This series is
composed of ten presentations.
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I'm just going to give
you the titles as we begin.
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The first one this
evening is The Eyes of Wisdom.
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The second one is titled,
The Jewish View of Tradition.
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The third one is
Tradition Versus Scripture,
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a case study in Mark 7.
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The fourth one is Jesus
and Theological Conflict.
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Number five will be The Roman
Catholic View of Tradition.
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And six will be Part 2 of that.
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Number seven will be Sabbath
Controversies and Tradition.
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Number eight will be
Sunday's shaky foundation.
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Number nine is
titled The Acid Test.
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And number ten is a
summary presentation titled,
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Word of God or
Traditions of Man.
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And so for the next ten sessions
we are going to study what our
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source of authority should be.
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Should it be the Bible and
the Bible Only, Sola Scriptura,
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or should it be tradition,
or a combination of both?
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I'd like to begin our study, of
course, with a word of prayer.
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We always need to pray
before we open God's word.
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So I invite you to
bow your heads with me
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as we ask for
the Lord's presence.
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Father in heaven, we thank You
for the privilege of being here
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to study Your word.
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We ask for the
presence of Your Holy Spirit.
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I ask, Lord, that You
will give us understanding,
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and give us clear minds.
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Give us hearts that are ready
to receive the seed of truth.
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Take away every preconceived
notion that we might have in our
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minds, and in our hearts
that we might hear Your voice.
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And we thank You
Father for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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I'd like to begin our study
at a prophecy that is probably
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well known by practically
everybody that is present here.
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The prophecy of
Daniel, chapter 7.
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Now we're not going to
read the prophecy of Daniel 7,
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because that would take us too
long, and we don't have the time
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to read the whole chapter.
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So I'm just going to
summarize the sequence of powers
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that are mentioned
in Daniel, chapter 7.
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If you remember, you have
four beasts in this chapter.
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The first beast is a lion,
and the lion has eagle's wings.
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There's no doubt that
this beast represents Babylon.
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You see, in ancient Babylon
there are lions with wings
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all over the place; at
the entrances to the gates
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of the city. So we know
that the lion with eagle's wings
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represents the
kingdom of Babylon.
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And then you have a
bear, and this is a unique bear
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because it's higher on one
side than on the other side.
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And, of course, this
kingdom represents the kingdom
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that took the place of
Babylon; the kingdom of the
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Medes and Persians.
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The reason why the bear
was higher on one side than on
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the other is because the
Persians became predominate
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in the relationship
between these two kingdoms.
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In fact almost all of the kings
after the first two or three
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were Persians and not Medes.
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And then we have a third beast.
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And this third
beast is a leopard.
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And the leopard has four heads.
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Now the leopard represents
the kingdom that conquered
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the Medes and Persians.
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It represents Greece.
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And the reason it has four heads
is because the kingdom of Greece
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was divided into four kingdoms
upon the death of the founder
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of the Grecian kingdom,
which was Alexander the Great.
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And so in the first three beasts
we have a sequence of kingdoms:
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Babylon, Medo
Persia, and Greece.
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And then you have a
fourth beast in Daniel 7.
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This is called a
nondescript beast.
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I like to call
it a dragon beast.
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And this dragon beast has three
successive stages of existence.
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And I'd like to just review what
those three successive stages
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of existence of
this fourth beast are.
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First of all we have the
fourth beast, which is a dragon.
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And that dragon represents Rome.
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It represents the Roman empire,
the iron monarchy of Rome,
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as it was called by historians.
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But then the prophecy tells
us that from the head of this
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fourth dragon beast
come forth ten horns.
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And, of course, this represents
the fact that the kingdom
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of Rome was divided into
ten kingdoms as a result of
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the barbarian invasions from the
northern sector of the empire.
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And then we're told that among
these ten horns rises a little
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horn, and this little
horn is very, very unique.
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It's still Roman because
it comes from the head of the
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fourth beast, which is Rome.
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But it's a
different kind of Rome.
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It's a different type of Rome.
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And we're told several
interesting things about this
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little horn. We're told,
for example, that it speaks
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blasphemies
against the Most High.
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We find that it persecutes
the saints of the Most High.
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And also, it rules for
a period of 1,260 years.
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So in this fourth beast we
have three stages of existence.
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We have, first of all, the iron
monarchy of Rome, which is the
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Roman empire undivided.
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Then Rome is divided into ten
kingdoms; that's Rome divided.
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And then you have another
Rome that rises among the
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ten kingdoms, which is
a different kind of Rome.
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And that little horn represents
the Roman Catholic Papacy,
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we're going to
notice in our study.
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Now it's very important for
us to realize that in Daniel 7
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we are dealing with symbols.
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It is a symbolic portrayal of
church history from the days of
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Nebuchadnezzar till the
second coming of Jesus Christ.
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And, you know, you have symbols
such as the sea, where the four
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beasts come up from.
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You have the winds
beating on the sea.
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You have four beasts.
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You have four heads.
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You have wings.
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You have ten horns.
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You have a little horn.
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You have a mouth
that speaks great things.
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You have all kinds
of symbolic actions.
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You have a time
period that is symbolic.
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In other words, in Daniel 7
you're dealing with symbols.
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We need to keep that in mind
because the one verse that we're
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going to focus on has a symbol
which has rarely been dealt with
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in the study of this prophecy.
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I'm referring to Daniel
7:8, which will be the focus
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of our study; one
particular detail in this verse.
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I'm reading now from Daniel
7:8, where Daniel explains:
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This is the third
stage of the fourth beast.
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That is among the ten.
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Now here comes
the characteristic
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I want to underline.
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Now I'm not a betting man,
but I would be willing to bet,
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if I were, that you have not
really taken the time to study
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what is meant by the eyes of a
man in this particular prophecy.
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Perhaps you have.
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And if you have you would
be the exception to the rule.
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Now the question is,
what do eyes represent
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in Bible prophecy?
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Why is this little
horn depicted as having eyes
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like the eyes of a man?
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Well, we need to
understand what eyes represent
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symbolically in Bible prophecy.
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Now as we examine the
Bible, we discover that
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eyes represent wisdom.
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They represent knowledge.
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They represent understanding.
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Now the Bible gives
us many examples of how
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eyes represent wisdom,
knowledge, or understanding.
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You know, when these examples
are used with reference to God,
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it means God's all encompassing
knowledge and understanding.
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The fact that He's omniscient.
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The fact that He's all wise.
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The fact that
God knows everything.
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Now lets notice several
verses where the eyes are used
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with reference to God.
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The first example is from
Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:6.
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Here Jesus is described in a
very interesting symbolic way.
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It says there, and of course
John is seeing this in vision.
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Now we're not going to
talk about the seven horns,
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but the number 7 represents
totality, or completeness,
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and horns represent power.
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They represent power to rule.
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In other words,
Jesus is all powerful.
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And it continues saying there:
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Now there not
seven Holy Spirits.
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What it represents is the fact
that the Holy Spirit is totally,
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and completely omniscient.
00:10:06.30\00:10:08.06
He knows all things.
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He understands all things.
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He is all wise. So when the
eyes are used with reference
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to God, it means the fact
that God is all understanding,
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all wise, and all knowledgeable.
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He's omniscient in other words.
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Now in the last part of
Zachariah 4:10, and I am reading
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now from the New International
Version, which I believe is
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a little clearer
in the translation.
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The last part of the verse says,
speaking about the seven lamps
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on the candlestick of
the sanctuary, it says:
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In other words, the eyes of the
Lord range all over the earth.
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Nothing escapes His attention.
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He's all wise, He
is all understanding.
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In Ezekiel 10:12, 13 we have
a description of four living
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creatures, which are
symbolic of the angel hosts.
