Shall we bow our heads for prayer? 00:01:12.34\00:01:13.79 Our Father in heaven, once again we draw near to Your throne 00:01:15.45\00:01:18.56 pleading for the presence of Your Holy Spirit 00:01:18.59\00:01:21.75 in our study today. 00:01:21.78\00:01:23.84 As we discuss the time of Jacob's trouble, we ask that You 00:01:23.87\00:01:30.26 will help us to understand what this time will be like, 00:01:30.29\00:01:33.79 and the preparation that will be necessary to go through this 00:01:33.82\00:01:38.66 period victoriously. 00:01:38.69\00:01:40.87 We ask that Your Holy Spirit will speak to us, 00:01:40.90\00:01:43.72 and instruct us, because we ask it in the precious name 00:01:43.75\00:01:47.21 of Jesus Your Son, Amen. 00:01:47.24\00:01:50.47 In our last lecture we studied about the story of Jacob 00:01:50.50\00:01:56.35 and Esau. And we noticed that Jacob and Esau, 00:01:56.38\00:02:01.25 these two brothers, actually represent two different 00:02:01.28\00:02:06.97 characters that people on planet Earth will have throughout the 00:02:07.00\00:02:12.51 course of history, and particularly at the end of time. 00:02:12.54\00:02:16.00 In other words, Jacob and Esau represent two different types 00:02:16.03\00:02:20.59 of characters that will distinguish one group 00:02:20.62\00:02:24.65 from another upon this earth, particularly in the end time. 00:02:24.68\00:02:28.98 And, of course, the struggle between Jacob and Esau 00:02:29.01\00:02:32.66 represents the final struggle in controversy between those people 00:02:32.69\00:02:38.26 with those two character manifestations: the righteous, 00:02:38.29\00:02:41.67 and the wicked. 00:02:41.70\00:02:42.94 Now I just want to review a little bit about what we studied 00:02:42.97\00:02:46.78 in our last lecture to set the stage for what we're going 00:02:46.81\00:02:49.54 to discuss in our lecture today. 00:02:49.57\00:02:51.93 First of all I would remind you about the character of Esau. 00:02:51.96\00:02:56.38 Esau believed that the law of God was a yoke of bondage, 00:02:56.41\00:03:02.96 and he actually believed that the law of God restricted 00:03:02.99\00:03:07.53 his freedom and his liberty. 00:03:07.56\00:03:09.76 He wanted to proclaim his freedom from rules 00:03:09.79\00:03:13.27 and regulations. 00:03:13.30\00:03:14.95 We also notice that Esau had no particular interest in the 00:03:14.98\00:03:20.56 responsibilities connected with the birthright. 00:03:20.59\00:03:23.29 The responsibilities involved being a righteous ruler over 00:03:23.32\00:03:29.62 his household, being the spiritual leader, 00:03:29.65\00:03:32.85 the priest of his house, and having the privilege of 00:03:32.88\00:03:36.12 being the progenitor of the Messiah. 00:03:36.15\00:03:38.28 He could care less about any of these responsibilities. 00:03:38.31\00:03:42.08 And we actually noticed that Esau lived for the here and now 00:03:42.11\00:03:47.46 instead of being forced on the sweet by and by. 00:03:47.49\00:03:51.48 Now the character of Jacob was different. 00:03:51.51\00:03:55.21 Even though we know that Jacob sinned against God 00:03:55.24\00:03:59.66 when he stole the birthright from his brother, 00:03:59.69\00:04:02.06 and he deceived his father, Jacob was not given over to sin. 00:04:02.09\00:04:07.26 In fact, Jacob appreciated the duties of the birthright. 00:04:07.29\00:04:13.06 He actually understood what it meant to be the ruler, 00:04:13.09\00:04:17.26 the righteous ruler of the household. 00:04:17.29\00:04:19.78 He understood what it meant to be a spiritual leader, 00:04:19.81\00:04:23.52 or priest of the household. 00:04:23.55\00:04:25.11 And he understood the awesome responsibility of being the 00:04:25.14\00:04:29.46 progenitor of the Messiah. 00:04:29.49\00:04:30.87 In other words, being a member of the holy line which would 00:04:30.90\00:04:34.09 bring the Messiah into the world. 00:04:34.12\00:04:35.92 And, of course, we studied last time that Esau was a very 00:04:35.95\00:04:41.04 hardened and rude person, whereas Jacob is described as 00:04:41.07\00:04:45.73 being docile and mild. 00:04:45.76\00:04:48.46 We also studied last time that the life of Jacob is really 00:04:48.49\00:04:53.86 an illustration of God's people, particularly at the end of time, 00:04:53.89\00:04:59.32 but actually beginning at the very origin of human history. 00:04:59.35\00:05:03.27 Let me just review some of those elements. 00:05:03.30\00:05:05.65 First of all, Jacob lost his home, his sweet home because 00:05:05.68\00:05:11.68 of his sin, but on the way away from his home he repented. 00:05:11.71\00:05:17.62 He truly repented of his sin, and he confessed his sin to God, 00:05:17.65\00:05:21.87 and God forgave his sin. 00:05:21.90\00:05:24.40 At Bethel God gave Jacob marvelous promises that he was 00:05:24.43\00:05:29.48 going to bless him, that he was going to eventually bring him 00:05:29.51\00:05:32.74 back to his home in Canaan, that from him would come an 00:05:32.77\00:05:36.51 innumerable multitude, and that God would protect him 00:05:36.54\00:05:40.21 from his enemies. 00:05:40.24\00:05:41.87 We also noticed that Jacob ended up in Laban's house, 00:05:41.90\00:05:46.02 a type of Satanic figure, a deceiver, a conniver, 00:05:46.05\00:05:50.29 a very wicked individual who changed Jacob's salary 00:05:50.32\00:05:54.53 repeatedly for his own purposes, who feigned love for his 00:05:54.56\00:05:58.17 daughters, but really didn't love them. 00:05:58.20\00:05:59.96 He was interested more in money and material resources 00:05:59.99\00:06:04.30 than anything else. 00:06:04.33\00:06:05.64 And, of course, the life of Jacob was very, very difficult, 00:06:05.67\00:06:09.55 very trying in the house of Laban, but it was a blessing 00:06:09.58\00:06:13.32 to him because he learned how to trust God. 00:06:13.35\00:06:16.24 He also learned how to be firm, and how to remain unmoved 00:06:16.27\00:06:24.38 in the midst of trials and tribulations. 00:06:24.41\00:06:27.60 And then, of course, we noticed in our study last time 00:06:27.63\00:06:31.43 that Jacob, after spending twenty years at the household 00:06:31.46\00:06:36.45 of Laban, God commanded him to go back to the land of Canaan. 00:06:36.48\00:06:41.56 And, of course, this is where we come to the portion of the 00:06:41.59\00:06:46.55 lecture that we want to emphasize today, and that is 00:06:46.58\00:06:50.03 the event that took place immediately before Jacob 00:06:50.06\00:06:53.93 entered the land of Canaan, or re-entered his lost home. 00:06:53.96\00:06:58.68 However, before we study this event at the very 00:06:58.71\00:07:03.50 end of the experience of Jacob, there's something that I need 00:07:03.53\00:07:08.30 to underline, which is extremely important for us to understand; 00:07:08.33\00:07:11.58 what we're going to discuss in our lecture today, 00:07:11.61\00:07:13.55 and that is that when Jacob had to leave home, 00:07:13.58\00:07:17.76 and he was on his way to Laban's house, God showed him 00:07:17.79\00:07:23.19 this dream of a ladder. 