:16:57.08
Now, we would like to
take you to a scripture
00:16:57.11\00:17:01.05
that helps us
understand a little bit
00:17:01.08\00:17:03.69
about when He would return.
00:17:03.72\00:17:09.86
So for this we go
to 2 Thessalonians 2.
00:17:09.89\00:17:15.96
2 Thessalonians 2,
00:17:16.00\00:17:18.97
and we are going to
look at a few verses there,
00:17:19.00\00:17:22.97
2 Thessalonians 2.
00:17:23.00\00:17:25.24
In 2 Thessalonians 2,
there is a warning for us
00:17:25.27\00:17:30.35
from the Apostle Paul
00:17:30.38\00:17:32.51
and we have to begin in
verse 1 for this warning.
00:17:32.55\00:17:37.95
"Now, brethren,
00:17:37.99\00:17:39.32
concerning the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:17:39.35\00:17:43.83
and our gathering
together to Him..."
00:17:43.86\00:17:47.30
Notice again the word
gathering together with Him.
00:17:47.33\00:17:49.86
"We ask you,
00:17:49.90\00:17:51.27
not to be soon
shaken in mind or troubled,
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.27
either by spirit or
by word or by letter,
00:17:54.30\00:17:58.31
as if from us,
00:17:58.34\00:18:00.71
as though the day
of Christ had come.
00:18:00.74\00:18:05.45
Let no one
deceive you by any means,
00:18:05.48\00:18:08.38
for that Day will not come
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.35
unless the
falling away comes first,
00:18:10.39\00:18:14.12
and the man of sin is
revealed, the son of perdition."
00:18:14.16\00:18:19.36
We'll stop there for now.
00:18:19.39\00:18:20.93
Now notice that Paul
00:18:20.96\00:18:22.30
is bringing a
message to his brethren
00:18:22.33\00:18:26.03
because some were thinking
00:18:26.07\00:18:27.47
Jesus Christ is coming soon.
00:18:27.50\00:18:29.17
This is the hope of Christians
for hundreds of years,
00:18:29.20\00:18:32.27
Jesus Christ is coming soon.
00:18:32.31\00:18:33.84
They were excited about this.
00:18:33.88\00:18:35.21
But Paul is trying to
help them to remain faithful
00:18:35.24\00:18:39.45
but also not to expect
00:18:39.48\00:18:41.68
the coming as soon
as they were thinking.
00:18:41.72\00:18:44.69
He warned them
00:18:44.72\00:18:46.05
that they would come
a falling away, a what?
00:18:46.09\00:18:50.56
A falling away and this
is what we are going to read
00:18:50.59\00:18:53.70
now in verse 3.
00:18:53.73\00:18:56.60
We read verse 3...
00:18:56.63\00:18:57.97
Did we read verse 3 already?
00:18:58.00\00:18:59.73
Yes, he says,
00:18:59.77\00:19:01.10
"Let no one
deceive you by any means,
00:19:01.14\00:19:03.27
for that Day will not come
00:19:03.30\00:19:05.34
unless the
falling away comes first,
00:19:05.37\00:19:07.31
and the man of sin is
revealed, the son of perdition."
00:19:07.34\00:19:12.35
Now you will
notice that the words,
00:19:12.38\00:19:14.68
"that day will not come"
00:19:14.72\00:19:17.85
are in italics,
00:19:17.89\00:19:19.22
in some of the
Bibles they are italicized
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.92
which means
00:19:20.96\00:19:22.29
that they are not
in the original Greek,
00:19:22.32\00:19:25.53
in the manuscripts
00:19:25.56\00:19:26.90
or in the letters
of the Apostle Paul
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.83
but the
translators thought it fit in.
00:19:28.86\00:19:32.33
And really, if you
look at the context,
00:19:32.37\00:19:34.20
you will see it seems to fit.
00:19:34.24\00:19:36.10
Would you agree to that?
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.91
It seems to fit.
00:19:37.94\00:19:39.27
When you look at the
context, it seems to fit.
00:19:39.31\00:19:42.31
If not those words,
some words close to that.
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.71
Now he says there
will be a falling away
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.22
that comes first
before Jesus returns.
00:19:49.25\00:19:53.19
What does the Apostle Paul means
00:19:53.22\00:19:55.52
by a falling away?
00:19:55.56\00:19:57.56
We are going to talk
about that in a moment.
00:19:57.59\00:19:59.93
Now notice what he says.
00:19:59.96\00:20:02.60
He says, the man of
sin is to be revealed.
00:20:02.63\00:20:07.47
And he also
calls this man of sin,
00:20:07.50\00:20:09.90
the son of perdition.
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.27
Question, what does
the word perdition mean?
00:20:12.31\00:20:17.21
The word perdition
means someone that is lost.
00:20:17.25\00:20:21.15
You read in John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world
00:20:21.18\00:20:24.79
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:20:24.82\00:20:26.65
that whosoever
believes in Him shall not perish
00:20:26.69\00:20:28.76
but have everlasting life."
00:20:28.79\00:20:30.26
And those that
have everlasting life
00:20:30.29\00:20:35.46
are not lost.
00:20:35.50\00:20:38.23
So you hear some people,
00:20:38.27\00:20:39.60
"Do you want to be saved
or do you want to be lost?"
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.47
And this is the
same understanding
00:20:41.50\00:20:42.84
we have here.
00:20:42.87\00:20:44.21
This man of
perdition is a man of sin,
00:20:44.24\00:20:47.51
the Bible says,
that will be lost,
00:20:47.54\00:20:49.61
that will perish
because of his sins.
00:20:49.64\00:20:52.91
And so the Bible says
00:20:52.95\00:20:54.28
that he is the son of perdition.
00:20:54.32\00:20:57.29
And we are going
to look at a text
00:20:57.32\00:20:58.69
where this word is
used again in another place.
00:20:58.72\00:21:01.72
But first, we want
to talk a little bit
00:21:01.76\00:21:04.56
about this falling
away, falling away.
00:21:04.59\00:21:09.43
We'll briefly
explain that this way.
00:21:09.46\00:21:11.53
Jesus says, "If any
man will come after me,
00:21:11.57\00:21:15.17
let him take up his" what?
00:21:15.20\00:21:16.91
"Cross daily and follow Me."
00:21:16.94\00:21:20.61
This is what Jesus said.
00:21:20.64\00:21:22.04
This falling away, if people,
00:21:22.08\00:21:24.11
they have decided
00:21:24.15\00:21:25.48
not to take the cross of Christ,
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.42
not to follow Jesus,
but to leave and go away.
00:21:27.45\00:21:31.85
In other words, they
choose not to follow Jesus,
00:21:31.89\00:21:34.19
they are
following another master
00:21:34.22\00:21:37.59
who will lead them to perdition.
00:21:37.63\00:21:39.49
Because if the man of sin,
00:21:39.53\00:21:41.16
the son of
perdition is deceiving people,
00:21:41.20\00:21:44.17
he is leading them to
the same place he is going,
00:21:44.20\00:21:46.97
to perdition.
00:21:47.00\00:21:48.70
In other words,
as we understand it,
00:21:48.74\00:21:51.64
he will suffer the
wages of sin which is death.
00:21:51.67\00:21:55.84
And be thrown
into the lake of fire
00:21:55.88\00:21:58.15
and eventually die
because the Bible says,
00:21:58.18\00:22:00.12
that is the second death.
00:22:00.15\00:22:03.02
So let's go to the
idea of falling away.
00:22:03.05\00:22:06.42
When the Christians
accepted Jesus Christ,
00:22:06.45\00:22:10.83
when they began to preach,
you see in the Book of Acts,
00:22:10.86\00:22:14.50
and you continue
reading in the Book of Acts,
00:22:14.53\00:22:16.73
many people were being saved.
