Let's take a look at a few
more examples of the importance
00:00:15.55\00:00:19.07
of allowing Scripture
to be it's own interpreter.
00:00:19.27\00:00:22.40
And I'm only going to
mention some of these.
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We're not going to
look up all of the verses
00:00:24.97\00:00:26.62
because we don't have
the time to really look up
00:00:26.65\00:00:28.70
all of the verses.
00:00:28.73\00:00:29.85
But take for example
Revelation 7 verse 9.
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It speaks of a great multitude
which no one can number.
00:00:33.99\00:00:37.24
And it tells us there
that they have palm branches
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in their hands.
00:00:41.26\00:00:42.30
Interesting, palm
branches in their hands.
00:00:42.33\00:00:45.07
Why would that be significant?
00:00:45.66\00:00:47.71
Well, if you go to
Leviticus 23 and verse 40,
00:00:48.74\00:00:52.24
you're going to notice
that on the Feast of Tabernacles
00:00:53.07\00:00:58.16
palm branches were born by
those who celebrated the feast.
00:00:58.56\00:01:02.77
So that must mean that this
group, this unnumbered group,
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is celebrating the
Feast of Tabernacles.
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Which means they have
just come from which feast?
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They have just come
from the Day of Atonement,
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which is the previous feast.
00:01:19.15\00:01:20.62
Interesting.
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And so you have to
read what comes before
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that passage and you'll
see that they went through
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the Day of Atonement.
00:01:28.18\00:01:29.42
And now they're victorious.
00:01:29.45\00:01:30.89
They have palm
branches because they have
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gone through the experience
of the Day of Atonement.
00:01:33.16\00:01:37.43
And then you have, of
course, I'll just go down
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to the next page, Revelation
13 and verse 13 speaks about
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the false prophet
bringing fire down from heaven
00:01:45.49\00:01:48.84
in the sight of men.
00:01:48.87\00:01:50.05
Now if you go to the marginal
reference or if you go to a
00:01:51.23\00:01:55.54
concordance, you're going to
find an interesting connection
00:01:55.57\00:01:59.15
between this verse and an
experience that took place
00:01:59.18\00:02:02.75
in the Old Testament.
00:02:02.78\00:02:03.99
Who brought fire down from
heaven in the Old Testament?
00:02:04.64\00:02:07.72
It was Elijah who
brought down fire.
00:02:08.45\00:02:10.53
When he brought down
fire, were the multitudes
00:02:10.98\00:02:13.29
persuaded that he
was a prophet of God?
00:02:13.32\00:02:15.56
Absolutely.
00:02:15.86\00:02:17.04
But here in Revelation
chapter 13, it speaks about
00:02:18.30\00:02:22.30
the false prophet
bringing fire down from heaven
00:02:22.33\00:02:25.74
in the sight of men to
persuade human beings to accept
00:02:25.77\00:02:29.52
its message.
00:02:29.72\00:02:31.04
Now this false prophet
must be a false prophet what?
00:02:31.80\00:02:35.84
It must be a false Elijah.
00:02:36.74\00:02:39.16
Because true Elijah
brought fire down from heaven
00:02:41.03\00:02:45.02
in the sight of men to
persuade the multitudes that
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his message was from God.
00:02:47.50\00:02:49.12
So if in Revelation 13 you
have a false prophet who brings
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fire down from heaven
to persuade human beings
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that his message is correct, he
must be a false prophet Elijah.
00:02:57.18\00:03:01.90
So is there going to be a
false Elijah at the end of time?
00:03:03.48\00:03:07.05
Yes, just like there
will be a false Christ.
00:03:07.08\00:03:09.79
So it's very important
for us to find the connection
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with the Old Testament.
00:03:14.08\00:03:15.34
Because it's when the fire
came down that the people said,
00:03:15.92\00:03:18.50
"The Lord, He is
God. The Lord, He is God."
00:03:18.71\00:03:21.96
They were persuaded
when the fire was joined
00:03:21.99\00:03:24.43
with Elijah's message.
00:03:24.63\00:03:26.01
Now, God did not allow the false
prophets in the days of Elijah
00:03:26.49\00:03:30.29
to bring fire down from heaven.
00:03:30.74\00:03:32.36
But the deception is going to be
even greater at the end of time
00:03:32.39\00:03:35.11
because the false
prophet will be allowed
00:03:35.31\00:03:37.50
to bring fire down from
heaven in the sight of men.
00:03:37.53\00:03:39.76
And it will happen
before the true fire falls.
00:03:39.79\00:03:43.35
Ellen White says that
before the great revival,
00:03:43.38\00:03:46.03
Satan will seek to
keep it from happening
00:03:46.06\00:03:48.97
by introducing a counterfeit.
00:03:49.07\00:03:50.86
And so we need to connect
00:03:51.20\00:03:55.91
with 1 Kings
chapter 18 and verse 38.
00:03:55.94\00:03:59.45
The next example,
Revelation 15 verses 2 to 4.
00:03:59.72\00:04:02.95
There it refers to the
song of Moses and the Lamb.
00:04:03.52\00:04:09.02
Interesting.
00:04:09.39\00:04:10.45
Where would you
go to understand that
00:04:11.03\00:04:13.46
a little bit better, the
song of Moses and the Lamb?
00:04:13.49\00:04:16.99
I use to ask, you
know, what does Moses
00:04:19.28\00:04:21.35
have to do with
the final deliverance?
00:04:21.38\00:04:22.69
Why are you going to
sing the song of Moses?
00:04:22.72\00:04:25.25
The deliverance in the
end time is of the Lamb,
00:04:25.64\00:04:27.96
it's not of Moses.
00:04:27.99\00:04:29.16
So why Moses?
00:04:29.19\00:04:30.28
The reason, and we're
going to study this later on
00:04:31.00\00:04:33.16
in the class, the reason
is that there is a parallel
00:04:33.19\00:04:37.65
between the events that
led up to the singing of the
00:04:37.68\00:04:40.70
song of Moses and the events
that will lead up to the singing
00:04:40.73\00:04:44.56
of the song of the Lamb.
00:04:44.59\00:04:46.08
In other words, we're
dealing with typology.
00:04:46.11\00:04:48.23
And when Revelation says
the song of Moses and the Lamb,
00:04:48.68\00:04:51.56
immediately something
lights up in your brain
00:04:51.59\00:04:54.92
and you say, "Ah, the
song of Moses and the Lamb.
00:04:54.95\00:04:57.37
Is it just possible
that the experience of Israel
00:04:57.40\00:05:00.59
in the Old Testament where
they eventually sing the song
00:05:00.62\00:05:03.46
of Moses is parallel to
the events that lead up to
00:05:03.49\00:05:06.63
the second coming and
the singing of the song of
00:05:06.66\00:05:09.01
Moses and the Lamb?"
00:05:09.04\00:05:11.05
Are you with me?
00:05:11.08\00:05:12.16
So in other words, we need to
look at the marginal references.
00:05:12.47\00:05:15.63
We need to look at a
concordance to take us
00:05:15.66\00:05:18.19
to the broader context so
that we can allow one passage
00:05:18.22\00:05:22.01
to interpret the other passage.
00:05:22.04\00:05:24.00
And then we have, of course,
the text that speaks about
00:05:25.16\00:05:28.67
eternal fire.
00:05:28.70\00:05:29.82
And I'm jumping over the
one about washing their robes.
00:05:31.06\00:05:34.07
You know, maybe I should
mention something about it.
00:05:34.35\00:05:36.70
Revelation 22:14
says, some versions say,
00:05:36.73\00:05:39.74
"Blessed are those
who do His commandments."
00:05:39.77\00:05:43.17
Other versions say,
"Blessed are those who
00:05:43.81\00:05:45.69
wash their robes."
00:05:45.72\00:05:46.93
There you have
a textual problem.
00:05:47.77\00:05:50.64
Manuscript problem.
00:05:50.90\00:05:52.37
Because there are some
ancient manuscripts that say,
00:05:52.67\00:05:55.02
"wash their robes," and there
are some ancient manuscripts
00:05:55.05\00:05:59.20
that say, "keep
His commandments."
00:05:59.23\00:06:01.64
Or do His commandments.
00:06:01.67\00:06:02.70
So which is the
correct translation?
00:06:02.73\00:06:06.00
Or which is the
correct rendering, rather?
00:06:06.94\00:06:09.53
Well, I believe that you
have to look at all of the items
00:06:09.95\00:06:14.67
in the text, and
then you have to go back
00:06:14.70\00:06:16.72
to the book of Genesis.
00:06:16.75\00:06:18.32
You say, "How is that?"
00:06:18.83\00:06:19.96
Well, let's take
a look at Genesis.
00:06:20.52\00:06:22.57
God placed the tree of life
in the Garden of Eden, right?
00:06:23.01\00:06:26.43
Adam and Eve could
eat from the tree of life
00:06:27.98\00:06:31.38
and they could live forever
if they obeyed the Lord, right?
00:06:31.41\00:06:34.11
So what happened
when they disobeyed?
00:06:34.86\00:06:37.04
When they disobeyed, God
cast them out of the garden,
00:06:37.46\00:06:41.70
out of the gates of the garden.
00:06:41.73\00:06:43.28
He placed angels at the
gates so that they could not
00:06:43.89\00:06:48.29
eat from the tree of life.
00:06:48.32\00:06:49.96
And as a result
came death and the curse.
00:06:50.42\00:06:53.44
Do we find that in Genesis?
00:06:54.44\00:06:56.90
Death and the curse?
00:06:56.93\00:06:58.21
Revelation 22:14 is
simply reversing that.
00:06:58.97\00:07:01.88
It'll tell you that
the best translation is,
00:07:01.91\00:07:04.60
"keep His commandments."
00:07:04.63\00:07:05.80
Because Adam and Eve
disobeyed God's command
00:07:05.83\00:07:08.82
and they
suffered the consequences.
00:07:09.23\00:07:11.15
In Revelation 22:14 it
says, "Blessed are those
00:07:11.76\00:07:14.92
who do His commandments."
00:07:14.95\00:07:16.67
Different than Adam and
Eve; "do His commandments."
00:07:17.54\00:07:20.00
"...that they might..." What?
00:07:20.27\00:07:21.97
"...have a right
to eat from..." Where?
00:07:22.62\00:07:24.97
"...from the tree of life..."
00:07:25.17\00:07:26.53
"...and may
enter through..." What?
00:07:26.63\00:07:28.66
"...through the
gates into the city."