00:07:23.22\00:07:25.29 And after showing him the ladder that bridged heaven and earth, 00:07:25.32\00:07:29.33 God was saying to Jacob, Jacob even though you've sinned, 00:07:29.36\00:07:32.00 you've repented, and communion between heaven and earth, 00:07:32.03\00:07:35.44 between you and me, has not been broken. 00:07:35.47\00:07:38.43 There is an open communion. 00:07:38.46\00:07:40.47 Immediately after this dream God gave Jacob certain promises. 00:07:40.50\00:07:46.15 And I would like to read these promises as they're found 00:07:46.18\00:07:50.04 in Genesis 28:13-16. 00:07:50.07\00:07:53.52 There are basically four of them. 00:07:53.55\00:07:55.35 Remember that he's just left his home because of his sin. 00:07:55.38\00:07:58.63 He's on the way to Laban's house; this satanic figure. 00:07:58.66\00:08:02.52 And he's going to spend twenty years away from home. 00:08:02.55\00:08:06.17 And when he gets to Bethel God gives him this dream, 00:08:06.20\00:08:09.96 and He gives him these promises. 00:08:09.99\00:08:12.26 It says there in Genesis 28:13, And behold the Lord stood above 00:08:12.29\00:08:17.33 it, that is above the ladder, and said, I am the Lord God 00:08:17.36\00:08:22.37 of Abraham, your father, and the God of Isaac. 00:08:22.40\00:08:26.38 The land on which you lie, I will give it to you, 00:08:26.41\00:08:30.36 and to your descendents. 00:08:30.39\00:08:32.01 Notice first of all the promise of the land. 00:08:32.04\00:08:35.34 Verse 14 continues: Also your descendents... 00:08:35.37\00:08:40.36 Actually, the King James Version says your seed. 00:08:40.39\00:08:43.55 Shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread 00:08:43.58\00:08:48.05 abroad to the west and to the east, to the north and to the 00:08:48.08\00:08:51.65 south. So He says you're going to have innumerable posterity, 00:08:51.68\00:08:56.17 is another promise. 00:08:56.20\00:08:57.28 And then notice, And in you, and in your seed all the families 00:08:57.31\00:09:03.74 of the earth shall be blessed. 00:09:03.77\00:09:05.98 So you have three promises: the land, an innumerable 00:09:06.01\00:09:10.37 posterity, and the blessing. 00:09:10.40\00:09:13.15 But there's one more promise that God made to him. 00:09:13.18\00:09:15.54 Verse 15: Behold I am with you, and will keep you wherever you 00:09:15.57\00:09:22.54 go, and will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave 00:09:22.57\00:09:28.99 you until I have done what I have spoken to you. 00:09:29.02\00:09:33.94 And so as Jacob is leaving home, God is giving Jacob these 00:09:33.97\00:09:39.34 wonderful promises. 00:09:39.37\00:09:40.99 First of all the promise that the land where he had left 00:09:41.02\00:09:46.65 would once again be his; that he would return home. 00:09:46.68\00:09:49.96 Secondly, an innumerable posterity. 00:09:49.99\00:09:52.70 In the third place a blessing. 00:09:52.73\00:09:56.07 And in the fourth place, God promises not to leave Jacob; 00:09:56.10\00:10:00.54 not to forsake him, but to protect him, and to keep him 00:10:00.57\00:10:04.36 along the way. Now let's go to the very end of the twenty year 00:10:04.39\00:10:09.52 period that Jacob spent in Laban's house. 00:10:09.55\00:10:13.40 He's left Laban's house, and now he's returning to Canaan, 00:10:13.43\00:10:17.11 and he's about to enter the land of Canaan. 00:10:17.14\00:10:20.33 God has told him to return. 00:10:20.36\00:10:23.16 In other words, his home which he has lost, 00:10:23.19\00:10:25.75 he is about to recover. 00:10:25.78\00:10:27.43 And as he's there about to enter the land of Canaan, 00:10:27.46\00:10:31.40 where he was cast out of because of his sin, 00:10:31.43\00:10:34.53 he has this experience that is told in Genesis 32. 00:10:34.56\00:10:41.23 In fact, there he's told that his brother Esau is coming 00:10:41.26\00:10:46.19 against him with four hundred armed men. 00:10:46.22\00:10:49.32 In fact, let's read this in Genesis 32:6, chapter 32:6. 00:10:49.35\00:10:58.95 It says: 00:10:58.98\00:11:00.01 Now when Jacob hears that his brother Esau is coming against 00:11:13.92\00:11:17.75 him... By the way, you remember that Esau said, the day will 00:11:17.78\00:11:21.19 come when I will kill my brother Jacob. 00:11:21.22\00:11:24.55 In other words, he was filled with hatred against his brother. 00:11:24.58\00:11:27.23 When Jacob hears this, the Bible tells us that Jacob is very 00:11:27.26\00:11:31.86 distressed, and anxious. 00:11:31.89\00:11:33.88 In fact, let's read it as it's found in Genesis 32:7. 00:11:33.91\00:11:39.52 And we're going to read just the first part of the verse. 00:11:39.55\00:11:42.08 It says here: 00:11:42.11\00:11:43.14 Now the fear that Jacob had is that his sins were so great 00:11:49.82\00:11:55.20 that God was not going to be able to fulfill the promises 00:11:55.23\00:11:59.49 that he had given when Jacob had left home. 00:11:59.52\00:12:02.28 Now God had told him that he was going to 00:12:02.31\00:12:04.45 fulfill these promises. 00:12:04.48\00:12:05.87 But now Jacob, as he's about to enter the land of Canaan, 00:12:05.90\00:12:09.85 his lost home, he begins to fear that when Esau comes 00:12:09.88\00:12:14.93 against him, Esau is going to destroy him, because his sins 00:12:14.96\00:12:18.31 are so great that God is not going to fulfill the promises 00:12:18.34\00:12:23.17 that He made to him twenty years 00:12:23.20\00:12:26.03 earlier. And so it says, that Jacob was greatly afraid 00:12:26.06\00:12:29.95 and distressed. In fact, Jacob knew that he could not be 00:12:29.98\00:12:34.14 presumptuous and demand that God fulfill His promises. 00:12:34.17\00:12:37.90 Let's notice Genesis 32:10. 00:12:37.93\00:12:42.54 When Jacob hears that his brother is coming, and he feels 00:12:42.57\00:12:47.36 his unworthiness, and that he cannot actually even force God 00:12:47.39\00:12:51.78 into fulfilling His promises, the Bible tells us that Jacob 00:12:51.81\00:12:55.95 confesses his unworthiness to God. 00:12:55.98\00:12:59.10 Notice Genesis 32:10. 00:12:59.13\00:13:02.15 He says to God in his prayer, I am not worthy of the least 00:13:02.18\00:13:08.58 of all Thy mercies, and of all the truth, which You have shown 00:13:08.61\00:13:13.99 Your servant. He says, because I'm a sinner, I'm not worthy. 00:13:14.02\00:13:17.28 I'm not worthy for You to fulfill your promises with me. 00:13:17.31\00:13:21.22 I'm not worthy for You to protect me from Esau, 00:13:21.25\00:13:25.30 but God, when You promise You always fulfill Your promises. 00:13:25.33\00:13:30.38 and so he confesses his unworthiness, and he prays 00:13:30.41\00:13:35.02 for God's mercy. 00:13:35.05\00:13:36.57 In fact, notice Genesis 32:11. 00:13:36.60\00:13:41.27 He prays to God for deliverance from his brother. 00:13:41.30\00:13:44.53 It says there, Jacob praying to God: 00:13:44.56\00:13:47.69 And then I want you to notice in verse 12, that Jacob actually 00:14:00.20\00:14:04.94 claims the promise of God. 00:14:04.97\00:14:07.04 Notice verse 12, for You said, I will surely treat you well, 00:14:07.07\00:14:15.14 and make your descendents as the sand of the sea, 00:14:15.17\00:14:18.49 which cannot be numbered for multitude. 