00:22:16.77\00:22:19.53
They were accepting Jesus Christ
00:22:19.57\00:22:21.37
as their personal savior
and the day of Pentecost,
00:22:21.40\00:22:24.61
how many people were
saved, or accepted salvation?
00:22:24.64\00:22:29.04
About 3,000 people.
00:22:29.08\00:22:31.91
And you keep
reading and it says,
00:22:31.95\00:22:33.82
they were added
to the church daily
00:22:33.85\00:22:36.22
such as should be saved.
00:22:36.25\00:22:39.19
Eventually you
started reading in this,
00:22:39.22\00:22:40.82
you'll find that
there's persecution.
00:22:40.86\00:22:42.76
The Apostle Paul,
before he was Paul,
00:22:42.79\00:22:45.49
he was what?
00:22:45.53\00:22:46.86
Saul and he was a
persecutor of the Christians.
00:22:46.90\00:22:51.17
For a while, the
Christians were being persecuted
00:22:51.20\00:22:54.00
mainly by the Jews.
00:22:54.04\00:22:56.24
Excuse me?
00:22:56.27\00:22:57.87
Being persecuted
mainly by the Jews.
00:23:03.91\00:23:07.92
The Romans
00:23:07.95\00:23:10.59
did not know what to
think of the Christians.
00:23:10.62\00:23:12.55
They just thought
00:23:12.59\00:23:14.26
this is another
sect among the Jews.
00:23:14.29\00:23:17.29
Excuse me?
00:23:17.33\00:23:18.66
Losing my voice here.
00:23:18.69\00:23:20.10
They thought it was another sect
00:23:27.24\00:23:28.57
among the Jews.
00:23:28.60\00:23:30.14
Didn't really
bothered too much with them.
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.07
But eventually, history reveals
00:23:32.11\00:23:34.38
that also the Romans
persecuted the Christians.
00:23:34.41\00:23:38.31
So for a while, the Christians,
which were mainly Jews,
00:23:38.35\00:23:43.22
were being persecuted by Jews
00:23:43.25\00:23:45.35
and by the Romans.
00:23:45.39\00:23:47.62
And so these
00:23:47.66\00:23:50.83
faithful followers of
the Lord remained faithful.
00:23:50.86\00:23:56.06
But the Apostle Paul said,
there would be a falling away.
00:23:56.10\00:24:00.44
What does this mean?
00:24:00.47\00:24:01.80
Some people would go astray.
00:24:01.84\00:24:03.17
Some people will
stop following the Lord.
00:24:03.20\00:24:05.21
And the Bible speaks to us
00:24:05.24\00:24:06.57
concerning this
00:24:06.61\00:24:07.94
in one of the
places is Revelation 12.
00:24:07.98\00:24:10.85
Revelation 12:13-14
00:24:10.88\00:24:13.72
are the first
verses we're gonna read.
00:24:13.75\00:24:16.65
Revelation 12.
00:24:16.69\00:24:20.56
If you found
it, please say amen.
00:24:20.59\00:24:23.53
Amen.
00:24:23.56\00:24:24.89
Revelation 12:13,
00:24:24.93\00:24:26.83
"Now when the dragon
00:24:26.86\00:24:28.33
saw that he had
been cast to the earth,
00:24:28.36\00:24:31.60
he persecuted the woman,"
00:24:31.63\00:24:33.54
that is the followers of Christ,
00:24:33.57\00:24:35.30
"who gave birth
to the male Child.
00:24:35.34\00:24:38.91
But the woman was given
two wings of a great eagle,
00:24:38.94\00:24:43.95
that she might fly
00:24:43.98\00:24:45.31
into the
wilderness to her place,"
00:24:45.35\00:24:48.82
to a place of safety,
00:24:48.85\00:24:50.59
"where she is
nourished," by the Lord,
00:24:50.62\00:24:53.56
"for a time,
times and half a time,
00:24:53.59\00:24:57.89
from the
presence of the serpent."
00:24:57.93\00:25:00.66
What does the
serpent want to do?
00:25:00.70\00:25:02.66
He is persecuting the
woman to destroy the woman,
00:25:02.70\00:25:05.40
destroy the church.
00:25:05.43\00:25:07.64
And notice that it says,
time, times and half a time.
00:25:07.67\00:25:12.84
So time, one, times is
two, and then half a time.
00:25:12.87\00:25:17.88
So it's three and a half times.
00:25:17.91\00:25:19.85
Now this time,
times and half a time
00:25:19.88\00:25:24.29
is spoken of in
different ways in the Bible.
00:25:24.32\00:25:28.42
And one of the places
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.59
that you'll find it
is in Revelation 11:3.
00:25:30.63\00:25:34.96
In Revelation 11:3, it
refers to this time, times,
00:25:35.00\00:25:40.20
and half a time as 1260 days.
00:25:40.24\00:25:46.64
1260 days.
00:25:46.68\00:25:48.48
We are talking...
00:25:48.51\00:25:49.84
When it says time,
it's talking about one year,
00:25:49.88\00:25:52.21
times, two
years, that makes three
00:25:52.25\00:25:54.75
and the half a
times, that's half a year.
00:25:54.78\00:25:57.25
And we are
talking about half a year,
00:25:57.29\00:26:00.22
notice that it says 1260 days.
00:26:00.26\00:26:03.06
What you must do
is take into account
00:26:03.09\00:26:05.89
the Hebrew
accounting of a month.
00:26:05.93\00:26:10.17
The Hebrew
accounting of a month, 30 days.
00:26:10.20\00:26:13.67
Yes, there were
some days with 29
00:26:13.70\00:26:15.04
but they round off to 30 days.
00:26:15.07\00:26:17.87
And it equals to
360 days in a year.
00:26:17.91\00:26:22.88
And these 360 days in a year,
00:26:22.91\00:26:25.28
if you would multiply 3 by 360
00:26:25.31\00:26:31.82
and then you add the other 60,
00:26:31.85\00:26:34.72
you will find 1260 days.
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.23
So Revelation 11:3
speaks of it as 1260 days.
00:26:37.26\00:26:41.46
When you go to Revelation 6,
00:26:41.50\00:26:44.17
you will notice that
00:26:44.20\00:26:45.53
this is
referred to as 42 months.
00:26:45.57\00:26:50.04
And once again, time,
times, and half a time.
00:26:50.07\00:26:55.81
Or in Daniel, it speaks of
it as the dividing of time.
00:26:55.84\00:26:59.75
In other words,
the dividing of a year,
00:26:59.78\00:27:02.38
a prophetic year.
00:27:02.42\00:27:04.09
So it's three and a half times.
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.85
Please do not
get confused by this.
00:27:05.89\00:27:07.22
We are still
talking about 1260 days,
00:27:07.26\00:27:10.13
prophetic days,
which equals to 1260 years.
00:27:10.16\00:27:14.26
1260 years.
00:27:14.30\00:27:16.10
So in Revelation 12:6,
00:27:16.13\00:27:18.93
you will find 42 months.
00:27:18.97\00:27:20.50
In Daniel 7:25,
you will find again,
00:27:20.54\00:27:24.51
time, times, and half a time.
00:27:24.54\00:27:26.27
And you will also
find this in Daniel 12:7.
00:27:26.31\00:27:30.31
Daniel 12:7.
00:27:30.35\00:27:32.15
And in this verse
that we just read,
00:27:32.18\00:27:34.98
Revelation 12:14,
00:27:35.02\00:27:36.89
it is mentioned as
time, times, and half a times.
00:27:36.92\00:27:40.29
And notice that we read
that the serpent, the dragon,
00:27:40.32\00:27:44.49
that is the devil
went after the woman
00:27:44.53\00:27:48.33
to persecute the woman.
