Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
00:00:33.90\00:00:35.30
Father in Heaven, we thank
You so much for the privilege of
00:00:35.33\00:00:39.03
being in Your house.
00:00:39.07\00:00:40.40
We thank You
Father, for Your Word.
00:00:40.44\00:00:43.17
We thank You for the Holy
Spirit who gave that Word,
00:00:43.20\00:00:47.91
and who was willing to come
and open our minds and hearts
00:00:47.94\00:00:51.08
that we might be able to
understand and receive it.
00:00:51.11\00:00:53.52
We ask Father, that as we study
this sixth part of Catching Up
00:00:53.55\00:00:59.25
to Jesus, that Your Spirit
will be with us and instruct us.
00:00:59.29\00:01:02.56
And we thank You, Father,
for hearing and answering
00:01:02.59\00:01:05.69
our prayer, for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, Amen.
00:01:05.73\00:01:10.07
During the last five
sermons that I have had here at
00:01:12.80\00:01:16.30
Fresno Central Church, we have
been discussing the movements
00:01:16.34\00:01:21.78
of Jesus through the sanctuary.
00:01:21.81\00:01:24.48
And we've noticed that the
movements of Jesus through the
00:01:24.51\00:01:29.55
sanctuary follow
a definite pattern.
00:01:29.58\00:01:33.89
First of all, we noticed that
the door to the court opened,
00:01:33.92\00:01:38.46
and Jesus entered the door of
the court and presented Himself
00:01:38.49\00:01:43.87
as the perfect unblemished Lamb.
00:01:43.90\00:01:48.00
That represented the perfect
life of Jesus before His death.
00:01:48.04\00:01:53.11
Then we noticed that Jesus moved
a little bit further forward,
00:01:53.14\00:01:57.81
and He offered
His life in sacrifice,
00:01:57.85\00:02:01.45
as lambs were sacrificed
in the Old Testament's
00:02:01.48\00:02:04.29
ceremonial system.
00:02:04.32\00:02:05.65
In other words, the door to
the court opened, Jesus entered,
00:02:05.69\00:02:11.19
and was presented
as an unblemished Lamb,
00:02:11.23\00:02:13.90
and then that
Lamb was sacrificed
00:02:13.93\00:02:16.40
on the cross of Calvary.
00:02:16.43\00:02:18.03
In other words, this first phase
of the life of Jesus represents
00:02:18.07\00:02:23.44
the fact that Jesus lived
the life that we should live,
00:02:23.47\00:02:26.27
and He died the
death that we should die.
00:02:26.31\00:02:28.24
In other words, He lived
so that His life could become
00:02:28.28\00:02:31.61
mine, and He died so that His
death could count as my death.
00:02:31.65\00:02:37.22
But then we noticed that
the door to the court closed,
00:02:37.25\00:02:41.09
and the door to
the holy place opened.
00:02:41.12\00:02:43.56
And on the day of Pentecost
Jesus entered the holy place
00:02:43.59\00:02:47.36
to begin His
ministry as high priest
00:02:47.40\00:02:50.53
in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:02:50.57\00:02:52.03
Now what He did on the
cross, and what He did by living
00:02:52.07\00:02:56.07
a perfect life could
be claimed by individuals.
00:02:56.10\00:02:58.94
In other words, His perfect
sacrifice, and His perfect life,
00:02:58.97\00:03:03.35
I could not choose to receive
or to accept, and come to Him
00:03:03.38\00:03:07.72
as my high priest,
and ask Him to represent
00:03:07.75\00:03:10.42
me before the Father.
00:03:10.45\00:03:11.79
That is the work that Jesus
performed in the holy place.
00:03:11.82\00:03:16.22
But then we noticed that in 1844
Jesus closed the door to the
00:03:16.26\00:03:23.13
holy place, and He opened
the door to the most holy place.
00:03:23.16\00:03:26.57
And in the most holy
place, in 1844 He began
00:03:26.60\00:03:30.87
the judgment of the dead.
00:03:30.91\00:03:33.51
In other words, all of those
who died in Christ, who claimed
00:03:33.54\00:03:37.55
the name of Jesus, Jesus began
the process of revealing before
00:03:37.58\00:03:41.38
the universe that they truly
accepted Him as Savior and Lord.
00:03:41.42\00:03:45.55
And then we noticed in
our last study together,
00:03:47.29\00:03:49.82
that there's going to be another
opening of the most holy place.
00:03:49.86\00:03:53.26
In other words, the people of
the world are going to see Jesus
00:03:53.29\00:04:00.07
enter His final
ministration in the
00:04:00.10\00:04:02.60
most holy place
of the sanctuary.
00:04:02.64\00:04:04.31
It's known as the
judgment of the living.
00:04:04.34\00:04:06.84
And I believe that today
the door to the most holy place
00:04:06.88\00:04:12.65
is being revealed to many in
the world, and they're realizing
00:04:12.68\00:04:16.52
that Jesus is soon going
to begin judging the living.
00:04:16.55\00:04:21.69
And then we must have a
life which is in perfect harmony
00:04:21.72\00:04:26.86
with the life of Jesus; a life
that reflects fully the image
00:04:26.90\00:04:32.13
of Jesus, as we
studied in our last sermon.
00:04:32.17\00:04:35.97
Now today we're going to study
about the closing of the door
00:04:36.00\00:04:41.54
of the most holy place.
00:04:41.58\00:04:43.28
So you notice that we
have a series of doors here.
00:04:43.31\00:04:46.28
We have the door to the court
opens, then the door to the
00:04:46.31\00:04:50.05
court is closed, and the door
to the holy place is opened.
00:04:50.09\00:04:52.55
Then the door of the holy place
is closed, and the door to the
00:04:52.59\00:04:55.59
most holy place is opened.
00:04:55.62\00:04:57.03
But today we want to talk about
the final closing of the door
00:04:57.06\00:05:01.60
of the most holy
place of the sanctuary.
00:05:01.63\00:05:05.30
In other words, the
conclusion of the sanctuary
00:05:05.33\00:05:08.67
ministration of Jesus.
00:05:08.70\00:05:11.24
Now what I would like to
do is take a prophecy from the
00:05:11.27\00:05:16.51
Old Testament to reveal what
is going to happen when the door
00:05:16.54\00:05:23.42
of the sanctuary of the
most holy place is closed.
00:05:23.45\00:05:27.02
I want to take a story of the
Old Testament which illustrates
00:05:27.06\00:05:30.93
five specific points of
time that we need to remember
00:05:30.96\00:05:36.00
as we study about the close of
the door of the most holy place,
00:05:36.03\00:05:40.27
and the closing of
the door of probation.
00:05:40.30\00:05:43.17
I want us, in our minds, to
go back to the days of Noah.
00:05:43.20\00:05:49.18
Because of all of the prophecies
of the Old Testament about the
00:05:49.21\00:05:52.98
closing of the door of
probation, I believe that this
00:05:53.01\00:05:55.38
is the clearest, and it has the
most information, and the exact
00:05:55.42\00:06:00.56
sequence of events,
which are going to take place
00:06:00.59\00:06:03.02
at the end of time when the
door of probation is closed.
00:06:03.06\00:06:07.96
What I want us to notice
first is that God called Noah
00:06:08.00\00:06:12.63
to preach a very special
message for his day and age.
00:06:12.67\00:06:18.67
This message was a
message that God was going
00:06:18.71\00:06:22.74
to come in judgment.
00:06:22.78\00:06:24.11
Destruction was going
to come upon the world.
00:06:24.15\00:06:26.82
And that people, through the
power of God, should straighten
00:06:26.85\00:06:31.05
out their lives, and
put their lives in harmony
00:06:31.09\00:06:34.82
with the will of God.
00:06:34.86\00:06:36.69
We find, not in Genesis,
but in 2 Peter 2:5, a reference
00:06:36.73\00:06:44.43
to the preaching of Noah.
00:06:44.47\00:06:45.90
So if you go with me to 2 Peter
2:5, we're going to notice what
00:06:45.93\00:06:51.44
the preaching of Noah was
like, and what he spoke about.
