Music... 00:00:01.36\00:01:03.46 Pause... 00:01:03.49\00:01:12.43 Let's pray, "Our Father in heaven, 00:01:12.47\00:01:15.77 thank You for bringing us once again to Your house, 00:01:15.80\00:01:18.11 we anticipate great blessings from Your hands 00:01:18.14\00:01:22.68 as we open with reverent hands Your holy Word. 00:01:22.71\00:01:27.22 As we study about Armageddon, 00:01:27.25\00:01:29.68 earth's last great battle, 00:01:29.72\00:01:32.09 we ask for the guidance of Your Holy Spirit 00:01:32.12\00:01:35.06 and we ask also that You will help us to be on the right side 00:01:35.09\00:01:38.33 in this final conflict. 00:01:38.36\00:01:40.40 We pray this in the precious name of Jesus Your beloved Son, 00:01:40.43\00:01:44.87 Amen. " 00:01:44.93\00:01:46.30 There is no battle in the history of the world 00:01:46.33\00:01:54.91 that has received more publicity than the battle of Armageddon. 00:01:54.94\00:01:58.81 I'd like to begin by reading the passage 00:01:58.85\00:02:01.98 which deals with the battle of Armageddon, 00:02:02.02\00:02:05.12 it's found in Revelation chapter 16 00:02:05.15\00:02:09.32 and verses 12 through 16. 00:02:09.36\00:02:12.43 This is the sixth plague 00:02:12.46\00:02:17.83 of the seven plagues of Revelation and it says this, 00:02:17.87\00:02:22.70 verse on screen... 00:02:22.74\00:03:17.33 Now, in our lecture today, 00:03:17.36\00:03:20.56 we are not going to study everything 00:03:20.60\00:03:22.73 relating the battle of Armageddon. 00:03:22.76\00:03:24.83 Many, many books have been written on this battle 00:03:24.87\00:03:28.80 and by the way, most of what has been written 00:03:28.84\00:03:32.74 about this battle is flat wrong 00:03:32.77\00:03:35.41 but as I read the books that have been written 00:03:35.44\00:03:40.88 about the battle of Armageddon, 00:03:40.92\00:03:43.25 I'm amazed to see that the writers 00:03:43.28\00:03:45.55 comment on everything in this passage abundantly 00:03:45.59\00:03:50.89 but there's one verse 00:03:50.93\00:03:53.19 which seems to be shuffled under the rug 00:03:53.23\00:03:56.60 and very little is said about that specific verse. 00:03:56.63\00:04:00.77 You see, as I've read books 00:04:00.80\00:04:02.97 from many different denominations, 00:04:03.00\00:04:05.04 about the battle of Armageddon, 00:04:05.07\00:04:07.08 they have very much to say 00:04:07.11\00:04:08.74 about the waters of the Euphrates drying up 00:04:08.81\00:04:11.88 and the kings from the east and the dragon, the beast 00:04:11.91\00:04:15.05 and the false prophets 00:04:15.08\00:04:16.95 and the three evil spirits like frogs... 00:04:16.99\00:04:19.49 there's very much exposition when it comes to this 00:04:19.52\00:04:24.23 but the verse which rarely receives much of a comment 00:04:24.29\00:04:28.76 is verse 15. 00:04:28.80\00:04:31.73 In fact, you know the interesting thing 00:04:31.77\00:04:34.30 is that this is the only time 00:04:34.37\00:04:36.94 between Revelation 3:21 and Revelation chapter 21 00:04:36.97\00:04:43.11 that Jesus clearly speaks in Revelation. 00:04:43.14\00:04:49.15 So, if this is the only verse where Jesus explicitly speaks, 00:04:49.18\00:04:54.82 between Revelation 3:21 and Revelation chapter 21, 00:04:54.86\00:04:59.49 it must be a very important verse, 00:04:59.53\00:05:03.73 let's notice this verse again 00:05:03.77\00:05:06.67 because it deals with the issues involved 00:05:06.70\00:05:09.90 in the battle of Armageddon, 00:05:09.94\00:05:11.27 it says once again in chapter 16 and verse 15, 00:05:11.31\00:05:16.34 here Jesus is speaking, 00:05:16.38\00:05:17.75 verse on screen. 00:05:17.78\00:05:33.86 The battle of Armageddon has everything to do 00:05:33.90\00:05:37.90 with the way in which we are dressed... 00:05:37.93\00:05:40.94 the way in which we are garbed. 00:05:40.97\00:05:43.37 You see, in the battle of Armageddon, 00:05:43.41\00:05:45.87 there are going to be two different groups of people, 00:05:45.91\00:05:48.71 those who are found with their garments on 00:05:48.74\00:05:53.75 and those who are found naked. 00:05:53.78\00:05:56.89 Now, the question is, 00:05:56.92\00:05:58.75 what does it mean to be covered with the garments 00:05:58.79\00:06:02.89 and what does it mean to be naked? 00:06:02.92\00:06:05.46 We need to go back of course to the book of Genesis. 00:06:05.49\00:06:09.60 So, go back with me to Genesis chapter 2 00:06:09.63\00:06:13.40 and I'm going to read very quickly verses 15 through 17, 00:06:13.44\00:06:18.77 Genesis chapter 2 and verses 15 through 17, 00:06:18.81\00:06:24.65 we've read this many times before 00:06:24.68\00:06:26.82 but let's read it again, 00:06:26.85\00:06:28.18 verse on screen. 00:06:28.22\00:06:46.67 Did God give a clear commandment to Adam and Eve? 00:06:46.70\00:06:48.84 He most certainly did. 00:06:48.87\00:06:50.57 Of course, here it's given to Adam, 00:06:50.61\00:06:52.47 but Eve repeats it in Chapter 3 00:06:52.51\00:06:54.31 so they both understood the command of God. 00:06:54.34\00:06:56.54 Now, the Bible tells us that before Adam and Eve sinned 00:06:56.58\00:07:02.75 in their state of innocence, 00:07:02.78\00:07:04.75 while they were still obedient to God, 00:07:04.79\00:07:07.39 there was something very interesting 00:07:07.42\00:07:09.99 that characterized them, 00:07:10.03\00:07:11.36 go with me to Genesis chapter 2 and verse 25, 00:07:11.39\00:07:14.63 Genesis chapter 2 and verse 25 00:07:14.66\00:07:17.47 and remember this is describing Adam and Eve 00:07:17.50\00:07:19.43 while they were still obedient to God's commandment 00:07:19.50\00:07:22.90 and we've already studied that in this one commandment 00:07:22.94\00:07:25.94 are contained all of the Ten Commandments in principle, 00:07:25.97\00:07:28.84 but I want you to notice the condition they were in 00:07:28.88\00:07:31.98 while they were obedient to God's Commandment. 00:07:32.01\00:07:35.08 It says in Genesis 2 verse 25, 00:07:35.15\00:07:38.05 verse on screen. 00:07:38.09\00:07:45.29 Now, is there any connection with that verse... 00:07:45.33\00:07:47.60 between that verse and Revelation 16 verse 15, 00:07:47.63\00:07:49.86 very clearly there's a connection. 00:07:49.90\00:07:52.10 There's the idea of nakedness and there's the idea of shame... 00:07:52.13\00:07:56.10 two words that we noticed in Revelation 16 verse 15, 00:07:56.14\00:08:00.64 so, when they were in this condition 00:08:00.68\00:08:02.84 of obedience to God's Law, 00:08:02.88\00:08:04.65 the Bible tells us that they were naked 00:08:04.68\00:08:07.08 and they were not ashamed. 00:08:07.12\00:08:08.45 Now, after they sinned, they noticed that they were naked, 00:08:08.48\00:08:12.22 where was the change? 00:08:12.25\00:08:13.86 Allow me to go through it very quickly. 00:08:13.89\00:08:16.39 Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden 00:08:16.42\00:08:19.19 were naked with respect to human man-made garments 00:08:19.23\00:08:23.90 but the Bible makes it very clear 00:08:23.93\00:08:26.37 that they were originally covered with the glory of God. 00:08:26.40\00:08:29.60 They were covered with the glorious light 00:08:29.64\00:08:31.81 and you say, "How do we know that?" 00:08:31.84\00:08:33.61 I'm only going to mention the verses 00:08:33.64\00:08:35.34 because we've already read them previously. 00:08:35.38\00:08:37.61 In Psalm 8 verses 5 and 6, 00:08:37.65\00:08:40.22 we're told that when man was created, 00:08:40.25\00:08:43.45 God crowned him with glory and splendor. 00:08:43.49\00:08:46.65 In other words, man was... was covered with God's glory, 00:08:46.69\00:08:51.13 he was covered with God's splendor 00:08:51.16\00:08:53.29 in a state of innocence. 00:08:53.36\00:08:54.76 Incidentally, the true church in Revelation 12 and verse 1 00:08:54.80\00:08:58.73 is described as a woman who is clothed with... what? 00:08:58.77\00:09:03.34 She is clothed with the sun, in other words, 00:09:03.37\00:09:05.81 her garments are not artificial human garments, 00:09:05.84\00:09:08.24 they are garments of light. 00:09:08.28\00:09:10.48 We also notice 00:09:10.51\00:09:12.61 that when Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration, 00:09:12.65\00:09:14.98 He was transfigured and the Bible says 00:09:15.02\00:09:17.29 that His garments glowed or shone like the light 00:09:17.32\00:09:22.42 and by the way, the Bible tells us 00:09:22.49\00:09:24.79 that the white garments that God has 00:09:24.83\00:09:27.13 are really garments of light. 00:09:27.16\00:09:29.56 Allow me to read just this one text to prove this point, 00:09:29.60\00:09:33.03 Psalm 104 and verses 1 and 2... 00:09:33.10\00:09:36.71 Psalm 104 and verses 1 and 2, 00:09:36.74\00:09:39.61 notice how God is garbed... 00:09:39.64\00:09:42.08 what the clothing of God is 00:09:42.11\00:09:44.48 when it speaks about Him being covered in white raiment. 