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And, of course, God
rules in this earth through the
00:11:06.28\00:11:10.61
ministration of the angels.
00:11:10.64\00:11:11.98
The angels are the
emissaries of God on this earth.
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And I want you to notice
how these angels are described
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in Ezekiel 10:12,
13. It says there:
00:11:18.45\00:11:22.37
Now what does it mean that
these four living creatures
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have eyes all over their bodies?
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It simply means that they
perform their missions wisely
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with understanding, because
they're the emissaries of God,
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and they do things according
to the way that God determines.
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Now we also have another
verse where we find that eyes
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represent the omniscience, or
the all knowing nature of God.
00:11:56.27\00:12:00.40
Hebrews 4:12, 13, Hebrews
4: 12, 13 is speaking about
00:12:00.43\00:12:08.04
the Bible, which is
the sword of the Spirit,
00:12:08.07\00:12:11.68
which is the word of God.
00:12:11.71\00:12:12.77
It says there in
Hebrews 4 and verse 12:
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Now notice the
word that is used.
00:12:29.43\00:12:30.93
In other words,
it sees, it knows,
00:12:32.61\00:12:36.07
it understands.
So it says there:
00:12:36.10\00:12:39.42
So once again, eyes
represent the fact that God is
00:12:55.26\00:12:58.58
all knowing. God is all wise.
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God is
understanding in its fullness.
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So eyes represent
wisdom or understanding
00:13:04.98\00:13:08.60
when they refer to God.
00:13:08.63\00:13:10.10
But they also represent
understanding or wisdom
00:13:10.13\00:13:13.30
when they are used
with reference to man.
00:13:13.33\00:13:16.95
The only difference is
that God's understanding
00:13:16.98\00:13:19.83
and wisdom is omniscient,
whereas the understanding
00:13:19.86\00:13:22.94
of man is limited and finite.
00:13:22.97\00:13:25.38
Let's read a few
verses where eyes are used
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symbolically of human beings.
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Let's go to Ephesians
1:15-19, Ephesians 1:15-19,
00:13:31.29\00:13:39.27
where you're going to see that
the eyes represent knowledge
00:13:39.30\00:13:41.95
or understanding, with reference
to human beings. It says:
00:13:41.98\00:13:45.47
Paul says:
00:13:53.57\00:13:54.60
Now notice the words that I use:
00:14:06.78\00:14:08.06
So you notice the word
wisdom is used and the word
00:14:14.69\00:14:17.39
knowledge is used.
00:14:17.42\00:14:18.73
And then in verse 18 it says:
00:14:18.76\00:14:21.31
So what do the eyes represent?
00:14:26.35\00:14:28.82
The eyes of your what?
00:14:28.85\00:14:30.69
The eyes of your
understanding, it says here.
00:14:30.72\00:14:34.30
And so clearly the Apostle
Paul speaks about the spirit of
00:14:41.82\00:14:45.87
wisdom, the revelation
in the knowledge of Him,
00:14:45.90\00:14:48.89
and then he refers to the
eyes of our understanding.
00:14:48.92\00:14:53.08
So eyes represent understanding,
or represent wisdom,
00:14:53.11\00:14:57.03
or knowledge. Notice
also Proverbs 3:19-21,
00:14:57.06\00:15:02.78
Proverbs 3:19-21. Here it
speaks about the absolute wisdom
00:15:02.81\00:15:07.62
of God, and the fact that
human beings should reflect that
00:15:07.65\00:15:12.42
wisdom, of course
on a finite level.
00:15:12.46\00:15:14.87
It says there, in Proverbs
3: 19-21, which was written by
00:15:14.90\00:15:19.73
the wise man, Solomon:
00:15:19.76\00:15:21.58
So notice you have
the parallel there.
00:15:29.63\00:15:31.48
Notice three words: wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge.
00:15:38.86\00:15:42.98
And then comes the council.
00:15:48.83\00:15:50.87
That is wisdom
and understanding.
00:15:53.24\00:15:55.34
So what are the eyes related
to? wisdom and understanding.
00:15:58.67\00:16:03.64
So it says:
00:16:03.67\00:16:04.70
So notice once again the
idea that eyes are connected
00:16:11.86\00:16:16.73
with wisdom, with understanding.
00:16:16.76\00:16:18.71
Let me read you just also Acts
26:17, 18, where we have another
00:16:18.74\00:16:26.04
text that uses the
eyes in a symbolic way,
00:16:26.07\00:16:29.30
in a spiritual sense.
00:16:29.33\00:16:30.55
Acts 26:17, 18. Here God
is describing the mission
00:16:30.58\00:16:36.39
that He has for Saul of
Tarsus after his conversion.
00:16:36.42\00:16:39.48
Of course he
becomes the apostle Paul.
00:16:39.51\00:16:41.03
Notice what God had in mind
as a mission for Saul of Tarsus,
00:16:41.06\00:16:46.15
or for Paul. In
Acts 26:17, 18 He says:
00:16:46.18\00:16:50.03
Now notice this.
00:16:56.68\00:16:57.71
What? This is
spiritual talk, isn't it?
00:17:04.35\00:17:07.36
Not open their
literal eyes, but it says:
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.64
So once again opening the eyes
represents the fact that people
00:17:21.12\00:17:25.74
are going to be turned
from spiritual darkness
00:17:25.77\00:17:28.14
to spiritual light.
00:17:28.17\00:17:29.20
They're going to understand
the gospel, in other words.
00:17:29.23\00:17:31.99
So when Scripture refers
to eyes, it's speaking about
00:17:32.02\00:17:36.48
understanding,
wisdom, and knowledge.
00:17:36.51\00:17:39.36
With God it is infinite.
00:17:39.39\00:17:41.13
He is omniscient. With man
it is finite, and it is limited.
00:17:41.16\00:17:45.98
By the way, there's an
interesting animal which we
00:17:46.01\00:17:49.80
use to represent
wisdom, and that is the owl.
00:17:49.83\00:17:54.77
What is the most outstanding
characteristic of an owl?
00:17:54.80\00:17:58.02
The eyes, of course.
00:17:58.05\00:18:00.79
And you've heard the
expression, wise as an owl?
00:18:00.82\00:18:04.28
See the owl, because of his
eyes, is connected with wisdom.
00:18:04.31\00:18:09.47
And, by the way, you now, many
times you find graduation cards
00:18:09.50\00:18:13.89
with an owl on front of
them, because the graduates
00:18:13.92\00:18:15.94
are very wise,
and very intelligent,
00:18:15.97\00:18:17.65
and knowledgeable now.
00:18:17.68\00:18:18.71
At least they
think they are after they
00:18:18.74\00:18:20.84
graduate from high school.
00:18:20.87\00:18:22.10
By the way, did you know
that an owl can turn his head
00:18:22.13\00:18:25.04
270 degrees? It's almost
like the owl is all knowing,
00:18:25.07\00:18:29.67
and all seeing, of
course, in a very limited sense.
00:18:29.70\00:18:33.00
The owl is a symbol
of knowledge, or wisdom,
00:18:33.03\00:18:36.64
or understanding. Now
if eyes represent wisdom,
00:18:36.67\00:18:41.84
or understanding, then
human eyes, which is the
00:18:41.87\00:18:46.46
characteristic of Daniel
7:8, must represent what kind of
00:18:46.49\00:18:50.54
wisdom? God's wisdom?
00:18:50.57\00:18:53.77
No, human or manly wisdom.
00:18:53.80\00:18:57.34
Now we need to remember that
the little horn is a usurper.
00:18:57.37\00:19:01.51
He's not faithful to God.
00:19:01.54\00:19:04.34
He's a usurper. He
actually claims to be God.
