Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Our Father in heaven, we thank
You so much for the awesome
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privilege of coming into Your
presence to hear Your voice,
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speaking to us, and to
honor and glorify Your name.
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We ask that as we study the
message that You have for us
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from 2 Peter 3, that Your
Holy Spirit will be with us
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and instruct us. Help us, Lord,
to long for the coming of Jesus.
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Help us to realize that
this world is not our home.
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Help us to look for
our real and true homeland
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where Jesus dwells.
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We thank You for
hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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As you heard from my prayer
this morning, we are going
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to study the message that
God has for us in 2 Peter 3.
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Now before we begin reading
at verse 3, allow me to say
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that this epistle of Peter was
written very close to the end
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of his life. In fact Peter,
probably, at this time was
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imprisoned, and he
was about to be crucified
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with his head
down, by his own request.
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And so we have, in chapter
3, the last written words
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from the apostle Peter
shortly before his death.
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Now the last words, I believe,
are very important words,
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and so it would be well
for us to listen to what the
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apostle Peter has to say.
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And, by the way, we're going to
notice that he is speaking about
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the end time generation.
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He's speaking
about our day and age.
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Now let's turn in our Bibles to
2 Peter 3, and I would like to
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begin at verse 3, 2 Peter 3:3.
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In other words, this is
of the utmost importance.
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Now let's stop
there just for a moment.
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We're told by Peter
that in the last days...
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That places it
within our time frame.
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...in the last days scoffers
will arise, mockers will arise,
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and they will want to live
according to their own lusts.
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Now this is very, very
important as we begin our study,
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because we're going to
notice that these individuals
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are actually delaying, and
postponing the coming of Jesus.
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In fact they're going to
say, Where is the promise
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of His coming? And the reason
why they want to postpone the
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second coming, the reason
why they're saying where is the
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promise of His coming? is,
because according to verse 3,
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they want to live
according to their own lusts.
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You see, people who live
according to their own lusts
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do not really
want Jesus to come.
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They are not
anxious about Jesus coming.
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And so Peter begins by saying
that in the last days mockers
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will come who live
according to their own lusts,
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and they will want to postpone,
and delay, the coming of Jesus
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for that particular reason.
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Now if you turn with me in
your Bibles to 2 Timothy 4,
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we will read some verses
from the last epistle which was
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written by the apostle Paul.
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And, by the way, he also uses
the expression "the last days".
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So we have the last
words from Peter in 2 Peter 3,
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and now we're going to read the
last words of the apostle Paul
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as he was imprisoned in Rome,
and about to the be beheaded.
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2 Timothy 4:1.
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By the way, that's
the identical Greek word.
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...according to their own lusts,
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Notice, once again, a group
of individuals who are living
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in the time of the judgment when
Jesus is going to come to judge
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the living and the dead.
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The apostle Paul says
that they're living according
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to their own lusts.
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And what they do in order
to pacify their conscience
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is they pile up teachers
who teach them according to what
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they want to hear.
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Now the image that is being used
in this passage of the apostle
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Paul, is that there are
people who are itching to hear
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what they want to hear.
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And what they're going to do is
they're going to find teachers
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who will scratch
their itching ears.
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In other words, they will tell
people what people want to hear.
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So we find in the writings
of Paul, and in the writings of
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Peter, the last words that
each of them wrote they had
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grave concern for the church,
grave concern over individuals
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who would live
according to their own lusts,
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would teach false doctrine, and
would say, Where is the promise
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of His coming? Now let's
go on in our study to verse 4,
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2 Peter 3:4. Verse 3 says,
knowing this first that scoffers
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will come in the last days,
walking according to their own
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lusts. This
explains why they scoff.
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Now what are they going to say?
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Where is the
promise of His coming?
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Everything is the same as it
was from the beginning of time,
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is what these mockers,
or scoffers, are saying.
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They're saying, we don't
have to be concerned about Jesus
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coming soon, anytime soon.
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There's no assurance of that,
because you can go as far back
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as you want, and things continue
exactly the way they've been
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since the beginning of time.
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I guess we could call these
individuals uniformitarian's.
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Basically, this is the idea,
that there's nothing new under
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the sun. The ocean
stays within its banks,
00:09:07.88\00:09:12.36
that is most of the time.
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The sun rises and sets.
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Nature is governed by set laws.
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Seasons come and they go.
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Society carries on as usual.
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People eat, drink, buy,
sell, plant, build, and marry,
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and are given in marriage,
just like they have since
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the beginning of time.
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Business is carried on as usual.
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And, so basically, these
individuals, these mockers,
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who want to live according
to their own fleshly desires,
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or their own lusts, say
there's not going to be any
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second coming of Jesus any
time soon, because everything
00:10:01.34\00:10:04.99
continues the same from
the very beginning of time.
00:10:05.02\00:10:09.93
Now, folks, I have seen in my
experience that there are three
00:10:09.96\00:10:14.76
steps that people take, which
eventually leads, not only to
00:10:14.79\00:10:21.67
leaving the church, but being
turned off also on religion:
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1. Apathy towards
the coming of Jesus.
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2. What results from apathy is a
more and more secular lifestyle;
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more and more feeling
comfortable with living in this
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world, with the
things of this world.
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And ultimately a total
abandonment of religion,
00:10:46.49\00:10:51.74
the Bible, and faith.
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That's what the apostle
Peter is talking about here.
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Individuals who say, my
grandparents talked about the
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second coming, my parents
talked about the second coming,
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and everybody has talked
since time and memorial about
00:11:06.75\00:11:10.16
the second coming of
Jesus, but it hasn't happened.
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Things continue as they always
have, and they always will
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continue in that way as well.
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Don't be concerned
about the coming of Jesus.
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It's okay to live
according to your own lusts.
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And apathy leads to comfort
in this world, which ultimately
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leads to an abandonment
of faith in Jesus Christ,
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and acceptance and
belief in His coming.
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Now let's go to verse 5.
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The apostle Peter is going to
say that those who argue in this
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way willingly
ignore several facts.
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Now notice verse 5.
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For this they willingly forget.
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Now notice that if they simply
forgot it, or didn't have any
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chance to know about
it, it would be okay.
00:12:04.81\00:12:07.63
But the apostle Peter
says that they make a decision
00:12:07.66\00:12:11.22
of their will that they are
not going to believe in what
00:12:11.25\00:12:15.41
we're going to talk about.
00:12:15.44\00:12:16.59
In other words, they willingly
forget, or ignore, that by the
00:12:16.62\00:12:22.31
word of God the heavens were
of old, and the earth standing
00:12:22.34\00:12:28.07
out of water, and in the water.
00:12:28.10\00:12:30.44
The first thing that they
ignore is the fact that by the
00:12:30.47\00:12:35.75
word of God this
world was created by God.
