Well, now we want to continue
our study about the importance
00:00:15.36\00:00:18.85
of the historical flow method,
known also as historicism.
00:00:18.88\00:00:22.81
Let's just review briefly what
futurism does with historicism.
00:00:23.25\00:00:28.49
First of all, if Revelation
4 through 19 takes place
00:00:28.71\00:00:33.15
in the future after
the rapture of the church,
00:00:33.18\00:00:35.45
none of it is
relevant for us today.
00:00:35.62\00:00:38.04
So what does that do with
the three angels' messages?
00:00:38.29\00:00:40.86
It makes them
irrelevant for today.
00:00:41.24\00:00:43.82
Secondly, futurism
has the timing of the rise
00:00:44.23\00:00:48.59
of the antichrist wrong.
00:00:48.62\00:00:50.16
We believe that antichrist
already arose within the flow
00:00:50.58\00:00:53.60
of Christian history.
00:00:53.63\00:00:54.96
Futurism teaches, "No,
the antichrist will arise
00:00:55.21\00:00:58.69
in the future over
in the Middle East."
00:00:58.72\00:01:00.69
And so basically, if the
antichrist is going to arise
00:01:01.30\00:01:03.94
in the future, he has not risen
in the course of church history.
00:01:03.97\00:01:08.78
In the third place, futurism
is wrong about the place
00:01:09.44\00:01:13.80
where the
antichrist will appear.
00:01:13.83\00:01:15.45
They say that the antichrist
will appear in the Middle East.
00:01:15.95\00:01:19.39
We say that the
antichrist appears in Rome.
00:01:19.87\00:01:23.06
In the fourth place,
futurism has wrong the manner
00:01:23.36\00:01:27.46
in which the
antichrist will appear.
00:01:27.49\00:01:29.40
According to futurism, it
will be a blasphemous individual
00:01:30.61\00:01:33.56
who will blaspheme
God and Christianity.
00:01:33.59\00:01:35.90
We believe that it is a
power that will arise within
00:01:36.10\00:01:38.72
the Christian church and
counterfeit the work of Christ.
00:01:38.75\00:01:42.71
Next, futurism gets
the parties involved
00:01:44.25\00:01:48.63
in the controversy wrong.
00:01:48.66\00:01:50.07
Because we believe
that the dragon, the beast,
00:01:50.51\00:01:52.22
and the false prophet are
the parties involved on one side
00:01:52.25\00:01:56.48
and the wicked
are on the other side.
00:01:56.51\00:01:58.79
And the issues
have to do with worship.
00:01:58.82\00:02:01.07
Futurism teaches, "No, no,
no, the parties involved are
00:02:01.60\00:02:05.80
the Arabs, who have
allied themselves perhaps with
00:02:05.83\00:02:10.59
the Russians and
with others, the Chinese,
00:02:10.62\00:02:12.98
that come and attack the Jews."
00:02:13.01\00:02:15.26
So in other words, the
parties are shifted from Rome
00:02:15.29\00:02:20.29
and Protestantism in the United
States to the Middle East.
00:02:20.59\00:02:24.67
Also we noticed that
futurism has the issues
00:02:24.96\00:02:27.97
in the controversy wrong.
00:02:28.00\00:02:29.47
We believe that
the issues are the law,
00:02:29.87\00:02:32.56
the Sabbath, and worship.
00:02:32.66\00:02:34.02
Futurism teaches, "No, No,
it's the oil of the Middle East
00:02:34.38\00:02:37.97
and it is anti-Semitism."
00:02:38.07\00:02:41.12
We also noticed that
futurism obliterates the timing
00:02:41.52\00:02:45.80
for the rise of
the remnant church.
00:02:45.83\00:02:48.47
Because Revelation chapter
12 tells us exactly when, where,
00:02:49.01\00:02:53.18
and what characteristics
the remnant church will have.
00:02:53.21\00:02:56.06
Futurism says, "No,
Revelation 12 is future.
00:02:56.09\00:02:59.39
It has nothing to do with the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:02:59.42\00:03:02.90
We also noticed that
futurism destroys the prophecy
00:03:03.16\00:03:06.05
of the 2300 days.
00:03:06.08\00:03:07.63
And it destroys historicism,
or the historical flow method,
00:03:07.78\00:03:12.29
as the method to properly
interpret Bible prophecy.
00:03:12.32\00:03:16.03
Now the next point that I
would like to deal with is that
00:03:16.87\00:03:20.28
futurism gives people a
false sense of security.
00:03:20.31\00:03:25.43
You see, what futurism
teaches is that if you don't
00:03:26.39\00:03:29.62
make it in the
rapture, then you can still
00:03:29.65\00:03:33.87
make it during the tribulation.
00:03:33.90\00:03:35.47
And if you don't make
it through the tribulation,
00:03:36.23\00:03:39.40
then there's still
the opportunity, if you
00:03:39.64\00:03:41.84
survive the coming of
Christ, to be converted
00:03:41.87\00:03:45.25
during the millennium.
00:03:45.28\00:03:46.88
And so basically, it's
a doctrine that teaches
00:03:47.18\00:03:49.90
several chances for
you to embrace Christ
00:03:49.93\00:03:53.33
and to reach salvation.
00:03:53.36\00:03:54.88
Whereas Scripture teaches
that before the second coming
00:03:55.46\00:04:00.41
of Christ when
probation closes, at that moment
00:04:00.44\00:04:04.13
probation closes for
everyone and there is
00:04:04.81\00:04:07.42
no further probation.
00:04:07.45\00:04:09.37
You see, as Adventists, we
believe that we are to prepare,
00:04:09.59\00:04:13.01
not so much for
the second coming.
00:04:13.21\00:04:15.14
We are to prepare for
the close of probation.
00:04:15.17\00:04:17.42
And when
probation closes, that's it.
00:04:17.82\00:04:20.14
There are no more chances.
00:04:20.17\00:04:21.52
There are no
chances after a rapture,
00:04:21.55\00:04:23.54
more chances
during the millennium.
00:04:23.64\00:04:25.31
No, once a person dies,
00:04:25.41\00:04:27.62
that's the close of
probation individually.
00:04:27.88\00:04:30.45
Or if the world reaches
its moment of the corporate
00:04:30.48\00:04:33.68
close of probation, that's it.
00:04:33.71\00:04:36.01
There are no more
chances after that.
00:04:36.25\00:04:38.70
And so the devil
wants people to think that
00:04:39.17\00:04:40.91
they're going to have multiple
chances to give themselves
00:04:40.94\00:04:43.94
to the Lord and to be saved.
00:04:43.97\00:04:46.13
The next point that I
would like to deal with
00:04:46.87\00:04:48.77
is that futurism
causes people to not prepare
00:04:48.80\00:04:55.19
for the time of trouble that
is going to come upon the world.
00:04:55.22\00:04:59.27
The time of trouble that is
going to come upon the world
00:05:00.35\00:05:02.35
is the worst in the
history of planet earth.
00:05:02.38\00:05:05.85
It is going to be a tremendously
trying period of time.
00:05:06.03\00:05:10.57
And we are going to need
an unshakable and unbreakable
00:05:10.95\00:05:14.48
faith to go
through the tribulation,
00:05:14.51\00:05:16.78
because our faith
will be severely tested.
00:05:17.20\00:05:20.80
But what does futurism teach?
00:05:21.06\00:05:22.67
They say, "No, No, you
don't have to worry about
00:05:22.70\00:05:24.39
going through the tribulation.
00:05:24.42\00:05:25.45
That's for the Jews,
that's not for Christians."
00:05:25.48\00:05:27.20
You know, you're going
to be whisked off to heaven,
00:05:27.40\00:05:29.87
and the tribulation
is going to be for those
00:05:30.13\00:05:32.15
who are left behind.
00:05:32.18\00:05:33.23
So, you can have your cake
now and you can eat it too.
00:05:33.33\00:05:36.81
In other words, people
are not invited to prepare
00:05:37.07\00:05:42.17
for something that
they don't believe that
00:05:42.20\00:05:44.01
they're going to go through.
00:05:44.04\00:05:45.07
Let me ask you, would
you prepare for a hurricane
00:05:45.10\00:05:49.65
in Fresno?
00:05:49.75\00:05:51.36
I wouldn't.
00:05:53.04\00:05:54.26
There's no hurricanes in Fresno.
00:05:54.29\00:05:56.20
Would you prepare
for a tsunami in Fresno?
00:05:56.40\00:05:59.41
No, you wouldn't
prepare. Why not?
00:05:59.92\00:06:01.68
Because you say, "There's not
going to be a tsunami in Fresno.
00:06:01.88\00:06:04.43
There's not going to
be a hurricane in Fresno."
00:06:04.46\00:06:06.34
Because you don't
believe that it's coming.
00:06:06.54\00:06:08.25
So you don't prepare for what
you don't believe is coming.
00:06:09.36\00:06:11.91
Futurists don't
believe that they're going to
00:06:11.94\00:06:14.16
go through the tribulation.
00:06:14.19\00:06:15.54
And so when probation closes
and the tribulation begins,
00:06:15.57\00:06:18.67
they'll be in the
midst of the tribulation
00:06:18.77\00:06:20.67
without any shelter whatsoever
because they have not prepared.
00:06:20.70\00:06:24.60
Let me read you some statements
from the spirit of prophecy
00:06:25.27\00:06:27.76
on this specific point.
00:06:27.79\00:06:29.19
The first statement is in,
Great Controversy, page 594.
00:06:30.20\00:06:33.98
Ellen White says in
this particular statement,
00:06:35.27\00:06:38.90
"Before his crucifixion,
the Saviour explained to his
00:06:38.93\00:06:42.93
disciples that he
was to be put to death,
00:06:42.96\00:06:46.38
and to rise again from the tomb;
00:06:46.41\00:06:48.57
and angels were
present to impress his words
00:06:48.77\00:06:51.85
on minds and hearts."
00:06:51.88\00:06:52.91
Notice, angels were there.
00:06:52.94\00:06:54.31
"But the disciples were looking
for temporal deliverance..."
00:06:55.90\00:06:58.64
Did they
misinterpret Bible prophecy?
00:06:58.84\00:07:01.21
Did it make a difference?
00:07:01.98\00:07:03.29
Oh yeah, they were
wrong about the way in which
00:07:03.87\00:07:06.05
prophecy was
going to be fulfilled.
00:07:06.08\00:07:07.57
Of course, that wouldn't
happen in connection with
00:07:07.60\00:07:09.15
the second coming, right?
00:07:09.18\00:07:10.47
She continues saying, "But
the disciples were looking for
00:07:12.49\00:07:15.91
temporal deliverance from the
Roman yoke, and they could not
00:07:15.94\00:07:19.30
tolerate the thought that he
in whom all their hopes centered
00:07:19.33\00:07:22.94
should suffer an
ignominious death.
00:07:22.97\00:07:25.44
The words which they
needed to remember were banished
00:07:25.68\00:07:28.63
from their minds."
00:07:28.66\00:07:29.74
Who do you suppose
banished them from their minds?
00:07:29.77\00:07:33.11
The devil.