00:19:04.37\00:19:09.08
If you look at all of
the passages that speak about
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.14
the little horn, the beast,
the man of sin, the king of the
00:19:12.17\00:19:15.81
north. You know, this is a power
that claims to be all wise.
00:19:15.84\00:19:19.32
It claims to exercise the
power and prerogatives of God.
00:19:19.35\00:19:22.34
But because it's wisdom
is based on human wisdom,
00:19:22.37\00:19:26.33
His wisdom is
actually foolishness.
00:19:26.36\00:19:29.71
And so this characteristic of
the little horn in Daniel 7:8,
00:19:29.74\00:19:35.38
represents the fact that this
system, which represents the
00:19:35.41\00:19:38.98
Papacy, depends not on the
wisdom that comes from God,
00:19:39.01\00:19:43.19
it comes from the wisdom and
knowledge that comes from man.
00:19:43.22\00:19:48.13
Now in Daniel 8 we
have another little horn.
00:19:48.16\00:19:52.40
It's the same little
horn, but it's described
00:19:52.43\00:19:56.59
in different terms.
00:19:56.62\00:19:58.07
In other words it
represents the same power.
00:19:58.10\00:20:00.18
It still represents the Papacy.
00:20:00.21\00:20:02.14
And I want you to notice in
several Biblical translations
00:20:02.17\00:20:07.21
what this little horn is like.
00:20:07.24\00:20:09.51
Once again we're saying
that eyes represent human wisdom
00:20:09.54\00:20:13.11
and knowledge. And I want
you to see what this little horn
00:20:13.14\00:20:16.59
in Daniel 8 is like.
00:20:16.62\00:20:17.77
It's the same power as
Daniel 7, but it's described
00:20:17.80\00:20:21.87
in different terms.
00:20:21.90\00:20:22.99
I'm going to read from Daniel 8:
23, and then I'm going to read
00:20:23.02\00:20:27.60
verse 25 in several different
versions, so you catch the
00:20:27.63\00:20:30.99
picture of what
this little horn is like.
00:20:31.02\00:20:33.00
First of all, I'm going to read
from the King James Version,
00:20:33.03\00:20:36.35
and I'm reading
in verse 23. It says:
00:20:36.38\00:20:39.93
Now listen carefully.
00:20:49.63\00:20:51.03
Now that word, understanding,
a king of fierce countenance
00:20:56.28\00:21:00.90
and understanding, in Hebrew
is translated discernment.
00:21:00.93\00:21:05.74
It's translated insight, and
it is translated understanding.
00:21:05.77\00:21:10.50
In other words, this power,
it has discernment, or insight,
00:21:10.53\00:21:15.47
or understanding
into dark sentences,
00:21:15.50\00:21:18.82
according to the
King James translation.
00:21:18.85\00:21:21.75
Now in verse 25 this
power is further described,
00:21:21.78\00:21:26.76
and I want you to notice,
once again, what the King James
00:21:26.79\00:21:29.37
describes this power as.
00:21:29.40\00:21:30.75
It says there in the
first part of verse 25:
00:21:30.78\00:21:33.34
That is this
little horn's policy.
00:21:35.30\00:21:37.24
Incidentally, the Hebrew
meaning of this word policy
00:21:37.27\00:21:40.41
is translated prudence.
00:21:40.44\00:21:42.38
It's translated insight,
and it's also translated
00:21:42.41\00:21:46.07
understanding. So:
00:21:46.10\00:21:48.07
In other words, this
is a power that is sly.
00:21:54.94\00:21:57.73
It is a power that is slithery.
00:21:57.76\00:21:59.97
It is cunning. It is a crafty
politician, in other words,
00:22:00.00\00:22:04.39
if you can
perceive it in that way.
00:22:04.42\00:22:07.59
Now I want to read from
the New King James Version
00:22:07.62\00:22:10.15
these two verses, also
the description that is
00:22:10.18\00:22:12.33
given of this little horn.
00:22:12.36\00:22:13.90
It says in verse 23, in
the New King James Version:
00:22:13.93\00:22:18.01
Interesting, who understands.
00:22:31.71\00:22:33.85
See understanding again,
by it's sinister schemes.
00:22:33.88\00:22:36.27
This is not godly understanding.
00:22:36.30\00:22:37.87
This is human understanding.
00:22:37.90\00:22:38.93
This is even
diabolical understanding.
00:22:39.48\00:22:41.98
Verse 25, in the New
King James Version says:
00:22:42.01\00:22:45.87
So what does he use his wisdom,
and his understanding for?
00:22:51.06\00:22:54.14
to deceive people.
00:22:54.17\00:22:55.96
I want to read now from
the New International Version.
00:22:55.99\00:22:58.71
I want you to catch the
picture in all these different
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.73
translations about what
this little horn is like.
00:23:00.76\00:23:02.87
How he uses wisdom, and
understanding, and knowledge
00:23:02.90\00:23:05.41
in a sly cunning way,
as a politician to deceive.
00:23:05.44\00:23:08.99
It says in the New International
Version, verse 23, that:
00:23:09.02\00:23:13.13
...will arise...
00:23:14.67\00:23:15.70
And in verse 25 of the New
International Version, it says:
00:23:18.20\00:23:23.03
So, once again you
have the idea of intrigue
00:23:25.98\00:23:29.34
and of deception. The
New American Standard Bible,
00:23:29.37\00:23:32.81
in verse 23 says:
00:23:32.84\00:23:34.78
And verse 25 says:
00:23:39.17\00:23:41.10
In the English Standard Version,
which is one of the most popular
00:23:47.17\00:23:50.99
versions in the world
today, it speaks about:
00:23:51.02\00:23:53.73
You know, do you
need wisdom to understand
00:23:58.08\00:24:01.27
and to interpret riddles?
00:24:01.30\00:24:02.59
Of course, absolutely!
00:24:02.62\00:24:04.63
And in verse 25 it says:
00:24:04.66\00:24:06.28
So he uses his wisdom,
his understanding in a crafty,
00:24:09.76\00:24:14.16
and a sly way, with the
intention of deceiving people.
00:24:14.19\00:24:17.94
That's the picture.
00:24:17.97\00:24:19.00
The New English
translation says:
00:24:19.03\00:24:22.28
...will arise. Once
again, the idea of deception.
00:24:24.94\00:24:28.38
And in verse 25 it says:
00:24:28.41\00:24:30.25
...by his treachery he
will succeed through deceit.
00:24:33.70\00:24:36.37
The God's Word
translation, in verse 23 says:
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.28
And in verse 25 it says:
00:24:45.59\00:24:47.79
The New Revised
Standard Version says:
00:24:52.24\00:24:55.71
And in verse 25 it says:
00:25:00.21\00:25:02.38
The Living Bible, which is not
a translation, is actually not
00:25:08.28\00:25:13.06
even a paraphrase.
00:25:13.09\00:25:14.12
It's an interpretation.
00:25:14.15\00:25:15.48
It's interesting to find
this translation in verse 23:
00:25:15.51\00:25:18.74
See, there you have the
eyes of the little horn.
00:25:24.18\00:25:26.92
And we find in
verse 25, it says:
00:25:28.86\00:25:32.14
In the American Standard
Version, verse 23 reads:
00:25:34.90\00:25:39.03
And, of course, this
power is a power that
00:25:44.37\00:25:47.62
comes from darkness.
00:25:47.65\00:25:48.87
And in verse 25 it says:
00:25:48.90\00:25:50.93
And maybe I can read
one more translation.
00:25:56.14\00:25:59.06
This is actually a paraphrase.
00:25:59.09\00:26:00.36
The Amplified
Version says, in verse 23:
00:26:00.39\00:26:02.93
So he uses his knowledge
and his understanding to trick
00:26:10.33\00:26:13.63
people, and to deceive people.