00:06:51.47\00:06:55.44
It says there:
00:06:55.48\00:06:57.65
And now notice this:
00:07:05.15\00:07:06.49
What did Noah preach?
00:07:14.20\00:07:16.13
He preached what? righteousness.
00:07:16.16\00:07:19.13
Now what does that mean,
he preached righteousness?
00:07:19.17\00:07:23.41
He wasn't only talking
about accepting the imputed
00:07:23.44\00:07:26.81
righteousness of Christ.
00:07:26.84\00:07:28.51
He was talking about
living a righteous life,
00:07:28.54\00:07:31.81
changing their ways from
un-Godliness to Godliness,
00:07:31.85\00:07:37.32
from breaking the law,
to obedience to God's law.
00:07:37.35\00:07:40.56
And, by the way, the message
of Noah was accompanied by the
00:07:40.59\00:07:44.36
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:07:44.39\00:07:46.16
You say, How do we know that?
00:07:46.19\00:07:48.13
Because in Genesis
6:3 we find these words:
00:07:48.16\00:07:53.34
Notice that we have here a
reference to the fact that the
00:08:02.84\00:08:05.98
preaching of Noah was
accompanied by the striving
00:08:06.01\00:08:09.75
of the Spirit of God
with those who lived in the
00:08:09.78\00:08:13.36
world before the flood.
00:08:13.39\00:08:14.72
And so the first stage
that I want us to notice in this
00:08:14.76\00:08:18.79
Old Testament story is
that Noah preached under the
00:08:18.83\00:08:23.70
ministration of the Holy Spirit
to the antediluvian world,
00:08:23.73\00:08:28.17
calling them to repentance,
calling them through the power
00:08:28.20\00:08:32.11
of God to change their lives.
00:08:32.14\00:08:34.88
Now there's something very
important that I want us to
00:08:34.91\00:08:37.91
realize, and that is that God
not only called Noah to preach,
00:08:37.95\00:08:41.32
God also called Noah to build.
00:08:41.35\00:08:44.15
You know, people
complicate biblical terms.
00:08:44.19\00:08:47.82
You know, when you talk about
faith, there are all sorts of
00:08:47.86\00:08:50.66
definitions for faith.
00:08:50.69\00:08:52.03
But in the Bible
faith is very simple.
00:08:52.06\00:08:54.76
It means, faith simply
means, that God speaks,
00:08:54.80\00:08:59.47
and we do what God says.
00:08:59.50\00:09:01.97
I mean is that
really that complicated?
00:09:02.00\00:09:05.47
God speaks and
we do what He says?
00:09:05.51\00:09:08.48
You know, God not only asked
Noah to preach, but He asked him
00:09:08.51\00:09:12.41
to build, because in
building Noah would be showing
00:09:12.45\00:09:16.32
his faith in action,
because words are cheap.
00:09:16.35\00:09:21.66
You know, not only
preaching a flood is coming,
00:09:21.69\00:09:24.59
a flood is coming,
and the people ask,
00:09:24.63\00:09:26.46
What are you
going to do about it?
00:09:26.49\00:09:27.83
Well, the Lord will provide. No.
00:09:27.86\00:09:30.07
The Bible tells us
that Noah preached,
00:09:30.10\00:09:33.10
and he put his faith in action;
he built a boat as large as the
00:09:33.13\00:09:37.74
Queen Elizabeth on dry
land, when it had never rained.
00:09:37.77\00:09:43.45
That's faith in
God's Word, irrespective
00:09:43.48\00:09:47.45
of the circumstances.
00:09:47.48\00:09:48.82
And so we find Noah
preaching God's message under
00:09:48.85\00:09:52.62
the ministration of the
Holy Spirit, calling the people
00:09:52.65\00:09:55.42
before the flood to
live righteous lives
00:09:55.46\00:09:58.73
that they might be spared.
00:09:58.76\00:10:00.56
But then the message
of Noah reaches an end.
00:10:01.80\00:10:06.77
And I like to imagine what
it must have been like for Noah
00:10:06.80\00:10:10.84
to stand in the door of the ark.
00:10:10.87\00:10:12.84
All of his family have gone in,
all of the animals have gone in,
00:10:12.87\00:10:17.25
only Noah is at the door looking
at all the antediluvian world.
00:10:17.28\00:10:22.75
By the way, I believe
that there was very advanced
00:10:22.78\00:10:26.15
technology back then.
00:10:26.19\00:10:27.52
We think of them as primitive,
you know, living in caves,
00:10:27.56\00:10:31.59
and killing
dinosaurs with stone hatchets.
00:10:31.63\00:10:34.60
You know, that's the
remnants of evolution
00:10:34.63\00:10:36.80
that we have in our brains.
00:10:36.83\00:10:38.27
But actually the Spirit of
Prophecy tells us the people who
00:10:38.30\00:10:41.40
lived before the flood needed no
books, because everything that
00:10:41.44\00:10:46.14
they allowed to come through
their senses was brought back
00:10:46.17\00:10:51.68
immediately when they needed it.
00:10:51.71\00:10:54.12
In other words, they
had photographic memories.
00:10:54.15\00:10:56.55
Ellen White says that
Adam studied the mysteries
00:10:56.58\00:11:00.16
of light and sound.
00:11:00.19\00:11:01.52
Now you know that for
video technology you need light
00:11:01.56\00:11:04.76
and sound, don't you?
00:11:04.79\00:11:06.39
Besides, the men lived to
be almost a thousand years old.
00:11:06.43\00:11:10.90
They had twenty times the mental
vitality, according to the
00:11:10.93\00:11:15.44
Spirit of Prophecy,
that men have today.
00:11:15.47\00:11:17.41
Let me ask you, What could
a scientist do in a laboratory
00:11:17.44\00:11:20.74
for 800 years with 20 times the
mental capacity of the greatest
00:11:20.78\00:11:25.38
scientists of the
world today? Amazing!
00:11:25.41\00:11:29.62
So Noah stands at the
door of the ark and he says,
00:11:30.45\00:11:33.05
This is it folks. I'm
inviting you to come in.
00:11:33.09\00:11:37.03
I've preached for 120 years.
00:11:37.06\00:11:39.56
The Holy Spirit has
been speaking to your hearts.
00:11:39.59\00:11:41.56
This is the last call
of this great evangelist.
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.40
Talk about apparent failure,
how would a conference president
00:11:46.03\00:11:51.61
have looked at
the success of Noah?
00:11:51.64\00:11:54.31
This conference evangelist
baptizing only seven souls,
00:11:54.34\00:12:01.75
and they were all
members of his own family.
00:12:01.78\00:12:03.99
Have mercy! And so Noah goes
into the ark, and you have the
00:12:05.79\00:12:11.76
second key moment of time, which
is the closing of the door.
00:12:11.79\00:12:17.77
Notice Genesis 7:16,
Genesis 7: 16. It says there:
00:12:17.80\00:12:27.58
Notice this.
00:12:36.92\00:12:38.25
I like that expression.
00:12:42.96\00:12:45.36
It doesn't say that the Lord
shut the door, although we know
00:12:45.39\00:12:47.86
that an angel was
sent to shut the door.
00:12:47.90\00:12:49.76
It says that the
Lord shut him in.
00:12:49.80\00:12:53.57
In other words, he was now
under the protection of God.
00:12:53.60\00:12:57.44
Patriarchs and
Prophets says that God
00:12:57.47\00:12:59.37
placed His seal on the door.
00:12:59.41\00:13:01.41
There you have
the sealing message.
00:13:01.44\00:13:04.28
The seal was placed on the door.
00:13:04.31\00:13:06.68
Noah and his
family now were secure.
00:13:06.72\00:13:09.48
They needed security for two
things: 1. because they needed
00:13:11.19\00:13:14.86
to be protected from the
violence that was going to come
00:13:14.89\00:13:18.29
from those who were outside
the ark, and they needed God's
00:13:18.33\00:13:21.26
protection from the cataclysm
which was going to take place
00:13:21.30\00:13:25.30
when the flood came.
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.44
And so the door is shut.
00:13:27.47\00:13:29.87
And the very moment
that the door was shut
00:13:29.90\00:13:33.48
it started to rain.