00:07:33.14\00:07:34.20
"And when the time of trial
came, it found them unprepared.
00:07:34.52\00:07:37.75
The death of Jesus as fully
destroyed their hopes as if
00:07:38.01\00:07:41.85
he had not forewarned them."
00:07:41.88\00:07:43.46
And now comes the application.
00:07:43.63\00:07:45.20
"So..." Like it was back then.
00:07:45.60\00:07:48.80
She says, "So in the prophecies,
the future is opened before us
00:07:48.83\00:07:54.05
as plainly as it was
opened to the disciples
00:07:54.40\00:07:58.26
by the words of Christ.
00:07:58.29\00:07:59.59
The events connected
with the close of probation
00:07:59.95\00:08:02.53
and the work of preparation
for the time of trouble
00:08:02.56\00:08:05.44
are clearly presented.
00:08:05.47\00:08:08.31
But multitudes have no
more understanding of these
00:08:08.77\00:08:12.40
important truths than if
they had never been revealed.
00:08:12.43\00:08:16.12
Satan watches to catch
away every impression that would
00:08:16.45\00:08:21.01
make them wise unto salvation,
and the time of trouble
00:08:21.04\00:08:25.03
will find them unready."
00:08:25.13\00:08:27.54
If you're thinking that prophecy
is going to be fulfilled
00:08:28.99\00:08:31.25
in the future after you've
been whisked off to heaven,
00:08:31.28\00:08:34.35
would you think that it
would be necessary to prepare
00:08:34.55\00:08:37.58
for the worst time of trouble
in the history of the world?
00:08:37.68\00:08:40.26
Absolutely not.
00:08:40.54\00:08:41.65
The devil wants to
lull people to sleep.
00:08:41.68\00:08:44.26
Notice this next statement,
Great Controversy, page 622.
00:08:45.08\00:08:48.85
Isn't it true that we
usually think that things are
00:08:48.95\00:08:51.15
going to be really
bad, and we try to imagine
00:08:51.18\00:08:55.45
the worst case scenario?
00:08:55.48\00:08:58.05
Well, Ellen White
says that we can imagine
00:08:58.61\00:09:01.08
the worst case
scenario for the tribulation,
00:09:01.11\00:09:03.13
and it's still
going to be worse.
00:09:03.16\00:09:04.35
Notice this next statement.
00:09:04.46\00:09:05.95
"The 'time of
trouble such as never was'
00:09:06.41\00:09:08.95
is soon to open upon us;
00:09:09.15\00:09:11.54
and we shall need an experience
which we do not now possess,
00:09:11.57\00:09:16.95
and which many are
too indolent to obtain."
00:09:16.98\00:09:20.07
"Indolent," means lazy.
00:09:20.10\00:09:21.65
"It is often the case
that trouble is greater in
00:09:22.74\00:09:25.27
anticipation than in reality;
00:09:25.30\00:09:28.08
but this is not true
of the crisis before us.
00:09:28.78\00:09:32.31
The most vivid
presentation cannot reach
00:09:33.15\00:09:36.57
the magnitude of the ordeal.
00:09:36.60\00:09:38.43
In that time of
trial, every soul must stand
00:09:39.12\00:09:41.72
for himself before God."
00:09:41.75\00:09:43.32
So you can imagine the worst,
and it's still going to be worse
00:09:43.59\00:09:47.36
than you can imagine.
00:09:47.40\00:09:48.43
That's what the time of
trouble is going to be like.
00:09:48.46\00:09:50.34
Great Controversy, 621.
00:09:51.71\00:09:53.57
She says, "The season of
distress and anguish before us
00:09:53.67\00:09:57.42
will require a faith
that can endure weariness,
00:09:57.75\00:10:01.37
delay, and hunger; a
faith that will not faint,
00:10:01.40\00:10:05.46
though severely tried.
00:10:05.49\00:10:07.74
The period of
probation is granted to all
00:10:07.77\00:10:10.70
to prepare for that time."
00:10:10.73\00:10:12.61
Now, does what Ellen
White say square with Scripture?
00:10:12.64\00:10:16.30
Absolutely. Let's
notice a couple of text.
00:10:16.50\00:10:19.30
Matthew 24 verses 21 and 22.
00:10:19.33\00:10:22.79
Matthew 24:21-22.
00:10:22.82\00:10:25.83
Jesus says here, "For then
there will be great tribulation,
00:10:26.26\00:10:31.52
such as has not been
since the beginning of the world
00:10:31.55\00:10:36.97
until this time,
no, nor ever shall be."
00:10:37.00\00:10:40.74
Does that sound pretty drastic?
00:10:41.68\00:10:43.18
And listen, "And unless
those days were shortened,
00:10:44.76\00:10:48.09
no flesh would be saved;
00:10:48.12\00:10:49.97
but for the elect's sake
those days will be shortened."
00:10:50.00\00:10:53.37
It's going to be so severe
that God is going to have to
00:10:53.40\00:10:55.94
shorten it, or else
nobody would remain alive.
00:10:55.97\00:10:58.36
That's how bad it is.
00:10:58.39\00:10:59.71
And then we find in
Daniel 12 verse 1 similar words.
00:11:00.71\00:11:03.82
Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1.
00:11:03.85\00:11:05.71
"At that time
Michael shall stand up..."
00:11:05.97\00:11:08.89
That's the close of probation,
when Michael stands up.
00:11:09.72\00:11:12.15
It's Jesus changes His
garments from priestly garments
00:11:12.18\00:11:16.50
to His kingly garments.
00:11:16.53\00:11:18.15
"At that time
Michael shall stand up,
00:11:18.18\00:11:20.21
the great Prince who
stands watch over the
00:11:20.46\00:11:22.54
sons of your people; and there
shall be a time of trouble,
00:11:22.57\00:11:26.84
such as never was
since there was a nation,
00:11:26.87\00:11:30.11
even to that time."
00:11:30.14\00:11:31.32
Once again, the emphasis;
it's the worst time of trouble
00:11:31.60\00:11:34.47
in human history.
00:11:34.50\00:11:35.82
But here's the good news.
00:11:35.85\00:11:37.24
"And at that time your
people shall be delivered,
00:11:37.27\00:11:40.65
everyone who is
found written in the book."
00:11:40.68\00:11:43.40
You know, we have an
illustration of this in the
00:11:45.22\00:11:46.99
historical sections of Daniel.
00:11:47.02\00:11:48.77
One of the materials
you're going to receive is
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.86
that each of the
stories of Daniel is a prophecy.
00:11:51.22\00:11:53.95
Not only are the prophecies of
Daniel, like Daniel 2, Daniel 7,
00:11:54.09\00:11:57.69
Daniel 8 prophecies,
but the stories in Daniel
00:11:57.89\00:12:01.69
are also prophecies.
00:12:01.72\00:12:03.14
The three young men
in the valley of Dura.
00:12:03.64\00:12:05.82
See, Nebuchadnezzar for
a while lived like a beast.
00:12:06.02\00:12:09.03
Didn't he?
00:12:09.07\00:12:10.10
And he raised up an image.
00:12:10.56\00:12:12.02
He commanded
everyone to worship his image.
00:12:12.45\00:12:14.87
And whoever did not
worship would be killed.
00:12:15.06\00:12:17.19
Does that sound familiar?
00:12:17.22\00:12:18.51
Revelation 13.
00:12:19.25\00:12:20.69
The beast raises an image.
00:12:20.98\00:12:23.19
He commands everyone to
worship the image of the beast.
00:12:23.39\00:12:25.92
And whoever
doesn't will be what?
00:12:25.95\00:12:28.23
Will be killed.
00:12:28.26\00:12:29.40
And so you know that there's
a relationship between the
00:12:29.43\00:12:31.63
story in the Old Testament and
the story at the end of time.
00:12:31.66\00:12:35.26
Only, at the end of time, you're
dealing with a global event.
00:12:35.29\00:12:39.29
You're not dealing with a
local thing that's happening
00:12:39.39\00:12:41.62
in the valley of Dura.
00:12:41.65\00:12:42.89
The experience of the three
young men is an illustration
00:12:44.38\00:12:46.92
of what the time of
trouble is going to be like.
00:12:46.95\00:12:48.87
What would you do if there
was a burning fiery furnace
00:12:50.29\00:12:52.55
that was heated to
the maximum heat...
00:12:52.58\00:12:54.37
That's what the
number seven means.
00:12:54.47\00:12:55.90
I don't think Nebuchadnezzar
had a thermometer.
00:12:55.93\00:12:58.44
But imagine a furnace, a kiln,
heated to its maximum heat,
00:12:58.92\00:13:04.92
and they say to you, "You either
receive the mark of the beast
00:13:05.29\00:13:08.91
or we're going to
throw you in there."
00:13:08.94\00:13:10.54
Would that be a test of faith?
00:13:10.76\00:13:12.42
That would be a
huge test of faith.
00:13:12.97\00:13:14.96
And Ellen White explains
that the furnace that the
00:13:15.26\00:13:18.95
young men went
through represents the furnace
00:13:18.98\00:13:21.61
of affliction of
the time of trouble.
00:13:21.64\00:13:23.09
She says in the
chapter in Great Controversy,
00:13:23.12\00:13:24.89
"In The Time of
Trouble," she says the flames
00:13:24.92\00:13:26.98
will appear at the point
of consuming God's people.
00:13:27.01\00:13:30.62
But they will come
forth as pure gold.
00:13:30.65\00:13:33.13
That's what she says.
00:13:33.16\00:13:34.19
So the furnace is
symbolic of the time of trouble.
00:13:34.22\00:13:37.30
The number seven
represents the worst.
00:13:37.59\00:13:40.08
Totality
complete, in other words.
00:13:40.11\00:13:42.73
It will be a
terrible time of trouble.
00:13:42.76\00:13:44.56
And those who have not
prepared will be found wanting.
00:13:44.59\00:13:48.60
So what does futurism do?
00:13:49.35\00:13:51.02
It says, "Don't worry about
preparing for the tribulation.
00:13:51.05\00:13:53.23
You know, just enrich yourself.
00:13:53.26\00:13:54.62
Get lots of houses
and lots of money."
00:13:54.65\00:13:56.69
This prosperity gospel,
"Just prosper and, you know,
00:13:56.72\00:13:59.92
you can have your cake
here and then God is going to
00:13:59.95\00:14:02.73
take you to continue enjoying
bliss in heaven forever."
00:14:02.76\00:14:06.10
And so people
are lulled to sleep.
00:14:07.56\00:14:08.97
They say, "Oh no,
it's going to be easy.
00:14:09.00\00:14:10.52
Christianity is an easy thing."
00:14:10.55\00:14:11.94
And they don't realize
that when probation closes,
00:14:12.14\00:14:14.81
the time of trouble will come.
00:14:14.84\00:14:16.44
And they will be
totally unprepared.
00:14:16.47\00:14:18.26
Futurism lulls people to sleep.
00:14:18.36\00:14:20.67
It gives them a false sense
of security, because they think
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.66
they can be saved beyond
the moment of the rapture,
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.93
and also no preparation
for the time of trouble
00:14:27.96\00:14:31.34
such as never has been seen.