00:09:44.51\00:09:46.75 It says there in Psalm 104 verses 1 and 2, 00:09:46.78\00:09:50.39 "Bless the LORD, O my soul. 00:09:50.42\00:09:52.95 O LORD my God, You are very great: 00:09:52.99\00:09:55.79 You are clothed with honor and majesty... " 00:09:55.82\00:09:59.46 and now notice verse 2, 00:09:59.49\00:10:01.43 "who cover Yourself with... " what? 00:10:01.46\00:10:04.43 "with light as with a garment 00:10:04.47\00:10:07.54 who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. " 00:10:07.57\00:10:11.21 So, what are the white garments of God? 00:10:11.24\00:10:13.64 The white garments of God are light 00:10:13.68\00:10:16.04 and so, Adam and Eve 00:10:16.08\00:10:17.88 while they were obedient to God's law 00:10:17.91\00:10:19.65 as they stood in their innocence the Bible says 00:10:19.68\00:10:22.88 that they were covered with the glorious robe of light, 00:10:22.92\00:10:27.29 they were naked with respect to human garments 00:10:27.32\00:10:29.92 but they were covered with the glory of God 00:10:29.96\00:10:32.56 but then came sin. 00:10:32.59\00:10:34.46 Go with me to Genesis chapter 3 and verse 7 00:10:34.50\00:10:37.40 and notice the change that took place 00:10:37.47\00:10:39.43 in Adam and Eve when they sinned. 00:10:39.50\00:10:42.57 The first consequence of their sin... 00:10:42.60\00:10:43.94 it says in Genesis 3 verse 7, 00:10:43.97\00:10:45.97 "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, 00:10:46.01\00:10:49.34 and they knew that they were naked... " 00:10:49.38\00:10:52.65 so, what was the first result? 00:10:52.71\00:10:54.62 They now noticed that they are... what? 00:10:54.65\00:10:57.19 Naked... so it must have been 00:10:57.22\00:10:58.79 that the glorious robe of light 00:10:58.82\00:11:00.36 that covered them had left them 00:11:00.39\00:11:03.19 and now they... they don't have human garments 00:11:03.22\00:11:05.99 and they don't even have the garments of light, 00:11:06.03\00:11:08.80 and so, they see that they're naked 00:11:08.83\00:11:10.37 and notice how they try to solve the problem. 00:11:10.40\00:11:13.30 It says in verse 7, the last part of the verse, 00:11:13.34\00:11:16.20 "and they sewed fig leaves together 00:11:16.24\00:11:19.61 and made themselves coverings. " 00:11:19.64\00:11:22.94 They tried to cover their disobedience to God's Law, 00:11:22.98\00:11:27.22 they tried to cover the shame of their nakedness 00:11:27.25\00:11:32.25 with fig leaves... with garments made by themselves 00:11:32.29\00:11:37.29 but it's interesting to notice 00:11:37.33\00:11:39.33 that Genesis tells us that even after they covered themselves 00:11:39.36\00:11:42.26 with the fig leaves, they still felt naked 00:11:42.30\00:11:44.43 which shows that their nakedness was not nakedness of body... 00:11:44.47\00:11:48.20 their nakedness was nakedness of soul... 00:11:48.24\00:11:50.97 they had sinned against God... 00:11:51.01\00:11:52.64 they had broken the law of God... 00:11:52.67\00:11:54.28 the glory had left them 00:11:54.31\00:11:55.91 because they were now transgressors 00:11:55.94\00:11:58.21 of God's holy Law. 00:11:58.25\00:11:59.88 Notice verses 9 and 10 of Genesis 3, 00:11:59.91\00:12:02.95 verse on screen. 00:12:02.98\00:12:15.03 At this point he wasn't naked with respect to human garments, 00:12:15.06\00:12:18.07 he had the fig leaves on him 00:12:18.10\00:12:20.24 and yet he's saying at this point 00:12:20.27\00:12:23.00 that he still feels naked. 00:12:23.04\00:12:24.57 Obviously, the garments that are made by human beings 00:12:24.61\00:12:27.58 could not cover that nakedness 00:12:27.61\00:12:30.08 because only the glory of God could cover their nakedness. 00:12:30.11\00:12:34.92 So, as Adam and Eve stood obedient to God's Law, 00:12:34.95\00:12:38.52 they were covered with God's glory. 00:12:38.55\00:12:40.42 When they disobeyed God's Law, 00:12:40.46\00:12:42.69 they were now destitute of the glory of God 00:12:42.72\00:12:46.23 but as we found in our study, God promised them 00:12:46.26\00:12:49.36 that He was going to give them another opportunity. 00:12:49.43\00:12:52.50 The famous verse of Genesis 3 verse 15... 00:12:52.53\00:12:55.67 let's read that again, Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, 00:12:55.70\00:12:59.64 God promises to send a seed to the world 00:12:59.67\00:13:02.34 to restore that which was lost. 00:13:02.38\00:13:03.85 It says there in Genesis 3 and verse 15, 00:13:03.88\00:13:08.05 God speaking to the serpent, 00:13:08.08\00:13:09.42 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, 00:13:09.45\00:13:14.29 and between your seed and her Seed; 00:13:14.32\00:13:17.23 He... " that is the Woman's Seed... 00:13:17.26\00:13:20.13 "shall bruise your head, 00:13:20.16\00:13:22.13 and you shall bruise His heel. " 00:13:22.16\00:13:25.43 In other words, there's going to be a battle here 00:13:25.47\00:13:27.90 between Satan and the Seed of the woman 00:13:27.94\00:13:29.90 Satan is going to bruise the Seed of the woman's heel, 00:13:29.94\00:13:33.81 whereas the Seed of the woman is going to strike 00:13:33.88\00:13:37.15 and He's going to bruise the head of the serpent. 00:13:37.18\00:13:40.45 Now, the question is, 00:13:40.48\00:13:42.58 "How was this Seed going to give the serpent 00:13:42.62\00:13:48.46 the bruise on his head?" 00:13:48.49\00:13:50.53 Genesis 3:21 makes it very clear, 00:13:50.56\00:13:53.46 in order to bruise the head of the serpent, 00:13:53.50\00:13:55.63 Adam and Eve had to be restored to their original condition. 00:13:55.66\00:13:59.00 How could Adam and Eve be restored 00:13:59.03\00:14:01.67 to their original condition where they were covered... 00:14:01.70\00:14:04.57 where the shame of their nakedness was truly covered? 00:14:04.61\00:14:08.24 Notice Genesis 3 and verse 21, here is the secret, 00:14:08.28\00:14:11.91 it says in verse 21, 00:14:11.95\00:14:13.85 "Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made... " what? 00:14:13.88\00:14:22.82 "tunics of skins, and clothed them. " 00:14:22.86\00:14:27.96 Who made the garments? 00:14:28.00\00:14:30.07 God did. 00:14:30.10\00:14:31.63 And what did God do with the garments? 00:14:31.67\00:14:34.27 He clothed them... 00:14:34.30\00:14:36.00 in other words, He covered their... what? 00:14:36.04\00:14:38.04 He covered their nakedness. 00:14:38.07\00:14:40.01 What was the only way in which the nakedness of Adam and Eve 00:14:40.04\00:14:44.55 and their descendants could be covered once again 00:14:44.58\00:14:47.22 with the glory of God? 00:14:47.25\00:14:48.58 Only by the death 00:14:48.62\00:14:51.15 of the Lamb of God 00:14:51.19\00:14:53.79 who takes away the sins of the world. 00:14:53.86\00:14:56.62 By the way, it says... skins... plural... 00:14:56.66\00:15:01.23 which means that there was more than one animal involved, 00:15:01.26\00:15:05.20 they were two sinners incidentally. 00:15:05.23\00:15:07.67 In order to get the skin of an animal, 00:15:07.70\00:15:10.11 the animal has to be... what? 00:15:10.14\00:15:11.74 The animal has to be slain... 00:15:11.77\00:15:13.34 in other words, there was an animal sacrifice 00:15:13.38\00:15:15.88 and the impression you get from the Bible 00:15:15.91\00:15:18.35 is that this took place in the very Garden of Eden 00:15:18.41\00:15:20.52 before God cast Adam and Eve out He said, "There's hope... 00:15:20.55\00:15:23.69 I'm going to send a Seed, 00:15:23.72\00:15:25.15 He's going to bruise the head of the serpent 00:15:25.19\00:15:27.19 and the way that He's going to do it 00:15:27.22\00:15:28.82 is by dying as the Lamb of God 00:15:28.86\00:15:31.03 so that your nakedness can once again be... " what? 00:15:31.06\00:15:34.80 "So that your nakedness can be covered. " 00:15:34.83\00:15:37.27 Wasn't this a marvelous promise? 00:15:37.30\00:15:39.70 Now, you say, "What does this have to do 00:15:39.73\00:15:42.54 with the battle of Armageddon?" 00:15:42.57\00:15:43.91 Well, this evening, we are going to study 00:15:43.94\00:15:47.14 the story that we find in the first half of Genesis chapter 4 00:15:47.18\00:15:53.08 because it has a very close relationship 00:15:53.11\00:15:55.82 with what we just talked about. 00:15:55.85\00:15:57.19 How the nakedness of man was going to be covered 00:15:57.22\00:16:00.09 by the death of lambs to cover the shame of their nakedness. 00:16:00.12\00:16:04.53 God was telling Adam and Eve, "This is the only way 00:16:04.56\00:16:07.93 in which sin can be dealt with... 00:16:07.96\00:16:10.43 the head of the serpent can be bruised 00:16:10.47\00:16:12.63 and you can be restored to your original condition. " 00:16:12.67\00:16:16.87 Now, go with me to Genesis chapter 4 and verses 1 and 2, 00:16:16.91\00:16:21.04 Genesis chapter 4 and verses 1 and 2. 00:16:21.08\00:16:23.51 This is the story of two brothers... very well known, 00:16:23.55\00:16:27.68 their names: Cain and Abel 00:16:27.72\00:16:30.69 and in this story, we're going to see the first battle 00:16:30.72\00:16:33.76 of Armageddon in history. 00:16:33.79\00:16:35.72 In fact, it gives us an illustration 00:16:35.76\00:16:38.23 of what the final battle is all about. 00:16:38.26\00:16:40.70 Let's go to Genesis 4 verse 1. 00:16:40.73\00:16:44.33 Verse on screen... 00:16:44.40\00:16:56.98 by the way, that's a mistranslation, 00:16:57.01\00:16:58.78 the Hebrew says, "I have acquired a man... 00:16:58.81\00:17:01.52 the LORD." 00:17:01.55\00:17:02.88 What had God promised? 