Let's bow our heads for prayer.
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Our Father and our
God, we convene once again
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to open Your Holy Word which
was inspired by the Holy Spirit.
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We ask, Lord, that You
will give us holy hands
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as we handle Your Holy Word.
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I ask, Lord, that You
will bless us in our study
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that we might rightly
divide the word of truth.
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Give us understanding,
for as human beings
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our understanding is so limited.
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We thank You, Father, for
the privilege of requesting
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this favor of wisdom.
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And we know that You
will answer, because we
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ask it in Jesus' name, amen.
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Okay, let's turn in our material
to the hand-out that says,
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"Stephen Bohr's
Notes on Daniel 2."
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And what I want to do
is go to the second page
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where you find the subtitle,
"The Meaning of the Dream."
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Now I don't think that I have
to explain the dream to you,
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because Daniel 2 is a
dream that is constantly studied
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every time we have
an evangelistic crusade.
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But let me just review
what we find in Daniel 2
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so that we have a
reference point for what we're
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going to discuss this afternoon.
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First of all, in Daniel
2 we have a head of gold.
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What does the
head of gold represent?
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It represents
Babylon. Very well.
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Then we have a
breast and arms of silver.
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What do the breast and
arms of silver represent?
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They represent Medo-Persia.
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Then we have
the belly of bronze.
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That represents Greece.
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Then we have the legs of iron.
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And the legs of iron
represent the Roman Empire.
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And then you come to the feet,
and the feet have a mixture
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of iron and clay.
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And of course, we know
that the feet have ten toes.
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And the ten toes
represent the ten divisions
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of what use to be
the ancient Roman Empire.
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There's one point, however,
that rarely is touched upon
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in Seventh-day
Adventist meetings or in
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Seventh-day Adventist theology.
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And that is the
meaning of the mixture
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of the iron and the clay.
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We know that the ten toes
represent the ten divisions
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of western Europe, of what
use to be the Roman Empire.
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But we haven't dedicated
much time to take a look
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at the feet, and
particularly the mixture
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of the iron and the clay.
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We simply say that the ten
toes represent the ten divisions
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of western Europe.
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So let's take a look at
what is meant by the feet.
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And so now I'm at the
subtitle that say, "The Feet."
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And we're going to follow
our material quite closely.
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The iron already
existed in the legs, correct?
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So does Rome continue
its existence in the feet?
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But is it a
different kind of Rome?
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Yes, because it's not pure iron.
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It's not a pure civil power.
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It is a mixture
of iron and clay.
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So Rome continues in the feet,
but a different kind of Rome,
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a different type of Rome.
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Now, the second point is that
the clay is added to the feet.
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Because the iron
already existed before.
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Are you with me?
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The iron already existed before.
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So what is added to the
iron in the feet is the clay.
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Exactly.
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Point number three, the clay
is a particular type of clay.
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It is potter's
clay. It is potter's clay.
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Now let me ask you, does
iron play a legitimate function?
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Is it a valuable metal?
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It most certainly is.
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Is clay also a very
valuable substance, yes or no?
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Yeah, potter's clay
is useful to make what?
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Pottery. Yeah, it's very useful.
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So iron is useful,
and clay is also useful.
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Where does the problem come in?
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The problem comes in
when you mix the two.
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Iron as iron is good,
and clay as clay is good.
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The problem is when
you mix or amalgamate
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the iron and the clay.
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That's where you have a problem,
because both are weakened.
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The iron is weakened, and
the clay is weakened even more,
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when you mix or blend the two.
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Now, is everything in
Daniel chapter 2 symbolic?
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Let me ask you,
is the gold symbolic?
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Yes. Is the silver symbolic?
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Yes. Is the bronze symbolic?
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Yes. Is the iron symbolic?
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Yes. Is the stone symbolic?
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Yes. Is the mountain symbolic?
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Yes.
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But the clay
isn't symbolic, right?
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Would we expect the clay
also to represent something?
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Would we expect the
clay to be symbolic as well?
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Absolutely.
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So the question is, what does
the clay represent in the feet?
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We know that Rome continues.
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We know that Rome
is divided into ten;
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those are the ten toes.
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But what does the clay
specifically represent?
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Well, I want to read a
statement that we find from the
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spirit of prophecy,
which is actually on two pages
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farther along in your material,
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and then we'll come
back to where we are now,
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where it says, "Ellen White."
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Do you see that there?
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A couple of pages
farther ahead, "Ellen White."
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You know, for quite
a long time I kind of
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struggled with this statement.
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And not because I don't believe
in the spirit of prophecy,
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but because I
was wondering where
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Ellen White was coming from.
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I believe that what Ellen White
says is found in Scripture.
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And it's always my practice
to try and find in Scripture
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what is mentioned in
the spirit of prophecy.
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And I found this interesting
statement from Ellen White,
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and I asked myself, you
know, where in the Bible do you
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find this concept?
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So let me read the
statement from Ellen White,
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and then we'll go back to
what the Bible has to say.
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This is found in volume 4 of
the Bible Commentary, page 1168.
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Ellen White states, "We
have come to a time when
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God's sacred work is represented
by the feet of the image
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in which the iron was
mixed with the miry clay.
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God has a people, a
chosen people, whose discernment
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must be sanctified, who must not
become unholy by laying upon the
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foundation wood,
hay, and stubble.
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Every soul who is loyal
to the commandments of God
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will see that the distinguishing
feature of our faith
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is the seventh-day Sabbath.
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If the government
would honor the Sabbath as
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God has commanded..."
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Now when it says that
the government would honor
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the Sabbath, it's not
saying the government should
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legislate the Sabbath.
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It's that the
government should allow people
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to observe the Sabbath freely.
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It should guarantee
people's right to worship.
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"If the government
would honor the Sabbath
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as God has commanded, it would
stand in the strength of God
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and in defense of the faith
once delivered to the saints.
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But statesmen..."
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What are statesmen?
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Politicians, right?
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"But statesmen will
uphold the spurious sabbath..."
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That's where the
problem comes in, when the
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civil power becomes involved.
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"...and will mingle
their religious faith with the
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observance of this
child of the papacy,
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placing it above the Sabbath
which the Lord has sanctified
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and blessed, setting it
apart for man to keep holy,
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as a sign between
Him and His people
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to a thousand generations."
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Now listen carefully.
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"The mingling of
church-craft and state-craft
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is represented by
the iron and the clay."
00:08:08.38\00:08:11.18
Hmmm.
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So what does the
iron and clay represent?
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The union of church and state.
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That's right.
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She continues saying,
"This union is weakening
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all the power of the churches.
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This investing the church
with the power of the state
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will bring evil results.
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Men have almost passed the
point of God's forbearance.
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They have invested
their strength in politics,
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and have united with the papacy.
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But the time will come when
God will punish those who have
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made void His law,
and their evil work
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will recoil upon themselves."
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So according to Ellen White,
what is represented by the clay?
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The clay is
representing the church.
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Because we know
that the iron represents
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the political Roman Empire.
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So the clay
represents the church.
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Now you say, where in the world
did Ellen White get this from?
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Is this some unique
revelation that Ellen White has
00:09:04.44\00:09:07.60
that is not found in Scripture?
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Absolutely not.
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So it sent me on a journey.
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And where do you suppose
I looked to try and discover
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the meaning of potter's clay?
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Ah, sola scriptura.
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I said, let's check and see
if there are any other places
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in the Bible that used
potter's clay symbolically.
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And I went to Jeremiah 18.
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Go with me to Jer...
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Are you understanding
how to use sola scriptura?
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Now we need to
connect apples with apples
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and not apples with oranges.
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We are connecting, the
connection is potter's clay.
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We're trying to
discover what is symbolized
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by the potter's clay.
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Jeremiah 18 verses 1 to 6.
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This is speaking about Israel;
God's Old Testament church,
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God's Old Testament people.
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"The word which came to
Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
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'Arise, go down to...'" Where?
00:10:02.40\00:10:06.59
"'...go down to the
potter's house, and there I will
00:10:06.93\00:10:12.32
cause you to hear My words.'
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Then I went down to the potter's
house, and there he was,
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making something at the wheel.
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And the vessel that
he made of..." What?
00:10:22.86\00:10:25.78
Ah, we have two
of the key words.
00:10:26.15\00:10:27.44
We have potter's
and we have what?
00:10:27.47\00:10:29.53
Clay.
00:10:29.56\00:10:30.62
"And the vessel that
he made of clay was marred
00:10:30.65\00:10:34.62
in the hand of the
potter; so he made it again into
00:10:34.65\00:10:38.42
another vessel, as it seemed
good to the potter to make."
00:10:38.45\00:10:42.15
Now let me give you a
little historical background.
00:10:42.18\00:10:44.19
Jeremiah is writing right
before the Babylonian captivity.
00:10:44.34\00:10:47.32
And he knows that
Israel is going to
00:10:48.32\00:10:50.04
go captive for 70 years.
00:10:50.07\00:10:51.43
In fact, he prophesied
that in Jeremiah 25:11-12
00:10:51.46\00:10:55.34
that Israel would
go into captivity.
00:10:55.37\00:10:57.10
But he also stated
that after the captivity,
00:10:57.46\00:11:00.08
Israel would come
back to their land.
00:11:00.45\00:11:02.39
They would be re-established,
they would be rebuilt,
00:11:02.42\00:11:04.70
so to speak.
00:11:04.73\00:11:05.76
So basically what he's saying
is the vessel represents Israel.
00:11:06.25\00:11:10.91
In a moment
we're going to read it.
00:11:10.94\00:11:12.15
The vessel of potter's
clay represents Israel.
00:11:12.18\00:11:15.66
The shattering of
the vessel represents
00:11:15.95\00:11:18.70
the Babylonian captivity.
00:11:18.73\00:11:20.23
And the restoring of the vessel,
of making the vessel again,
00:11:20.52\00:11:24.70
represents the re-establishment
of Israel after the captivity.
00:11:24.94\00:11:28.87
Now notice, clearly
verse 6 has this meaning.
00:11:29.16\00:11:32.50
"'O house of Israel, can I
not do with you as this potter?'
00:11:33.03\00:11:40.37
says the Lord.
