Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Our Father in heaven, we
thank You so much once again
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for bringing us here.
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We ask for the
guidance of Your Holy Spirit
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as we open Your word.
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As we study about the
story of the destruction of
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Sodom and Gomorrah, we ask that
You will teach us the lessons
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which will be useful
in our own personal walk
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with our beloved Savior, Jesus.
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And we thank You,
Lord, for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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I'd like us to begin our
study today in the book of
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Luke 17:28-30, Luke 17:28-30.
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We've already studied the story
of the flood in Noah's day,
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and we discovered that the whole
flood story is an illustration
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of events which are going to
take place at the end of time.
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Now in our lecture today we are
going to study that the story of
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Sodom and Gomorrah also
is an illustration of events
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which will take place
at the very end of time.
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Lets begin reading at verse 28.
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After talking about the flood,
Jesus says, Likewise as it was
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also in the days of Lot; they
ate, they drank, they bought,
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they sold, they planted, they
built; but in the day that Lot
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went out of Sodom it rained
fire and brimstone from heaven,
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and destroyed them all.
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And now notice verse 30.
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Even so, in other
words, in the same manner.
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Even so, will it be in the day
when the Son of man is revealed.
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Jesus Himself told us that
the story of Sodom and Gomorrah
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is symbolic of events which
will take place at the very
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close of human history.
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And so what we want to do in our
lecture today is draw a parallel
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between what happened then,
and what is going to happen
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now, as we
approach the end of time.
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I'd like us to begin in
Genesis 13:10 where we have
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a description of the valley
where Sodom and Gomorrah were
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before the
cities were destroyed.
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Genesis 13:10. This is when
Lot and Abraham parted ways.
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You remember that Lot went
into the valley where Sodom
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and Gomorrah were,
whereas Abraham decided to stay
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in the country
outside the cities.
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It says here in
chapter 13 and verse 10:
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And then it
explains in parenthesis:
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You notice that that whole
valley, according to this verse,
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was beautiful. In fact it
compares this area with the
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garden of Eden, of all things!
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In other words, it
was a very fertile region.
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Now if you go to that region
today, you're going to find
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just the opposite.
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I've had the privilege of being
on both ends of the Dead Sea
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of the western bank
and on the eastern bank,
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the Jordanian side and the
Israeli side, and I'll tell you
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that when that sea is called
dead, it is very appropriately
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named, because there is
nothing alive in that region.
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There's no vegetation, there
is no life in the Dead Sea,
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everything is
dead, everything is dry.
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There are no birds in the air.
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It's totally
and completely dead.
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Furthermore, probably you're
aware of this, the Dead Sea
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Basin is the deepest point
under sea level on Planet Earth;
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over 1,500 feet below sea level.
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It's almost as if a
gigantic crater was burned into
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the ground there that
created this huge hole
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over 1,500 feet deep.
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In other words, there's been
a great change in that valley
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from a beautiful area, very
fertile like the garden of Eden,
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to an area that is
totally arid and devoid of life.
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The question is,
what caused this change?
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Go with me to Genesis
13:13, and lets examine in what
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condition these
cities were before the
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cities were destroyed.
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It says in verse 13:
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Notice the expression,
they were exceedingly wicked,
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and sinful against the Lord.
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Now as we examine this story,
we discover that these cities
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had three basic sins
which excelled every other sin.
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The first sin was the
sin of sexual perversion.
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By the way, we get the
word sodomy from Sodom.
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Furthermore, in chapter 19
of Genesis we find that when the
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angels were in Lot's
house, the men gathered outside.
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We'll come to this
a little bit later.
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And they said, Send
these two men out to us
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because we want to know them.
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Now the word know in scripture
means to have sexual relations.
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In Genesis 4:26 it
says, Adam knew his wife Eve,
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and she conceived a son.
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And so what these perverts
of Sodom wanted to do was have
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homosexual relations with these
angels in the house of Lot.
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They were totally
morally, sexually, perverted.
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Furthermore, they men
of Sodom were very violent,
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because when Lot refused
to send out these two angels
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the Bible says that the men
of Sodom started doing violence
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to Lot and those who
were inside the house.
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They tried to
break the door down.
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They had the
intention of killing Lot.
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In other words they had no
qualms about murdering someone
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who did not agree
with what they wanted.
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Now in Ezekiel 49
we find a third sin.
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Not only sexual immorality,
not only violence, but there was
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also another terrible sin
that afflicted these cities.
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Ezekiel 16:48, 49.
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Notice the
description that is given here.
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It says there, verses once
again, 48 and 49: As I live,
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says the Lord God, neither your
sister Sodom, nor her daughters,
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have gone as you and
your daughters have done.
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He's talking to
the Hebrew nation.
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Verse 49: Look, this was the
iniquity of your sister Sodom.
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She and her daughter had pride,
fullness of food, and abundance
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of idleness, neither
did she strengthen the hand
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of the poor and needy.
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There's one word which
describes this condition,
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and it is the word materialism.
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They had an abundance
of food, according to this,
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an abundance of
leisure and idleness.
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And as a result they
did not help those who were
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poor and in need.
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So the three great sins of these
cities were sexual immorality,
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violence, and
materialism, crass materialism.
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Now let me ask you, are these
three sins also sins which have
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proliferated in
our present day world?
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You look at the world; sexual
immorality and perversion.
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You look at a
tremendous increase in violence.
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You look at the crass
materialism; people buying
00:10:06.41\00:10:09.72
and selling, doing business,
thinking that the world
00:10:09.75\00:10:13.75
is going to last forever,
and not thinking about those who
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are in need, but
thinking about self.
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Lovers of money, the
apostle Paul called them.
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And so you have these terrible
sins that were being practiced
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in the cities of the plain, and
therefore God decided that He
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was going to destroy these
cities, and obliterate them
00:10:32.66\00:10:36.14
from the face of the earth.
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But God never destroys a
civilization, He never destroys
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a city without first
giving a message of warning.
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Now I want you to go with me to
Genesis 18:1, 2, and lets notice
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who came to visit Abraham before
the cities were destroyed.
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Genesis 18:1, 2. It says, Then
the Lord appeared to him,...
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That is to Abraham.
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...by the terebinth trees of
Mamre: as he was sitting in the
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tent door in
the heat of the day.
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How many individuals
came to visit Abraham?
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Three individuals
came to visit Abraham.
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Immediately we ask
the question, who were
00:11:37.61\00:11:41.04
these three individuals?
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Well, before I answer
this question, we need to go to
00:11:43.82\00:11:47.36
chapter 18, and
verse 22, Genesis 18:22.
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It seems like after these three
individuals visit with Abraham,
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they departed
from Abraham's tent,
00:11:59.68\00:12:03.55
and they went towards Sodom.
00:12:03.58\00:12:05.81
Notice what we find in verse 22:
00:12:05.84\00:12:08.65
That is where they met Abraham.
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Now lets stop there.
00:12:16.68\00:12:20.08
They went toward Sodom.
00:12:20.11\00:12:21.14
Actually, lets finish the verse,
and then I'll explain something.
00:12:21.17\00:12:23.68
And then what does it say?
00:12:24.99\00:12:28.35
Now lets go to
chapter 19 and verse 1.
00:12:32.83\00:12:35.15
Here this gets
very, very interesting.