00:17:02.95\00:17:05.89 That He was going to send a seed in the woman 00:17:05.92\00:17:08.72 and so, Eve now thinks that this is the seed of the woman 00:17:08.76\00:17:12.56 and so she says, "I have acquired a seed 00:17:12.59\00:17:15.40 the LORD... " 00:17:15.46\00:17:16.80 little did she realize that this seed 00:17:16.83\00:17:19.90 was not going to be the Messiah, 00:17:19.93\00:17:21.57 this seed was going to be the devil's seed. 00:17:21.60\00:17:25.34 Incidentally, this story shows beyond any shadow of a doubt 00:17:25.37\00:17:31.05 that the seed that you are... is not determined 00:17:31.08\00:17:35.55 by your genetic make-up, 00:17:35.58\00:17:38.05 it's not determined by your birth, 00:17:38.09\00:17:40.66 it's not determined by the place you live, 00:17:40.69\00:17:43.73 it's not determined by your national identity, 00:17:43.76\00:17:46.76 because both brothers were born from the same woman. 00:17:46.80\00:17:49.80 What this shows... this story is 00:17:49.83\00:17:53.34 that whose seed you are depends on your character, 00:17:53.37\00:17:57.81 it does not depend on what nation you belong to, 00:17:57.84\00:18:02.24 whether you are a Jew or an Arab... 00:18:02.28\00:18:04.28 whether you're a citizen of the United States 00:18:04.31\00:18:06.48 or Mexico or wherever, 00:18:06.51\00:18:08.38 the way that you determine which seed you belong to... 00:18:08.42\00:18:12.09 is by the character that you possess. 00:18:12.12\00:18:15.09 Now, notice Genesis chapter 4 00:18:15.12\00:18:18.73 and let's continue reading at verse 2, 00:18:18.76\00:18:21.96 it says, "Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. " 00:18:22.00\00:18:30.01 By the way, the name Abel means "vapor. " 00:18:30.04\00:18:32.64 It's the same word that is translated in Ecclesiastes... 00:18:32.67\00:18:37.55 vanity... 00:18:37.61\00:18:39.78 I won't get into that anymore. 00:18:39.81\00:18:42.18 It says, "Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. 00:18:42.22\00:18:46.52 Now Abel was a keeper of... " what? 00:18:46.55\00:18:49.79 "of sheep... 00:18:49.82\00:18:51.16 and Cain was a tiller of the soil. " 00:18:51.19\00:18:55.63 Now, is there anything wrong with being a tiller of the soil? 00:18:55.66\00:18:59.87 No... is there anything wrong with being a keeper of sheep? 00:18:59.90\00:19:04.07 Absolutely not... 00:19:04.11\00:19:05.54 did Cain and Abel know that God required them 00:19:05.57\00:19:10.15 to offer an animal sacrifice to take care of their sins? 00:19:10.18\00:19:13.05 Do we have that in the previous chapter? 00:19:13.11\00:19:16.32 Yes... had God said the only way that sin can be dealt with... 00:19:16.35\00:19:21.29 the only way in which man can be restored to cover his nakedness 00:19:21.32\00:19:26.23 is by the death of the Lamb of God 00:19:26.26\00:19:28.23 who takes away the sins of the world 00:19:28.26\00:19:30.17 and, of course, the animals represented the coming Messiah 00:19:30.20\00:19:33.03 in the future... 00:19:33.10\00:19:34.44 did they know it? 00:19:34.47\00:19:36.07 They must have because Genesis 3:21 speaks about that 00:19:36.10\00:19:39.61 and now I want you to notice however what happens here. 00:19:39.64\00:19:43.95 Genesis chapter 4 and verse 3... 00:19:43.98\00:19:47.55 Genesis 4 and verse 3, it says here, 00:19:47.58\00:19:51.12 verse on screen... 00:19:51.15\00:20:03.77 Is that what God had asked for? 00:20:03.80\00:20:07.54 Had God asked for the fruit of the ground? 00:20:07.57\00:20:11.41 Absolutely not... what had He asked for 00:20:11.44\00:20:15.24 that could remove sin? 00:20:15.28\00:20:17.25 The sacrifice of the lamb. 00:20:17.28\00:20:19.21 So, let me ask you, 00:20:19.25\00:20:21.22 "Did Cain bring an offering to God?" 00:20:21.25\00:20:26.32 Yes he did. 00:20:26.35\00:20:28.32 "Did he raise an altar to God?" 00:20:28.39\00:20:29.72 "Did he claim to be a worshipper of God?" 00:20:29.76\00:20:32.49 Yes he did. 00:20:32.53\00:20:34.20 "Was he obedient to God?" 00:20:34.23\00:20:36.36 No. 00:20:36.40\00:20:37.90 "Did he worship God on God's terms?" 00:20:37.93\00:20:40.34 "Did he worship God the way that God said 00:20:40.37\00:20:42.77 or did he worship God the way he wanted to?" 00:20:42.80\00:20:45.21 You see, he worships as he wants... 00:20:45.24\00:20:48.01 he disobeys God 00:20:48.04\00:20:50.01 and he refuses to offer an animal 00:20:50.05\00:20:53.65 and the Bible says that only the shedding of blood 00:20:53.68\00:20:58.05 can remit... what? 00:20:58.09\00:20:59.49 Only the shedding of blood can remit sin 00:20:59.52\00:21:03.46 and so, Cain is the disobedient one. 00:21:03.49\00:21:07.36 Cain is the one who worships God as he wishes 00:21:07.40\00:21:11.33 not as God has commanded. 00:21:11.37\00:21:12.83 Cain is the one who claims to serve the true God 00:21:12.87\00:21:16.40 but rejects the blood of the lamb. 00:21:16.44\00:21:18.57 Cain is Abel's brother. 00:21:18.61\00:21:21.64 It's not like Cain is some outsider 00:21:21.68\00:21:25.25 and Abel his brother is some insider 00:21:25.31\00:21:28.85 and then this outsider comes to kill his brother. 00:21:28.88\00:21:30.82 They both claim to worship God... 00:21:30.85\00:21:33.36 they both raise up an altar... 00:21:33.39\00:21:35.36 they both bring an offering... 00:21:35.39\00:21:37.29 they both claim to serve God 00:21:37.33\00:21:39.16 and yet they have radically different characters 00:21:39.19\00:21:42.36 even though they claim to serve the same God. 00:21:42.40\00:21:45.53 Now, you know there are some scholars 00:21:45.57\00:21:48.10 and, of course, I've read lots of books on this story 00:21:48.14\00:21:50.07 that say that the reason why God didn't accept Cain's offering 00:21:50.11\00:21:54.94 is because Cain had a nasty attitude. 00:21:54.98\00:21:58.48 It wasn't so much as... 00:21:58.51\00:22:01.12 that the offering that he brought that made the difference 00:22:01.15\00:22:03.82 but he just had a lousy attitude 00:22:03.89\00:22:05.95 when he came to worship God. 00:22:05.99\00:22:07.32 Listen, that flies in the face of the evidence that we find 00:22:07.36\00:22:11.43 in all of Scripture concerning Cain. 00:22:11.49\00:22:13.56 It was not his attitude which led God to reject his sacrifice, 00:22:13.60\00:22:19.10 it was the act of offering the sacrifice that he did 00:22:19.13\00:22:23.04 in disobedience to God. 00:22:23.10\00:22:24.77 Worshipping God on his own terms 00:22:24.81\00:22:27.38 and rejecting the fact of shedding the blood 00:22:27.41\00:22:31.48 which would ultimately cover the nakedness of his sin. 00:22:31.51\00:22:35.62 You say, "How do we know that?" 00:22:35.65\00:22:36.99 Let me go through the evidence. 00:22:37.02\00:22:39.35 First of all, Genesis 3:21 shows us 00:22:39.39\00:22:41.82 that they knew about the sacrifice of animals 00:22:41.86\00:22:44.33 to cover their nakedness... 00:22:44.36\00:22:45.69 impossible that Adam and Eve did not tell them that. 00:22:45.73\00:22:49.23 In fact, from the point that these sacrifices were made... 00:22:49.26\00:22:53.10 there's no doubt that sacrifices were offered after this. 00:22:53.13\00:22:56.77 Furthermore... and I'm not going to read these texts, 00:22:56.81\00:23:00.44 I'm just going to mention them, 00:23:00.48\00:23:01.81 God tells Cain in chapter 4 and verse 7, 00:23:01.84\00:23:05.25 "You know, if you do good... " 00:23:05.28\00:23:06.98 notice, not if you have a good attitude, 00:23:07.02\00:23:09.98 "if you do good, won't you be accepted? 00:23:10.02\00:23:12.95 Won't your sacrifice be accepted? 00:23:13.02\00:23:15.16 But if you do evil, sin lies at the... " what? 00:23:15.19\00:23:20.00 "sin lies at the gate" or at the door. 00:23:20.03\00:23:22.86 In other words, clearly in Genesis 4 and verse 7, 00:23:22.90\00:23:26.84 it tells us that Cain did not do good 00:23:26.87\00:23:29.67 by bringing the offering that he did 00:23:29.70\00:23:32.47 and by the way, the Bible says in James 4 and verse 17, 00:23:32.51\00:23:36.28 that sin consists of knowing what you're supposed to do 00:23:36.31\00:23:40.05 and not doing it, 00:23:40.08\00:23:41.42 it's he who knows how to do good and does not do it... 00:23:41.45\00:23:44.12 that is sin, 00:23:44.15\00:23:45.59 so, was sin lying at the gate of Cain's door? 00:23:45.62\00:23:48.62 It most certainly was. 00:23:48.66\00:23:50.26 Furthermore, Hebrews 11 and verse 4 00:23:50.29\00:23:53.50 very, very clearly tells us 00:23:53.53\00:23:56.40 that the difference was in the sacrifice that they offered. 00:23:56.43\00:23:59.17 Notice Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 4, 00:23:59.20\00:24:03.04 this is an important verse that we need to read, 00:24:03.07\00:24:05.57 it says here in Hebrews 11 and verse 4 00:24:05.61\00:24:08.61 about the sacrifice that was made by Abel, 00:24:08.64\00:24:11.58 "By faith Abel offered to God 00:24:11.61\00:24:15.02 a more excellent attitude than Cain... " 00:24:15.05\00:24:17.62 Audience: No. 00:24:17.65\00:24:19.05 Pastor: Thank you very much, 00:24:19.09\00:24:20.42 it says, "By faith Abel offered to God 00:24:20.46\00:24:23.49 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, 00:24:23.53\00:24:26.56 through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, 00:24:26.59\00:24:31.27 God testifying of his... " what? 00:24:31.30\00:24:34.00 There it is again... 