00:27:48.36\00:27:49.70
But then it
describes that the woman
00:27:49.73\00:27:52.83
was given two great wings
00:27:52.87\00:27:55.07
as of an eagle to
fly into the wilderness,
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.41
and the wilderness is a place
that is not heavily populated.
00:27:58.44\00:28:02.88
When people want
to get away from cars,
00:28:02.91\00:28:06.11
and pollution, and the
hustle and bustle of life,
00:28:06.15\00:28:09.35
they like to go to the forest,
00:28:09.38\00:28:10.79
they like to go
to the wilderness,
00:28:10.82\00:28:12.99
and camp out, and be alone.
00:28:13.02\00:28:15.66
So the church to protect itself
00:28:15.69\00:28:18.99
from the
corruptions of the world
00:28:19.03\00:28:21.00
and from persecution,
the Lord got involved
00:28:21.03\00:28:23.77
in the process of protecting her
00:28:23.80\00:28:25.57
because it says that
the Lord had a place for her
00:28:25.60\00:28:28.94
and nourished her.
00:28:28.97\00:28:30.31
What are we trying to say?
00:28:30.34\00:28:31.67
That for 1260 years,
the true followers of God
00:28:31.71\00:28:37.45
were in hiding.
00:28:37.48\00:28:39.91
And they would come out
00:28:39.95\00:28:41.28
only to share the
gospel with others
00:28:41.32\00:28:43.12
because persecution was active.
00:28:43.15\00:28:45.62
And so let's talk
about these 1260 years.
00:28:45.65\00:28:50.83
We continue our
reading in Revelation 12,
00:28:50.86\00:28:53.13
we now go to verse 15.
00:28:53.16\00:28:54.73
Revelation 12:15,
00:28:54.76\00:28:56.80
notice the action of the serpent
00:28:56.83\00:29:00.34
following the woman.
00:29:00.37\00:29:01.87
It says, "So the
serpent spewed water
00:29:01.90\00:29:04.74
out of his mouth like
a flood after the woman."
00:29:04.77\00:29:08.54
What does an excessive
amount of flood do in an area?
00:29:08.58\00:29:12.48
It drowns people.
00:29:12.51\00:29:14.58
So it says here that
the serpent spewed water
00:29:14.62\00:29:17.12
out of his mouth like
a flood after the woman.
00:29:17.15\00:29:20.56
What comes out of
the mouth of the devil?
00:29:20.59\00:29:23.66
What comes out of
the mouth of the devil
00:29:23.69\00:29:25.39
is confusion, deception.
00:29:25.43\00:29:28.50
And so the devil works
through people in the world
00:29:28.53\00:29:33.40
that want to follow him.
00:29:33.44\00:29:36.20
So the devil used
people to bring confusion
00:29:36.24\00:29:40.61
and false
doctrines into the church.
00:29:40.64\00:29:44.18
And this is what he is
talking about here when he says,
00:29:44.21\00:29:46.28
and the devil spewed water out
00:29:46.31\00:29:47.85
like a flood to
swallow the woman,
00:29:47.88\00:29:50.72
to confuse her
and lead her astray.
00:29:50.75\00:29:53.59
And so, during the 1260 years,
00:29:53.62\00:29:57.93
there was confusion that
came in amongst some people
00:29:57.96\00:30:00.80
and people were lead
astray with the false doctrines
00:30:00.83\00:30:04.53
that the devil presented.
00:30:04.57\00:30:06.87
So I ask you, if you have
00:30:06.90\00:30:12.77
some pure grape
juice and you add...
00:30:12.81\00:30:17.31
If you have half a
glass of grape juice
00:30:17.35\00:30:19.51
and you add half
a glass of water,
00:30:19.55\00:30:21.58
do you have 100% grape juice?
00:30:21.62\00:30:25.19
When you go to the store,
when it's not a 100% juice,
00:30:25.22\00:30:27.72
they call it a grape drink.
00:30:27.76\00:30:29.66
That means it's not a 100% pure.
00:30:29.69\00:30:31.96
And so in the same manner,
00:30:31.99\00:30:33.63
the devil tried to
add false doctrines
00:30:33.66\00:30:38.80
to confuse God's children.
00:30:38.83\00:30:40.44
And today, the fact
00:30:40.47\00:30:44.34
that there are so
many denominations
00:30:44.37\00:30:46.71
speaks to you of the
success that the devil has had
00:30:46.74\00:30:50.08
in bringing confusion
into the Christian world.
00:30:50.11\00:30:53.52
But please
understand that the woman,
00:30:53.55\00:30:56.02
the true church, the
true followers of God
00:30:56.05\00:30:57.62
were hiding in the wilderness
00:30:57.65\00:30:59.02
while the visible
church that was in the city
00:30:59.05\00:31:03.43
and continue to operate,
00:31:03.46\00:31:05.49
they had
accepted false doctrines
00:31:05.53\00:31:07.83
and adopted some
pagan ideas into the worship
00:31:07.86\00:31:11.90
and into the doctrines
00:31:11.93\00:31:15.10
were not the
true followers of God.
00:31:15.14\00:31:17.11
They were teaching the
people that would listen to them
00:31:17.14\00:31:19.87
false doctrines,
00:31:19.91\00:31:21.54
the mingling of truth and error.
00:31:21.58\00:31:24.48
Not a 100% pure.
00:31:24.51\00:31:26.72
And so this brought
confusion among the people.
00:31:26.75\00:31:29.88
But the Bible
says that God nourished
00:31:29.92\00:31:33.56
protected the woman from
being completely overcome
00:31:33.59\00:31:37.89
by the flood of false
doctrines that came in.
00:31:37.93\00:31:41.30
Notice what it says in verse 16,
00:31:41.33\00:31:42.86
"But the earth helped the woman,
00:31:42.90\00:31:45.23
and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood
00:31:45.27\00:31:48.84
which the dragon had
spewed out of his mouth."
00:31:48.87\00:31:51.31
In other words, the
Lord protected God's people
00:31:51.34\00:31:53.78
so that they would not
be completely wiped out.
00:31:53.81\00:31:56.58
And this angered the
devil because he realized
00:31:56.61\00:32:00.75
that he was not gonna
be completely successful
00:32:00.78\00:32:03.12
and this is what
in verse 17 says,
00:32:03.15\00:32:05.82
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman."
00:32:05.85\00:32:10.13
And notice how he identifies
these people that are faithful.
00:32:10.16\00:32:15.06
He went to make war with
the rest of her off spring
00:32:15.10\00:32:19.93
who keep the commandments of God
00:32:19.97\00:32:22.90
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:32:22.94\00:32:26.04
Those are not the ones
00:32:26.07\00:32:28.58
that have not fallen
away, those are the ones
00:32:28.61\00:32:30.41
that are still following
the pure doctrines of the Lord.
00:32:30.45\00:32:34.22
And the devil is
trying to go after them.
00:32:34.25\00:32:36.79
He says, he makes war with them,
00:32:36.82\00:32:38.99
and he is enraged with them.
00:32:39.02\00:32:40.69
And so, for 1260
years, the woman is protected.
00:32:40.72\00:32:45.89
And now I like to take you back
00:32:45.93\00:32:48.53
to 2 Thessalonians 2 once again,
00:32:48.56\00:32:52.23
and let us put
together what we have just said.
00:32:52.27\00:32:56.47
2 Thessalonians
2:1-4, "Now, brethren,
00:32:56.50\00:32:59.74
concerning the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:32:59.77\00:33:02.54
and our gathering
together with Him,
00:33:02.58\00:33:05.91
we ask you,
00:33:05.95\00:33:07.28
not to be soon
shaken in mind or troubled,
00:33:07.32\00:33:09.25
either by spirit or
by word or by letter,
00:33:09.28\00:33:11.05
as though the day
of Christ had come.