00:07:28.93\00:07:31.08
And incidentally, in
Revelation it says there will be
00:07:31.98\00:07:34.13
no more death and
there will be no more curse.
00:07:34.16\00:07:36.80
Are you with me?
00:07:38.03\00:07:39.17
And who is standing at
the gates to let people in?
00:07:39.44\00:07:42.62
Revelation 22 and verse
12 says it is the angels.
00:07:43.02\00:07:47.20
So what is the best translation
of Revelation 22 verse 14
00:07:47.93\00:07:51.56
in the light of the
context that we find elsewhere
00:07:51.99\00:07:54.71
in the book of Genesis?
00:07:54.74\00:07:56.20
See, the tree of
life, it's mentioned;
00:07:56.23\00:07:58.18
the tree of life, gates, angels.
00:07:58.21\00:08:01.34
So you say, "Now where
do we find tree of life,
00:08:01.37\00:08:03.85
gates, angels in
another place in the Bible?"
00:08:03.88\00:08:07.03
And you say, "Ah, Genesis 3."
00:08:07.91\00:08:11.19
And so you go back to
Genesis 3 and it helps you know
00:08:11.60\00:08:15.16
that obedience is the issue.
00:08:15.28\00:08:17.10
Are you following me or not?
00:08:18.18\00:08:19.41
It's important for us
to believe that the Bible
00:08:19.61\00:08:22.84
is its own interpreter, or
the Bible is its own expositor.
00:08:22.87\00:08:27.76
And, of course,
the eternal fire text.
00:08:27.96\00:08:30.29
You know, people come and they
say, "Oh, you know, the fire
00:08:31.00\00:08:33.80
is going to burn forever,
it's going to burn forever.
00:08:33.83\00:08:35.77
It says it's eternal fire."
00:08:35.80\00:08:37.69
And you know what I say?
00:08:39.74\00:08:40.91
"Hallelujah, you're right."
00:08:41.36\00:08:43.56
I say, "The fire is eternal,
but not what the fire burns."
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See, even as Adventists we
don't have the complete concept
00:08:51.06\00:08:54.73
of hell that we
can explain to people.
00:08:54.76\00:08:57.19
Because the
fire does not go out.
00:08:57.22\00:08:59.52
See, usually we
say, you know, we use the
00:09:00.87\00:09:03.35
example of Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:09:03.38\00:09:04.59
They were reduced to
ashes and the fire went out.
00:09:04.62\00:09:07.36
But the fire that
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
00:09:07.71\00:09:09.72
did not go out.
00:09:09.75\00:09:10.82
Because the fire is God's glory.
00:09:10.85\00:09:12.96
And God's glory is eternal.
00:09:15.42\00:09:17.30
The Bible says that
God is a devouring fire.
00:09:18.29\00:09:21.09
So the fire is eternal,
but not what the fire burns.
00:09:22.77\00:09:26.76
And when you look at all of
these text that we find here...
00:09:27.76\00:09:30.52
And I have several of them.
00:09:30.55\00:09:32.01
Let's go to one of them.
00:09:32.11\00:09:33.18
Exodus 24, Exodus 24
and verses 17 through 19.
00:09:33.21\00:09:37.84
How do you suppose I
found this passage in Exodus?
00:09:37.87\00:09:40.59
How do you think I
found this text in Exodus?
00:09:42.23\00:09:44.91
Yeah, concordance.
00:09:46.68\00:09:48.26
Duh.
00:09:48.53\00:09:49.59
It does help to use a
concordance to make connections.
00:09:51.90\00:09:54.56
Because the Holy
Spirit superintended
00:09:54.59\00:09:56.61
the composition of Scripture.
00:09:56.64\00:09:58.22
He put within the
Bible everything that we need
00:09:58.69\00:10:00.92
to understand the Bible.
00:10:00.95\00:10:02.15
That doesn't mean
I'm without a job.
00:10:05.14\00:10:07.01
Because you still need teachers.
00:10:08.86\00:10:10.72
But you need to
compare what the teacher says
00:10:11.08\00:10:12.72
with what Scripture says.
00:10:12.75\00:10:14.21
Notice Exodus chapter 24
and verses 17 through 19.
00:10:15.17\00:10:19.35
This is at Mount Sinai.
00:10:19.38\00:10:21.29
And it says here,
verses 17 through 19,
00:10:23.23\00:10:29.95
"The sight of the glory of the
Lord was like a consuming fire
00:10:29.98\00:10:36.71
on the top of the
mountain in the eyes
00:10:36.74\00:10:38.96
of the children of Israel."
00:10:38.99\00:10:40.93
What was the glory of God like?
00:10:41.74\00:10:43.42
Like a consuming fire.
00:10:44.25\00:10:45.87
"So Moses went into
the midst of the cloud
00:10:45.90\00:10:48.02
and went up into the mountain.
00:10:48.05\00:10:49.32
And Moses was on the mountain
forty days and forty nights."
00:10:49.35\00:10:53.09
And so what is
the consuming fire?
00:10:53.12\00:10:55.82
The consuming fire is
the glory of the Lord.
00:10:56.75\00:10:58.93
And Ellen White says in,
Great Controversy, she says
00:10:59.45\00:11:01.54
it's the glory of the
Lord that destroys the wicked.
00:11:01.57\00:11:04.45
And of course, after He destroys
the wicked with His glory,
00:11:06.38\00:11:08.99
His glory goes out.
00:11:09.68\00:11:11.36
His glory is extinguished.
00:11:12.82\00:11:14.43
No.
00:11:14.54\00:11:15.71
The consuming
fire continues forever.
00:11:16.67\00:11:19.49
But God will have a people
who have a fire proof character.
00:11:21.03\00:11:24.18
That's what God is doing
now, He's fire proofing us
00:11:26.14\00:11:28.73
so that we can dwell
in the everlasting fire.
00:11:29.70\00:11:32.84
You know, the story of
the three young men who
00:11:34.06\00:11:36.05
were thrown into the
fiery furnace is a small scale
00:11:36.08\00:11:40.11
illustration of what it will
be like to live in the sight
00:11:40.14\00:11:44.56
of a holy God
without a Mediator.
00:11:44.59\00:11:47.12
I didn't say that
Jesus is going to forsake us.
00:11:48.53\00:11:50.21
Jesus is going to say, "Okay,
folks, fend for yourselves.
00:11:50.24\00:11:52.90
I'm out of here."
00:11:52.93\00:11:53.96
No, no.
00:11:54.12\00:11:55.15
He will not serve
as an Intercessor,
00:11:55.18\00:11:56.73
but He will be a Protector.
00:11:56.76\00:11:58.36
Because if Jesus was not
here protecting His people,
00:11:58.99\00:12:01.17
none would be left alive.
00:12:01.20\00:12:02.82
We need to let our
youth know that, you know,
00:12:04.31\00:12:07.68
that Jesus is still going to
be here protecting His people.
00:12:07.71\00:12:11.01
Because sometimes we
try to scare people, we say,
00:12:11.04\00:12:13.25
"You'll have to
live all by yourself."
00:12:13.28\00:12:15.34
Well, we won't be able to send
our sins into the Sanctuary.
00:12:16.46\00:12:20.09
Because the
Sanctuary will be closed.
00:12:20.29\00:12:22.08
The laundry will be closed.
00:12:22.11\00:12:25.56
Forever.
00:12:27.36\00:12:28.66
And so we have to
send our clothes now.
00:12:29.27\00:12:31.68
Because when the Sanctuary
closes, we will not be able to
00:12:32.35\00:12:35.00
send sins into
the Sanctuary anymore.
00:12:35.03\00:12:37.32
Intercession will be finished.
00:12:37.35\00:12:39.03
But that doesn't mean that Jesus
is going to forsake His people.
00:12:39.66\00:12:42.40
You know the text
that says, Jesus says,
00:12:43.79\00:12:45.71
"I will be with you always, even
until the close of probation."
00:12:45.74\00:12:49.16
That's not what He says.
00:12:49.83\00:12:51.19
He says, "I will be with
you always, even..." When?
00:12:51.75\00:12:56.13
"...unto the end of the world."
00:12:56.23\00:12:58.24
He will continue
being with His people.
00:12:58.27\00:13:00.47
So does it help to look for
other text in the concordance
00:13:01.66\00:13:04.85
and in the marginal references?
00:13:04.88\00:13:06.75
It's indispensible, folks.
00:13:07.08\00:13:08.60
We cannot take a text
isolated from every other text
00:13:08.80\00:13:11.87
in Scripture because the
Holy Spirit superintended
00:13:11.90\00:13:14.63
the composition of Scripture.
00:13:14.66\00:13:16.08
He placed everything we need
in different parts of the Bible
00:13:16.11\00:13:20.04
to explain every
single text of Scripture.
00:13:20.07\00:13:24.60
Now we're on page 8.
00:13:25.29\00:13:26.94
The Bible is like a body.
00:13:27.78\00:13:29.49
It is one book with one message,
but it has many members.
00:13:31.19\00:13:38.62
Right?
00:13:39.79\00:13:40.82
The Bible is one book.
00:13:42.24\00:13:43.93
One book.
00:13:46.06\00:13:47.19
That's all I've got here.
00:13:48.03\00:13:49.14
It has one message.
00:13:50.05\00:13:51.55
But it has many members.
00:13:52.32\00:13:53.91
That means 66 books.
00:13:54.21\00:13:55.90
There is unity, one
message, in diversity;
00:13:56.81\00:14:02.93
which is different
writers and styles.
00:14:04.07\00:14:06.32
And mutuality; that is
interaction of the parts.
00:14:06.86\00:14:10.81
Are you following me or not?
00:14:10.84\00:14:12.15
Without one organ,
the body does not function
00:14:13.89\00:14:16.81
to its optimum capacity.
00:14:16.84\00:14:18.58
It might function,
but it doesn't function
00:14:19.48\00:14:21.45
to its optimum capacity.
00:14:21.48\00:14:23.77
All parts of the Bible
interact as a harmonious whole.
00:14:25.05\00:14:29.22
Just like the human body.
00:14:29.25\00:14:30.73
One body, many
members interacting.
00:14:31.63\00:14:35.98
So the Bible is
one book, many members.
00:14:36.66\00:14:40.68
But all of its
parts are interacting and
00:14:41.23\00:14:43.62
explaining one another.
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.43
The words of the Bible,
its expressions, its grammar,
00:14:46.18\00:14:49.91
its vocabulary, its
syntax, is just like that
00:14:49.94\00:14:53.76
of any other book.
00:14:53.79\00:14:55.37
Because it was written in
the language of human beings.