00:26:13.66\00:26:15.64
And in verse 25 it says:
00:26:15.67\00:26:17.53
Now the King James translates
verse 25, as we notice,
00:26:23.52\00:26:28.59
by saying that this
king will have understanding
00:26:28.62\00:26:33.45
in dark sentences.
00:26:33.48\00:26:35.13
He will have
understanding in dark sentences.
00:26:35.16\00:26:37.43
Now I looked up that word,
because it's actually one word
00:26:37.46\00:26:41.15
that translates dark sentences.
00:26:41.18\00:26:43.03
And I looked it up in the
Hebrew, and this word is used
00:26:43.06\00:26:47.37
for example of
Solomon's riddles.
00:26:47.41\00:26:49.57
Do you remember Solomon was
an expert in proposing riddles
00:26:49.60\00:26:53.29
to the Philistines?
00:26:53.32\00:26:54.35
And they had to use
their wisdom, and understanding
00:26:54.38\00:26:56.92
to decipher the riddles?
00:26:56.95\00:26:58.46
In other words, it deals
with craftiness in being able to
00:26:58.49\00:27:03.13
interpret, and being able
to present things in a way that
00:27:03.16\00:27:07.57
will deceive people.
00:27:07.60\00:27:09.42
And, of course,
Sampson was always intent
00:27:09.45\00:27:12.59
on deceiving people, wasn't he?
00:27:12.62\00:27:14.16
And then it's also
used of the Queen of Sheba,
00:27:14.19\00:27:17.31
in 1 Kings 10:1 where it
says that she asked Solomon
00:27:17.34\00:27:21.89
hard questions. In other
words, riddling questions,
00:27:21.92\00:27:25.72
if you please. So the picture
here is of a power that is
00:27:25.75\00:27:29.75
crafty, sly, uses its
intelligence, its knowledge,
00:27:29.78\00:27:33.99
and its wisdom, with the
intention of causing treachery,
00:27:34.02\00:27:37.95
and deceit. That
is the characteristic
00:27:37.98\00:27:40.68
of this little horn.
00:27:40.71\00:27:42.12
Now Proverbs 1:5, 6, uses
this same word, dark sayings,
00:27:42.15\00:27:50.78
that we noticed in the King
James Version, dark sentences,
00:27:50.81\00:27:53.98
and I want to
read those two verses.
00:27:54.01\00:27:55.56
Do you notice the
emphasis on wisdom here?
00:28:10.34\00:28:13.05
And then it says in verse 6:
00:28:13.08\00:28:15.39
That word riddles, once again,
is the word that is used in
00:28:23.35\00:28:26.44
Daniel 8:23 of this sly power.
00:28:26.47\00:28:31.15
So in Daniel 7, and
Daniel 8, this little horn
00:28:31.18\00:28:35.40
is a wise little horn.
00:28:35.43\00:28:36.66
I mean this little horn
understands dark things.
00:28:36.69\00:28:40.97
It understands riddles.
00:28:41.00\00:28:42.81
It understands mystical things.
00:28:42.84\00:28:44.69
But its wisdom and understanding
is used not for good,
00:28:44.72\00:28:49.24
but for evil, because
this is an evil power.
00:28:49.27\00:28:51.99
In other words, this is human
wisdom that is used in order
00:28:52.02\00:28:55.69
to deceive people.
00:28:55.72\00:28:57.50
By the way, this is very similar
to the description that is given
00:28:57.53\00:29:02.08
of Lucifer in Ezekiel 28.
00:29:02.11\00:29:04.96
I want to read several verses
in Ezekiel 28:2-5, and then
00:29:04.99\00:29:10.90
verse 12 and verse 17.
00:29:10.93\00:29:12.77
And you're going to notice the
number of times that the word
00:29:12.80\00:29:14.85
wisdom is. And at the end
there's a word that is connected
00:29:14.88\00:29:18.00
with wisdom, which I want
you to notice. Very important!
00:29:18.03\00:29:20.69
Ezekiel 28:2-5 says, and it's
speaking about Lucifer here,
00:29:20.72\00:29:25.88
it's quoting Lucifer.
00:29:25.91\00:29:27.52
Did the little
horn lift himself up?
00:29:30.50\00:29:34.45
Just read Daniel 7 and Daniel 8.
00:29:34.48\00:29:36.40
He's an arrogant little horn.
00:29:36.43\00:29:38.12
And then it says:
00:29:50.00\00:29:51.36
And then comes a little sarcasm.
00:29:58.33\00:30:02.11
Notice once again the
idea of arrogance and pride.
00:30:28.34\00:30:33.05
And then we find in
verse 17, actually verse 12,
00:30:33.08\00:30:37.37
and then verse 17 it says:
00:30:37.40\00:30:39.05
And then verse 17 tells us
what happened with his wisdom.
00:30:44.17\00:30:47.68
It says:
00:30:47.71\00:30:48.74
So what kind of wisdom
are we talking about here?
00:30:56.52\00:30:59.41
A corrupted wisdom,
because it is a wisdom
00:30:59.44\00:31:02.90
that depends upon man.
00:31:02.93\00:31:04.62
It is an understanding
that depends upon man,
00:31:04.65\00:31:07.31
with the intention of deceiving
people, and leading them astray
00:31:07.34\00:31:11.64
from the word of God.
00:31:11.67\00:31:12.72
Now it's interesting that
there are two other places
00:31:12.75\00:31:16.24
in Scripture that speak about
this same little horn power.
00:31:16.27\00:31:20.27
We noticed in
Daniel 7, and Daniel 8.
00:31:20.30\00:31:22.60
Now we want to go to the
same power as it is described
00:31:22.63\00:31:27.12
in Revelation 13:18.
00:31:27.15\00:31:29.80
There's a very mystical
number involved with this power.
00:31:29.83\00:31:33.36
It speaks about the beast.
00:31:33.39\00:31:35.39
By the way, the beast is
the same as the little horn.
00:31:35.42\00:31:37.98
If you read Revelation 13:1-10,
you're going to find that the
00:31:38.01\00:31:42.09
beast does the same
things that the little horn did.
00:31:42.12\00:31:44.55
You're going to find that
the beast speaks blasphemies.
00:31:44.58\00:31:47.60
You're going to find
that the beast persecutes the
00:31:47.63\00:31:49.70
Saints of the Most High.
00:31:49.73\00:31:50.82
You're going to find that the
beast tramples on the sanctuary
00:31:50.85\00:31:54.26
like the little
horn in Daniel chapter 8.
00:31:54.29\00:31:56.23
You're going to find
that the beast has a mark
00:31:56.26\00:31:58.88
of his authority and
of his power, and he rules
00:31:58.91\00:32:01.83
for the same time period.
00:32:01.86\00:32:03.02
He rules for 42
months, which is 1,260 years.
00:32:03.05\00:32:07.12
So, in other words, the beast
is the same as the little horn.
00:32:07.15\00:32:10.48
Now we're told that the
little horn had eyes like a man.
00:32:10.51\00:32:14.80
In other words he
depended on human wisdom.
00:32:14.83\00:32:16.97
Now I want you to notice a
characteristic of the beast.
00:32:17.00\00:32:21.20
Revelation 13:18. And
we're going to come back to this
00:32:21.23\00:32:25.93
a little bit later on.
00:32:25.96\00:32:26.99
Notice, eyes of a man.
00:32:41.17\00:32:42.55
Now it says what?
the number of a man,
00:32:42.58\00:32:45.79
and his number is what? 666.
00:32:45.82\00:32:49.70
What day of the
week was man created?
00:32:49.73\00:32:51.59
He was created on the sixth day.
00:32:51.62\00:32:53.98
The number 6, in symbolic
prophecy, represents man
00:32:54.01\00:32:58.47
independent from God.