00:11:40.57\00:11:41.84
'Look, as the clay is in
the potter's hand, so are you
00:11:42.11\00:11:47.81
in My hand, O house of Israel.'"
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.44
So what does the potter's
clay represent in Jeremiah 18?
00:11:50.84\00:11:54.14
It is a symbol of Israel,
God's Old Testament church,
00:11:54.75\00:11:59.34
or God's Old Testament people.
00:11:59.37\00:12:01.16
Are you seeing the point?
00:12:01.19\00:12:02.24
Now let's pursue
it from another angle.
00:12:02.67\00:12:04.24
There's three angle's
that we need to pursue
00:12:04.27\00:12:06.45
on this point.
00:12:06.66\00:12:07.80
Go with me to Genesis 2 verse 7.
00:12:07.83\00:12:09.58
And you'll say, "What in the
world could Genesis 2 verse 7
00:12:09.61\00:12:12.60
have to do with any of this?"
00:12:12.63\00:12:13.98
You're going to see in a moment.
00:12:14.01\00:12:15.33
Genesis 2 verse 7.
00:12:16.04\00:12:17.62
It's speaking about
the creation of man.
00:12:18.76\00:12:22.59
And it says there, "And the Lord
God formed man of the..." What?
00:12:23.34\00:12:27.13
Of the dust of the ground.
00:12:27.82\00:12:29.15
How many of you have ever tried
to form anything from dust?
00:12:29.18\00:12:32.16
You can't form
anything from dust.
00:12:33.39\00:12:35.14
The dust falls apart.
00:12:35.78\00:12:37.20
But really, what God
did was use wet dust.
00:12:37.81\00:12:41.18
Which we call potter's clay.
00:12:41.75\00:12:43.37
You say, "Where's
that in the Bible?"
00:12:43.58\00:12:44.92
Notice just below
that, Isaiah 64 and verse 8.
00:12:45.62\00:12:49.24
Isaiah 64 and verse 8
says, "But now, O Lord,
00:12:49.27\00:12:52.88
You are our Father; we are
the clay, and You our potter;
00:12:52.91\00:12:59.91
and all we are the
work of Your hand."
00:12:59.94\00:13:02.17
So God is the potter and
we, our body, is the what?
00:13:02.20\00:13:06.84
Our body is the clay.
00:13:06.94\00:13:09.34
So go back to Genesis 2 verse 7.
00:13:09.93\00:13:12.28
It says, "The Lord
God formed man of the
00:13:12.31\00:13:14.29
dust of the ground..."
00:13:14.32\00:13:15.35
And then there
was something missing.
00:13:15.55\00:13:16.94
Were all of the
body parts there?
00:13:16.97\00:13:18.66
Were all of the organs there?
00:13:19.34\00:13:20.94
All of the systems there?
00:13:21.43\00:13:23.10
Yes, but there
was something lacking.
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.66
What was lacking so
that the body could function,
00:13:24.69\00:13:26.76
so everything could
function harmoniously as one?
00:13:26.79\00:13:29.65
They needed the breath of life.
00:13:30.13\00:13:32.07
And so it says, "...and
breathed into his nostrils
00:13:32.10\00:13:35.31
the breath of life; and
man became a living being."
00:13:35.34\00:13:39.91
Or a living soul,
some versions say.
00:13:41.10\00:13:43.47
I'm reading the New King James.
00:13:43.79\00:13:45.10
It says living being.
00:13:45.13\00:13:46.45
So here you have God
creating the body of man
00:13:46.90\00:13:50.64
out of potter's clay,
according to Isaiah 64.
00:13:51.08\00:13:54.34
Then God gives
the body the spirit.
00:13:54.51\00:13:56.58
And now all of
the parts of the body
00:13:56.61\00:13:59.17
begin to function harmoniously.
00:13:59.20\00:14:01.86
Now this is literal language.
00:14:02.39\00:14:04.10
God literally created the body.
00:14:04.13\00:14:06.03
But let me ask you, spiritually
what is the body of Christ?
00:14:06.06\00:14:10.08
The body of Christ spiritually
is the church, is it not?
00:14:11.70\00:14:15.03
Notice Colossians
chapter 1 and verse 18.
00:14:15.22\00:14:17.52
Because we're dealing
with symbols in Daniel 2.
00:14:17.55\00:14:20.02
We're not dealing with literal.
00:14:20.05\00:14:21.08
We're dealing with, what
does potter's clay represent.
00:14:21.11\00:14:24.77
And so it says
in Colossians 1:18,
00:14:25.04\00:14:27.27
"And He," that is Jesus, "is the
head of the body, the church,
00:14:27.65\00:14:30.83
who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
00:14:30.93\00:14:33.93
that in all things He
may have the preeminence."
00:14:33.96\00:14:36.93
So Jesus is the
head of the what?
00:14:36.96\00:14:38.97
Of the body. And
what is the body?
00:14:39.31\00:14:41.27
The body is the church.
00:14:41.57\00:14:43.61
Now question, did Jesus
bring His church together
00:14:43.88\00:14:48.31
as a body before
the day of Pentecost?
00:14:48.73\00:14:51.53
Yes He did.
00:14:51.90\00:14:52.93
When the day of
Pentecost had fully come,
00:14:53.32\00:14:56.77
all of His followers were what?
00:14:57.06\00:14:59.32
In one accord.
00:14:59.88\00:15:01.32
The body that had different
body parts all over the place...
00:15:01.35\00:15:04.96
Because, you know, everybody
wanted to be number one
00:15:04.99\00:15:07.36
in the kingdom.
00:15:07.39\00:15:08.42
There was no unity of the body.
00:15:08.49\00:15:10.32
During those ten days
the body comes into unity.
00:15:10.62\00:15:13.49
And now they're united.
00:15:14.43\00:15:15.56
But something is
missing. What is missing?
00:15:15.59\00:15:17.90
Oh, you have to have
the Spirit in the body.
00:15:18.70\00:15:21.55
And so we find in Acts chapter
2 and verses 2 through 4,
00:15:21.94\00:15:25.82
"And suddenly there
came a sound from heaven
00:15:25.92\00:15:28.19
as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house
00:15:28.22\00:15:31.48
where they were sitting.
00:15:31.51\00:15:32.75
Then there appeared to them
divided tongues, as of fire,
00:15:33.15\00:15:36.30
and one sat upon each of them.
00:15:36.40\00:15:38.38
And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and began to
00:15:38.41\00:15:41.75
speak with other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance."
00:15:41.78\00:15:45.05
Question, did all the body
parts now begin to function
00:15:45.46\00:15:48.66
in perfect harmony,
each fulfilling their own
00:15:48.69\00:15:51.34
particular function?
00:15:51.37\00:15:52.42
Absolutely.
00:15:52.49\00:15:53.52
By the way, this body
illustration is not mine.
00:15:53.55\00:15:57.01
It's the apostle Paul's.
00:15:57.21\00:15:58.78
Notice 1 Corinthians
chapter 12 and verses 12 and 13.
00:15:59.10\00:16:03.21
The body is one,
it has many members,
00:16:03.24\00:16:05.65
and each member
fulfills its function.
00:16:05.68\00:16:07.60
And so it is with the church.
00:16:08.00\00:16:11.09
The church is one
body, it has many members,
00:16:11.12\00:16:14.83
and the purpose of
all of the members is to
00:16:14.86\00:16:16.90
function in perfect harmony.
00:16:16.93\00:16:18.49
So in other words, as
the body of man is made
00:16:18.52\00:16:21.62
of potter's clay literally,
the church is composed
00:16:21.65\00:16:25.86
of potter's clay spiritually.
00:16:25.89\00:16:28.27
Because the church
is the body of Christ.
00:16:28.30\00:16:30.76
Now, notice 1
Corinthians 12:12-13.
00:16:31.26\00:16:34.28
"For as the body is
one and has many members,
00:16:35.09\00:16:38.98
but all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body,
00:16:39.19\00:16:43.34
so also is Christ.
00:16:43.37\00:16:44.83
For by one Spirit we were
all baptized into one body,
00:16:45.04\00:16:48.52
whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free,
00:16:48.55\00:16:51.21
and all have been made
to drink into one Spirit."
00:16:51.24\00:16:55.46
And so using Genesis 2
verse 7, we notice that the
00:16:55.93\00:16:59.13
potter's clay,
literally speaking, with which
00:16:59.16\00:17:01.37
God forms the body
of man, is symbolic of
00:17:01.40\00:17:04.41
spiritual clay with which
Jesus Christ forms His church.
00:17:04.44\00:17:08.54
And in fact, in
Romans chapter 11 the church
00:17:08.57\00:17:11.60
is compared to fragile
clay, interestingly enough.
00:17:11.63\00:17:16.00
Now let's pursue it
from a third perspective.
00:17:16.53\00:17:18.89
Ezekiel 37, the famous
valley of the dry bones.
00:17:18.92\00:17:23.54
Have you ever heard of
the valley of the dry bones?
00:17:23.57\00:17:25.66
You know, you have
all these body parts
00:17:26.06\00:17:27.69
strewn all over the valley.
00:17:27.72\00:17:29.22
They are totally lifeless.
00:17:29.32\00:17:30.96
And then Ezekiel is
commanded to call what?
00:17:31.16\00:17:34.62
He's commanded
to call the spirit.
00:17:35.52\00:17:36.96
But before he calls the spirit,
what happens with all of the
00:17:36.99\00:17:39.78
parts of the body?
00:17:39.81\00:17:41.08
All of the parts of
the body come together.
00:17:41.35\00:17:44.30
And they all, you know,
they all fit one with the other.
00:17:44.74\00:17:49.23
And so the body
is completely formed.
00:17:49.33\00:17:51.52
But something is missing
even after the body is formed.
00:17:51.55\00:17:54.54
What is missing?
00:17:54.57\00:17:55.60
What is missing is the
spirit, or the breath of life.
00:17:56.14\00:17:59.15
And so Ezekiel calls for the
spirit, and the spirit enters
00:17:59.66\00:18:03.72
those bodies, and
now you have an army.
00:18:03.75\00:18:06.23
Now what is represented by
the valley of the dry bones?
00:18:06.26\00:18:09.12
Well we don't have to guess.
00:18:09.35\00:18:10.63
Ezekiel 37:10-11
tells us what it represents.