00:14:18.52\00:14:21.07 In other words, Jacob is saying, Lord I'm afraid of my brother 00:14:21.10\00:14:25.77 Esau. He's coming to destroy me. 00:14:25.80\00:14:28.30 I'm unworthy even to be speaking to You because of my sinfulness. 00:14:28.33\00:14:32.83 But You have promised that You're going to take me back 00:14:32.86\00:14:36.52 to the land, that You were going to keep me, 00:14:36.55\00:14:39.04 that you were going to give me an innumerable 00:14:39.07\00:14:42.11 host of descendents, that you were going to bless me, 00:14:42.14\00:14:45.92 and now I am claiming those promises, not because I am 00:14:45.95\00:14:50.19 worthy, but because You are worthy; not because I am good, 00:14:50.22\00:14:54.09 but because You are good. 00:14:54.12\00:14:56.55 And so Jacob is there praying, pouring his heart out to God, 00:14:56.58\00:15:04.68 and suddenly a man shows up, and the man lays hold of Jacob. 00:15:04.71\00:15:12.30 And, of course, Jacob thinks it's an enemy, and so he begins 00:15:12.33\00:15:16.35 wrestling with this man. 00:15:16.38\00:15:17.88 Let's notice Genesis 32:24 on this wrestling match. It says: 00:15:17.91\00:15:24.45 In fact, actually, the wrestling match lasted the better part 00:15:32.76\00:15:36.93 of the whole night. 00:15:36.96\00:15:38.04 And Jacob is wrestling with this man, and suddenly the man 00:15:38.07\00:15:42.71 touches his hip, and his hip is thrown out of joint. 00:15:42.74\00:15:48.39 And Jacob says, Oh Oh, this is no ordinary man that I'm 00:15:48.42\00:15:53.55 fighting with. This is a super- natural being. 00:15:53.58\00:15:56.95 In fact, notice what we're told in Genesis 32:25: 00:15:56.98\00:16:02.60 By the way, this is the angel who says, that he could not 00:16:05.71\00:16:12.05 prevail with Jacob, not Jacob with the angel. So it says: 00:16:12.08\00:16:15.55 That is the angel. 00:16:20.11\00:16:21.54 Isn't that interesting that even after he threw his hip out of 00:16:31.66\00:16:36.26 join, Jacob still wrestles with him. 00:16:36.29\00:16:39.72 And Jacob says, this is a super- natural being that I'm 00:16:39.75\00:16:44.30 struggling with, but he did not let him go. 00:16:44.33\00:16:46.52 He hung onto him. 00:16:46.55\00:16:48.23 In fact, notice Genesis 32:26. 00:16:48.26\00:16:52.88 In spite of the excruciating physical pain that Jacob is 00:16:52.91\00:16:56.47 feeling, in spite of the psychological anguish because 00:16:56.50\00:17:00.00 of the load of his sins, and knowing that his brother Esau 00:17:00.03\00:17:03.93 is coming to destroy him, and knowing that he can only depend 00:17:03.96\00:17:07.22 on the promises of God, not because he is good, 00:17:07.25\00:17:09.85 but because God is faithful to His promises. 00:17:09.88\00:17:12.69 We find now in Genesis 32:26 that the angel, or this being, 00:17:12.72\00:17:20.05 this man, as he's called, says to Jacob: 00:17:20.08\00:17:23.35 That is Jacob said: 00:17:28.86\00:17:30.41 Quite a struggle! 00:17:35.32\00:17:36.65 Not willing to let loose of this angel, because he knows 00:17:36.68\00:17:42.23 now that he's more than a human being; 00:17:42.26\00:17:44.91 he's a super-natural being. 00:17:44.94\00:17:46.44 And he wants to have the assurance of God's blessing. 00:17:46.47\00:17:49.57 By the way, God had already given him the assurance of 00:17:49.60\00:17:52.32 his blessing when he left his home and arrived at Bethel. 00:17:52.35\00:17:56.90 By the vision, or the dream of the ladder, God had told Jacob 00:17:56.93\00:18:01.06 I am with you. Your sin is forgiven. 00:18:01.09\00:18:03.12 The bridge between heaven and earth is closed. 00:18:03.15\00:18:06.57 In other words, you can communicate. 00:18:06.60\00:18:08.57 The communion is open. 00:18:08.60\00:18:09.96 But for twenty years Jacob was not able to forgive himself 00:18:09.99\00:18:13.26 for his sin. And so now he's not sure. 00:18:13.29\00:18:15.94 Now I want you to notice in Genesis 32:27, 28, when Jacob 00:18:15.97\00:18:23.11 says to this man, as he's called, I will not let you go 00:18:23.14\00:18:28.01 until you bless me. 00:18:28.04\00:18:29.39 We find in Genesis 32:27, 28, that the name of Jacob 00:18:29.42\00:18:35.87 is changed. It says: 00:18:35.90\00:18:38.23 In other words, when Jacob struggles, and wrestles with 00:18:54.48\00:18:59.34 this man, and refuses to let him go, in spite of the 00:18:59.37\00:19:03.36 excruciating physical pain, and the psychological load of sin 00:19:03.39\00:19:07.52 that is upon him, the angel says, listen, your name will 00:19:07.55\00:19:11.64 no longer be called the supplanter, the one who wants 00:19:11.67\00:19:15.15 to take someone else's place, because now your character 00:19:15.18\00:19:18.99 has changed. You've felt your unworthiness, 00:19:19.02\00:19:22.09 and you're clinging to the promises of God that He gave 00:19:22.12\00:19:25.65 you at Bethel. And so He says, now your name will no longer 00:19:25.68\00:19:29.78 be supplanter, because that's not what you're like anymore. 00:19:29.81\00:19:32.97 He says, your name will now be called Israel, which means 00:19:33.00\00:19:37.24 the Prince of God. 00:19:37.27\00:19:39.65 In other words, there's a change of name when Jacob wrestles 00:19:39.68\00:19:44.70 with this man and prevails against him. 00:19:44.73\00:19:48.09 Now I want you to notice also that Jacob is blessed 00:19:48.12\00:19:54.11 by this man. It says in Genesis 32:29: 00:19:54.14\00:19:59.62 In other words, Jacob wants to know this being's name. 00:20:04.55\00:20:07.47 Now after this episode, it's interesting to notice the name 00:20:16.20\00:20:19.84 that Jacob gave to that place where he wrestled with this man. 00:20:19.87\00:20:24.39 By the way, I mentioned a little earlier that it was with an 00:20:24.42\00:20:27.55 angel, but really in Genesis 32, if you just stick to Genesis 32, 00:20:27.58\00:20:31.86 it says that he struggled with a man, but we're going to notice 00:20:31.89\00:20:35.87 now that this was much more than a common, ordinary man. 00:20:35.90\00:20:39.51 In fact, notice Genesis 32:30, 31, the name that Jacob gave 00:20:39.54\00:20:44.74 that place. It says: 00:20:44.77\00:20:46.71 An now he explains why. 00:20:51.62\00:20:54.82 By the way, Peniel means face of God. He says: 00:20:54.85\00:20:59.94 Who was that man? 00:21:07.00\00:21:09.78 That man, according to this was God, because it says here 00:21:09.81\00:21:14.48 that Jacob saw God face to face. 00:21:14.51\00:21:19.38 And you say, you mean it was God? 00:21:19.41\00:21:21.56 Doesn't it say in Exodus that Moses was not able to see 00:21:21.59\00:21:25.30 the face of God, because he would be destroyed? 00:21:25.33\00:21:28.33 Who was this being? 00:21:28.36\00:21:29.97 Well, it will help us to go to the book of Hosea 12:3, 4, 00:21:30.00\00:21:35.49 because not only does the Bible say that this was a man, 00:21:35.52\00:21:38.58 not only does the Bible tell us that this was God, 00:21:38.61\00:21:41.84 but it gives another name to this being. 00:21:41.87\00:21:44.64 Hosea 12:3, 4. It says here: 00:21:44.67\00:21:50.39 That is Jacob. 00:21:51.51\00:21:52.79 Who did he struggle with? 00:22:01.66\00:22:03.11 With God, but now notice what it says: 00:22:03.14\00:22:06.68 Who did Jacob struggle with? 00:22:14.57\00:22:17.52 He struggled with the what? with the angel. 