00:33:11.09\00:33:13.86
Let no one
deceive you by any means,
00:33:13.89\00:33:15.89
for that Day will not come
00:33:15.92\00:33:17.43
unless the
falling away comes first,
00:33:17.46\00:33:19.63
and the man of sin is
revealed, the son of perdition."
00:33:19.66\00:33:23.13
And notice some of
the characteristics
00:33:23.16\00:33:26.40
of this son of perdition.
00:33:26.43\00:33:27.77
"He opposes and exalts himself
above all that is called God
00:33:27.80\00:33:33.48
or that is worshiped,
00:33:33.51\00:33:34.84
so that he sits as
God in the temple of God,
00:33:34.88\00:33:38.88
showing himself that he is God."
00:33:38.91\00:33:43.35
So this is one of
the characteristics.
00:33:43.39\00:33:46.55
This is a person
that makes other believe
00:33:46.59\00:33:51.79
to be a leader of the Lord,
00:33:51.83\00:33:54.13
that's why he says
00:33:54.16\00:33:55.50
that he is in the temple of God,
00:33:55.53\00:33:57.57
but he says that he is God.
00:33:57.60\00:33:59.87
And you have to ask yourselves,
where have we seen this before.
00:33:59.90\00:34:03.84
Can we go into history and see
if any religious leaders said,
00:34:03.87\00:34:09.04
sat in the temple of God as God.
00:34:09.08\00:34:11.71
Question, do we have
any evidence in the Bible
00:34:11.75\00:34:14.85
that the Apostle John
did this type of thing?
00:34:14.88\00:34:17.55
No, there is no
evidence that the Apostle John
00:34:17.59\00:34:19.62
did this type of thing.
00:34:19.65\00:34:20.99
Sitting in the temple of
God, letting others worship him.
00:34:21.02\00:34:24.53
Do we have any other...?
00:34:24.56\00:34:27.36
How about Paul?
00:34:27.40\00:34:29.13
A Great man of God.
00:34:29.16\00:34:30.50
A great servant of the Lord.
00:34:30.53\00:34:32.60
Surely God was using him.
00:34:32.63\00:34:34.47
Could he not sit
in the temple of God
00:34:34.50\00:34:36.37
and be worshipped as God?
00:34:36.40\00:34:38.21
Paul would not have it.
00:34:38.24\00:34:39.57
He said, he was a born servant.
00:34:39.61\00:34:41.64
A servant of the Lord.
00:34:41.68\00:34:43.01
Question, what about Peter?
00:34:43.04\00:34:44.98
Some people claim
he was the first pope.
00:34:45.01\00:34:47.12
Did he sit in a church
00:34:47.15\00:34:49.02
and be as God
and was worshipped?
00:34:49.05\00:34:52.55
I tell you that Peter
in no way accepted this.
00:34:52.59\00:34:55.49
And we had some occasions
where you see some people
00:34:55.52\00:34:59.66
tried to kneel
before the apostle,
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.03
he would say, "No,
get up, I am also a man."
00:35:01.06\00:35:04.60
And so Peter would not do this.
00:35:04.63\00:35:06.33
None of the
apostles would do this.
00:35:06.37\00:35:08.27
This is a man of
sin, a person fallen away
00:35:08.30\00:35:11.27
from the true
commandments of God,
00:35:11.31\00:35:13.54
the true doctrines of God
00:35:13.58\00:35:15.14
and now takes some
of the authority of God,
00:35:15.18\00:35:18.88
wants to take some
of the authority of God
00:35:18.91\00:35:20.25
and show himself as God.
00:35:20.28\00:35:22.35
We don't have much
time to talk about this.
00:35:22.38\00:35:24.29
We just want to establish
the point that Paul said
00:35:24.32\00:35:27.56
that Jesus Christ will not come
until the falling away comes.
00:35:27.59\00:35:31.69
In other words,
Paul told us that
00:35:31.73\00:35:38.13
don't look for
Jesus Christ to come
00:35:38.17\00:35:40.27
until this
falling away takes place
00:35:40.30\00:35:42.17
and the man of sin is revealed.
00:35:42.20\00:35:43.67
Brothers and sisters,
00:35:43.71\00:35:45.04
we have historical
facts to let us know
00:35:45.07\00:35:47.48
that this man of
sin which we understand
00:35:47.51\00:35:50.68
is the Roman
Catholic Church system
00:35:50.71\00:35:56.65
which persecuted
Christians and it is in history,
00:35:56.69\00:36:00.29
persecuted
Christians and from 538 BC
00:36:00.32\00:36:03.79
when it was in
great power and authority,
00:36:03.83\00:36:07.53
I said BC but it's A.D,
00:36:07.56\00:36:08.90
538 AD to 1798 AD
00:36:08.93\00:36:13.97
when the pope is taken
captive by the armies of France.
00:36:14.00\00:36:20.31
Taken captive and his authority,
00:36:20.34\00:36:22.84
his power is removed
00:36:22.88\00:36:24.75
and he is no
longer the authority
00:36:24.78\00:36:27.38
who could say to
kings, "Get off the throne.
00:36:27.42\00:36:30.15
You're no longer
authorized to be in the throne."
00:36:30.19\00:36:32.29
And that's what the
pope had power to do
00:36:32.32\00:36:34.72
for a period of time.
00:36:34.76\00:36:36.46
Several hundred
years this was in power.
00:36:36.49\00:36:39.36
So Paul tells us,
00:36:39.39\00:36:40.73
"Don't look for the
second coming of Christ
00:36:40.76\00:36:43.30
until the falling
away takes place."
00:36:43.33\00:36:45.43
So when can we look
00:36:45.47\00:36:47.10
for the second coming
of Christ to take place?
00:36:47.14\00:36:49.70
After 1798.
00:36:49.74\00:36:52.71
So, brothers and
sisters, we have a guide
00:36:52.74\00:36:55.41
to help us
understand that after 1798,
00:36:55.44\00:36:58.18
we can begin expecting
that Jesus Christ will come
00:36:58.21\00:37:02.05
to rescue His people.
00:37:02.08\00:37:03.62
If you understand
that, would you say amen?
00:37:03.65\00:37:05.85
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:37:05.89\00:37:07.42
So this falling away took place,
00:37:07.46\00:37:11.23
and the Bible, we hope to
get to Revelation 13 to read
00:37:11.26\00:37:16.03
some of those
scriptures as well.
00:37:16.06\00:37:18.67
Let's go now to this
idea of the son of perdition,
00:37:18.70\00:37:22.70
the son of perdition.
00:37:22.74\00:37:25.31
In John 17:12, this phrase,
00:37:25.34\00:37:30.45
"the son of
perdition" appears again.
00:37:30.48\00:37:33.62
John 17:12,
00:37:33.65\00:37:35.95
Jesus is talking to the Father,
00:37:35.98\00:37:38.35
and in John 17:12,
00:37:38.39\00:37:41.19
He says this to the Father.
00:37:41.22\00:37:42.99
"While I was with
them in the world,
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.23
I kept them in Your name,
"talking of His disciples,
00:37:45.26\00:37:50.10
"those whom You
gave Me I have kept
00:37:50.13\00:37:55.40
and none of them is lost
except the son of perdition,
00:37:55.44\00:38:01.44
that the Scripture
might be fulfilled."
00:38:01.48\00:38:03.71
Question, who is
Jesus talking about here?
00:38:03.75\00:38:07.75
Judas.
00:38:07.78\00:38:09.12
Jesus is talking about Judas.
00:38:09.15\00:38:11.39
And He is saying, "None
of the disciples are lost
00:38:11.42\00:38:14.42
except the son of perdition."
00:38:14.46\00:38:16.69
Judas.
00:38:16.73\00:38:18.06
Why did Jesus call
Judas the son of perdition?