00:18:11.37\00:18:14.95
All the members of the body
represent Israel, God's people.
00:18:15.67\00:18:21.10
See, once again, the
body is symbolic of Israel,
00:18:21.13\00:18:24.77
of God's people.
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.01
So it says there
in Ezekiel 37:10-11,
00:18:26.19\00:18:29.21
"So I prophesied as He
commanded me, and breath
00:18:29.24\00:18:32.72
came into them, and they lived,
and stood upon their feet,
00:18:32.75\00:18:36.41
an exceedingly great army.
00:18:36.44\00:18:38.28
Then He said to me..."
00:18:38.32\00:18:39.35
Now comes the meaning.
00:18:39.38\00:18:40.42
"Son of man, these bones
are the whole house of Israel.
00:18:40.45\00:18:45.27
They indeed say, 'Our
bones are dry, our hope is lost,
00:18:45.30\00:18:48.54
and we ourselves are cut off.'"
00:18:48.57\00:18:51.19
And so the mixture of
iron and potter's clay
00:18:51.92\00:18:55.27
represents the union of God's
people, the union of the church,
00:18:55.37\00:19:01.18
with the state.
00:19:01.21\00:19:03.21
Now let me ask you, is
the church good as a church?
00:19:03.71\00:19:07.72
Yes.
00:19:08.59\00:19:09.62
Who created the church?
00:19:09.75\00:19:11.31
Jesus did.
00:19:11.81\00:19:13.05
Is the state good as the state?
00:19:13.30\00:19:15.56
Yes, Romans 13 says that
God established the state.
00:19:16.03\00:19:20.45
It is God's minister, it
even says in Romans chapter 13.
00:19:20.48\00:19:24.92
Church and state are good.
00:19:25.23\00:19:26.91
When does the problem appear?
00:19:26.94\00:19:29.55
When you take what
needs to be separate,
00:19:30.29\00:19:32.61
caesar to caesar and God to God,
when you take them and you what?
00:19:32.64\00:19:37.59
And you mingle them.
00:19:37.79\00:19:39.58
The result is apostasy.
00:19:39.61\00:19:41.31
Now in Revelation 17
we have the same lesson,
00:19:41.78\00:19:44.69
but with different symbols.
00:19:44.72\00:19:46.32
It's no longer iron and clay.
00:19:46.83\00:19:48.84
A different symbolism is used,
00:19:49.37\00:19:51.39
but it
represents the same thing.
00:19:51.42\00:19:53.05
Go with me to Revelation
17 and verses 1 and 2.
00:19:53.26\00:19:56.71
It says there in Revelation
17 and verses 1 and 2,
00:19:58.08\00:20:01.45
"Then one of the seven
angels who had the seven bowls
00:20:02.44\00:20:06.61
came and talked with me, saying
to me, 'Come, I will show you
00:20:06.64\00:20:11.32
the judgment of..." What?
00:20:11.35\00:20:13.21
"...of the great harlot
who sits on many waters..."
00:20:13.24\00:20:16.27
What does a woman
represent in prophecy?
00:20:16.37\00:20:18.43
The church.
00:20:18.73\00:20:19.76
What does a harlot
represent in Bible prophecy?
00:20:19.79\00:20:22.31
Represents an apostate
church or an adulterous church.
00:20:22.64\00:20:27.24
Now let me ask you,
what is it that made
00:20:27.27\00:20:28.90
this church adulterous?
00:20:28.93\00:20:30.34
What made her adulterous?
00:20:33.08\00:20:34.65
Well let's continue reading.
00:20:34.68\00:20:36.10
It says, "...with whom..." What?
00:20:36.20\00:20:39.14
"...the kings of the
earth committed fornication,
00:20:39.55\00:20:44.06
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk
00:20:44.44\00:20:46.86
with the wine of
her fornication."
00:20:46.89\00:20:49.07
What made her a harlot?
00:20:49.10\00:20:50.51
Adulterous
relationships with what?
00:20:51.36\00:20:54.00
With the kings of the earth.
00:20:54.10\00:20:55.52
Is that the same lesson as
the mixture of iron and clay?
00:20:55.62\00:20:58.57
It most certainly is.
00:20:58.85\00:21:00.24
The mixture of
iron and clay represents
00:21:00.70\00:21:02.71
the union of church and state.
00:21:02.74\00:21:04.52
And Revelation 17 explains
that this means that the harlot,
00:21:04.72\00:21:09.08
the apostate church, fornicates
with the political powers,
00:21:09.11\00:21:12.74
or with the kings of the earth.
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.25
So Revelation 17 is presenting
the final stage of the
00:21:14.51\00:21:18.60
union of church and state.
00:21:18.63\00:21:19.88
See, Daniel chapter 2
is presenting the events
00:21:19.91\00:21:23.02
that take place during
the middle ages, primarily.
00:21:23.05\00:21:25.65
Revelation 17 takes us to
the time when the deadly wound
00:21:25.75\00:21:29.09
is healed, and once
again the harlot joins with the
00:21:29.12\00:21:32.15
kings of the earth to
oppress God's people by joining
00:21:32.18\00:21:35.52
church and state.
00:21:35.55\00:21:36.66
And so what is represented
by the mixture of iron and clay?
00:21:37.24\00:21:42.57
What is represented is
the union of church and state.
00:21:42.84\00:21:47.84
Just the way that Ellen
White said that it represents.
00:21:48.17\00:21:53.31
So do we have
to depend slavishly
00:21:53.74\00:21:55.80
on the spirit of prophecy?
00:21:55.83\00:21:57.05
I'm not saying that
in a negative sense.
00:21:57.08\00:21:58.87
No, see Ellen White herself
says, "When I say something,
00:21:59.09\00:22:02.19
go to the Bible and
check it out and try and find
00:22:02.22\00:22:04.26
the meaning in the Bible.
00:22:04.29\00:22:05.45
And the point is that
we can find that meaning
00:22:05.87\00:22:08.91
in Holy Scripture.
00:22:08.94\00:22:10.74
Now you can read the
rest of this material.
00:22:11.23\00:22:13.22
I wanted to deal
primarily with the issue
00:22:14.14\00:22:16.54
of the feet of the image.
00:22:16.57\00:22:17.60
Did you see how we used
the sola scripture principle?
00:22:17.63\00:22:20.86
What did we do?
00:22:21.19\00:22:22.46
We took verses that
refer to the same thing,
00:22:23.48\00:22:28.89
the same terminology,
and we allowed those verses,
00:22:28.99\00:22:32.25
which the Holy
Spirit put in Jeremiah,
00:22:32.28\00:22:34.31
the Holy Spirit
put in Ezekiel 37,
00:22:34.34\00:22:36.72
the Holy Spirit put
in 1 Corinthians 12,
00:22:36.75\00:22:39.79
and in Acts chapter
2, the Holy Spirit placed
00:22:39.82\00:22:42.09
all those verses in
different places strategically
00:22:42.12\00:22:45.13
so that when we
read, "iron and clay,"
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.78
in Daniel chapter 2,
we know what it means.
00:22:47.81\00:22:50.31
Because if you
just read Daniel 2,
00:22:50.34\00:22:51.85
you don't know what it means.
00:22:51.88\00:22:53.07
Right?
00:22:54.03\00:22:55.06
But when you go to
other passages from Scripture,
00:22:55.41\00:22:58.05
those passages help
us interpret the meaning
00:22:58.08\00:23:01.88
of the mixture of iron
and clay in Daniel chapter 2.
00:23:01.91\00:23:04.55
That is the sola
scriptura principle.
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.44
Now let's go to the
other material that you have,
00:23:08.21\00:23:10.18
which is, "Notes
on Isaiah 24:21-23."
00:23:10.21\00:23:16.92
Once again illustrating
the sola scriptura principle.
00:23:17.61\00:23:22.71
Now I'm going to follow
the material quite closely.
00:23:26.51\00:23:29.63
And you'll be
able to follow along.
00:23:29.83\00:23:31.42
It's only four pages long.
00:23:31.45\00:23:33.51
Isaiah 24 to 27 is
what has been called,
00:23:35.66\00:23:38.77
the little
apocalypse of the Old Testament;
00:23:38.80\00:23:41.09
the little book of
Revelation in the Old Testament.
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.05
Because there are so many
elements in these chapters
00:23:43.56\00:23:46.31
that are repeated in Revelation.
00:23:46.34\00:23:48.71
Now chapter 24 is describing
the second coming of Jesus.
00:23:49.22\00:23:54.72
There's no doubt
whatsoever about it when you
00:23:55.81\00:23:57.58
read the
description that is being given.
00:23:57.61\00:23:59.18
In fact, let's read here
Isaiah 24 and verses 1 to 4.
00:23:59.21\00:24:05.04
"Behold, the Lord
makes the earth..." What?
00:24:06.22\00:24:10.60
"...empty and makes it
waste, distorts its surface,
00:24:11.39\00:24:19.41
and scatters
abroad its inhabitants.
00:24:19.51\00:24:22.67
And it shall be: as with
the people, so with the priest;
00:24:23.31\00:24:26.18
as with the
servant, so with his master;
00:24:26.38\00:24:28.85
as with the maid,
so with her mistress;
00:24:29.05\00:24:31.53
as with the buyer,
so with the seller;
00:24:31.63\00:24:33.96
as with the lender,
so with the borrower;
00:24:34.24\00:24:36.62
as with the
creditor, so with the debtor.
00:24:36.93\00:24:39.29
The land shall be utterly
emptied and utterly plundered,
00:24:39.72\00:24:44.03
for the Lord has
spoken this word.
00:24:44.06\00:24:46.03
The earth mourns and fades away,
00:24:46.06\00:24:48.55
the world
languishes and fades away;
00:24:48.58\00:24:51.28
the haughty people
of the earth languish."
00:24:51.38\00:24:53.69
Clearly, if you continue
reading the chapter, you'll find
00:24:53.89\00:24:56.67
that this is a
description of the cataclysmic
00:24:56.70\00:24:59.17
second coming of Christ.
00:24:59.20\00:25:00.78
I'd like to read a
statement by Frederick Moriarty
00:25:01.57\00:25:05.75
in the Jerome Bible
Commentary, volume 1, page 277.
