Before we jump right into
the preaching of God's word,
00:00:15.86\00:00:19.73
by our friend
Pastor David Asscherick,
00:00:19.76\00:00:21.89
I would like to invite
Camille Aragones to the front.
00:00:21.92\00:00:25.12
She is going to be
singing a special number for us,
00:00:25.16\00:00:28.33
welcome to the front Camille.
00:00:28.36\00:00:31.42
çMusicÑ
00:00:31.45\00:00:40.03
Now I just want to say right
at the outset, in the interest
00:05:27.02\00:05:29.42
of absolute transparency,
there are basically four reasons
00:05:29.45\00:05:33.09
that we are conducting
this Bible Prophecy Seminar.
00:05:33.12\00:05:35.73
You might be
wondering, Why do they do this?
00:05:35.76\00:05:37.16
Why do they take the time and
great expense, and great energy,
00:05:37.19\00:05:40.99
and man hours to put this on.
00:05:41.02\00:05:42.24
There are four reasons:
Reason number one is this:
00:05:42.27\00:05:44.98
We believe that the
time of the end is near.
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I want to be perfectly
transparent about that.
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I believe that the world
is coming apart at the seams.
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We're going to be presenting
abundant evidence to that effect
00:05:54.61\00:05:58.20
but really, do you need
someone to demonstrate that
00:05:58.23\00:06:00.60
to you, I mean with the
showing of hands tonight,
00:06:00.63\00:06:02.32
how many people believe you
know, things seem to be unusual.
00:06:02.35\00:06:05.58
Just raise your hands.
00:06:05.61\00:06:06.64
You know, there does
seem to be something going on,
00:06:06.67\00:06:09.09
I believe that as well,
so that's the first reason.
00:06:09.12\00:06:10.83
We want to give you
absolutely compelling, and
00:06:10.86\00:06:13.52
unequivocal evidence
that we are in fact living
00:06:13.55\00:06:15.26
in the time of the end.
00:06:15.29\00:06:16.78
The second
reason that we're here:
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Is that we want to show
you from a Biblical perspective
00:06:18.73\00:06:22.63
from "what" did I say everyone?
00:06:22.66\00:06:24.74
A Biblical perspective,
how this world is going to end.
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There are many people in the
world today, that have no hope,
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no confidence, no security.
00:06:32.27\00:06:34.06
They think that the
United States Government,
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will give them security,
and surely there is a modicum
00:06:35.95\00:06:37.89
of security.
00:06:37.92\00:06:38.89
But they are looking for real,
lasting, transcending security.
00:06:38.90\00:06:42.92
The Bible alone, and God alone,
00:06:42.95\00:06:46.04
can give us that
kind of security.
00:06:46.07\00:06:47.95
Can somebody say "Amen!"
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You are going to find
out throughout the course
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of this presentation,
and throughout the course
00:06:51.79\00:06:53.38
of this seminar, I'll
invite you to say Amen.
00:06:53.41\00:06:55.49
Now that's sort of religious
speak, and so for some,
00:06:55.52\00:06:57.43
of you who maybe are
not super religious people,
00:06:57.46\00:06:59.88
you've come in
maybe as a seeker.
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I want to let you know
that the word Amen, simply means
00:07:01.39\00:07:03.85
I agree with that,
or I consent to that.
00:07:03.88\00:07:07.46
So when I say Amen,
and you agree with that,
00:07:07.49\00:07:09.66
you say yeah! "Amen. "
00:07:09.69\00:07:11.16
Are we all together on that?
00:07:11.19\00:07:12.70
- Amen! - Amen Good!
00:07:12.73\00:07:14.17
So we want to take a look
at what the Bible has to say
00:07:14.20\00:07:16.64
about how this world
is actually going to end.
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The third reason that we
are conducting this seminar:
00:07:18.88\00:07:19.85
Is that we want you to
know how to be ready to meet
00:07:19.88\00:07:24.75
the strange and unusual times
that are rapidly coming upon us.
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We live in a very different
world since September 11,
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isn't that true, yes or no?