00:14:55.66\00:14:58.69
Is that correct?
00:14:59.37\00:15:00.40
Yeah.
00:15:01.90\00:15:02.93
It's not given in
some super human language,
00:15:04.24\00:15:06.87
according to
what Ellen White says.
00:15:06.90\00:15:08.08
God doesn't speak
to us in His language.
00:15:08.11\00:15:10.08
He speaks to us His
thoughts in the language of men.
00:15:10.11\00:15:13.56
This makes it necessary,
however, to understand
00:15:15.80\00:15:19.25
all these
literary characteristics
00:15:19.28\00:15:21.88
within the cultural context
in which the Bible was given.
00:15:21.91\00:15:26.84
For example, the
dragon beast of Revelation 17.
00:15:29.07\00:15:31.94
I'm going to give you an
00:15:33.10\00:15:34.13
illustration of
that dragon beast.
00:15:34.16\00:15:35.52
You know, it's
been misunderstood
00:15:35.55\00:15:37.82
what that dragon beast is.
00:15:37.85\00:15:39.49
You know, they portray
him as a real nasty looking
00:15:40.46\00:15:43.23
rent-beast, you know,
with seven heads and ten horns
00:15:43.26\00:15:49.75
distributed on
the different heads.
00:15:49.85\00:15:51.88
That ignores the
cultural context in which
00:15:53.27\00:15:56.76
Revelation 17 was written.
00:15:56.96\00:15:58.72
Really the heads...
00:15:59.76\00:16:02.10
And this isn't going to make
a lot of sense to you right now,
00:16:02.13\00:16:04.63
but it will when
you read the material on
00:16:04.66\00:16:06.32
Revelation chapter 17.
00:16:06.35\00:16:08.02
Really the heads of this
dragon beast are mountains.
00:16:08.38\00:16:13.26
Because the ancients believed
that mountains were heads
00:16:14.94\00:16:18.86
of a great dragon.
00:16:18.89\00:16:20.25
And what happens is that
the heads, or the mountains,
00:16:22.66\00:16:26.73
spew waters out of their mouth.
00:16:26.76\00:16:28.96
And the water goes down
the sides of the mountain,
00:16:29.78\00:16:34.47
and then it all meets in a
river that looks like the body
00:16:34.78\00:16:40.81
of a dragon or a serpent.
00:16:41.79\00:16:43.78
And Babylon, the harlot, sits
upon the body of the dragon.
00:16:46.05\00:16:50.55
But the body of the
dragon is the waters
00:16:50.58\00:16:54.04
of the body of the dragon.
00:16:54.15\00:16:55.45
And the harlot sits on
the mountains also because
00:16:57.75\00:17:01.55
the mountains represent the
kingdoms that she rules over.
00:17:01.58\00:17:04.88
So is she sitting on the dragon?
00:17:06.15\00:17:07.95
Yes.
00:17:07.98\00:17:09.01
Is she sitting on the waters?
00:17:09.10\00:17:10.53
Yes, because the waters
are the body of the dragon.
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.90
Is she sitting on the mountains?
00:17:13.69\00:17:15.33
Yes, because the
mountains are the heads.
00:17:15.36\00:17:17.61
Are you understanding me?
00:17:18.76\00:17:20.19
I'm going to give
you an illustration
00:17:20.22\00:17:21.55
of how the ancients believed.
00:17:22.40\00:17:23.95
In fact, I'm going to give you
an article that was written by
00:17:23.98\00:17:26.28
a former teacher of
mine, Douglas Waterhouse.
00:17:26.31\00:17:28.66
He taught in the
undergraduate school
00:17:28.69\00:17:30.42
at Andrews
University many years.
00:17:30.45\00:17:32.19
He brought together
all the ancient concepts
00:17:32.22\00:17:34.39
of river dragons.
00:17:34.42\00:17:36.58
And so, suddenly
this begins to make sense.
00:17:37.86\00:17:40.48
And by the way, you
know, when the river flooded,
00:17:40.58\00:17:44.32
according to the ancient
concept it spread its wings.
00:17:45.27\00:17:49.55
So it's a dragon with wings.
00:17:50.26\00:17:52.20
And the Bible has this
concept in Isaiah chapter 8
00:17:52.70\00:17:55.18
verses 7 and 8.
00:17:55.21\00:17:56.27
It's speaking about
the invasion of Sennacherib
00:17:56.30\00:17:58.35
into the land of Judah.
00:17:58.38\00:18:00.34
And it says that he would
flood, he would pass over,
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.07
and he would extend his
wings into the land of Immanuel.
00:18:04.10\00:18:08.35
And so you have
this vivid concept.
00:18:09.32\00:18:11.89
Of course, we know
that mountains aren't
00:18:11.92\00:18:14.48
head of dragons, and we
know that the river is not
00:18:14.68\00:18:17.12
the body of the dragon.
00:18:17.15\00:18:18.22
It's just symbolism
that is taken from the time.
00:18:18.42\00:18:22.05
And John is using it to
teach us about Bible prophecy.
00:18:22.08\00:18:26.19
So is it important
for us then to understand
00:18:26.97\00:18:32.28
the cultural context in
which the passage was given?
00:18:32.63\00:18:36.35
Absolutely.
00:18:36.55\00:18:37.84
Now let's go back here.
00:18:38.51\00:18:39.94
What makes the Bible
different than every other book
00:18:40.77\00:18:43.72
is that it was
inspired by the Holy Spirit.
00:18:44.48\00:18:47.18
It is the Holy Spirit
that gives life to the Bible.
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.89
That's what makes the
Bible unique and special
00:18:52.63\00:18:55.37
above every other book.
00:18:55.62\00:18:57.23
Let's use an analogy.
00:18:58.31\00:18:59.95
The Bible is like
the body created by God
00:19:00.99\00:19:04.20
with all of its
respective organic parts.
00:19:05.12\00:19:07.79
Let me ask you, is
everything in the Bible...
00:19:09.65\00:19:11.40
Is there everything in
the Bible that you need
00:19:11.66\00:19:14.29
to get the full
message of salvation?
00:19:14.32\00:19:17.77
It's all there, folks.
00:19:18.26\00:19:19.63
It has all of the organic
parts, just like your body does.
00:19:19.94\00:19:22.95
God then breathed into
the body the breath of life.
00:19:24.75\00:19:27.97
And the body
became a living organism
00:19:28.42\00:19:30.63
with all of its interacting
parts working harmoniously.
00:19:30.66\00:19:34.77
Are you catching the analogy?
00:19:34.80\00:19:36.47
When we read the
Bible merely as literature
00:19:37.48\00:19:40.59
without the
guidance of the Holy Spirit,
00:19:41.48\00:19:43.36
it is like the
body without the spirit.
00:19:43.47\00:19:45.61
It is a dead letter.
00:19:46.99\00:19:48.48
By itself it has no life.
00:19:49.52\00:19:51.81
But when the Spirit
is connected with it,
00:19:51.84\00:19:53.98
it becomes a
living book to the reader.
00:19:54.01\00:19:56.42
What gives life to the Bible
is the union of the human words
00:19:57.40\00:20:00.87
and expressions linked with
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:20:00.90\00:20:04.34
That's the reason why we
can never understand the Bible
00:20:04.37\00:20:07.35
unless we pray.
00:20:07.38\00:20:08.68
Unless we pray for God's Spirit.
00:20:09.70\00:20:11.26
Our principle.
00:20:11.29\00:20:12.65
We'll come back and
back, and back to that again.
00:20:12.70\00:20:14.94
Because if we don't, most
likely we're going to reach
00:20:15.88\00:20:19.52
wrong conclusions and
we'll fall into error.
00:20:19.55\00:20:24.02
Now notice what Ellen
White had to say here in,
00:20:24.60\00:20:26.77
Ministry Of Healing, 415.
00:20:26.80\00:20:28.26
We're still using
this analogy of the body.
00:20:28.29\00:20:31.54
She says, "In the
creation of man was manifest
00:20:32.46\00:20:35.01
the agency of a personal God.
00:20:35.04\00:20:37.11
When God had made man in
His image, the human form was
00:20:37.66\00:20:42.08
perfect in all its arrangements,
but it was without life."
00:20:42.11\00:20:45.85
Is the Bible
perfect in all of its parts?
00:20:47.27\00:20:49.54
Yes it is. But
what does it need?
00:20:50.16\00:20:52.02
It needs the Holy Spirit.
00:20:53.07\00:20:54.61
She says, "Then a
personal self-existing God
00:20:56.18\00:20:58.96
breathed into that form the
breath of life, and man became
00:20:58.99\00:21:02.39
a living intelligent being.
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.24
All parts of the human
organism were set in motion.
00:21:04.68\00:21:07.96
The heart, the arteries, the
veins, the tongue, the hands,
00:21:07.99\00:21:10.58
the feet, the senses,
the faculties of the mind,
00:21:10.61\00:21:12.79
all began their work, and
all were placed under law.
00:21:12.82\00:21:15.89
Man became a living soul.
00:21:16.09\00:21:17.73
Through Christ the Word,
a personal God created man
00:21:17.76\00:21:20.98
and endowed him with
intelligence and with power."
00:21:21.01\00:21:23.76
So let me ask you, do all of
the parts of the Bible interact
00:21:23.79\00:21:27.47
in a harmonious whole?
00:21:28.02\00:21:29.58
Yes.
00:21:30.17\00:21:31.20
Is that true of human books?
00:21:31.60\00:21:33.31
It's not true of
human books. Why?
00:21:34.35\00:21:36.12
Because human books were not
00:21:36.15\00:21:37.53
superintended
by the Holy Spirit.
00:21:37.56\00:21:39.18
They were not God breathed.
00:21:39.21\00:21:41.10
You understand that when
it says that all of Scripture
00:21:44.13\00:21:46.81
is given by inspiration
of God, it says all Scripture
00:21:46.84\00:21:49.12
is God breathed.
00:21:49.15\00:21:50.78
That's why I'm
using this analogy.
00:21:51.03\00:21:52.33
It has to do with breath.
00:21:52.36\00:21:53.85
The breath of the
Bible is the Holy Spirit.
00:21:53.88\00:21:56.32
Without the Holy Spirit,
it's simply like any other book.
00:21:57.11\00:22:00.82
It has, you know, idioms, and
it has verbs, and it has nouns,
00:22:02.26\00:22:07.54
and it has tenses, and
it has definite articles,
00:22:07.57\00:22:10.98
and indefinite articles.
00:22:11.01\00:22:12.21
You know, all those things.