00:13:33.51\00:13:34.84
There, how come you
have a delayed reaction here?
00:13:38.51\00:13:42.38
How many days passed
between the closing of the door
00:13:44.22\00:13:47.09
and when it began
to rain? seven days.
00:13:47.12\00:13:50.23
Actually, it started to
rain early on the eighth day,
00:13:50.26\00:13:52.59
according to the
Spirit of Prophecy.
00:13:52.63\00:13:54.10
Go with me to Genesis 7:7-10.
00:13:54.13\00:13:57.97
This is the third
point of time; the time that
00:13:58.00\00:14:00.07
they spent in the ark.
00:14:00.10\00:14:01.44
First period of time: the
preaching under the ministration
00:14:02.80\00:14:05.31
of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:05.34\00:14:06.68
People can be saved.
00:14:06.71\00:14:08.04
Second point of time:
the closing of the door.
00:14:08.08\00:14:09.94
When the door closes that's it.
00:14:09.98\00:14:11.71
Third point of time: the time
that Noah and his family spent
00:14:11.75\00:14:15.88
in the ark before it
begins to rain. Notice:
00:14:15.92\00:14:19.42
Notice this.
00:14:41.58\00:14:42.91
The waters of the
flood were on the earth.
00:14:47.75\00:14:51.22
How many days in
between the closing of the door,
00:14:51.25\00:14:55.06
and when it actually
began to rain? seven days.
00:14:55.09\00:14:58.76
Well let me ask you, What do
you suppose happened with the
00:14:58.79\00:15:04.20
wicked during those seven days?
00:15:04.23\00:15:05.80
Do you think they
carry on their life as usual,
00:15:08.10\00:15:10.64
business as usual? Sure.
00:15:10.67\00:15:13.11
Were they lost? Of
course they were lost.
00:15:13.14\00:15:16.68
Did they know that
they were lost? No.
00:15:16.71\00:15:20.12
They were lost, but they
didn't know that they were lost.
00:15:20.15\00:15:23.72
So you have the wicked...
00:15:23.75\00:15:26.02
In fact I'm going to read in
the Spirit of Prophecy in a few
00:15:26.05\00:15:28.42
moments, that the wicked
became more daring and violent
00:15:28.46\00:15:31.79
every day outside the ark.
00:15:31.83\00:15:33.29
That's one of the
reasons the Lord shut
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.73
Noah and his family in.
00:15:35.76\00:15:37.10
How do you suppose Noah and
his family felt inside that boat
00:15:38.87\00:15:41.80
during these seven days?
00:15:41.84\00:15:43.67
Hum, one day goes by, two
days, three days, four days,
00:15:45.77\00:15:51.55
five days, six days, seven days.
00:15:51.58\00:15:55.32
What do you suppose was
going through their minds?
00:15:55.35\00:15:58.05
Is it just possible that
we've believed a delusion?
00:16:00.42\00:16:04.83
Is it just possible
that it's not going to rain?
00:16:04.86\00:16:09.40
that what I was
preaching was wrong?
00:16:09.43\00:16:12.27
In other words, it was a time
of triumph for those outside
00:16:12.30\00:16:16.81
the ark, and it was a time of
trial for those inside the ark.
00:16:16.84\00:16:20.44
Listen to this statement:
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:16:20.48\00:16:24.18
pages 98 and 99.
00:16:24.21\00:16:25.95
You can imagine each day
that goes by the people outside
00:16:45.33\00:16:49.34
saying, Oh look at those
crazy people in that boat!
00:16:49.37\00:16:52.47
Look at that colt! They're in
there with all of those animals.
00:16:52.51\00:16:58.31
Can you imagine what
the smell must be like?
00:16:58.35\00:17:01.08
I can imagine the
topic of conversation.
00:17:03.25\00:17:05.79
It was the moment of triumph
for those who were outside,
00:17:05.82\00:17:09.89
because it appeared like
God had forsaken His people
00:17:09.92\00:17:11.86
for each day
that it didn't rain.
00:17:11.89\00:17:13.80
She continues saying:
00:17:15.33\00:17:16.67
So outside they became violent.
00:17:54.40\00:17:57.24
Inside their faith
is tested seven days.
00:17:57.27\00:18:00.48
Why do you suppose God
didn't make it rain immediately?
00:18:00.51\00:18:04.08
Could God have closed the
door, and then made it rain
00:18:04.11\00:18:07.68
immediately? Of
course He could have.
00:18:07.72\00:18:09.18
Why didn't He? I believe
it's because God wanted to teach
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.56
a lesson about end time events.
00:18:13.59\00:18:15.29
God is developing, in
this story, a whole typological
00:18:15.32\00:18:19.93
relationship between what
happened and what will happen.
00:18:19.96\00:18:22.73
He wanted to
illustrate what is going to take
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.67
place in the end time.
00:18:25.70\00:18:27.04
So we have three stages so far:
Stage 1. Preaching under the
00:18:29.27\00:18:32.71
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:18:32.74\00:18:34.08
Stage 2. The
closing of the door.
00:18:34.11\00:18:37.25
Everybody is saved or
lost when the door closes.
00:18:37.28\00:18:39.91
Stage 3. The period of
tribulation in the ark.
00:18:39.95\00:18:43.22
The faith of God's
people tested, and those outside
00:18:43.25\00:18:46.42
becoming more and
more violent all the time.
00:18:46.45\00:18:48.76
Now let's go to Stage 4.,
which is the flood itself.
00:18:48.79\00:18:52.63
The flood is
described in Genesis 7:11.
00:18:52.66\00:18:56.33
And, by the way, you can imagine
what those people must have felt
00:18:56.36\00:19:00.20
like before the flood,
or when the flood came.
00:19:00.24\00:19:02.67
You know the Bible tells
us that the earth was covered
00:19:02.70\00:19:06.07
with water before creation.
00:19:06.11\00:19:08.31
And what God did in creation
week, the second day He took
00:19:08.34\00:19:11.91
part of the water and
placed it above the earth,
00:19:11.95\00:19:13.65
and He took part of the water
and placed it under the earth.
00:19:13.68\00:19:16.12
Those became the
fountains of the great deep.
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.29
And then the waters were
held inside by the windows of
00:19:20.36\00:19:23.26
heaven, which were closed.
00:19:23.29\00:19:24.86
And God watered
the earth by a mist.
00:19:24.89\00:19:28.43
He had an automatic
sprinkler system that watered
00:19:28.46\00:19:30.97
the earth from below.
00:19:31.00\00:19:32.40
So when the flood came, Noah
said that water was going to
00:19:32.43\00:19:38.11
fall from the heavens.
00:19:38.14\00:19:39.47
They said, This is ridiculous.
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.54
It's unscientific; can't
happen, never has happened.
00:19:41.58\00:19:44.58
The law of
condensation doesn't apply,
00:19:44.61\00:19:47.38
because it's never rained.
00:19:47.42\00:19:49.98
Imagine building a boat on
dry land when it's never rained.
00:19:50.02\00:19:53.36
But God told Noah,
It's going to rain.
00:19:53.39\00:19:56.46
Take it to the bank.
00:19:56.49\00:19:57.83
Noah believed God,
and he acted on it.
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.26
That's faith! Even when
it appears to be ridiculous.
00:20:01.30\00:20:04.83
And so now, early the eighth
day the Spirit of Prophecy says,
00:20:07.70\00:20:12.37
people look in the heavens and
they begin seeing these strange
00:20:12.41\00:20:17.08
things that look like UFO's.
00:20:17.11\00:20:20.05
What are they? clouds!
00:20:21.22\00:20:24.69
Suddenly the clouds
get darker and darker.
00:20:25.92\00:20:28.59
Suddenly in the distance
they start hearing thunder,
00:20:29.79\00:20:32.86
and they start
seeing bolts of lightening.
00:20:32.89\00:20:36.70
All of a sudden they
start feeling drops of water
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.84
falling from the sky.
00:20:40.87\00:20:42.20
Can you imagine what
they must have felt like?
00:20:42.24\00:20:46.81
They must have
thought, Noah was right!
00:20:46.84\00:20:50.51
We are wrong! And they started
banging on the door of the ark.