00:07:30.97\00:07:32.47
The post September 11,
world is a very different world,
00:07:32.50\00:07:35.45
than the pre September 11 world,
00:07:35.48\00:07:37.16
and what we're going to
see from a Biblical picture
00:07:37.19\00:07:39.17
is that this is only the
beginning of many things.
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The marvelous, glorious
prophecies, particularly
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of the book of
Revelation, are coming to pass,
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right before our eyes,
and what we're going to see
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as we look at the Bible, it's
going to give us confidence.
00:07:50.78\00:07:53.60
Give us "what" everyone?
00:07:53.63\00:07:55.17
- Confidence!
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- Confidence in the
coming crisis, and you will
00:07:56.49\00:07:57.95
be able to say I
want to be ready.
00:07:57.98\00:07:59.47
The fourth reason we do this is:
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not just so you can be ready,
but so you can stay ready.
00:08:00.50\00:08:04.89
Are we all together,
that's why we're doing it,
00:08:04.92\00:08:07.67
so if one of those
reasons is why you are here,
00:08:07.70\00:08:10.31
then you are in the right place.
00:08:10.34\00:08:11.49
You got an extended schedule
tonight when you came in,
00:08:11.52\00:08:13.71
you might have thought,
well this will be a nice way
00:08:13.74\00:08:15.10
to spend the evening, and
oh that will be a nice thing
00:08:15.13\00:08:17.23
to go out for the
evening, and you came in tonight
00:08:17.26\00:08:19.02
and you got that extended
schedule, and it shows that
00:08:19.05\00:08:21.04
the meetings are going
to last for almost a month.
00:08:21.07\00:08:24.85
Beloved, we are going to
be here basically every night
00:08:24.88\00:08:28.25
for a month, we'll take more
or less Sunday's and Wednesday's
00:08:28.28\00:08:30.71
off, and we are looking
forward to a power packed
00:08:30.74\00:08:34.49
time together, and not
because of David Asscherick,
00:08:34.52\00:08:37.34
but because of what God says,
00:08:37.37\00:08:38.67
in this book
called "The Bible. "
00:08:38.70\00:08:40.39
Amen! Now that
introduces a question,
00:08:40.42\00:08:43.46
and what we are going
to do right at the outset,
00:08:43.49\00:08:45.94
is ask the
question, is the Bible true?
00:08:45.97\00:08:48.37
Is the Bible true? You have
come to a Bible Prophecy Seminar
00:08:48.40\00:08:53.54
and right at the
outset we need to understand,
00:08:53.57\00:08:55.85
if we are going
to trust the Bible,
00:08:55.88\00:08:57.69
there has to be reasons.
00:08:57.72\00:09:00.18
There has to be what everyone?
00:09:00.21\00:09:01.65
Reasons!
00:09:01.68\00:09:03.05
Reasons, and so many
people are asking today,
00:09:03.08\00:09:04.38
and by the way, for those
of you who are in that room,
00:09:04.41\00:09:05.82
we apologize that we
do not have a screen.
00:09:05.85\00:09:07.86
I've been informed
by my production crew,
00:09:07.89\00:09:10.19
here, that we are going to have
a screen in that room tomorrow,
00:09:10.22\00:09:12.49
so you will be able
to look here and there.
00:09:12.52\00:09:14.35
Don't not come back tomorrow
because you couldn't see
00:09:14.38\00:09:16.92
the screen, because
tomorrow there will be a screen
00:09:16.95\00:09:18.71
right in that room.
00:09:18.74\00:09:19.80
You take a look at the screen,
this was an article that was run
00:09:19.83\00:09:22.64
by US News and World Report.
00:09:22.67\00:09:24.42
Several years ago now in
the title of the article,
00:09:24.45\00:09:27.49
the cover story
was, is the Bible True?
00:09:27.52\00:09:30.08
and of course
that's the very question
00:09:30.11\00:09:31.19
that we're asking tonight.
00:09:31.22\00:09:32.20
I don't know if you can
read the subtitle there,
00:09:32.23\00:09:34.36
but it says new discoveries
offer surprising support
00:09:34.39\00:09:38.48
for key moments in scripture.