00:12:35.78\00:12:42.01
And the idea is that it was
created not over long periods
00:12:42.04\00:12:47.17
of time, but it was
created by the Word of God
00:12:47.20\00:12:50.67
instantaneously. You see, these
individuals believe in long
00:12:50.70\00:12:56.07
ages. Everything has
continued the same since
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the beginning of time.
00:13:00.24\00:13:01.37
Peter is saying, you ignore
the fact that in old times
00:13:01.40\00:13:06.35
the Word of God
created this world.
00:13:06.38\00:13:10.00
Out of the water, it was
in water, and by the way,
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He's going to say that
the world will eventually
00:13:14.57\00:13:16.89
be destroyed by water.
00:13:16.92\00:13:19.04
Now I want you to notice
Psalm 33:6, 9, Psalm 33:6, 9.
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This is describing creation, the
creation that these individuals
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are denying, the supernatural,
instantaneous, quick creation
00:13:33.23\00:13:38.24
of God at the
beginning. Psalm 33:6, It says:
00:13:38.27\00:13:45.25
Now notice verse 9:
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and a million
years later it was done.
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That's not what
it says! It says:
00:14:01.20\00:14:04.98
In other words, these
individuals are ignoring
00:14:13.84\00:14:16.65
that when God created this
world, He created this world
00:14:16.68\00:14:20.33
by His Word, at the beginning,
quickly, and instantaneously.
00:14:20.36\00:14:25.97
Now how do we know that?
00:14:26.00\00:14:27.30
We cannot empirically prove it.
00:14:27.33\00:14:30.26
We can only know it by faith.
00:14:30.29\00:14:34.44
Notice Hebrews
11:3, Hebrews 11:3.
00:14:34.47\00:14:41.52
This is a very well known verse,
but I think it's important to
00:14:41.55\00:14:45.23
read it once again.
00:14:45.26\00:14:46.29
Here the apostle Paul,
whom I believe to be the author
00:14:46.32\00:14:49.86
of Hebrews, actually the writer
of Hebrews, the author is God.
00:14:49.89\00:14:53.26
And by the way, in the Genesis
story we find that each day,
00:15:08.28\00:15:13.28
for example the first day
it says that God declared,
00:15:13.31\00:15:17.10
Let there be light,
and there was light.
00:15:17.13\00:15:21.63
Let there be the firmament,
and there was the firmament.
00:15:21.66\00:15:25.39
Let there be dry land,
and there was dry land.
00:15:25.42\00:15:28.59
Let there be plants, and
there were plants and trees.
00:15:28.62\00:15:31.73
Let there be the sun, the moon,
and the stars, and they were.
00:15:31.76\00:15:34.82
Let the heavens produce birds,
let there be fish in the seas,
00:15:34.85\00:15:38.53
and it was so the Bible says.
00:15:38.56\00:15:41.56
In other words, there's no
room for long ages of time.
00:15:41.59\00:15:45.05
Everything continues, who
knows how far back, the same.
00:15:45.08\00:15:49.99
Peter is talking about
individuals who deny that the
00:15:50.02\00:15:53.98
Word of God, at the
beginning, created this world
00:15:54.01\00:15:58.33
instantaneously and quickly.
00:15:58.36\00:16:02.22
Now allow me to read you a
statement, very interesting
00:16:02.25\00:16:06.69
statement, that we find
in Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:16:06.72\00:16:09.64
page 111. Do you know that
there are Seventh-day Adventist
00:16:09.67\00:16:12.94
theologians today, Seventh-day
Adventist scientists today,
00:16:12.97\00:16:17.20
who are teaching something known
as progressive creationism.
00:16:17.23\00:16:23.08
It's the idea that
God used evolution as His
00:16:23.11\00:16:27.51
method of creation.
00:16:27.54\00:16:28.70
In other words, God used
millions of years to bring the
00:16:28.73\00:16:33.27
things into existence
as we know them today.
00:16:33.30\00:16:36.62
God used the mechanism
of evolution to create.
00:16:36.65\00:16:40.86
And, actually, they're teaching
that death existed long before
00:16:40.89\00:16:45.11
sin in the animal world, because
the animal world was used
00:16:45.14\00:16:49.43
in the process of evolution.
00:16:49.46\00:16:50.93
And they say that the
fossil record reveals that dead
00:16:50.96\00:16:54.23
animals, and dead plants existed
long before Adam and Eve were
00:16:54.78\00:16:58.60
created, because they're trying
to reconcile the testimony
00:16:58.63\00:17:01.99
of the earth with scripture,
and it is impossible, because
00:17:02.02\00:17:06.64
scripture speaks of a quick
creation in six literal days.
00:17:06.67\00:17:11.06
It does not speak of
progressive creation.
00:17:11.09\00:17:14.29
Now notice Patriarchs
and Prophets, page 111.
00:17:14.32\00:17:19.64
Ellen White says:
00:17:19.67\00:17:20.70
This is sad. You see, if
you believe that God has taken
00:18:15.76\00:18:23.03
millions of years to create this
world, and that the world is
00:18:23.06\00:18:28.69
still evolving, what makes you
think that the coming of Jesus
00:18:28.72\00:18:32.30
is anytime soon?
00:18:32.33\00:18:33.48
How much longer are
we going to have to wait?
00:18:33.51\00:18:37.56
You see, if you don't have
an instantaneous beginning,
00:18:37.59\00:18:41.26
what makes you think that we're
going to have an instantaneous
00:18:41.29\00:18:43.74
end? Furthermore, why
would we even keep the Sabbath?
00:18:43.77\00:18:48.64
We keep the Sabbath because
we believe that God created the
00:18:48.67\00:18:51.59
world in six literal days, and
rested the seventh literal day.
00:18:51.63\00:18:54.66
We are supposed to work
six literal days, and we are
00:18:54.69\00:18:58.09
supposed to rest the seventh day
in commemoration of what He did.
00:18:58.12\00:19:01.65
But if each day was millions
of years, as Ellen White says,
00:19:01.68\00:19:05.08
why would we even bother to keep
the Sabbath in honor of the day
00:19:05.11\00:19:09.15
which consisted of millions
of years at the beginning?
00:19:09.18\00:19:12.51
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:19:12.54\00:19:14.50
What the devil is doing is
he is attacking the Creator.
00:19:14.53\00:19:18.81
He is attacking the sign of the
Creator: the Sabbath, because he
00:19:18.84\00:19:23.16
hates Jesus, and he
wants people to forget Jesus.
00:19:23.19\00:19:27.26
Now let me just summarize
a little bit what happened
00:19:27.29\00:19:31.18
according to 2
Peter 3:5. It says:
00:19:31.21\00:19:36.64
Now what's this, standing out
of the water, and in the water?
00:19:47.88\00:19:51.29
Let me explain, and I'll do
this without reading the verses.
00:19:51.32\00:19:54.26
Genesis 1:2 tells us that the
planet was covered with water
00:19:54.29\00:19:59.28
before God created it.