00:25:06.37\00:25:10.22
He gives his opinion
about what is being spoken of
00:25:10.56\00:25:15.80
in Isaiah chapter 24.
00:25:15.83\00:25:17.57
He says this, "God's
Word had once established
00:25:17.60\00:25:22.48
order in the world; Genesis 1.
00:25:22.51\00:25:25.54
The picture," in Isaiah
24, "is that of a return
00:25:25.68\00:25:30.86
to primeval chaos."
00:25:30.89\00:25:33.63
In other words, and
he's a Roman Catholic scholar
00:25:34.19\00:25:35.93
interestingly enough,
he's saying the picture here
00:25:35.96\00:25:37.77
in Isaiah 24 is the return
of the world to the condition
00:25:37.81\00:25:40.87
it was in before
Genesis 1, before creation,
00:25:40.90\00:25:43.36
where the earth was
without form and void.
00:25:43.39\00:25:46.86
So Isaiah 24 is describing
the second coming of Christ.
00:25:47.61\00:25:51.25
Now let's read verses 18 to 20.
00:25:51.54\00:25:53.94
Isaiah 24 verses 18 through 20.
00:25:53.97\00:25:56.57
This sounds very
familiar to Revelation chapter 6
00:25:57.65\00:26:02.86
where it speaks about
people hiding in the caves
00:26:02.89\00:26:05.52
and crying for the
mountains to fall on them.
00:26:05.55\00:26:07.12
Remember? Notice
what it says here.
00:26:07.15\00:26:08.91
"And it shall be that he who
flees from the noise of the fear
00:26:08.94\00:26:12.80
shall fall into the
pit, and he who comes up from
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.98
the midst of the pit
shall be caught in the snare."
00:26:16.01\00:26:18.27
In other words,
there's no place to escape.
00:26:18.30\00:26:20.11
"For the windows
from on high are open
00:26:20.62\00:26:23.88
and the foundations
of the earth are shaken.
00:26:23.91\00:26:27.18
The earth is violently
broken, the earth is split open,
00:26:27.67\00:26:31.54
the earth is shaken exceedingly.
00:26:31.57\00:26:33.43
The earth shall reel to
and fro like a drunkard,
00:26:33.63\00:26:37.18
and shall totter like a hut.
00:26:37.21\00:26:38.91
Its transgression
shall be heavy upon it,
00:26:38.94\00:26:41.21
and it shall fall,
and not rise again."
00:26:41.24\00:26:44.69
Quite a description, isn't it.
00:26:45.39\00:26:46.69
It's speaking about a
global cataclysmic event;
00:26:47.13\00:26:49.87
the destruction at the
second coming of Christ.
00:26:49.90\00:26:52.93
Now let's go to
Isaiah 24 and verse 6.
00:26:54.14\00:26:57.94
When this happens...
00:26:58.95\00:27:00.46
And we discussed
this a little bit earlier,
00:27:01.23\00:27:03.51
so I'll just review.
00:27:03.54\00:27:05.62
It says, "Therefore the
curse has devoured the earth,
00:27:05.90\00:27:08.68
and those who
dwell in it are desolate.
00:27:08.93\00:27:11.86
Therefore the inhabitants
of the earth are burned,
00:27:12.31\00:27:15.79
and few men are left."
00:27:17.20\00:27:20.25
So let me ask, at the
second coming who are the
00:27:21.57\00:27:23.30
few men who are left?
00:27:23.33\00:27:24.91
Are there any wicked men
going to live on this planet
00:27:26.69\00:27:28.92
during the thousand years?
00:27:28.95\00:27:30.28
No, so who are the
few men that are left?
00:27:30.48\00:27:33.42
The ones who are left
are God's faithful people;
00:27:33.69\00:27:36.86
the remnant whom Jesus
is going to take to heaven
00:27:36.89\00:27:40.01
with Him when He comes.
00:27:40.04\00:27:41.68
I mentioned Genesis
chapter 7 verses 22 and 23.
00:27:42.25\00:27:45.49
That's where this
terminology comes from.
00:27:45.91\00:27:48.48
Let's read that
verse, verse 22 first of all.
00:27:48.96\00:27:51.65
It says, "So He destroyed
all living things which were on
00:27:51.68\00:27:54.57
the face of the
ground: both man and cattle,
00:27:54.60\00:27:58.37
creeping thing
and bird of the air.
00:27:58.40\00:28:00.19
They were
destroyed from the earth.
00:28:00.43\00:28:02.25
Only Noah and
those who were with him
00:28:02.58\00:28:05.42
in the ark remained alive.
00:28:05.45\00:28:08.19
The English Standard
Version, and well as many other
00:28:08.50\00:28:11.08
modern versions, say,
"Only Noah was..." What?
00:28:11.11\00:28:15.80
"...was left, and those
who were with him in the ark."
00:28:15.83\00:28:21.34
Now it's interesting that it
says, "few men are left," right?
00:28:22.33\00:28:25.70
In Isaiah chapter 24?
00:28:25.73\00:28:28.19
Would it be good to look in a
concordance for the word, "few?"
00:28:28.22\00:28:31.18
I think it would be a good idea.
00:28:32.75\00:28:34.19
It takes effort.
00:28:34.22\00:28:35.61
But, you know, if it's
dealing with the same event,
00:28:35.95\00:28:38.59
the word, "few,"
might be significant.
00:28:38.62\00:28:40.53
Now, 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 20.
00:28:40.98\00:28:43.17
Who does the
word, "few," refer to?
00:28:43.20\00:28:45.18
To the saved or to the lost?
00:28:45.35\00:28:47.18
It says there,
speaking about the ark,
00:28:47.80\00:28:50.36
"...in which a..." What?
00:28:50.57\00:28:52.75
"...a few, that is,
eight persons, were brought
00:28:52.85\00:28:56.88
safely through the water."
00:28:56.91\00:28:58.41
So who are the few who are left?
00:28:58.44\00:29:00.65
They're parallel to the
few people who were in the ark,
00:29:01.70\00:29:04.98
the eight persons.
00:29:05.01\00:29:06.11
Are you following me or not?
00:29:06.14\00:29:07.44
Now, we need to go
to verses 21 to 23,
00:29:08.17\00:29:12.15
because this is
where we need to apply the
00:29:12.18\00:29:13.90
sola scripture
principle in more detail.
00:29:13.93\00:29:18.40
Isaiah 24 verse 21 says
something very interesting.
00:29:18.84\00:29:22.15
In this day when the
cataclysmic event comes,
00:29:22.18\00:29:26.30
which is the second
coming of Christ and everything
00:29:26.44\00:29:29.37
is in upheaval,
something is going to happen.
00:29:29.40\00:29:32.94
Notice verse 21.
00:29:33.35\00:29:35.72
"It shall come to
pass in that day..."
00:29:36.26\00:29:38.52
Which day?
00:29:38.55\00:29:39.65
Well, the day that's
been described, right?
00:29:40.96\00:29:43.04
The second coming.
00:29:43.07\00:29:44.10
"...in that day
the Lord will..." What?
00:29:44.24\00:29:47.39
"...punish the
powers in the heaven above
00:29:47.76\00:29:51.36
and the kings on
the earth below."
00:29:51.75\00:29:53.77
This is the
Revised Standard Version.
00:29:53.97\00:29:55.68
See, I like to read
many different versions,
00:29:55.71\00:29:57.68
then look at the
original language to see which
00:29:57.71\00:29:59.73
is the best translation.
00:29:59.76\00:30:00.98
And let me
interject something here.
00:30:01.18\00:30:02.76
There are people who
say, "King James only.
00:30:02.79\00:30:05.53
If it was good
enough for Christ,
00:30:05.56\00:30:06.82
it's good enough for me."
00:30:06.85\00:30:07.95
Well the King James didn't
exist in the days of Christ.
00:30:07.98\00:30:10.31
Of course you know that.
00:30:10.34\00:30:11.64
I am more practical.
00:30:12.37\00:30:14.77
I believe that the
King James manuscript trail
00:30:15.11\00:30:18.58
is the best manuscript trail.
00:30:18.61\00:30:20.47
I believe that the
Textus Receptus is a good
00:30:20.80\00:30:23.47
manuscript trail.
00:30:23.50\00:30:24.79
And I believe that
the King James Version
00:30:25.74\00:30:27.89
is a beautiful translation
into Victorian English.
00:30:27.92\00:30:31.54
It is very beautiful.
00:30:31.57\00:30:32.72
But the King James Version
has translation mistakes.
00:30:33.80\00:30:37.47
Now listen to what I said.
00:30:38.24\00:30:39.50
I said, "translation mistakes."
00:30:39.76\00:30:41.86
I'm not saying that
the manuscripts are bad.
00:30:42.80\00:30:45.13
I'm saying that the
King James translators
00:30:45.59\00:30:48.05
sometimes translated in a
way that is not accurate with
00:30:48.08\00:30:54.17
the meaning of the
words in those manuscripts
00:30:54.20\00:30:57.04
that they depend on.
00:30:57.07\00:30:58.27
You know, I'll
give you an example.
00:30:58.84\00:31:00.09
In Scripture the word,
"sheol," means, "grave."
00:31:01.34\00:31:06.79
And in the New Testament
the equivalent word is, "hades,"
00:31:06.82\00:31:09.40
which is used eleven
times in the New Testament.
00:31:09.43\00:31:11.78
The King James almost in
every single reference in the
00:31:12.37\00:31:15.12
Old Testament that you
have the word, "sheol,"
00:31:15.15\00:31:18.14
it translates, "hell."
00:31:18.17\00:31:20.06
And in the New Testament it
translates the word, "hades,"
00:31:21.88\00:31:25.07
"hell" also.
00:31:25.10\00:31:26.53
Now for Adventists, that
creates all kinds of problems.
00:31:27.15\00:31:29.31
Because for
example, when it speaks about
00:31:29.34\00:31:31.55
the burial of Jesus, Jesus says,
"You will not leave My soul
00:31:31.58\00:31:35.10
in hell, nor will You allow Your
holy One to see corruption."
00:31:35.13\00:31:38.36
"Wow, so Jesus went to hell.
00:31:39.01\00:31:41.16
'You will not leave Me in
hell,' is what Jesus said."