00:14:31.37\00:14:33.04
Another very important point
is that futurism sets itself up
00:14:33.94\00:14:39.49
for the counterfeit
second coming of Christ.
00:14:40.47\00:14:42.66
Now futurism is
based on two large errors.
00:14:43.82\00:14:50.13
Number one, a wrong
comprehension of the
00:14:50.72\00:14:53.11
prophecy of the 70 weeks.
00:14:53.14\00:14:54.26
We've already discussed that.
00:14:54.29\00:14:55.33
A gap between
week 69 and week 70,
00:14:55.36\00:14:58.80
which skews Bible prophecy.
00:14:58.83\00:15:00.89
And you know, basically, it
eliminates the 2300 day prophecy
00:15:01.00\00:15:06.86
and its fulfillment in 1844.
00:15:06.89\00:15:09.05
But there's another pillar
of futurism, and it's a pillar
00:15:09.22\00:15:13.24
that's build on sand.
00:15:13.27\00:15:14.58
And that is, that the millennium
will be spent on earth.
00:15:14.61\00:15:18.65
In fact, all of
futurism is based on a wrong
00:15:19.35\00:15:23.47
concept of the millennium.
00:15:23.50\00:15:25.00
Now let me explain how this is.
00:15:25.03\00:15:27.06
Jesus made two
promises to His people.
00:15:27.70\00:15:30.26
The first promise is
in John 14 verses 1 to 3.
00:15:31.15\00:15:34.25
You have this in your material
if you're following along.
00:15:34.28\00:15:36.75
Jesus said, "Let not
your heart be troubled;
00:15:38.40\00:15:40.49
you believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:15:40.52\00:15:42.58
In My Father's
house are many mansions;
00:15:42.96\00:15:45.81
if it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.45
I go to prepare
a place for you."
00:15:49.03\00:15:50.93
Where was Jesus
going to go? To heaven.
00:15:50.96\00:15:53.79
He's talking about
His Father's house.
00:15:53.82\00:15:55.52
He says, "In My Father's
house are many mansions."
00:15:55.55\00:15:58.05
By the way, Jesus did not
go to heaven to build mansions.
00:15:58.08\00:16:00.81
Jesus did not say,
"In My Father's house
00:16:02.78\00:16:04.55
will be many mansions."
00:16:04.58\00:16:05.61
He said, "In My Father's
house are many mansions."
00:16:05.64\00:16:07.95
They were there when He said it.
00:16:08.44\00:16:10.01
Jesus does not need 2000
years to do heavenly contracting
00:16:10.81\00:16:14.29
when He created
the world in six days.
00:16:16.02\00:16:18.20
There's
something far deeper here.
00:16:18.33\00:16:20.01
And so it
continues saying in verse 3,
00:16:20.64\00:16:22.78
"And if I go and
prepare a place for you..."
00:16:22.81\00:16:25.75
And we usually emphasize
that He's planting flowers
00:16:26.11\00:16:28.68
and making
everything beautiful up there.
00:16:28.71\00:16:30.97
Jesus doesn't need 2000 years
to make the heavens beautiful.
00:16:31.00\00:16:34.33
So you say, "What does it mean,
00:16:34.36\00:16:35.54
He goes to
prepare a place for us?"
00:16:35.57\00:16:37.24
It simply means that He
prepares the place for us
00:16:37.90\00:16:40.18
by the work that He performs
in the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:16:40.21\00:16:42.98
That's where the
book of Hebrews comes in.
00:16:43.93\00:16:46.06
And the book of Revelation.
00:16:46.54\00:16:47.69
It's by His work in the
Holy and Most Holy Place
00:16:47.72\00:16:50.83
that He's able to
prepare a place for us.
00:16:50.86\00:16:53.73
And we miss that
because we focus on, you know,
00:16:54.13\00:16:58.02
planting flowers
and, you know, making the
00:16:58.05\00:17:00.45
place beautiful for us.
00:17:00.48\00:17:01.51
I'm sure He's going to
make it very beautiful,
00:17:01.54\00:17:03.04
even more beautiful than Eden.
00:17:03.07\00:17:04.82
And I'm sure He's going
to have mansions for us.
00:17:05.21\00:17:07.48
But there's something far
deeper than that involved here.
00:17:07.69\00:17:10.58
And so in verse 3 He says,
"And if I go and prepare a place
00:17:10.68\00:17:13.30
for you, I will come
again and receive you to Myself;
00:17:13.33\00:17:16.83
that where I am,
there you may be also."
00:17:16.86\00:17:19.09
Did Jesus promise to take
His people to heaven, yes or no?
00:17:19.12\00:17:21.67
Yes He did.
00:17:21.94\00:17:22.99
But He made another promise.
00:17:23.10\00:17:24.47
It's found in the beatitudes in
Matthew chapter 5 and verse 5.
00:17:25.17\00:17:28.95
"Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth."
00:17:29.05\00:17:32.74
So Jesus promised His
people to take them to heaven.
00:17:34.73\00:17:37.36
But He also promised them that
they would inherit the earth.
00:17:37.56\00:17:39.99
Now how can Jesus
fulfill both of those promises?
00:17:40.02\00:17:42.89
Futurists say that there's
only one way that it can happen.
00:17:43.30\00:17:47.35
They say,
"Listen, what happens is,
00:17:47.65\00:17:49.39
seven years before
His glorious coming
00:17:49.69\00:17:52.85
Jesus raptures His
people to heaven and they spend
00:17:53.32\00:17:57.02
seven years in heaven.
00:17:57.05\00:17:58.46
That fulfills the first promise.
00:17:58.49\00:18:00.76
He takes them to His
Father's house for seven years.
00:18:01.01\00:18:04.80
And then after seven years in
heaven, He comes back with them.
00:18:05.10\00:18:09.51
And then the meek
inherit the earth.
00:18:09.54\00:18:11.79
Because the 1000
years will be spend here."
00:18:11.82\00:18:14.55
So their view is
based on the millennium.
00:18:16.58\00:18:19.31
If you believe that
the millennium is going to
00:18:19.34\00:18:21.52
be on earth, they say,
then you have to believe in a
00:18:21.55\00:18:24.37
rapture where Jesus is
going to take His people
00:18:24.40\00:18:26.49
to heaven for seven years.
00:18:26.52\00:18:27.80
Because if He doesn't,
then He will not have fulfilled
00:18:27.83\00:18:30.61
the promise that He was
going to take His people
00:18:30.64\00:18:32.32
to His Father's house.
00:18:32.35\00:18:33.38
Are you following me or not?
00:18:33.41\00:18:34.48
But I believe that there's
another, the Adventist way,
00:18:35.39\00:18:37.89
for Jesus to fulfill
both of those promises.
00:18:38.32\00:18:40.81
And that is, that Jesus is going
to come in His second coming
00:18:41.12\00:18:44.00
gloriously in only one coming.
00:18:44.03\00:18:46.29
And He's going to take His
people to heaven for 1000 years.
00:18:46.87\00:18:50.08
That fulfills the first promise.
00:18:50.18\00:18:51.98
And then He's going to
bring them to the earth,
00:18:52.01\00:18:53.87
and the meek will
inherit the earth.
00:18:53.90\00:18:55.56
You do not have to
invent a rapture idea
00:18:56.07\00:18:58.89
to believe that Jesus is going
to take His people to heaven,
00:18:58.99\00:19:01.98
and then you're going
to have the new earth.
00:19:02.01\00:19:03.44
If you have the
correct view of the millennium,
00:19:03.47\00:19:06.29
you will understand
that the first promise
00:19:06.32\00:19:08.89
of the Father's house takes
place when Jesus comes again
00:19:08.92\00:19:12.53
and takes His people
to heaven for 1000 years.
00:19:12.56\00:19:14.67
The second promise
is after the 1000 years
00:19:14.70\00:19:17.15
when He comes
back, and then the meek
00:19:17.18\00:19:19.29
will inherit the earth.
00:19:19.32\00:19:20.92
So their wrong view of
the millennium is what causes
00:19:21.64\00:19:25.22
them to invent the
pre-tribulation rapture,
00:19:25.25\00:19:27.73
because there has to be
some time when Jesus is going to
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.95
take His people to heaven.
00:19:29.98\00:19:31.33
Are you understanding me?
00:19:32.11\00:19:33.33
Now, those individuals
who believe that Jesus is
00:19:34.28\00:19:37.92
going to spend the
millennium here on earth
00:19:37.95\00:19:40.12
are setting themselves
up for a huge deception.
00:19:41.03\00:19:44.65
Because the devil
is going to counterfeit
00:19:47.23\00:19:48.70
the second coming of Christ.
00:19:48.73\00:19:50.20
And he's going to make it appear
that the millennium has arrived.
00:19:51.02\00:19:54.14
And if you're expecting
the millennium to be on earth,
00:19:55.46\00:19:58.37
you will be deceived.
00:19:58.88\00:19:59.98
Praise the Lord that God's
people will not be deceived.
00:20:00.01\00:20:03.45
It says in Matthew, "He
will deceive if possible
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.73
the very elect."
00:20:06.76\00:20:07.83
It's the elect
that are the target
00:20:08.20\00:20:09.84
of the devil's deceptions.
00:20:09.87\00:20:11.58
He won't be able
to deceive the elect.
00:20:12.24\00:20:14.49
"If it were possible..."
That's very hypothetical.
00:20:15.30\00:20:17.47
If it were possible, he
would deceive the very elect.
00:20:17.50\00:20:20.35
God's elect
will not be deceived.
00:20:20.45\00:20:22.63
But it will be the intention
of the devil to deceive them.
00:20:23.03\00:20:25.69
You see, the devil will see
that there's a group of people
00:20:26.04\00:20:28.69
that are faithful to God.
00:20:28.72\00:20:30.02
And he's going to say,
"As a last resort, I've got to
00:20:31.16\00:20:33.92
do something to get
these people over to my side.
00:20:33.95\00:20:36.42
I haven't been able to,
you know, through persecution,
00:20:36.45\00:20:38.77
through a death decree.
00:20:38.80\00:20:39.97
I have not been able to
get them over to my side."
00:20:40.00\00:20:43.10
And so he says,
"I know what I'll do.
00:20:43.13\00:20:45.05
What I will do is,
I'll counterfeit the
00:20:45.26\00:20:47.40
second coming of Christ.
00:20:47.43\00:20:48.71
And they'll think
that it's the real Christ,
00:20:48.74\00:20:50.31
and they'll accept me."
00:20:50.34\00:20:51.63
Are you following me or not?
00:20:53.45\00:20:54.64
But God's people
won't be deceived.
00:20:55.67\00:20:57.29
Allow me to read
you Matthew 24:26-27,
00:20:57.32\00:21:02.19
and then the description
that Ellen White gives
00:21:02.22\00:21:04.57
of the
counterfeit second coming.
00:21:04.77\00:21:06.35
"Wherefore if they say unto you,
'Behold, he is in the desert,'
00:21:07.36\00:21:11.72
go not forth.
00:21:13.04\00:21:14.46
'Behold, he is on CNN...'"