00:19:59.31\00:20:00.74
The planet was a globe of water.
00:20:00.77\00:20:05.32
And what God did on
the second day of creation
00:20:05.35\00:20:10.26
was to separate the waters.
00:20:10.29\00:20:13.35
He took part of the
water and He placed it above
00:20:13.38\00:20:17.00
in the firmament, and He took
another portion of the water
00:20:17.03\00:20:21.23
and He placed it under the
earth, which is known as the
00:20:21.26\00:20:25.28
fountains of the great deep.
00:20:25.31\00:20:27.54
Scripture speaks about the
water that was placed above
00:20:27.57\00:20:30.58
as the windows of heaven.
00:20:30.61\00:20:32.20
And then on the
third day God made the land
00:20:32.23\00:20:36.12
appear out of the water.
00:20:36.15\00:20:38.07
That's what
Peter is talking about.
00:20:38.10\00:20:39.68
He's referring directly
to the fact that this earth,
00:20:39.71\00:20:44.18
which was covered with water,
God at creation made the earth
00:20:44.21\00:20:48.82
appear in the water, and
He separated the waters from
00:20:48.85\00:20:52.66
the waters; placing
waters above and waters below.
00:20:52.69\00:20:56.17
In other words, Peter is saying
that God created this world
00:20:56.20\00:21:00.44
by His Word, and He emphasizes
the fact that God stored water
00:21:00.47\00:21:05.22
above, and stored water
below when He made the dry land,
00:21:05.25\00:21:09.12
and when He made the firmament.
00:21:09.15\00:21:10.84
And he's trying to make this
point for a specific reason.
00:21:10.87\00:21:13.42
Go back with me to 2 Peter
3, and let's read verse 5 again,
00:21:13.45\00:21:19.75
and go on to verse 6.
00:21:19.78\00:21:21.59
It says: for this
they willingly forget.
00:21:21.62\00:21:24.64
There's
evidence, in other words.
00:21:24.67\00:21:25.88
They could have faith, but they
forget it purposely, willingly,
00:21:25.91\00:21:30.68
that by the Word of God
the heavens were of old,
00:21:30.71\00:21:35.37
and the earth, standing
out of water, and in the water,
00:21:35.40\00:21:41.60
Now notice:
00:21:41.63\00:21:42.66
Do you notice the earth was
in the water, out of the water,
00:21:54.64\00:21:59.03
and God destroyed the
world with that water.
00:21:59.06\00:22:03.25
Now the question
is, how did this happen?
00:22:03.28\00:22:07.33
According to Peter, was
there once a worldwide flood,
00:22:07.36\00:22:12.94
a worldwide deluge?
00:22:12.97\00:22:14.77
Do you know that some of
our own scientists, and our own
00:22:14.80\00:22:18.67
theologians, are saying that
the flood referred to in Genesis
00:22:18.70\00:22:22.61
was a local flood in
the valley of Mesopotamia?
00:22:22.64\00:22:27.09
In some of our schools that idea
is being taught; that the flood
00:22:27.12\00:22:33.87
was not a worldwide flood,
it was a local flood that took
00:22:33.90\00:22:37.70
place over in the middle east.
00:22:37.73\00:22:39.84
Now I'm not going to go into the
reasons why it was a universal
00:22:39.87\00:22:43.78
flood in their fullness,
but allow me just to make a few
00:22:43.81\00:22:46.98
remarks about that.
00:22:47.01\00:22:48.16
The word which is generally
used in the New Testament
00:22:48.19\00:22:52.52
for flood, is the word potamos.
00:22:52.55\00:22:57.83
Whenever the New Testament talks
about a flood, a local flood,
00:22:57.86\00:23:02.92
it's the word potamos.
00:23:02.95\00:23:03.98
But when Jesus described the
flood in Noah's day, He used a
00:23:04.01\00:23:08.99
different word that is
used only for that flood,
00:23:09.02\00:23:12.06
and it was the word kataklusmos.
00:23:12.09\00:23:15.65
In other words, the flood
in Noah's day was a cataclysm.
00:23:15.68\00:23:19.95
And, by the way, the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:23:19.98\00:23:22.57
which Jesus presented as
parallel with the destruction
00:23:22.60\00:23:25.65
of the world by the
flood, the word that is used for
00:23:25.68\00:23:28.66
the overthrow of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the Greek is the
00:23:28.69\00:23:31.62
word katastrophe, which
means that the destruction of
00:23:31.65\00:23:36.03
Sodom and Gomorrah, the
destruction of the world,
00:23:36.06\00:23:38.00
was a catastrophe.
00:23:38.03\00:23:40.14
And the word that Peter
uses for flooded in 2 Peter 3,
00:23:40.17\00:23:46.45
is the word kataklusmos, where
we get the word cataclysm from.
00:23:46.48\00:23:51.22
This was not some local flood.
00:23:51.25\00:23:53.81
This was a global
worldwide cataclysm.
00:23:53.84\00:23:58.32
Now we've all seen the pictures
of the Tsunami that took place
00:23:58.35\00:24:05.15
in Asia, in these few places
on the globe where the Tsunami
00:24:05.18\00:24:11.44
manifested itself.
00:24:11.47\00:24:12.51
You know, you look at
those places before and after,
00:24:13.03\00:24:16.38
and after they don't look
anything like they did before.
00:24:16.41\00:24:18.98
Now you're talking about a
disaster, so called natural
00:24:19.01\00:24:23.61
disaster, that took
place there in a certain
00:24:23.64\00:24:26.99
region of planet earth.
00:24:27.02\00:24:28.31
Now I want you to imagine the
same thing happening all over
00:24:28.34\00:24:34.07
planet earth, only
a million times worse,
00:24:34.10\00:24:38.45
and you can imagine what the
flood was in the days of Noah.
00:24:38.48\00:24:43.45
And so what these individuals
are saying in the last days,
00:24:43.48\00:24:47.98
by the way, and I believe
that God allowed Peter to see
00:24:48.01\00:24:52.22
what's happening today in
the Adventist church, as well as
00:24:52.25\00:24:55.70
with many theologians who are
outside the Adventist church.
00:24:55.73\00:24:58.88
He saw people who started
doubting a supernatural creation
00:24:58.91\00:25:02.09
by the Word of God,
instantaneous, in six literal
00:25:02.12\00:25:05.08
days, and resting
the seventh literal day.
00:25:05.11\00:25:07.51
He also saw individuals within
the church who started teaching
00:25:07.54\00:25:12.55
that the flood was just a local
flood, that this was not some
00:25:12.58\00:25:15.84
global, universal catastrophe.
00:25:15.87\00:25:18.75
By the way, if you go with
me to Genesis 7:11, we find the
00:25:18.78\00:25:24.23
description of what happened
at the time of the flood.
00:25:24.26\00:25:27.27
Do you know God did not have
to invent water for the flood?