00:32:58.50\00:33:00.01
Now I want you to remember this
verse, because we're going to
00:33:00.04\00:33:03.12
come back to it at the
very end of our study today.
00:33:03.15\00:33:06.15
Once again, the emphasis is
that it's the number of a man,
00:33:06.18\00:33:10.41
just like we noticed that
they were the eyes of a man.
00:33:10.44\00:33:15.33
The same power. Now this same
power is described in another
00:33:15.36\00:33:18.98
passage of Scripture.
00:33:19.01\00:33:20.04
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3,
4, and I want you to notice,
00:33:20.07\00:33:25.02
once again the
emphasis on the word man.
00:33:25.05\00:33:27.16
This is a system
that depends on man.
00:33:27.19\00:33:29.47
It is the number of a man.
00:33:29.50\00:33:31.55
It has the eyes of a man.
00:33:31.58\00:33:33.48
And now we're going to notice
that he's called the man of sin.
00:33:33.51\00:33:36.70
Notice 2
Thessalonians 2:3, 4. It says:
00:33:36.73\00:33:41.41
That is the day
of Christ's coming.
00:33:44.80\00:33:46.21
The expression falling
away translates the word
00:33:49.78\00:33:52.92
apostasia in Greek.
00:33:52.95\00:33:55.47
In other words, before the
apostasy comes. And it says:
00:33:55.50\00:33:59.03
What? Interesting!
00:34:00.08\00:34:02.35
Is that the same characteristic
that we just read in Ezekiel 28?
00:34:15.49\00:34:18.57
Is it the same
characteristic of the beast
00:34:18.60\00:34:21.18
and the little
horn power? Absolutely!
00:34:21.21\00:34:23.75
And you noticed that he
is called the man of what?
00:34:23.78\00:34:28.32
the man of sin. Let
me ask you, what is sin?
00:34:28.35\00:34:31.35
Sin is the
transgression of the law.
00:34:31.38\00:34:35.11
In fact notice
what we find in verse 7;
00:34:35.14\00:34:38.85
how this power is
described. It says:
00:34:38.88\00:34:41.17
So this power is called
the man of sin, and he is also
00:34:52.38\00:34:56.77
called the mystery of what?
the mystery of lawlessness.
00:34:56.80\00:35:02.24
Now there's another
way of looking at this.
00:35:02.27\00:35:05.08
Lets go to Revelation 17,
and we're dealing with different
00:35:05.11\00:35:11.16
symbols, but the meaning
of the symbols is the same.
00:35:11.19\00:35:14.19
In other words a different
symbolism, but the same lesson
00:35:14.22\00:35:17.30
that God wants to teach.
00:35:17.33\00:35:18.59
Revelation 17:4. It's
describing here a harlot.
00:35:18.62\00:35:24.18
Now what does a
harlot represent in prophecy?
00:35:24.21\00:35:29.04
A woman represents a church.
00:35:29.07\00:35:32.98
A pure woman is a pure church.
00:35:33.01\00:35:34.66
A harlot
represents an apostate church.
00:35:34.69\00:35:37.57
Now notice Revelation 17:4 says:
00:35:37.60\00:35:40.89
So what does this
woman have in her cup?
00:35:57.43\00:35:59.85
In her cup she has
abominations, according to this,
00:35:59.88\00:36:04.15
and the filthiness
of her fornication.
00:36:04.18\00:36:07.28
Now Revelation 17:2
emphases the same thing.
00:36:07.31\00:36:12.04
It tells us that the
abominations that she has
00:36:12.07\00:36:15.41
in her cup are really
the wine, fermented wine.
00:36:15.44\00:36:19.04
It's not grape juice.
00:36:19.07\00:36:21.66
It's not Welch's grape
juice we're talking about here.
00:36:21.69\00:36:24.44
We're talking about
corrupted grape juice.
00:36:24.47\00:36:27.20
We're talking about
fermented grape juice.
00:36:27.23\00:36:28.91
In other words the truth of
God has been turned into a lie,
00:36:28.94\00:36:31.89
is basically the idea.
00:36:31.92\00:36:33.53
Notice Revelation 17:2, speaking
about the harlot it says:
00:36:33.56\00:36:37.70
So what's in the cup?
00:36:47.54\00:36:48.61
In the cup is her wine,
but her wine are her what?
00:36:48.64\00:36:51.61
her abominations. A
very important point.
00:36:51.64\00:36:54.18
And what does the wine do?
00:36:54.21\00:36:56.28
The wine actually
makes people angry.
00:36:56.31\00:36:59.80
It keeps them from thinking
straight, spiritually speaking.
00:36:59.83\00:37:05.20
Notice Jeremiah
51:7, Jeremiah 51:7.
00:37:05.23\00:37:10.25
It's talking about Babylon,
and Babylon giving wine to the
00:37:10.28\00:37:13.24
nations, and the nations
getting drunk as a result.
00:37:13.27\00:37:16.35
It says here in Jeremiah 51:7:
00:37:16.38\00:37:21.33
So what does the
harlot give the nations?
00:37:35.70\00:37:38.59
She gives them her wine,
and her wine makes them drunk.
00:37:38.62\00:37:43.11
Now what does
the wine represent?
00:37:43.15\00:37:45.72
Well, actually if you read
Revelation 14, you're going to
00:37:45.75\00:37:49.76
see there's a contrast.
00:37:49.79\00:37:51.02
Revelation 14 presents, in
verses 6 and 7, what are known
00:37:51.05\00:37:56.03
as the first angel's message.
00:37:56.06\00:37:58.67
And then verse 8 has the second,
and verses 9 through 11 have
00:37:58.70\00:38:01.81
the third angel's message.
00:38:01.85\00:38:03.02
Now the first angel's message,
we don't have time to study all
00:38:03.05\00:38:06.38
of the details of it, but
I'm going to summarize what the
00:38:06.41\00:38:08.61
first angel's message contains.
00:38:08.64\00:38:10.40
First of all, it
presents the everlasting gospel.
00:38:10.43\00:38:13.58
And the gospel is that
Jesus was sacrificed once
00:38:13.61\00:38:16.50
for all, for our sins.
00:38:16.53\00:38:18.04
Also, there we find that
we should care for our body,
00:38:18.07\00:38:25.40
and for our mind, because
it says give glory to God.
00:38:25.43\00:38:28.87
And the Apostle Paul
says, Glorify God in your body,
00:38:28.90\00:38:31.97
and in your
spirit, which are God's.
00:38:32.00\00:38:33.76
So, in other words, this
angel calls people to be careful
00:38:33.79\00:38:36.36
with their body,
and with their mind.
00:38:36.39\00:38:38.15
It also teaches that
we're supposed to reflect
00:38:38.18\00:38:41.20
God's beautiful character,
because the angels says,
00:38:41.23\00:38:44.89
Give glory to Him, and
God's glory is His character.
00:38:44.92\00:38:48.87
This angel also attracts
attention to God's holy law,
00:38:48.90\00:38:52.82
because the
angel says, Fear God.
00:38:52.85\00:38:55.12
And if you read that expression,
Fear God, in Scripture,
00:38:55.15\00:38:58.12
you'll find that
many, many times it's linked
00:38:58.15\00:39:01.12
with keeping God's commandments.
00:39:01.15\00:39:02.77
For example in Ecclesiastics
12: 13, 14 it says, Fear God and
00:39:02.80\00:39:06.44
keep His commandments, for
this is the whole duty of man.
00:39:06.48\00:39:10.08
So the first angel
attracts the attention of God's
00:39:10.12\00:39:13.06
people to His law.
00:39:13.10\00:39:14.54
But it also attracts
the attention of people
00:39:14.57\00:39:18.26
to God's judgment,
because the first angels says,
00:39:18.29\00:39:20.43
the hour of His
judgment has come.