00:21:15.19\00:21:17.25
No, that's not what it says.
00:21:17.28\00:21:18.37
"'Behold, he is in the secret
chambers,' believe it not."
00:21:18.40\00:21:23.66
Hey, if he's on
television, don't even look.
00:21:25.11\00:21:27.20
Because it's
going to be dazzling.
00:21:28.37\00:21:29.75
And then Jesus said,
"For as the lightening
00:21:31.03\00:21:33.37
cometh out of the east,
and shineth even unto the west;
00:21:33.40\00:21:37.16
so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be."
00:21:37.19\00:21:41.32
It will be visible
to the whole world.
00:21:41.92\00:21:44.19
See, Christ will not appear in
different parts of planet earth.
00:21:45.07\00:21:48.54
Now let me read you
Ellen White's description.
00:21:48.57\00:21:50.87
This is found in the
book, Great Controversy,
00:21:51.26\00:21:53.20
pages 624 and 625.
00:21:53.23\00:21:56.24
She says, "As the crowning act
in the great drama of deception,
00:21:57.00\00:22:01.14
Satan himself
will personate Christ.
00:22:02.19\00:22:04.96
The church has long professed
to look to the Saviour's advent
00:22:05.71\00:22:08.89
as the
consummation of her hopes.
00:22:08.92\00:22:10.86
Now the great deceiver will make
it appear," that's important,
00:22:11.15\00:22:15.60
"will make it appear
that Christ has come."
00:22:15.63\00:22:18.36
Here comes the key, "In
different parts of the earth,
00:22:19.00\00:22:22.65
Satan will manifest
himself among men as a majestic
00:22:23.74\00:22:27.07
being of dazzling brightness,
resembling the description
00:22:27.10\00:22:32.50
of the Son of God given
by John in the Revelation."
00:22:32.53\00:22:35.80
Is the devil going to be able
to counterfeit how Jesus looks?
00:22:36.00\00:22:38.84
Oh yeah.
00:22:39.36\00:22:40.45
His face is going
to shine as the sun.
00:22:41.07\00:22:43.07
His legs are going to
be like burnished bronze.
00:22:43.10\00:22:45.67
He's going to be
clothed in a white garment.
00:22:46.00\00:22:47.83
People are going to
say, "This is the Christ
00:22:47.86\00:22:49.67
of Revelation chapter 1.
00:22:49.70\00:22:51.20
It's what we've
been waiting for."
00:22:51.23\00:22:52.40
Notice what she
continues saying.
00:22:52.60\00:22:54.27
"The glory that surrounds
him is unsurpassed by anything
00:22:54.30\00:22:59.07
that mortal
eyes have yet beheld.
00:22:59.10\00:23:01.16
The shout of triumph
rings out upon the air,
00:23:01.66\00:23:04.16
'Christ has
come! Christ has come!'
00:23:04.19\00:23:06.18
The people prostrate themselves
in adoration before him,
00:23:06.52\00:23:09.82
while he lifts up his hands, and
pronounces a blessing upon them
00:23:10.07\00:23:13.33
as Christ blessed his disciples
when he was upon the earth.
00:23:13.37\00:23:17.08
His voice is soft and
subdued, yet full of melody."
00:23:18.11\00:23:22.02
Don't you think he's
going to say, "I am the Christ."
00:23:22.05\00:23:24.95
No, no.
00:23:25.35\00:23:27.59
"His voice is soft and
subdued, yet full of melody."
00:23:28.26\00:23:32.71
Now listen, "In
gentle, compassionate tones
00:23:34.06\00:23:36.72
he presents some of the
same gracious, heavenly truths
00:23:36.75\00:23:39.71
which the Saviour uttered."
00:23:39.74\00:23:41.44
He can utter the truth even.
00:23:41.47\00:23:43.07
But not the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
00:23:44.52\00:23:47.02
Notice what else, "He heals
the diseases of the people.
00:23:48.72\00:23:52.19
And then, in his
assumed character of Christ,
00:23:52.97\00:23:55.70
he claims to have
changed the Sabbath to Sunday,
00:23:55.73\00:23:58.73
and commands all to hallow
the day which he has blessed.
00:23:59.23\00:24:02.79
He declares that those
who persist in keeping holy
00:24:03.27\00:24:05.53
the seventh day are blaspheming
his name by refusing to listen
00:24:05.56\00:24:09.26
to his angels sent to
them with light and truth."
00:24:09.29\00:24:12.17
And then Ellen White
says, "This is the strong,
00:24:12.37\00:24:15.32
almost overmastering delusion."
00:24:15.35\00:24:17.99
In fact, she has another
statement where she states
00:24:18.75\00:24:20.59
that God's people will
be crying out in anguish
00:24:21.86\00:24:24.25
for deliverance in
the time of trouble.
00:24:24.28\00:24:26.02
And that's when
Satan is going to
00:24:26.27\00:24:27.70
counterfeit the second coming.
00:24:27.73\00:24:28.96
He's going to say, "I
have come to answer your pleas.
00:24:29.04\00:24:34.02
Wow.
00:24:34.71\00:24:35.78
That's why it's a strong
almost overmastering delusion.
00:24:36.07\00:24:39.28
Now, will God's
people be deceived?
00:24:39.48\00:24:41.33
Will the elect be deceived?
00:24:41.36\00:24:42.69
No. Why not?
00:24:42.96\00:24:43.99
Because they
don't go by their eyes.
00:24:44.35\00:24:46.03
They don't go by their ears.
00:24:46.76\00:24:48.39
They don't go by their feelings.
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.70
They go by what God says.
00:24:51.09\00:24:52.88
Notice what she
continues saying.
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.63
"But the people of
God will not be misled.
00:24:55.66\00:24:58.82
The teachings of this false
christ are not in accordance
00:24:59.44\00:25:03.61
with the Scriptures."
00:25:03.64\00:25:05.08
What is the key?
00:25:06.07\00:25:07.17
The Scriptures.
00:25:08.36\00:25:09.39
"His blessing is
pronounced upon the worshipers
00:25:10.54\00:25:12.86
of the beast and his
image; the very class upon whom
00:25:12.89\00:25:15.18
the Bible declares
that God's unmingled wrath
00:25:15.21\00:25:18.01
shall be poured out."
00:25:18.04\00:25:19.22
And now notice, "And
furthermore, Satan is not
00:25:20.38\00:25:23.91
permitted to counterfeit
the manner of Christ's advent.
00:25:24.01\00:25:27.50
The Saviour has warned
his people against deception
00:25:28.59\00:25:31.55
upon this point, and has
clearly foretold the manner
00:25:31.58\00:25:34.76
of his second coming."
00:25:34.79\00:25:36.05
Is it important to
know how He will come?
00:25:36.08\00:25:38.38
Of course it is.
00:25:38.76\00:25:40.10
"'There shall arise false
christs, and false prophets,
00:25:40.79\00:25:43.54
and shall show
great signs and wonders;
00:25:43.57\00:25:45.88
insomuch that, if it
were possible, they shall
00:25:45.91\00:25:48.77
deceive the very elect.
00:25:48.80\00:25:50.32
Wherefore if they
shall say unto you,
00:25:50.45\00:25:52.52
"Behold, he is in the
desert;" go not forth:
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.04
"Behold, he is in the secret
chambers;" believe it not.
00:25:55.24\00:25:58.01
For as the lightning
cometh out of the east,
00:25:58.25\00:26:00.14
and shineth even unto the west;
00:26:00.17\00:26:02.06
so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be.'
00:26:02.09\00:26:04.92
This coming, there is no
possibility of counterfeiting.
00:26:05.61\00:26:10.13
It will be universally known;
witnessed by the whole world."
00:26:10.16\00:26:15.10
What will unmask the devil?
00:26:16.66\00:26:18.29
The Scriptures, folks.
00:26:19.52\00:26:20.89
That's the only thing
that we can build our faith on,
00:26:21.69\00:26:24.24
is God's Holy Word.
00:26:24.38\00:26:25.83
If you don't
know how He will come,
00:26:27.60\00:26:29.38
you will end up
accepting the wrong who.
00:26:30.20\00:26:32.41
You see, we live
in a post-modern world
00:26:33.76\00:26:36.20
where people are
driven by experience theology.
00:26:37.06\00:26:40.13
"Truth," they say, "comes
from inside, not from outside."
00:26:41.37\00:26:44.15
"Truth is
subjective, not objective."
00:26:44.87\00:26:47.43
"Truth is
personal, not biblical."
00:26:47.89\00:26:50.02
The importance of
doctrine is downplayed.
00:26:50.81\00:26:53.20
You notice that on
the Tony Palmer video.
00:26:54.00\00:26:56.29
He said, you know,
"We'll sort out our doctrines
00:26:56.95\00:26:59.40
when we get up there."
00:26:59.43\00:27:00.94
Well if you don't sort them
out here, you won't be there.
00:27:01.51\00:27:03.78
That's the bottom line.
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.07
But people say that
doctrine isn't important.
00:27:06.39\00:27:09.09
"Let's just love one another.
00:27:09.12\00:27:10.57
Let's just come into
unity, let's get along."
00:27:10.60\00:27:13.27
It's an artificial unity.
00:27:13.94\00:27:15.31
And by the way, he
quoted the text where Jesus says
00:27:15.63\00:27:18.89
that He wanted us all to be one,
but he also forgot to quote the
00:27:18.92\00:27:22.65
text that says,
"Sanctify them in Your truth,
00:27:22.68\00:27:25.73
Your Word is truth."
00:27:25.76\00:27:27.60
See, that's
called, selective quoting.
00:27:29.05\00:27:32.32
The devil is going
to use the same method
00:27:33.91\00:27:35.32
that he used with Eve.
00:27:35.35\00:27:36.56
Do you know what
the devil did with Eve?
00:27:38.12\00:27:39.66
He led her to follow
the testimony of her heart.
00:27:40.63\00:27:43.80
Everything the devil did
was based on the subjective.
00:27:44.17\00:27:47.93
First of all, here's
a snake that's talking,
00:27:49.39\00:27:52.82
a serpent that's talking.
00:27:52.85\00:27:54.03
Do serpents talk?
00:27:54.06\00:27:55.30
Oh, that would
be a miracle. Right?
00:27:55.66\00:27:57.78
So he performs a
counterfeit miracle.
00:27:57.97\00:27:59.74
And then he
misquotes the word of God.
00:28:00.34\00:28:02.53
And then he says to
Eve, "Hey, Eve, you know,
00:28:03.72\00:28:06.37
you want to know
the real reason why God
00:28:06.57\00:28:08.04
told you not to
eat from the tree?
00:28:08.07\00:28:09.23
He told you, you were going to
die, but that's not the reason."
00:28:09.26\00:28:11.38
And so Eve is saying, "Well,
tell me what the reason is."
00:28:12.07\00:28:14.42
And he says, "God knows
that if you eat from the tree,
00:28:15.08\00:28:17.56
you're going to be like Him.
00:28:17.59\00:28:18.87
And God doesn't want any rivals.
00:28:18.90\00:28:20.72
He's the only one
who wants to be God.