00:25:27.30\00:25:31.33
God did not
have to create water.
00:25:31.36\00:25:33.94
Do you know what He did?
00:25:33.97\00:25:35.33
He simply took the water that
He had placed above, and He took
00:25:35.36\00:25:39.04
the water that He had placed
below, and He brought the water
00:25:39.07\00:25:42.68
from up there down, and He
brought the water from down
00:25:42.71\00:25:46.06
there up. Notice Genesis
7:11, Genesis 7:11. It says:
00:25:46.09\00:25:55.33
That must have been
some type of rainstorm,
00:26:12.68\00:26:17.52
that you could completely cover
every mountain on planet earth
00:26:17.55\00:26:22.36
in forty days and
forty nights of rain.
00:26:22.39\00:26:25.59
Ellen White says that gushes of
water came forth from the earth,
00:26:25.62\00:26:31.07
and they hurled huge boulders
hundreds of feet into the air.
00:26:31.10\00:26:37.89
You know, when people
today, when scholars today don't
00:26:37.92\00:26:41.57
believe that there was a
universal flood, how can they
00:26:41.60\00:26:44.22
ever study geology?
00:26:44.25\00:26:46.54
You see, they're coming to
the conclusion that everything
00:26:46.57\00:26:49.76
is the same from the beginning.
00:26:49.79\00:26:51.37
So if they don't take into
account that there was a flood,
00:26:51.40\00:26:54.87
they're obviously going
to misread the testimony
00:26:54.90\00:26:58.29
of the earth. Now not only do
we find this description of this
00:26:58.32\00:27:03.30
cataclysm, but after the
flood another thing happened
00:27:03.33\00:27:07.36
which affected greatly the
condition, or the situation,
00:27:07.39\00:27:12.01
of the earth. Notice
Genesis 8:1, Genesis 8:1.
00:27:12.04\00:27:19.57
Here we're told, very briefly,
and in a moment I'm going to
00:27:19.60\00:27:22.50
read a statement from
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:27:22.53\00:27:24.11
which is very
interesting. It says:
00:27:24.14\00:27:26.18
So not only do you have
this catastrophe of the water
00:27:40.58\00:27:44.05
turning the world upside down,
but you also have this massive
00:27:44.08\00:27:49.91
wind that God
sends after the flood.
00:27:49.94\00:27:51.91
Now allow me to read you
something about this wind,
00:27:51.94\00:27:55.04
because Ellen White saw it.
00:27:55.07\00:27:56.59
Patriarchs and
Prophets, page 108. She says:
00:27:56.62\00:28:00.06
Have you ever seen
any wind like that before?
00:28:21.37\00:28:24.63
Or notice what
she continues saying:
00:28:24.66\00:28:27.84
Can you imagine wind that can
take debris and form a mountain
00:29:02.74\00:29:09.69
out of the debris?
00:29:09.72\00:29:10.99
And so scientists and
theologians, who deny that there
00:29:11.02\00:29:15.58
was a universal flood, they
are going to read, just like the
00:29:15.61\00:29:20.20
mockers in 2 Peter 3,
that everything continues
00:29:20.23\00:29:23.80
as at the beginning.
00:29:23.83\00:29:25.15
And they're trying to read
the earth as if that were true,
00:29:25.18\00:29:28.16
when there has been a
supernatural catastrophe
00:29:28.19\00:29:32.47
in between, which would
help them read the earth aright.
00:29:32.50\00:29:36.57
You see, they find fossils
in the earth that says, yes,
00:29:36.60\00:29:40.20
the world is a lot
older than it appears to be.
00:29:40.23\00:29:43.18
And look at the
order of the fossils.
00:29:43.21\00:29:44.93
The fact is that you cannot
read the earth as if everything
00:29:44.96\00:29:49.02
had been buried in sequence
in the course of history,
00:29:49.05\00:29:52.13
because you have
this catastrophic flood.
00:29:52.16\00:29:54.24
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:29:54.27\00:29:56.04
Now allow me to read you another
couple of statements from the
00:29:56.07\00:29:59.07
Spirit of Prophecy.
00:29:59.10\00:30:00.13
And, by the way, I believe
that God has raised up the
00:30:00.16\00:30:01.46
Seventh-day Adventist
church for a time such as this.
00:30:01.49\00:30:04.17
When our name was adopted in
1860 there was one individual,
00:30:04.20\00:30:10.41
there was a committee of three,
who felt that the best name
00:30:10.44\00:30:12.99
would be Church of God, and the
other two said, Church of God?
00:30:13.02\00:30:16.95
What does that say?
00:30:16.98\00:30:18.01
Everybody claims to
be the Church of God.
00:30:18.04\00:30:19.83
What would be the name which
would show the distinctiveness
00:30:19.86\00:30:24.37
of this movement of this church?
00:30:24.40\00:30:26.62
And after a period of
debate, they adopted the name,
00:30:26.65\00:30:31.14
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:30:31.17\00:30:33.37
This is a name that fits
perfectly with 2 Peter 3,
00:30:33.40\00:30:38.69
because 2 Peter 3
speaks of a divine beginning.
00:30:38.72\00:30:42.17
God created, by His
Word, instantaneously,
00:30:42.20\00:30:47.08
at the beginning, six literal
days, and rested on the seventh
00:30:47.11\00:30:51.49
literal day. That's the
part of our name which is called
00:30:51.52\00:30:55.00
Seventh-day. It shows that
we believe in a literal Creator
00:30:55.03\00:31:00.16
at the beginning.
00:31:00.19\00:31:01.23
But the name Adventist shows
that we believe equally in a
00:31:01.26\00:31:05.88
supernatural,
instanious end to human history.
00:31:05.91\00:31:10.66
In other words, it's a
name that shows that we believe
00:31:10.69\00:31:13.00
in a divine
beginning, and a divine end,
00:31:13.03\00:31:15.97
and that in a period when
Darwin and other scientists
00:31:16.00\00:31:19.60
were saying, we see no vestige
of a beginning, and we see no
00:31:19.63\00:31:24.47
prospect of an end.
00:31:24.50\00:31:26.40
It's as if Peter was
writing in those days.
00:31:26.43\00:31:30.09
Now Ellen White has this
to say about those who doubt
00:31:30.12\00:31:34.99
the literal story of creation,
and the story of the flood.
00:31:35.02\00:31:39.09
On page 114 of Patriarchs
and Prophets, she says:
00:31:39.12\00:31:44.22
I like that. She says:
00:31:47.93\00:31:51.43
Jesus said they were supposed
to have faith like children.
00:31:55.09\00:31:58.01
Have you ever found a child,
when you teach them the story
00:31:58.04\00:32:01.90
of the flood they say, now
is that scientifically possible?
00:32:01.93\00:32:04.79
Or you talk about creation
and the child says, now ah,
00:32:07.81\00:32:12.64
how in the world could
God scientifically speak,
00:32:12.67\00:32:17.06
and suddenly a bird appears?