00:31:41.19\00:31:44.10
So Jesus went to hell; that's
what many Christians believe.
00:31:44.13\00:31:46.81
But when you read, for example,
the New International Version,
00:31:47.16\00:31:49.80
which I don't think that
the manuscripts that are used
00:31:50.00\00:31:52.25
are the best
manuscripts, but the translation
00:31:52.28\00:31:54.59
is a good translation.
00:31:54.62\00:31:55.90
Because the NIV says, "You
will not leave Me in the grave,
00:31:56.17\00:32:01.27
nor will You allow Your
holy One to see corruption."
00:32:01.30\00:32:04.06
"You will not leave Me..."
00:32:04.09\00:32:05.35
The soul is,
"Me," in other words.
00:32:05.38\00:32:07.42
And hell is not hell, it is
the grave according to the NIV.
00:32:07.73\00:32:11.80
What is the best translation?
00:32:11.83\00:32:13.27
The best translation
is the NIV translation.
00:32:13.47\00:32:17.49
So I want to make that clear.
00:32:17.52\00:32:19.06
I'm not encouraging
you to think that the NIV,
00:32:19.09\00:32:23.96
you know, was
revealed directly from heaven,
00:32:24.16\00:32:27.11
that God sent it
somehow from heaven,
00:32:27.14\00:32:28.77
and that it's a
flawless translation.
00:32:28.80\00:32:30.38
But sometimes the
translation is better in some of
00:32:30.41\00:32:33.53
these modern versions.
00:32:33.73\00:32:34.87
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:32:34.90\00:32:36.49
Now notice then,
that when Jesus comes
00:32:36.88\00:32:41.18
there will be a punishment
for the powers in the heavens
00:32:42.03\00:32:44.68
and for the kings on the earth.
00:32:45.11\00:32:46.74
So there's a contrast
between heaven and earth.
00:32:46.77\00:32:49.25
Now who are these in the
heavens that will be punished?
00:32:49.88\00:32:52.75
Are they the good angels
that are going to be punished?
00:32:53.31\00:32:55.64
No, who are these
powers in the heavens?
00:32:55.91\00:32:58.44
Well let's read
Ephesians 6 verse 12 to see
00:32:58.90\00:33:01.04
who the powers
in the heavens are.
00:33:01.07\00:33:02.63
The apostle Paul
says, "For we do not wrestle
00:33:03.41\00:33:05.85
against flesh and blood..."
00:33:05.88\00:33:07.62
What does that
mean, "flesh and blood?"
00:33:07.65\00:33:09.31
Human beings, right?
00:33:09.94\00:33:11.28
We're not struggling
against human beings.
00:33:11.31\00:33:13.55
"For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood,
00:33:13.58\00:33:15.74
but against
principalities, against powers,
00:33:15.94\00:33:19.63
against the rulers of
the darkness of this age,
00:33:19.66\00:33:23.27
against spiritual hosts
of wickedness..." Where?
00:33:23.30\00:33:26.83
"...in the heavenly places."
00:33:27.62\00:33:29.74
So who are the powers on
high, the heavenly powers,
00:33:30.27\00:33:33.62
that are going to be
punished when Jesus comes?
00:33:33.72\00:33:36.27
They represent the
hosts of wickedness;
00:33:36.81\00:33:39.16
Satan and his angels.
00:33:39.19\00:33:42.04
The notes says, in Scripture
the heavenly hosts are angels.
00:33:42.66\00:33:46.06
The expression, "flesh and
blood," refers to human beings.
00:33:46.75\00:33:49.75
The apostle Paul makes
it clear that we are not
00:33:50.18\00:33:52.47
warring against human beings.
00:33:52.50\00:33:54.15
We are warring
against heavenly powers.
00:33:54.18\00:33:56.94
Elsewhere the apostle Paul
calls Satan, the prince of the
00:33:57.43\00:34:01.27
power of the...
What? ...of the air.
00:34:01.30\00:34:03.80
So the hosts of heaven here
refers to Satan and his angels.
00:34:03.84\00:34:08.61
They will be
punished when Jesus comes.
00:34:08.71\00:34:12.85
So far so good?
00:34:14.45\00:34:15.60
Will the kings of the earth also
be punished when Jesus comes?
00:34:16.57\00:34:19.61
Notice Revelation 19 verse 19.
00:34:19.99\00:34:22.45
Revelation 19 verse 19.
00:34:22.74\00:34:24.40
See, you have to
look up all these things.
00:34:24.43\00:34:25.84
"Kings of the earth."
00:34:25.87\00:34:27.33
See, look up,
"kings of the earth,"
00:34:28.16\00:34:29.81
and see if it's in the
same context in another place.
00:34:29.85\00:34:32.90
When it says, "powers in
the heavens," look up those
00:34:33.52\00:34:36.89
key words in other verses
to see if those other verses
00:34:36.92\00:34:40.27
deal with the same theme.
00:34:40.30\00:34:42.24
That's sola scriptura.
00:34:43.30\00:34:45.05
It takes effort
and it takes time,
00:34:45.08\00:34:46.97
but it will be very rewarding.
00:34:47.00\00:34:49.26
So Revelation 19 verse
19, which is also describing
00:34:49.93\00:34:53.28
the second coming of
Christ, "And I saw the beast..."
00:34:53.31\00:34:56.19
Who else?
00:34:56.39\00:34:57.47
"...and the kings of
the earth, and their armies,
00:34:58.30\00:35:01.22
gathered together to
make war against Him who sat
00:35:01.25\00:35:04.15
on the horse and
against His army."
00:35:04.18\00:35:08.25
So are the kings of the
earth going to be punished
00:35:08.71\00:35:10.79
also at the
second coming of Christ?
00:35:10.82\00:35:12.77
Yes.
00:35:12.80\00:35:13.83
The heavenly powers
and the kings of the earth,
00:35:13.86\00:35:16.91
according to
Revelation 19 and verse 19.
00:35:16.94\00:35:20.54
They're going to be
punished when Jesus comes
00:35:20.57\00:35:22.09
at His second coming.
00:35:22.12\00:35:23.22
Is that their final punishment?
00:35:23.25\00:35:25.13
No.
00:35:25.78\00:35:26.81
In fact, notice what their
punishment is when Jesus comes.
00:35:26.85\00:35:30.42
That's in Isaiah 24 verse
22, the first part of the verse.
00:35:30.77\00:35:34.22
Here's the punishment,
"They will be gathered together,
00:35:34.81\00:35:38.39
As what?
00:35:39.83\00:35:41.12
Prisoners. Oh,
there's a key word.
00:35:41.89\00:35:44.27
When Jesus comes the
host of the high ones,
00:35:45.14\00:35:48.77
or the heavenly beings,
and the kings of the earth
00:35:49.30\00:35:52.42
"will be gathered together,
as prisoners are gathered
00:35:52.45\00:35:56.31
in the pit, and will
be shut up in the prison."
00:35:56.34\00:36:03.41
So what is this stage of
punishment when Jesus comes?
00:36:03.67\00:36:06.95
The kings of the earth
and the heavenly powers
00:36:07.21\00:36:11.61
are going to be punished.
00:36:11.64\00:36:12.78
And their punishment is
that they're going to be
00:36:12.81\00:36:14.69
thrown into prison.
00:36:14.72\00:36:17.42
Now what does
that mean, into prison?
00:36:19.49\00:36:21.75
What is meant by the
word, "pit," that is used here?
00:36:21.78\00:36:25.21
Genesis 37:24.
00:36:26.49\00:36:28.07
In fact, it means two things.
00:36:28.10\00:36:29.34
It can mean that you're
put some place to be retained
00:36:29.37\00:36:33.40
while you're alive, or
it can refer to the grave
00:36:33.43\00:36:37.00
as a place where you're
retained while you're dead.
00:36:37.03\00:36:39.21
That's interesting.
00:36:40.15\00:36:41.36
Let's notice,
Genesis 37 verse 24.
00:36:41.39\00:36:44.65
Genesis chapter 37 and verse 24.
00:36:44.68\00:36:47.33
Speaking about Joseph it
says, "Then they took him
00:36:48.61\00:36:51.76
and cast him into a..." What?
00:36:52.11\00:36:54.32
How do you suppose
I found this verse?
00:36:54.92\00:36:57.49
I looked up the word, "pit,"
00:36:59.28\00:37:00.98
in the concordance.
00:37:02.42\00:37:03.96
And the more you do it,
the more you get use to it
00:37:04.21\00:37:06.14
and Bible study
becomes exciting.
00:37:06.17\00:37:08.62
Because you see how the
Holy Spirit put everything
00:37:09.42\00:37:11.65
in there that we need to
explain every single text.
00:37:11.68\00:37:14.89
So it says, "And they took
him and cast him into a pit.
00:37:15.18\00:37:18.14
And the pit was empty;
there was no water in it."
00:37:18.53\00:37:20.66
Actually, it was a cistern
where they threw Joseph in.
00:37:20.69\00:37:24.93
They did the same with Jeremiah.
00:37:25.36\00:37:26.96
Notice Jeremiah 38 and verse 6.
00:37:26.99\00:37:29.30
Jeremiah 38 and verse 6.
00:37:29.33\00:37:32.19
It says, "So they took Jeremiah
and cast him into the dungeon
00:37:32.22\00:37:35.70
of Malchiah the king's
son, which was in the court
00:37:35.73\00:37:39.42
of the prison..."
00:37:39.45\00:37:40.62
You know, that word, "dungeon,"
is really the same word, "pit,"
00:37:40.65\00:37:44.45
in Hebrew.
00:37:45.19\00:37:46.33
So it says, "They took Jeremiah
and cast him into the dungeon,"
00:37:46.87\00:37:49.80
that is the pit, "of
Malchiah the king's son,
00:37:49.83\00:37:51.99
which was in the
court of the prison,
00:37:52.25\00:37:54.09
and they let
Jeremiah down with ropes.
00:37:54.55\00:37:56.71
And in the dungeon
there was no water, but mire.
00:37:56.74\00:37:59.32
So Jeremiah sank in the mire."
00:37:59.35\00:38:01.35
So what was this
where he was placed?
00:38:01.84\00:38:03.75
It was a cistern
that was pretty much dry.