00:22:17.55\00:22:21.82 Now you say, wait a minute! 00:22:21.85\00:22:23.32 Was it a man, was it God, or was it an angel? 00:22:23.35\00:22:27.29 The Bible says all three. 00:22:27.32\00:22:29.28 Now the question is, who was this individual? 00:22:29.31\00:22:32.93 This individual was none less than Jesus Christ, 00:22:32.96\00:22:38.66 who is identified in the Old Testament by the name 00:22:38.69\00:22:43.17 Michael the Archangel. 00:22:43.20\00:22:46.29 And in several passages He is called the angel of the Lord. 00:22:46.32\00:22:51.59 In other words, in the Old Testament Jesus, 00:22:51.62\00:22:55.90 in His pre-incarnate state is identified as the angel of God's 00:22:55.93\00:23:01.02 presence. He's identified as Michael, the archangel, 00:23:01.05\00:23:05.29 and as the angel of the Lord. 00:23:05.32\00:23:07.65 Now I must make it clear that Jesus is Everlasting God, 00:23:07.68\00:23:10.62 He's Eternal God. 00:23:10.65\00:23:11.68 He's just not a common, ordinary angel. 00:23:11.71\00:23:13.98 He just fulfilled the function of an angel 00:23:14.01\00:23:17.21 in the Old Testament, the commander of the Lord's host. 00:23:17.24\00:23:20.39 And, so actually Jacob had struggled with Michael 00:23:20.42\00:23:25.09 the archangel. And I want you to remember that, 00:23:25.12\00:23:27.94 because we're going to come back to it in a few moments. 00:23:27.97\00:23:31.01 Now we need to go forward in history to see how this 00:23:31.04\00:23:37.71 experience that we've just described from Genesis 32 00:23:37.74\00:23:41.67 will be fulfilled with God's people, because the Bible tells 00:23:41.70\00:23:46.30 us that there's gong to be another time of trouble, 00:23:46.33\00:23:48.61 which is prefigured, or which is illustrated, small scale, 00:23:48.64\00:23:53.67 in the experience of Jacob as he was about to enter 00:23:53.70\00:23:57.55 the land of Canaan. 00:23:57.58\00:23:58.99 Now what I need to do is go to Daniel 11, and we're going to 00:23:59.02\00:24:04.05 read chapter 11 and verse 44, and then we're going to go 00:24:04.08\00:24:08.39 to Daniel 12:1, the very next chapter, and there's a sequence 00:24:08.42\00:24:14.37 here that I want you to see, which is very important. 00:24:14.40\00:24:17.41 And, by the way, we need to learn as we study the Bible to 00:24:17.44\00:24:22.18 read the Bible structurally. 00:24:22.21\00:24:24.12 We need to learn to read and see the sequence of events; 00:24:24.15\00:24:28.78 how things are organized, the order of things as they appear. 00:24:28.81\00:24:32.92 And that's what we're going to notice now. 00:24:32.95\00:24:34.85 We're going to make three comparisons. 00:24:34.88\00:24:36.54 First of all we're going to take a look at Daniel 11:44, and 00:24:36.57\00:24:40.44 Daniel 12:1, and we're going to notice the sequence of events. 00:24:40.47\00:24:43.45 Then I'm going to go to Revelation 14 and 15. 00:24:43.48\00:24:47.82 And I'm going to show you in Revelation 14 and 15 that 00:24:47.85\00:24:50.95 same sequence of events. 00:24:50.98\00:24:52.58 And then we're going to go to the book, The Great Controversy, 00:24:52.61\00:24:56.03 that classic book which presents the true scenario 00:24:56.06\00:25:00.09 of end time events. 00:25:00.12\00:25:01.35 And I'm going to show you that that book gives the identical 00:25:01.38\00:25:04.12 same sequence as Daniel 11 and 12, and Revelation 14 and 15. 00:25:04.15\00:25:08.72 Now notice Daniel 11:44. 00:25:08.75\00:25:12.73 It's speaking about the king of the north. 00:25:12.76\00:25:15.73 And, of course, we don't have time to discuss all of the 00:25:15.76\00:25:18.50 implications about the king of the north, but the king of the 00:25:18.53\00:25:21.68 north represents that end time power which is going to rule 00:25:21.71\00:25:26.02 the world. It's a religious power, and it's going to be a 00:25:26.05\00:25:29.43 persecutor of God's people. 00:25:29.46\00:25:31.07 Notice Daniel 11:44: 00:25:31.10\00:25:34.60 In other words, there's going to be some news from the east, 00:25:40.13\00:25:44.39 and from the north, which is going to trouble 00:25:44.42\00:25:46.34 the king of the north. 00:25:46.37\00:25:47.70 And what is he going to do as a result? It says: 00:25:47.73\00:25:51.72 Do you see the points here? 00:26:00.99\00:26:02.71 1. There are certain tidings, or there's certain news 00:26:02.74\00:26:07.93 from the north and the east that trouble the king of the north. 00:26:07.96\00:26:11.49 And then the king of the north, in consequence of those tidings, 00:26:11.52\00:26:15.75 goes out to what? Goes out to destroy many. 00:26:15.78\00:26:20.39 And, by the way, the word many refers to God's faithful people. 00:26:20.42\00:26:23.98 And then we have Daniel 12:1. 00:26:24.01\00:26:26.83 There are three events in this verse that I want to underline. 00:26:26.86\00:26:31.39 It says there: 00:26:31.42\00:26:32.89 What's going to happen when the king of the north goes 00:26:38.14\00:26:40.23 to annihilate many? 00:26:40.26\00:26:41.52 Michael shall what? shall stand up. 00:26:41.55\00:26:45.06 By the way, that expression, stand up, is interpreted early 00:26:45.09\00:26:50.05 in the book of Daniel, in verses 3 and 4 the expression stand up 00:26:50.08\00:26:53.72 means, begin to rule, or take over the kingdom. 00:26:53.75\00:26:59.04 In other words, the standing up of Michael here, 00:26:59.07\00:27:03.02 means that Jesus is now taking over His what? 00:27:03.05\00:27:06.39 He's taking over His kingdom. 00:27:06.42\00:27:08.71 And then, notice, it continues saying: 00:27:08.74\00:27:11.40 So notice, the king of the north hears these tidings 00:27:33.18\00:27:37.83 from the north and the east; he's distressed. 00:27:37.86\00:27:40.10 In consequence he goes out to destroy and annihilate many. 00:27:40.13\00:27:45.43 When he goes out to destroy and annihilate many, 00:27:45.46\00:27:48.44 Michael stands up and He begins to rule. 00:27:48.47\00:27:51.43 In other words, He ceases to be a priest, 00:27:51.46\00:27:54.39 and now He becomes a what? a king. 00:27:54.42\00:27:57.11 And then when He stands up there's a terrible time of what? 00:27:57.15\00:28:00.96 a time of trouble that there hasn't been since the beginning 00:28:00.99\00:28:05.10 of the world, according to this. 00:28:05.13\00:28:07.29 And, by the way, who is the one who stands up? Michael. 00:28:07.32\00:28:11.18 What is Michael called? 00:28:11.21\00:28:13.54 For example, in Jude 9 He's called Michael the Archangel. 00:28:13.57\00:28:18.85 And then notice in Daniel 12:1 the third element. 00:28:18.88\00:28:23.29 Once again, it says, At that time Michael shall stand up, 00:28:23.32\00:28:26.84 that great prince who stands watch over the sons of Your 00:28:26.87\00:28:29.80 people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never 00:28:29.83\00:28:32.70 was since there was a nation, even to that time. 00:28:32.73\00:28:35.89 And now notice: 00:28:35.92\00:28:36.95 The question is, delivered from whom? 00:28:45.79\00:28:48.13 In context, delivered from whom? 00:28:49.98\00:28:52.96 Who has gone out to destroy and annihilate many? 00:28:52.99\00:28:57.53 The king of the north. 