00:12:35.18\00:12:38.71
Chapter 19 and verse 1
identifies two of those
00:12:38.74\00:12:41.42
individuals. Notice it says:
00:12:41.45\00:12:43.96
Now wait a minute! You say,
There's something wrong here.
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Two angels came to Sodom?
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How many came to
visit Abraham? three.
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The question is, what
happened to the other one?
00:13:01.19\00:13:04.55
Well, lets finish
reading this verse. It says:
00:13:04.58\00:13:06.94
So two angels, we know
that at least two of these
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individuals were angels
that came to visit Abraham,
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and two of them
end up going to Sodom.
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Now the question is,
who was the third angel,
00:13:31.39\00:13:34.97
and where did he go?
00:13:35.00\00:13:37.06
Let's go back to
Genesis 18:22, Genesis 18:22.
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It says there, and
we just read this verse,
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Hum! Where did
the Lord show up from?
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Who was that third personage?
00:14:03.95\00:14:07.26
The third
personage was whom? the Lord.
00:14:07.29\00:14:10.86
By the way, do you notice that
the word LORD is capitalized?
00:14:10.89\00:14:13.75
That is the
covenant name, Jehovah.
00:14:13.78\00:14:17.08
Very significant!
00:14:17.11\00:14:20.51
One of the most solemn names,
if not the most solemn name
00:14:20.54\00:14:23.54
of God in the Old Testament.
00:14:23.57\00:14:26.21
So it says that
Abraham stood before the Lord.
00:14:26.24\00:14:29.47
Two of them, two of the
angels, go to Sodom, but Abraham
00:14:29.50\00:14:33.47
still stands before the Lord.
00:14:33.50\00:14:35.42
And now I want you to
notice the conversation
00:14:35.45\00:14:37.51
that takes place. By
the way, this first angel
00:14:37.54\00:14:40.60
is the judgment angel,
or the judgment messenger.
00:14:40.63\00:14:44.93
Lets read verse 23:
00:14:44.96\00:14:46.70
What is Abraham's concern?
00:14:54.20\00:14:56.07
That maybe God is going to what?
00:14:56.10\00:14:58.16
He's going to destroy the wicked
and the righteous together.
00:14:58.19\00:15:01.40
Now what does God have to do
before He destroys the wicked?
00:15:01.43\00:15:05.13
He has to separate from
the wicked what? the righteous.
00:15:05.16\00:15:09.58
What do we call that?
00:15:09.61\00:15:11.03
What do we call
that? the judgment.
00:15:11.06\00:15:17.56
Yes, thank you. Notice verse 24:
00:15:17.59\00:15:19.92
Suppose there were fifty
righteous within the city?
00:15:19.95\00:15:23.66
Would you also destroy the place
and not spare it for the fifty
00:15:23.69\00:15:27.35
righteous that were in it?
00:15:27.38\00:15:28.68
Who is Abraham concerned about?
00:15:28.71\00:15:30.30
Is he concerned about
the wicked or the righteous?
00:15:30.33\00:15:32.22
He's concerned
about the righteous;
00:15:32.25\00:15:34.69
that God judged correctly
the righteous. Verse 25:
00:15:34.72\00:15:37.77
What is taking place here with
this first angel, if we might
00:15:58.61\00:16:04.53
call him a first angel?
00:16:04.56\00:16:05.63
By the way, did you know
that the angel of the Lord
00:16:05.66\00:16:08.07
in the Old Testament is
none less than Jesus Christ?
00:16:08.10\00:16:10.76
I don't have time to get
into that, but scholars of all
00:16:10.79\00:16:15.14
denominations have come to the
conclusion that the angel of the
00:16:15.17\00:16:17.89
Lord, who appeared in
the burning bush and said,
00:16:17.92\00:16:20.10
I am the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and told Moses
00:16:20.13\00:16:24.06
to take off his sandals
from his feet, because he was
00:16:24.09\00:16:26.52
standing on holy ground.
00:16:26.83\00:16:27.86
It says the angel of the
Lord was speaking to Moses.
00:16:27.89\00:16:30.77
It's generally agreed that
that angel of his presence,
00:16:30.80\00:16:34.65
that angel of the
Lord, is Jesus Christ.
00:16:34.68\00:16:37.39
The word angels means
messenger, incidentally.
00:16:37.42\00:16:40.43
And so we find here Abraham
standing before this angel
00:16:40.46\00:16:43.77
messenger, and his concern is
that the angel messenger perform
00:16:43.80\00:16:49.53
a work of what? judgment.
00:16:49.56\00:16:52.47
Separating the
righteous from the unrighteous
00:16:52.50\00:16:55.35
before the destruction.
00:16:55.38\00:16:57.57
Are you following me?
00:16:57.60\00:16:58.72
Now there's a second
angel that has a message.
00:16:58.75\00:17:04.31
Go with me to
Genesis 19, Genesis 19:12-14,
00:17:04.34\00:17:11.49
Genesis 19:12-14. It says:
00:17:11.52\00:17:16.38
What did they say? Get out!
00:17:32.34\00:17:37.48
What message did
these messengers give to Lot
00:18:09.56\00:18:12.91
and to his family?
00:18:12.94\00:18:13.97
Get out, because
the cities are fallen.
00:18:14.00\00:18:18.03
The cities are going to be
destroyed because of their sins.
00:18:18.06\00:18:21.95
Get out before
they're destroyed.
00:18:21.98\00:18:24.86
So the first messenger is the
one messenger of the judgment.
00:18:24.89\00:18:28.25
The second message which is
given is the cities are corrupt.
00:18:28.28\00:18:32.98
Get out! Are any of
you starting to catch an
00:18:33.01\00:18:35.58
interesting picture here?
00:18:35.61\00:18:36.78
Now whoever doesn't get out,
what's going to happen to them?
00:18:36.81\00:18:40.63
Go with me to
Genesis 19:24, Genesis 19:24.
00:18:40.66\00:18:48.79
And I see some of you smiling
because you know where we're
00:18:48.82\00:18:51.13
going with this, even though
we haven't gone there yet.
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.99
You see, we noticed that
what happened then is going to
00:18:54.02\00:18:57.78
happen at the end.
00:18:57.81\00:18:58.84
Is it just possible that
God is going to send a threefold
00:18:58.87\00:19:02.19
message to the world
before the close of time warning
00:19:02.22\00:19:06.53
God's people to deliver
their lives from the world
00:19:06.56\00:19:10.13
before the
destruction comes? Absolutely!
00:19:10.16\00:19:12.89
You see, those three messengers,
those three angels, prefigure
00:19:12.92\00:19:16.48
three angels in Revelation
14 that God is going to
00:19:16.51\00:19:19.77
send to the world at the very
end of time, to warn the world
00:19:19.80\00:19:23.19
that because of its sins
destruction is about to come.
00:19:23.22\00:19:26.29
Now notice
Genesis 19:24. It says:
00:19:26.32\00:19:33.12
This is after Lot and
his family had come out.
00:19:35.09\00:19:39.35
Where did the fire
and brimstone come from?
00:19:51.70\00:19:53.81
It came from whom?
00:19:53.84\00:19:56.37
It came from the Lord.
00:19:56.40\00:19:58.57
And where was the Lord?
00:19:58.60\00:19:59.63
In heaven, according to this.
00:19:59.66\00:20:02.44
And notice the
expression, fire and brimstone.
00:20:02.47\00:20:04.93
Do you know that expression
fire and brimstone is used
00:20:04.96\00:20:07.26
only for two events
in all of the Bible.