00:20:50.55\00:20:55.82
Nobody heard their pleas.
00:20:55.85\00:20:58.05
Because when the door closed,
probation closed for them.
00:20:58.09\00:21:05.03
The flood is
described in Genesis 7:11.
00:21:05.06\00:21:10.13
Let's read it, Genesis 7:11.
00:21:10.17\00:21:12.13
Ellen White says that there was
so much water coming out of the,
00:21:28.28\00:21:34.82
up out of the earth,
great jets of water, she says,
00:21:34.86\00:21:38.39
were so powerful that huge
boulders were carried by the
00:21:38.43\00:21:42.80
jets of water into the sky,
hundreds of feet into the sky.
00:21:42.83\00:21:46.10
Do you know that the
Old Testament uses a special
00:21:46.13\00:21:49.54
term for the
flood of Noah's day?
00:21:49.57\00:21:51.17
You know, there are about
nine words in the Old Testament
00:21:51.21\00:21:53.44
that are translated
flood, Hebrew words.
00:21:53.48\00:21:56.28
But there's a special word
for the flood in Noah's day;
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.78
the word ma-boom.
00:21:58.81\00:22:00.15
And in the New Testament
there are two words for flood,
00:22:00.18\00:22:04.35
but one of them is
used exclusively for the
00:22:04.39\00:22:07.79
flood of Noah's day, and that
is the Greek word, kataklusmos.
00:22:07.82\00:22:13.06
What word do we get in
English from kataklusmos?
00:22:13.09\00:22:17.37
the word cataclysm.
00:22:17.40\00:22:19.87
In other words, the
flood was a cataclysm.
00:22:19.90\00:22:23.04
In these days there are some
scholars in the Adventist church
00:22:23.07\00:22:26.98
who still believe that this
was some local flood over in
00:22:27.01\00:22:29.68
the valley of Mesopotamia.
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.11
May God deliver them.
00:22:31.15\00:22:32.75
And then, of course, you
have the final stage that I want
00:22:35.58\00:22:41.99
to deal with as we're
discussing what took place,
00:22:42.02\00:22:45.23
and what's going to take place.
00:22:45.26\00:22:46.63
And that is the world is
covered with water like it was
00:22:46.66\00:22:51.10
at the very beginning.
00:22:51.13\00:22:52.87
And I want you to notice
what happened with Satan.
00:22:52.90\00:22:55.67
This is in Patriarchs
and Prophets, page 99.
00:22:55.70\00:22:59.41
By the way, did the world
return to the condition it was
00:22:59.44\00:23:02.68
in before creation? Yes.
00:23:02.71\00:23:06.01
Was the earth totally covered
with water again like it was
00:23:06.05\00:23:10.69
before the week of
creation? Absolutely.
00:23:10.72\00:23:13.39
It was covered with water.
00:23:13.42\00:23:14.76
Was the earth in
darkness like it was before
00:23:14.79\00:23:18.69
the week of
creation? Absolutely.
00:23:18.73\00:23:21.20
Was the planet lifeless as it
was before the week of creation?
00:23:21.23\00:23:27.57
Was it without form
and void as it was before
00:23:27.60\00:23:31.71
the week of
creation? Absolutely.
00:23:31.74\00:23:33.88
Now the question
is, what happened
00:23:33.91\00:23:35.71
to Satan during the flood?
00:23:35.74\00:23:37.85
Here comes this
remarkable statement.
00:23:37.88\00:23:40.08
So you have what happens
with Satan after the cataclysmic
00:23:56.00\00:24:01.54
flood comes upon the earth.
00:24:01.57\00:24:03.17
Satan is forced to stay on
Planet Earth in a disorderly
00:24:03.20\00:24:08.04
state, and without any
of his followers alive.
00:24:08.08\00:24:15.28
Does that ring a bell?
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.09
Now I would like us to go
to the book of Revelation,
00:24:18.12\00:24:24.99
and we're going
to follow this out.
00:24:26.70\00:24:28.30
We're going to see the same
stages in Revelation that we
00:24:28.33\00:24:33.10
found in the story of the
flood; the same five points.
00:24:33.13\00:24:37.41
Notice Revelation
14:6, 7, Revelation 14:6, 7.
00:24:37.44\00:24:43.28
See, what happened back
then is symbolic of what is
00:24:43.31\00:24:46.92
going to happen
at the end of time.
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.42
In other words, we need to
learn lessons from this story
00:24:49.45\00:24:53.92
that we find in
the Old Testament.
00:24:53.96\00:24:55.62
This is a prophecy.
00:24:55.66\00:24:56.99
The flood story is a prophecy.
00:24:57.03\00:24:58.59
Jesus expressed it by saying,
As it was in the days of Noah,
00:24:58.63\00:25:02.23
so also shall it be what? at
the coming of the Son of man.
00:25:02.26\00:25:05.70
He made this story a
typological relationship.
00:25:05.73\00:25:08.97
Now notice Revelation 14:6, 7.
00:25:10.37\00:25:13.34
The first stage
is preaching, right?
00:25:13.38\00:25:16.85
preaching to the world
God's message. It says:
00:25:18.15\00:25:21.68
So you have a message that
goes where? to all of the world.
00:25:41.90\00:25:45.87
To fear God and give
glory to Him, for the hour of
00:25:45.91\00:25:49.64
His judgment has come.
00:25:49.68\00:25:52.35
Do you have preaching
at the end of time like you
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.52
had before the
flood? Absolutely.
00:25:57.55\00:26:00.39
Calling the world to give
glory to God, and to fear God,
00:26:00.42\00:26:04.39
and to keep the
commandments of God? Absolutely.
00:26:04.43\00:26:07.00
Once again we have the
same experience as took
00:26:08.60\00:26:11.40
place before the flood.
00:26:11.43\00:26:14.17
By the way, this
message will be preached
00:26:14.20\00:26:17.34
through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.54
You say, How do we know that?
00:26:19.57\00:26:20.98
Very simple, after the three
angels' messages are proclaimed,
00:26:21.01\00:26:25.65
Jesus is seen seated on a cloud,
and He has a sickle in His hand,
00:26:25.68\00:26:30.55
and it says, Harvest the harvest
of the earth because it is ripe.
00:26:30.59\00:26:35.52
Let me ask you, What
was it that ripened the
00:26:37.09\00:26:39.36
harvest in Biblical times?
00:26:39.39\00:26:41.30
You know the early rain, that
caused the seed to germinate
00:26:41.33\00:26:46.43
and begin its growth, what was
it that led the plant to reach
00:26:46.47\00:26:50.07
its maturity,
and to produce fruit?
00:26:50.11\00:26:52.81
It was the latter rain.
00:26:52.84\00:26:54.18
So if after the three angels'
messages, the harvest of the
00:26:54.21\00:26:57.68
earth is ripe, it must be that
with the three angels' messages
00:26:57.71\00:27:01.68
the latter rain
was what? poured out.
00:27:01.72\00:27:04.65
And so you have this end
time message, which goes to the
00:27:04.69\00:27:08.32
world, the three angels'
messages, which are going to
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.19
ripen the world into
how many groups? two groups.
00:27:11.23\00:27:14.63
How many groups in Noah's day
as a result of his message? two.
00:27:14.66\00:27:19.33
Are we to expect that
the majority of the world
00:27:21.40\00:27:23.41
are going to accept the message?
00:27:23.44\00:27:24.87
You know, today people,
Christians, they like to belong
00:27:24.91\00:27:29.14
to the churches that
have the most members.
00:27:29.18\00:27:31.21
Say, how can your church,
how can the Adventist church
00:27:32.91\00:27:34.95
be the true church?
00:27:34.98\00:27:36.32
You have only fourteen million
members all over the world.
00:27:37.09\00:27:40.29
My church has one billion.
00:27:40.36\00:27:43.26
Well the fact is,
folks, that the majority
00:27:45.49\00:27:47.53
has never been with God.
00:27:47.56\00:27:48.90
Now God is a
majority because when you're
00:27:51.13\00:27:53.10
with Him, you're a majority.