00:28:57.56\00:28:58.59 So God's people are gong to be delivered from whom? 00:28:58.62\00:29:02.42 From the power of the king of the north. 00:29:02.45\00:29:04.59 So let me review, because this sequence is of critical 00:29:04.62\00:29:07.82 importance. Daniel 11:44 says that certain tidings 00:29:07.85\00:29:12.33 from the north and the east are going to bother 00:29:12.36\00:29:14.87 the king of the north. 00:29:14.90\00:29:15.93 As a consequence he's going to go out to destroy 00:29:15.96\00:29:19.21 and annihilate many. 00:29:19.24\00:29:20.50 When he does that Michael is going to stand up, 00:29:20.53\00:29:24.50 Michael the Archangel, and Michael the Archangel is Jesus. 00:29:24.53\00:29:28.10 Standing up means that He's going to cease to be a priest, 00:29:28.13\00:29:31.10 and now He's going to be what? 00:29:31.13\00:29:32.90 He's going to be a king. 00:29:32.93\00:29:34.23 He's going to begin to rule. 00:29:34.26\00:29:36.18 And then, of course, you have a time of trouble, 00:29:36.21\00:29:38.95 such as never was since there was a nation. 00:29:38.98\00:29:42.02 And at that time, during the time of trouble, God's people 00:29:42.05\00:29:45.53 will be what? will be delivered, everyone who is found 00:29:45.56\00:29:48.60 written in the book. 00:29:48.63\00:29:49.66 That is the sequence. 00:29:49.69\00:29:51.03 Now lets notice the same sequence in Revelation 14:15. 00:29:51.06\00:29:57.50 Revelation 14:15. 00:29:57.53\00:30:00.08 By the way, do you know what the tidings from the north 00:30:00.11\00:30:02.99 and from the east really are? 00:30:03.02\00:30:04.58 The seal of God in Revelation 7; the angel comes 00:30:04.61\00:30:13.74 from what direction of the compass? 00:30:13.77\00:30:15.36 He comes from the east; from the rising sun. 00:30:15.40\00:30:19.03 And the loud cry of Revelation 18 comes from heaven. 00:30:19.07\00:30:25.50 By the way, in antiquity heaven was north, because God sits 00:30:25.53\00:30:29.82 in the sides of the north. 00:30:29.85\00:30:31.53 And so, really, the tidings from the north and from the east 00:30:32.73\00:30:35.76 are the three angels' messages, particularly intensified by 00:30:35.79\00:30:42.19 the message of this angel of Revelation 18, which brings the 00:30:42.22\00:30:46.22 sealing message, which is going to separate the righteous 00:30:46.26\00:30:50.25 from the unrighteous. 00:30:50.28\00:30:51.44 And so the tidings in Revelation 14 would be the 00:30:51.47\00:30:54.79 three angels' messages. 00:30:54.82\00:30:56.16 By the way, when the three angels' messages are finished, 00:30:56.19\00:30:59.74 is humanity divided into two groups? 00:30:59.77\00:31:03.36 Revelation 14-20 says yes. 00:31:03.39\00:31:07.01 You have the harvest of the earth, and you have the what? 00:31:07.04\00:31:09.57 And you have the grapes of the earth. 00:31:09.60\00:31:11.66 By the way, have you ever noticed in Revelation 14 00:31:11.69\00:31:15.85 that the grapes are outside the city, outside the holy city, 00:31:15.88\00:31:19.58 and the righteous are inside the holy city? 00:31:19.62\00:31:22.26 Why do you suppose the wicked have come and surrounded 00:31:22.29\00:31:25.67 the city? By the way, this is the church; 00:31:25.70\00:31:28.34 it's spiritual Jerusalem. 00:31:28.37\00:31:29.74 Why have the wicked come there? 00:31:29.77\00:31:31.73 Because they want to what? 00:31:31.76\00:31:34.48 They want to destroy those who are found where? 00:31:34.51\00:31:37.38 inside the city; the righteous. 00:31:37.41\00:31:40.54 And so I want you to notice that the three angels' messages 00:31:40.58\00:31:43.79 intensified by this message that comes from the north 00:31:43.82\00:31:46.41 from heaven; intensified by this sealing message which comes 00:31:46.44\00:31:49.93 from the east, troubles the religious powers of the world, 00:31:49.96\00:31:53.27 and they gather around God's people, 00:31:53.30\00:31:55.73 symbolized by Jerusalem, with the intention of what? 00:31:55.77\00:31:58.98 of destroying them. 00:31:59.01\00:32:00.40 And then I want you to notice something very interesting. 00:32:00.43\00:32:03.93 As soon as the three angels' messages are finished, 00:32:03.97\00:32:07.43 in Revelation 15, you have the closing of the 00:32:07.46\00:32:12.07 heavenly temple service. 00:32:12.11\00:32:13.27 Have you ever noticed in Revelation 15:5-8 that it says 00:32:13.30\00:32:19.53 that the temple was filled with smoke, and no one could enter 00:32:19.56\00:32:24.60 the temple until the seven last plagues had been poured out? 00:32:24.63\00:32:28.66 So you have the what? the closing of probation. 00:32:28.69\00:32:33.43 Let me ask you, when probation closes, does Jesus cease to be 00:32:33.46\00:32:37.65 high priest, and does He take over His position as king? 00:32:37.69\00:32:42.78 He most certainly does! 00:32:42.81\00:32:44.03 He changes His garments from His priestly garments 00:32:44.07\00:32:46.80 to His kingly garments. 00:32:46.83\00:32:48.32 And that's in Revelation 15; the closing of the door. 00:32:48.35\00:32:52.51 And then, of course, you have the time of trouble. 00:32:52.54\00:32:56.58 In Revelation 16 the time of trouble is the period 00:32:56.61\00:33:00.65 of the seven last plagues. 00:33:00.68\00:33:02.26 Are you seeing the sequence that we have here? 00:33:02.29\00:33:05.21 The three angels' messages are the tidings. 00:33:05.24\00:33:08.15 This separates humanity into two groups. 00:33:08.18\00:33:12.39 The wicked come against the church, 00:33:12.42\00:33:14.44 represented by Jerusalem, to attempt to destroy it. 00:33:14.47\00:33:17.48 At that time Jesus closes the sanctuary service. 00:33:17.51\00:33:21.94 He becomes king over His people. 00:33:21.98\00:33:25.13 And as a result you have the time of trouble, 00:33:25.16\00:33:28.20 which is the period of the plagues. 00:33:28.23\00:33:30.84 Now let me ask you, does Revelation indicate that God's 00:33:30.87\00:33:34.15 people will come victorious from this period? Absolutely! 00:33:34.18\00:33:38.21 You can read in Revelation 15:2-4. 00:33:38.24\00:33:41.90 It says that there's a group who are victorious over the beast, 00:33:41.93\00:33:46.50 and over his image, and over his mark. 00:33:46.53\00:33:48.83 Are those the powers which wanted to destroy God's people? 00:33:48.86\00:33:51.79 Absolutely! And so you find the same structure and sequence 00:33:51.82\00:33:56.30 in Revelation 14 and 15, as you found in Daniel 11. 00:33:56.33\00:34:00.19 But it gets even more amazing when we look at what is said 00:34:00.22\00:34:04.53 in the book, The Great Controversy. 00:34:04.56\00:34:05.86 I'm just going to give you the pages. 00:34:05.89\00:34:07.46 In The Great Controversy you have a chapter, which begins on 00:34:07.50\00:34:12.48 page 603, and the title of that chapter is, The Final Warning. 00:34:12.51\00:34:18.96 It's a whole chapter about the sealing. 00:34:18.99\00:34:21.97 That's the angel that comes from the east, and about that mighty 00:34:22.00\00:34:26.41 angel who comes from heaven. 00:34:26.44\00:34:28.07 That's Revelation 18:1-4. 