00:09:38.51\00:09:40.54
Many people today are wondering,
00:09:40.57\00:09:42.60
is there something
that can be trusted?
00:09:42.63\00:09:44.55
Is there something in
which I can place my confidence?
00:09:44.58\00:09:47.33
Is there
something that can give me
00:09:47.36\00:09:48.95
real genuine lasting security?
00:09:48.98\00:09:52.19
The answer is "yes,"
there is abundant evidence.
00:09:52.22\00:09:55.28
In fact our thesis here in
the Discover Prophecy Seminar,
00:09:55.31\00:09:58.49
is that there is plenty of
evidence to trust this Bible,
00:09:58.52\00:10:01.90
to trust this book,
as what it claims to be,
00:10:01.93\00:10:04.49
and that is God's word.
00:10:04.52\00:10:05.80
Now we don't have a lot
of time to spend on this,
00:10:05.83\00:10:07.29
but I want to spend
a few opening moments
00:10:07.32\00:10:10.06
a few preliminary observations,
as to the voluminous evidence
00:10:10.09\00:10:14.26
that supports this book,
as a unique and special book.
00:10:14.29\00:10:17.43
It is internally
consistent, you'll notice
00:10:17.46\00:10:19.84
the various consistencies
that we put up here
00:10:19.87\00:10:21.67
on the screen, this is not
part of your notes incidentally.
00:10:21.70\00:10:24.02
It is internally consistent, it
is translationally consistent.
00:10:24.05\00:10:27.81
That is to say that the Bible
has been accurately translated
00:10:27.84\00:10:30.56
down through the ages,
before the time of fax machines,
00:10:30.59\00:10:33.14
and hard drives, and
computers, and e-mail, and all
00:10:33.18\00:10:36.23
of the modern technical
amenities that we are used to
00:10:36.26\00:10:38.64
today, the Bible has been
accurately almost perfectly
00:10:38.67\00:10:42.75
accurately translated
down through the centuries.
00:10:42.78\00:10:44.75
Can you say Amen to that?
00:10:44.78\00:10:46.02
Amen!
00:10:46.05\00:10:47.37
Remarkable, the
scientific consensus,
00:10:47.40\00:10:48.68
we will spend some time on
that, scientific consistency,
00:10:48.71\00:10:51.17
cultural consistency.
00:10:51.20\00:10:52.63
How is it that a book can apply
so powerfully, so amazingly,
00:10:52.66\00:10:57.16
so consistently to so
many different cultures.
00:10:57.19\00:10:59.44
Just here this evening we
have people who are from Russia,
00:10:59.47\00:11:03.20
we have people here
tonight who are from Jamaica,
00:11:03.23\00:11:05.28
we have people here tonight
from a variety of cultures,
00:11:05.31\00:11:07.47
and yet the
Bible is a unique book,
00:11:07.50\00:11:09.66
able to speak to Jamaicans,
able to speak to people from
00:11:09.69\00:11:12.35
the United States, able to
speak to people from Russia,
00:11:12.38\00:11:14.79
and Australia, all over the
world different cultures find
00:11:14.82\00:11:18.12
this book to be absolutely
encouraging, that is unique
00:11:18.15\00:11:21.92
in human history.
00:11:21.95\00:11:23.10
Can you say Amen!
00:11:23.13\00:11:24.10
Amen!
00:11:24.11\00:11:25.20
Not many books are like
that, archeological consistency,
00:11:25.23\00:11:27.62
there has never been a
single archeological discovery
00:11:27.65\00:11:30.55
that has controverted even one
point of history in the Bible.
00:11:30.58\00:11:35.43
Also historical consistency
goes along with that,
00:11:35.46\00:11:37.85
experiential consistency,
00:11:37.88\00:11:39.39
I'll be perfectly
transparent with you
00:11:39.42\00:11:41.07
I have found the Bible to
be the voice of God to my soul.
00:11:41.11\00:11:44.58
I want to say that again,
I have found the Bible to be
00:11:44.62\00:11:47.42
voice of God to my soul.
00:11:47.45\00:11:48.77
I believe this book
is a "living book. "
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.98
Is a "what" did I say everyone?