00:20:07.29\00:20:09.14
It's used for the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.94
and it's used to speak about
the destruction of the wicked
00:20:11.97\00:20:15.21
at the end of time.
00:20:15.24\00:20:16.27
Those are the only two
places where the expression
00:20:16.30\00:20:19.18
fire and brimstone is used.
00:20:19.21\00:20:20.80
And, by the way, in the
third angel's message it says,
00:20:20.83\00:20:24.24
whoever does not
get out will be punished
00:20:24.27\00:20:27.13
with fire and brimstone.
00:20:27.16\00:20:29.38
And so you have contained
here in Genesis already
00:20:29.41\00:20:33.80
in shadow form, in miniature
form, what is going to happen
00:20:33.83\00:20:38.99
on a worldwide level at
the very end of human history.
00:20:39.02\00:20:44.39
Now I want you to notice
Genesis 19:10, Genesis 19:10.
00:20:44.42\00:20:52.60
Was there a shut door in
this story of Sodom and Gomorrah
00:20:52.63\00:20:58.79
before the
cities were destroyed?
00:20:58.82\00:21:00.49
Do you remember that in the
story of Noah the door was shut,
00:21:00.52\00:21:04.36
a period went by,
then destruction came?
00:21:04.39\00:21:08.24
Is it just possible...
00:21:08.27\00:21:09.90
By the way, the wicked
gathered around the ark also.
00:21:09.93\00:21:12.84
Correct? While the righteous
were safe where? inside.
00:21:12.87\00:21:17.66
Now notice Genesis 19,
Genesis 19:10, Genesis 19:10.
00:21:17.69\00:21:26.79
It says here: But the men,...
00:21:26.82\00:21:29.54
That is the angels.
00:21:29.57\00:21:30.60
We're already identified them.
00:21:30.63\00:21:31.83
But the men reached out their
hands and pulled Lot into the
00:21:31.86\00:21:38.05
house with them
and shut the door.
00:21:38.08\00:21:42.77
Was there any more opportunity
of salvation after that door
00:21:45.99\00:21:49.36
shut for the inhabitants
of Sodom and Gomorrah?
00:21:49.39\00:21:51.88
That was it! Who protected Lot
and his family from the wrath
00:21:51.91\00:21:58.31
of those wicked people?
00:21:58.34\00:21:59.92
It was angels that
protected them from the wicked
00:21:59.95\00:22:04.24
that had gathered around them.
00:22:04.27\00:22:05.86
Just like at the time of the
flood there was a closed door
00:22:05.89\00:22:10.03
before
destruction actually came.
00:22:10.06\00:22:12.46
And those who were outside Lot's
house didn't have the foggiest
00:22:12.49\00:22:15.63
idea that when the
door closed that was it.
00:22:15.66\00:22:20.20
By the way, do you know that
in Psalm 91:9-12 it says that
00:22:20.23\00:22:25.16
God will send His angels
to take charge of His people
00:22:25.19\00:22:28.12
in the midst of the tribulation,
and that no plague will touch
00:22:28.15\00:22:30.75
the households of God's people?
00:22:30.78\00:22:32.60
This will be
repeated all over again.
00:22:32.63\00:22:35.97
You see, God gave us the stories
of Genesis not only as stories,
00:22:36.00\00:22:40.20
but as prophecies.
00:22:40.23\00:22:41.39
Most people simply read these
stories as stories of things
00:22:41.42\00:22:45.64
that happened once upon a time.
00:22:45.67\00:22:47.12
They're not only stories, they
are really prophecies written
00:22:47.15\00:22:51.97
as stories. Every single story
of Genesis is also a prophecy.
00:22:52.00\00:22:58.01
And so fire descended from
heaven, fire and brimstone,
00:22:58.04\00:23:02.06
and consumed the cities.
00:23:02.09\00:23:04.36
And I want you to
notice the aftermath of this.
00:23:04.39\00:23:07.10
Genesis 19:28. Here Abraham
is looking towards the cities
00:23:07.13\00:23:13.59
after the fire and brimstone
fell from God out of heaven.
00:23:13.62\00:23:17.35
Genesis 19:28. It says:
00:23:17.38\00:23:22.51
That is Abraham.
00:23:23.07\00:23:24.10
You read the third angel's
message it says that not only
00:23:39.71\00:23:42.97
does fire and brimstone fall
from heaven, but it says the
00:23:43.00\00:23:47.08
smoke of their torment
ascends forever and ever.
00:23:47.11\00:23:51.37
Now we're going to talk
about that a little bit later on
00:23:51.40\00:23:54.50
in these series, but what I
want you to notice now is that
00:23:54.53\00:23:57.52
fire and brimstone falls from
heaven, and the smoke ascends
00:23:57.55\00:24:01.16
as a result. In Genesis as well
as in the third angel's message
00:24:01.19\00:24:05.34
of Revelation 14. Now we need
to understand this issue of the
00:24:05.37\00:24:11.76
fire which consumed Sodom and
Gomorrah, because fire is also
00:24:11.79\00:24:15.79
going to consume the world.
00:24:15.82\00:24:17.48
There's a fundamental
misunderstanding among
00:24:17.51\00:24:20.73
Christians that when
the fire falls from heaven,
00:24:20.76\00:24:23.27
the wicked are going to burn
in the fire forever and ever,
00:24:23.30\00:24:26.31
and the fire is never going
to go out, and they're never
00:24:26.34\00:24:28.75
going to go out.
They're going to be tormented,
00:24:28.78\00:24:30.54
and they're going to b
suffering forever and ever.
00:24:30.57\00:24:32.53
Now we need to take a closer
look at that, because I believe
00:24:32.56\00:24:36.40
that that's based on a tradition
which is not in harmony with
00:24:36.43\00:24:39.21
scripture, and you're going
to see it as we study along.
00:24:39.24\00:24:41.99
Go with me to Jude 7, that's
that little book right before
00:24:42.02\00:24:46.07
the book of Revelation.
00:24:46.10\00:24:47.13
Jude 7 where the destruction
of the cities of the plain
00:24:47.16\00:24:51.81
is described. Jude 7.
00:24:51.84\00:24:53.98
See, you have to let
scripture interpret itself.
00:24:54.01\00:24:56.66
We can't simply take one verse
and say, Oh, well this verse
00:24:56.69\00:25:00.48
means this. We have to compare
it with other verses to make
00:25:00.51\00:25:03.61
sense out of what
scripture is trying to teach us.
00:25:03.64\00:25:06.13
Notice Jude 7, and I
only mention the verse because
00:25:06.16\00:25:10.19
it only has one
chapter. So it says:
00:25:10.22\00:25:12.98
See there's the sin
that we talked about.
00:25:24.41\00:25:26.39
What kind of fire
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?
00:25:40.99\00:25:44.11
According to this it was
eternal fire which destroyed
00:25:44.14\00:25:48.67
Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:25:48.70\00:25:49.73
But now we have a problem.
00:25:49.76\00:25:51.57
Go with me to 2 Peter,
2 Peter 2:6, 2 Peter 2:6.
00:25:51.60\00:25:59.53
It says here, speaking about the
same cities, Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:25:59.56\00:26:04.79
It says:
00:26:04.82\00:26:05.85
What were Sodom and
Gomorrah reduced to? ashes!
00:26:20.49\00:26:25.23
Now we have a problem.