00:38:18.09\00:38:22.43
Jesus called Judas
the son of perdition
00:38:22.46\00:38:24.97
because Judas chose to
follow what the devil wanted.
00:38:25.00\00:38:29.87
So he was called
the son of perdition
00:38:29.90\00:38:31.61
because he chose to
the bidding of the devil.
00:38:31.64\00:38:34.58
What did Judas choose to do?
00:38:34.61\00:38:37.11
He chose to betray Jesus Christ
00:38:37.15\00:38:41.25
and when he chose
to betray Jesus Christ,
00:38:41.28\00:38:44.09
you will see this
00:38:44.12\00:38:45.45
during the time
of the Last Supper,
00:38:45.49\00:38:47.82
it says that
Jesus says to Judas,
00:38:47.86\00:38:53.19
"What you are going
to do, do it quickly."
00:38:53.23\00:38:56.80
And there's a time when
Judas gets upset and it says,
00:38:56.83\00:38:59.70
"Then the devil entered Judas."
00:38:59.73\00:39:04.21
Judas made the decision.
00:39:04.24\00:39:05.94
He became a son of perdition.
00:39:05.97\00:39:09.14
And those that follow the
devil are children of perdition.
00:39:09.18\00:39:14.78
And so this man of sin
00:39:14.82\00:39:17.55
that sits in the
church as a leader
00:39:17.59\00:39:22.32
and as a
someone to be worshipped
00:39:22.36\00:39:25.33
is called a son of
perdition in the Bible
00:39:25.36\00:39:28.13
because follows,
because this individual,
00:39:28.16\00:39:31.80
this system
follows the false doctrines
00:39:31.83\00:39:35.30
that the devil brings out.
00:39:35.34\00:39:38.11
Now, as we
continue in 2 Thessalonians,
00:39:38.14\00:39:40.38
we go back there,
00:39:40.41\00:39:41.74
2 Thessalonians
2, we go to verse 5.
00:39:41.78\00:39:45.51
2 Thessalonians 2:5.
00:39:45.55\00:39:47.52
There's much more
00:39:47.55\00:39:48.88
that we can say
about these things
00:39:48.92\00:39:50.25
but we have to limit ourselves.
00:39:50.29\00:39:52.35
2 Thessalonians
2:5-10, let's go there.
00:39:52.39\00:39:56.19
"Do you not remember that
when I was still with you,
00:39:56.22\00:39:59.09
I told you these things?
00:39:59.13\00:40:00.83
And now you know
what is restraining,
00:40:00.86\00:40:03.80
that he may be
revealed in his own time.
00:40:03.83\00:40:06.10
For the mystery of inequity,"
it says in the King James.
00:40:06.13\00:40:09.57
In the New King James,
00:40:09.60\00:40:10.94
it uses for the
mystery of lawlessness
00:40:10.97\00:40:13.27
because this power is
against the law of God.
00:40:13.31\00:40:18.85
And it says, "For
the mystery of inequity,
00:40:18.88\00:40:21.38
the mystery of
lawlessness is already at work,
00:40:21.42\00:40:24.42
only he who now
restrains will do
00:40:24.45\00:40:26.55
so until he is
taken out of the way.
00:40:26.59\00:40:29.02
And then the
lawless one will be revealed
00:40:29.06\00:40:31.36
whom the Lord will consume
with the breath of His mouth
00:40:31.39\00:40:34.83
and destroy with the
brightness of His coming."
00:40:34.86\00:40:40.54
And notice verse 9,
00:40:40.57\00:40:42.34
"The coming of the lawless one
00:40:42.37\00:40:43.94
is according to
the working of Satan,
00:40:43.97\00:40:46.68
with all power,
signs and lying wonders,
00:40:46.71\00:40:50.25
and with all
unrighteous deception
00:40:50.28\00:40:52.58
among those who perish,
because they did not receive
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.92
the love of the truth,
that they might be saved."
00:40:55.95\00:40:58.59
And here's the difference.
00:40:58.62\00:40:59.95
The love of the truth,
that they might be saved.
00:40:59.99\00:41:03.46
And when you see this verse
00:41:03.49\00:41:06.03
that the coming
of the lawless one,
00:41:06.06\00:41:07.66
the son of perdition,
the signs and lying wonders,
00:41:07.70\00:41:11.00
it reminds you
00:41:11.03\00:41:12.37
of what is
written in Revelation 13,
00:41:12.40\00:41:15.47
that they do great wonders
00:41:15.50\00:41:16.84
even calling
fire down from heaven.
00:41:16.87\00:41:19.07
So let's go to another sign
that will help us understand
00:41:19.11\00:41:23.45
that Jesus
Christ is coming soon.
00:41:23.48\00:41:25.91
Let's go to Matthew 24.
00:41:25.95\00:41:28.15
In Matthew 24, we are
going to read verse 14.
00:41:28.18\00:41:33.25
Matthew 24:14,
00:41:33.29\00:41:34.76
if you know it
by memory say amen.
00:41:34.79\00:41:36.86
Amen.
00:41:36.89\00:41:38.23
Several of you
know this by memory.
00:41:38.26\00:41:39.59
Matthew 24:14, it says,
00:41:39.63\00:41:41.63
"And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached
00:41:41.66\00:41:46.00
in all the world as a
witness to all the nations,
00:41:46.03\00:41:50.34
and then the end will come."
00:41:50.37\00:41:54.21
When will it come?
00:41:54.24\00:41:56.68
When the gospel is
preached in all the world,
00:41:56.71\00:42:00.68
then the end will come.
00:42:00.72\00:42:02.05
"For a witness
unto all nations."
00:42:02.08\00:42:03.42
You see, the
gospel of Jesus Christ
00:42:03.45\00:42:05.22
must go to all the world.
00:42:05.25\00:42:08.16
And as you consider
the times we are living in
00:42:08.19\00:42:11.49
as we mentioned
in other occasions.
00:42:11.53\00:42:13.80
We are living in the times
00:42:13.83\00:42:15.16
when the gospel
could be preached
00:42:15.20\00:42:17.13
in a short time.
00:42:17.17\00:42:18.77
If God's people
would come together
00:42:18.80\00:42:23.00
and say let's finish this
work that God has given us.
00:42:23.04\00:42:26.57
Let's go to all the
nations and finish the work.
00:42:26.61\00:42:29.71
Right now,
00:42:29.74\00:42:32.11
I can tell you
00:42:32.15\00:42:36.92
that the Christian
church has grown tremendously.
00:42:36.95\00:42:41.56
But there is a lot
of work to be done.
00:42:41.59\00:42:44.19
Can you believe that
there are some places
00:42:44.23\00:42:46.70
was no Christian church?
00:42:46.73\00:42:50.80
No Christian church.
00:42:50.83\00:42:52.80
But I tell you,
00:42:52.83\00:42:54.17
the work can be
done in a short time.
00:42:54.20\00:42:58.34
Today, transportation
is faster than ever.
00:42:58.37\00:43:02.78
You can get to places with cars
and motorcycles if you wanted.
00:43:02.81\00:43:07.85
You can get to
places pretty fast.
00:43:07.88\00:43:09.58
You can fly to places.
00:43:09.62\00:43:11.32
You can go on train.
00:43:11.35\00:43:13.19
But you can get to places fast.
00:43:13.22\00:43:15.56
This work could be
finished very fast.
00:43:15.59\00:43:19.59
We have the printed page.
00:43:19.63\00:43:20.96
You can print
thousands, thousands in an hour.
00:43:21.00\00:43:26.20
All of our pamphlets and books,
00:43:26.23\00:43:29.94
Bibles that
contain the gospel message
00:43:29.97\00:43:33.78
and give them away.