00:24:34.27\00:24:35.60 "of his gifts and through it he being dead still speaks. " 00:24:35.64\00:24:41.48 Where was the difference? 00:24:41.51\00:24:43.24 It was not a difference in attitude... 00:24:43.28\00:24:45.21 it was a difference in offering or in sacrifice. 00:24:45.25\00:24:48.65 Furthermore, in 1st John chapter 3 and verse 12, 00:24:48.68\00:24:52.02 which we've read in previous... previously in other context, 00:24:52.05\00:24:55.19 it says, 00:24:55.22\00:24:56.56 "not as Cain who was of the wicked one 00:24:56.59\00:24:59.89 and killed his brother. 00:24:59.93\00:25:02.06 And why did he kill him? 00:25:02.10\00:25:04.70 Because his works were evil 00:25:04.73\00:25:07.27 and his brother's works were righteous. " 00:25:07.34\00:25:09.87 So, where was the problem... 00:25:09.90\00:25:12.21 was it with the attitude or with the actions? 00:25:12.24\00:25:14.58 The problem was with the actions 00:25:14.61\00:25:18.11 and by the way, we're going to notice 00:25:18.15\00:25:19.98 in a moment in verse 4 00:25:20.02\00:25:21.72 that Abel offered the firstlings of his flock... and their fat... 00:25:21.75\00:25:27.06 that's very significant 00:25:27.09\00:25:29.36 because some people say, "It doesn't say in Genesis 4... 00:25:29.39\00:25:32.09 that... that Abel offered a sacrifice" 00:25:32.13\00:25:34.90 but it's very clear that he did and we're going to notice that 00:25:34.93\00:25:38.57 but what I want you to notice for now is that 00:25:38.63\00:25:40.44 Cain did not offer the firstlings 00:25:40.47\00:25:42.60 or the firstfruits of his flock 00:25:42.64\00:25:44.67 and he did not offer their fat to God. 00:25:44.74\00:25:47.18 Now, let's go back to Genesis chapter 4 and read verse 4 00:25:47.21\00:25:50.91 we're contrasting the attitude of these two brothers. 00:25:50.95\00:25:54.58 Genesis chapter 4 verse 4, it says, 00:25:54.62\00:25:56.85 "Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock 00:25:56.89\00:26:01.82 and of their... " what? 00:26:01.86\00:26:03.19 "And of their fat. " 00:26:03.22\00:26:04.86 Now, why would Abel bring the firstborn of his flock 00:26:04.89\00:26:11.03 and why would he bring their fat? 00:26:11.07\00:26:13.87 Where would he get such an idea 00:26:13.90\00:26:16.64 that he was supposed to offer God the firstborn of his flocks 00:26:16.67\00:26:19.57 and that he was supposed to offer their fat? 00:26:19.64\00:26:21.88 Do you think he just said, 00:26:21.91\00:26:23.28 "Oh, I think it would be nice to offer God the firstborn 00:26:23.35\00:26:25.35 and to offer their fat?" 00:26:25.38\00:26:27.32 Of course not. 00:26:27.35\00:26:29.22 We know very clearly from the later sacrificial service... 00:26:29.25\00:26:32.32 listen to what I'm going to say, 00:26:32.35\00:26:33.69 from the later sacrificial service in the sanctuary 00:26:33.72\00:26:38.56 that every firstborn animal was the property of God 00:26:38.59\00:26:43.43 and was to be brought to the temple for God 00:26:43.47\00:26:47.10 and we also know 00:26:47.14\00:26:48.90 and I'm going to mention the verses in a moment 00:26:48.94\00:26:50.71 you can read them at your leisure there on the list, 00:26:50.74\00:26:53.41 we also know that when the animal was sacrificed, 00:26:53.44\00:26:56.08 the fat was separated from the animal 00:26:56.14\00:26:58.98 and was burned upon the altar. 00:26:59.01\00:27:00.42 By the way, you could not get the fat of the animal 00:27:00.45\00:27:02.85 unless you... what? 00:27:02.88\00:27:04.22 Unless you killed the animal. 00:27:04.25\00:27:06.09 So, very clearly, God was the one who told Abel, 00:27:06.15\00:27:09.92 "You should offer the firstlings or the firstborn of your flocks 00:27:09.96\00:27:14.33 and you should offer their fat 00:27:14.36\00:27:16.10 because there's no way that Abel would have simply guessed that 00:27:16.13\00:27:19.27 and besides, the later sanctuary service shows us 00:27:19.30\00:27:22.24 that God required that. 00:27:22.27\00:27:23.61 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 00:27:23.64\00:27:25.57 In other words, Cain did not bring 00:27:25.61\00:27:27.64 the firstborn of his flock... 00:27:27.68\00:27:30.91 Cain did not bring the fat... 00:27:30.95\00:27:34.15 Cain did not bring what God said... 00:27:34.18\00:27:36.45 he worshipped God on his own terms 00:27:36.48\00:27:38.72 and he disobeyed God... 00:27:38.75\00:27:40.39 he refused to bring the blood. 00:27:40.42\00:27:43.12 Now, in Hebrews 9 verse 22, it says, 00:27:43.16\00:27:46.23 "Without shedding of blood there is no... " what? 00:27:46.26\00:27:49.63 "There is no remission of sin. " 00:27:49.66\00:27:53.07 "Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. " 00:27:53.10\00:27:55.80 So, was there any satisfaction for the sins of Cain 00:27:55.87\00:27:59.27 just by bringing the fruit of the ground? 00:27:59.31\00:28:02.78 Absolutely not... 00:28:02.81\00:28:04.35 and so we find three characteristics about Cain, 00:28:04.38\00:28:07.32 Number 1: He rejected Jesus by not offering an animal. 00:28:07.35\00:28:12.45 Secondly: He disobeyed God's explicit order... 00:28:12.49\00:28:16.02 he was disobedient 00:28:16.06\00:28:17.39 and Number 3: He worshipped God... 00:28:17.43\00:28:19.66 he brought an offering... 00:28:19.69\00:28:21.03 he raised an altar 00:28:21.06\00:28:22.40 but he worshipped God not as God had commanded 00:28:22.43\00:28:25.03 but he worshipped God as he pleased. 00:28:25.10\00:28:28.34 Are you starting to catch a picture 00:28:28.37\00:28:31.57 of the difference between Cain and Abel? 00:28:31.61\00:28:33.41 Let me ask you, did Abel obey God's specifications exactly? 00:28:33.44\00:28:38.11 Yes he did. 00:28:38.15\00:28:39.55 Did Abel obey God? 00:28:39.58\00:28:42.48 Did he worship God the way that God commanded 00:28:42.52\00:28:45.19 that He should be worshiped? 00:28:45.22\00:28:46.55 Absolutely. 00:28:46.59\00:28:47.92 Did Abel accept the blood of Jesus to save him from his sins? 00:28:47.96\00:28:52.39 Sure, because in Hebrews 11 verse 4 it says, 00:28:52.43\00:28:55.33 "By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice. " 00:28:55.36\00:28:58.93 He looked by faith to the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah. 00:28:58.97\00:29:02.77 Now, I want you to go back with me to Genesis chapter 4 00:29:02.80\00:29:06.14 and you're going to notice something very interesting here 00:29:06.17\00:29:09.44 and we'll read verse 4 for the context again 00:29:09.51\00:29:12.61 and then we'll go onto verse 5. 00:29:12.65\00:29:13.98 It says, 00:29:14.02\00:29:15.38 verse on screen. 00:29:15.42\00:29:28.66 Did God accept the offering of Cain? 00:29:28.70\00:29:30.60 Audience: No. 00:29:30.63\00:29:32.60 Pastor: Why didn't He accept the offering of Cain? 00:29:32.63\00:29:33.97 Didn't Cain come to worship Him? 00:29:34.00\00:29:35.34 Did Cain raise an altar? 00:29:35.37\00:29:37.54 Didn't Cain place the fruit of the ground upon an altar? 00:29:37.57\00:29:41.48 Didn't he claim to worship the true God? 00:29:41.54\00:29:44.15 He most certainly did. 00:29:44.18\00:29:45.55 So, why did God reject the offering of Cain? 00:29:45.58\00:29:49.28 For three reasons, Number 1: 00:29:49.32\00:29:53.05 Because without shedding of blood 00:29:53.09\00:29:55.56 there is no remission of sin. 00:29:55.59\00:29:57.56 Number 2: Cain was disobedient to God's specific command 00:29:57.63\00:30:02.60 and Number 3: Cain offered a substitute 00:30:02.63\00:30:05.53 in place of what God had asked for 00:30:05.57\00:30:08.34 and God can take no substitutes. 00:30:08.37\00:30:11.04 When we substitute for worship 00:30:11.07\00:30:13.64 something that God has not commanded us to offer, 00:30:13.68\00:30:16.71 that is unacceptable to God. 00:30:16.75\00:30:20.02 Now how did... how did God show that He approved 00:30:20.05\00:30:22.85 Abel's sacrifice 00:30:22.88\00:30:24.52 and He did not approve of Cain's sacrifice? 00:30:24.55\00:30:26.89 You know, I find it very interesting 00:30:26.92\00:30:28.52 the way that some scholars think. 00:30:28.56\00:30:30.39 As I studied for this subject, 00:30:30.43\00:30:32.16 I noticed that some scholars said that the... 00:30:32.19\00:30:35.86 the way Cain knew that Abel's sacrifice had been accepted 00:30:35.90\00:30:39.57 and his not... 00:30:39.60\00:30:41.00 is that the smoke from Abel's sacrifice went up 00:30:41.04\00:30:44.14 whereas the smoke of Cain's sacrifice went down. 00:30:44.17\00:30:47.38 Audience: Laughter. 00:30:47.41\00:30:48.88 Pastor: That sounds so interesting 00:30:48.94\00:30:50.75 but we don't have to speculate. 00:30:50.78\00:30:52.51 How did God show in the Bible that He accepted a sacrifice? 00:30:52.55\00:30:58.25 The Bible tells us 00:30:58.32\00:31:00.56 how God showed that He accepted a sacrifice. 00:31:00.59\00:31:03.49 Allow me just to mention four examples from the Old Testament 00:31:03.53\00:31:07.90 and I'll just mentioned them, Leviticus 9:24, 00:31:07.93\00:31:10.23 when the sanctuary was established in the wilderness, 00:31:10.27\00:31:13.74 the sanctuary service... 