00:22:12.24\00:22:13.45
But unless you have the
Spirit connected with it,
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.97
it's a dead letter.
00:22:16.27\00:22:17.47
This is the reason why
Martin Luther said that
00:22:21.00\00:22:24.90
prayer is the
better half of the study.
00:22:24.93\00:22:27.03
And Ellen White repeatedly
affirmed that the Bible
00:22:28.12\00:22:31.53
should never be
studied without prayer.
00:22:31.56\00:22:33.66
The Spirit who gave
the Bible is the only one
00:22:34.49\00:22:36.98
who can make it alive for us.
00:22:37.01\00:22:39.37
Now notice these two statements.
00:22:40.05\00:22:41.62
One is from, Signs Of
The Times, April 6, 1891.
00:22:41.65\00:22:46.61
"The greatest blessing
bestowed upon the world is the
00:22:48.00\00:22:51.98
privilege of understanding
the oracles of God.
00:22:52.01\00:22:55.07
The Word of God
should not be a..." What?
00:22:55.90\00:22:58.86
"...a dead letter to us."
00:23:00.84\00:23:02.63
How would the
Bible be a dead letter?
00:23:02.66\00:23:04.83
Without the Holy Spirit.
00:23:06.14\00:23:07.77
"The Word of God should
not be a dead letter to us,
00:23:09.15\00:23:11.76
"but..." What?
"...spirit and life.
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.88
For through the truth
we are to be sanctified."
00:23:16.19\00:23:19.48
Love that statement.
00:23:19.81\00:23:21.11
The other
statement is, Pamphlet 86,
00:23:22.47\00:23:25.21
Special Testimony to the
Church at Battle Creek, page 19.
00:23:25.24\00:23:28.75
She says, "Read the
second chapter of James.
00:23:29.37\00:23:31.92
Practice the truth in your
daily life and you will know
00:23:32.34\00:23:36.04
the work that the
Lord has given you to do.
00:23:36.07\00:23:38.36
Read also the fourth
chapter, especially verses 5-12;
00:23:38.90\00:23:42.56
and chapter 5,
especially verses 13-20.
00:23:42.59\00:23:46.68
These chapters
are a dead letter..."
00:23:47.02\00:23:50.48
Can Scripture be a dead letter?
00:23:51.57\00:23:53.33
Oh yeah, when you don't
connected it with the Spirit.
00:23:54.05\00:23:56.35
"These chapters are a dead
letter to the larger number
00:23:56.38\00:23:59.86
of those who claim to
be Seventh-day Adventists.
00:23:59.89\00:24:02.30
I am directed to point
you to these scriptures,
00:24:03.21\00:24:05.90
and to the seventh
chapter of Matthew.
00:24:05.93\00:24:08.03
You need to study
every word as for your life."
00:24:08.06\00:24:13.42
Powerful statement.
00:24:14.60\00:24:16.04
The reason why there are so many
churches in the United States...
00:24:18.94\00:24:21.61
And incidentally, you've heard
about this Tony Palmer thing.
00:24:21.64\00:24:24.32
Seen the Tony Palmer video?
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.45
Do you know
where he's coming from?
00:24:27.05\00:24:28.08
Do you know who he is?
00:24:28.11\00:24:29.33
Next Sabbath I'm going to
be sharing some, you know...
00:24:29.75\00:24:32.16
We need to check the
historical background.
00:24:32.19\00:24:34.32
Some people just go
to the internet and say,
00:24:35.89\00:24:37.65
"Wow, look at
what Tony Palmer said."
00:24:37.68\00:24:39.68
Who is Tony Palmer and why
is he saying what he's saying?
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.23
Well, Tony Palmer is
an Anglican clergyman
00:24:44.27\00:24:47.44
from a small segment of the
Anglican communion in Ireland.
00:24:48.33\00:24:54.02
He does not
represent the Anglican Church.
00:24:55.01\00:24:57.25
It's a small
segment, Celtic element.
00:24:57.28\00:24:59.66
And do you know
where he's coming from?
00:25:00.58\00:25:02.09
Are you aware of the
fact that the Anglican Church
00:25:02.72\00:25:05.16
has had hundreds of
splits in the last few years?
00:25:05.19\00:25:08.68
There are Anglican churches
and communions everywhere.
00:25:10.59\00:25:14.06
Split, split,
split, split, split.
00:25:14.09\00:25:16.35
So what does the devil do?
00:25:18.49\00:25:19.92
The devil says,
"Protestantism has caused
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.67
the split in Christianity."
00:25:22.70\00:25:24.11
That's what he's saying.
00:25:24.14\00:25:25.20
He's saying, "Protestantism
is to blame for the
00:25:26.24\00:25:28.52
split in Christianity.
00:25:28.55\00:25:29.86
So we need to come back home."
00:25:29.89\00:25:31.74
Now I'm not
justifying what he's saying.
00:25:32.68\00:25:34.83
But it helps us understand
a little more what he's saying
00:25:34.86\00:25:37.91
and the urgency that he feels.
00:25:38.19\00:25:39.91
Are you following me or not?
00:25:39.94\00:25:41.09
And so it helps to know the
historical background of this.
00:25:41.89\00:25:45.64
The reason why there's so many
churches in the United States
00:25:45.93\00:25:48.49
is because people want
to impose on the Scriptures
00:25:48.52\00:25:51.06
their meaning rather
than allowing the Scriptures
00:25:51.09\00:25:53.25
to explain themselves.
00:25:53.28\00:25:54.62
Now listen to this. Important.
00:25:56.10\00:25:58.05
We cannot allow any
philosophy, newspaper article,
00:25:58.15\00:26:01.17
book, television program,
historical event, commentary,
00:26:01.20\00:26:03.87
church interpretation,
catechism, the majority,
00:26:03.90\00:26:06.99
or personal
experience to determine
00:26:07.02\00:26:08.93
the meaning of Scripture.
00:26:08.96\00:26:10.25
The Bible is the
acid test of all of these.
00:26:11.11\00:26:14.66
The Bible authenticates itself,
just like salt and sugar do.
00:26:15.42\00:26:19.95
Salt is not
salty because I say so,
00:26:20.30\00:26:22.86
but because it is its
very nature to be salty.
00:26:22.89\00:26:26.27
In other words,
Scripture authenticates itself.
00:26:28.26\00:26:31.19
It authenticates
its own inspiration.
00:26:31.22\00:26:33.90
Not by any external declaration
but by what is contained
00:26:34.60\00:26:38.37
internally within it.
00:26:38.40\00:26:40.00
That's why we need to
study Scripture, folks.
00:26:41.38\00:26:43.37
You know, I read very
few books outside the Bible
00:26:44.58\00:26:47.71
and the spirit
of prophecy anymore.
00:26:47.74\00:26:48.94
I'm not saying that
you shouldn't read books.
00:26:48.97\00:26:51.20
Whenever I say this, people
say, "Oh, Pastor Bohr says
00:26:52.10\00:26:54.13
you're not
suppose to read any books.
00:26:54.16\00:26:55.76
You know, the ABC
will go out of business."
00:26:55.79\00:26:58.10
And then I'd be
speaking against myself because
00:26:59.83\00:27:01.82
I've wrote some books myself.
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.35
But what I'm saying, our primary
study should be Scripture
00:27:06.04\00:27:08.77
and the spirit of prophecy.
00:27:08.80\00:27:10.13
That's where the special
light of God is for these times.
00:27:10.16\00:27:14.02
Now listen to what
Ellen White had to say.
00:27:14.39\00:27:15.87
I'm going to read
you several statements
00:27:15.90\00:27:17.67
from Ellen White on the
Bible as its own interpreter.
00:27:17.70\00:27:20.81
The first one is,
Child Guidance, page 511.
00:27:22.37\00:27:24.96
"Make the Bible
its own expositor,
00:27:25.62\00:27:28.60
bringing together..."
00:27:30.24\00:27:31.65
Now listen, this is
an important principle.
00:27:31.68\00:27:33.52
"...bringing together
all that is said concerning
00:27:33.62\00:27:36.40
a given subject..."
00:27:36.43\00:27:37.95
Now what Ellen White is
saying here is, you can't just
00:27:39.14\00:27:41.73
connect one verse with
another verse that has nothing
00:27:41.83\00:27:44.26
to do with that verse.
00:27:44.29\00:27:45.55
Like some people do.
00:27:47.26\00:27:48.48
You have to make sure that the
verses that you're connecting
00:27:49.60\00:27:52.25
are dealing with the
same topic and the same theme.
00:27:52.28\00:27:55.42
Or else you'll make mistakes.
00:27:57.17\00:27:58.94
See, it has to be
on the same subject.
00:28:00.59\00:28:02.24
So she says, "Make the
Bible its own expositor,
00:28:02.27\00:28:04.67
bringing together all that is
said concerning a given subject
00:28:04.70\00:28:07.74
at different times and
under varied circumstances."
00:28:08.05\00:28:11.50
So she says the message
was given at different times
00:28:11.53\00:28:14.63
and under varied circumstances.
00:28:14.66\00:28:16.39
But you can bring together what
is in those different places
00:28:16.42\00:28:19.85
as long as it deals
with the same subject.
00:28:20.05\00:28:22.01
And one passage will
explain another passage.
00:28:22.27\00:28:25.30
That's why she says the
Bible is its own expositor.
00:28:25.50\00:28:29.06
Christian Education, page 85.
00:28:30.00\00:28:32.19
"The Bible is its own expositor.
00:28:32.62\00:28:34.91
One passage..."
00:28:35.34\00:28:36.39
Now listen.
Here's the principle.
00:28:36.42\00:28:37.86
"One passage will prove
to be a key that will unlock
00:28:37.89\00:28:42.08
other passages, and in
this way light will be shed upon
00:28:42.11\00:28:46.45
the hidden meaning of the word."
00:28:46.48\00:28:48.31
How do we discover the
hidden meaning of the word?
00:28:48.41\00:28:50.60
By what?
00:28:52.14\00:28:53.17
Comparing one
passage with another passage.
00:28:53.20\00:28:55.25
She says that's
the key that opens.
00:28:55.36\00:28:57.78
She continues saying,
00:28:58.29\00:28:59.73
"By comparing different texts
treating on the same subject..."
00:29:02.54\00:29:05.36
See, there it is
again; on the same subject.
00:29:05.39\00:29:07.73
"...viewing their bearing
on every side, the true meaning
00:29:08.01\00:29:11.83
of the Scriptures
will be made evident.