00:28:21.89\00:28:23.58
So He's intimidating
everybody to think that they'll
00:28:23.68\00:28:26.83
die if they eat from the tree.
00:28:26.86\00:28:27.94
But the real
reason is that everybody
00:28:27.97\00:28:29.69
is going to be like Him."
00:28:29.72\00:28:31.11
And so Eve says,
"Yeah, God didn't explain
00:28:32.38\00:28:34.37
why we couldn't
eat from the tree.
00:28:34.40\00:28:35.43
Now I have an explanation."
00:28:35.46\00:28:36.84
The devil is playing mind games.
00:28:37.42\00:28:39.15
And then it says she sees
the fruit and it looks good.
00:28:39.50\00:28:42.35
She's touching it because the
serpent placed it in her hand,
00:28:42.87\00:28:45.49
and she didn't die.
00:28:45.52\00:28:46.69
And she said that God had said,
"If you touch it, you'll die."
00:28:46.90\00:28:49.31
She added to the word of God.
00:28:49.34\00:28:50.61
It's dangerous to
add to the word of God.
00:28:50.64\00:28:52.37
And so she's seeing
the fruit, it looks good.
00:28:54.57\00:28:57.43
She thinks that
it will be tasty.
00:28:58.74\00:29:00.58
She's hearing what
the devil is saying.
00:29:01.27\00:29:03.26
So now she takes
the fruit and she eats.
00:29:03.82\00:29:07.06
Her standard of deciding what
to do was based on experience.
00:29:07.97\00:29:12.92
Her only protection was to
say, "We live by every word
00:29:14.38\00:29:19.98
that proceeds out
of the mouth of God."
00:29:20.44\00:29:22.44
Our only protection...
00:29:23.34\00:29:24.41
Ellen White has a
chapter in, Great Controversy,
00:29:24.44\00:29:26.13
that says, our only safeguard
will be to build our faith
00:29:26.16\00:29:30.33
upon the word of
God; as it is written.
00:29:30.36\00:29:33.61
Now let's assume for a moment...
00:29:34.52\00:29:36.52
Bear with me on this.
00:29:36.72\00:29:38.13
...that the futurist scenario
that I have described at the
00:29:38.53\00:29:41.37
beginning of our
study will unfold just like
00:29:41.40\00:29:45.15
futurists have said.
00:29:45.18\00:29:46.74
One day many people all over the
world disappear into thin air.
00:29:47.17\00:29:50.56
A ten nation federation
is established in Europe
00:29:51.72\00:29:54.82
led by a charismatic individual
who signs a seven year
00:29:54.85\00:29:58.46
peace treaty with the Jews.
00:29:58.49\00:30:00.58
During the first three
and a half years of his reign
00:30:00.99\00:30:03.22
things begin to deteriorate.
00:30:03.25\00:30:05.17
But during the last
three and a half years,
00:30:05.46\00:30:07.08
the planet
unravels at the seams.
00:30:07.11\00:30:09.23
There are
unparalleled natural disasters,
00:30:09.64\00:30:12.33
devastating pandemics,
warfare, social unrest, famines,
00:30:12.36\00:30:16.55
and criminality such
as never has been seen
00:30:16.58\00:30:18.70
in the history of the world.
00:30:18.73\00:30:19.91
As the antichrist increases
in power, this individual
00:30:20.56\00:30:23.86
receives a deadly wound.
00:30:23.89\00:30:25.37
But miraculously his
deadly wound is healed.
00:30:25.40\00:30:28.16
At the beginning of the
last three and a half years
00:30:28.69\00:30:30.53
of his reign, he breaks
his peace treaty with the Jews
00:30:30.56\00:30:33.97
and moves his headquarters
from Rome to Jerusalem,
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.93
and sits in the
rebuilt Jerusalem temple
00:30:36.96\00:30:39.85
claiming to be God and demanding
the worship of the world.
00:30:39.88\00:30:42.99
He builds a gigantic image
of himself and commands everyone
00:30:43.53\00:30:46.92
to worship on pain of death.
00:30:46.95\00:30:48.89
The Jews and unsaved
Christians who are left behind
00:30:49.32\00:30:51.77
after the rapture are
persecuted mercilessly.
00:30:51.80\00:30:54.61
Finally after seven years
past, a glorious individual
00:30:54.92\00:30:58.23
appears in
different parts of the earth
00:30:58.26\00:30:59.85
with a radiance that
outshines the noon day sun.
00:30:59.88\00:31:02.51
He heals the
diseases of the people,
00:31:02.71\00:31:04.81
speaks in soft, subdued
tones some of the truths
00:31:04.84\00:31:08.16
that Jesus spoke, and
destroys the antichrist
00:31:08.19\00:31:11.54
as the enemies of the
Jews and the Christians
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.91
who were left behind.
00:31:14.32\00:31:15.35
...and the enemies of
the Jews and the Christians
00:31:15.38\00:31:17.13
who were left behind.
00:31:17.16\00:31:18.36
I can just hear
Christians saying at that time,
00:31:19.74\00:31:22.17
"We told you
Seventh-day Adventists
00:31:22.92\00:31:24.89
that things were going
to devolve in this way.
00:31:25.32\00:31:27.40
But you would not listen.
00:31:27.43\00:31:28.85
Now you see that we were
right and you were wrong."
00:31:29.40\00:31:31.90
The question is, folks,
how many people in the world
00:31:33.07\00:31:36.11
at that time would believe
the historicist interpretation
00:31:36.14\00:31:38.81
of Bible prophecy?
00:31:38.84\00:31:40.22
How many would believe that
the true enemies of God's people
00:31:41.19\00:31:44.92
are the Roman Catholic Papacy
and apostate Protestantism
00:31:45.02\00:31:47.81
allied with the
kings of the whole world
00:31:47.84\00:31:50.76
and the multitudes
of the whole world?
00:31:50.79\00:31:52.76
The answer is that
there would be very few,
00:31:54.67\00:31:56.66
only the elect, who would
be willing to hold onto the
00:31:56.69\00:32:00.96
traditional view
that is provided by
00:32:00.99\00:32:03.45
the historicist method of
interpreting Bible prophecy.
00:32:03.48\00:32:06.86
Now somebody might say, "Pastor
Bohr, you're somewhat insane.
00:32:07.45\00:32:10.44
What makes you think that
Satan will be able to implement
00:32:11.10\00:32:13.96
the prophetic scenario
that is taught by futurism?"
00:32:13.99\00:32:17.00
I'm not categorically saying
that it will happen this way.
00:32:17.59\00:32:20.89
But when we remember that when
the door of probation closes,
00:32:22.02\00:32:25.15
Satan will have
full and complete control
00:32:25.54\00:32:28.28
of the impenitent.
00:32:28.31\00:32:29.70
It might just happen that way.
00:32:30.35\00:32:32.30
Why would the devil
have this scenario preached
00:32:32.76\00:32:36.03
every Sunday morning on
television if he did not
00:32:36.06\00:32:39.72
have an agenda in
mind for the future?
00:32:39.75\00:32:42.70
God will withdraw His Spirit.
00:32:44.25\00:32:46.06
Satan will be allowed full
reign to carry out his program,
00:32:46.35\00:32:50.22
except he will not be
allowed to kill God's people.
00:32:50.25\00:32:53.89
Ellen White says in,
Great Controversy, page 614,
00:32:54.16\00:32:57.66
that when probation closes,
"The restraint which has been
00:32:57.95\00:33:01.77
upon the wicked is removed,
and Satan has entire control
00:33:01.80\00:33:07.69
of the finally impenitent."
00:33:07.72\00:33:10.06
And believe me, if the
devil is able to make an
00:33:10.66\00:33:13.10
airplane disappear, he
would not have much trouble
00:33:13.13\00:33:17.13
making people disappear as well.
00:33:17.16\00:33:19.74
Is it not time, folks,
that as Adventists we should
00:33:20.57\00:33:23.12
give the trumpet a certain sound
00:33:23.15\00:33:25.24
and warn the world
about these things?
00:33:25.49\00:33:28.08
Who the dangerous powers are?
00:33:28.29\00:33:30.32
What the issues in
the final controversy are?
00:33:30.35\00:33:33.62
And how to be
on the Lord's side?
00:33:33.65\00:33:36.28
And the fact that a
time of trouble is coming
00:33:36.38\00:33:38.55
such as never has been seen?
00:33:38.58\00:33:40.01
And we need to prepare
a character that is fit
00:33:40.21\00:33:43.19
to go through that
period of human history
00:33:43.22\00:33:45.48
and receive Jesus
when He comes in glory?
00:33:45.51\00:33:48.63
I believe that we have a
special prophetic message
00:33:49.39\00:33:51.80
for the world for now,
because we see things happening
00:33:51.83\00:33:54.95
in the world where things
are winding down to the end.
00:33:54.98\00:33:58.92
I'm not giving dates.
00:33:59.14\00:34:00.80
I'm not saying that
He's coming tomorrow
00:34:00.83\00:34:02.62
or next week, or
even in a year or two.
00:34:02.65\00:34:05.01
But the signs in the
world indicate that prophecy is
00:34:05.11\00:34:08.95
fulfilling the way
that it is depicted
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.12
in Daniel and
Revelation, and in the book,
00:34:11.15\00:34:13.68
The Great Controversy.
00:34:13.88\00:34:15.34
You see, Satan not
only hates our message,
00:34:15.84\00:34:18.38
he hates our method.
00:34:19.14\00:34:20.50
Because our message
is based on our method.
00:34:21.26\00:34:24.06
If you get rid of historicism,
you get rid of our message.
00:34:24.68\00:34:28.81
And if you get
rid of our message,
00:34:29.13\00:34:30.89
you get rid of our mission.
00:34:30.92\00:34:32.05
You've probably read the book,
Futurism's Incredible Journey.
00:34:32.08\00:34:35.05
There it's portrayed in a simple
way the devastating effects
00:34:35.23\00:34:39.79
of futurism on the
message of the Adventist Church.
00:34:39.82\00:34:43.64
You see, we believe that we can
observe the simple trajectory
00:34:43.75\00:34:48.75
of prophecy, and we
can identify the antichrist
00:34:48.78\00:34:52.15
by looking at the
flow of prophetic history.
00:34:52.35\00:34:55.29
We believe that
there are no gaps.
00:34:55.39\00:34:57.33
It's a simple method that
even children can understand.
00:34:57.63\00:35:00.77
The historical flow
method helps us understand
00:35:01.41\00:35:04.01
who the antichrist is,
when and where he will arise,
00:35:04.04\00:35:08.38
what he will do, who will
help him recover his power.
00:35:08.41\00:35:12.61
Historicism shows what the
issues are in the conflict.
00:35:13.48\00:35:17.70
Furthermore, it tells us when
and where the remnant church
00:35:17.73\00:35:21.54
would arise in the
course of human history.
00:35:21.57\00:35:24.23
It shows us what our
message is, what our mission is.
00:35:24.26\00:35:28.07
Those who reject
this message crawl around
00:35:29.10\00:35:32.70
in prophetic darkness.