00:34:28.10\00:34:31.05 That's page 603, it's called The Final Warning. 00:34:31.08\00:34:34.51 Those are the tidings from the north and the east, 00:34:34.54\00:34:36.58 incidentally. Interestingly enough, immediately after that 00:34:36.61\00:34:41.08 you have on page 613, after that chapter you have the 00:34:41.11\00:34:45.41 chapter which is called, The Time of Trouble. 00:34:45.44\00:34:49.01 And on page 613 Ellen White says... 00:34:51.23\00:34:55.58 By the way, she begins that chapter by quoting Daniel 12:1. 00:34:55.61\00:34:59.38 You find Ellen White saying on page 613, first of all, 00:34:59.41\00:35:03.64 that everyone has been sealed with the seal of God, 00:35:03.67\00:35:07.26 or has received the mark of the beast. 00:35:07.29\00:35:09.85 All of humanity has been divided into two groups. 00:35:09.89\00:35:12.71 And then she says, on pages 614 and 615, that the wicked are 00:35:12.74\00:35:20.36 enraged against God's people. 00:35:20.39\00:35:22.59 Interesting, same identical sequence, in the correct order. 00:35:22.62\00:35:27.57 And then on page 616 she says, Then God's people will be 00:35:27.60\00:35:32.61 plunged into those scenes, which are called in the Bible, 00:35:32.64\00:35:35.95 the time of Jacob's trouble. 00:35:35.98\00:35:37.30 And she goes on to talk about the experience of Jacob. 00:35:37.33\00:35:41.12 Interestingly enough, in the book, The Great Controversy, 00:35:41.15\00:35:44.90 page 635, the next chapter is titled, God's People Delivered. 00:35:44.93\00:35:51.45 And finally, on page 637, Ellen White quotes Daniel 12:2 00:35:52.91\00:35:58.85 where it speaks about many who sleep in the dust of the earth 00:35:58.88\00:36:01.80 shall be raised; some to everlasting life, 00:36:01.83\00:36:04.25 and some to everlasting shame and contempt. 00:36:04.28\00:36:07.45 Very interesting that in The Great Controversy you have the 00:36:07.48\00:36:11.70 identical sequence that you have in Daniel 11 and 12, 00:36:11.73\00:36:15.67 and Revelation 14 and 15. 00:36:15.70\00:36:18.62 Let me review what Ellen White has to say. 00:36:18.65\00:36:20.49 She speaks about the final warning; those are the tidings 00:36:20.52\00:36:23.13 from the north and from the east. 00:36:23.16\00:36:24.71 Then begins the chapter on The Time of Trouble. 00:36:24.74\00:36:27.09 She speaks about humanity divided into two groups. 00:36:27.12\00:36:31.16 She speaks about the door of probation closing. 00:36:31.19\00:36:34.95 Then she says that the wicked are enraged with the righteous. 00:36:34.98\00:36:38.38 Then she says the righteous will be plunged 00:36:38.41\00:36:40.89 into the time of trouble. 00:36:40.93\00:36:42.24 And then she speaks about the experience of Jacob 00:36:42.27\00:36:45.74 in Genesis 32 as prefiguring what's going to happen 00:36:45.78\00:36:49.25 to God's people. 00:36:49.28\00:36:50.31 And then in the very next chapter she titles it, 00:36:50.34\00:36:52.69 God's people delivered. 00:36:52.72\00:36:54.56 And then she speaks about the special resurrection 00:36:54.59\00:36:57.06 of Daniel 12:1, 2. 00:36:57.09\00:36:59.81 In this way, in three different lines of argument, 00:36:59.84\00:37:04.64 we an see what these prophecies are actually talking about. 00:37:04.68\00:37:08.50 They're talking about the final onslaught of the wicked against 00:37:08.53\00:37:12.64 God's people after the close of probation, and the trials 00:37:12.67\00:37:16.62 that God's people are going to have when the wicked come 00:37:16.66\00:37:18.93 against them just like Esau was coming against Jacob. 00:37:18.96\00:37:22.56 And God's people are going to go through the same type of 00:37:22.59\00:37:26.32 experiences that Jacob went through during this period. 00:37:26.35\00:37:30.04 In fact, let's notice several things that the Bible has to say 00:37:30.07\00:37:34.51 about the time of Jacob's trouble. 00:37:34.54\00:37:36.44 Notice Jeremiah 30:6-9. 00:37:36.47\00:37:39.44 This is actually where we get the name, 00:37:39.47\00:37:41.57 the time of Jacob's trouble. 00:37:41.60\00:37:44.27 It says here in verse 6: 00:37:44.30\00:37:46.97 Are you catching what he's saying here? 00:38:04.50\00:38:07.35 He's saying that men are like they're in labor. 00:38:07.38\00:38:10.50 And their faces; they're in anguish, in other words, 00:38:10.53\00:38:14.28 in pain, and their faces are pale. 00:38:14.31\00:38:16.86 And then notice what it continues saying: 00:38:16.89\00:38:19.28 By the way, is this similar terminology to what we read 00:38:29.38\00:38:31.94 in Daniel 12:1, even though Jacob's name is not mentioned, 00:38:31.97\00:38:35.59 it's the same terminology. It says: 00:38:35.62\00:38:37.94 By the way, those are the yoke and the bonds of Esau. 00:38:53.69\00:38:57.61 That is Israel. 00:39:00.83\00:39:01.86 Who would David the king be at this point? 00:39:08.25\00:39:10.39 David the king would be Jesus Christ. 00:39:10.42\00:39:14.06 Now there are many Christians who believe in the rapture idea. 00:39:14.09\00:39:18.68 They say that the church will be taken out of this world 00:39:18.71\00:39:22.06 before the tribulation. 00:39:22.09\00:39:23.61 The folks who believe this are setting themselves up to be 00:39:23.64\00:39:29.76 caught in the time of trouble without the necessary 00:39:29.79\00:39:32.68 preparation to go through this period, 00:39:32.72\00:39:34.35 because the time of trouble is going to be the worst period 00:39:34.38\00:39:38.03 of distress, and anguish, and tribulation in the history 00:39:38.06\00:39:42.79 of planet earth. 00:39:42.82\00:39:43.88 There's no other period, no matter how bad it got, 00:39:43.91\00:39:47.03 that is even faintly similar to this, and the devil knows it. 00:39:47.06\00:39:52.12 And so the devil tries to convince the church that Jesus 00:39:52.16\00:39:55.45 is going to take the church out of the world before the 00:39:55.48\00:39:57.89 tribulation, so that when they're caught in the 00:39:57.92\00:40:00.30 tribulation, they don't have the necessary preparation: 00:40:00.33\00:40:03.73 faith and perseverance in order to go through 00:40:03.76\00:40:07.15 this time successfully. 00:40:07.19\00:40:09.03 Notice Matthew 24:21, 22 describing this period. 00:40:09.06\00:40:15.87 It is the worst in intensity in the history of the world. 00:40:15.90\00:40:19.16 It says here: 00:40:19.20\00:40:20.62 That word is magoli in Greek, where we get the word megaphone. 00:40:23.09\00:40:27.02 That is those days of the tribulation. 00:40:41.41\00:40:43.34 Is this going to be a terrible time of trial and anguish 00:40:54.00\00:40:56.83 for God's people? 00:40:56.86\00:40:57.89 It's going to be just like the experience of Jacob, 00:40:57.92\00:41:00.87 only it's not going to be only on the borders of literal 00:41:00.90\00:41:03.62 Canaan; it's going to be on the borders of the heavenly Canaan; 00:41:03.65\00:41:07.11 A severe time of trouble when the enemies of God's people are 00:41:08.60\00:41:12.68 coming against them, and we will go through the same 00:41:12.71\00:41:15.84 experience, anguish, wondering whether God will be able to 00:41:15.87\00:41:18.95 fulfill His promises, because of our sinfulness, 00:41:18.98\00:41:21.95 and our unworthiness, and when we cry out to God day and night 00:41:21.99\00:41:26.82 for deliverance. 