00:26:25.26\00:26:26.40
How many of you have
ever tried to burn ashes?
00:26:26.43\00:26:29.06
Have you ever gone to the
grocery store to buy some ashes
00:26:29.09\00:26:34.46
to put in your fireplace?
00:26:34.49\00:26:35.83
Say, Pastor, that's ridiculous!
00:26:35.86\00:26:38.05
You can't burn ashes because
everything that there was
00:26:38.08\00:26:40.74
to burn has already been burned.
00:26:40.77\00:26:42.35
What happens when
ashes are all that's left?
00:26:42.38\00:26:47.06
What happens with the fire?
00:26:47.09\00:26:48.27
The fire goes out, because
everything that was going to be
00:26:48.30\00:26:53.63
consumed has
been what? consumed.
00:26:53.66\00:26:55.54
So immediately we ask the
question, how could Sodom and
00:26:55.57\00:26:58.16
Gomorrah have been
destroyed by eternal fire,
00:26:58.19\00:27:01.39
and yet the fire went out
because the cities were reduced
00:27:01.42\00:27:05.18
to what? to ashes.
00:27:05.21\00:27:06.97
How do we understand this?
00:27:07.00\00:27:08.40
I believe that there's a
perfect explanation to this.
00:27:08.43\00:27:11.48
You see, I believe that the fire
that burned Sodom and Gomorrah
00:27:11.51\00:27:15.90
is still burning today.
00:27:15.93\00:27:17.33
Not the cities,
but the fire, yes.
00:27:17.36\00:27:20.61
Now lets examine this concept.
00:27:20.64\00:27:23.18
You're going to be
confused for a few moments until
00:27:23.21\00:27:25.71
you understand
what I'm trying to say.
00:27:25.74\00:27:27.17
Go with me to Deuteronomy
4:23, 24, Deuteronomy 4:23, 24.
00:27:27.20\00:27:37.79
Here it says, God
speaking to Israel.
00:27:37.82\00:27:43.39
In other words, don't make
images, don't practice idolatry.
00:27:54.71\00:27:58.09
Verse 24:
00:27:58.12\00:27:59.19
What is the consuming fire?
00:28:10.43\00:28:12.83
God is the consuming
fire, according to this.
00:28:12.86\00:28:18.11
God is the fire. It
says He is a consuming fire.
00:28:18.14\00:28:23.30
Now go with me to
the book of Hebrews.
00:28:23.33\00:28:26.12
The New Testament
corroborates this idea.
00:28:26.15\00:28:28.72
The book of Hebrews 12:28, 29,
Hebrews 12:28, 29. Here it says:
00:28:28.75\00:28:39.39
In other words, let's
be respectful towards God.
00:28:51.47\00:28:54.17
Lets serve Him with godly fear.
00:28:54.20\00:28:56.24
Notice verse 29:
00:28:56.27\00:28:57.65
Who is the fire? God is
the fire according to this.
00:29:02.51\00:29:07.63
My question is, how
long has God been the fire?
00:29:07.66\00:29:10.60
How long has God been the fire?
00:29:14.38\00:29:15.79
How long has God
existed? Eternally.
00:29:15.82\00:29:20.96
So how long has God
been a fire? Eternally.
00:29:20.99\00:29:24.89
Now I need to explain that
God is not literally a fire.
00:29:24.92\00:29:29.29
Scripture teaches us
what the fire really is.
00:29:29.32\00:29:33.29
Go with me to Exodus
24:17, 18, Exodus 24:17, 18.
00:29:33.32\00:29:41.56
Here we're going to
find what the fire is.
00:29:41.59\00:29:43.73
It says there, Exodus
24:17, 18, the following:
00:29:43.76\00:29:51.19
Actually, let's begin at
verse 15 for the context.
00:29:51.22\00:29:55.00
It says, Then Moses
went up into the mountain,
00:29:55.03\00:29:57.83
and a cloud
covered the mountain.
00:29:57.86\00:29:59.37
Thankfully, for
Israel, allow me to say.
00:29:59.40\00:30:02.67
What was it that
rested on Mount Sinai?
00:30:12.26\00:30:14.23
The glory of the Lord.
00:30:14.26\00:30:16.45
Now notice this.
00:30:24.11\00:30:25.76
What is the fire? The
fire is the glorious presence
00:30:36.71\00:30:42.62
and light of the Lord.
00:30:42.65\00:30:44.12
What was it that
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?
00:30:44.15\00:30:47.19
It was the fire that came
from God, but what is that fire?
00:30:47.22\00:30:51.33
God revealed His what?
00:30:51.36\00:30:54.11
God revealed His glory.
00:30:54.14\00:30:57.29
How long has God had that glory?
00:30:57.32\00:30:59.94
Only since He
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?
00:30:59.97\00:31:04.46
Is God an
everlasting consuming fire?
00:31:04.49\00:31:08.30
He most certainly is,
because He is eternal.
00:31:08.33\00:31:11.60
In other words, the everlasting
fire that destroyed Sodom and
00:31:11.63\00:31:13.78
Gomorrah has never gone out!
00:31:13.81\00:31:15.78
It is still burning today.
00:31:15.81\00:31:18.09
Not that which it burnt, but the
fire itself is still burning.
00:31:18.12\00:31:24.68
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:31:24.71\00:31:26.08
Now let's notice Malachi
4:1 amplifying this point.
00:31:26.11\00:31:32.64
Malachi 4:1. See when you
compare scripture with scripture
00:31:32.67\00:31:37.70
things become very
clear in our minds.
00:31:37.73\00:31:40.12
The thing is, people have
too much of a restricted vision.
00:31:40.15\00:31:42.99
Malachi 4:1. It says:
00:31:43.02\00:31:47.12
What is the
burning oven going to do?
00:32:09.38\00:32:11.04
What is the fire going
to do when the Lord comes?
00:32:11.07\00:32:13.28
It is not going to
leave root nor branch.
00:32:13.31\00:32:15.43
Who is the root
of all evil? Satan.
00:32:15.46\00:32:19.37
Who are the
branches? His followers.
00:32:19.40\00:32:22.07
It's like Jesus said, I am
the fine, you are the branches.
00:32:22.10\00:32:25.30
The faithful followers
of Jesus are the branches.
00:32:25.33\00:32:27.91
Jesus is the vine.
00:32:27.94\00:32:28.97
The devil is the root.
00:32:29.00\00:32:30.71
His followers are the branches.
00:32:30.74\00:32:32.20
In other words, it says
here that there will be left
00:32:32.23\00:32:35.73
neither root nor branch.
00:32:35.76\00:32:37.43
And notice
verse 3. Verse 3 says:
00:32:37.46\00:32:40.73
What are the wicked
going to be reduced to?
00:32:52.18\00:32:54.44
They are going to be reduced to
ashes, which means that they're
00:32:54.47\00:32:58.20
not going to burn forever,
but the fire that burned them is
00:32:58.23\00:33:01.89
going to burn forever,
because the fire is God's glory.
00:33:01.92\00:33:05.17
Raise your hand if you're
understanding what I'm saying.
00:33:05.20\00:33:08.45
Now, let's go... By the
way, let me just mention this in
00:33:08.48\00:33:12.57
passing: Revelation 15:2
speaks about God's throne
00:33:12.60\00:33:15.42
and it says that before His
throne there's a sea of glass
00:33:15.45\00:33:18.33
mingled with fire.