00:43:33.81\00:43:36.21
You also have digital
formats of Bible studies
00:43:36.24\00:43:41.12
that people can
find on the internet
00:43:41.15\00:43:42.98
that you can easily
send by email to people,
00:43:43.02\00:43:45.55
that you can post
online on Facebook
00:43:45.59\00:43:48.36
or other social media,
easy to share the gospel,
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.09
easier than ever
to share the gospel.
00:43:51.13\00:43:54.00
And if people
would come together
00:43:54.03\00:43:56.03
and say let's finish this work,
00:43:56.06\00:43:58.07
the work could be
done in a very short time.
00:43:58.10\00:44:01.17
Adding to this, is
the power of mass media.
00:44:01.20\00:44:06.84
Radio.
00:44:06.88\00:44:08.71
Radio can reach
not just one person
00:44:08.74\00:44:12.55
but thousands of
people in a moment of time,
00:44:12.58\00:44:15.68
millions of people
in a moment of time.
00:44:15.72\00:44:18.62
Given the right amount
of power and the right place
00:44:18.65\00:44:22.09
where this antenna is,
00:44:22.12\00:44:24.79
radio could reach
millions of people at a time.
00:44:24.83\00:44:27.63
Television can do as well.
00:44:27.66\00:44:29.56
Reach millions
of people at a time.
00:44:29.60\00:44:32.10
And not only local broadcast
00:44:32.13\00:44:35.70
but even 3ABN
that is on satellite
00:44:35.74\00:44:38.01
reaching millions of
people in a moment of time.
00:44:38.04\00:44:41.11
This work can be
done very quickly.
00:44:41.14\00:44:43.98
So we are living in a time
when this work could be done
00:44:44.01\00:44:47.62
very quickly in a short time.
00:44:47.65\00:44:50.22
You've heard of
perhaps dark colonies
00:44:50.25\00:44:52.49
we have in this area,
00:44:52.52\00:44:53.89
some places where we
say, "Well, there's not
00:44:53.92\00:44:55.26
a Seventh-day
Adventist church in that town,
00:44:55.29\00:44:57.13
or that town, or that town."
00:44:57.16\00:44:59.93
If God's people
would come together
00:44:59.96\00:45:02.20
and there are
tools unlike ever before
00:45:02.23\00:45:05.33
to preach the gospel
00:45:05.37\00:45:06.70
while you don't
even have to talk.
00:45:06.74\00:45:08.07
I've heard of
people giving Bible studies
00:45:08.10\00:45:09.50
without even being
able to say a word.
00:45:09.54\00:45:12.97
Why?
00:45:13.01\00:45:14.61
I remember walking in
the streets of Chicago
00:45:14.64\00:45:18.11
and a man stopped me.
00:45:18.15\00:45:19.61
He goes...
00:45:19.65\00:45:21.82
And he handed me a
card and I looked at it.
00:45:21.85\00:45:26.15
And it said, "I am mute.
00:45:26.19\00:45:28.16
I am not able to speak
and I pass out these cards
00:45:28.19\00:45:32.73
to let people
know that I cannot talk
00:45:32.76\00:45:35.83
but I want them to
have this message."
00:45:35.86\00:45:37.63
And here he gave
me a little message.
00:45:37.67\00:45:39.73
He could not talk
00:45:39.77\00:45:41.10
but he was able
to give me a message.
00:45:41.14\00:45:43.20
And when I read that he was mute
00:45:43.24\00:45:44.57
I looked at him and he goes...
00:45:44.61\00:45:46.84
As a matter of fact,
this man was on a wheelchair.
00:45:46.88\00:45:48.98
And so, you see,
00:45:49.01\00:45:50.35
you don't even have to
have the capacity to talk.
00:45:50.38\00:45:52.45
As a matter of fact,
you can give people DVDs,
00:45:52.48\00:45:55.05
you can even send
people sermons digitally.
00:45:55.08\00:45:59.15
Isn't that amazing?
00:45:59.19\00:46:00.52
There are more ways to
preach the gospel than ever.
00:46:00.56\00:46:03.39
And I believe this
work can be done quickly
00:46:03.43\00:46:05.99
if people will
surrender their lives
00:46:06.03\00:46:07.60
to the Lord and say,
00:46:07.63\00:46:09.10
"Here I am Lord,
what do You want me to do?
00:46:09.13\00:46:12.60
And so what Jesus said
can happen very quickly.
00:46:12.63\00:46:17.24
Jesus said, "This
gospel of the kingdom
00:46:17.27\00:46:19.27
will be
preached in all the world
00:46:19.31\00:46:20.74
for witness unto all nations
and then the end will come."
00:46:20.78\00:46:23.95
How many would
like to see that happen?
00:46:23.98\00:46:25.31
Amen.
00:46:25.35\00:46:26.68
Praise the Lord. I also.
00:46:26.72\00:46:28.22
And so the one that knows
00:46:28.25\00:46:32.55
that the gospel
has been preached
00:46:32.59\00:46:35.22
in all the world is the Lord.
00:46:35.26\00:46:37.63
There's only so
much that we can do
00:46:37.66\00:46:40.50
because we
can't monitor everyone
00:46:40.53\00:46:42.16
going out to different places.
00:46:42.20\00:46:43.97
We don't know that Brother
Joe or Sister Marie went to such
00:46:44.00\00:46:48.24
and such a house
unless they let us know.
00:46:48.27\00:46:51.01
'Cause we hear of people going
to places, I've heard of people
00:46:51.04\00:46:54.54
carrying satellite dishes
00:46:54.58\00:46:56.58
so that people can
watch 3ABN over river beds,
00:46:56.61\00:47:00.92
up mountains, going to places
00:47:00.95\00:47:03.32
where there's no electricity
00:47:03.35\00:47:05.02
and connecting
through solar panels
00:47:05.05\00:47:07.46
so they can have electricity
so that people can watch 3ABN
00:47:07.49\00:47:10.46
at least for a little while
as long as the battery lasts.
00:47:10.49\00:47:14.10
And I say, praise the Lord.
00:47:14.13\00:47:15.96
Praise the Lord
00:47:16.00\00:47:17.37
that 3ABN is reaching places
00:47:17.40\00:47:19.50
unlike ever before.
00:47:19.53\00:47:20.87
And so this message
can be preached quickly
00:47:20.90\00:47:24.14
all over the world
and we have the promise
00:47:24.17\00:47:29.28
that Jesus' disciples
00:47:29.31\00:47:31.08
were blessed
with the Holy Spirit,
00:47:31.11\00:47:33.31
we will be blessed
with the Holy Spirit.
00:47:33.35\00:47:35.28
We understand this to
be called the latter rain.
00:47:35.32\00:47:40.26
And if you ask for the
blessing of the Holy Spirit,
00:47:40.29\00:47:43.26
the Lord will give
you the Holy Spirit
00:47:43.29\00:47:45.69
so that you may be
used according to God's will
00:47:45.73\00:47:48.46
to bring the gospel.
00:47:48.50\00:47:50.43
So, brothers and sisters,
I want to share with you
00:47:50.47\00:47:53.77
what is written in Daniel 12.
00:47:53.80\00:47:56.24
In Daniel 12, Daniel
considering the things
00:47:56.27\00:47:59.87
that were shown to
him, he was anxious.
00:47:59.91\00:48:02.34
He wanted to know
00:48:02.38\00:48:03.71
when these things were gonna be.
00:48:03.75\00:48:05.08
He wanted to know more.
00:48:05.11\00:48:06.85
And he was distressed.
00:48:06.88\00:48:08.85
He was perplexed.
00:48:08.88\00:48:10.25
How could this be, Lord?
00:48:10.29\00:48:11.85
He began to understand a
little bit about the time.
00:48:11.89\00:48:15.09
But the Lord
revealed something to Daniel
00:48:15.12\00:48:18.43
that we must understand.