00:35:33.18\00:35:35.14
If the antichrist is
a literal future person,
00:35:36.53\00:35:39.27
and the time periods of his
dominion are literal and future,
00:35:40.17\00:35:45.50
then the Roman Catholic Church
has nothing to do with the
00:35:45.91\00:35:48.15
fulfillment of prophecy.
00:35:48.18\00:35:49.48
Protestantism as a fulfillment
of prophecy disappears
00:35:50.03\00:35:52.90
in the midst as well.
00:35:52.93\00:35:54.36
Is that perhaps the
reason why Protestants today
00:35:55.65\00:35:58.37
are wanting to join
the Roman Catholic Church,
00:35:58.40\00:36:00.98
because they've lost
their prophetic bearings?
00:36:01.18\00:36:03.28
Do you actually think
that if Protestants today
00:36:03.75\00:36:06.87
understood this
scenario of Bible prophecy,
00:36:06.90\00:36:10.33
which was sustained by
the Protestant reformers that
00:36:10.36\00:36:13.13
founded these Protestant
churches, do you think that
00:36:13.16\00:36:16.00
if they followed this
prophetic method they would want
00:36:16.03\00:36:18.75
anything to do with
the Roman Catholic Papacy
00:36:18.78\00:36:21.11
or with apostate Protestantism?
00:36:21.14\00:36:22.98
They would come out.
00:36:23.01\00:36:24.05
And folks, the book
of Revelation chapter 18
00:36:24.08\00:36:27.45
says that multitudes
will come out of Babylon
00:36:27.48\00:36:30.41
when this message is
presented with power.
00:36:30.44\00:36:33.21
Ellen White had this to
say about those individuals
00:36:33.89\00:36:36.27
who don't identify
the antichrist according
00:36:36.30\00:36:39.09
to scriptural principles.
00:36:39.12\00:36:40.60
This is found in volume 7 of
the Bible Commentary, page 949.
00:36:40.70\00:36:45.54
She says, "Those who become
confused in their understanding
00:36:45.85\00:36:50.42
of the Word, who fail to
see the meaning of antichrist,
00:36:50.45\00:36:55.28
will surely place themselves
on the side of antichrist."
00:36:55.31\00:36:58.79
Is it important to
know who the little horn is?
00:36:59.74\00:37:01.80
Is it important to
know who the beast is?
00:37:02.50\00:37:04.64
Is it important to know
what the image of the beast is
00:37:05.22\00:37:07.97
and the mark of
the beast is? Yes.
00:37:08.00\00:37:09.91
Because the world
needs to know, folks.
00:37:10.21\00:37:12.09
They need to make a
decision for the Lord.
00:37:12.12\00:37:14.90
And if they don't
know who the anti...
00:37:14.93\00:37:16.53
If they're looking for an
antichrist in the Middle East,
00:37:16.56\00:37:18.92
they're looking
in the wrong place.
00:37:19.38\00:37:21.12
If they're expecting to
be gone for the tribulation,
00:37:21.83\00:37:25.53
they're not preparing a
character fit for heaven
00:37:25.73\00:37:28.28
and fit for the tribulation.
00:37:28.31\00:37:29.83
And so, folks, this is a
matter of life and death.
00:37:30.31\00:37:33.48
And so she continues saying,
"Those who become confused
00:37:33.76\00:37:36.67
in their understanding
of the Word, who fail to see
00:37:36.70\00:37:39.34
the meaning of antichrist,
will surely place themselves
00:37:39.37\00:37:42.30
on the side of antichrist."
00:37:42.33\00:37:43.44
And then notice
this, "There is no time now
00:37:43.47\00:37:46.43
for us to
assimilate with the world."
00:37:46.46\00:37:48.39
Do you know when it is
that we lose our conception of
00:37:48.94\00:37:52.06
who the antichrist is?
00:37:52.09\00:37:53.12
When we what?
00:37:53.15\00:37:54.27
When we
assimilate with the world.
00:37:54.30\00:37:56.12
She continues saying,
"Daniel is standing in his
00:37:56.32\00:37:59.06
lot and in his place.
00:37:59.09\00:38:00.98
The prophecies of Daniel and
of John are to be understood.
00:38:01.01\00:38:05.02
They interpret each other.
00:38:05.24\00:38:07.19
They give to the
world truths which every one
00:38:07.43\00:38:11.20
should understand.
00:38:11.23\00:38:12.65
These prophecies are to
be witnesses in the world.
00:38:12.68\00:38:17.18
By their fulfillment in
these last days they will
00:38:17.21\00:38:21.37
explain themselves."
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.39
And yet even in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:38:24.47\00:38:26.47
we have scholars,
some of them teach in our
00:38:26.50\00:38:29.40
religious institutions,
who are saying that
00:38:29.43\00:38:32.83
our views of Bible
prophecy are mistaken.
00:38:32.86\00:38:36.39
Let me refer to two
specific individuals.
00:38:37.52\00:38:40.13
And this is back in
the 1990's, early 1990's.
00:38:41.09\00:38:45.22
A history teacher
at La Sierra University
00:38:45.74\00:38:48.81
in southern California;
teacher of Reformation Studies.
00:38:48.84\00:38:52.63
That's what's interesting.
00:38:53.17\00:38:54.35
His teaching was on
the Protestant Reformation.
00:38:54.70\00:38:56.80
That was his strong suit.
00:38:56.83\00:38:59.20
He said, well the Roman
Catholic Church of the past,
00:38:59.99\00:39:03.22
and now I quote,
"was a contemptuous
00:39:03.63\00:39:06.90
and contemptible organization."
00:39:06.93\00:39:09.61
But then he goes on to say
this, "But those days are over.
00:39:09.96\00:39:14.03
The world has changed.
00:39:14.87\00:39:16.57
The United States has changed.
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.12
And even the Roman
Catholic Church has changed.
00:39:19.41\00:39:22.21
In the second half of our
century, having reconciled
00:39:22.51\00:39:25.90
itself with
progress, liberalism,
00:39:25.93\00:39:28.15
and modern civilization, it..."
00:39:28.18\00:39:30.68
That is the
Roman Catholic Papacy.
00:39:30.71\00:39:32.24
"...is no longer the Bible
suppressing, science resisting,
00:39:32.27\00:39:35.12
liberty opposing,
Protestant hating,
00:39:35.15\00:39:36.93
culture
ignoring, Latin mumbling,
00:39:36.96\00:39:39.40
obscurantism loving,
ecclesiastical organization
00:39:39.43\00:39:42.70
of former years intent on
ruling the world from Rome."
00:39:42.73\00:39:46.35
In other words, the papacy is
not that any more, he's saying.
00:39:47.34\00:39:49.47
"Vatican Council II
transformed all of that."
00:39:50.30\00:39:53.17
All that Vatican
Council II did was give
00:39:54.19\00:39:56.22
the Roman Catholic
Church a face lift.
00:39:56.25\00:39:58.37
And last I knew,
that is cosmetic surgery.
00:40:01.02\00:40:03.76
He continues saying, "To
ignore these new realities
00:40:06.42\00:40:09.43
and to refuse to come to
terms with the contemporary
00:40:09.46\00:40:12.09
Roman church is to choose
to remain stuck in a religious
00:40:12.12\00:40:15.32
no man's land, condemning a
church that no longer exists,
00:40:15.35\00:40:19.55
using old labels and
propaganda that only offend
00:40:19.58\00:40:23.06
and alienate deeply.
00:40:23.09\00:40:24.83
Instead, Seventh-day Adventists
ought to involve themselves
00:40:25.25\00:40:28.37
in building
bridges of understanding,
00:40:28.40\00:40:30.58
to reach out to Roman Catholics
and developing bonds of love
00:40:31.10\00:40:35.01
to enable them, with us, to
arrive at a full appreciation
00:40:35.04\00:40:38.95
and application of the
gospel of Jesus Christ."
00:40:38.98\00:40:41.45
History teacher at
La Sierra University.
00:40:43.34\00:40:46.33
Notice how Ellen
White described it.
00:40:49.45\00:40:51.25
This is found in the book, Great
Controversy, pages 571 and 572.
00:40:52.13\00:40:56.26
And incidentally, this
is the best description
00:40:56.29\00:40:58.83
that I've ever found
on what the papacy is;
00:40:59.00\00:41:01.94
what Ellen White
is going to give now.
00:41:02.76\00:41:04.38
She says, "The papacy is
just what prophecy declared
00:41:05.08\00:41:07.79
that she would be, the
apostasy of the latter times.
00:41:07.82\00:41:11.72
It is a part of her
policy to assume the character
00:41:12.50\00:41:16.47
which will best
accomplish her purpose."
00:41:16.50\00:41:18.73
And here comes the description.
00:41:19.13\00:41:20.60
"But beneath the variable
appearance of the chameleon,
00:41:20.63\00:41:24.26
she conceals the invariable
venom of the serpent."
00:41:24.29\00:41:27.73
Cosmetic external changes.
00:41:29.66\00:41:31.20
You tell me one dogma of
the Roman Catholic Church
00:41:31.30\00:41:34.26
that has been changed.
00:41:34.29\00:41:35.32
Do they still believe
that you're suppose to come
00:41:36.33\00:41:38.08
to Jesus through Mary?
00:41:38.18\00:41:39.91
Do they still believe that
Jesus is sacrificed in the mass?
00:41:40.45\00:41:44.51
Do they still
believe in purgatory?
00:41:44.61\00:41:46.32
Do they still
believe in indulgences?
00:41:46.76\00:41:48.68
Do they still believe that
hell is going to burn forever?
00:41:49.91\00:41:52.21
Do they still believe that
Sunday is the day of worship?
00:41:52.66\00:41:54.98
Do they still believe
that you can bow to idols?
00:41:56.72\00:41:58.89
So how has it changed?
00:41:59.99\00:42:01.55
Who has changed?
00:42:01.85\00:42:03.12
Protestants have changed.
00:42:03.22\00:42:05.27
And that's why they
differ less from Catholics.
00:42:05.93\00:42:08.45
Not because
Catholicism has changed,
00:42:08.48\00:42:11.31
but Protestantism has changed.
00:42:11.34\00:42:13.95
So she says, "Beneath the
variable appearance of the
00:42:14.15\00:42:18.59
chameleon, she conceals the
invariable venom of the serpent.
00:42:18.62\00:42:21.69
'Faith ought not to
be kept with heretics,
00:42:22.05\00:42:24.03
nor persons suspected
of heresy,' she declares.
00:42:24.06\00:42:27.10
Shall this power, whose record
for a thousand years is written
00:42:27.34\00:42:31.40
in the blood of the
saints, be now acknowledged
00:42:31.43\00:42:34.62
as a part of the
church of Christ?"
00:42:34.65\00:42:36.60
Asked Ellen White.
00:42:36.63\00:42:37.83
"It is not without reason that
the claim has been put forth
00:42:38.21\00:42:41.03
in Protestant countries that
Catholicism differs less widely
00:42:41.06\00:42:45.15
from Protestantism
than in former times.
00:42:45.18\00:42:48.25
There has been a change; but
the change is not in the papacy.