00:33:18.36\00:33:21.84
Do you know why that sea
of glass looks as if it's
00:33:21.87\00:33:24.28
mingled with fire?
00:33:24.31\00:33:25.34
Because God is sitting on
the throne, and the glory of God
00:33:25.37\00:33:28.51
is reflected in that sea.
00:33:28.54\00:33:30.26
It's the glory of God; a glory
before which sinners would be
00:33:30.29\00:33:38.04
consumed in an instant.
00:33:38.07\00:33:39.86
Now I'm going to surprise you
by what I'm going to tell you.
00:33:39.89\00:33:43.25
The churches have it all wrong.
00:33:43.28\00:33:45.58
It's not the wicked who are
going to be in the everlasting
00:33:45.61\00:33:49.40
flames, it's the righteous.
00:33:49.43\00:33:50.87
Go with me to Isaiah 33.
00:33:56.08\00:33:57.58
We prove everything
here from scripture.
00:33:57.61\00:33:59.50
Isaiah 33:12. This is a
strange twist, isn't it?
00:33:59.53\00:34:04.83
Isaiah 33:12 speaks of
the destruction of the wicked,
00:34:04.86\00:34:09.90
and then it deals
with the righteous.
00:34:09.93\00:34:12.48
It says there in Isaiah
33 beginning in verse 12:
00:34:12.51\00:34:16.81
Hear, you who are afar off,
what I have done; and, you who
00:34:25.29\00:34:30.81
are near, acknowledge my might.
00:34:30.84\00:34:32.77
And then notice the question.
00:34:38.44\00:34:40.38
Who's going to inhabit
the everlasting flames?
00:35:12.16\00:35:15.89
It's not the wicked, it's the
righteous, because the wicked
00:35:15.92\00:35:20.32
when they're in the midst
of the fire, they are what?
00:35:20.35\00:35:23.40
They are consumed.
00:35:23.43\00:35:24.72
But the righteous, because
they are right with the Lord,
00:35:24.75\00:35:27.65
the fire will not consume them.
00:35:27.68\00:35:30.67
So the church has got
it the wrong way around.
00:35:30.70\00:35:34.86
They say the wicked will
be in the everlasting flames.
00:35:34.89\00:35:37.37
The righteous will be
with the Lord in heaven.
00:35:37.40\00:35:39.25
The fact is, the righteous
will be with the Lord in heaven,
00:35:39.28\00:35:42.62
whose presence, whose glory,
is like a devouring, everlasting
00:35:42.65\00:35:47.67
fire. Are you
clear on this point?
00:35:47.70\00:35:50.61
Now let me ask you, Is God going
to send a message to the world
00:35:50.64\00:35:56.56
before the world is destroyed?
00:35:56.59\00:35:58.22
Do you know in how many
parts that message is divided?
00:35:58.25\00:36:02.41
Three parts, in the exact
order as we noticed in Genesis.
00:36:02.44\00:36:08.61
History is going to be repeated.
00:36:08.64\00:36:11.20
The only difference is that
in Genesis a few cities in the
00:36:11.23\00:36:16.77
Dead Sea Basin were destroyed.
00:36:16.80\00:36:18.73
At the end of time this is going
to be a global catastrophe.
00:36:18.76\00:36:23.94
What was local in the Old
Testament becomes universal
00:36:23.97\00:36:27.71
at the end of time.
00:36:27.74\00:36:28.81
In other words, that was a
shadow, it foreshadowed what is
00:36:28.84\00:36:32.18
going to happen in the future.
00:36:32.21\00:36:33.83
Go with me to
Revelation 14 and lets examine
00:36:33.86\00:36:37.72
these three messages.
00:36:37.75\00:36:38.82
Revelation 14 and lets
begin reading at verse 6.
00:36:38.85\00:36:44.25
Revelation 14:6. Then I
saw another angel flying in the
00:36:44.28\00:36:51.65
midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach
00:36:51.68\00:36:55.13
to those who dwell on the earth.
00:36:55.16\00:36:56.32
To every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people,
00:36:56.35\00:36:59.46
saying with a loud voice,
Fear God, and give glory to him;
00:36:59.49\00:37:06.10
for the hour of
his judgment has come.
00:37:06.13\00:37:12.38
Some versions say, the
hour of his judgment is come.
00:37:12.41\00:37:15.72
and worship him who made
heaven, and earth, the sea,
00:37:15.75\00:37:20.45
and the springs of water.
00:37:20.48\00:37:21.53
Let me ask you, does this
judgment take place before
00:37:21.56\00:37:23.91
the destruction of the world?
00:37:23.94\00:37:25.16
What good would it be for God
to say, The hour of his judgment
00:37:27.72\00:37:30.81
is come, if that didn't
warn the world to get ready
00:37:30.84\00:37:36.59
for the
destruction that is coming?
00:37:36.62\00:37:37.99
The purpose of this message
is to warn people to get ready
00:37:38.02\00:37:40.19
for the destruction.
00:37:40.23\00:37:41.26
So let me ask you,
does the judgment take place
00:37:41.29\00:37:42.83
before the destruction?
00:37:42.86\00:37:43.92
Is God going to separate
the righteous from the wicked,
00:37:43.95\00:37:47.48
and is He going to seal
His righteous followers before
00:37:47.51\00:37:51.82
destruction comes,
like He did with Lot? Yes!
00:37:51.85\00:37:54.66
And, by the way, when
the cases are all decided,
00:37:54.69\00:37:57.59
what is going to close?
00:37:57.62\00:37:58.92
The door is going to be shut.
00:37:58.95\00:38:02.14
That's the door in the
parable of the ten virgins.
00:38:02.17\00:38:05.33
Ever heard of the
parable of the ten virgins?
00:38:05.36\00:38:07.32
The shutting of the door is
not the second coming of Christ.
00:38:07.35\00:38:09.95
The shutting of the door
is the close of probation,
00:38:09.98\00:38:12.77
because after the door
closes, the five foolish virgins
00:38:12.80\00:38:16.15
still have a chance to go, and
they try to find oil everywhere,
00:38:16.18\00:38:19.03
but there's no oil, because the
Holy Spirit has been withdrawn.
00:38:19.06\00:38:22.03
Preaching has come to an end.
00:38:24.13\00:38:25.83
The door of salvation has ended.
00:38:25.86\00:38:29.18
So do you see that you have
an announcement of the judgment
00:38:29.21\00:38:33.08
by the first angel of
Revelation chapter 14.
00:38:33.11\00:38:35.94
Now what about the second angel?
00:38:35.97\00:38:37.42
Notice Revelation 14:8.
00:38:37.45\00:38:40.88
It says here: And
another angel followed saying,
00:38:40.91\00:38:45.00
Babylon is fallen, is fallen.
00:38:45.03\00:38:46.74
See at the end time the
power is not Sodom, it is what?
00:38:46.77\00:38:50.31
It is Babylon.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
00:38:50.34\00:38:53.14
that great city, because she has
made all nations drink of the
00:38:53.17\00:38:56.26
wine of the wrath
of her fornication.
00:38:56.29\00:38:58.93
Lets go to chapter 18, because
there's an additional concept
00:38:58.96\00:39:02.50
in chapter 18. Chapter
18, and let's read verse 2.