00:48:18.46\00:48:20.66
Notice in Daniel 12:9.
00:48:20.70\00:48:24.87
In Daniel 12:9,
00:48:24.90\00:48:28.44
we have these
words told to Daniel.
00:48:28.47\00:48:30.71
"And he said,
"Go your way, Daniel,
00:48:30.74\00:48:34.14
for the words are closed up
00:48:34.18\00:48:36.34
and sealed
00:48:36.38\00:48:38.51
till the time of the end."
00:48:38.55\00:48:43.82
So as we look at history,
00:48:43.85\00:48:46.82
we understand this time
of the end began in 1798.
00:48:46.86\00:48:51.19
Brothers and sisters,
00:48:51.23\00:48:52.56
according to the Book of Daniel,
00:48:52.59\00:48:53.93
according to the
prophecies of Daniel,
00:48:53.96\00:48:55.43
we are living in
the time of the end.
00:48:55.46\00:49:00.60
It was said to us
that this book is sealed
00:49:00.64\00:49:03.34
till the time of the end.
00:49:03.37\00:49:04.71
When did people
really begin to understand
00:49:04.74\00:49:07.58
the Book of Daniel?
00:49:07.61\00:49:09.21
It was after 1798 that
people began to study Daniel
00:49:09.24\00:49:15.12
and began to connect
the dots, as they say,
00:49:15.15\00:49:17.92
to see how time
prophecies have been fulfilled,
00:49:17.95\00:49:22.66
were being fulfilled
and they began to understand
00:49:22.69\00:49:27.13
that they were living
and that we are living
00:49:27.16\00:49:29.63
in the time of the end.
00:49:29.66\00:49:31.83
One of the prophecies
they studied was Daniel 8:14.
00:49:31.87\00:49:36.14
And you can
continue in Daniel 9.
00:49:36.17\00:49:38.77
There are time
prophecies in Daniel 9 as well
00:49:38.81\00:49:42.24
as you see that
they are in Daniel 7,
00:49:42.28\00:49:47.68
as well as in
Daniel 11 and Daniel 14.
00:49:47.72\00:49:50.99
And people began to
study this more after 1798,
00:49:51.02\00:49:54.92
in the 1840s etcetera.
00:49:54.96\00:49:57.06
And we understand
00:49:57.09\00:49:58.49
that we are living
in the time of the end.
00:49:58.53\00:50:00.83
So I say to you,
00:50:00.86\00:50:02.53
we are living in the time period
00:50:02.56\00:50:03.90
when Jesus Christ can return.
00:50:03.93\00:50:06.87
How many of you here can
say that you have seen signs
00:50:06.90\00:50:09.94
that tell you that
Jesus Christ is coming soon.
00:50:09.97\00:50:11.61
Would you raise your hand?
00:50:11.64\00:50:12.97
Praise the Lord.
00:50:13.01\00:50:14.34
I also see signs.
00:50:14.38\00:50:15.71
There are scriptures
00:50:15.74\00:50:17.08
that tell us about these things.
00:50:17.11\00:50:18.45
For this, we now invite
you to turn to Matthew 24.
00:50:18.48\00:50:21.92
In Matthew 24,
00:50:21.95\00:50:26.65
something marvelous happens.
00:50:26.69\00:50:28.99
Because the
disciples ask questions
00:50:29.02\00:50:31.99
that I would have asked
if I had heard Jesus say
00:50:32.03\00:50:35.16
those same things
and anxious to know
00:50:35.20\00:50:38.90
when the end would come
00:50:38.93\00:50:40.34
and when Jesus
Christ would return.
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.30
Notice Matthew 24:1-3.
00:50:42.34\00:50:45.41
"Then Jesus went out and
departed from the temple,
00:50:45.44\00:50:50.55
and His
disciples came to show Him
00:50:50.58\00:50:52.91
the buildings of the temple.
00:50:52.95\00:50:54.88
And Jesus said to them,
00:50:54.92\00:50:56.79
'Do you not see
all these things?
00:50:56.82\00:50:58.95
Assuredly, I say to you,
00:50:58.99\00:51:00.59
not one stone shall be left here
00:51:00.62\00:51:03.63
upon another,
00:51:03.66\00:51:04.99
that shall not be thrown down.'"
00:51:05.03\00:51:07.43
The disciples were shocked.
00:51:07.46\00:51:09.10
There were amazed
at the words of Jesus.
00:51:09.13\00:51:11.27
Looking at the temple, it
was a magnificent structure.
00:51:11.30\00:51:15.40
Massive stones.
00:51:15.44\00:51:17.57
And they
wondered, "How can this be?"
00:51:17.61\00:51:20.28
To them, the
destruction of the temple
00:51:20.31\00:51:23.21
meant the end of the world.
00:51:23.24\00:51:26.61
And they came to
Jesus and wanted to know
00:51:26.65\00:51:32.95
what He meant by that.
00:51:32.99\00:51:34.66
That's where we
continue Matthew 24:4...
00:51:34.69\00:51:40.83
I'm sorry, did
we read verse 3 yet?
00:51:40.86\00:51:43.97
Not yet, verse 3.
00:51:44.00\00:51:45.33
Matthew 24:3,
00:51:45.37\00:51:46.70
"Now as He sat on
the Mount of Olives,
00:51:46.74\00:51:48.27
the disciples came to
Him privately, saying,
00:51:48.30\00:51:52.04
'Tell us, when
will these things be?
00:51:52.07\00:51:55.24
And what will be
the sign of Your coming,
00:51:55.28\00:51:58.01
and of the end of the age?'"
00:51:58.05\00:52:00.75
To them, there were connected.
00:52:00.78\00:52:03.28
And actually there were not
00:52:03.32\00:52:04.65
because the
destruction of the temple,
00:52:04.69\00:52:06.29
Jesus knew would
take place in a few years.
00:52:06.32\00:52:10.43
About 30, about 40
years after Jesus died,
00:52:10.46\00:52:17.43
crucified and was risen.
00:52:17.47\00:52:20.14
And so Jesus combined
the two things together
00:52:20.17\00:52:23.71
and He began to answer them.
00:52:23.74\00:52:25.74
Notice what He says.
00:52:25.77\00:52:29.74
"And Jesus
answered and said to them,
00:52:29.78\00:52:31.91
'Take heed that
no one deceives you.
00:52:31.95\00:52:34.68
For many will come in My name,
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.12
saying, 'I am the
Christ,' and will deceive many.
00:52:36.15\00:52:38.75
And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:52:38.79\00:52:41.56
See that you are not troubled,
00:52:41.59\00:52:43.09
for all these
things must come to pass,
00:52:43.12\00:52:44.89
but the end is not yet.'"
00:52:44.93\00:52:47.80
So wars and rumors of wars
00:52:47.83\00:52:50.77
do not necessarily indicate
00:52:50.80\00:52:53.03
that the end is there.
00:52:53.07\00:52:55.77
He says, those things must come
to pass but the end is not yet.
00:52:55.80\00:52:58.91
Notice, "For nation
will rise against nation,"
00:52:58.94\00:53:00.91
verse 7, "and
kingdom against kingdom.
00:53:00.94\00:53:03.14
And there will be
famines, pestilences,
00:53:03.18\00:53:05.55
and earthquakes
in various places."
00:53:05.58\00:53:07.58
Verse 8,
00:53:07.62\00:53:08.95
"All these are the
beginning of sorrows."
00:53:08.98\00:53:10.59
Brothers and sisters,
00:53:10.62\00:53:11.95
we have seen the
beginning of sorrows.
00:53:11.99\00:53:13.92
We have seen nation
rising against nation,
00:53:13.96\00:53:16.79
kingdoms against kingdoms.
00:53:16.83\00:53:18.69
And we are living
in the time of the end.