00:32:17.09\00:32:19.09
I have never been in a
Sabbath School where I've shared
00:32:19.12\00:32:22.72
the story of creation,
where children will come up with
00:32:22.75\00:32:25.48
such a foolish comment.
00:32:25.51\00:32:26.75
And yet those of us
who become sophisticated,
00:32:26.78\00:32:30.99
who get college degrees, we
come to the point where we think
00:32:31.02\00:32:35.69
that we're
smarter than God's Word.
00:32:35.72\00:32:37.61
We're wiser than God's Word.
00:32:37.64\00:32:39.93
The fact is, folks, that
we can trust the Word of God.
00:32:39.96\00:32:43.88
The Word of God
created the world.
00:32:43.91\00:32:46.45
The Word of God caused
the flood, and that same Word
00:32:46.48\00:32:50.08
we're going to find in Peter,
is going to bring destruction
00:32:50.11\00:32:53.61
finally to the world.
00:32:53.64\00:32:54.77
She says these persons have
lost the simplicity of faith.
00:32:54.80\00:32:58.40
That is doubting.
00:33:22.93\00:33:24.51
On page 112 she says this:
00:33:52.10\00:33:54.53
Folks, if we ever, if we
ever get to the point where we
00:35:17.15\00:35:23.36
disbelieve a literal creation,
in six days with God resting
00:35:23.39\00:35:28.03
on the seventh day,
automatically, we'll delay
00:35:28.06\00:35:31.90
the second coming of
Jesus, because if there was no
00:35:31.93\00:35:34.69
instantaneous, supernatural,
miraculous beginning,
00:35:34.72\00:35:37.78
how much longer are we
going to have to wait until the
00:35:37.81\00:35:40.75
process of evolution
reaches its end, if we believe
00:35:40.78\00:35:44.28
in progressive
creationism, that is?
00:35:44.31\00:35:47.41
Now let's go on to 2
Peter 3:7, 2 Peter 3:7.
00:35:47.44\00:35:54.74
Here Peter says these
individuals say that since
00:35:54.77\00:35:58.47
creation
everything has been the same.
00:35:58.50\00:36:00.22
They willingly ignore that God
destroyed the world by a flood.
00:36:00.25\00:36:04.73
And now he's going to say
they ignore one further thing.
00:36:04.76\00:36:08.27
Verse 7:
00:36:08.30\00:36:10.02
Now it's interesting when you
read the book, Patriarchs and
00:36:24.75\00:36:28.06
Prophets, you'll discover
that God is not going to have to
00:36:28.09\00:36:31.15
invent fuel or create
fuel to burn this earth.
00:36:31.18\00:36:34.76
Just like at creation, He
stored water above and below,
00:36:34.79\00:36:38.84
and at the flood He brought
the water from above down,
00:36:38.87\00:36:42.02
and the water from below up.
00:36:42.05\00:36:43.93
In the same way, at the flood,
gigantic amounts of organic
00:36:43.96\00:36:51.71
matter: trees,
animals, human beings,
00:36:51.74\00:36:54.56
were buried under the earth,
and they have become coal,
00:36:54.59\00:36:59.64
and they have become oil.
00:36:59.67\00:37:01.58
Believe me, all the
oil that is to be found
00:37:01.61\00:37:05.32
has not been found yet.
00:37:05.35\00:37:06.69
There's much, much more
than has ever been taken out.
00:37:06.72\00:37:09.85
And the Spirit of Prophecy
tells us that when Jesus comes
00:37:09.88\00:37:13.37
the lightning's from heaven will
join this fuel from the earth
00:37:13.40\00:37:18.34
and it will bring about
destruction of planet earth.
00:37:18.37\00:37:22.73
And so these
individuals ignore three things:
00:37:22.76\00:37:26.61
They ignore that Jesus created
the world in six literal days,
00:37:26.64\00:37:31.56
and rested the seventh.
00:37:31.59\00:37:32.65
They ignore the fact that the
world at one point was destroyed
00:37:32.68\00:37:37.29
by a universal catastrophe,
a universal cataclysm,
00:37:37.32\00:37:41.24
a worldwide flood, for the
ungodliness of the inhabitants.
00:37:41.27\00:37:45.04
And they ignore that God has
stored His arsenal in the earth.
00:37:45.08\00:37:49.84
and that very soon this earth is
going to be enveloped in flames,
00:37:49.87\00:37:55.27
and it's going to be destroyed
once again, along with all those
00:37:55.30\00:37:58.95
who are ungodly, and do not
love the appearing of Jesus.
00:37:58.98\00:38:03.48
Now lets go to 2 Peter 3:8.
00:38:03.51\00:38:06.37
Peter's going to discuss
this a little bit further.
00:38:06.41\00:38:09.43
Notice, he says in verse 8:
00:38:09.46\00:38:11.15
Now do you notice that?
00:38:23.15\00:38:25.12
What is Peter saying?
00:38:25.16\00:38:27.06
Peter is simply saying that
time for God, and time for us,
00:38:27.09\00:38:31.58
needs to be
looked at differently.
00:38:31.61\00:38:33.14
He's speaking about
the temporality of man,
00:38:33.17\00:38:36.30
and the eternity of God.
00:38:36.33\00:38:37.87
You know, we speak of a delay,
ah, it's been 6,000 years.
00:38:37.90\00:38:40.98
How much is 6,000 years for
God? for one who is eternal?
00:38:41.01\00:38:46.31
I mean it's not even
a drop in the bucket!
00:38:46.34\00:38:49.16
For God 6,000 years is not
a delay at all, because the
00:38:49.19\00:38:57.27
concept of time that God
has is very different than the
00:38:57.30\00:39:01.25
concept of time that we have.
00:39:01.28\00:39:03.51
The fact is that in the
sight of God there is no delay.
00:39:03.54\00:39:08.11
We know that there's a delay,
and that's the reason why,
00:39:08.14\00:39:10.87
according to Peter,
these individuals were saying,
00:39:10.90\00:39:13.02
where is the
promise of His coming?
00:39:13.05\00:39:14.54
They developed apathy.
00:39:14.57\00:39:15.98
They got caught up in the
world, in a secular lifestyle,
00:39:16.01\00:39:20.31
and they were about
to lose their faith.
00:39:20.35\00:39:22.16
And Peter is telling
the believers, he's saying,
00:39:22.19\00:39:25.58
don't fall for it, don't
buy it, because it's not true,
00:39:25.61\00:39:29.47
because the delay is
only a delay in our mind.
00:39:29.50\00:39:33.57
It's not a delay
in the mind of God.
00:39:33.60\00:39:35.93
Now notice 2
Peter 3:9, 2 Peter 3:9.