00:39:02.53\00:39:08.55
And he cried mightily with
a loud voice, saying, Babylon
00:39:08.58\00:39:12.57
the great is fallen, is fallen,
and has become a dwelling place
00:39:12.60\00:39:15.97
of demons, a prison for every
foul spirit, and a cage for
00:39:16.00\00:39:19.27
every unclean and hated bird.
00:39:19.30\00:39:20.97
For all nations have drunk
of the wine of the wrath of her
00:39:21.00\00:39:24.08
fornication. The kings of the
earth have committed fornication
00:39:24.11\00:39:27.60
with her. We'll talk
about all this later.
00:39:27.63\00:39:29.67
And the merchants of the earth
have become rich through the
00:39:29.70\00:39:32.65
abundance of her luxuries.
00:39:32.68\00:39:34.14
Verse 4. And I heard another
voice from heaven, saying,
00:39:34.17\00:39:37.95
Come out of her, my people.
00:39:37.98\00:39:41.98
Is that what the
angel said in Sodom?
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.75
Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her what?
00:39:43.78\00:39:48.48
In her sins, and
you receive her plagues.
00:39:48.51\00:39:53.69
Very same message given
to God's true people who are
00:39:53.72\00:40:00.37
in the midst of
Babylon, like Lot was in Sodom,
00:40:00.40\00:40:03.18
at the very end of time.
00:40:03.21\00:40:04.75
And then, of course, you
have the third angel's message,
00:40:04.78\00:40:07.65
which warns against worshipping
the beast and his image,
00:40:07.68\00:40:10.85
and receiving the mark.
00:40:10.88\00:40:11.91
By the way, we have lectures
on each one of these topics:
00:40:11.94\00:40:14.82
on the beast, on the image
to the beast, and on the mark
00:40:14.85\00:40:18.88
of the beast. We're going to
be dealing with a lot of issues
00:40:18.91\00:40:22.03
in Bible prophecy now, in
our second half of this seminar.
00:40:22.06\00:40:25.25
But the third angel says
that those who worship the beast
00:40:25.28\00:40:28.25
and his image, and receive
the mark, in other words,
00:40:28.28\00:40:30.51
those who don't
come out of Babylon.
00:40:30.54\00:40:32.29
Fire and brimstone will
fall from heaven, and the smoke
00:40:32.32\00:40:36.22
of their torment
will ascend to heaven.
00:40:36.25\00:40:40.89
Very same sequence as
in the book of Genesis.
00:40:40.92\00:40:45.38
God has a message for His
people in these last days.
00:40:45.41\00:40:49.09
Now the question is, how
can we be sure to be ready
00:40:49.12\00:40:55.31
when Jesus comes?
00:40:55.34\00:40:57.56
Lets notice several verses in
the New Testament that tell us
00:40:57.59\00:41:02.03
how we need to prepare so that
we can stand when Jesus comes.
00:41:02.06\00:41:05.74
You see, just not anybody is
going to stand, if they're alive
00:41:05.78\00:41:09.43
when Jesus comes.
00:41:09.46\00:41:10.49
There's a special preparation.
00:41:10.52\00:41:11.62
We have to develop
a fireproof character.
00:41:11.65\00:41:15.00
Yes, we must receive Jesus
as our Savior, but we must be
00:41:15.03\00:41:20.22
like Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego; loyal to death.
00:41:20.25\00:41:25.59
Willing to give up the
most precious thing, their life,
00:41:25.62\00:41:29.33
in order to be loyal to God.
00:41:29.36\00:41:31.15
Obey His law, worship only
Him, not practice idolatry,
00:41:31.18\00:41:35.73
not worship the beast or
his image, and as a result,
00:41:35.76\00:41:38.42
when they went into the fire
the fire did not consume them,
00:41:38.45\00:41:41.81
because they had
fireproof characters.
00:41:41.84\00:41:44.26
Now what will God's people
be like, those who are ready
00:41:44.29\00:41:48.23
for the coming of Jesus?
00:41:48.26\00:41:49.42
See, this is
something that is almost totally
00:41:49.45\00:41:51.82
absent in the churches.
00:41:51.85\00:41:52.92
Churches talk about, Oh
yes, Jesus died for your sins.
00:41:52.95\00:41:56.30
Yes, Jesus stands in your place.
00:41:56.33\00:41:58.31
Jesus intercedes for you.
00:41:58.34\00:41:59.93
You know, if you
sin we have an advocate.
00:41:59.96\00:42:01.65
By the way, I believe all of
these things; they're Biblical.
00:42:01.68\00:42:04.26
But you have to
take the additional step.
00:42:04.29\00:42:06.69
You have to ask God to give
you a pure heart, a clean heart.
00:42:06.72\00:42:10.32
That He'll give
you clean motivations.
00:42:10.35\00:42:13.23
That He'll give you a
pure mind, so that the fountain
00:42:13.26\00:42:17.07
of the heart will
produce a change in the life.
00:42:17.10\00:42:19.64
Because the life proves whether
our profession is true or not.
00:42:19.67\00:42:23.52
Now allow me to mention a
few verses: Hebrews 12:28, 29.
00:42:23.55\00:42:28.07
We already read this,
but let's read it again.
00:42:28.10\00:42:30.43
Hebrews 12:28, 29.
00:42:30.46\00:42:33.85
Here the apostle Paul is
talking about the second coming
00:42:33.88\00:42:37.40
of Jesus. And, by the way, I
believe that Paul was the author
00:42:37.43\00:42:40.08
of Hebrews. I'm not going
to give you the reasons why
00:42:40.11\00:42:43.18
I believe that now,
but I believe that he was.
00:42:43.21\00:42:45.46
And sound Christian
tradition indicates that.
00:42:45.49\00:42:48.97
Now notice
chapter 12 and verse 28.
00:42:49.00\00:42:52.01
That's the kingdom that's going
to come when Jesus arrives.
00:42:57.06\00:42:59.20
How should we serve God?
00:43:09.99\00:43:11.29
With reverence and godly fear.
00:43:11.32\00:43:15.76
Why should we do that?
00:43:15.79\00:43:17.76
So whom does the
fire not consume?
00:43:24.52\00:43:26.74
Those who serve God with
reverence and godly fear.
00:43:26.77\00:43:31.73
Godly fear means
with the utmost respect.
00:43:31.76\00:43:36.18
Notice Hebrews 12:14,
being that we're in Hebrews 12.
00:43:36.21\00:43:42.29
Hebrews 12:14, we
find these wonderful words.
00:43:42.32\00:43:46.41
And then notice the
last part of the verse.
00:43:52.17\00:43:56.22
What must we have in order
to be able to see the Lord?
00:44:03.37\00:44:06.94
We must have holiness.
00:44:06.97\00:44:09.49
We must serve
Him with godly fear.
00:44:09.52\00:44:12.20
By the way, the Lord Jesus said,
Blessed are the pure in heart.
00:44:12.23\00:44:19.73
This is Matthew 5:8.
00:44:19.77\00:44:22.82
Do you know what the wicked are
going to do when Jesus comes?
00:44:27.69\00:44:30.66
Revelation 6 describes it.
00:44:30.69\00:44:32.48
They're going to hide
in the caves of the earth.
00:44:32.51\00:44:34.93
They're going to cry
for rocks to fall upon them,
00:44:34.96\00:44:37.34
because they have not
learned to love Jesus.
00:44:37.37\00:44:40.00
They are totally unlike Jesus.
00:44:40.03\00:44:42.28
They can't stand the idea of
spending an eternity with Jesus,
00:44:42.31\00:44:46.40
and therefore they're
going to hide from the Lord.