00:31:13.77\00:31:15.10 the Bible says that the animals 00:31:15.14\00:31:16.57 were placed upon the Altar of Sacrifice 00:31:16.60\00:31:18.17 and God showed His acceptance by raining fire from heaven 00:31:18.21\00:31:22.18 that consumed the sacrifices. 00:31:22.21\00:31:24.28 In 1st Chronicles chapter 21 and verse 26, 00:31:24.31\00:31:29.65 David invoked the name of the Lord 00:31:29.68\00:31:32.55 and offered a sacrifice 00:31:32.62\00:31:33.96 and God showed His approval of David's sacrifice 00:31:33.99\00:31:36.93 by raining fire from heaven and consuming the sacrifice. 00:31:36.96\00:31:39.96 When Solomon's temple was dedicated, 00:31:40.00\00:31:42.66 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 and verse 1, 00:31:42.70\00:31:45.33 Solomon prayed to God 00:31:45.37\00:31:47.07 and God rained fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. 00:31:47.10\00:31:50.51 In the days of Elijah... Elijah invoked the name of the Lord 00:31:50.57\00:31:53.94 and the Bible tells us that God responded 00:31:53.98\00:31:56.38 to the prayer of Elijah by raining fire from heaven, 00:31:56.41\00:31:59.91 so, what happened originally 00:31:59.95\00:32:01.55 when Abel invoked the name of the Lord 00:32:01.58\00:32:04.59 what happened is that fire came down from heaven 00:32:04.65\00:32:08.56 and consumed the sacrifice of Abel 00:32:08.59\00:32:11.06 and the sacrifice of Cain remained on the altar 00:32:11.09\00:32:14.86 without any fire. 00:32:14.90\00:32:17.07 God was saying, "I do not accept a disobedient sacrifice, 00:32:17.13\00:32:22.20 I do not accept worship on your terms, 00:32:22.24\00:32:24.51 I do not accept an offering that does not have blood 00:32:24.54\00:32:27.88 because without the shedding of blood, 00:32:27.91\00:32:29.48 there is no remission of sin 00:32:29.51\00:32:30.85 and now we find that Cain becomes very angry. 00:32:30.88\00:32:36.99 Notice once again, Genesis chapter 4... 00:32:37.02\00:32:39.95 Genesis chapter 4 and let's read verse 5 again, 00:32:39.99\00:32:44.89 "but he did not respect Cain and his offering. 00:32:44.93\00:32:49.73 And Cain was very angry, 00:32:49.76\00:32:53.13 and his countenance fell. " 00:32:53.17\00:32:56.50 You know, in the Hebrew... Hebrew is very descriptive, 00:32:56.54\00:32:58.77 when that says that his countenance fell 00:32:58.81\00:33:01.68 it says that he became long faced. 00:33:01.74\00:33:05.68 he started to pout... he was angry... 00:33:05.71\00:33:09.65 he was angry at God 00:33:09.68\00:33:11.62 because God had accepted the worship of his brother 00:33:11.65\00:33:16.09 and He had not accepted his worship. 00:33:16.12\00:33:18.56 Now Folks, I want to underline again 00:33:18.59\00:33:21.00 the importance of this story. 00:33:21.03\00:33:22.70 Certain points that we need to keep in mind... 00:33:22.73\00:33:25.87 they were both brothers... 00:33:25.90\00:33:27.64 this is a conflict between brothers. 00:33:27.67\00:33:31.77 They were both religious, yes or no? 00:33:31.81\00:33:35.88 They both worshipped. 00:33:35.94\00:33:38.61 They both raised an altar. 00:33:38.65\00:33:41.42 They both brought an offering. 00:33:41.45\00:33:43.95 They both claimed to worship the true God. 00:33:43.99\00:33:47.39 Where was the difference? 00:33:47.42\00:33:49.66 Blood... obedience... and worship on God's terms. 00:33:49.69\00:33:56.90 Now notice, Genesis 4:6 and 7, God tries to reason with Cain. 00:33:56.93\00:34:02.90 It says in Genesis chapter 4 and verse 6, 00:34:02.94\00:34:06.57 "So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? 00:34:06.61\00:34:10.25 And why has your countenance fallen? 00:34:10.28\00:34:13.65 If you do well... '" 00:34:13.68\00:34:16.02 see, there it is, "If you do well... " 00:34:16.05\00:34:17.65 in other words, if you bring the sacrifice that I said, 00:34:17.69\00:34:20.06 if you obey Me... 00:34:20.09\00:34:21.46 if you worship on my terms... 00:34:21.49\00:34:23.16 "if you do well... will you not be accepted? 00:34:23.19\00:34:28.26 And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. 00:34:28.30\00:34:35.00 And its desire is for you... " 00:34:35.04\00:34:37.81 in other words, sin is personified here. 00:34:37.84\00:34:39.54 This is the idea of a beast that is crouching 00:34:39.57\00:34:42.84 ready to pounce on someone. 00:34:42.88\00:34:44.41 What the Lord is saying is that if you do well, 00:34:44.45\00:34:47.08 your offering will be accepted 00:34:47.12\00:34:49.15 but if you don't... sin is lying at the door 00:34:49.18\00:34:52.09 ready to pounce on you and so it says, 00:34:52.15\00:34:55.19 it's desire is for you... 00:34:55.22\00:34:57.39 in other words, sin desires to have you 00:34:57.43\00:34:59.36 but you shall rule over it. 00:34:59.39\00:35:02.60 You should have sovereignty over sin by doing good... 00:35:02.63\00:35:07.80 by obeying God and worshiping God on His terms 00:35:07.84\00:35:10.64 and then we find in verse 8, 00:35:10.67\00:35:13.68 the tragic climax of this story, 00:35:13.71\00:35:15.94 it says, "And Cain talked with Abel his brother... " 00:35:16.01\00:35:19.51 it looks like they got into an argument... 00:35:19.55\00:35:21.55 we don't know exactly what they talked about, 00:35:21.58\00:35:23.52 but it's not hard to imagine. 00:35:23.55\00:35:25.22 I can imagine Abel saying to Cain, 00:35:25.25\00:35:27.82 "Cain, you know what God has told us 00:35:27.86\00:35:30.43 that we're supposed to bring, 00:35:30.46\00:35:31.86 you know that we're supposed to worship God on His terms, 00:35:31.89\00:35:35.53 you know that we're supposed to obey God... 00:35:35.56\00:35:37.87 if you brought the right sacrifice... " 00:35:37.90\00:35:41.30 see, he's using the same logic that God did... 00:35:41.34\00:35:43.24 "if you brought the same sacrifice, 00:35:43.27\00:35:44.61 your offering would be accepted just as well as mine. " 00:35:44.64\00:35:48.78 And what does this do with Cain? 00:35:48.81\00:35:51.31 It fills him with further fury. 00:35:51.35\00:35:53.75 He says, "Who are you my little brother to teach me? 00:35:53.82\00:35:57.09 I'm your older brother and you should do what I say... " 00:35:57.12\00:36:00.36 and Abel says, "I do what God says... " 00:36:00.39\00:36:02.56 and so it says in verse 8, 00:36:02.59\00:36:05.23 verse on screen. 00:36:05.26\00:36:15.80 First battle of Armageddon in history. 00:36:15.84\00:36:19.57 The false worshipper is killing the true worshipper. 00:36:19.64\00:36:24.61 The disobedient is killing the obedient. 00:36:24.65\00:36:29.08 The one who really and truly has accepted Jesus 00:36:29.12\00:36:34.79 is raising against he who claims to serve Jesus but does not. 00:36:34.82\00:36:42.16 Are you catching the picture of what we have here? 00:36:42.20\00:36:45.77 The first battle of Armageddon in history. 00:36:45.80\00:36:50.34 Now, I want you to notice what we find in the following verses, 00:36:50.41\00:36:55.74 verse 9, "Then the Lord said to Cain, 00:36:55.78\00:36:58.58 'where is Abel your brother'?" 00:36:58.61\00:37:01.22 By the way, the word brother is used in the first 11 verses 00:37:01.25\00:37:04.82 it's used seven times. 00:37:04.85\00:37:06.19 I think God is trying to emphasize 00:37:06.22\00:37:07.56 that they were brothers. 00:37:07.59\00:37:08.92 Is that just possible that the final war 00:37:08.96\00:37:10.89 is going to be among brothers? 00:37:10.93\00:37:12.26 People who claim to worship the same God... 00:37:12.29\00:37:17.60 people who... who go to church... 00:37:17.63\00:37:21.54 people who worship... 00:37:21.57\00:37:24.81 but one group is characterized by worship on God's terms 00:37:24.87\00:37:28.78 and by obedience to God and by truly receiving Jesus 00:37:28.81\00:37:32.68 while the others worship God on their terms 00:37:32.71\00:37:35.38 and thus disobey God 00:37:35.42\00:37:38.15 and though they claim to receive Jesus, 00:37:38.19\00:37:40.69 they are truly rejecting Him. 00:37:40.72\00:37:42.06 The final war is going to be among brothers. 00:37:42.09\00:37:45.09 You say, "How is this possible?" 00:37:45.13\00:37:46.46 Listen Folks, 00:37:46.49\00:37:48.13 this is the way it's been all throughout human history, 00:37:48.16\00:37:50.83 what makes you think that it's going to be any different 00:37:50.87\00:37:53.47 at the end? 00:37:53.50\00:37:54.84 You know, we usually as Christians think, 00:37:54.87\00:37:56.97 "Oh yeah, we need to be careful about the Arabs and the Muslims 00:37:57.01\00:38:00.51 and the Russians 00:38:00.54\00:38:01.88 because they're going to be the ones that are dangerous to us. " 00:38:01.91\00:38:04.31 Scripture does not corroborate that idea. 00:38:04.35\00:38:07.88 Scripture tells us that our greatest enemy as Jesus said 00:38:07.92\00:38:12.55 will be those of our own household. 00:38:12.59\00:38:14.06 The greatest enemy of Abel was his brother. 00:38:14.09\00:38:18.69 The greatest enemy of the prophets in the Old Testament 00:38:18.73\00:38:22.60 were the very people that they were sent to... 00:38:22.66\00:38:25.87 religious people... 00:38:25.90\00:38:27.24 those that crucified Christ were religious people... 