00:39:35.96\00:39:42.39
See, what's he's saying
is, you who are saying that the
00:39:42.43\00:39:47.14
promise of Jesus' coming is
not here, and it's not going to
00:39:47.18\00:39:50.28
come anytime soon.
00:39:50.31\00:39:51.34
You doubt that the Word
of God created the world.
00:39:51.37\00:39:53.93
You doubt that the Word of
God brought about the flood.
00:39:53.96\00:39:56.89
You doubt that the Word of God
is going to bring destruction
00:39:56.92\00:39:59.96
upon the world. You're saying
that God is delaying His coming.
00:39:59.99\00:40:03.64
He says, listen, you can speak
of a delay, but for God there is
00:40:03.67\00:40:08.17
no delay, because for God
one day is as a thousand years,
00:40:08.20\00:40:12.24
and a thousand years as one day.
00:40:12.27\00:40:13.90
In other words, there is
no delay in the mind of God.
00:40:13.94\00:40:16.65
And then he says, I am
going to tell you the reason why
00:40:16.69\00:40:19.37
Jesus hasn't come yet.
00:40:19.40\00:40:21.17
Notice verse 9. It says:
00:40:21.21\00:40:22.94
Slow, that means.
00:40:25.92\00:40:29.01
As some count
slowness, in other words.
00:40:36.46\00:40:40.83
What is the
reason for the delay?
00:40:54.34\00:40:55.86
Humanly speaking, because
for God there is no delay.
00:40:55.89\00:40:59.76
The reason for the delay
is because there are people
00:40:59.80\00:41:03.63
who still need to be
what? still need to be saved.
00:41:03.66\00:41:07.66
Now you say, how's that?
00:41:07.69\00:41:09.72
Let me ask you, do you
think God has set a date
00:41:09.76\00:41:13.55
for His second coming?
for Christ's second coming.
00:41:13.59\00:41:17.34
Do you think God has set a date?
00:41:17.38\00:41:19.13
Or does God have a sliding date?
00:41:19.16\00:41:23.43
Has God set a date? Yes, He has.
00:41:23.47\00:41:27.70
Does God know the
end from the beginning?
00:41:27.73\00:41:30.51
Isaiah 46 says that He declares
the end from the beginning.
00:41:30.54\00:41:36.29
Does God know the date of
the second coming? Sure He does!
00:41:36.32\00:41:42.04
Mark 13:32, Jesus says:
00:41:42.07\00:41:45.28
The Father knows the
date of the second coming.
00:41:53.75\00:41:56.80
But that date, according to
Acts 1:6-8, is hidden in the
00:41:56.83\00:42:03.70
secret councils of God.
00:42:03.73\00:42:05.91
Now some people have troubles
with this idea of hastening,
00:42:09.09\00:42:12.36
or delaying the
coming of Christ.
00:42:12.40\00:42:14.53
Let me explain exactly
how we should understand this.
00:42:14.56\00:42:18.04
Did God arbitrarily set a date
for the second coming of Christ?
00:42:18.07\00:42:23.35
Did God say, I
make a declaration,
00:42:23.38\00:42:27.23
I'm going to come such and
such a month, of such and such
00:42:27.26\00:42:31.30
a day, such and such a year.
00:42:31.33\00:42:33.57
Ready or not, here I come!
00:42:33.60\00:42:36.91
Did God set an arbitrary date?
00:42:36.94\00:42:40.24
God did not set
an arbitrary date.
00:42:40.27\00:42:42.70
He did not give a
divine decree saying when Jesus
00:42:42.73\00:42:47.76
was going to come.
00:42:47.80\00:42:48.83
On what basis then
did God set a date?
00:42:48.86\00:42:51.74
He set a date based on
His knowledge of the decisions
00:42:51.77\00:42:55.93
that His people would make.
00:42:55.96\00:42:57.17
Are you following me or not?
00:42:59.32\00:43:00.81
Did God know that His people
were not going to get caught up
00:43:00.84\00:43:07.45
with Him? That His
people were going to slumber?
00:43:07.48\00:43:11.21
That His people were
going to become lazy?
00:43:11.24\00:43:15.25
That His people were going
to be comfortable in the world?
00:43:15.29\00:43:18.03
Did He know that long
before it happened? Yes.
00:43:18.06\00:43:21.56
So what date did God
set for the second coming?
00:43:21.59\00:43:25.05
He set the date according to
His knowledge of when His people
00:43:25.09\00:43:29.69
would prepare, and are
ready for Jesus to come.
00:43:29.72\00:43:33.50
Do you know that Jesus could
have come back to this earth
00:43:33.54\00:43:37.07
shortly after 1844?
00:43:37.10\00:43:39.85
In fact, He could
have come back in 1888.
00:43:39.88\00:43:43.61
Allow me to read you
an interesting statement
00:43:43.64\00:43:45.83
from the book,
Evangelism page 696.
00:43:45.86\00:43:48.62
She says, for forty years
did unbelief, murmuring and
00:43:48.65\00:43:52.81
rebellion shut out ancient
Israel from the land of Canaan.
00:43:52.84\00:43:57.45
The same sins have delayed
the entrance of modern Israel
00:43:57.48\00:44:02.08
into the heavenly Canaan.
00:44:02.11\00:44:03.67
Could Jesus have come
before this? Of course.
00:44:05.96\00:44:11.00
Did God set an earlier date, and
then say, oh, oh, I've got to
00:44:11.03\00:44:14.60
change the date? No.
00:44:14.63\00:44:16.74
Did God know that His
people were going to manifest
00:44:16.77\00:44:19.43
this spirit? Yes,
so what did God do?
00:44:19.46\00:44:21.82
He set a date when He knew
that His people would be ready
00:44:21.85\00:44:26.45
for Him to fulfill His promise.
00:44:26.48\00:44:28.57
He did not determine the date.
00:44:28.60\00:44:30.68
He knew the decisions
that His people would make,
00:44:30.71\00:44:32.92
and on that
basis He set the date.
00:44:32.96\00:44:35.82
She continues
saying, In neither case,...
00:44:35.85\00:44:40.31
That is of Israel or us.
00:44:40.34\00:44:41.37
...were the
promises of God at fault.
00:44:42.29\00:44:46.29
It is the unbelief, the
worldliness, the unconsecration,
00:44:46.32\00:44:53.00
and strife among the Lord's
professed people, that have kept
00:44:53.03\00:44:59.00
us in this world of sin
and sorrow so many years.
00:44:59.03\00:45:03.77
The fact is folks, that God
is not going to close the door
00:45:03.80\00:45:08.08
of probation upon this earth
until every single human being
00:45:08.11\00:45:12.46
has had a chance to make the
choice for or against the Lord.
00:45:12.49\00:45:17.75
And the reason why it hasn't
happened is because God's people
00:45:17.78\00:45:21.21
have not gone out to preach the
gospel so that the end can come.
00:45:21.24\00:45:25.18
And God knew that His
people were not going to do it.