00:44:46.43\00:44:50.05
God's people are going
to say, Lo, this is our God.
00:44:50.08\00:44:53.69
We have waited for
Him, and He will save us,
00:44:53.73\00:44:57.35
as it says in Isaiah 25.
00:44:57.39\00:45:00.66
Notice that passage that
we read in Isaiah 33 again.
00:45:00.69\00:45:05.01
There's one verse
which I didn't read.
00:45:05.05\00:45:07.08
Isaiah 33:17. After speaking
about the righteous living with
00:45:07.11\00:45:12.06
the devouring fire, in other
words inhabiting with the glory
00:45:12.09\00:45:15.22
of God, we find these very
interesting words about someone
00:45:15.25\00:45:20.53
that the
righteous are going to see.
00:45:20.56\00:45:26.02
Notice Isaiah
33:17. It says here:
00:45:26.05\00:45:31.47
See the conclusion?
00:45:39.04\00:45:41.84
Do you know what that land is?
00:45:48.96\00:45:50.56
The land that is very far off?
00:45:50.59\00:45:52.12
It is the place
that the King comes from.
00:45:52.16\00:45:54.37
Where does the King come from?
00:45:54.40\00:45:56.31
He comes from heaven.
00:45:56.35\00:45:58.96
Notice a couple of
other verses that we find
00:45:58.99\00:46:03.06
in the New Testament.
00:46:03.10\00:46:04.13
Go with me to 1
John 3:1-3, 1 John 3:1-3.
00:46:04.16\00:46:13.94
We find this theme time
and again when the second
00:46:13.97\00:46:16.38
coming is spoken about.
00:46:16.41\00:46:17.60
God tells us that we must have a
pure, clean life in order to be
00:46:17.64\00:46:22.99
able to wait for the Lord, in
order to see God, as Jesus said.
00:46:23.02\00:46:28.34
Notice what we
find in 1 John 3: 1-3.
00:46:28.37\00:46:35.51
And what should we be doing
in order for this to happen?
00:47:02.00\00:47:05.03
Notice verse 3:
00:47:05.06\00:47:06.09
That is the hope of
seeing Jesus when He comes.
00:47:09.36\00:47:11.59
Does what?
00:47:14.39\00:47:15.42
What should we be
doing in preparation for
00:47:21.42\00:47:24.38
the coming of Jesus?
00:47:24.42\00:47:25.45
We should be
developing holiness.
00:47:25.48\00:47:28.16
We should be purifying
ourselves, even as He is pure.
00:47:28.19\00:47:32.30
He provides the soap and
water, but we must use it.
00:47:32.33\00:47:35.58
What does it
mean, purify yourself?
00:47:35.61\00:47:37.89
I can't purify myself!
00:47:37.92\00:47:40.05
I don't have the
soap and the water.
00:47:40.08\00:47:41.70
The soap and the water represent
Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
00:47:41.73\00:47:44.58
But I have to take
the soap and the water,
00:47:44.61\00:47:47.43
and I have to apply it or it
will do me absolutely no good.
00:47:47.47\00:47:51.84
Notice also 2
Peter 3:10, 2 Peter 3:10.
00:47:51.87\00:47:56.78
This is a very marvelous passage
that deals with the final
00:47:56.82\00:48:03.17
destruction of
the world by fire.
00:48:03.20\00:48:05.30
And I want you to notice the
special preparation that God's
00:48:05.34\00:48:08.27
people are going to need in
order to withstand this fire.
00:48:08.31\00:48:11.35
It says in verse 10:
00:48:11.38\00:48:12.61
And now notice:
00:48:28.61\00:48:30.82
Because the fire is
going to destroy the world,
00:48:34.56\00:48:37.68
what should we be doing?
00:48:37.71\00:48:39.89
What? How should we live?
00:48:49.43\00:48:51.74
In holy what?
Conduct and what? godliness.
00:48:51.77\00:48:56.34
Some people say, Ah,
it doesn't really matter.
00:48:56.37\00:49:00.91
God doesn't
really care what you do.
00:49:00.94\00:49:02.46
We're not saved by
works, we're saved by faith.
00:49:02.49\00:49:04.57
Yes, we're saved
by a faith that works.
00:49:04.61\00:49:08.32
A faith that doesn't
work is a dead faith,
00:49:08.35\00:49:12.03
and a dead
faith cannot save you.
00:49:12.06\00:49:13.65
Faith is shown by works.
00:49:13.69\00:49:17.50
If there are no
works, there is no faith.
00:49:17.54\00:49:20.90
And so to say that you're saved
by bare faith, that you can be
00:49:20.93\00:49:26.87
saved and still live like the
devil, is not in harmony with
00:49:26.90\00:49:31.19
the Bible, because
when Jesus comes into our
00:49:31.22\00:49:34.21
lives our lives change.
00:49:34.25\00:49:36.99
When He genuinely
comes into our lives.
00:49:37.03\00:49:39.52
And that's what the Bible
is talking about when it deals
00:49:39.55\00:49:42.63
with preparation for
the second coming of Jesus.
00:49:42.67\00:49:45.91
And then it says that
we're supposed to do that,
00:49:45.94\00:49:47.92
because the day is hastening
when Jesus is going to come,
00:49:47.95\00:49:51.30
it says in 2 Peter 3.
00:49:51.33\00:49:53.75
And then we're told that Jesus
is going to make a new heavens,
00:49:53.79\00:49:57.38
and a new earth
where righteousness dwells.
00:49:57.42\00:50:01.90
Now, how is this possible?
00:50:01.94\00:50:06.44
How can we develop
this fire proof character?
00:50:06.47\00:50:10.07
We've found that
God wants us to have it.
00:50:10.10\00:50:11.32
He says without
holiness you won't see the Lord.
00:50:11.36\00:50:13.68
The pure in heart will see God.
00:50:13.71\00:50:15.75
We must purify
ourselves as He is pure.
00:50:15.78\00:50:19.14
How do we do it? We can't do it!
00:50:19.18\00:50:24.01
The Lord does it,
and how does He do it?
00:50:24.04\00:50:26.87
Lets go to three texts:
Psalm 119:9-11, Psalm 119:9-11
00:50:26.90\00:50:38.26
gives us the secret.
00:50:38.30\00:50:39.33
We're told here by David, the
longest chapter in the Bible,
00:50:39.36\00:50:46.20
the following.
Listen up young people!
00:50:46.23\00:50:49.98
That means the
behavior, by the way.
00:50:52.03\00:50:54.30
How do we cleanse
our way? by obeying what?
00:50:57.23\00:51:00.28
By obeying the word.
00:51:00.31\00:51:01.86
How much of the word?
00:51:01.90\00:51:05.07
The nine commandments.
00:51:05.10\00:51:08.21
How many? All of them, because
the Bible says that if you break
00:51:08.24\00:51:14.83
one you break them all.
00:51:14.86\00:51:16.14
We don't keep them in
order to be saved, we keep them
00:51:16.18\00:51:20.51
because we're saved.
00:51:20.54\00:51:21.57
Works are good as
long as you don't put the
00:51:21.60\00:51:25.38
cart before the horse.
00:51:25.42\00:51:26.45
Verse 10. With my whole
heart I have sought you.
00:51:26.48\00:51:30.98
Oh, let me not wander
from Your commandments.