00:53:18.73\00:53:21.80
Concerning the
destruction of the temple,
00:53:21.83\00:53:23.73
we know that it
took place in what year?
00:53:23.77\00:53:26.07
70 AD.
00:53:26.10\00:53:28.30
What Jesus said
actually took place.
00:53:28.34\00:53:31.47
The Romans, when
they were fighting
00:53:31.51\00:53:33.71
against the Jews...
00:53:33.74\00:53:35.08
They received the orders,
00:53:38.41\00:53:39.75
"Do not do anything
against the temple."
00:53:39.78\00:53:43.42
If you read
history, you will discover
00:53:43.45\00:53:45.35
that the Jews
were throwing things
00:53:45.39\00:53:48.36
and they kept
agitating the situation
00:53:48.39\00:53:50.16
and the Romans became upset
00:53:50.19\00:53:52.49
and began to throw
torches into the temple.
00:53:52.53\00:53:55.86
There was a great
fire in the temple.
00:53:55.90\00:53:58.23
And things were
just being burned
00:53:58.27\00:54:00.74
and all the gold
that was in the temple
00:54:00.77\00:54:03.81
was just
melting and melting away
00:54:03.84\00:54:06.34
and was running in
between the stones.
00:54:06.37\00:54:08.48
And literally the
soldiers tried to take
00:54:08.51\00:54:11.68
the gold out of the...
00:54:11.71\00:54:16.12
Out from between the stones
00:54:16.15\00:54:17.49
and they began
to turn stones over
00:54:17.52\00:54:19.69
to try to get to the gold
00:54:19.72\00:54:21.29
and what Jesus said
actually took place.
00:54:21.32\00:54:23.86
That's why
00:54:23.89\00:54:26.03
there is no part
of the temple left.
00:54:26.06\00:54:28.96
Because just as Jesus
said, the stones were removed,
00:54:29.00\00:54:32.70
they tried to get to the gold,
there was massive destruction
00:54:32.73\00:54:36.67
and many hundreds and
thousands of Jews died.
00:54:36.71\00:54:40.38
They had not
listened to what Jesus said.
00:54:40.41\00:54:42.88
Because Jesus said,
00:54:42.91\00:54:44.25
when you see Jerusalem
encompass about the army,
00:54:44.28\00:54:46.75
know that the
desolation there of is near.
00:54:46.78\00:54:50.15
And when you see
this happen, leave.
00:54:50.19\00:54:52.85
And Christians, Jews,
00:54:52.89\00:54:56.02
Christian Jews that saw this
00:54:56.06\00:54:59.46
because the Romans
surrounded Jerusalem
00:54:59.49\00:55:02.00
as if they were about to attack
00:55:02.03\00:55:04.00
and packed up everything,
00:55:04.03\00:55:05.80
turn around and left
00:55:05.83\00:55:07.70
and came back
several years later
00:55:07.74\00:55:10.24
and then fought against the Jews
00:55:10.27\00:55:12.17
and destroyed the temple.
00:55:12.21\00:55:13.58
But the followers of the Lord
remembered the words of Jesus
00:55:13.61\00:55:17.45
and left Jerusalem,
00:55:17.48\00:55:18.95
they did not come
back and they were saved.
00:55:18.98\00:55:21.92
So, brothers and sisters,
what Jesus said came true.
00:55:21.95\00:55:25.42
What Jesus said
in John 14 is true.
00:55:25.45\00:55:29.06
And so, we want to take you
00:55:29.09\00:55:32.66
to the promise of Jesus
00:55:32.69\00:55:35.06
in Matthew 24:36.
00:55:35.10\00:55:39.67
Notice Matthew 24:36,
we're gonna read two verses
00:55:39.70\00:55:43.74
because our time is nearly over.
00:55:43.77\00:55:45.54
Matthew 24:36 and 37,
00:55:45.57\00:55:47.54
"But of that day
and hour no one knows,
00:55:47.58\00:55:50.65
not even the angels of
heaven, but My Father only.
00:55:50.68\00:55:53.78
But as the days of Noah were,
00:55:53.82\00:55:55.62
so shall also the
coming of the Son of Man be."
00:55:55.65\00:55:59.52
And it describes how
things were going to be.
00:55:59.55\00:56:02.92
Notice, "For as in
the days before the flood,
00:56:02.96\00:56:04.93
they were eating and drinking,
00:56:04.96\00:56:06.29
marrying and giving in marriage,
00:56:06.33\00:56:07.66
until the day that
Noah entered the ark,
00:56:07.70\00:56:09.03
and did not know
until the flood came
00:56:09.06\00:56:11.50
and took them all away,
00:56:11.53\00:56:13.37
so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be.
00:56:13.40\00:56:16.07
The two men
will be in the field,
00:56:16.10\00:56:18.37
one will be taken
and the other left.
00:56:18.41\00:56:19.74
Two will be in the
field, one will be taken,
00:56:19.77\00:56:23.04
one will be left.
00:56:23.08\00:56:24.41
Two women will be
grinding at the mill,
00:56:24.45\00:56:25.78
one will be taken
and the other left.
00:56:25.81\00:56:27.15
Watch therefore,
for you do not know
00:56:27.18\00:56:29.02
what hour your Lord is coming.
00:56:29.05\00:56:31.19
But know this that if
the master of the house
00:56:31.22\00:56:33.66
had known what hour
the thief would come,
00:56:33.69\00:56:35.76
he would have watched
00:56:35.79\00:56:37.13
and not allowed his
house to be broken into.
00:56:37.16\00:56:38.99
Therefore be you also ready,
00:56:39.03\00:56:43.16
for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect."
00:56:43.20\00:56:48.67
So I tell you,
brothers and sisters,
00:56:48.70\00:56:51.64
Jesus Christ is
coming with great power
00:56:51.67\00:56:54.11
and great glory.
00:56:54.14\00:56:55.48
These verses that we just read
00:56:55.51\00:56:56.98
are not talking
about the secret character,
00:56:57.01\00:56:58.75
they are talking about
00:56:58.78\00:57:00.12
the difference
between two people,
00:57:00.15\00:57:02.02
one is saved, the
other one is lost.
00:57:02.05\00:57:04.95
One in the field, one is
saved, the other one is lost,
00:57:04.99\00:57:07.79
because the
coming of Jesus will come
00:57:07.82\00:57:09.99
with power and great glory.
00:57:10.03\00:57:12.66
Continue reading in Matthew 24,
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.53
"It is written that he will come
00:57:14.56\00:57:16.16
with power and great glory,
00:57:16.20\00:57:18.23
with the sounding of a trumpet."
00:57:18.27\00:57:20.04
But this is the message
00:57:20.07\00:57:21.40
we want to leave with you today.
00:57:21.44\00:57:23.37
Christ's return
has been confirmed.
00:57:23.41\00:57:25.77
He said, He will
come back and He will.
00:57:25.81\00:57:28.71
But He is telling
us in Matthew 24:44,
00:57:28.74\00:57:33.25
"You do not know
when this time is coming.
00:57:33.28\00:57:35.98
Therefore, you also be ready
for the Son of man is coming
00:57:36.02\00:57:39.85
at an hour you do not expect."
00:57:39.89\00:57:42.26
And I would like to
invite you to get ready
00:57:42.29\00:57:44.19
for the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:57:44.23\00:57:46.49
You do not know when it's coming
00:57:46.53\00:57:48.26
but Jesus wants
you to be a participant
00:57:48.30\00:57:51.13
in helping others
know about Jesus Christ
00:57:51.17\00:57:53.50
and you can share a part
00:57:53.54\00:57:54.87
in bringing the gospel to others
00:57:54.90\00:57:57.04
and Jesus Christ
will be your savior.
00:57:57.07\00:58:00.08
Continue following
Him. He is coming soon.
00:58:00.11\00:58:03.35