00:39:20.46\00:39:22.80
And it attracts their
attention to the holy Sabbath.
00:39:22.84\00:39:25.82
Because we're supposed to
worship the God who made the
00:39:25.86\00:39:28.76
heavens, the earth, the seas,
and everything that is in them.
00:39:28.80\00:39:31.76
In other words, the first
angel's message presents God's
00:39:31.80\00:39:35.44
pure grape juice, so to
speak, unfermented by human
00:39:35.47\00:39:39.58
traditions, and human ideas.
00:39:39.61\00:39:41.41
The harlot, in contrast,
presents her wine to the world;
00:39:41.45\00:39:46.63
her human wisdom. That's
why this system has human eyes.
00:39:46.67\00:39:51.81
Because it
depends on human wisdom.
00:39:51.85\00:39:53.72
In other words, the human
eyes basically are parallel
00:39:53.76\00:39:57.02
to the wine that she
gives to the nations.
00:39:57.05\00:39:59.66
And what kind of
wine does she give?
00:39:59.69\00:40:01.59
Well, the second angel's
message says, Hey, she has made
00:40:01.63\00:40:05.15
everyone drunk with the
wine of her fornication.
00:40:05.19\00:40:07.51
So there's a contrast between
the first angel's message,
00:40:07.55\00:40:10.61
which is God's pure message,
and the second angel's message,
00:40:10.65\00:40:13.68
which says that
Babylon is fallen.
00:40:13.72\00:40:15.85
And, by the way, later
on in Revelation it says
00:40:15.88\00:40:18.07
you'd better get
out while you can.
00:40:18.11\00:40:19.63
You'd better get
out of the system.
00:40:19.66\00:40:21.92
Notice Revelation 14:8. It says:
00:40:21.95\00:40:24.18
And then we find
the reason why she fell.
00:40:28.74\00:40:31.08
Her traditions, her
ideas based on human wisdom.
00:40:37.76\00:40:41.29
That's what her wine represents.
00:40:41.32\00:40:43.09
Revelation 18:2, 3 presents a
final warning, right before the
00:40:43.12\00:40:48.17
second coming of
Jesus Christ, right before
00:40:48.21\00:40:50.03
the close of probation.
00:40:50.07\00:40:51.13
And, once again, it's the
message that Babylon is fallen,
00:40:51.17\00:40:54.35
because she gave her wine to all
of the inhabitants of the earth.
00:40:54.39\00:40:57.90
It says there in verse 2:
00:40:57.93\00:40:59.75
And now comes the
reason why she's fallen,
00:41:14.53\00:41:16.73
why she's basically
possessed by the evil powers,
00:41:16.77\00:41:20.57
according to
this. Notice it says:
00:41:20.61\00:41:22.14
Does that sound like a
place that you would want to be?
00:41:28.98\00:41:31.78
Certainly not me! And now
it gives the reason in verse 3.
00:41:31.82\00:41:34.59
So why did Babylon fall?
00:41:47.98\00:41:49.67
Because she refused
the first angel's message.
00:41:49.71\00:41:52.23
Now, how can we be sure
that fermented wine represents
00:41:56.02\00:42:00.76
false doctrine, or
human traditions in contrast
00:42:00.80\00:42:03.73
to God's truth as
it's found in Scripture?
00:42:03.76\00:42:06.41
You know, for a while
I struggled with this,
00:42:06.45\00:42:09.03
because I looked up in a
Concordance the word wine.
00:42:09.07\00:42:11.78
And every reference
that I could find to wine
00:42:11.82\00:42:15.81
simply spoke about literal wine.
00:42:15.84\00:42:17.80
And so how do you determine
what the wine in the cup
00:42:17.84\00:42:22.84
of the harlot represents, if
in every reference that we find
00:42:22.87\00:42:26.08
in Scripture it seems to
be referring to literal wine?
00:42:26.11\00:42:29.10
Well, I struggled
with this until I realized
00:42:29.13\00:42:31.85
something very interesting.
00:42:31.88\00:42:32.91
And that is that in
Revelation, chapter 17,
00:42:32.94\00:42:36.53
the wine is
explained as her abominations.
00:42:36.57\00:42:40.13
Did you notice that when
we studied, when we read these
00:42:40.17\00:42:43.45
verses a few minutes ago?
00:42:43.49\00:42:45.01
The wine are in the
cup of her abominations.
00:42:45.05\00:42:48.61
But in the cup is her wine.
00:42:48.65\00:42:50.45
So her wine are her
what? her abominations.
00:42:50.49\00:42:53.62
So I said, Well, why not
look up the word abominations
00:42:53.65\00:42:56.95
instead of
looking up the word wine?
00:42:56.99\00:42:58.62
Because they're
used interchangeably.
00:42:58.66\00:43:00.22
And when I looked up the
word abomination, Oh a whole new
00:43:00.26\00:43:04.09
scenario opened up.
00:43:04.13\00:43:05.16
Do you know what the Bible
explains abomination to be?
00:43:05.19\00:43:08.65
what the wine
of abominations is?
00:43:08.69\00:43:11.78
I'm just going to give you a
summary, and we're going to talk
00:43:11.81\00:43:14.02
more about these
things as we go along.
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.90
This is just the introductory
subject that we're studying now.
00:43:15.93\00:43:19.97
But it's very interesting that
the abominations in the Bible
00:43:20.01\00:43:24.04
are the following:
bowing down before idols,
00:43:24.08\00:43:27.77
attempting to communicate with
the dead (including praying to
00:43:27.80\00:43:33.31
the dead, by the way), turning
away one's ear from hearing
00:43:33.35\00:43:38.62
God's law, believing you
can be saved by your own works,
00:43:38.66\00:43:43.89
spiritual fornication
with a political power,
00:43:43.92\00:43:50.30
a church fornicating with the
political powers of the world.
00:43:50.34\00:43:53.06
In other words
union of church and state.
00:43:53.09\00:43:54.91
Shedding innocent blood
is called an abomination.
00:43:54.94\00:44:00.06
And teaching that it's alright
to eat anything and everything
00:44:00.09\00:44:04.21
is called an abomination.
00:44:04.25\00:44:06.01
Are all those false doctrines,
and false practices? Absolutely!
00:44:06.04\00:44:11.26
Scripture tells
us just the opposite.
00:44:11.29\00:44:13.97
So what does this
harlot have in her cup?
00:44:14.00\00:44:16.41
She has all of
these false teachings.
00:44:16.45\00:44:18.82
She has all of these ideas
that are based on human wisdom,
00:44:18.85\00:44:22.90
not based on the wisdom of God.
00:44:22.94\00:44:25.73
In other words, she has
human eyes, not divine eyesight.
00:44:25.77\00:44:29.43
I want to read you a statement
that we find in the book,
00:44:29.47\00:44:33.78
Testimonies to Ministers,
pages 61, 62, where Ellen White
00:44:33.81\00:44:38.09
describes the
wine. She says this:
00:44:38.12\00:44:41.68
That is that when
you die, if you were bad,
00:44:59.32\00:45:01.67
you go to burn in hell forever.
00:45:01.71\00:45:03.15
And she says
that's part of the wine.
00:45:03.19\00:45:05.58
And here comes a
very important one.
00:45:10.44\00:45:12.59
Then she says:
00:45:18.87\00:45:20.82
Now do you know the Bible
categorizes the abominations?
00:45:55.72\00:45:59.81
Do you know what the
Bible categorizes as the worst
00:45:59.85\00:46:03.91
abomination that
individuals could commit?
00:46:03.95\00:46:07.27
Well, in Ezekiel, chapter
8, we have what is called
00:46:07.30\00:46:12.00
the abominations chapter.