00:29:11.86\00:29:14.37
Many think that they
must consult commentaries..."
00:29:15.00\00:29:20.26
See, she's making my case now.
00:29:20.29\00:29:22.93
"Many think that they
must consult commentaries
00:29:23.69\00:29:26.22
on the Scriptures in
order to understand the meaning
00:29:26.42\00:29:28.87
of the word of God,
and we would not take
00:29:28.90\00:29:31.54
the position that commentaries
should not be studied;
00:29:31.57\00:29:34.32
but it will take much
discernment to discover
00:29:35.28\00:29:38.87
the truth of God under
the mass of the words of men."
00:29:38.90\00:29:42.22
In other words, whatever you
read, compare it with Scripture.
00:29:44.04\00:29:47.36
Make Scripture
supreme, in other words.
00:29:48.46\00:29:51.87
Here's one, Counsel
To Teachers, page 462.
00:29:52.34\00:29:55.60
"The Bible is its own expositor.
00:29:55.92\00:29:58.08
Scripture is to be
compared with scripture.
00:29:58.29\00:30:00.99
The student should learn to
view the Word as a..." What?
00:30:01.38\00:30:04.77
See, here's the body analogy.
00:30:05.14\00:30:06.99
"...as a whole and to see
the relation of its parts.
00:30:07.02\00:30:12.52
He should gain a knowledge
of its grand central theme..."
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.52
See, there's one message.
00:30:16.92\00:30:18.35
"...of God's original
purpose for the world,
00:30:18.71\00:30:22.84
of the rise of
the great controversy,
00:30:22.87\00:30:24.69
and of the work of redemption.
00:30:24.79\00:30:27.31
He should understand the nature
of the two principles that are
00:30:27.48\00:30:30.22
contending for the supremacy,
and should learn to trace
00:30:30.25\00:30:33.70
their working through the
records of history and prophecy
00:30:33.73\00:30:36.35
to the great consummation."
00:30:36.45\00:30:38.18
Now listen, "He should see
how this controversy enters into
00:30:38.61\00:30:42.99
every phase of human experience;
00:30:44.20\00:30:47.68
how in every act of
life he himself reveals
00:30:48.47\00:30:53.61
the one or the other of
the two antagonistic motives;
00:30:53.65\00:30:57.88
and how, whether he will or not,
he is even now deciding upon
00:30:57.91\00:31:03.63
which side of the
controversy he will be found."
00:31:03.66\00:31:06.86
So she's saying that
whenever we study the Bible,
00:31:07.45\00:31:09.62
we should find
the central theme,
00:31:09.65\00:31:12.09
which is the great controversy
between good and evil
00:31:12.12\00:31:14.62
and the victory
of good over evil.
00:31:14.82\00:31:18.71
Manuscript
releases, volume 2, page 96.
00:31:19.57\00:31:22.67
"Nothing is to be
gained by endeavoring to prove
00:31:23.20\00:31:25.74
by argument the
divine origin of the Bible."
00:31:25.77\00:31:28.30
Don't waste your time
trying to prove to somebody
00:31:30.54\00:31:32.37
who doesn't believe
that the Bible is inspired
00:31:32.40\00:31:34.20
trying to prove that
the Bible is inspired.
00:31:34.23\00:31:36.32
They need to
taste it for themselves
00:31:38.18\00:31:40.63
and come to
their own conclusion.
00:31:40.66\00:31:42.35
Have you ever tried to convince
someone that salt is salty
00:31:43.28\00:31:45.92
when they've never
tasted salt before?
00:31:45.95\00:31:47.86
It's an impossibility.
00:31:51.40\00:31:52.74
You know, trying
to convince someone
00:31:53.32\00:31:55.77
that the Bible is
inspired is a useless task.
00:31:56.08\00:32:00.21
We can use all kinds of
arguments, but many times
00:32:00.24\00:32:02.54
they have counter arguments.
00:32:02.57\00:32:04.00
The unity of
Scripture; oh but they can show
00:32:04.70\00:32:06.87
examples of what they
consider to be disunity.
00:32:06.90\00:32:09.66
Like the death of
Judas, for example.
00:32:10.28\00:32:13.01
Miracles; they say,
"Well, I don't see any of those
00:32:14.36\00:32:16.60
things happening now."
00:32:16.63\00:32:17.78
"Oh, but look at
the fruit of the life.
00:32:19.01\00:32:20.57
You know, people who
have embraced the Bible,
00:32:20.60\00:32:22.58
you know, they
have a different life."
00:32:22.61\00:32:25.25
"Well I know a lot of Christians
that have embraced the Bible
00:32:25.75\00:32:28.06
and they're pretty nasty."
00:32:28.09\00:32:29.36
So you can use all
kinds of arguments.
00:32:31.61\00:32:33.61
But people have to
taste it for themselves
00:32:34.54\00:32:36.74
and be persuaded by the
internal content of the Bible.
00:32:37.30\00:32:40.00
So she says, "Nothing is
gained by endeavoring to prove
00:32:40.59\00:32:42.98
by argument the
divine origin of the Bible.
00:32:43.01\00:32:45.01
It is its own expositor.
00:32:45.04\00:32:46.88
It carries its own keys;
Scripture unlocks Scripture."
00:32:46.91\00:32:52.09
That's sola scriptura.
00:32:52.12\00:32:53.73
Our High Calling, page 207.
00:32:54.98\00:32:57.15
"The Bible is
its own interpreter.
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.87
With beautiful simplicity
one portion connects itself with
00:33:00.59\00:33:04.52
the truth of another portion,
until the whole Bible is
00:33:04.55\00:33:09.06
blended in one
harmonious whole."
00:33:09.09\00:33:11.89
Isn't that a
beautiful way of putting it?
00:33:11.92\00:33:13.51
"Light flashes forth from one
text to illuminate some portion
00:33:14.81\00:33:19.25
of the Word that has
seemed more obscure."
00:33:19.28\00:33:22.08
So when you find an
obscure text, or difficult
00:33:22.11\00:33:24.57
to understand, what do you do?
00:33:24.60\00:33:25.73
You find text that are clearer
and interpret the obscure text
00:33:25.76\00:33:30.52
in the light of the clear text.
00:33:30.55\00:33:32.66
Testimonies for the
Church, volume 4, page 499.
00:33:33.45\00:33:36.77
She says, listen carefully,
this is an important principle,
00:33:37.39\00:33:40.18
"When you search the Scriptures
with an earnest desire
00:33:40.52\00:33:43.49
to learn the truth..."
00:33:43.52\00:33:45.03
Is it dangerous to
search the Scriptures
00:33:47.53\00:33:49.28
to prove what we believe?
00:33:49.31\00:33:50.78
Hmmm.
00:33:51.18\00:33:52.21
Yes.
00:33:53.21\00:33:54.26
"When you search the Scriptures
with an earnest desire
00:33:55.02\00:33:57.33
to learn the
truth, God will..." What?
00:33:57.36\00:34:00.30
Ah, here's the
help of the Holy Spirit.
00:34:00.78\00:34:02.96
"...God will breathe
His Spirit into your heart
00:34:02.99\00:34:06.15
and impress your mind
with the light of His word.
00:34:07.23\00:34:10.39
The Bible is
its own interpreter,
00:34:11.09\00:34:13.19
one passage explaining another.
00:34:13.55\00:34:15.63
By comparing
Scriptures referring..."
00:34:15.99\00:34:18.14
Here's the principle again.
00:34:18.17\00:34:19.69
Referring to what?
00:34:19.72\00:34:21.04
"...the same subject..."
00:34:21.29\00:34:22.49
Don't connect verses
that shouldn't be connected.
00:34:22.52\00:34:24.64
They have to deal with the
same theme, the same topic.
00:34:26.08\00:34:28.89
This is not the
proof-text method.
00:34:30.04\00:34:32.02
Which has been
greatly maligned, by the way.
00:34:32.53\00:34:34.86
You can't use the
proof-text method.
00:34:34.96\00:34:36.67
You can as long as the text
are dealing with the same theme.
00:34:36.70\00:34:39.69
So she says, "By comparing
Scriptures referring to the
00:34:41.81\00:34:45.30
same subject, you
will see beauty and harmony
00:34:45.33\00:34:49.02
of which you
have never dreamed."
00:34:49.05\00:34:52.20
William Miller.
00:34:54.36\00:34:55.51
What was William Miller?
00:34:56.66\00:34:58.19
Were you aware that he
got his PhD from Princeton?
00:35:00.91\00:35:03.85
You didn't know that?
00:35:05.83\00:35:06.95
Well he didn't.
00:35:07.47\00:35:08.78
What was William Miller?
00:35:11.02\00:35:12.33
A farmer.
00:35:12.80\00:35:14.51
Have mercy.
Nothing against farmers.
00:35:15.65\00:35:17.55
Farmers probably can
learn a lot about the Word
00:35:19.33\00:35:21.22
because the Word is like seed.
00:35:21.25\00:35:23.21
Falls into the earth, dies,
germinates, grows, bears fruit.
00:35:24.98\00:35:29.11
There you have the
message of the Bible in itself.
00:35:29.14\00:35:31.61
William Miller used the
Bible and Cruden's Concordance.
00:35:33.48\00:35:38.17
He studied for 13 years
00:35:40.11\00:35:42.23
using only the
Bible and the concordance.
00:35:43.29\00:35:45.77
It's said, you know,
there's three concordances.
00:35:46.98\00:35:48.83
There is Young's,
Strong's, and Cruden's.
00:35:48.86\00:35:52.82
At the seminary they use to say,
"Strong's is for the strong.
00:35:53.38\00:35:56.49
Young's is for the young,
and Cruden's is for the crude."
00:35:56.90\00:36:00.66
But that doesn't
apply to William Miller.
00:36:02.17\00:36:04.35
Because William
Miller was not crude in his
00:36:04.65\00:36:07.60
interpretation of the Bible.
00:36:07.63\00:36:09.23
He was a farmer.
00:36:09.70\00:36:11.16
If a farmer could come to
the conclusions that he came to,
00:36:11.90\00:36:15.82
can't any person in the
world come to an understanding
00:36:16.19\00:36:19.17
of God's Word without
having a post-graduate PhD?
00:36:19.20\00:36:23.27
I'm not saying anything
wrong about PhD or education.
00:36:23.30\00:36:26.13
I'm not a PhD.
00:36:26.81\00:36:27.92
I have two Master's degrees.
00:36:28.02\00:36:29.51
But the more I
study, the more I realize
00:36:29.61\00:36:31.85
that I don't know very much.