00:41:26.85\00:41:27.88 We will wrestle with God in prayer. 00:41:27.91\00:41:30.06 But, of course, we need to learn that now, and that's what Jacob 00:41:30.09\00:41:34.65 learned to do in the house of Laban. 00:41:34.68\00:41:36.56 That's where he developed a character. 00:41:36.59\00:41:38.50 He learned to be industrious. 00:41:38.53\00:41:40.44 He learned to be patient in affliction. 00:41:40.47\00:41:42.71 He learned to be patient when he was mistreated, and therefore, 00:41:42.74\00:41:45.74 he was ready for this period, at the end, 00:41:45.77\00:41:48.67 before he entered Canaan. 00:41:48.70\00:41:50.15 Now notice Psalm 91:14-16, Psalm 91:14-16. 00:41:50.19\00:41:57.11 This is known as the Psalm of the tribulation, 00:41:57.14\00:41:59.95 and it has several very important points. 00:41:59.98\00:42:03.42 It says here in verse 14: 00:42:03.46\00:42:06.14 God is speaking. 00:42:08.08\00:42:10.03 Notice: because we have set our love upon God... 00:42:13.90\00:42:17.65 What? Is that a key word? Absolutely! 00:42:20.22\00:42:24.76 What did Jacob say to the being that he was struggling with? 00:42:34.07\00:42:37.98 He says, tell me your what? Tell me your name. 00:42:38.01\00:42:41.79 And then it continues saying, he shall call upon me. 00:42:41.82\00:42:46.38 Did Jacob do that? Yes, he did. 00:42:46.41\00:42:48.68 He shall call upon me... 00:42:48.71\00:42:50.47 There's the same word: time of trouble. 00:42:55.65\00:42:58.80 And, of course, it says there in Psalm 91 that no plague will 00:43:11.43\00:43:16.35 afflict God's people. 00:43:16.39\00:43:18.03 You know, some people are afraid of going through 00:43:18.06\00:43:20.26 the tribulation. They say, I hope God lays me to rest 00:43:20.29\00:43:22.78 before that time comes. 00:43:22.81\00:43:23.94 Don't be so quick! 00:43:23.98\00:43:26.21 You know, some people say it's going to be such a terrible 00:43:27.13\00:43:29.21 time, you know, I hope God will allow me to go to the grave 00:43:29.24\00:43:31.96 and then I'll resurrect when Jesus comes, because it's going 00:43:32.00\00:43:34.71 be a terrible period. 00:43:34.74\00:43:35.77 I don't want to live during the period of the plagues. 00:43:35.80\00:43:37.46 I don't want to live without an intercessor. 00:43:37.49\00:43:39.36 Listen folks, we are going to live without an intercessor, 00:43:39.39\00:43:42.74 but we're not going to live without a protector, 00:43:42.77\00:43:44.94 because God protected Jacob, and God is going to protect 00:43:44.97\00:43:48.57 His people, and God is going to listen to His people. 00:43:48.61\00:43:52.20 We'll be able to claim the promises of God. 00:43:52.23\00:43:55.06 By the way, this period is described in Isaiah 54:7, 8, 00:43:55.09\00:44:00.07 Isaiah 54:7, 8. It says here: 00:44:00.10\00:44:04.86 This is God speaking about Israel. 00:44:08.01\00:44:09.69 And so, for a moment, it's going to look like God withdrew 00:44:26.79\00:44:30.84 His face, and His presence from us. 00:44:30.87\00:44:32.81 By the way, did Jesus go through that same experience? 00:44:32.84\00:44:36.00 Absolutely! Did Job go through that same experience? 00:44:36.04\00:44:38.99 Do you remember the story of the widow in Luke 18, 00:44:39.02\00:44:41.94 who kept on coming, and coming, and coming to the judge 00:44:41.97\00:44:45.36 for justice, and finally he did her justice? 00:44:45.39\00:44:48.49 Well, it's going to be the same during the time of trouble, 00:44:48.52\00:44:51.99 folks. The answer will not come immediately. 00:44:52.02\00:44:55.01 God's people will have to prevail in prayer. 00:44:55.04\00:44:57.63 They will have to wrestle with God. 00:44:57.66\00:45:00.43 They will have to have perseverant, unshakable, 00:45:00.46\00:45:03.46 unbreakable faith as they pray to God, and they have to claim 00:45:03.49\00:45:07.91 God's promises, no matter how they feel, because Ellen White 00:45:07.95\00:45:12.37 says that we're going to feel unworthy. 00:45:12.40\00:45:14.32 We're going to feel like we can't even claim God's promises. 00:45:14.35\00:45:17.04 And the devil is going to whisper, come on, you're too 00:45:17.07\00:45:19.85 sinful for God to protect you, and fulfill His promises 00:45:19.89\00:45:22.67 with you. But we must trust what God says, rather than trusting 00:45:22.70\00:45:26.42 our feelings and our emotions. 00:45:26.45\00:45:28.69 By the way, this end time experience is going to be just 00:45:28.72\00:45:31.75 like the experience of the three friends of Daniel, 00:45:31.78\00:45:34.68 in the valley of Durah. 00:45:34.71\00:45:35.89 Allow me to mention that just for a few moments here. 00:45:35.92\00:45:39.07 Do you remember that Nebuchadnezzar, who, by the way, 00:45:39.10\00:45:43.68 for awhile lived like a beast, raised up an image, 00:45:43.71\00:45:47.73 and he commanded everyone to worship the image that he had 00:45:47.77\00:45:52.08 built, and everyone who would not worship the image, 00:45:52.11\00:45:55.47 was to be what? was to be killed. 00:45:55.50\00:45:58.56 Let's notice when the three young men come before 00:45:58.59\00:46:02.19 Nebuchadnezzar, what they say. 00:46:02.22\00:46:05.35 Daniel 3:15, Nebuchadnezzar says: 00:46:05.38\00:46:08.51 There's the word again. 00:46:30.22\00:46:32.81 Notice what the three young men say, verses 16-18. 00:46:35.54\00:46:39.19 Let me ask you, was that a severe time of trial and anguish 00:47:02.35\00:47:06.91 for these three young men? 00:47:06.94\00:47:08.57 It most certainly was. 00:47:09.64\00:47:11.31 Did they claim God's promise? 00:47:11.34\00:47:13.11 Do you know they claimed the promise in Isaiah that says: 00:47:13.14\00:47:15.41 though you go through the fires, you will not be burned. 00:47:15.45\00:47:17.71 Now their feelings told them that they were going to be 00:47:17.74\00:47:21.49 burnt, but they trusted and relied on the promises of God. 00:47:21.89\00:47:27.45 This is the experience that God's people are going 00:47:27.48\00:47:30.80 to go through. The time of Jacob's trouble is the same 00:47:30.83\00:47:34.15 time that the three young men went through their experience, 00:47:34.18\00:47:37.81 and the same experience on a worldwide scale at the end 00:47:37.84\00:47:41.21 over the beast, his image, his mark, 00:47:41.24\00:47:44.34 and the number of his name. 00:47:44.37\00:47:46.70 By the way, who was that fourth person in the fiery furnace? 00:47:46.73\00:47:51.20 Notice what we find in Daniel 3:25. 00:47:51.23\00:47:55.05 Nebuchadnezzar says: 00:47:55.09\00:47:57.08 Was that the same person that Jacob struggled with? Yes? 00:48:06.70\00:48:11.97 Is it the same individual who will rise to deliver His people 00:48:12.01\00:48:16.86 in Daniel 12:1? Is it the same one that is going to deliver 00:48:16.89\00:48:21.71 His people at the end of time? Absolutely! 00:48:21.74\00:48:24.41 By the way, do you know what He's called a little later on 00:48:24.44\00:48:27.22 in chapter 3? Notice Daniel 3:28. It says: 00:48:27.25\00:48:30.52 Excuse me? Who sent His what? angel. 