00:27:53.13\00:27:54.64
But I'm talking
in terms of numbers.
00:27:54.67\00:27:56.54
Now let me ask you, What
is going to happen after this
00:27:56.60\00:28:00.71
gospel of the three
angels' messages are
00:28:00.78\00:28:02.94
proclaimed to the world?
00:28:02.98\00:28:04.31
What's going to happen?
00:28:04.35\00:28:05.68
The same thing as in Noah's day.
00:28:05.71\00:28:07.68
The door is
going to what? close.
00:28:08.98\00:28:12.49
By the way, the closing of
the door-listen to this point-
00:28:12.52\00:28:16.62
the closing of the door in
the days of Noah represents the
00:28:16.69\00:28:20.50
closing of the door to the most
holy place of the sanctuary.
00:28:20.53\00:28:24.30
You say, How do we know that?
00:28:25.63\00:28:27.10
Go with me to Revelation
15, and lets read verses 5-8.
00:28:27.14\00:28:32.97
Revelation 15:5-8. This
is immediately after the
00:28:33.01\00:28:37.25
three angels' messages.
00:28:37.28\00:28:38.61
The message that has been
proclaimed under the power
00:28:38.65\00:28:40.88
of the Holy Spirit.
00:28:40.92\00:28:42.25
God's people have
proclaimed the message.
00:28:42.28\00:28:43.69
By the way, that's
you and us. It says:
00:28:43.72\00:28:49.06
By the way, the
temple of the tabernacle,
00:28:54.13\00:28:57.27
the tabernacle is the sanctuary.
00:28:57.30\00:28:59.53
The temple of the tabernacle
is the most holy place.
00:28:59.57\00:29:04.34
Are you with me? The
tabernacle is the sanctuary.
00:29:04.37\00:29:09.01
The temple of the
tabernacle is the most holy
00:29:09.04\00:29:13.62
place of the
sanctuary. And so it says:
00:29:13.65\00:29:16.18
And, by the way, it's
not open for you to go in.
00:29:22.72\00:29:26.29
It's open for the
angels to come out. It says:
00:29:26.33\00:29:29.86
And now notice:
00:29:48.82\00:29:50.15
What's going to happen with
the temple of the tabernacle?
00:30:05.33\00:30:09.07
What's going to happen
with the most holy place?
00:30:09.10\00:30:11.64
It's going to be closed.
00:30:11.67\00:30:13.01
It's going to be
filled with smoke.
00:30:13.04\00:30:14.38
In other words, nobody
is going to be able to what?
00:30:14.41\00:30:17.65
to go in to the sanctuary.
00:30:17.68\00:30:20.05
Because the sanctuary
ministration will have closed,
00:30:22.48\00:30:25.55
just like in the days of Noah.
00:30:25.59\00:30:26.92
The door of
probation will be what? closed.
00:30:26.96\00:30:30.63
You know, most Christians think
that they can prepare for the
00:30:30.66\00:30:34.00
coming of Jesus until He comes,
until the very moment that He
00:30:34.03\00:30:38.67
comes in the clouds.
00:30:38.70\00:30:40.04
I can say, Lord, I'm with You!
00:30:40.07\00:30:41.40
It's not that way. Probation
is going to close before
00:30:43.27\00:30:47.54
the second coming of
Jesus, like in the days of Noah.
00:30:47.58\00:30:51.78
And there's a tribulation period
that is going to come between
00:30:51.81\00:30:54.58
the closing of the door,
and when Jesus actually comes,
00:30:54.62\00:30:57.75
when the
destruction actually comes.
00:30:57.79\00:31:00.49
What I just read is applying
to the closing of the door.
00:31:00.56\00:31:03.89
No one is going to be
able to go into the sanctuary.
00:31:03.93\00:31:06.63
We're going to have to
live without an intercessor.
00:31:06.66\00:31:09.33
Ellen White was right.
00:31:09.36\00:31:10.70
It says so here in
Revelation 15, no one
00:31:10.73\00:31:14.97
could enter the temple.
00:31:15.00\00:31:16.34
Let me ask you, Can we
enter the temple today?
00:31:16.37\00:31:18.77
Can we enter the
heavenly temple today?
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.44
Can we enter the
most holy place today?
00:31:22.48\00:31:24.35
How can we do that?
00:31:24.38\00:31:26.25
We live in Fresno; the
temple is in the New Jerusalem.
00:31:26.28\00:31:29.18
We can do it, how? by faith!
00:31:29.22\00:31:33.42
Because our high
priest is up there.
00:31:33.46\00:31:35.82
He's not only
judging, He's interceding.
00:31:35.86\00:31:38.06
So we can enter there
by faith, because He's
00:31:38.09\00:31:40.26
still ministering there.
00:31:40.30\00:31:41.90
But the time is coming
when the door is going to close.
00:31:41.93\00:31:44.30
The temple is going
to be filled with smoke;
00:31:44.33\00:31:46.10
the temple of the tabernacle.
00:31:46.13\00:31:47.94
And then the same
thing is going to happen as
00:31:48.00\00:31:51.27
in the days of Noah.
00:31:51.31\00:31:52.64
The ministration of Jesus, the
door of mercy, will be finished.
00:31:52.67\00:31:55.94
And then what do you
have immediately after
00:31:55.98\00:31:59.15
the door is closed?
00:31:59.21\00:32:00.55
Remember that Noah
and his family had a great
00:32:00.58\00:32:02.38
tribulation in the ark?
00:32:02.42\00:32:03.75
Their faith was severely tested.
00:32:03.79\00:32:06.76
It was a time of triumph
for those who were outside.
00:32:06.79\00:32:11.26
Notice Revelation
16:1, Revelation 16:1.
00:32:11.29\00:32:18.07
Immediately after the
door of probation closes
00:32:18.13\00:32:21.24
a great tribulation is
coming upon this earth.
00:32:21.27\00:32:24.34
It's known as the period
of the seven last plagues.
00:32:24.37\00:32:27.11
And it says there in Revelation
16:1, immediately after
00:32:28.21\00:32:32.25
the temple is closed it says:
00:32:32.28\00:32:33.62
In other words, probation will
have closed, and now God's wrath
00:32:43.39\00:32:47.66
is going to be
poured out upon the earth.
00:32:47.70\00:32:49.43
This is what Daniel
calls the time of tribulation,
00:32:49.46\00:32:52.47
such as never has been
seen since there was a nation.
00:32:52.50\00:32:55.47
Jesus referred to this
same tribulation period in
00:32:57.17\00:33:00.01
Matthew 24. He says, A
period of tribulation such as
00:33:00.04\00:33:04.08
never has been seen.
00:33:04.11\00:33:05.45
Let me ask you, Is the faith of
God's people going to be tested
00:33:05.48\00:33:08.08
during this period? Absolutely.
00:33:08.15\00:33:10.29
Is it going to be a day
of victory for those outside?
00:33:10.32\00:33:12.95
They're actually going to
say, according to the Spirit of
00:33:12.99\00:33:15.62
Prophecy, Where is their God?
00:33:15.66\00:33:17.03
They're in jails.
They've fled to the mountains.
00:33:18.73\00:33:22.43
They're hiding.
Where is their God now?
00:33:22.46\00:33:24.40
If God is so great, why
hasn't God delivered them?
00:33:24.43\00:33:27.47
The same experience
as in the days of Noah.
00:33:27.50\00:33:31.54
But God's people will
be shut in with the Lord;
00:33:31.57\00:33:35.58
shut in just like Noah was.
00:33:35.64\00:33:40.78
And so you have this period
of time between the closing
00:33:40.82\00:33:43.99
of the door, and when
the destruction of the world
00:33:44.02\00:33:47.76
actually takes
place when Jesus comes.
00:33:47.82\00:33:50.06
See, that's the period, folks,
that many times we've forgotten
00:33:50.13\00:33:55.16
in the Adventist church.
00:33:55.23\00:33:56.56
We think that we can
prepare until the very moment
00:33:56.60\00:34:00.20
that Jesus comes. No, we can't
00:34:00.24\00:34:03.17
We have to be ready when the
door closes, or else we won't be
00:34:03.20\00:34:07.58
ready for the coming of Jesus!