00:36:31.88\00:36:33.44
Because the more
we study, we say,
00:36:34.76\00:36:35.86
"Why didn't I know that before?"
00:36:35.89\00:36:36.95
and "Why didn't I
know that before?"
00:36:37.15\00:36:38.66
And so we come to
the Bible and we say,
00:36:38.69\00:36:40.43
"I know nothing."
00:36:40.46\00:36:41.70
Listen folks, we know just
barely enough to get up there.
00:36:41.73\00:36:44.81
When we get up there, we'll
be studying throughout eternity.
00:36:47.13\00:36:50.05
Hello. So how much do we know?
00:36:50.27\00:36:52.31
We think we know a lot,
00:36:52.88\00:36:54.72
but we know very little,
00:36:55.90\00:36:57.21
compared to what
there is yet to know.
00:36:57.99\00:37:01.21
So you don't have to
be a rocket scientist
00:37:03.01\00:37:05.15
to understand Scripture.
00:37:05.81\00:37:06.84
Now notice this statement
about William Miller's methods
00:37:06.87\00:37:11.49
of Bible study.
00:37:11.52\00:37:12.86
There are several things here.
00:37:14.26\00:37:15.76
"William Miller possessed
strong mental powers..."
00:37:15.79\00:37:18.92
Think he was careful
with his health habits?
00:37:21.09\00:37:23.26
Is it necessary to
have good health habits
00:37:24.63\00:37:27.43
to have a clear mind?
00:37:27.46\00:37:28.94
Uh-huh.
00:37:29.49\00:37:30.52
Health reform comes in here.
00:37:30.74\00:37:32.28
"William Miller
possessed strong mental powers,"
00:37:32.91\00:37:35.07
listen carefully, "disciplined
by thought and study;
00:37:35.56\00:37:39.36
and he added to these
the wisdom of Heaven..."
00:37:40.57\00:37:42.74
I love that.
00:37:42.77\00:37:43.80
See, he was disciplined.
00:37:44.94\00:37:46.17
He thought a
lot, he studied a lot.
00:37:46.20\00:37:48.15
But she says that to these
were added the wisdom of heaven.
00:37:49.05\00:37:52.46
"...by connecting himself
with the Source of wisdom.
00:37:53.40\00:37:56.91
He was a man of sterling
worth, who could not but
00:37:58.27\00:38:02.80
command respect and esteem
wherever integrity of character
00:38:02.83\00:38:07.05
and moral
excellence were valued."
00:38:07.08\00:38:09.43
Now listen, she
continues saying,
00:38:11.64\00:38:15.64
"Uniting true kindness of
heart with Christian humility
00:38:15.67\00:38:20.19
and the power of
self-control, he was attentive
00:38:20.76\00:38:24.60
and affable to all,
ready to listen to the opinions
00:38:24.63\00:38:28.82
of others, and to
weigh their arguments.
00:38:28.85\00:38:32.22
Without passion or excitement,
he tested all theories
00:38:32.95\00:38:36.68
and doctrines
by the Word of God;
00:38:36.71\00:38:38.70
and his sound
reasoning and thorough knowledge
00:38:39.93\00:38:42.39
of the Scriptures
enabled him to refute error
00:38:42.42\00:38:45.72
and expose falsehood."
00:38:45.75\00:38:47.59
That's, Great Controversy, 335.
00:38:48.46\00:38:50.63
Great Controversy, 320 and 321,
00:38:51.78\00:38:54.56
Ellen White
amplifies the methods of study
00:38:54.76\00:38:57.25
of William Miller.
00:38:57.28\00:38:58.33
She says,
"Endeavoring to lay aside
00:38:59.44\00:39:01.81
all preconceived opinions..."
00:39:01.84\00:39:04.13
That's difficult, isn't it.
00:39:04.62\00:39:05.93
For us to lay aside all
of our presupposed ideas,
00:39:06.13\00:39:09.67
all the baggage that we have.
00:39:09.70\00:39:11.56
I've had to do that
many times with many things
00:39:12.90\00:39:15.40
that have been
believed and that I was taught.
00:39:15.43\00:39:18.14
I've had to study Scripture
and re-evaluate lots of things
00:39:18.91\00:39:22.03
I use to believe.
00:39:22.06\00:39:23.35
Like I use to believe
the 24 elders were those
00:39:23.55\00:39:26.15
who resurrected with Jesus and
ascended when Jesus ascended.
00:39:26.18\00:39:29.32
Upon further study, I can't
reach that conclusion anymore.
00:39:29.83\00:39:33.39
You know, there are so many
things that I use to believe.
00:39:34.00\00:39:38.94
You know, we use this
text, Daniel 12 verse 4,
00:39:39.04\00:39:41.64
where it says, you
know, seal the book
00:39:41.67\00:39:44.34
until the time of the end.
00:39:44.44\00:39:45.85
But at the time of the
end, the book will be unsealed
00:39:45.95\00:39:49.10
and knowledge will be increased.
00:39:49.13\00:39:50.66
Many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge shall be increased.
00:39:51.22\00:39:53.50
And so we use that text in
evangelism to say, you know,
00:39:53.93\00:39:57.20
that scientific knowledge
is going to greatly increase.
00:39:57.23\00:40:00.95
There's going to be
rockets, and there's going to be
00:40:01.41\00:40:03.47
automobiles, and
there's going to be airplanes,
00:40:03.67\00:40:06.18
and electric toothbrushes,
and all this technology.
00:40:06.21\00:40:10.18
Knowledge is
going to be increased.
00:40:10.21\00:40:11.72
Well the fact is, the
word, "knowledge," there is the
00:40:11.75\00:40:14.03
Hebrew word, "yada," which
refers to knowledge of the book.
00:40:14.06\00:40:19.67
Of Daniel.
00:40:20.68\00:40:21.80
That's the context.
It's much more powerful.
00:40:22.19\00:40:24.19
Because you can go
back to the 1830's and say,
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.55
"Hey, in the
time of the end, look,
00:40:26.58\00:40:28.42
here's a group that did it."
00:40:28.45\00:40:30.02
Much more powerful than
talking about airplanes.
00:40:32.09\00:40:34.43
The Bible doesn't, as far
as I know, the Bible doesn't
00:40:36.04\00:40:38.77
talk about
airplanes and nuclear weapons
00:40:38.80\00:40:40.60
and all those things, you know.
00:40:40.63\00:40:41.99
What the text is
saying that many are going to
00:40:43.10\00:40:45.92
run to and fro; the same idiom
that's used in Amos 8:11-12,
00:40:45.95\00:40:49.46
where it says that many
will run from sea to sea,
00:40:49.49\00:40:53.33
from north to east,
looking for the Word of God.
00:40:53.36\00:40:57.60
In other words, it's the
eyes moving over the book,
00:40:58.21\00:41:00.96
because now the
book can be understood.
00:41:00.99\00:41:02.96
And so we have to lay
aside our preconceived opinions.
00:41:05.10\00:41:07.73
"Endeavoring to lay aside
all preconceived opinions,
00:41:08.98\00:41:11.66
and dispensing
with commentaries..."
00:41:11.69\00:41:13.89
Hmmm.
00:41:14.30\00:41:15.34
"...he compared
Scripture with Scripture..."
00:41:16.32\00:41:17.84
There's sola scriptura.
00:41:17.87\00:41:19.28
"...by the aid of
the marginal references
00:41:20.00\00:41:22.76
and the concordance."
00:41:22.79\00:41:24.44
My, my, just what
we've been talking about.
00:41:25.54\00:41:27.99
"He pursued his study in a
regular and methodical manner."
00:41:29.49\00:41:33.80
What does that mean?
00:41:34.44\00:41:35.47
It takes discipline, right?
00:41:35.65\00:41:36.98
You say, "I'm going to sit
and I'm going to study this text
00:41:37.39\00:41:40.01
until the Holy Spirit
shows me what it means."
00:41:40.04\00:41:42.57
"He pursued his study in a
regular and methodical manner;
00:41:45.68\00:41:49.05
beginning with Genesis
and reading verse by verse,
00:41:49.44\00:41:53.02
he proceeded no faster than the
meaning of the several passages
00:41:53.51\00:41:57.23
so unfolded as to leave him
free from all embarrassment.
00:41:57.33\00:42:01.65
When he found anything obscure,"
here's another principle,
00:42:02.70\00:42:06.28
"it was his custom to
compare it with every other text
00:42:06.67\00:42:10.66
which seemed to
have any reference to the
00:42:10.69\00:42:13.17
matter under consideration."
00:42:13.20\00:42:14.42
See the principle?
00:42:14.45\00:42:15.52
Connected with
what he was studying.
00:42:16.20\00:42:18.17
Not just concoct
a bunch of verses
00:42:18.53\00:42:20.06
and put them all together.
00:42:20.09\00:42:21.38
"Every word was permitted
to have its proper bearing
00:42:22.79\00:42:27.10
upon the subject of the
text, and if his view of it
00:42:27.13\00:42:31.75
harmonized with
every collateral passage,
00:42:31.78\00:42:34.67
it ceased to be a difficulty."
00:42:34.97\00:42:37.52
Sola scriptura.
All of Scripture.
00:42:38.58\00:42:40.80
"Thus whenever he met with a
passage hard to be understood,
00:42:42.01\00:42:45.12
he found an explanation in some
other portion of the Scriptures.
00:42:45.15\00:42:49.53
As he studied
with earnest prayer..."
00:42:49.97\00:42:51.99
See, there's another principle;
"with earnest prayer."
00:42:52.02\00:42:54.42
"...for divine enlightenment,
that which had before
00:42:54.64\00:42:58.09
appeared dark to his
understanding was made clear.
00:42:58.12\00:43:02.21
He experienced the
truth of the psalmist's words,
00:43:02.70\00:43:05.46
'The entrance of Thy
words giveth...'" What?
00:43:05.49\00:43:09.01
"...light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple."
00:43:09.21\00:43:14.33
And it's somewhat
disturbing that, you know,
00:43:17.86\00:43:20.92
there's so much of a
movement these days to say that
00:43:20.95\00:43:23.73
ministers have to have a
certain level of education
00:43:23.76\00:43:28.07
in order to be ministers.
00:43:28.10\00:43:29.60
I don't find that
as a qualification of
00:43:30.89\00:43:32.87
ministers or
elders in the Bible.
00:43:32.90\00:43:34.65
I don't find on the
list of qualifications,
00:43:35.77\00:43:37.60
"He must have a Masters degree."