00:38:27.27\00:38:31.47 those who persecuted God's people during the 1260 years 00:38:31.51\00:38:35.24 was the church that claimed to follow Jesus Christ. 00:38:35.28\00:38:38.61 Of course, in the end time it's going to be different, 00:38:38.65\00:38:41.92 Our... our enemies at the end of time 00:38:41.95\00:38:44.12 and going to be the Chinese and the Russians... 00:38:44.19\00:38:46.02 now how spiritual is that? 00:38:46.05\00:38:47.96 Let me ask you, are there good and bad Russians? 00:38:47.99\00:38:51.46 Yes. 00:38:51.49\00:38:52.83 Are there good and bad U. S. people? 00:38:52.89\00:38:55.13 Yeah. 00:38:55.16\00:38:56.50 So, if you say that the battle between Russia and China 00:38:56.53\00:38:58.90 and the United States, 00:38:58.93\00:39:00.27 you're saying the "bad" was... 00:39:00.30\00:39:01.64 the good/bad against the good/bad. 00:39:01.67\00:39:03.10 The fact is that the book of Revelation shows 00:39:03.14\00:39:07.74 that the final battle will be two different kinds of people 00:39:07.81\00:39:11.28 who claim to worship the true God. 00:39:11.31\00:39:14.02 One group worships on God's terms 00:39:14.05\00:39:16.58 and obeys God to the letter... 00:39:16.62\00:39:19.09 the other group disobeys God and worships as they wish. 00:39:19.12\00:39:24.96 Now, notice Genesis 4:9 and 10, 00:39:24.99\00:39:28.60 Genesis chapter 4 verses 9 and 10, 00:39:28.63\00:39:32.17 we're told here this, "Then the Lord said to Cain, 00:39:32.23\00:39:40.11 'Where is Abel your brother?' 00:39:40.14\00:39:42.24 He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'" 00:39:42.28\00:39:47.55 Is he repentant? 00:39:47.62\00:39:49.25 No, he's defiant... 00:39:49.28\00:39:50.92 verse 10... 00:39:50.99\00:39:52.42 "And He said, 'What have you done?'" 00:39:52.45\00:39:55.19 And now notice, very important, 00:39:55.22\00:39:56.59 "The voice of your brother's blood cries out of Me 00:39:56.62\00:40:02.26 from the ground. " 00:40:02.30\00:40:03.97 What was crying out? 00:40:04.00\00:40:05.60 "The voice of his brother's... what?" 00:40:05.63\00:40:08.44 Of his blood was crying from where? 00:40:08.50\00:40:11.27 Was crying from the ground. 00:40:11.31\00:40:14.54 Now, notice Genesis 4:11 00:40:14.58\00:40:17.71 and then I'm going to explain to you what this means, 00:40:17.75\00:40:19.78 Genesis 4 and verse 11, 00:40:19.81\00:40:21.95 let's add the testimony of that verse, 00:40:21.98\00:40:23.69 it says... God is speaking... 00:40:23.72\00:40:25.29 "So now you are cursed from the earth, 00:40:25.32\00:40:27.22 which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood 00:40:27.26\00:40:31.73 from your hand. " 00:40:31.76\00:40:33.40 What received the brother's blood? 00:40:33.43\00:40:35.03 The earth. 00:40:35.06\00:40:36.53 By the way, this is an illusion to the sanctuary service. 00:40:36.56\00:40:39.90 Do you know that when an animal was sacrificed, 00:40:39.93\00:40:42.77 the blood was taken out of the animal 00:40:42.80\00:40:45.24 and it was poured on the ground next to the altar. 00:40:45.27\00:40:48.11 By the way, it was innocent blood 00:40:48.14\00:40:51.51 because the blood of the lamb represented the blood of Jesus. 00:40:51.55\00:40:55.12 It was poured out on the ground 00:40:55.15\00:40:56.85 and in that sense, the ground was crying out for... what? 00:40:56.89\00:41:00.59 Was crying out for justice. 00:41:00.62\00:41:02.72 By the way, when it says here 00:41:02.76\00:41:04.79 that the blood of Abel is crying out, 00:41:04.83\00:41:06.33 we need to understand that blood doesn't literally cry out... 00:41:06.36\00:41:10.70 what's happening here, what does that mean 00:41:10.77\00:41:12.93 that the blood of your brother cries out? 00:41:12.97\00:41:15.14 It is crying out for... what? 00:41:15.20\00:41:17.64 For justice... 00:41:17.67\00:41:19.44 by the way that expression "crying out" is a legal term 00:41:19.47\00:41:22.94 in the Old Testament. 00:41:22.98\00:41:24.71 It refers to an individual who has been wronged 00:41:24.75\00:41:27.08 and who's crying out so that his case is rated by God 00:41:27.12\00:41:32.39 Had a great injustice been performed here? 00:41:32.42\00:41:35.56 The true worshipper and the obedient one... dies 00:41:35.59\00:41:38.86 and the false worshipper 00:41:38.89\00:41:41.00 and the one who is disobedient to God lives. 00:41:41.03\00:41:43.97 Must justice be meted out? 00:41:44.00\00:41:46.50 Yes, that's why the blood is crying from the ground 00:41:46.53\00:41:49.97 because the blood has been spilt on the ground 00:41:50.01\00:41:52.61 and the blood of Abel is demanding justice 00:41:52.67\00:41:55.24 because an injustice has been committed 00:41:55.28\00:41:57.78 and then I want you to notice 00:41:57.81\00:42:00.25 what happens in Genesis 4 and verse 15, 00:42:00.28\00:42:02.58 this is where the story gets particularly interesting. 00:42:02.62\00:42:05.52 Genesis chapter 4 and verse 15, it says, 00:42:05.55\00:42:09.52 "And the LORD said to him... " that is to Cain, 00:42:09.56\00:42:11.83 "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, 00:42:11.86\00:42:15.56 vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold 00:42:15.60\00:42:19.60 verse on screen. 00:42:19.63\00:42:27.91 What was placed on Cain? 00:42:27.94\00:42:30.25 A mark. 00:42:30.28\00:42:31.91 Was that a mark of preservation of life? 00:42:31.95\00:42:34.85 Yes, it was. 00:42:34.88\00:42:37.19 It says here... it was a mark to preserve his... what? 00:42:37.22\00:42:40.49 To preserve his life. 00:42:40.52\00:42:42.29 Now, is there in the book of Revelation 00:42:42.32\00:42:45.66 a mark that is placed on the forehead and on the hand 00:42:45.69\00:42:50.30 which preserves life? 00:42:50.33\00:42:52.07 I'm not talking now from the perspective of God, 00:42:52.10\00:42:54.70 I'm talking from the perspective of man. 00:42:54.77\00:42:56.87 Let me ask you, "What is going to happen 00:42:56.91\00:42:58.97 with those... humanly speaking 00:42:59.01\00:43:00.88 who refuse the Mark of the Beast? 00:43:00.91\00:43:02.71 It says in Revelation 13 that they will be... what? 00:43:02.74\00:43:06.01 Killed. 00:43:06.05\00:43:07.62 So, what the beast is saying is, 00:43:07.65\00:43:09.58 "You receive the mark and your life will be... " what? 00:43:09.62\00:43:12.22 "Your life will be spared... " 00:43:12.25\00:43:14.19 and so, we find in the story of Cain and Abel 00:43:14.22\00:43:17.96 a prefiguring of the Mark of the Beast. 00:43:17.99\00:43:21.30 The beast giving his mark to those who want their lives 00:43:21.36\00:43:25.37 preserved... who don't want to die in the final crisis. 00:43:25.40\00:43:29.40 Of course, eventually, 00:43:29.44\00:43:30.77 the same is going to happen with the wicked 00:43:30.81\00:43:32.44 as happened with Cain. 00:43:32.47\00:43:34.11 Cain died a lost man 00:43:34.14\00:43:35.71 and he will resurrect in what the Bible calls, 00:43:35.74\00:43:39.35 "The second resurrection" to suffer second death. 00:43:39.38\00:43:42.92 In other words, his life was spared only for a period of time 00:43:42.95\00:43:47.66 just as at the end of time 00:43:47.69\00:43:49.72 those who have the Mark of the Beast... 00:43:49.79\00:43:51.13 their lives will be spared for a short period of time. 00:43:51.16\00:43:55.40 Now, I'd like to make a brief application of this story 00:43:55.43\00:43:59.63 as we find it in the book of Revelation. 00:43:59.67\00:44:01.17 Listen Folks, the conflict in the book of Revelation 00:44:01.20\00:44:06.17 will be exactly the same as in Genesis... with one difference 00:44:06.21\00:44:10.35 and that is that in Genesis you have two individuals 00:44:10.38\00:44:15.08 that have different characters, different styles of worship... 00:44:15.12\00:44:19.39 one obedient and one disobedient. 00:44:19.42\00:44:21.56 The only difference with the end of time 00:44:21.59\00:44:23.89 is that... at the end of time, 00:44:23.93\00:44:25.26 you're going to have two worldwide groups 00:44:25.29\00:44:28.53 who have the same characters as these two individuals 00:44:28.56\00:44:31.73 at the beginning of history, 00:44:31.77\00:44:33.10 are you understanding what I'm saying? 00:44:33.13\00:44:34.90 In other words, these two characters 00:44:34.94\00:44:36.87 will have proliferated and filled the world 00:44:36.91\00:44:39.11 and you will have two different kinds of worshippers. 00:44:39.17\00:44:43.24 By the way, do you know that the controversy 00:44:43.28\00:44:45.91 in the book of Revelation is identical 00:44:45.95\00:44:47.55 to the controversy in Genesis? 00:44:47.58\00:44:48.92 It's over the blood... it's over worship 00:44:48.95\00:44:50.95 and it's over obedience. 00:44:50.99\00:44:52.89 You say, "How do you know that?" 00:44:52.92\00:44:54.49 Go with me to Revelation chapter 7 and verse 14, 00:44:54.52\00:44:57.53 let's notice the "blood" first, 00:44:57.59\00:44:58.93 those who are saved... 00:44:58.96\00:45:00.30 what characterizes those who are saved 00:45:00.33\00:45:01.73 according to the book of Revelation? 