00:38:04.52\00:38:07.64
Let's read the note.
00:38:08.55\00:38:09.83
Both Joseph and
Jeremiah were cast into cisterns
00:38:10.20\00:38:13.79
in a living state.
00:38:13.82\00:38:15.16
Correct?
00:38:15.19\00:38:16.22
They were both alive.
00:38:16.40\00:38:17.56
The word, "pit," in Genesis
and, "dungeon," in Jeremiah
00:38:18.09\00:38:21.54
translates the
identical Hebrew word.
00:38:21.74\00:38:24.80
It is noteworthy that
the pit was a place of
00:38:25.67\00:38:28.36
temporary confinement until
a final decision could be made
00:38:28.39\00:38:33.39
on what to do with them.
00:38:33.42\00:38:34.82
You read the story of Joseph
and the story of Jeremiah;
00:38:36.18\00:38:38.63
they were thrown in
there until it could be decided
00:38:38.66\00:38:41.47
exactly what would be
done permanently with them.
00:38:41.50\00:38:44.48
Now this word, "pit,"
can also be used to refer to
00:38:45.34\00:38:48.47
people who go down to
the grave and are retained
00:38:48.50\00:38:51.02
dead in the grave.
00:38:51.05\00:38:52.37
Isaiah 38 and verse 18.
00:38:52.40\00:38:55.10
It says, "For sheol..."
00:38:55.51\00:38:57.08
That means, the grave.
00:38:57.11\00:38:59.18
"For sheol cannot thank
You, death cannot praise You;
00:38:59.21\00:39:05.66
those who go down to the
pit cannot hope for Your truth."
00:39:06.60\00:39:11.84
Do you see the
three synonymous words?
00:39:11.87\00:39:13.73
Sheol, death, and what? And pit.
00:39:14.19\00:39:18.06
So can you be retained
or can you be imprisoned
00:39:18.09\00:39:21.23
in the prison of death?
00:39:21.43\00:39:22.58
Yes, you can.
00:39:22.84\00:39:23.87
So this word, "pit," that
is used in Isaiah 24 verse 22
00:39:23.90\00:39:27.57
is actually referring
to a place of confinement.
00:39:27.93\00:39:31.46
A temporary place of confinement
where you are either confined,
00:39:31.49\00:39:35.25
you know, in a living state
or you're confined after death.
00:39:35.45\00:39:41.02
The pit is not only a place
of confinement for the living.
00:39:42.31\00:39:45.11
The word is also
used synonymously
00:39:45.21\00:39:47.45
with death and with the grave.
00:39:47.48\00:39:49.22
And we shall see in a
moment that Satan and his angels
00:39:50.04\00:39:52.12
will be confined in the
abyss in a living state.
00:39:52.15\00:39:54.74
And the kings of the
earth will be confined
00:39:55.18\00:39:58.18
while they are dead.
00:39:58.86\00:40:00.11
Are you understanding me?
00:40:00.65\00:40:01.79
Now let's go to Revelation
chapter 20 verses 2 and 3.
00:40:02.10\00:40:05.19
Where will the devil be
placed immediately after the
00:40:05.48\00:40:08.40
second coming of Christ?
00:40:08.43\00:40:09.74
Where will the devil
and his angels be placed?
00:40:10.28\00:40:12.37
Revelation only
speaks... Listen.
00:40:13.41\00:40:14.86
Revelation only
speaks about the devil.
00:40:14.89\00:40:16.61
You say, "Why does
Revelation only say the devil
00:40:16.90\00:40:18.92
and not his angels?"
00:40:18.95\00:40:20.02
Because the ultimate
instigator and originator of sin
00:40:20.22\00:40:23.08
is the devil, and
that's the scapegoat ceremony.
00:40:23.11\00:40:25.31
You see, the other
angels are not scapegoats.
00:40:25.88\00:40:27.97
And I don't like that
word, "scapegoat," because it
00:40:28.84\00:40:30.76
gives you the impression
that he's suffering for
00:40:30.79\00:40:33.00
something he didn't do.
00:40:33.03\00:40:34.13
We use the word,
"scapegoat," in that sense.
00:40:34.16\00:40:36.20
But really, he's not a
scapegoat in that sense.
00:40:37.21\00:40:40.20
He's very guilty of originating
sin and perpetuating sin.
00:40:40.59\00:40:44.51
And so because Revelation
20, and when we study the
00:40:44.81\00:40:47.61
Sanctuary sequence
we're going to notice that,
00:40:47.64\00:40:49.61
is the same thing as the
Leviticus 16 Azazel ceremony,
00:40:49.64\00:40:53.84
or the ceremony
of the scapegoat,
00:40:53.87\00:40:55.55
only Satan
enters into perspective.
00:40:55.66\00:40:58.33
But Isaiah gives us
the broader picture.
00:40:58.37\00:41:00.93
Let's notice verses 2 and 3.
00:41:01.40\00:41:03.50
This is after the
second coming of Christ.
00:41:04.46\00:41:06.52
"He laid hold of the
dragon, that serpent of old,
00:41:06.99\00:41:10.52
who is the Devil and Satan, and
bound him for a thousand years;
00:41:10.55\00:41:15.30
and he cast him into
the bottomless pit..."
00:41:16.24\00:41:18.88
You know, that's a
Greek word, "abussos."
00:41:20.98\00:41:23.46
It's the identical word that is
used in the Greek translation of
00:41:23.56\00:41:26.47
the Old Testament in Isaiah
24 and in Genesis chapter 1.
00:41:26.50\00:41:30.86
Very interesting.
00:41:31.56\00:41:32.59
When the earth was
without form and void.
00:41:32.62\00:41:35.88
And so it says, "...he cast
him into the bottomless pit,"
00:41:36.46\00:41:39.21
or the abussos,
"and shut him up..."
00:41:39.24\00:41:42.31
So is he going to
be retained there?
00:41:42.61\00:41:44.45
Oh yeah.
00:41:44.72\00:41:45.79
"...and set a seal on
him so that he should deceive
00:41:45.89\00:41:49.06
the nations no more till the
thousand years were finished.
00:41:49.09\00:41:52.76
But after these things he must
be released for a little while."
00:41:52.79\00:41:55.95
So is he cast into prison?
00:41:55.98\00:41:57.48
Ah, the devil is
cast into prison.
00:41:58.19\00:41:59.94
He most certainly is.
00:41:59.97\00:42:01.23
Now, what about the wicked dead?
00:42:01.52\00:42:04.04
Are they going to remain
dead during the thousand years?
00:42:04.77\00:42:07.08
Of course, they're going
to be retained by the grave.
00:42:07.67\00:42:10.43
Notice chapter 20 and
verse 5 of Revelation.
00:42:10.79\00:42:14.72
It says, "But the rest of
the dead did not live again
00:42:14.95\00:42:19.85
until the thousand
years were finished."
00:42:19.88\00:42:22.16
So are the dead also imprisoned?
00:42:22.52\00:42:25.48
They're in the
prison of the grave.
00:42:25.93\00:42:27.55
Are Satan and his
angels imprisoned?
00:42:27.76\00:42:30.59
They're imprisoned
also in a living state.
00:42:31.01\00:42:33.25
See, the word can
be used in both senses,
00:42:33.35\00:42:36.03
according to the
verses that we noticed.
00:42:36.06\00:42:38.45
Now let's go back to Isaiah.
00:42:39.66\00:42:41.78
Let's go back to
Isaiah 24 verse 22,
00:42:41.98\00:42:44.53
and we'll finish
reading the verse.
00:42:45.70\00:42:47.22
Because we only read
the first part of the verse.
00:42:47.25\00:42:49.33
It says in verse 22,
speaking about the wicked,
00:42:49.39\00:42:52.92
and Satan and his angels,
"They will be gathered together
00:42:53.65\00:42:56.39
as prisoners are
gathered in the pit,
00:42:56.42\00:42:59.09
and will be shut
up in the prison."
00:42:59.77\00:43:02.46
Now is that
their final punishment?
00:43:03.02\00:43:04.66
No, notice the
last part of the verse.
00:43:05.32\00:43:07.61
"And after many days
they will be punished."
00:43:07.82\00:43:11.11
Now wait a minute.
00:43:12.15\00:43:13.52
How many stages of punishment
are we talking about here?
00:43:13.92\00:43:16.69
Were they
punished when Jesus came?
00:43:18.50\00:43:20.24
Did we read it, yes or no?
00:43:21.08\00:43:22.32
Are they
punished when Jesus comes?
00:43:22.48\00:43:24.03
Yes.
00:43:24.06\00:43:25.09
But then it says, "After
many days they will be..." What?
00:43:25.12\00:43:28.35
Punished.
00:43:28.46\00:43:29.49
So how many stages
to their punishment?
00:43:29.52\00:43:31.32
There's two stages
to their punishment.
00:43:31.84\00:43:33.60
And in between
there are many days.
00:43:33.63\00:43:35.62
Now let me ask you, how
many are those many days?
00:43:36.50\00:43:38.49
A thousand years.
00:43:39.16\00:43:40.49
Are you following me or not?
00:43:42.42\00:43:43.78
A thousand years
are the many days.
00:43:44.39\00:43:47.20
And some people say...
00:43:47.49\00:43:48.61
And we'll come to this when we
discuss the year/day principle.
00:43:48.64\00:43:50.85
That's one of the
principles of prophetic study,
00:43:50.88\00:43:53.09
is that we need to understand
that in apocalyptic prophecies,
00:43:53.12\00:43:56.18
a day stands for a year.
00:43:56.28\00:43:57.82
And so people say, "Well, if
you Adventists say that a day
00:43:58.64\00:44:01.38
stands for a year,
then you would have to say
00:44:01.41\00:44:03.47
that the 1000 years, if you
apply the year/day principle,
00:44:03.50\00:44:06.39
is hundreds of
thousands of years."
00:44:06.61\00:44:08.63
And my answer is, we don't have
to apply the year/day principle
00:44:09.90\00:44:12.99
to the 1000 years
because Isaiah does.
00:44:13.02\00:44:15.43
Because Isaiah says,
"many days," where as
00:44:17.77\00:44:20.55
Revelation says,
"a thousand years."