00:34:07.61\00:34:09.18
And, by the way, you've noticed
in Revelation we have the
00:34:09.21\00:34:13.08
preaching of the gospel, then
the door of probation closes,
00:34:13.11\00:34:16.25
then the plagues of
the tribulation come.
00:34:16.28\00:34:18.29
The fourth stage is actually
the second coming of Jesus,
00:34:18.32\00:34:22.12
when the world is destroyed.
00:34:22.16\00:34:23.93
Notice Revelation 19, Revelation
19, and I want to read verse 11,
00:34:25.46\00:34:31.43
and verse 14.
Revelation 19: 11, 14. It says:
00:34:31.47\00:34:37.44
Who is this rider upon
this white horse? it's Jesus.
00:34:47.18\00:34:50.39
What event is being
described? His second coming.
00:34:50.45\00:34:53.79
Now notice, He doesn't
come by Himself. Verse 14:
00:34:53.82\00:34:57.13
This is actually the
moment of the coming of Jesus,
00:35:05.37\00:35:09.20
at the end of the tribulation.
00:35:09.24\00:35:11.54
When Jesus comes to destroy
the world, and to make the world
00:35:11.57\00:35:16.54
desolate, like when the
flood came upon the earth.
00:35:16.58\00:35:19.61
Now, let me ask you this: What
condition is the earth going to
00:35:21.78\00:35:25.89
be in at the end of
the second coming of Jesus?
00:35:25.92\00:35:29.72
Jeremiah described
it in Jeremiah 4:23.
00:35:31.76\00:35:35.13
He says, I beheld the
earth, and lo it was what?
00:35:35.16\00:35:40.07
without form and void.
00:35:40.10\00:35:43.10
And I look at the
heavens and they had no light.
00:35:43.14\00:35:46.31
Is that the condition of
the earth before creation?
00:35:46.34\00:35:49.44
Was the earth without form
and void before creation? Yes.
00:35:51.45\00:35:55.15
Was it in darkness? Absolutely.
00:35:55.18\00:35:57.39
Now let me ask you, What's
going to happen with the Devil
00:35:59.39\00:36:02.39
during this period of a thousand
years after the second coming
00:36:02.42\00:36:07.10
of Jesus, when the world
has been reduced to ruin,
00:36:07.13\00:36:10.00
like at the time of the flood?
00:36:10.07\00:36:11.40
Notice Revelation
20, Revelation 20:1-3.
00:36:11.43\00:36:18.01
See, we're dealing with
the typological relationship.
00:36:18.04\00:36:21.14
God is trying to teach
us something here about the
00:36:21.18\00:36:24.18
sequence of events, and when
we need to be especially ready.
00:36:24.21\00:36:28.48
Not for the second coming.
00:36:28.88\00:36:30.99
There'll be no second chance.
00:36:31.02\00:36:33.05
It has to be for the moment
of the closing of the door.
00:36:33.09\00:36:35.69
Notice Revelation 20:1.
00:36:35.72\00:36:37.69
Then I saw an angel coming down
from heaven, having the key to
00:36:37.73\00:36:41.13
the bottomless pit...
00:36:41.16\00:36:42.50
A better
translation would be the deep.
00:36:45.23\00:36:46.94
The same word that
is used in Genesis,
00:36:46.97\00:36:48.64
in a different language.
00:36:48.67\00:36:50.01
...and a great
chain in his hand.
00:36:50.04\00:36:51.37
He laid hold of the
dragon, and serpent of old,
00:36:51.41\00:36:53.54
who is the Devil, and Satan,
and bound him for a thousand
00:36:53.58\00:36:55.71
years, and He cast him
into the bottomless pit,
00:36:55.74\00:36:59.51
or into the deep, and shut
him up, and set a seal on him,
00:36:59.55\00:37:03.95
so that he should
deceive the nations no more,
00:37:03.99\00:37:06.05
till the thousand
years were finished.
00:37:06.12\00:37:08.32
What's going to happen
with the Devil during the period
00:37:08.36\00:37:11.26
in which the earth is without
form and void, and in darkness?
00:37:11.29\00:37:16.00
He is going to be forced to
remain where? on Planet Earth.
00:37:16.03\00:37:20.70
And how many of his followers
are going to be alive? None!
00:37:22.04\00:37:29.44
Is this the same as
at the time of the flood?
00:37:29.48\00:37:32.18
That the earth is returned
to a chaotic state, in darkness,
00:37:32.21\00:37:37.02
and the Devil is bound to
Planet Earth without any of his
00:37:37.09\00:37:41.82
followers alive? Absolutely.
00:37:41.86\00:37:45.16
Now I would like us to go
to Matthew 24, and see how
00:37:45.19\00:37:50.63
Jesus puts this together.
00:37:50.67\00:37:52.80
Matthew 24, and I want
to read verses 36 to 39,
00:37:52.83\00:37:58.84
Matthew 24:36-39.
See, Jesus caught this.
00:37:58.87\00:38:05.95
Most people talk about preparing
for the coming of Jesus.
00:38:06.01\00:38:10.35
The fact is that we need
to prepare not for His coming,
00:38:10.39\00:38:14.72
but we need to
prepare for the closing of
00:38:14.76\00:38:16.73
the door of probation.
00:38:16.76\00:38:18.09
And nobody knows when the door
of probation is going to close.
00:38:18.13\00:38:21.60
That's the reason why
we always have to be ready.
00:38:21.66\00:38:24.77
Let me ask you, Do
you know when a thief
00:38:24.80\00:38:27.40
is going to visit your house?
00:38:27.44\00:38:28.77
The thief puts
an add in the paper.
00:38:30.14\00:38:32.11
He says, I'm coming to
your house, such and such a day,
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.31
and such and such a
time. Of course not.
00:38:34.34\00:38:36.75
He could come
anytime, so what do you do?
00:38:36.78\00:38:39.11
Knowing that the thief
could come at any time,
00:38:39.15\00:38:41.48
what do you do?
You're ready all the time.
00:38:41.55\00:38:43.85
You take precautions all
the time, because you don't know
00:38:45.75\00:38:48.22
when the thief is going to come.
00:38:48.26\00:38:49.59
By the way, the coming
of the thief has two stages.
00:38:52.33\00:38:54.50
The first stage is when he
comes, and the second stage is
00:38:55.93\00:38:59.60
when you discover that he came.
00:38:59.63\00:39:01.04
Jesus speaks about the
close of probation as the coming
00:39:03.44\00:39:05.94
of a thief. Very interesting.
00:39:05.97\00:39:09.24
Imagine that you've
locked your house for the last
00:39:11.31\00:39:13.58
one thousand nights.
00:39:15.18\00:39:16.52
You say, Ah, the thief
is never going to come.
00:39:16.55\00:39:18.55
I don't have to lock the doors.
00:39:18.59\00:39:19.92
So you leave your doors open,
and at midnight, while everyone
00:39:19.95\00:39:22.69
is sleeping in the house, the
thief says, This is the night!
00:39:22.72\00:39:25.43
And he comes into your house.
00:39:25.46\00:39:26.80
He steals your camera,
your microwave, your television.
00:39:29.60\00:39:36.97
Amen? And everybody in
the house is what? sleeping.
00:39:37.47\00:39:44.88
Does everybody,
anybody in the house know that
00:39:44.91\00:39:47.05
the thief has come? No!
00:39:47.08\00:39:49.02
All your stuff is
gone, but you don't know it.
00:39:49.05\00:39:52.22
When do you find out?
00:39:52.25\00:39:53.59
When you wake up in the morning.
00:39:53.62\00:39:55.52
That's what the close of
probation is going to be like.
00:39:58.29\00:40:00.40
Jesus is going to
come like a thief.
00:40:00.43\00:40:03.03
He's going to close
the door, and God's people
00:40:03.06\00:40:05.90
are going to be sleeping.
00:40:05.93\00:40:07.27
Most of them, according to the
Spirit of Prophecy, are going to
00:40:08.47\00:40:10.37
are going to be
sleeping, unaware
00:40:10.41\00:40:13.24
that probation is closed.