00:51:31.01\00:51:35.55
What is the secret for
gaining the victory over sin?
00:51:43.35\00:51:47.16
Hiding the word
where? in the heart.
00:51:47.20\00:51:50.10
You know, the more time I send
in the Word, the more victory
00:51:50.14\00:51:52.33
I have in my life.
00:51:52.37\00:51:54.00
The reason why we don't have
victory is we spend most of our
00:51:54.03\00:51:55.64
time in front of the television.
00:51:55.67\00:51:57.11
And what the television does,
it confirms our sinfulness.
00:51:57.15\00:52:00.35
It strengthens our sinfulness,
because we reflect what we see.
00:52:00.39\00:52:05.04
But when you put the word in the
heart, day after day, after day,
00:52:05.08\00:52:11.29
our lives take
the form of the word.
00:52:11.32\00:52:13.28
Notice also John 15:3 John 15:3.
00:52:14.36\00:52:20.61
Here Jesus is giving
the allegory of the vine
00:52:20.64\00:52:23.24
and the branches, and He
says some very wise words.
00:52:23.27\00:52:27.44
John 15:3. Speaking
about His disciples, He says:
00:52:27.47\00:52:31.64
You are already
clean because of the word
00:52:31.67\00:52:37.00
which I have spoken to you.
00:52:37.04\00:52:38.82
What is it that
cleansed the disciples?
00:52:38.86\00:52:41.32
The word that
Jesus spoke to them.
00:52:41.35\00:52:44.56
Notice Ephesians 5, the
same idea, that it's the word
00:52:44.59\00:52:49.07
that cleanses. It's
the word that purifies.
00:52:49.11\00:52:51.20
When it comes into
our hearts it expels evil.
00:52:51.23\00:52:55.01
Because the word is
light, and light expels
00:52:55.04\00:52:57.68
darkness from the life.
00:52:57.71\00:52:59.31
Notice what we find,
00:52:59.35\00:53:00.91
Where did I say
we were going now?
00:53:00.94\00:53:03.05
Ah, good. You're still with me.
00:53:03.08\00:53:05.15
Ephesians 5:25-27.
00:53:05.18\00:53:10.08
It says in verse 25:
00:53:10.11\00:53:11.96
Did He give Himself
for her for a reason?
00:53:19.62\00:53:22.60
Let's read verse 26.
00:53:22.63\00:53:24.27
How does He cleanse her?
00:53:31.67\00:53:32.81
Do you know what
the water represents?
00:53:39.02\00:53:41.17
The water
represents the Holy Spirit.
00:53:41.21\00:53:43.32
The Holy Spirit, when we
read the word the Holy Spirit,
00:53:43.35\00:53:46.58
it comes in through the
word and cleans our hearts.
00:53:46.61\00:53:49.28
And then notice what type of
church Jesus is going to have.
00:53:49.31\00:53:52.47
It says in verse 27:
00:53:52.50\00:53:54.65
That's what the word does.
00:54:09.92\00:54:12.23
That's how we can be pure in
heart so that we can see God,
00:54:12.26\00:54:17.40
so that we can
say, Lo this is our God.
00:54:17.43\00:54:20.34
We have waited for
Him, and He will save us.
00:54:20.37\00:54:23.31
That will prepare
us to live in the midst
00:54:23.34\00:54:27.43
of the everlasting fire.
00:54:27.46\00:54:28.83
Now allow me to close by saying
that there were four kinds
00:54:28.86\00:54:33.94
of people related to Sodom.
00:54:33.97\00:54:37.16
I'm just going to
mention this in passing.
00:54:37.19\00:54:40.43
Genesis 13:10-12. Don't
even bother to look for it.
00:54:40.46\00:54:43.48
I want you just to
listen to what I'm going to say.
00:54:43.52\00:54:46.53
You can read it later.
00:54:46.57\00:54:47.60
It's on your list of texts.
00:54:47.63\00:54:48.86
Genesis 13:10-12
speaks of Abraham.
00:54:48.89\00:54:52.12
Do you know that Abraham never
actually lived in the cities?
00:54:52.15\00:54:56.52
From the time that he was called
out of Ur of the Chaldees,
00:54:56.56\00:55:00.89
he was faithful to God.
00:55:00.93\00:55:02.45
He never even had
contact with the cities.
00:55:02.49\00:55:04.75
You have a second type of
person relating to the cities.
00:55:04.78\00:55:10.31
You have Lot who lived in the
cities, but he was a follower
00:55:10.34\00:55:16.48
of the Lord in the cities.
00:55:16.51\00:55:17.66
In fact we are told in 2
Peter: 2:7, 8, that Lot was
00:55:17.70\00:55:22.61
tremendously bothered by
the wickedness in the cities,
00:55:22.64\00:55:27.63
and he's even called righteous
Lot there in 2 Peter 2.
00:55:27.67\00:55:32.83
You see he lived in Sodom,
but his heart was not in Sodom,
00:55:32.86\00:55:37.98
and God called him out.
00:55:38.02\00:55:40.88
And now he was with Abraham,
the faithful one who never
00:55:40.91\00:55:44.78
lived in the cities.
00:55:44.81\00:55:45.84
Now you have Lot who was
a member of God's people,
00:55:45.87\00:55:48.38
who was called
out from the cities.
00:55:48.41\00:55:50.45
You have a third type of person.
00:55:50.49\00:55:52.50
That person is Lot's wife.
00:55:52.53\00:55:55.48
She also lived in the cities.
00:55:55.51\00:55:59.19
She accepted the call to come
out, but the trouble is she came
00:55:59.22\00:56:05.53
out of Sodom, but Sodom
had not come out of her.
00:56:05.56\00:56:08.10
The Bible says that
her heart was there.
00:56:08.14\00:56:13.41
She looked back, and she
turned into a pillar of salt.
00:56:13.45\00:56:16.91
That represents those, perhaps,
that have heard the call
00:56:16.95\00:56:20.38
of Jesus, calling
them out of Babylon,
00:56:20.41\00:56:22.58
calling them out of
the world where sinful
00:56:22.62\00:56:24.76
practices are carried on.
00:56:24.79\00:56:26.98
And they've come out in
excitement, but their heart
00:56:27.01\00:56:31.02
is still in the world.
00:56:31.05\00:56:32.08
Lot represents those
who have lived in the world,
00:56:32.11\00:56:35.09
practiced the sins of
Babylon, but their heart is
00:56:35.12\00:56:38.27
with the Lord, and so when
they're called to come out,
00:56:38.31\00:56:40.58
they come out. Abraham
represents those whose strength
00:56:40.61\00:56:44.07
has been pure,
let's say since birth.
00:56:44.11\00:56:46.54
And then you have a fourth
group which are those who chose
00:56:46.57\00:56:51.20
to stay in the
city, the vast majority,
00:56:51.24\00:56:54.82
and were destroyed in the city.
00:56:54.85\00:56:57.78
What group do you belong to?
00:56:57.81\00:57:00.50
Those who were born into
the pure faith of scripture?
00:57:00.53\00:57:05.56
Those who were in
battle, but had been called out?
00:57:05.59\00:57:10.58
Those who have come
out, but whose heart
00:57:10.62\00:57:15.16
is still in the world?
00:57:15.20\00:57:16.23
Or those individuals
who remain in the world?
00:57:16.26\00:57:20.50
Our decision will determine
our everlasting destiny.
00:57:20.53\00:57:26.84