00:45:01.76\00:45:03.40 It says in Revelation chapter 7 and verse 14, 00:45:03.43\00:45:06.74 speaking about that great multitude 00:45:06.77\00:45:08.27 which no one can number, 00:45:08.30\00:45:09.64 it says, "And I said to him, 00:45:09.67\00:45:11.01 'Sir, you know. ' 00:45:11.04\00:45:12.37 So he said to me, 00:45:12.41\00:45:17.45 verse on screen. 00:45:17.48\00:45:22.55 Are God's true people going to have white garments 00:45:22.58\00:45:26.99 made white in the blood of the Lamb 00:45:27.02\00:45:28.56 just like at the beginning 00:45:28.59\00:45:30.99 will the shame of their nakedness be covered 00:45:31.03\00:45:33.73 by the blood of Jesus? Yes... 00:45:33.76\00:45:35.60 but these people will be characterized by something else, 00:45:35.63\00:45:38.63 not only because they accept the blood of Jesus, 00:45:38.67\00:45:41.54 but accepting the blood of Jesus 00:45:41.57\00:45:43.71 is manifested in obedience and true worship. 00:45:43.77\00:45:47.58 Notice Revelation chapter 14 verses 6 and 7, 00:45:47.61\00:45:51.01 the first angel's message, Revelation chapter 14 00:45:51.05\00:45:54.38 and verses 6 and 7, 00:45:54.42\00:45:56.12 it says, "Then I saw another angel 00:45:56.15\00:45:57.99 flying in the midst of heaven, 00:45:58.02\00:45:59.79 having the everlasting gospel to preach to those 00:45:59.82\00:46:02.59 who dwell on the earth, 00:46:02.62\00:46:03.96 to every nation, tribe, tongue and people, 00:46:03.99\00:46:06.46 saying with a loud voice, 00:46:06.49\00:46:08.26 'Fear God and give glory to Him... '" 00:46:08.30\00:46:11.03 Is this a worldwide message? 00:46:11.07\00:46:12.40 It sure is. 00:46:12.43\00:46:13.94 "Fear God and give glory to Him 00:46:13.97\00:46:16.60 for the hour of His judgment has come... " 00:46:16.67\00:46:19.51 and then what does it say? 00:46:19.54\00:46:20.88 "And worship Him who made heaven and earth 00:46:20.91\00:46:24.48 the sea and the springs of water. " 00:46:24.51\00:46:26.82 Will God have a people at the end of time 00:46:26.85\00:46:29.18 who'll listen to this call and worship the Creator? 00:46:29.22\00:46:33.15 Absolutely... 00:46:33.19\00:46:34.52 and what is the sign of the Creator? 00:46:34.56\00:46:37.03 The sign of the Creator is... what? 00:46:37.06\00:46:39.59 The Sabbath. 00:46:39.63\00:46:41.03 Do you see why this issue is important? 00:46:41.06\00:46:44.80 The whole Christian world without any Biblical authority, 00:46:44.83\00:46:48.50 I shouldn't say "the whole Christian world" 00:46:48.57\00:46:51.01 most of the Christian world without any authority... 00:46:51.04\00:46:54.18 any divine authority... they say, 00:46:54.21\00:46:56.71 "It's okay to worship God on the first day of the week. " 00:46:56.75\00:46:59.98 Is that acceptable in the sight of God? 00:47:00.02\00:47:03.79 That's not any better than the worship of Cain. 00:47:03.82\00:47:06.65 You say, "Why not?" 00:47:06.69\00:47:08.02 For the simple reason that Cain worshipped God on his terms 00:47:08.06\00:47:11.56 and he disobeyed God's explicit instructions. 00:47:11.59\00:47:15.16 Is not keeping the Sabbath 00:47:15.20\00:47:17.83 and worshipping on a different day 00:47:17.90\00:47:20.20 the same principle as what happened with Cain. 00:47:20.24\00:47:23.24 Absolutely... 00:47:23.27\00:47:24.61 because it's being disobedient to God 00:47:24.64\00:47:26.98 and it's worshipping God on our terms 00:47:27.01\00:47:29.21 instead of on the basis of the terms 00:47:29.24\00:47:31.61 that God Himself has established 00:47:31.68\00:47:34.02 and so, Revelation calls for people to worship the Creator. 00:47:34.05\00:47:37.99 Revelation speaks about those who have their... 00:47:38.02\00:47:40.36 their garments white in the blood of the Lamb, 00:47:40.39\00:47:42.66 they're like Abel... they've sacrificed an animal so to speak 00:47:42.72\00:47:45.56 and their... their lives have been covered 00:47:45.59\00:47:47.73 with the blood of Jesus 00:47:47.76\00:47:49.10 but they also worship the Creator. 00:47:49.13\00:47:51.07 By the way, do they also keep the commandments of God? 00:47:51.10\00:47:54.20 Notice Revelation chapter 12 and verse 17... 00:47:54.24\00:47:58.01 Revelation chapter 12 and verse 17, 00:47:58.04\00:48:01.04 it says, "And the dragon... " 00:48:01.08\00:48:03.38 by the way, the same four elements of Genesis 3:15. 00:48:03.41\00:48:04.91 We're kind of going quickly here, 00:48:04.95\00:48:06.85 but if you notice the story of Cain and Abel, 00:48:06.88\00:48:08.98 the story of Cain and Abel 00:48:09.02\00:48:10.35 is actually an amplification of Genesis 3:15, 00:48:10.39\00:48:12.99 because in that story... 00:48:13.02\00:48:15.02 do you have enmity in the story of Cain and Abel? 00:48:15.06\00:48:16.73 Yes you do. 00:48:16.76\00:48:18.09 Do you have two seeds? 00:48:18.13\00:48:19.56 Yes you do. 00:48:19.59\00:48:20.93 Do you have a woman? Yes. 00:48:20.96\00:48:22.90 Do you have a serpent? 00:48:22.93\00:48:24.97 "Cain was of that wicked one" it says in 1st John 3. 00:48:25.00\00:48:27.50 So, do you have the same elements of Genesis 3:15 00:48:27.54\00:48:31.11 in the story of Cain and Abel? 00:48:31.14\00:48:32.67 Absolutely. 00:48:32.71\00:48:34.04 Do we have the same elements in the final battle? 00:48:34.08\00:48:36.41 Of course, now if the same elements are present 00:48:36.44\00:48:38.65 in the final battle, 00:48:38.68\00:48:40.02 must this final battle be like the original battle 00:48:40.05\00:48:42.65 between Cain and Abel? 00:48:42.68\00:48:44.02 Absolutely. 00:48:44.05\00:48:45.39 Notice Revelation 12:17, 00:48:45.42\00:48:46.76 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman... " 00:48:46.79\00:48:49.02 see... dragon... that's the serpent... 00:48:49.06\00:48:50.69 with the woman... there's the woman... 00:48:50.73\00:48:52.29 "he went to make war... " that's the enmity... 00:48:52.36\00:48:54.53 "with the remnant of her seed... " 00:48:54.56\00:48:56.10 there you have the seed 00:48:56.13\00:48:57.77 and what characteristic do they have? 00:48:57.83\00:48:59.60 "they keep the commandments of God 00:48:59.63\00:49:02.04 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. " 00:49:02.07\00:49:04.81 Notice the end of the 3rd Angel's message, 00:49:04.84\00:49:07.58 Revelation chapter 14 and verse 12, 00:49:07.61\00:49:09.58 this is the last message that God gives to the world. 00:49:09.61\00:49:12.78 It says in Revelation 14 and verse 12, 00:49:12.81\00:49:16.42 "Here is the patience of the saints, 00:49:16.45\00:49:18.72 here are those who keep the commandments of God 00:49:18.75\00:49:22.49 and the faith of Jesus. " 00:49:22.52\00:49:23.93 So much for the idea 00:49:23.99\00:49:25.33 that the commandments were nailed to the cross... 00:49:25.36\00:49:27.33 if they were nailed to the cross, 00:49:27.36\00:49:28.70 why does Revelation say that there's going to be a people 00:49:28.73\00:49:30.53 who keep them? 00:49:30.57\00:49:31.90 You're not with me... 00:49:31.93\00:49:35.44 Why does Revelation condemn people 00:49:35.47\00:49:38.27 who practice false worship? 00:49:38.34\00:49:39.67 Why is it wrong to worship the image to the beast? 00:49:39.71\00:49:44.05 "That's idolatry" you say 00:49:44.08\00:49:46.58 because there's a commandment that says, 00:49:46.61\00:49:47.95 "Thou shalt not make a graven image. " 00:49:47.98\00:49:49.32 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me... " 00:49:49.35\00:49:51.69 So, if that's true 00:49:51.72\00:49:54.29 then the commandments must still be binding... 00:49:54.32\00:49:55.72 they weren't nailed to the cross, 00:49:55.76\00:49:57.09 if the conflict at the end of time has to do 00:49:57.13\00:49:58.79 with worship and so on... 00:49:58.83\00:50:00.60 are you understanding what I'm saying? 00:50:00.63\00:50:01.96 The... the trouble is... and I need to be frank here, 00:50:02.00\00:50:05.77 what Christians are willing to say 00:50:05.80\00:50:08.67 is that God crucified the Ten Commandments 00:50:08.70\00:50:10.71 and then He un-crucified nine. 00:50:10.74\00:50:12.31 Or they'll say that Christ crucified one... 00:50:12.37\00:50:17.78 you see it's the Sabbath that people want to get rid of 00:50:17.81\00:50:20.78 and it's because the devil hates the Sabbath. 00:50:20.82\00:50:23.49 In the Old Testament, he led Israel to break the Sabbath 00:50:23.52\00:50:26.22 time and again... 00:50:26.25\00:50:27.59 in the times of Christ, 00:50:27.62\00:50:28.96 he twisted the meaning of the Sabbath... 00:50:28.99\00:50:30.89 the Pharisees disfigured the Sabbath. 00:50:30.93\00:50:32.96 At the end of time, 00:50:32.99\00:50:34.73 the conflict is going to be also over the Sabbath, 00:50:34.76\00:50:36.93 because the devil hates the Sabbath 00:50:36.97\00:50:38.83 because the Sabbath points to the fact 00:50:38.90\00:50:40.74 that there's only one true God... 00:50:40.77\00:50:42.17 the Creator of the heavens and the earth 00:50:42.20\00:50:44.27 and if people keep the Sabbath 00:50:44.31\00:50:45.77 the devil can have nothing to do with them 00:50:45.81\00:50:47.71 because they're recognizing that there's only one true God. 00:50:47.74\00:50:50.98 Raise your hand if you're understanding what I'm saying. 00:50:51.01\00:50:54.18 It's an issue of whose authority you accept. 00:50:54.22\00:50:57.62 Now, let's go to Revelation 6, 00:50:57.65\00:51:02.06 it's going to get even more interesting. 