00:42:48.54\00:42:53.09
Catholicism indeed resembles
much of the Protestantism
00:42:53.69\00:42:57.77
that now exists, because
Protestantism has so greatly
00:42:57.80\00:43:02.41
degenerated since the
days of the Reformers."
00:43:02.44\00:43:06.46
Is that a good description?
00:43:07.14\00:43:08.55
That is a fitting description.
00:43:08.80\00:43:10.61
And then Ellen White in,
Review and Herald, June 1, 1886,
00:43:10.84\00:43:15.67
said that the union between
Catholics and Protestants
00:43:16.24\00:43:20.61
"will not, however, be effected
by a change in Catholicism;
00:43:20.64\00:43:25.57
for Rome never changes.
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.40
She claims infallibility.
00:43:28.43\00:43:30.99
It is
Protestantism that will change."
00:43:31.57\00:43:34.85
And then she says, "The
adoption of liberal ideas..."
00:43:35.05\00:43:37.94
When Ellen White
speaks about liberal ideas,
00:43:38.14\00:43:40.13
she's talking about
civil rights and human rights.
00:43:40.33\00:43:44.22
She's talking about
being politically correct.
00:43:44.32\00:43:46.60
That's the terminology
that we would use today.
00:43:47.25\00:43:49.62
In other words, the adoption
of political correctness,
00:43:50.01\00:43:53.22
or liberal ideas, false
charity she also calls it,
00:43:53.44\00:43:57.54
"on its part," that is on
the part of Protestantism,
00:43:58.15\00:44:01.04
"will bring it where it can
clasp the hand of Catholicism."
00:44:01.14\00:44:06.66
So who are we to believe?
00:44:07.74\00:44:09.25
Paul Landa or Ellen White?
00:44:10.02\00:44:11.83
No contest.
00:44:12.67\00:44:13.70
There's another
teacher at La Sierra University
00:44:14.71\00:44:17.84
back in the early 90's by
the name of Frank Knittel.
00:44:18.38\00:44:22.60
I believe that he taught
in the English department
00:44:22.63\00:44:24.70
of the same university.
00:44:25.09\00:44:26.88
And he's had some
interesting things to say about
00:44:27.45\00:44:29.86
Ellen White's book,
The Great Controversy.
00:44:29.89\00:44:31.83
And I quote, this is
from Adventist Today,
00:44:32.84\00:44:35.75
the July-August
issue, 1993, page 11.
00:44:36.31\00:44:39.49
He says regarding,
The Great Controversy,
00:44:40.66\00:44:42.43
"We must not base our
spiritual warning to the world
00:44:42.46\00:44:45.66
on evidence which we
feel is found in any book
00:44:45.86\00:44:49.20
other than the Bible.
00:44:49.23\00:44:50.56
White gave Adventism her
interpretation of the Scripture,
00:44:51.43\00:44:55.40
and her view in not infallible."
00:44:55.43\00:44:57.56
He's pitting the
Bible against Ellen White.
00:44:57.97\00:44:59.97
And listen carefully, he
says that the view that the
00:45:00.28\00:45:04.61
papacy is the antichrist
was the view of Ellen White.
00:45:04.64\00:45:07.19
So let me ask you, how did
the reformers get their view
00:45:07.35\00:45:10.55
that the papacy
was the antichrist?
00:45:10.58\00:45:12.05
They didn't have Ellen White.
00:45:12.08\00:45:13.32
They studied Scripture.
00:45:13.83\00:45:15.13
And they reached
the same conclusions
00:45:15.48\00:45:16.97
as Ellen White from the Bible.
00:45:17.00\00:45:18.56
So to say that, "Oh,
you can't trust Ellen White
00:45:19.75\00:45:22.73
what she says about the
papacy, because that's her,"
00:45:22.76\00:45:26.08
the fact is that Protestantism
has gone astray from its roots.
00:45:26.11\00:45:30.27
If Martin Luther
resurrected from the dead today,
00:45:31.14\00:45:34.47
he would die of a heart attack.
00:45:34.50\00:45:36.36
Because he would not
recognize the Lutheran church.
00:45:36.98\00:45:39.49
If John Calvin
resurrected today, he would not
00:45:40.07\00:45:43.07
believe what's before his eyes.
00:45:43.10\00:45:44.74
Because the Presbyterian
church would not be the
00:45:44.77\00:45:46.80
church that he knew.
00:45:46.83\00:45:48.12
Blessing gay marriage,
00:45:50.38\00:45:52.14
and with gay clergy.
00:45:53.10\00:45:54.76
These reformers, they fought
for the Bible with their lives.
00:45:55.49\00:46:01.14
And what they had to
fight for with their lives
00:46:02.51\00:46:04.85
is being destroyed by
a group of individuals
00:46:04.88\00:46:07.74
who no longer believe in the
inspiration of the Scriptures.
00:46:07.77\00:46:10.74
Knittel continued saying,
"Our message to the world,
00:46:14.49\00:46:18.26
as Paul declared for himself, is
Jesus Christ and Him crucified;
00:46:18.30\00:46:23.11
and a detailed
accounting of the prophecies
00:46:23.32\00:46:25.72
and an exposition of
the Sabbath is secondary."
00:46:25.75\00:46:28.78
That sound like an Adventist?
00:46:29.58\00:46:31.12
"Whatever we wish to
believe about prophecy
00:46:32.48\00:46:34.51
is our own right
and responsibility.
00:46:34.54\00:46:36.55
But whatever we believe
should be based totally upon
00:46:37.07\00:46:39.78
what we derive from
our own study of the Bible,
00:46:39.81\00:46:42.62
and not upon anything
written by anyone since the
00:46:42.65\00:46:45.18
canon of the
Scriptures was established."
00:46:45.21\00:46:47.53
I would say, unless
what that person wrote
00:46:48.05\00:46:49.97
is in harmony with Scripture.
00:46:50.00\00:46:51.43
He continues saying, "We
have almost destroyed ourselves
00:46:53.07\00:46:55.49
by our passionate disinclination
to search for ourselves,
00:46:55.52\00:46:59.68
and we wear out the pages
of the Ellen G. White index
00:46:59.78\00:47:03.52
when we should instead
be studying the Bible."
00:47:03.55\00:47:06.23
Basically what he's
saying is, "Study the Bible,
00:47:06.47\00:47:09.14
discard Ellen White."
00:47:09.17\00:47:10.66
But eventually what happens
is, people study the Bible,
00:47:10.96\00:47:13.62
if they studied the Bible
the way they're suppose to,
00:47:13.65\00:47:15.97
they would reach the same
conclusions as Ellen White
00:47:16.00\00:47:18.61
concerning Bible prophecy.
00:47:18.72\00:47:20.43
So Knittel says we
need to preach the gospel,
00:47:21.12\00:47:23.01
we need to
preach the true gospel.
00:47:23.04\00:47:24.71
And he mentions the
first angel's message.
00:47:24.74\00:47:26.91
What he doesn't tell you is
that the first angel's message
00:47:27.43\00:47:30.49
is not only
Revelation 14 verse 6.
00:47:30.52\00:47:33.12
You know, people like to
quote Revelation 14 verse 6,
00:47:35.01\00:47:37.66
"I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:47:37.69\00:47:39.76
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:47:39.79\00:47:41.80
who dwell on the
earth; to every nation,
00:47:41.83\00:47:43.42
kindred, tongue and people."
00:47:43.45\00:47:44.67
And they stop there.
00:47:44.70\00:47:45.91
But folks, the three
angels' messages continue.
00:47:47.32\00:47:51.60
The first angel not only
preaches the everlasting gospel,
00:47:52.17\00:47:54.98
he says, "Fear God
and give glory to Him,
00:47:55.18\00:47:58.66
for the hour of
His judgment is come.
00:47:59.14\00:48:00.97
And worship Him."
00:48:01.58\00:48:03.04
And then it appeals to the
Creator, which is the Sabbath.
00:48:03.77\00:48:06.83
So Knittel says the
Sabbath is secondary.
00:48:07.54\00:48:10.05
Folks, it's part of the
same message where the angel is
00:48:10.43\00:48:13.72
preaching the
everlasting gospel.
00:48:13.75\00:48:15.27
And by the way, part of
the message is also calling
00:48:16.47\00:48:18.83
people out of Babylon.
00:48:18.86\00:48:20.32
That's the second message.
00:48:21.02\00:48:22.30
And the third message
says, "Beware of receiving
00:48:22.33\00:48:25.16
the mark of the beast.
00:48:25.19\00:48:26.63
Rather than that,
receive the seal of God."
00:48:27.08\00:48:28.99
Why does he stop at verse 6?
00:48:29.09\00:48:31.21
Why not continue the
three angels' messages,
00:48:32.38\00:48:35.08
like Ellen White so
eloquently does in her writings?
00:48:35.11\00:48:39.85
Is it any surprise to us that
Billy Graham called the pope,
00:48:41.45\00:48:45.02
Pope John Paul II, the
world's foremost moral leader.
00:48:45.05\00:48:49.42
Is it shocking that the late
Paul Crouch, the founder of TBN,
00:48:50.66\00:48:55.30
would say, "I'm not
protesting anything.
00:48:55.33\00:48:57.99
I'm deleting the
word, 'Protestant,'
00:48:58.02\00:48:59.94
from my vocabulary."
00:48:59.97\00:49:01.53
Is it a surprise that
Robert Schuller, who established
00:49:02.40\00:49:06.38
the Crystal Cathedral,
would say that he hopes that the
00:49:06.41\00:49:09.87
day will come when
the entire Christian world
00:49:09.90\00:49:12.71
will accept the
pope as its leader?
00:49:12.74\00:49:14.68
Is it any surprise
that Jack Van Impe,
00:49:15.50\00:49:17.80
as he looked at John Paul
II, would with admiration say,
00:49:18.50\00:49:22.89
"What a man."
00:49:23.20\00:49:24.70
Is it any surprise
that Lutherans and Catholics
00:49:25.31\00:49:28.00
signed a joint declaration
on righteousness by faith?
00:49:28.03\00:49:31.31
Is it any surprise
that prominent Protestant
00:49:31.94\00:49:35.39
and Catholic
leaders signed the document,
00:49:35.42\00:49:38.82
"Evangelicals and Catholics
Together," where basically
00:49:38.85\00:49:43.65
they said that they
agreed on the common points.
00:49:43.68\00:49:48.77
The question is, are
the common points an issue
00:49:50.42\00:49:53.79
at the end of time?
00:49:53.82\00:49:55.18
Is that present
truth in the end time?
00:49:55.21\00:49:58.91
No, the issues have to
do with where Jesus is.
00:49:59.16\00:50:02.66
Where is Jesus?
00:50:02.84\00:50:04.36
In the Most Holy Place.
00:50:04.58\00:50:06.46
So wherever Jesus is,
that is present truth.
00:50:06.67\00:50:10.46
If you want to know
what present truth is,
00:50:10.71\00:50:12.51
what we should be
preaching, we should find out
00:50:12.54\00:50:15.59
where Jesus is and
what Jesus is doing,
00:50:15.62\00:50:19.07
and preach that.