00:40:13.27\00:40:14.61
And they will
continue business as usual.
00:40:14.64\00:40:16.71
They will only find out
that they're lost when Jesus
00:40:16.75\00:40:22.38
comes on the clouds.
00:40:22.42\00:40:23.85
They will say, the thief
came, and the door was closed,
00:40:23.89\00:40:28.02
and I wasn't ready.
00:40:28.06\00:40:29.72
Notice Matthew 24, how Jesus
caught this. Matthew 24:37.
00:40:31.69\00:40:36.97
Is Jesus making
a comparison here?
00:40:42.80\00:40:45.57
As it was then, it
will be at the end.
00:40:46.57\00:40:49.11
By the way, this coming is
not only the second coming,
00:40:51.61\00:40:53.75
it's the close of probation,
and the second coming.
00:40:53.82\00:40:55.92
Notice verse 38:
00:40:55.95\00:40:57.29
By the way, this means
that they were carrying
00:41:05.09\00:41:06.80
on business as usual.
00:41:06.83\00:41:09.23
They were doing what they
do every day. And now notice:
00:41:09.26\00:41:15.64
Did you notice that the
word until is used twice
00:41:26.85\00:41:30.35
in verse 38 and verse 39?
00:41:30.39\00:41:32.92
The first until is when
Noah what? entered the ark.
00:41:32.95\00:41:38.73
The second until is
when what? the flood came.
00:41:38.76\00:41:44.47
How much time between the
one until and the second one?
00:41:44.50\00:41:49.74
seven days. And as it was
then, it will be at the end.
00:41:49.80\00:41:54.98
So let me ask you, Is the door
going to close at the end of
00:41:55.01\00:41:58.15
time, and then the
destruction is going to
00:41:58.18\00:42:01.42
come some time later? Yes.
00:42:01.45\00:42:03.79
And what's going
to happen in between?
00:42:03.82\00:42:05.45
Jesus says, They did not
know until the flood came.
00:42:05.49\00:42:10.63
What didn't they
know until the flood came?
00:42:10.66\00:42:13.03
They did not know that they
were what? that they were lost
00:42:13.06\00:42:18.00
until the flood came
and took them all away.
00:42:18.03\00:42:22.20
By the way, if I might mention
in passing, Matthew 24 has the
00:42:22.24\00:42:28.24
same order of events that we
found in the story of the flood,
00:42:28.28\00:42:32.21
and in the story that we
find in the book of Revelation.
00:42:32.25\00:42:35.12
Let me just go
through that very quickly.
00:42:35.15\00:42:37.52
Give you a
little bit of homework.
00:42:37.55\00:42:39.69
Matthew 24:14 speaks
about preaching the gospel to
00:42:39.72\00:42:44.26
all of the world, and
then the end will come.
00:42:44.29\00:42:47.46
Matthew 24:15 speaks about
the abomination of desolation,
00:42:47.50\00:42:52.70
which is the
final deciding issue.
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.30
We're going to be doing
a Matthew 24 series here
00:42:55.34\00:42:57.77
in the month of June.
00:42:57.81\00:42:59.14
You'll be receiving
some advertising on it.
00:42:59.17\00:43:00.68
I'm going to show you that when
it says, when Jesus speaks about
00:43:00.71\00:43:03.45
the abomination of desolation,
which was spoken of by Daniel
00:43:03.48\00:43:06.21
the prophet, it's
talking about the Sunday Law,
00:43:06.25\00:43:08.05
which is going to separate
humanity into two groups:
00:43:08.08\00:43:10.55
the saved and the lost.
00:43:10.59\00:43:12.89
It's referring to the
closing of the door of
00:43:12.95\00:43:15.76
probation, in other words.
00:43:15.82\00:43:17.16
Then immediately
after that, Jesus speaks
00:43:17.19\00:43:19.39
about the tribulation.
00:43:19.43\00:43:20.76
He says there'll be
a tribulation such as
00:43:22.06\00:43:23.77
never has been before.
00:43:23.80\00:43:25.13
Don't turn back to
grab any of your stuff.
00:43:25.17\00:43:27.04
Flee to the
mountains, those who are in?
00:43:30.17\00:43:32.27
Pray that your flight is not on
Sabbath, because the Sabbath is
00:43:32.31\00:43:35.11
still going to be binding.
00:43:35.14\00:43:36.48
So you have the tribulation,
and then Matthew 24:29-31,
00:43:39.31\00:43:44.99
when it speaks about
the sun being darkened,
00:43:45.02\00:43:49.02
the moon being dark, and
the stars falling from heaven,
00:43:49.09\00:43:52.16
and the voice of Jesus
being heard, the powers of the
00:43:52.19\00:43:55.26
heavens being moved.
00:43:55.30\00:43:56.63
And Jesus will send His angels
to gather together His elect.
00:43:56.67\00:43:59.73
That's the second coming.
00:43:59.77\00:44:01.10
Once again you have the same
sequence: the preaching of the
00:44:01.14\00:44:03.67
gospel, the closing of the
door, the great tribulation,
00:44:03.71\00:44:06.17
and the coming of Jesus.
00:44:06.21\00:44:07.61
Now you notice that the
title of our study today is,
00:44:11.61\00:44:20.56
Rich, Busy,
Distracted, and Lost.
00:44:20.59\00:44:28.83
I want to read a
passage from the gospel of Mark,
00:44:31.83\00:44:33.80
and then I want to read
you a statement from the
00:44:33.84\00:44:35.77
Spirit of Prophecy to
show you why I've placed this
00:44:35.80\00:44:39.51
title for our sermon.
00:44:39.54\00:44:40.88
What would happen if the
door of probation closed today?
00:44:42.51\00:44:45.08
How many of us would be ready?
00:44:45.11\00:44:48.18
I think that's an
important question.
00:44:50.49\00:44:52.29
You know, we're so rich, we're
so busy, we're so distracted by
00:44:54.66\00:45:01.86
the things of the world
that we barely have time
00:45:01.93\00:45:05.67
for our Spiritual life.
00:45:05.70\00:45:07.04
And in consequence, the
Spirit of Prophecy tells us that
00:45:08.84\00:45:12.81
most of us are going to be lost.
00:45:12.84\00:45:15.18
You know, I find it amazing that
we are able always to make it
00:45:17.65\00:45:21.52
to work on time, but it's
very difficult to make it to
00:45:21.58\00:45:25.09
Sabbath School on time.
00:45:25.12\00:45:26.45
And, once again, I
emphasize, I underline
00:45:29.12\00:45:31.13
prayer meeting attendance.
00:45:31.19\00:45:32.59
It's like an hour
and a half a week.
00:45:34.93\00:45:37.17
What about family worship?
00:45:37.20\00:45:39.93
What about our
Bible reading habits?
00:45:41.00\00:45:43.47
What about our prayer habits?
00:45:44.41\00:45:45.91
Are we telling
anybody about these things?
00:45:45.97\00:45:48.98
How is our Spiritual life?
00:45:50.45\00:45:52.38
Where are our priorities?
00:45:52.41\00:45:54.32
We're not going to be saved,
we've not going to enter the
00:45:54.35\00:45:56.65
kingdom just kind of
slipping in under the door.
00:45:56.69\00:46:03.53
There's a tremendous preparation
that needs to take place.
00:46:03.59\00:46:08.00
It's total
commitment to the Lord.
00:46:08.03\00:46:10.50
I want to read Mark 13:33-35,
and then I want to read you this
00:46:10.53\00:46:18.27
passage from the
Spirit of Prophecy.
00:46:18.31\00:46:21.11
Mark 13, and
beginning with verse 33.
00:46:21.14\00:46:23.91
It says there,
Jesus is speaking:
00:46:28.35\00:46:31.49
What is Jesus referring
to when He says, you don't
00:46:38.13\00:46:41.33
know what the time is?
00:46:41.36\00:46:42.76
Most everybody thinks
it's the second coming.
00:46:44.00\00:46:45.90
It's not talking about
the second coming there.
00:46:45.93\00:46:47.77
Then Jesus illustrates:
00:46:49.47\00:46:51.04
What coming is referred to
here? not the second coming.