00:46:12.03\00:46:13.39
And God shows Ezekiel
an abomination that's being
00:46:13.42\00:46:18.93
committed in Jerusalem.
00:46:18.97\00:46:20.30
And Ezekiel says,
Wow Lord, that's bad!
00:46:20.34\00:46:23.93
God says, You
haven't seen anything yet!
00:46:23.97\00:46:25.71
I'm going to show you
one that's worse than that.
00:46:25.75\00:46:27.81
So then God shows
him another abomination.
00:46:27.85\00:46:30.19
And Ezekiel says, Certainly,
this is the worst of all!
00:46:30.23\00:46:33.48
God says, You
haven't seen anything yet!
00:46:33.52\00:46:35.64
I'm going to show
you an abomination that's
00:46:35.67\00:46:37.76
even worse than that.
00:46:37.79\00:46:38.82
And do you know what is
at the very top of the list?
00:46:38.85\00:46:42.89
The Bible says in Ezekiel
8:15, 16, that the very leaders
00:46:42.92\00:46:50.50
in the temple were
bowing towards the East,
00:46:50.54\00:46:55.89
and they were
worshipping the sun.
00:46:55.93\00:46:58.42
Sun worship was the greatest
abomination that was committed
00:46:58.46\00:47:05.82
by those who
professed to be God's people
00:47:05.85\00:47:08.08
in Old Testament times.
00:47:08.11\00:47:09.77
Now does that have any parallel
with the Christian world today?
00:47:09.80\00:47:13.56
It most certainly does!
00:47:13.60\00:47:15.30
Which day of the week
do Christians keep today
00:47:15.34\00:47:18.20
as the day of worship.
00:47:18.24\00:47:19.27
They keep Sunday
as the day of worship,
00:47:19.30\00:47:21.48
and what does Sunday mean?
00:47:21.51\00:47:22.92
It means the day of the
what? the day of the sun.
00:47:22.96\00:47:25.61
And some people say, Well, it's
not the same thing to worship
00:47:25.64\00:47:28.13
the sun as it is to
worship on the day of the sun.
00:47:28.17\00:47:31.17
And I sustain that in
principle it's the same thing.
00:47:31.20\00:47:34.17
And let me explain why.
00:47:34.20\00:47:35.50
Let me ask you, who
created the sun? God did.
00:47:35.53\00:47:40.63
Did He create
it for worship? No.
00:47:40.66\00:47:42.96
So what happens if you make
the sun an object of worship?
00:47:42.99\00:47:46.93
What is that called? Idolatry.
00:47:46.97\00:47:49.53
Now let me ask you, who created
the first day of the week?
00:47:49.56\00:47:52.50
God did. Did He create the first
day of the week for worship?
00:47:52.54\00:47:55.45
No, He made the
seventh day for worship.
00:47:55.48\00:47:57.63
Did He create the first day
of the week for worship? No.
00:47:57.66\00:48:00.67
So what if man
makes it a day of worship?
00:48:00.70\00:48:03.13
What is that
called? That is idolatry.
00:48:03.17\00:48:05.53
It doesn't matter
whether it's an object or a day.
00:48:05.56\00:48:09.38
Anything that man makes
for worship is idolatry.
00:48:09.42\00:48:13.20
Are you understanding me?
00:48:13.24\00:48:14.60
Now I want to read you
a couple of statements,
00:48:14.64\00:48:18.46
very interesting statements,
from an author who wrote back
00:48:18.49\00:48:23.24
at the end of the 1900's.
00:48:23.28\00:48:25.08
This is actually the 1884
and 1898, these two quotations.
00:48:25.11\00:48:29.51
The first one is in Review
and Herald, March 18, 1884,
00:48:29.54\00:48:33.69
where the writer says, The
Lord has a controversy with His
00:48:33.72\00:48:37.83
professed people
in these last days.
00:48:37.86\00:48:39.75
She's not talking only
about Seventh-day Adventists,
00:48:39.79\00:48:42.39
she's talking about
the Christian world.
00:48:42.43\00:48:43.52
She says, In this controversy
men in responsible positions
00:48:43.55\00:48:48.04
will take a course
directly opposite to that
00:48:48.07\00:48:51.98
pursued by Nehemiah.
00:48:52.01\00:48:53.35
Remember Nehemiah
was involved in building
00:48:53.39\00:48:56.23
the wall of Jerusalem.
00:48:56.27\00:48:57.30
They will not only ignore and
despise the Sabbath themselves,
00:48:57.33\00:49:02.14
but they will try
to keep it from others.
00:49:02.18\00:49:05.56
Listen carefully now.
00:49:05.59\00:49:07.11
They will try to keep it from
others by burying it beneath
00:49:07.14\00:49:12.13
the rubbish of
custom and tradition.
00:49:12.16\00:49:14.67
Hum! In churches and
large meetings in the open air,
00:49:14.70\00:49:21.52
ministers will urge upon the
people the necessity of keeping
00:49:21.55\00:49:26.26
the first day of the week.
00:49:26.30\00:49:27.67
And she says it's
based on what? the rubbish of
00:49:27.70\00:49:31.61
custom and tradition.
00:49:31.64\00:49:33.77
Human wisdom, not divine wisdom.
00:49:33.81\00:49:36.63
The second statement
is in Review and Herald,
00:49:36.67\00:49:40.58
March 8, 1898, and this
is a powerful statement.
00:49:40.62\00:49:44.49
She says, Sunday is
a child of the Papacy.
00:49:44.53\00:49:47.26
And listen carefully now.
00:49:49.23\00:49:50.38
It has been nourished and
cradled by the Protestant world
00:49:50.41\00:49:56.50
as a genuine
requirement of Jehovah.
00:49:56.54\00:49:59.69
But it has no
foundation in the word of God.
00:49:59.73\00:50:02.66
Interesting, it's a
child of the Papacy.
00:50:02.69\00:50:05.72
And then she says, It has
been nourished and cradled
00:50:05.75\00:50:08.82
by the Protestant world.
00:50:08.95\00:50:09.98
In other words, she's
comparing Sunday to a baby.
00:50:10.01\00:50:13.69
The baby was born from Roman
Catholicism, but the Protestants
00:50:13.72\00:50:18.62
have cradled it, and
they've nourished it.
00:50:18.66\00:50:21.64
She continues saying, The
Christian world is tested by
00:50:21.67\00:50:25.78
their relation to this matter.
00:50:25.81\00:50:27.45
God moves upon men to search
the Scriptures for evidence
00:50:27.48\00:50:31.62
to sustain Sunday.
00:50:31.66\00:50:33.27
Those who search
with a desire for truth...
00:50:33.31\00:50:36.57
Notice. Those who search with
a desire for truth will see that
00:50:36.61\00:50:40.68
in the past they have
been relying on tradition,
00:50:40.71\00:50:44.00
and have accepted an
institution of the Papacy.
00:50:44.03\00:50:48.09
Those who with contrite hearts
search the word of God for truth
00:50:48.12\00:50:54.26
will receive a
blessing from God.
00:50:54.29\00:50:57.03
In another statement that
we find in Review and Herald,
00:50:57.07\00:51:00.98
she says this: Satan
has taken the world captive.
00:51:01.02\00:51:04.94
He has
introduced an idol Sabbath.
00:51:04.97\00:51:07.68
Notice that she
calls it an idol Sabbath.
00:51:07.71\00:51:11.81
Why? Because it was
created by man for worship.
00:51:11.84\00:51:14.68
Anything that man
creates for worship is an idol.
00:51:14.71\00:51:17.23
She says, Satan has
taken the world captive.
00:51:17.26\00:51:19.29
He has introduced an idol
Sabbath, apparently giving
00:51:19.32\00:51:22.70
to it great importance.