00:48:39.91\00:48:45.32 Who is the angel? the Son of God, according to this. 00:48:45.35\00:48:49.10 Is this the same being that struggled with Jacob? 00:48:49.14\00:48:53.06 Yes, because that individual is called man. 00:48:53.09\00:48:55.78 Here you have son of man. 00:48:55.82\00:48:56.85 That individual is called God; this is the Son of God, 00:48:56.88\00:49:00.47 and that individual is called the angel; 00:49:00.51\00:49:02.71 here you have the angel. 00:49:02.74\00:49:03.98 This experience is an illustration of the time of 00:49:04.01\00:49:07.89 trouble that Jacob went through, and that God's people will go 00:49:07.92\00:49:11.21 through at the end of time. 00:49:11.25\00:49:12.28 By the way, there's another experience in Daniel which is 00:49:12.31\00:49:14.85 similar to this one, which illustrates the same point: 00:49:14.88\00:49:17.67 when Daniel was thrown into the lions den. 00:49:17.70\00:49:21.79 In fact, the next morning, after Daniel had been thrown into 00:49:24.71\00:49:29.56 the lions den, the king comes and he says, hey Daniel, 00:49:29.59\00:49:34.48 has the God whom you serve continually, 00:49:34.51\00:49:38.61 been able to deliver you from the lions? 00:49:38.65\00:49:42.74 There you have the key word again. 00:49:42.78\00:49:45.05 And at the end of the experience, notice what the king 00:49:45.09\00:49:48.31 says in Daniel 6:27. 00:49:48.34\00:49:50.41 He says, speaking about God. 00:49:50.44\00:49:53.13 Did God fulfill His promises? Yes, He did. 00:50:08.66\00:50:13.07 Do you think it was an easy experience for Daniel to think 00:50:13.10\00:50:15.58 about being thrown into a den of hungry lions? 00:50:15.61\00:50:18.11 If you don't think they were hungry, you continue reading 00:50:18.15\00:50:21.42 the story about when the princes were thrown in. 00:50:21.45\00:50:23.12 The Bible says that they hadn't even reached the ground, 00:50:23.15\00:50:25.80 and the lions were having them for cat food. 00:50:25.83\00:50:29.09 They were gobbling them up. 00:50:29.13\00:50:31.75 Those lions were starving. 00:50:31.78\00:50:34.30 They were hungry. 00:50:34.33\00:50:35.36 But that night that Daniel spent in the lions den 00:50:35.39\00:50:38.23 they acted just like kitty cats. 00:50:38.26\00:50:41.35 Now, let's notice Revelation 7: 13-17. 00:50:41.38\00:50:46.15 This speaks about this end time generation. 00:50:46.18\00:50:48.69 Folks, God's people are going to come victorious 00:50:48.72\00:50:51.67 out of this period. 00:50:51.70\00:50:52.73 That's the point that I want to emphasize. 00:50:52.76\00:50:55.35 If we have the faith of Jacob; if we learn to trust God 00:50:55.39\00:50:59.14 like Jacob; if we learn to confess our sins, 00:50:59.18\00:51:02.22 and to repent from sin, no matter how far down we feel, 00:51:02.25\00:51:06.69 we can trust the promises of God. 00:51:06.72\00:51:08.07 God is going to deliver His people in the midst of this 00:51:08.11\00:51:10.88 terrible end time tribulation. 00:51:10.92\00:51:12.85 It says in Revelation 7:13: 00:51:12.88\00:51:16.21 By the way, the Greek says, these are the ones that came out 00:51:34.63\00:51:38.41 of the tribulation, the great one. 00:51:38.44\00:51:40.83 That's the way it says in Greek. 00:51:42.39\00:51:43.98 They've come out of the tribulation, the great one. 00:51:44.01\00:51:46.53 And now notice: 00:51:46.56\00:51:48.31 Will God fulfill His promises with His people? 00:52:18.91\00:52:21.82 You can take it to the bank. 00:52:21.85\00:52:23.90 But when do we need to learn to trust the promises of God? 00:52:23.94\00:52:28.23 If we come to that time, and we haven't learned to trust, 00:52:28.27\00:52:32.53 we're not going to suddenly trust. 00:52:32.56\00:52:34.40 The time to feel our unworthiness, the time to 00:52:34.43\00:52:38.21 repent of sin, the time to confess our sins, the time to 00:52:38.24\00:52:43.55 develop an unshakable, and unbreakable faith is now, 00:52:43.58\00:52:47.80 because at that time it's going to be too late. 00:52:47.83\00:52:50.29 In fact, in The Great Controversy we find that the 00:52:50.32\00:52:54.04 author says that some will come to this period without the 00:52:54.07\00:52:58.18 necessary preparation, and they will cry out in anguish to God. 00:52:58.21\00:53:03.00 Remember what Esau did when he lost the birthright? 00:53:03.03\00:53:06.99 He cried out with a bitter cry. 00:53:07.02\00:53:09.24 They will cry out to God, because they'll see that they've 00:53:09.27\00:53:11.98 lost the inheritance. 00:53:12.02\00:53:13.12 And she says that everyone around them will simply 00:53:13.15\00:53:16.90 make fun of them as they hear them crying out in anguish. 00:53:16.94\00:53:22.51 I pray to God that we won't be of those who manifest this 00:53:22.55\00:53:28.08 attitude of Esau, but that, rather, we'll be like Jacob 00:53:28.11\00:53:31.35 and hang on to the hand of God, and say, I will not let you go 00:53:31.39\00:53:35.78 until You bless me! 00:53:35.81\00:53:37.03 In fact this experience is going to take place all over again. 00:53:37.07\00:53:40.66 Revelation 13:15. Let's read that. It says: 00:53:40.69\00:53:45.98 Are you going to have a trial again over the beast, 00:53:59.92\00:54:02.38 and over his image? Yes, you are. 00:54:02.41\00:54:04.52 Is it going to be a trial over worship? It most certainly is. 00:54:04.55\00:54:07.62 Is our life going to be in danger? Absolutely! 00:54:07.65\00:54:11.39 In fact the powers of the earth will gather 00:54:11.42\00:54:14.38 against God's people. 00:54:14.42\00:54:15.45 Now do you remember when Jacob overcame that he was 00:54:15.48\00:54:19.83 given a new name? 00:54:19.86\00:54:20.89 Notice Revelation 14:1. 00:54:20.92\00:54:24.24 Those who go victoriously through this end time 00:54:24.27\00:54:28.05 tribulation receive a new name. 00:54:28.08\00:54:31.39 In fact it's the name of God. 00:54:31.43\00:54:32.86 It says in Revelation 14:1: 00:54:32.89\00:54:34.90 And, by the way, those are those who will be alive 00:54:43.25\00:54:45.06 when Jesus comes. 00:54:45.09\00:54:46.13 So is God going to give us a new name? Of course! 00:54:55.31\00:54:58.72 You can read it in Revelation 3:12 as well. 00:54:58.75\00:55:01.83 The message to the church of Philadelphia: He who overcomes 00:55:01.86\00:55:05.54 will receive My new name, it says there. 00:55:05.57\00:55:08.75 And so our names will be changed. 00:55:08.78\00:55:11.82 I don't know what mine will be, but it's going to be changed. 00:55:11.86\00:55:15.99 And it's going to manifest and reveal the victory that we have 00:55:16.02\00:55:20.12 gained over the flesh, over the world, and over the devil. 00:55:20.15\00:55:24.40 Now allow me to read you a statement from 00:55:24.44\00:55:27.52 The Great Controversy in closing. 00:55:27.55\00:55:29.51 This is found on pages 622 and 623. 00:55:29.54\00:55:33.91 Isn't that true that we usually think that things are 00:55:51.86\00:55:54.77 going to be worse, and they really aren't as bad 00:55:54.89\00:55:56.85 as we thought? She says here: 00:55:56.88\00:55:58.47 And then she says this: 00:56:30.36\00:56:31.72 You say that's a hard goal to reach, 00:57:19.22\00:57:22.19 but in Christ we can do all things. 00:57:22.22\00:57:25.74