00:51:02.09\00:51:04.99 Revelation 6... remember the... 00:51:05.03\00:51:07.83 remember the blood of Abel crying out? 00:51:07.86\00:51:09.60 Is that going to happen at the end of time also? 00:51:09.63\00:51:13.44 Did that happen during the 1260 years? 00:51:13.47\00:51:15.24 Were a lot of people... 00:51:15.27\00:51:16.60 did a lot of people during the 1260 years die unjustly? 00:51:16.64\00:51:19.97 What did the Little Horn do? 00:51:20.01\00:51:21.88 He persecuted... whom? 00:51:21.91\00:51:23.24 The saints of the Most High. 00:51:23.28\00:51:24.61 The woman was persecuted in the wilderness. 00:51:24.65\00:51:26.98 Many of them were killed. 00:51:27.02\00:51:28.35 Was there any justice in that? 00:51:28.38\00:51:29.92 No... 00:51:29.95\00:51:31.55 how about the martyrs who will die near the end of time 00:51:31.59\00:51:33.76 before Probation closes? 00:51:33.79\00:51:35.99 Is there any justice in that? 00:51:36.02\00:51:37.83 Absolutely not 00:51:37.86\00:51:39.36 and I want you to notice what happens as a result. 00:51:39.39\00:51:41.80 Revelation chapter 6 and verse 9, 00:51:41.83\00:51:44.23 this is the fifth seal... 00:51:44.27\00:51:45.60 I wish we had the time to study this specific context, 00:51:45.63\00:51:47.70 but let's notice... it says, 00:51:47.74\00:51:49.34 "When he opened the fifth seal, 00:51:49.37\00:51:50.91 I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain 00:51:50.94\00:51:54.84 for the word of God 00:51:54.88\00:51:56.21 and for the testimony which they held. " 00:51:56.24\00:51:57.61 Some people say, "See the souls are under the altar. " 00:51:57.65\00:51:59.85 Well, this problem can be resolved very easily. 00:51:59.88\00:52:02.48 You see, the word "soul" 00:52:02.52\00:52:04.25 as we studied in one of our previous lectures 00:52:04.29\00:52:06.29 is really... it says in Leviticus 17 verse 14, 00:52:06.32\00:52:09.69 that the "nephesh" of man is his blood. 00:52:09.72\00:52:12.69 The word "nephesh" is translated many, many times 00:52:12.73\00:52:15.46 in the Old Testament... soul... 00:52:15.50\00:52:16.83 in other words, the soul of man is his blood. 00:52:16.87\00:52:19.53 What it means is that the life of man is his blood. 00:52:19.57\00:52:23.71 So, these souls that are crying out under the altar... 00:52:23.74\00:52:27.71 they... they... they... they are the blood that was shed 00:52:27.74\00:52:30.01 they are the life of these individuals 00:52:30.05\00:52:32.01 that are crying out to God. 00:52:32.05\00:52:33.38 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 00:52:33.42\00:52:34.75 Don't put into the text 00:52:34.78\00:52:36.42 "immortal souls that are in heaven" 00:52:36.45\00:52:38.69 you know, people like to add to the text. 00:52:38.72\00:52:40.56 The text is not saying that. 00:52:40.62\00:52:42.42 Now, notice... they're under the altar... 00:52:42.46\00:52:45.26 remember the blood that was poured next to the altar? 00:52:45.29\00:52:47.20 And then notice verse 10, 00:52:47.23\00:52:48.96 "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 00:52:49.00\00:52:52.03 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, 00:52:52.07\00:52:55.50 until you judge and avenge... '" what? 00:52:55.54\00:52:58.17 "our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 00:52:58.21\00:53:00.98 Are they crying out for the same thing that Abel... 00:53:01.01\00:53:03.45 Abel's blood cried out for? 00:53:03.48\00:53:04.81 Absolutely... 00:53:04.85\00:53:06.18 and by the way, there's two groups of martyrs... 00:53:06.21\00:53:07.85 These that are crying out are the ones who died 00:53:07.88\00:53:09.78 during the 1260 years 00:53:09.82\00:53:11.19 but there's going to be another group of martyrs... 00:53:11.22\00:53:12.85 notice verse 11, it says, 00:53:12.89\00:53:14.49 "Then a white robe was given to each of them. " 00:53:14.52\00:53:17.59 Isn't that interesting? 00:53:17.63\00:53:19.13 The died overcomers... 00:53:19.16\00:53:20.50 "a white robe is given to each of them. " 00:53:20.53\00:53:22.53 and it was said to them 00:53:22.56\00:53:24.80 that they should rest a little while longer... " 00:53:24.83\00:53:27.94 well, I guess if they're resting, 00:53:27.97\00:53:29.60 then, they must not be alive under the altar. 00:53:29.64\00:53:32.07 What's crying out is their blood 00:53:32.11\00:53:35.58 and so it says that they should rest a little while longer 00:53:35.64\00:53:39.65 and now notice... 00:53:39.68\00:53:41.42 until both the number of their fellow servants 00:53:41.45\00:53:44.05 and their brethren who would be killed as they were 00:53:44.09\00:53:47.32 was completed. 00:53:47.36\00:53:48.69 Is there going to be another group of Martyrs 00:53:48.72\00:53:50.13 that are going to be killed? 00:53:50.16\00:53:51.56 Yes... and do you know why? 00:53:51.59\00:53:52.93 because the beast has two stages of existence. 00:53:52.96\00:53:55.46 He killed during the 1260 years 00:53:55.50\00:53:59.10 but his deadly wound is going to be healed 00:53:59.13\00:54:00.90 and he's going to kill again. 00:54:00.94\00:54:02.50 Are you with me or are you not with me? 00:54:02.54\00:54:06.11 By the way, who are the powers 00:54:06.17\00:54:08.04 that are going to try and destroy God's people 00:54:08.08\00:54:09.41 at the end time? 00:54:09.44\00:54:10.78 This is the amazing thing, 00:54:10.81\00:54:12.28 the beast represents the Roman Catholic Papacy... 00:54:12.31\00:54:14.78 the false prophet represents Protestantism 00:54:14.82\00:54:18.39 as it's found in the United States of America. 00:54:18.42\00:54:21.99 You say, "How is that possible 00:54:22.02\00:54:23.83 that you could say such a thing?" 00:54:23.86\00:54:26.19 Well, Abel and Cain were brothers... 00:54:26.23\00:54:28.53 and that's exactly what's going to happen at the end of time, 00:54:28.56\00:54:32.40 two kinds of worshippers... obedient and disobedient. 00:54:32.43\00:54:36.94 Both are going to come before God. 00:54:36.97\00:54:40.94 Both attend church... 00:54:40.98\00:54:42.64 but one group are like Abel. 00:54:42.68\00:54:45.61 They follow... they worship God to the letter, 00:54:45.65\00:54:48.78 they obey God and they truly receive Jesus 00:54:48.82\00:54:51.89 as their Savior and as their Lord. 00:54:51.92\00:54:54.56 Is there going to be a mark of protection 00:54:54.59\00:54:57.73 that is placed on those who follow the beast... 00:54:57.76\00:55:01.80 the ones who have the character like Cain? 00:55:01.86\00:55:04.90 Yes... is it a... is it a sign of preservation? 00:55:04.93\00:55:07.70 Is it a mark of preservation? 00:55:07.74\00:55:09.07 Yes, it is... 00:55:09.10\00:55:10.44 see, the beast and his image will say, 00:55:10.47\00:55:12.44 "Hey Folks, you know, as long as you follow us... 00:55:12.47\00:55:15.58 as long as you worship the ways we say... 00:55:15.61\00:55:19.95 as long as you obey our commands... 00:55:19.98\00:55:22.38 your life is going to be preserved. 00:55:22.45\00:55:24.75 Nobody will be able to kill you... " 00:55:24.82\00:55:27.12 but as Cain ultimately died 00:55:27.16\00:55:29.52 and he will resurrect and he will be outside the holy city, 00:55:29.56\00:55:33.66 so will be also with those who are not faithful to God. 00:55:33.70\00:55:37.73 Now do you understand what the issues are 00:55:37.77\00:55:40.90 in Revelation 16 verse 15? 00:55:40.94\00:55:42.40 Jesus says, "Behold I come as a thief... 00:55:42.44\00:55:45.57 blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments 00:55:45.61\00:55:50.81 lest he be found naked and they see his shame. " 00:55:50.85\00:55:55.95 You see, the issue at the end of time is the same issue 00:55:55.98\00:56:00.26 as existed at the beginning of time. 00:56:00.29\00:56:02.16 Whether you receive the blood of Jesus... 00:56:02.19\00:56:04.79 whether you are obedient to Jesus... 00:56:04.83\00:56:07.53 and whether you worship the way Jesus has commanded 00:56:07.60\00:56:11.10 that we're supposed to worship. 00:56:11.13\00:56:12.47 By the way, our final text... Matthew chapter 7 00:56:12.50\00:56:15.90 speaks about the two kinds of Christians in the end time 00:56:15.94\00:56:20.11 and I pray to God 00:56:20.14\00:56:21.51 that we'll be the right type of Christian. 00:56:21.54\00:56:23.78 Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 through 23 00:56:23.85\00:56:29.25 the following words, He says, 00:56:29.28\00:56:31.75 verse on screen... 00:56:31.79\00:56:41.46 "Many will say to me in that day... " 00:56:41.50\00:56:43.73 that's, by the way, the way... the final day... 00:56:43.77\00:56:47.14 "Many will say to me in that day, 00:56:47.20\00:56:49.00 verse on screen... 00:56:49.04\00:57:08.09 Are there going to be two kinds of Christians 00:57:08.12\00:57:09.46 in the end time? Yes... 00:57:09.49\00:57:11.19 "What type of Christian are you going to be?" 00:57:11.23\00:57:13.86 The kind that worships God the way that God has specified... 00:57:13.90\00:57:17.40 those that obey God 00:57:17.43\00:57:18.77 and those who truly receive Jesus 00:57:18.80\00:57:20.74 or otherwise? 00:57:20.77\00:57:22.24 I pray to God that you will be the right kind. 00:57:22.30\00:57:24.54