00:51:22.73\00:51:23.94
He has stolen the homage of
the Christian world away from
00:51:23.97\00:51:28.66
the Sabbath of the
Lord for this idol Sabbath.
00:51:28.69\00:51:32.07
The world bows to a tradition,
a man made commandment.
00:51:32.10\00:51:38.09
Wise words! Very
penetrating words.
00:51:38.13\00:51:43.25
Those are really words of divine
wisdom, not of human wisdom.
00:51:43.28\00:51:48.11
Now as we draw this to an
end, I'd like to say that in the
00:51:48.14\00:51:52.96
Greek language
letters of the Greek alphabet
00:51:52.99\00:51:56.89
stand for numbers.
00:51:56.93\00:51:58.37
In other words, in the times of
Christ the Greeks did not have
00:51:58.40\00:52:02.79
the number system.
00:52:02.82\00:52:03.85
Basically they used
letters that stood for numbers.
00:52:03.88\00:52:06.78
And you're going to see on
the screen a list of the letters
00:52:06.81\00:52:12.12
in Greek, and what
their numerical equivalent is.
00:52:12.15\00:52:15.50
Now this is very, very
important because they also
00:52:15.54\00:52:18.89
wrote words with numbers.
00:52:18.92\00:52:22.17
You remember the number 666?
00:52:22.20\00:52:25.38
It says it's the
name of the beast,
00:52:25.42\00:52:27.78
and it's the
number of the beast.
00:52:27.82\00:52:30.11
Well, somehow the
number gives us a name,
00:52:30.15\00:52:33.02
or the name gives us a number.
00:52:33.06\00:52:34.40
Now it's interesting to
notice that if you look at the
00:52:34.43\00:52:40.38
numerical value, for example, of
the name Jesus, which in Greek
00:52:40.41\00:52:44.84
is Jesous. And you look at
this chart where you have all of
00:52:44.87\00:52:49.57
these Greek letters, and
what their number equivalent is.
00:52:49.61\00:52:54.96
You'll find that the word
Jesus, Jesous, comes out to 888.
00:52:54.99\00:53:00.30
And I don't have time
to get into the meaning of
00:53:00.34\00:53:03.53
the number 8. The number 8 is
the number of the resurrection.
00:53:03.57\00:53:06.73
It's the number of eternal
life in symbolic prophecy.
00:53:06.77\00:53:10.20
The word cross in Greek, which
is stauros, comes out to 777.
00:53:10.23\00:53:20.92
Interesting! And I'm not
creating this number system,
00:53:20.95\00:53:25.26
by the way, folks.
00:53:25.29\00:53:26.32
It's on the screen, and
you'll be able to do the
00:53:26.35\00:53:28.89
calculating yourself.
00:53:28.92\00:53:31.32
Stauros comes out to 777.
00:53:31.36\00:53:33.69
But the word that I
particularly want to focus on
00:53:33.73\00:53:37.21
is the word tradition in Greek.
00:53:37.24\00:53:40.41
I bet you can't guess
what the numerical value
00:53:40.44\00:53:44.07
of the word Paradosis is.
00:53:44.11\00:53:46.47
It is 666. And you know,
you can see it on the screen.
00:53:46.50\00:53:53.96
The Greek word Paradosis...
00:53:53.99\00:53:55.41
I'm not creating this.
00:53:55.44\00:53:56.53
I'm not inventing this.
00:53:56.56\00:53:57.65
This is the number
value of the letters.
00:53:57.68\00:53:59.68
In other words, the
word tradition in Greek
00:53:59.71\00:54:02.40
comes out to 666. It
is the number of man.
00:54:02.43\00:54:07.08
Because it is a system that
is based on the wisdom of men,
00:54:07.12\00:54:11.70
not on the wisdom of God.
00:54:11.74\00:54:13.33
Now as we close, I'd like
to show you a clipping that I
00:54:13.36\00:54:16.84
got from a
newspaper a few years ago.
00:54:16.87\00:54:19.41
This was in Colombia in
a Presidential election.
00:54:19.45\00:54:22.39
And if you look at this
picture carefully that came out
00:54:22.42\00:54:27.14
in the newspaper, it shows a
priest coming to a voting table.
00:54:27.17\00:54:33.52
By the way, back then
they didn't use computers
00:54:33.56\00:54:35.99
or anything. This is back in
the 60's, late 60's, early 70's.
00:54:36.03\00:54:40.63
So you didn't have the
computerized system of votation.
00:54:40.66\00:54:44.34
You had these tables with
big numbers on them written on
00:54:44.38\00:54:48.02
cardboard. And
then people would come
00:54:48.05\00:54:50.37
to the tables and vote.
00:54:50.40\00:54:51.69
Now as you look at this
illustration, you'll find
00:54:51.72\00:54:54.62
that at the table to vote
is a Roman Catholic priest.
00:54:54.65\00:54:59.93
His sleeve is covering one
of the numbers on the table.
00:54:59.96\00:55:05.23
But the three numbers
that are visible are 666.
00:55:05.26\00:55:12.24
Now what are the odds?
00:55:12.28\00:55:16.56
You know you say, Well,
this is just a coincidence.
00:55:16.59\00:55:19.41
But you know, God has a
sense of humor, doesn't He?
00:55:19.44\00:55:22.76
You know, there were
four numbers at the table,
00:55:22.79\00:55:26.07
but his sleeve, you can tell,
is covering one of the numbers.
00:55:26.11\00:55:28.73
And you can clearly
see in huge numbers 666
00:55:28.77\00:55:33.86
as the number of the table.
00:55:33.89\00:55:35.38
The newspaper was oblivious
to the meaning of that number.
00:55:35.41\00:55:39.67
And the photographer didn't
have the foggiest idea about the
00:55:39.70\00:55:43.83
importance of that number.
00:55:43.87\00:55:44.97
And yet at that particular
time, and that particular place,
00:55:45.00\00:55:49.46
there was an appointment for
the photographer to go to that
00:55:49.49\00:55:53.95
specific place to
take that picture.
00:55:53.98\00:55:56.94
I believe that that is
very, very significant.
00:55:56.98\00:55:59.94
So in Scripture,
folks, eyes represent wisdom.
00:55:59.97\00:56:06.09
When they refer to God it
has to do with divine wisdom
00:56:06.12\00:56:11.06
that God imparts to
human beings, if you pray
00:56:11.09\00:56:13.62
and you ask for wisdom.
00:56:13.66\00:56:15.27
But eyes can also
represent human wisdom
00:56:15.31\00:56:18.68
independent from God,
like as with the little horn.
00:56:18.71\00:56:21.80
And this system that
we've discussed this evening
00:56:21.83\00:56:25.26
as we introduced this
subject, is a system that bases
00:56:25.29\00:56:28.77
almost all of its practices,
and all of its beliefs,
00:56:28.80\00:56:32.89
not on the word of God,
not on the wisdom that we find
00:56:32.93\00:56:36.98
in the book of God, but depends
on the wisdom of human beings.
00:56:37.01\00:56:42.68
Cunning wisdom of man
instead of the wisdom of God.
00:56:42.72\00:56:48.10
And in this series we are
going to discuss the difference
00:56:48.13\00:56:52.03
between basing our life, and
our faith on the word of God,
00:56:52.07\00:56:55.96
or on the traditions of men.
00:56:55.99\00:56:57.59
And we're going to see that
to follow the traditions of men
00:56:57.62\00:57:01.18
we are building on the sand.
00:57:01.22\00:57:02.42
But following the word of God,
we are building our character
00:57:02.45\00:57:07.49
and our life on the
solid rock that will not fall
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.32
when the tempest comes.
00:57:11.35\00:57:14.12
And so the question
we ask: word of God,
00:57:14.15\00:57:17.45
or traditions of men?
00:57:17.48\00:57:19.03