00:43:37.63\00:43:41.12
I don't even find, "He must
have a Bachelor of Arts degree."
00:43:41.90\00:43:45.65
I fail to find that.
00:43:48.55\00:43:49.68
There's all kinds of moral
qualities that they must have.
00:43:49.71\00:43:54.47
But not necessarily an
arbitrary standard of having
00:43:54.69\00:43:58.53
a certain level of education.
00:43:58.56\00:44:00.71
That would
disqualify Jesus Christ.
00:44:00.74\00:44:02.84
It would disqualify
all of the apostles,
00:44:06.67\00:44:08.70
or most of the apostles.
00:44:08.73\00:44:10.33
It would disqualify many
of the great, great preachers
00:44:12.02\00:44:15.44
and leaders
throughout Christian history.
00:44:15.47\00:44:18.53
I'm not denigrating education.
00:44:18.87\00:44:22.18
I'm not saying
that education is bad.
00:44:22.66\00:44:24.50
But education
can become an idol.
00:44:24.53\00:44:26.66
"Knowledge puffs up," is
what the apostle Paul says.
00:44:27.72\00:44:31.80
Because we come to
think that we're pretty smart
00:44:32.36\00:44:34.75
and pretty brilliant.
00:44:34.95\00:44:36.22
Now, notice what
she continues saying.
00:44:38.01\00:44:40.18
"With intense interest he
studied the books of Daniel
00:44:41.07\00:44:44.87
and Revelation
employing," listen carefully,
00:44:45.08\00:44:48.53
"the same
principles of interpretation
00:44:48.56\00:44:51.78
as in other Scriptures,
and found, to his great joy,
00:44:51.81\00:44:56.28
that the prophetic
symbols could be understood.
00:44:56.68\00:44:59.11
He saw that the prophecies, so
far as they had been fulfilled,
00:44:59.87\00:45:04.65
had been fulfilled literally..."
00:45:05.05\00:45:07.22
That doesn't mean that
everything in the prophecy
00:45:07.32\00:45:09.25
was literal, but they
had been fulfilled literally.
00:45:09.28\00:45:11.73
"...that all the
various figures, metaphors,
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.40
parables, similitudes,
were either explained
00:45:15.43\00:45:18.31
in their
immediate connection..."
00:45:18.34\00:45:19.77
That is, in the
immediate context.
00:45:19.80\00:45:21.55
"...or the terms in which
they were expressed were defined
00:45:21.75\00:45:25.14
in other Scriptures;
and when thus explained
00:45:25.17\00:45:28.77
were to be
literally understood."
00:45:29.11\00:45:31.32
And now she quotes
Miller, "'I was thus satisfied,'
00:45:32.71\00:45:35.14
he says, 'that the Bible
is a system of revealed truth
00:45:35.17\00:45:40.36
so clearly and simply
given that the wayfaring man,
00:45:42.66\00:45:49.55
though a fool,
need not err therein.'
00:45:49.65\00:45:53.89
Link after link of the chain
of truth rewarded his efforts,
00:45:54.97\00:45:58.96
as step by step he traced down
the great lines of prophecy.
00:45:58.99\00:46:04.16
Angels of Heaven were
guiding his mind and opening
00:46:04.26\00:46:08.11
the Scriptures to
his understanding."
00:46:08.14\00:46:09.82
Aren't those some
amazing statements?
00:46:09.85\00:46:11.70
They have all kinds of
principles of Bible study
00:46:12.63\00:46:15.64
in these
statements that I've read
00:46:15.94\00:46:17.51
from the spirit of prophecy.
00:46:17.54\00:46:18.73
And incidentally, if I might
make a little parenthesis here,
00:46:18.76\00:46:22.24
we are going to be
looking at one of the principles
00:46:23.07\00:46:25.43
of Bible study, of
prophetic study, is that we need
00:46:25.53\00:46:27.59
to understand the sanctuary.
00:46:27.62\00:46:28.98
That's one of
the big principles.
00:46:29.51\00:46:30.97
Because both Daniel and
Revelation are organized
00:46:31.00\00:46:34.33
according to the
Hebrew Sanctuary.
00:46:34.56\00:46:36.92
That's the real reason
why Christendom does not
00:46:37.35\00:46:41.07
understand Daniel and
Revelation, is because
00:46:41.10\00:46:43.17
they do not
understand the Sanctuary.
00:46:43.20\00:46:44.98
And I might say this,
we call the Sanctuary,
00:46:45.01\00:46:48.90
the Sanctuary doctrine.
00:46:48.93\00:46:50.31
The Sanctuary is not a doctrine
of the Adventist Church.
00:46:51.04\00:46:54.18
The Sanctuary
explains all of the doctrines
00:46:54.79\00:46:57.65
of the Adventist Church.
00:46:57.68\00:46:59.06
Ellen White said it is
the foundation of our faith.
00:47:00.47\00:47:03.86
Let me ask you, does
the foundation only hold up
00:47:03.89\00:47:06.11
one section of the building?
00:47:06.14\00:47:07.65
No, the foundation
upholds the total building.
00:47:08.54\00:47:12.46
The Sanctuary is not a
doctrine among other doctrines.
00:47:13.36\00:47:17.74
It is the doctrine that
unites everything in a chain
00:47:17.77\00:47:21.32
or in a whole.
00:47:21.35\00:47:22.75
That's the reason why
Christendom can't make
00:47:23.91\00:47:25.99
sense out of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:47:26.02\00:47:28.16
Is because they're all
caught up in the court,
00:47:28.57\00:47:31.26
at the cross, at the altar.
00:47:31.29\00:47:33.07
And they have spiritual myopia.
00:47:33.94\00:47:36.22
All they can see, the cross.
00:47:36.48\00:47:38.29
But they can't see the
implications of the cross
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.92
in the rest of the Sanctuary.
00:47:40.95\00:47:42.47
They can't see that
salvation has several steps.
00:47:43.23\00:47:46.39
Actually, the
Sanctuary begins in the camp.
00:47:47.34\00:47:50.47
We usually begin the Sanctuary
in the court at the altar.
00:47:51.31\00:47:54.55
Wrong place.
00:47:54.58\00:47:55.74
We have to begin in the camp.
00:47:56.64\00:47:57.89
You say, "Why do
we begin in the camp?"
00:47:57.92\00:47:59.45
Because the lamb,
before it was sacrificed,
00:47:59.82\00:48:02.70
had to be an unblemished lamb.
00:48:02.73\00:48:04.29
And Jesus had to
live a perfect life
00:48:04.39\00:48:06.32
before His
sacrifice was accepted.
00:48:06.35\00:48:08.15
His life in our midst.
00:48:10.31\00:48:11.64
He tabernacled among us.
00:48:11.67\00:48:13.93
The word, "dwelt," can be
translated, "tabernacled."
00:48:14.31\00:48:16.44
He tabernacled among us.
00:48:16.47\00:48:18.16
And He lived the perfect life
that the law requires from us.
00:48:18.19\00:48:21.18
But He did that in
the camp where we live.
00:48:21.82\00:48:24.32
And then He went to the altar of
sacrifice and died on the cross.
00:48:24.52\00:48:28.43
Then He went to the
laver and He resurrected.
00:48:28.46\00:48:30.76
And then He entered
the Holy Place to apply
00:48:30.79\00:48:34.19
His life and His death
to those who come to Him
00:48:34.22\00:48:37.03
in repentance and
confessing their sins.
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.79
And then He moves
into the Most Holy Place
00:48:41.41\00:48:43.91
and He performs
the work of atonement
00:48:43.94\00:48:45.49
in the Most Holy Place.
00:48:45.52\00:48:46.85
And then at the end He
comes out and He places
00:48:46.88\00:48:49.83
the sins that
have been forgiven...
00:48:49.86\00:48:52.13
The scapegoat
doesn't forgive sins.
00:48:52.33\00:48:54.16
The scapegoat has
forgiven sins placed on him.
00:48:54.19\00:48:57.11
They're forgiven of
the saints, but not of him.
00:48:57.14\00:48:59.33
Then the High Priest
comes out and He places them
00:49:00.31\00:49:04.19
on the head of the
scapegoat who is the originator
00:49:04.22\00:49:07.29
and instigator of sin.
00:49:07.32\00:49:08.54
The great controversy
theme in the Sanctuary is
00:49:08.96\00:49:12.74
that which explains
our total world view.
00:49:13.22\00:49:17.61
The Sanctuary is the Seventh-day
Adventist world view.
00:49:18.33\00:49:21.43
And all of the
doctrines fit within some part
00:49:21.80\00:49:25.77
of the Hebrew Sanctuary.
00:49:25.80\00:49:27.43
It's not a doctrine.
00:49:28.75\00:49:30.15
It gives an explanation
to all of our doctrines.
00:49:30.77\00:49:33.77
It is the world view of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:49:33.80\00:49:36.77
And it's sad that very
little is being said these days
00:49:38.25\00:49:41.58
about the Sanctuary.
00:49:41.61\00:49:42.94
I like to compare it with this:
00:49:45.21\00:49:46.62
You have a painting on the wall.
00:49:49.18\00:49:53.19
The painting on the
wall is like the world view.
00:49:54.04\00:49:59.78
It's the Sanctuary.
00:50:00.73\00:50:01.94
And the individual parts
that you find on that painting
00:50:03.07\00:50:08.33
are the doctrines.
00:50:08.78\00:50:10.14
Okay?
00:50:11.67\00:50:12.71
Because you have
objects; you have trees,
00:50:12.74\00:50:14.33
you have little rivers, you
have birds flying in the air.
00:50:14.36\00:50:16.77
Each one of those
is like a doctrine.
00:50:16.80\00:50:18.54
The Sanctuary
doctrine brings it all together
00:50:18.57\00:50:20.56
in a beautiful portrait.
00:50:20.59\00:50:21.97
It's that which
brings together the entire
00:50:23.41\00:50:25.48
Seventh-day Adventist message.
00:50:25.51\00:50:26.94
And you know, we're going to
notice a little bit later on,
00:50:27.19\00:50:29.10
it's interesting that the very
truths that the world rejects,
00:50:29.13\00:50:32.68
that the Christian world
rejects, are the distinctive
00:50:32.71\00:50:35.14
truths of the Most Holy Place.
00:50:35.17\00:50:36.88
Do you know what
present truth is?
00:50:39.91\00:50:41.45
It's very simple.
00:50:42.72\00:50:43.75
Discover where Jesus
is and what He's doing,
00:50:43.78\00:50:45.75
and preach that,
because that's present truth.