00:44:20.58\00:44:22.63
Days are years.
00:44:22.73\00:44:24.00
Are you with me?
00:44:24.35\00:44:25.38
The Bible itself
provides the year/day principle
00:44:25.41\00:44:29.08
to this
particular period of time.
00:44:29.49\00:44:31.42
And you'll have a chart
that shows all of the parallels
00:44:31.52\00:44:34.10
between Revelation 20
and Isaiah chapter 24.
00:44:34.35\00:44:38.71
It's an amazing parallel.
00:44:38.74\00:44:40.35
But now let's
finish this parallel.
00:44:40.38\00:44:42.37
So far so good?
00:44:42.40\00:44:43.51
Okay, now after the
devil and his angels
00:44:44.24\00:44:50.55
are imprisoned and destroyed,
and the wicked are destroyed,
00:44:51.03\00:44:55.44
then something happens.
00:44:55.90\00:44:57.43
It says that God makes a
new heavens and a new earth.
00:44:58.02\00:45:01.67
Now let me
explain something here.
00:45:01.70\00:45:03.80
When it says that God makes
a new heavens and a new earth
00:45:03.90\00:45:06.12
in Revelation
chapter 21 and verse 1,
00:45:06.15\00:45:08.29
that is the
conclusion to chapter 20.
00:45:09.62\00:45:12.10
Because in chapter 20
you have the judgment.
00:45:12.68\00:45:15.67
You know, the dead stand before
God, then the dead resurrect.
00:45:15.70\00:45:18.06
And they're shown the records.
00:45:18.09\00:45:19.27
And then after that Satan
and his angels, and the wicked,
00:45:19.64\00:45:22.09
are cast into the lake of
fire, which is the second death.
00:45:22.12\00:45:24.40
And then verse 1 says, "I saw
a new heavens and a new earth."
00:45:24.43\00:45:27.32
So Revelation 21 verse
1 is really the conclusion
00:45:27.86\00:45:31.47
of chapter 20.
00:45:31.50\00:45:32.65
It takes you the full
cycle until the moment when God
00:45:32.68\00:45:35.40
makes a new
heavens and a new earth
00:45:35.43\00:45:36.61
after the wicked are destroyed.
00:45:36.64\00:45:38.06
Now verse 2
begins a new sequence.
00:45:39.85\00:45:42.44
And we're going to take a
look at this when we deal with
00:45:42.47\00:45:44.63
how to take into account
the structure of Revelation.
00:45:44.66\00:45:47.93
It's tricky.
00:45:47.96\00:45:48.99
But once you break the code,
it's very simple to understand
00:45:49.25\00:45:53.05
the book of Revelation.
00:45:53.08\00:45:54.11
We haven't given
enough importance to the study
00:45:54.25\00:45:56.85
of the literary structure;
the sequence of events
00:45:56.88\00:45:59.74
and how the book of
Revelation is organized,
00:46:00.08\00:46:03.14
how it is structured.
00:46:03.17\00:46:04.70
It's vitally important
to know how it's structured.
00:46:04.73\00:46:07.33
Chapter 21 and verse
2 begins a new sequence.
00:46:07.71\00:46:11.23
Verse 2 says, "Then I, John, saw
the holy city, New Jerusalem,
00:46:11.97\00:46:18.68
coming down out of heaven
from God, prepared as a bride
00:46:18.71\00:46:21.94
adorned for her husband. "
00:46:21.97\00:46:23.19
Now here's the big question.
00:46:23.22\00:46:25.12
Does the coming
down of the New Jerusalem
00:46:25.54\00:46:27.59
happen before the
destruction of the wicked
00:46:27.62\00:46:29.78
or after the
destruction of the wicked?
00:46:29.81\00:46:31.52
We know it's before.
00:46:33.73\00:46:35.18
But if you follow the sequence
here without taking into account
00:46:35.55\00:46:39.67
the literary structure,
you get the impression
00:46:39.70\00:46:42.21
that the New Jerusalem
descends after God makes
00:46:42.24\00:46:44.99
a new heavens and a new earth.
00:46:45.02\00:46:46.47
Are you following me or not?
00:46:47.09\00:46:48.38
I hope lunch isn't interfering
with your thinking processes.
00:46:48.92\00:46:53.96
But if you take verse 2
chronologically after verse 1,
00:46:54.63\00:46:58.55
then you have to believe
that the city descends after
00:46:58.84\00:47:00.99
God makes a new
heavens and a new earth.
00:47:01.02\00:47:02.57
But we know that's not the case,
because chapter 20 has said
00:47:03.56\00:47:06.92
that the city descended and
the wicked surrounded the city.
00:47:06.95\00:47:09.84
So the city
descends before God makes a
00:47:10.92\00:47:13.24
new heavens and a new earth.
00:47:13.27\00:47:14.35
So what happens?
00:47:14.38\00:47:15.52
Verse 2 begins a new cycle from
the time that the city descends,
00:47:15.81\00:47:19.94
and then verse 8 ends the cycle
by speaking about the wicked
00:47:20.36\00:47:23.91
being thrown into the lake of
fire, which is the second death.
00:47:23.94\00:47:26.74
And so it's vitally important.
00:47:27.47\00:47:29.42
And we're going to
dedicate a long time,
00:47:29.45\00:47:31.01
probably one whole day, we're
going to deal with the issues
00:47:31.04\00:47:33.90
of how to study
the literary structure
00:47:33.93\00:47:36.44
of the book of Revelation.
00:47:36.47\00:47:37.71
Because it's
critically important.
00:47:37.74\00:47:38.90
So the New Jerusalem descends.
00:47:38.93\00:47:41.03
And then I want you to notice
something very interesting
00:47:41.06\00:47:43.28
that happens here.
00:47:43.31\00:47:44.66
We're at the bottom of the page.
00:47:45.50\00:47:47.56
Actually, we're at
the top of the last page.
00:47:48.51\00:47:52.80
See where it says,
"The moon will be disgraced
00:47:57.04\00:47:59.68
and the sun ashamed,
for the Lord of hosts
00:48:00.42\00:48:03.84
will reign on Mount
Zion and in Jerusalem
00:48:03.87\00:48:06.02
before His elders gloriously."
00:48:06.05\00:48:08.51
In other words, He's
going to rule over all the
00:48:08.87\00:48:10.30
representatives of the
worlds, of the universe.
00:48:10.33\00:48:13.10
Those are His
elders; the 24 elders.
00:48:13.13\00:48:16.03
But you notice it
says, the moon is going to be
00:48:16.34\00:48:18.49
disgraced and the sun
is going to be ashamed
00:48:18.83\00:48:21.03
when God reigns in Jerusalem,
on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.
00:48:21.06\00:48:25.57
Now, here's the question.
00:48:25.95\00:48:28.09
Is there going to be a
sun and moon in the new earth?
00:48:29.23\00:48:32.34
Of course there is.
00:48:33.70\00:48:34.75
Are we going to go
worship from Sabbath to Sabbath?
00:48:35.88\00:48:37.98
So how can you have the
Sabbath without a weekly cycle?
00:48:38.98\00:48:41.82
Are we going to eat from
the tree of life every month?
00:48:42.80\00:48:45.28
Yeah, it says the tree
produces its fruit every month.
00:48:45.99\00:48:48.50
If you have months,
you must have weeks.
00:48:48.53\00:48:50.63
If you have weeks, you
have days and you have years.
00:48:50.66\00:48:53.07
See, the problem is people
misunderstand what eternity is.
00:48:53.68\00:48:56.58
Eternity is not timelessness.
00:48:56.68\00:48:59.10
Eternity is endless time.
00:48:59.13\00:49:01.02
For Plato and Socrates
and the Greek philosophers
00:49:03.44\00:49:09.88
who believed in the
immortality of the soul,
00:49:09.98\00:49:12.68
their idea was for the
soul to escape the body
00:49:12.88\00:49:16.19
and go into a
realm of timelessness.
00:49:16.62\00:49:19.52
Because when there's no
time, then you don't remember
00:49:19.55\00:49:22.07
any of the events that took
place while you were in time.
00:49:22.10\00:49:25.38
So the idea is
to escape from time.
00:49:25.41\00:49:27.50
Because you escape all
the memories that you had
00:49:28.44\00:49:30.47
when you were in time.
00:49:30.50\00:49:31.66
So the Greek view is
that eternity is timelessness.
00:49:32.12\00:49:35.22
The biblical view is
that eternity is endless time.
00:49:35.25\00:49:38.93
There's nothing wrong with time.
00:49:40.05\00:49:41.41
You see, the Greek philosophers
didn't have the Bible.
00:49:42.09\00:49:44.60
So they saw matter, they
said, "Time deteriorates matter.
00:49:44.63\00:49:48.81
So we've got to
escape from time."
00:49:48.84\00:49:50.33
Isn't it true that
time does a trick on you?
00:49:51.64\00:49:54.75
Have you looked in
the mirror recently?
00:49:55.45\00:49:57.15
It does, it does.
00:49:57.67\00:49:59.22
And so they said the
solution is to go to a realm
00:49:59.25\00:50:02.69
where there is no
time and no space.
00:50:02.72\00:50:04.91
But they didn't
realize that when God makes
00:50:07.46\00:50:11.78
a new heavens and a new earth,
00:50:11.81\00:50:12.99
He's going to give
us immortal bodies.
00:50:13.38\00:50:15.45
And then time will
not deteriorate matter.
00:50:15.98\00:50:18.75
So is there going to be a sun,
is there going to be a moon?
00:50:20.99\00:50:23.14
Yes, but it says here
that the moon will be disgraced
00:50:23.34\00:50:26.66
and the sun will be ashamed
when God rules on Mount Zion
00:50:26.69\00:50:30.64
and in Jerusalem.
00:50:30.67\00:50:31.70
Let's go to Revelation
chapter 21 and verse 23
00:50:32.10\00:50:34.85
to see what this means.
00:50:34.88\00:50:36.08
See, people, we
need to read carefully.
00:50:37.60\00:50:39.72
People say,
"Well Revelation 21:23
00:50:40.61\00:50:42.55
says there's not going to
be any sun or moon there."
00:50:42.58\00:50:44.41
That's not what it says.
00:50:44.72\00:50:45.75
Let's read it carefully.