00:50:19.10\00:50:20.88
And that would
involve, of course, preaching
00:50:21.25\00:50:23.93
that the heavenly
Sanctuary is being cleansed.
00:50:24.13\00:50:26.49
And therefore, in
parallel fashion, we should be
00:50:27.12\00:50:30.11
cleansing the
temple of our soul.
00:50:30.14\00:50:32.04
It involves preaching that
God's law is still binding.
00:50:33.07\00:50:36.24
It involves
preaching that the Sabbath
00:50:36.52\00:50:38.64
is still God's day of rest.
00:50:38.67\00:50:40.56
It involves
preaching health reform.
00:50:40.80\00:50:43.09
It involves preaching that the
hour of His judgment is here.
00:50:43.36\00:50:47.37
In other words, it involves
preaching a whole cluster
00:50:48.20\00:50:50.98
or a whole system of
truth that is centered in the
00:50:51.01\00:50:54.14
Most Holy Place of
the heavenly Sanctuary.
00:50:54.17\00:50:56.81
Why does the
religious world reject
00:50:57.70\00:51:01.64
the Seventh-day
Adventist message?
00:51:01.90\00:51:03.52
Folks, it's simple.
00:51:03.55\00:51:04.66
They have refused to
enter the Most Holy Place
00:51:04.93\00:51:07.31
to discover the truths
that are centered there.
00:51:07.54\00:51:10.93
It's that simple.
00:51:12.30\00:51:13.58
And I have a book that called,
Worship At Satan's Throne.
00:51:13.61\00:51:17.39
It's an analysis of the message
to the church of Philadelphia.
00:51:17.88\00:51:21.47
And I analyze also Ellen White's
throne vision where she's
00:51:22.05\00:51:25.24
commenting on the
message to Philadelphia,
00:51:25.27\00:51:27.41
on what happened with
the Protestant world when the
00:51:27.44\00:51:30.47
Protestant world rejected
the message of the Millerites.
00:51:30.50\00:51:33.35
You know,
probation closed for the
00:51:34.46\00:51:36.98
Roman Catholic system in 1798.
00:51:37.01\00:51:40.64
Probation closed
for Protestantism...
00:51:41.52\00:51:43.94
I'm not talking about
individuals within the
00:51:43.97\00:51:45.79
Catholic church or
individuals within the different
00:51:45.82\00:51:48.25
Protestant churches.
00:51:48.28\00:51:49.40
No, I'm not talking about that.
00:51:49.43\00:51:50.79
There are sincere loving
Christians in all churches.
00:51:50.82\00:51:53.36
The Roman Catholic
Church, Protestant churches,
00:51:53.95\00:51:56.19
even among non-Christians,
there are people who
00:51:56.31\00:51:58.90
serve God to the
best of their knowledge.
00:51:58.93\00:52:00.83
I'm talking about systems.
00:52:00.86\00:52:02.39
In 1844, when the Protestant
churches disfellowshiped
00:52:02.85\00:52:07.84
Ellen White and her family and
cast those who were preaching
00:52:07.87\00:52:11.67
the message of the second
coming out of their churches,
00:52:11.70\00:52:15.00
the second
branch of Babylon fell.
00:52:15.81\00:52:18.19
Which is the daughters.
00:52:18.38\00:52:19.89
And so Protestantism and Roman
Catholicism are fallen systems.
00:52:21.81\00:52:26.37
Why do you suppose God
would tell us to preach
00:52:26.40\00:52:30.01
from Revelation chapter 18,
"Come out of her, My people."
00:52:30.31\00:52:34.92
Is it any surprise to us
that people like Ralph Reed
00:52:36.25\00:52:40.54
and Pat Robertson, and
others, would try to unite
00:52:40.57\00:52:44.83
Catholics and
Protestants in voting blocks
00:52:44.86\00:52:48.31
to get certain
candidates elected to office.
00:52:48.94\00:52:53.14
Candidates that are in
harmony with their world view
00:52:53.34\00:52:57.90
and their scenario.
00:52:57.93\00:52:59.63
Folks, as Adventists we need
to recover our prophetic roots.
00:53:00.01\00:53:04.49
We need to get
back to the basics.
00:53:04.86\00:53:06.58
We need to get back to
preaching present truth.
00:53:06.78\00:53:09.33
It has power to
bring conviction to people.
00:53:09.36\00:53:12.44
I've seen it. Taj has
seen it in his meetings.
00:53:12.47\00:53:15.68
I never cease to marvel,
you know, he's come to our
00:53:15.71\00:53:18.31
church twice, the
way people respond.
00:53:18.34\00:53:20.37
And he doesn't
water down the message.
00:53:20.40\00:53:21.88
I mean, it's direct, everything.
00:53:21.91\00:53:23.43
Including jewelry, and
health reform, and you name it.
00:53:23.46\00:53:27.23
It's all there.
00:53:27.26\00:53:28.52
And multitudes of people
give their hearts to the Lord.
00:53:28.99\00:53:31.59
So this idea that
if you preach prophecy,
00:53:31.82\00:53:33.73
if you preach doctrine,
you know, people are going to
00:53:33.76\00:53:36.55
get scared and they're
not going to want to come.
00:53:36.58\00:53:38.46
That's not true.
00:53:38.49\00:53:39.84
When it's
presented in a beautiful way,
00:53:39.87\00:53:41.96
in a way that it makes
sense, people embrace it
00:53:41.99\00:53:44.64
and they're excited about
becoming Seventh-day Adventists.
00:53:44.67\00:53:48.17
I want to finish by mentioning
the loud cry of Revelation 18.
00:53:49.18\00:53:52.24
You know what the loud cry is?
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.61
It's when the
messages of the three angel's
00:53:54.98\00:53:57.35
are given a boost.
00:53:57.38\00:53:58.71
God will put jumper cables,
00:53:59.70\00:54:01.96
if you please, on the
three angels' messages.
00:54:03.08\00:54:05.50
And they will be proclaimed
with the utmost power.
00:54:05.53\00:54:08.34
What does the
message of Revelation 18 say?
00:54:09.88\00:54:13.10
It says Babylon is fallen.
00:54:13.47\00:54:15.28
And she has become
the habitation of demons.
00:54:16.05\00:54:18.52
And it says, "You
better get out of there.
00:54:18.83\00:54:21.23
Because plagues are
going to fall upon her.
00:54:22.47\00:54:24.97
Come out of her, My people,
00:54:25.42\00:54:28.27
so that you do not
partake in her sins
00:54:28.84\00:54:30.83
and you do not
receive her plagues."
00:54:30.86\00:54:32.97
I end this session by
reading from, Great Controversy,
00:54:33.50\00:54:35.69
606 and 607, about
what Ellen White says
00:54:35.72\00:54:39.79
concerning this loud cry.
00:54:39.82\00:54:41.25
It's very inspiring.
00:54:41.28\00:54:42.61
This is, Great
Controversy, 606 and 607.
00:54:43.55\00:54:46.55
She says, "Thus the
message of the third angel
00:54:47.44\00:54:49.42
will be proclaimed.
00:54:49.45\00:54:50.93
As the time comes for it to
be given with greatest power,
00:54:51.23\00:54:54.51
the Lord will work
through humble instruments,
00:54:54.81\00:54:59.55
leading the minds
of those who consecrate
00:55:00.31\00:55:02.65
themselves to His service.
00:55:02.68\00:55:04.34
The laborers will be qualified
rather by the unction of His
00:55:04.56\00:55:08.78
Spirit than by the training
of literary institutions."
00:55:08.81\00:55:13.12
No PhD needed.
00:55:14.25\00:55:16.22
The Holy Spirit is needed.
00:55:18.35\00:55:20.36
I'm not saying
that education is bad.
00:55:21.04\00:55:22.84
Don't get me wrong,
education can be good.
00:55:22.87\00:55:25.26
As long as education is in
harmony with the philosophy
00:55:27.36\00:55:30.62
and beliefs of
the Adventist church
00:55:30.65\00:55:32.35
and helps the church
to fulfill its mission.
00:55:32.65\00:55:35.64
But God is not dependent
upon great knowledge gained
00:55:36.93\00:55:42.07
in literary institutions.
00:55:42.10\00:55:43.86
She continues saying,
"Men of faith and prayer
00:55:44.24\00:55:47.48
will be constrained to
go forth with holy zeal,
00:55:47.51\00:55:50.51
declaring the words
which God gives them.
00:55:50.74\00:55:53.34
The sins of
Babylon will be laid open.
00:55:53.90\00:55:56.66
The fearful results of enforcing
the observances of the church
00:55:57.53\00:56:00.91
by civil authority, the
inroads of spiritualism,
00:56:00.94\00:56:04.80
the stealthy but rapid
progress of the papal power;
00:56:05.10\00:56:08.36
all will be unmasked."
00:56:08.39\00:56:10.53
Who's going to
unmask these things?
00:56:11.94\00:56:13.63
The Holy Spirit
through humble instruments.
00:56:14.08\00:56:16.26
She says, "By these
solemn warnings the people
00:56:17.65\00:56:20.65
will be stirred.
00:56:20.68\00:56:22.49
Thousands upon
thousands will listen who have
00:56:22.87\00:56:25.38
never heard words like these.
00:56:25.41\00:56:27.51
In amazement they hear
the testimony that Babylon
00:56:27.88\00:56:31.15
is the church, fallen
because of her errors and sins,
00:56:31.18\00:56:34.04
because of her rejection of the
truth sent to her from heaven.
00:56:34.07\00:56:37.54
As the people go to their former
teachers with the eager inquiry,
00:56:38.24\00:56:41.55
'Are these things so?'
00:56:41.65\00:56:43.30
the ministers present
fables, prophesy smooth things,
00:56:43.63\00:56:47.57
to soothe their fears and
quiet the awakened conscience.
00:56:47.77\00:56:52.66
But since many refuse to
be satisfied with the mere
00:56:52.92\00:56:56.37
authority of men and
demand a, 'Thus saith the Lord,'
00:56:56.40\00:56:59.77
the popular ministry,
like the Pharisees of old,
00:57:00.02\00:57:02.96
filled with anger as
their authority is questioned,
00:57:02.99\00:57:05.91
will denounce the
message as of Satan and stir up
00:57:05.94\00:57:09.95
the sin-loving multitudes
to revile and persecute
00:57:09.98\00:57:13.74
those who proclaim it."
00:57:13.77\00:57:15.62
That is what is ahead
for the humble instruments
00:57:16.92\00:57:20.41
that God is going to use to
finish His work on this earth;
00:57:20.44\00:57:24.47
to let everybody
know what the issues are
00:57:24.50\00:57:27.38
and what powers are involved
in the final controversy.
00:57:28.00\00:57:32.32
So I hope that we've
been able to understand
00:57:32.73\00:57:34.37
how important the
historical flow method is.
00:57:34.40\00:57:36.40
Have you grasped that our
historical flow method is vital?
00:57:36.43\00:57:39.84
Without it, there is no
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:57:39.91\00:57:42.55
And it comes
from within Scripture.
00:57:42.58\00:57:45.58
It is not imposed on Scripture.
00:57:45.61\00:57:47.91