00:50:45.78\00:50:47.78
And Jesus is not now in
the court dying on the cross.
00:50:48.57\00:50:51.36
Not that the death of
Christ is not important.
00:50:52.18\00:50:54.47
There can be no Day of
Atonement without the cross.
00:50:54.50\00:50:57.01
There can be no intercession
of Jesus without the cross.
00:50:57.74\00:51:00.42
There can be no cross without
the perfect life of Jesus.
00:51:01.14\00:51:03.94
They're all important.
00:51:03.97\00:51:05.05
But the previous
steps need to be understood,
00:51:05.39\00:51:08.11
cross needs to be
understood, in the context
00:51:08.14\00:51:10.60
of the Day of Atonement.
00:51:10.63\00:51:11.85
And if you don't,
you're preaching truth,
00:51:12.48\00:51:14.34
but you're not
preaching present truth.
00:51:14.37\00:51:16.12
We'll come back
to that later on.
00:51:16.46\00:51:18.11
Uriah Smith; in many
ways a great scholar of the
00:51:19.47\00:51:23.66
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:51:23.69\00:51:25.32
He wrote some phenomenal stuff.
00:51:26.11\00:51:28.02
But he allowed himself
to go off-track because of
00:51:29.25\00:51:33.30
what the newspapers said.
00:51:33.33\00:51:34.77
See, the Adventist
Church originally believed that
00:51:36.04\00:51:39.27
the king of the
north is the papacy.
00:51:39.30\00:51:41.31
But in his day, you
know, Turkey was in the news.
00:51:43.56\00:51:46.42
And so Uriah Smith
said Turkey has to be
00:51:47.91\00:51:49.84
somewhere in the Bible.
00:51:49.87\00:51:51.15
And so he plugged
Turkey into the prophecy of the
00:51:51.35\00:51:53.34
king of the north in Daniel 11.
00:51:53.37\00:51:54.78
Which we'll study
later on in this series.
00:51:54.81\00:51:57.41
He was allowing the newspaper
to dictate what the Bible means.
00:51:58.49\00:52:03.33
And he did the same thing
with the battle of Armageddon.
00:52:04.12\00:52:06.79
He spoke of this great
battle in the Middle East,
00:52:06.82\00:52:09.00
in the Valley of Megiddo;
00:52:09.03\00:52:10.08
the Euphrates, literal Euphrates
was going to be dried up;
00:52:10.11\00:52:13.06
and the Chinese were
going to come from the east.
00:52:13.09\00:52:15.56
Totally false prophecy.
00:52:19.77\00:52:21.34
But it was
dictated by what he read
00:52:22.32\00:52:23.97
in the newspapers of his day.
00:52:25.34\00:52:27.25
Let me ask you, do evangelical
Christians do the same today?
00:52:28.11\00:52:31.67
Oh, futurism galore.
00:52:32.55\00:52:35.24
Every nasty person that
appears on the scenario,
00:52:35.59\00:52:38.44
there's a book written
that he's the antichrist.
00:52:38.47\00:52:40.86
Mussolini,
Hitler, Saddam Hussein,
00:52:42.24\00:52:47.26
the Ayatollah
Khomeini, even Henry Kissinger.
00:52:47.56\00:52:50.30
Candidates for antichrist.
00:52:51.86\00:52:53.63
Pure speculation.
00:52:53.66\00:52:55.02
Because they don't
follow the historicist method
00:52:55.63\00:52:58.42
of interpreting prophecy, which
we're going to take a look at.
00:52:58.45\00:53:00.67
It's one of our principles.
00:53:00.70\00:53:01.89
What method do we use
to interpret prophecy?
00:53:01.92\00:53:04.67
We allow the
Bible method to dictate
00:53:04.70\00:53:06.37
how we interpret prophecy.
00:53:06.40\00:53:07.80
Sunday observance,
how did Sunday observance
00:53:09.90\00:53:12.33
come to be adopted?
00:53:12.76\00:53:14.28
Well let's read,
Great Controversy, page 448.
00:53:15.35\00:53:17.67
See, imposing on
Scripture what you want,
00:53:17.70\00:53:19.96
or what other people
say, what the preacher says,
00:53:20.42\00:53:22.65
what the newspaper says,
or what the commentary says.
00:53:22.68\00:53:24.90
We cannot depend on any source
other than the Bible itself.
00:53:25.10\00:53:28.47
Doesn't mean that we
can't use other sources,
00:53:31.40\00:53:33.00
but they have to be in
harmony with the Bible.
00:53:33.03\00:53:34.79
She says, "The Roman
Church has not relinquished
00:53:36.13\00:53:38.20
her claim to supremacy;
and when the world and the
00:53:38.23\00:53:41.48
Protestant churches accept
a sabbath of her own creating,
00:53:41.51\00:53:44.83
while they reject
the Bible Sabbath,
00:53:45.61\00:53:47.70
they virtually
admit this assumption.
00:53:47.90\00:53:50.46
They may claim the authority
of tradition and of the
00:53:51.14\00:53:54.14
Fathers for the change,
but in so doing they ignore
00:53:54.17\00:53:57.88
the very principle which
separates them from Rome..."
00:53:57.91\00:54:01.39
And what is that principle?
00:54:02.29\00:54:03.70
"...that 'the Bible,
and the Bible only, is
00:54:03.73\00:54:08.95
the religion of Protestants.'"
00:54:08.98\00:54:10.79
That's, sola scriptura.
00:54:12.05\00:54:14.21
You allow the Bible
to interpret itself.
00:54:15.11\00:54:16.63
For example,
Revelation 1 verse 10,
00:54:16.66\00:54:18.80
"I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's Day."
00:54:18.83\00:54:20.62
They say, "Well the
Lord's Day there is Sunday."
00:54:21.36\00:54:24.67
And why?
00:54:25.40\00:54:26.47
Because at that time
you had church fathers,
00:54:26.82\00:54:32.75
early church fathers,
who were referring to Sunday
00:54:32.78\00:54:35.36
as the Lord's Day.
00:54:35.39\00:54:36.61
And so what they do is they
take these early church fathers
00:54:36.94\00:54:38.95
and say, "See, John
meant what they meant."
00:54:38.98\00:54:43.20
But they don't go to the Bible
where 23 times the Bible says
00:54:44.64\00:54:48.88
that the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God.
00:54:48.91\00:54:52.16
They don't go to Mark
2 verse 27 where it says
00:54:52.19\00:54:54.28
that the Son of Man
is Lord of the Sabbath.
00:54:54.31\00:54:57.06
They don't allow Scripture
to interpret Scripture.
00:54:58.04\00:55:01.71
They go to an external source,
the early church fathers,
00:55:01.74\00:55:04.64
and they impose its
meaning on Scripture.
00:55:04.67\00:55:06.91
Because that's what they want.
00:55:07.25\00:55:08.37
Prophets and Kings, 537.
00:55:10.56\00:55:12.38
"The present is a
time of overwhelming
00:55:13.78\00:55:15.47
interest to all living.
00:55:15.50\00:55:17.02
Rulers and statesmen,
men who occupy positions of
00:55:17.70\00:55:20.37
trust and authority, thinking
men and women of all classes,
00:55:20.40\00:55:23.51
have their attention
fixed upon the events
00:55:23.54\00:55:25.44
taking place about us.
00:55:25.47\00:55:26.80
They are watching the relations
that exist among the nations.
00:55:26.83\00:55:29.83
They observe the intensity
that is taking possession of
00:55:30.14\00:55:32.81
every earthly element, and they
recognize that something great
00:55:32.84\00:55:36.29
and decisive is
about to take place;
00:55:36.32\00:55:38.47
that the world is on the
verge of a stupendous crisis.
00:55:38.50\00:55:42.84
The Bible, and the
Bible only, gives a correct
00:55:44.07\00:55:48.30
view of these things.
00:55:48.33\00:55:49.69
Here are revealed the great
final scenes in the history
00:55:50.46\00:55:53.51
of our world, events
that already are casting their
00:55:53.54\00:55:56.40
shadows before, the sound of
their approach causing the earth
00:55:56.43\00:55:59.99
to tremble and men's
hearts to fail them for fear."
00:56:00.02\00:56:04.75
So the religion of Adventists is
the religion of sola scriptura.
00:56:08.12\00:56:15.03
The Bible, and the Bible only.
00:56:16.09\00:56:17.56
The Bible interprets
itself by comparing one text
00:56:17.59\00:56:20.94
with another text.
00:56:20.97\00:56:22.25
But in a post-modern world...
00:56:23.61\00:56:25.39
You know what post-modernism
says the standard is.
00:56:26.40\00:56:29.01
Everyone has their
own internal standard
00:56:30.01\00:56:32.23
of right and
wrong, of good and evil.
00:56:32.34\00:56:35.28
That's what the devil told Eve.
00:56:35.73\00:56:37.22
He says, "You will be like
God, knowing good and evil.
00:56:38.28\00:56:40.17
You don't have to
depend on God to tell you
00:56:40.20\00:56:41.64
what good and evil is.
00:56:41.67\00:56:42.92
You'll be like Him,
you'll be able to define
00:56:43.60\00:56:45.26
good and evil yourself."
00:56:45.29\00:56:46.62
First post-modern in
the history of this world
00:56:48.53\00:56:53.50
was the devil's argument.
00:56:54.03\00:56:55.28
It would have been
much simpler for Eve
00:56:56.16\00:56:58.14
simply to say to the
serpent, to the devil,
00:56:59.96\00:57:03.55
"You know what?
00:57:04.21\00:57:05.24
The fruit looks
good, it looks tasty.
00:57:05.27\00:57:07.76
What you say sounds
logical, that God told us not to
00:57:08.59\00:57:11.05
eat from the tree because He
knew that we would be like Him,
00:57:11.08\00:57:13.15
and He doesn't want any rivals.
00:57:13.18\00:57:14.66
You know, and you say
that it will make me wise.
00:57:15.27\00:57:18.13
And you know, I never
knew a serpent could talk.
00:57:18.83\00:57:22.66
That's a miracle."
00:57:22.96\00:57:24.08
But if she had said,
"I see, I hear, I reason.
00:57:27.84\00:57:32.68
There's only one problem.
00:57:33.07\00:57:34.47
And that is, that we live
by every word that proceeds
00:57:35.11\00:57:38.06
out of the mouth of God.
00:57:38.09\00:57:39.12
God said, 'Don't eat,'
and therefore we don't eat."
00:57:39.17\00:57:42.07
Scripture alone.
00:57:43.60\00:57:46.54