00:50:48.91\00:50:50.28
It says, "The
city had no need..."
00:50:51.48\00:50:56.54
Where?
00:50:58.03\00:50:59.07
Had no need.
00:51:02.31\00:51:04.02
"...of the sun or
the moon to shine in it,
00:51:06.62\00:51:08.86
for the glory of
God illuminated it.
00:51:08.89\00:51:11.13
The Lamb is its light."
00:51:11.16\00:51:12.68
In other words, the glory of the
Lamb is going to be so bright
00:51:13.71\00:51:15.63
that the sun and moon
are going to be there,
00:51:15.66\00:51:18.09
but it's as if
they were not there.
00:51:18.12\00:51:19.79
And let me give
you an illustration.
00:51:21.12\00:51:22.17
Supposing, you
know, it's July in Fresno.
00:51:22.20\00:51:25.26
110 degrees, radiant
sun, not a cloud in the sky.
00:51:26.30\00:51:29.58
I'm here in downtown Fresno
and I have a flashlight on,
00:51:29.93\00:51:33.47
and I'm walking down the
street with my flashlight on.
00:51:33.50\00:51:36.46
And people say,
"What's the matter with him?
00:51:38.52\00:51:40.03
This guy is insane."
00:51:40.06\00:51:41.41
Can you see the
beam of the flashlight?
00:51:42.99\00:51:45.59
No, because the sun
is so much brighter.
00:51:45.81\00:51:48.56
And yet the beam of
the flashlight is shining.
00:51:48.76\00:51:52.62
That's what's going
to happen in the city.
00:51:53.46\00:51:55.57
It doesn't say,
all over the earth.
00:51:56.40\00:51:57.99
It says, in the city
there is no need of sun or moon.
00:51:58.02\00:52:01.84
And that's what it
means in Isaiah where it says
00:52:01.87\00:52:04.19
that the moon will be
disgraced and the sun ashamed.
00:52:04.40\00:52:07.95
Jesus is going to say,
"Step aside sun and moon.
00:52:07.98\00:52:11.41
Here is the glorious One."
00:52:11.74\00:52:14.20
When will Satan and his
angels finally be punished?
00:52:17.57\00:52:20.39
Revelation 20:7-9 says that
the city will be on the earth.
00:52:21.81\00:52:25.74
The wicked will
surround the city.
00:52:26.98\00:52:28.58
Satan will be
released from his prison.
00:52:30.08\00:52:32.01
Will the wicked be
released from their prison too?
00:52:32.04\00:52:34.22
Satan and the wicked both
released from their prison?
00:52:35.60\00:52:38.00
Absolutely.
00:52:38.25\00:52:39.28
What does it mean that they will
be released from their prison?
00:52:39.31\00:52:41.50
It has to do with
whether they're dead or alive.
00:52:41.53\00:52:43.58
When they're
dead, they're in prison.
00:52:44.48\00:52:46.06
And when they're alive, they're
released from their prison.
00:52:46.65\00:52:48.64
So it has to do, we say, with
a chain of circumstances, yes.
00:52:49.20\00:52:52.85
And the chain of circumstances
is the fact that you're dead.
00:52:52.95\00:52:55.70
The devil will be bound
during the thousand years
00:52:57.19\00:52:59.24
because he doesn't
have anybody to tempt.
00:52:59.34\00:53:01.88
He's lost all of his armies.
00:53:02.82\00:53:04.42
Can you imagine what
it's going to be like
00:53:04.45\00:53:06.08
during the millennium for
the devil just to sit here
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.10
a thousand years after
being so active and causing
00:53:08.13\00:53:10.67
desolation and destruction?
00:53:10.70\00:53:12.01
You know, his power
resides in the fact that
00:53:12.04\00:53:13.95
he's able to use people.
00:53:13.98\00:53:15.26
If he has no
people, he's got no power.
00:53:16.46\00:53:18.26
And so God is going to
say, "Devil, sit and look at
00:53:19.60\00:53:23.63
what you have done."
00:53:23.66\00:53:24.79
And he'll have a thousand years
to look at what he has done.
00:53:26.29\00:53:28.82
That will be worse
torture than if he was dead.
00:53:29.87\00:53:32.30
And then after the thousand
years, the Bible tells us
00:53:33.63\00:53:36.98
that the devil, his angels, and
the wicked will be destroyed.
00:53:37.01\00:53:41.52
And then God will make a
new heavens and a new earth.
00:53:41.90\00:53:45.44
At the bottom of the last page,
this is the life ever after.
00:53:45.81\00:53:50.95
Revelation 21 verse 1, which
I mentioned was out of order.
00:53:52.26\00:53:55.63
It says, "Now I saw a
new heaven and a new earth,
00:53:55.98\00:53:58.19
for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away.
00:53:58.49\00:54:01.95
And there was no more sea."
00:54:01.98\00:54:03.61
What will God do
when He eradicates sin
00:54:05.78\00:54:08.19
from the universe?
00:54:08.22\00:54:09.74
Revelation 21 verse 4.
00:54:10.18\00:54:11.71
You know what, we
misapply this verse sometimes.
00:54:11.74\00:54:14.34
You know, people ask me,
"Are there going to be tears
00:54:14.64\00:54:16.84
during the millennium?"
00:54:16.87\00:54:18.14
I believe there will be
tears during the millennium
00:54:18.69\00:54:20.92
as we open the records of
our friends and our relatives
00:54:22.30\00:54:25.20
who are not there.
00:54:25.23\00:54:26.42
There will be tears.
00:54:27.40\00:54:28.60
This verse does not apply to
events during the millennium.
00:54:28.73\00:54:32.39
It applies to the time
when evil has been eradicated
00:54:32.50\00:54:35.60
from the universe.
00:54:35.63\00:54:36.75
Let's read it carefully.
00:54:37.61\00:54:38.80
It says, "And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes;
00:54:38.83\00:54:43.34
there shall be no more
pain, nor sorrow, nor crying.
00:54:43.37\00:54:46.56
There shall be no more death..."
00:54:47.12\00:54:49.01
Would that be true if the
wicked are still being destroyed
00:54:49.04\00:54:51.38
outside the city?
00:54:51.41\00:54:52.67
Could it be said,
"There will be no more death?"
00:54:52.91\00:54:54.58
No, because they're
in the process of dying.
00:54:54.61\00:54:56.83
Could it be said,
"For the former things
00:54:58.27\00:54:59.85
have passed away?"
00:54:59.88\00:55:01.12
No.
00:55:01.82\00:55:02.94
And so this verse is
speaking about when God's people
00:55:03.25\00:55:06.83
are with Him in the
kingdom, and then God wipes away
00:55:06.86\00:55:11.20
every tear from their eyes.
00:55:11.23\00:55:12.26
There'll be no more tears.
00:55:12.29\00:55:14.03
In fact, Isaiah 25
verse 8 contemplated this.
00:55:14.63\00:55:19.16
This is the little apocalypse,
the little book of Revelation.
00:55:19.19\00:55:21.85
Beautiful verse.
00:55:22.88\00:55:23.97
It says, "He will
swallow up death forever,
00:55:24.00\00:55:27.53
and the Lord will wipe
away tears from all faces."
00:55:29.11\00:55:32.48
Now you know where Revelation
21 verse 4 comes from.
00:55:32.51\00:55:35.68
It comes from
the little apocalypse
00:55:35.94\00:55:38.01
in the book of Isaiah.
00:55:38.44\00:55:39.87
And then it says,
"The rebuke of His people
00:55:40.12\00:55:43.04
He will take
away from the earth;
00:55:43.19\00:55:47.32
for the Lord has spoken."
00:55:49.19\00:55:51.88
In other words, you
can take it to the bank,
00:55:51.91\00:55:53.43
because God said it.
00:55:53.46\00:55:54.59
When God says it, you can be
sure that it's going to happen.
00:55:54.70\00:55:57.87
And then you have verse 23.
00:55:58.31\00:56:00.64
It says, "Then the moon will be
disgraced and the sun ashamed;
00:56:01.82\00:56:06.47
for the Lord of hosts will reign
on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
00:56:06.91\00:56:12.68
and before His..." What?
00:56:12.78\00:56:14.55
"...before His
elders, gloriously."
00:56:14.76\00:56:18.80
Of course, His elders...
00:56:20.27\00:56:21.60
If any of you have watched the
six part series that we produced
00:56:21.85\00:56:25.02
here at Secrets Unsealed, the
elders are God's representatives
00:56:25.72\00:56:30.85
of all of the
worlds that never sinned.
00:56:30.88\00:56:32.93
And of course, who will be the
representative of this world?
00:56:34.43\00:56:37.15
Jesus, until...
00:56:38.08\00:56:40.20
Your answer was correct.
00:56:40.98\00:56:42.20
Jesus, until the two Adams meet.
00:56:42.23\00:56:45.55
And then Ellen White tells
us that when the two Adams meet
00:56:46.79\00:56:50.24
they will embrace, and Adam
will fall at the feet of Jesus.
00:56:50.27\00:56:54.27
He'll feel like he's
nothing when he's seen the
00:56:54.35\00:56:57.03
whole history of the
human race, what sin has caused.
00:56:57.06\00:57:00.00
And then Jesus will raise Adam
up, and He will embrace him,
00:57:00.72\00:57:05.58
and He will say to
Adam, "I am now restoring you
00:57:06.90\00:57:11.82
to your first dominion."
00:57:12.06\00:57:13.62
And then Adam will be restored
once again to the position
00:57:14.55\00:57:17.57
that he had originally;
the possession as the head
00:57:17.60\00:57:21.69
and
representative of planet earth.
00:57:22.00\00:57:25.09
And then God's people will live
with the Lord forever and ever
00:57:25.32\00:57:28.32
in a world where there
will be no sin, no suffering,
00:57:28.67\00:57:31.82
no sorrow, no death.
00:57:31.85\00:57:34.24
Where everything will be
perfect as it was God's ideal
00:57:34.27\00:57:37.72
at the very
beginning of human history.
00:57:38.00\00:57:40.06
I hope that we're all looking
forward to that wonderful day
00:57:40.33\00:57:43.59
when Jesus comes and
that will be a reality.
00:57:43.62\00:57:46.62