00:45:25.21\00:45:29.28
But God also knew that if His
people had done it, then God in
00:45:29.31\00:45:34.28
His calendar would
have set an earlier date.
00:45:34.31\00:45:36.98
Raise your hand if you're
understanding what I'm saying.
00:45:37.01\00:45:39.94
See, God does not
arbitrarily choose a date
00:45:39.97\00:45:42.79
to close
probation for Jesus to come.
00:45:42.82\00:45:45.11
He establishes the date based
on His knowledge of the choices
00:45:45.14\00:45:49.92
that His people
are going to make.
00:45:49.95\00:45:52.79
So Peter is saying, listen,
God is not delaying His coming
00:45:52.82\00:45:58.40
as some think of a delay.
00:45:58.43\00:46:01.09
He says, the reason why there's
an appearance of a delay is
00:46:01.12\00:46:05.30
because God wants everyone
who is savable to be saved.
00:46:05.33\00:46:09.53
He doesn't want anyone to
perish, but He wants everyone
00:46:09.56\00:46:14.15
to come to repentance.
00:46:14.18\00:46:16.20
Now let's go to 2 Peter 3:10,
2 Peter 3:10. It says here:
00:46:16.23\00:46:25.56
That's interesting;
as a thief in the night.
00:46:29.88\00:46:33.92
What usually happens when
a thief comes in the night?
00:46:33.95\00:46:37.72
People are sleeping and they're
unconscious about the thief
00:46:37.75\00:46:42.11
coming, right? Are a lot
of people going to be caught
00:46:42.14\00:46:45.64
by surprise? Sure they are.
00:46:45.67\00:46:48.96
Because they're
what? they're sleeping.
00:46:50.26\00:46:54.56
Hum, reminds me of, this is
kind of an interesting little
00:46:54.59\00:46:59.79
story I heard of a young boy who
was using some building blocks
00:46:59.82\00:47:04.74
to the living room of the
house, and his father came into
00:47:04.77\00:47:08.87
the living room; burst in
and started talking real loudly,
00:47:08.90\00:47:11.45
and the son looked at
his father and he went shush!
00:47:11.48\00:47:17.11
And his father said,
why should I be quiet?
00:47:17.14\00:47:20.34
The little boy says,
because I'm building a church.
00:47:20.37\00:47:23.38
The father felt real well.
00:47:23.41\00:47:26.15
He said, wow, my son, he's
learned the lesson of reverence.
00:47:26.18\00:47:30.25
Then he said I'd better ask,
and he says, Son, why should I
00:47:30.28\00:47:33.64
be quiet in church?
00:47:33.67\00:47:35.52
He said, because
everybody's sleeping!
00:47:35.55\00:47:37.57
That's the
picture that Jesus gives.
00:47:44.90\00:47:47.01
Jesus, when He comes, is going
to find a lot of His people
00:47:47.04\00:47:52.56
what? sleeping! And He will
come as a thief in the night.
00:47:52.59\00:47:56.08
He will be surprising, even
for many of God's own people.
00:47:56.11\00:47:59.84
Notice, once again, verse 10:
00:47:59.87\00:48:02.06
That's the noise of raging fire.
00:48:09.76\00:48:12.46
The heavens and the
elements are the building blocks
00:48:16.31\00:48:18.69
of planet earth;
the ABC's so to speak.
00:48:18.72\00:48:21.71
And then He says what we
should be doing in the light of
00:48:28.51\00:48:30.95
the fact that this
is coming. It says:
00:48:30.98\00:48:34.54
How should we be living as
we expect this great event?
00:48:44.52\00:48:48.85
That means
anxiously anticipating the...
00:48:57.24\00:49:00.99
A better translation would
be, in which righteousness makes
00:49:22.70\00:49:26.37
its home, or
righteousness abides.
00:49:26.40\00:49:30.84
And then notice verse 14:
Therefore, beloved, looking
00:49:30.87\00:49:36.27
forward to these things be
diligent to be found by Him in
00:49:36.30\00:49:41.46
peace, without
spot, and blameless.
00:49:41.49\00:49:46.30
The apostle Paul speaks about
the church being without spot,
00:49:46.33\00:49:50.16
or wrinkle, or any such thing.
00:49:50.19\00:49:54.24
Jesus spoke about the pure in
heart, for they shall see God.
00:49:54.27\00:49:59.93
John said that those who
have this hope in their hearts,
00:49:59.96\00:50:03.89
they purify
themselves, even as He is pure.
00:50:03.92\00:50:08.87
In other words, God is not going
to take to heaven individuals
00:50:11.37\00:50:15.49
who do not have purity of
thought, and purity of life.
00:50:15.52\00:50:19.99
The whole purpose of this
passage of Peter is to encourage
00:50:21.79\00:50:26.64
and exhort the church.
00:50:26.67\00:50:28.14
Yes, to believe that there was a
supernatural, literal creation.
00:50:28.17\00:50:32.87
Yes, there was a supernatural
worldwide, global flood.
00:50:32.90\00:50:38.14
Yes, there is a
delay, humanly speaking.
00:50:38.17\00:50:41.29
But the reason for the delay
is because there's still people
00:50:41.32\00:50:45.38
who have to make the choice
to be saved, so that probation
00:50:45.41\00:50:49.62
can close. And he's saying, just
like what happened at the flood,
00:50:49.65\00:50:53.63
is going to take place again.
00:50:53.66\00:50:54.94
As in the days of Noah,
so also shall be the coming
00:50:54.97\00:50:57.85
of the son of man.
00:50:57.88\00:50:58.91
And so as the ungodly were shut
out at the flood, the ungodly
00:50:58.94\00:51:03.43
will be shut out at the end.
00:51:03.46\00:51:05.53
So He says we
should live in peace.
00:51:05.56\00:51:07.86
We should live a Godly life.
00:51:07.89\00:51:10.14
We should live with
pious conduct in our lives
00:51:10.17\00:51:14.40
as we await that great day.
00:51:14.43\00:51:16.32
Now I wouldn't want to close
without mentioning one further
00:51:18.38\00:51:21.06
thing about 2 Peter 3:13.
00:51:21.09\00:51:25.83
It says that we're awaiting
new heavens, and a new earth,
00:51:25.86\00:51:30.70
where righteousness dwells.
00:51:30.73\00:51:33.41
Notice that we're waiting for
a new heavens, and a new earth.
00:51:33.44\00:51:36.49
Now listen up. How
many days did Jesus take
00:51:36.52\00:51:40.56
to create the world?
00:51:40.59\00:51:41.62
Six days, and then what
did He do? rested the seventh.
00:51:41.65\00:51:47.09
Is this world
going to be dissolved?
00:51:47.12\00:51:49.45
Is it going to be burned up?
00:51:49.48\00:51:51.77
In fact, we get the impression
from 2 Peter 3 that this planet
00:51:51.80\00:51:55.42
is not going to exist anymore.