00:47:07.59\00:47:12.63
Lest coming
suddenly he find you what?
00:47:21.30\00:47:24.71
He find you sleeping.
00:47:24.74\00:47:26.81
Now here's the passage.
00:47:28.18\00:47:29.71
It's a relatively long
passage, but very meaningful.
00:47:29.74\00:47:33.15
Volume 2 of Testimonies for
the Church, pages 190 and 191.
00:47:33.18\00:47:37.65
Everybody should
read that whole chapter.
00:47:37.69\00:47:39.55
Where is Ellen White
quoting from? Mark 13, right?
00:48:06.48\00:48:11.35
Now notice her comments on this.
00:48:11.39\00:48:13.86
Now notice this:
00:48:25.43\00:48:27.90
Notice her answer.
00:48:34.81\00:48:36.14
She says again. I think
she wanted to be emphatic.
00:48:51.99\00:48:55.36
What time is here referred to?
00:48:55.40\00:48:57.27
Not to the revelation of
Christ in the clouds of heaven
00:48:57.30\00:48:59.80
to find a people asleep.
00:48:59.83\00:49:01.17
When are the cases
of everybody decided?
00:49:35.14\00:49:37.24
When Jesus ceases
to what? to plead.
00:49:37.27\00:49:39.34
And now I want you to
notice the terminology.
00:49:43.88\00:49:47.08
What have they neglected?
the preparation of what?
00:49:54.99\00:50:00.00
purity and holiness.
00:50:00.03\00:50:02.50
Is that what Noah preached?
00:50:02.53\00:50:03.87
The people needed
to be pure and holy,
00:50:04.77\00:50:07.37
and change their behavior?
00:50:07.40\00:50:09.37
Yes, see the message
today in the Christian world is,
00:50:09.40\00:50:12.77
Oh, Jesus died for
your sins. Halleluiah!
00:50:12.81\00:50:15.28
Just receive Him. His
imputed righteousness is yours.
00:50:15.31\00:50:18.88
And keep on
living like the Devil.
00:50:18.91\00:50:20.62
The true gospel
not only forgives,
00:50:23.39\00:50:25.75
the true gospel empowers.
00:50:25.79\00:50:27.62
The true gospel not only stands
for the righteousness of Christ,
00:50:29.29\00:50:34.83
imputed, but it also stands
for the righteousness of Christ
00:50:34.86\00:50:38.57
imparted to gain
victory over sin. She says:
00:50:38.63\00:50:42.34
Notice again.
00:51:12.50\00:51:13.84
Not rejected, neglected.
00:51:14.70\00:51:18.74
Now notice this:
00:51:24.65\00:51:26.18
Second coming? My Great
grandparents talked about that.
00:51:33.25\00:51:39.29
My grandparents
talked about that.
00:51:39.33\00:51:42.13
My parents talked about that.
00:51:42.16\00:51:44.70
And here we are
still on Planet Earth!
00:51:44.73\00:51:47.60
They became weary of
waiting and watching.
00:51:52.24\00:51:54.61
Notice, weary, neglected, weary.
00:51:56.81\00:51:59.88
Then she says,
They became indifferent.
00:51:59.91\00:52:02.15
You don't have to reject it.
00:52:04.59\00:52:07.09
It's just neglect, weary.
00:52:07.16\00:52:09.59
They became
indifferent in regard to the
00:52:09.62\00:52:12.86
coming of their Master.
00:52:12.89\00:52:14.23
Notice this: They
longed not for His appearing.
00:52:14.26\00:52:18.10
Do you long for His appearing?
00:52:18.13\00:52:20.50
What does long for mean?
00:52:23.20\00:52:24.57
Oh yeah, I want Him to come.
00:52:25.61\00:52:27.08
No! It's I
really want Him to come!
00:52:27.11\00:52:31.08
Now notice this:
00:52:51.53\00:52:53.30
Notice, it's not
talking about rejection.
00:53:19.93\00:53:22.23
She speaks about neglect,
indifference, not longing for,
00:53:22.26\00:53:27.27
losing anxiety and interest,
indifferent and careless.
00:53:27.30\00:53:32.27
She says:
00:53:32.31\00:53:33.64
That's a powerful passage,
and it speaks to the needs
00:53:50.09\00:53:55.60
that we have folks of ordering
our priorities correctly.
00:53:55.63\00:53:59.30
You know, I'll just
give you one example.
00:53:59.33\00:54:03.47
There is so much
money in this congregation,
00:54:04.34\00:54:06.81
and yet look at
our church budget.
00:54:10.51\00:54:13.31
I know at the end of
the year everybody chips in.
00:54:13.35\00:54:16.95
Do we realize folks, that
all of the excess that we have
00:54:16.99\00:54:21.32
is going to burn, and souls are
going to be lost, because we did
00:54:21.36\00:54:26.43
not invest in the Lord's cause?
00:54:26.46\00:54:28.30
It seems like, you
know, what we think is,
00:54:30.00\00:54:32.43
Well, I believe
heaven is coming.
00:54:32.47\00:54:34.07
I believe Jesus is going to give
us riches, but just in case,
00:54:34.14\00:54:38.21
I'll hang on, or grab
as much as I can here.
00:54:39.71\00:54:42.31
You know, Ellen White
saw some people crying out
00:54:43.95\00:54:46.08
in the little time of trouble,
We wish that we had invested
00:54:46.11\00:54:49.52
what we had in God's cause.
00:54:49.55\00:54:50.92
Now we can't sell for any price.
00:54:50.95\00:54:53.12
Money wasted, resources wasted
that could have been used,
00:54:55.49\00:55:00.00
could have been used
for the salvation of souls.
00:55:00.03\00:55:03.67
What are we doing with our time?
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.63
What are we
doing with our energy?
00:55:05.67\00:55:07.40
What are we
doing with our talents?
00:55:07.44\00:55:08.84
What are we
doing with our money?
00:55:08.87\00:55:10.34
What are we doing
with our influence?
00:55:10.37\00:55:11.74
How much of our interest
and time is caught up in
00:55:11.77\00:55:15.64
things of the world?
00:55:15.68\00:55:17.01
Things that are not necessarily
bad, but just in the hustle and
00:55:17.05\00:55:21.38
bustle of life, business
as usual, the regular routine.
00:55:21.42\00:55:26.15
You know the close of probation
is going to catch those people
00:55:28.49\00:55:33.09
who have their priorities
in the wrong order by surprise.
00:55:33.13\00:55:37.63
I'd like to read one
statement in closing.
00:55:39.60\00:55:43.54
The Great Controversy,
page 491, Ellen White makes
00:55:43.57\00:55:49.88
this remarkable statement:
00:55:49.94\00:55:51.31
Do you believe that
Jesus is coming soon?
00:56:18.54\00:56:22.48
That was very weak.
00:56:22.51\00:56:25.48
You evidently don't
believe it very much.
00:56:25.51\00:56:27.88
Do you believe
Jesus is coming soon? Yes!
00:56:27.92\00:56:30.29
Do you long for His coming? Yes!
00:56:30.32\00:56:32.95
Well, words are cheap.
00:56:32.99\00:56:35.16
Remember that Noah not
only preached, Noah built.
00:56:37.96\00:56:41.83
God wants us to preach,
and He wants us to build.
00:56:41.86\00:56:45.70
To build means to
invest in an ark to save
00:56:45.73\00:56:49.47
souls for the kingdom.
00:56:49.50\00:56:51.24
had he invested it in the ark.
00:56:55.58\00:56:57.15
And, by the way, every
thing he invested was saved.
00:56:59.31\00:57:01.82
I like to say, and
some of you have heard this,
00:57:04.55\00:57:07.42
everything that Noah possessed
he invested in the ark.
00:57:07.46\00:57:10.29
All of the rest were
saving for a rainy day! Ha!
00:57:10.33\00:57:15.56
And when the rain came
it took everything away.
00:57:15.60\00:57:19.03
I pray to God that that
is not the case with us,
00:57:20.87\00:57:23.71
that we will make a
total commitment on the altar
00:57:23.74\00:57:26.47
of sacrifice for Jesus.
00:57:26.54\00:57:29.01