00:51:55.45\00:51:57.07
God is going to make a new
planet, because it is going
00:51:57.10\00:52:00.65
to be totally vaporized.
00:52:00.69\00:52:02.04
So my question is, how
many days do you think God
00:52:02.07\00:52:06.30
is going to use to
create this world again?
00:52:06.33\00:52:09.24
Is He just going to make
it appear all of a sudden?
00:52:13.96\00:52:16.18
I don't think so.
00:52:16.21\00:52:19.30
In fact I know
He's not going to.
00:52:19.33\00:52:20.97
You say, how do you know that?
00:52:21.00\00:52:23.08
At the beginning, when
Jesus created this world,
00:52:23.11\00:52:27.93
Adam and Eve weren't here.
00:52:27.96\00:52:31.29
They had to accept the fact that
God was the Creator by faith,
00:52:31.32\00:52:36.00
because they didn't
see God create anything.
00:52:36.03\00:52:39.31
I mean Adam didn't
even see God create Eve.
00:52:39.34\00:52:42.99
God put him to sleep.
00:52:43.02\00:52:44.05
They saw God create nothing!
00:52:44.08\00:52:47.06
The only way that they could
know that God was the Creator,
00:52:47.09\00:52:50.57
is because He told them so,
because there could have been
00:52:50.60\00:52:54.56
another explanation.
00:52:54.59\00:52:55.62
The devil said, ha, God
isn't the Creator. Come on!
00:52:55.65\00:52:58.87
There were other
possible explanations.
00:52:58.90\00:53:00.59
They simply
needed to abide in faith
00:53:00.62\00:53:02.05
that God was their Creator.
00:53:02.08\00:53:03.21
But at the end of time, the
wonderful thing is, that all of
00:53:03.24\00:53:07.45
God's people will be alive
when God makes a new heavens,
00:53:07.48\00:53:10.13
and a new earth. Imagine
what it will be like when God
00:53:10.16\00:53:14.80
re-creates this planet, and
He says, Let there the light!
00:53:14.83\00:53:19.51
And there was light.
00:53:19.54\00:53:22.61
Let there be the firmament,
and there was the firmament.
00:53:22.64\00:53:25.85
Let there be dry
land, and there is dry land.
00:53:25.88\00:53:29.08
Let there be trees, and flowers,
and plants, and it is so.
00:53:29.11\00:53:35.63
Let there be in the
heavens sun, moon, and stars,
00:53:35.66\00:53:38.90
because the sun, moon, and
stars are going to be moved out
00:53:38.93\00:53:40.82
of their places
when Jesus comes.
00:53:40.85\00:53:42.86
They will be moved!
00:53:42.89\00:53:46.36
Imagine what it will be like
when God says, Let the waters
00:53:46.39\00:53:49.77
be filled with fish, and let
the airs be filled with birds.
00:53:49.80\00:53:54.31
And when He creates
animals, like at the beginning.
00:53:54.34\00:53:59.82
Straw eating lions.
00:53:59.85\00:54:02.11
The Bible says that
children will play with snakes.
00:54:04.64\00:54:08.56
That's an amazing world!
00:54:08.59\00:54:11.13
And then, of course, God's
people will observe the Sabbath,
00:54:13.39\00:54:18.71
in commemoration
of the new creation.
00:54:18.74\00:54:21.48
You say, how do you know that?
00:54:21.51\00:54:22.75
It's very simple.
00:54:22.78\00:54:23.81
In Isaiah 66 we are told very
clearly, as the new heavens,
00:54:23.84\00:54:33.50
and the new earth that I
create shall remain before you,
00:54:33.53\00:54:40.04
so shall your name remain.
00:54:40.16\00:54:41.68
And then He says, it
shall be that from one new moon
00:54:41.71\00:54:45.50
to another, and from one Sabbath
to another, all flesh shall
00:54:45.53\00:54:49.20
come to what? to
worship before Me.
00:54:49.23\00:54:52.26
The new heavens and the
new earth are followed by the
00:54:52.29\00:54:56.67
command to observe what?
the Sabbath, in Isaiah 66.
00:54:56.70\00:55:01.09
Only we'll be observing
the Sabbath in commemoration
00:55:01.12\00:55:05.40
of the new creation.
00:55:05.43\00:55:07.49
And then God's people will live
with Jesus forever and ever.
00:55:07.52\00:55:12.02
Now listen folks, the passage
of time can produce one of two
00:55:12.05\00:55:20.73
results. Absence
makes the heart grow fonder.
00:55:20.76\00:55:28.60
Are you homesick when you
really want to be with somebody
00:55:28.63\00:55:31.95
and you've been
absent for a long time?
00:55:31.98\00:55:33.54
Are you really homesick to
be with that person? Absolutely!
00:55:33.57\00:55:37.89
Why are you homesick?
00:55:37.92\00:55:39.56
Because you love that person.
00:55:39.59\00:55:41.99
And the more you think of that
person, the more you want to be
00:55:42.02\00:55:44.86
with him or with her.
00:55:44.89\00:55:46.42
But there's another danger, and
that is with the passing of time
00:55:46.45\00:55:52.57
we don't think about that
person, and love grows cold.
00:55:52.61\00:55:58.95
Either one is a possibility,
and it all depends on whether we
00:56:02.41\00:56:07.74
have our focus on Jesus.
00:56:07.77\00:56:09.16
I don't know if you're
homesick for Jesus or not.
00:56:09.19\00:56:11.31
I didn't say
homesick for heaven,
00:56:11.34\00:56:13.95
I said homesick for Jesus.
00:56:13.98\00:56:15.10
The only way we can be homesick
for Jesus, is if we love Jesus
00:56:15.13\00:56:19.52
more and more each day.
00:56:19.55\00:56:20.58
If we think of Him; if we can't
stand even one moment living
00:56:20.61\00:56:24.01
apart from Him. Our focus is on
Him, on that world where we're
00:56:24.04\00:56:30.16
going to be with Him,
our Redeemer, our Creator,
00:56:30.19\00:56:33.00
forever and ever. And when Jesus
is the center of our thoughts,
00:56:33.04\00:56:36.99
we become sick of the
world, and homesick for Jesus.
00:56:37.02\00:56:40.08
But if we don't focus on Jesus,
love grows cold, and that's what
00:56:40.11\00:56:48.99
Peter is talking about.
00:56:49.02\00:56:50.05
People who have lost their
faith, people who have lost
00:56:50.08\00:56:56.09
their assurance that Jesus is
coming, because in the passing
00:56:56.12\00:57:01.64
of time they
have forgotten Jesus.
00:57:01.68\00:57:05.51
I pray to God that in this
coming week, we will make it a
00:57:05.54\00:57:10.60
point to think of
Jesus more and more.
00:57:10.64\00:57:15.80
That we will be
homesick for Jesus.
00:57:15.83\00:57:20.82