00:11:51.01\00:11:52.48
"A Living Book!"
00:11:52.51\00:11:53.89
The Bible even says that in
Hebrews 4:12, The word of God
00:11:53.92\00:11:56.87
is quick and
powerful, living and powerful,
00:11:56.90\00:11:59.10
I have had encounters
with God through reading,
00:11:59.13\00:12:02.86
and studying this book,
it's a supernatural book.
00:12:02.89\00:12:04.89
Can you say Amen?
00:12:04.92\00:12:05.89
Amen!
00:12:05.90\00:12:06.87
Now surely there are
other good books out there,
00:12:06.88\00:12:07.85
but this is a unique
book, experientially consistent.
00:12:07.86\00:12:11.01
I'm a different person than
you, you are a different person
00:12:11.04\00:12:12.95
than the individual
sitting next to you,
00:12:12.98\00:12:14.23
and yet we all come with
our unique personalities,
00:12:14.26\00:12:16.78
our unique idiosyncrasies,
we come to this book,
00:12:16.81\00:12:19.32
and it speaks to each
of us in a powerful and
00:12:19.35\00:12:22.52
personally consistent way.
00:12:22.55\00:12:23.80
Are you with me everyone?
00:12:23.83\00:12:24.84
- Yes!
00:12:24.87\00:12:25.99
What we're interested in here
of course is this final one,
00:12:26.02\00:12:28.37
and that is
prophetic consistency,
00:12:28.40\00:12:30.51
what we are going to see is
that Bible prophecy provides
00:12:30.54\00:12:34.75
indisputable evidence
that God's word, the Bible,
00:12:34.78\00:12:38.64
is in fact what it
claims to be, and that is
00:12:38.67\00:12:41.51
a remarkable
revelation from God Himself.
00:12:41.54\00:12:44.97
Now I want you to think
about that for a moment.
00:12:45.00\00:12:47.06
If what the Bible
says about itself is true,
00:12:47.09\00:12:50.21
if this book is really
from God, that would make it
00:12:50.24\00:12:54.23
the most important book
in the world, wouldn't it.
00:12:54.26\00:12:57.01
I said that would make it the
most important book in the world
00:12:57.04\00:13:00.65
wouldn't it?
00:13:00.69\00:13:02.05
What we're going to see
here that there is excellent
00:13:02.64\00:13:03.99
evidentiary, and even
objective evidence, comparing
00:13:04.02\00:13:07.75
the great
prophecies of the Bible, with
00:13:07.78\00:13:09.93
the outlay of history,
and we're going to be able
00:13:09.96\00:13:11.52
to stand back and say
objectively this book is
00:13:11.55\00:13:14.87
supernatural, and
this book can be trusted.
00:13:14.90\00:13:20.15
I hope you came in here tonight,
00:13:20.18\00:13:21.74
I hope you did not come
in tonight as a skeptic,
00:13:21.77\00:13:24.06
but I hope if you did come in
tonight, and you are skeptical
00:13:24.09\00:13:26.71
that you will stay with us
and see, these are not just
00:13:26.74\00:13:29.52
religious claims.
00:13:29.55\00:13:30.84
Listen, I was not a
religious person nine years ago,
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.88
I converted to
the Christian faith,
00:13:32.91\00:13:34.83
because I saw that the
prophecies of the Bible,
00:13:34.86\00:13:37.04
were so totally
consistent with history.
00:13:37.07\00:13:39.72
Are we all together
everyone, yes or no?
00:13:39.75\00:13:41.19
I'm not standing
up to you tonight,
00:13:41.22\00:13:44.26
and speaking to you
tonight as a person who has been
00:13:44.29\00:13:46.30
religious all his life, and
00:13:46.33\00:13:47.45
totally interested in
religious things, no! no! no!
00:13:47.48\00:13:49.96
As Nathan said, I'm was a
purple haired punk rocker.
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.18
I didn't become a Christian
until the age of 23 years old.
00:13:52.21\00:13:55.47
When I became a Christian,
I said there's something
00:13:55.50\00:13:57.64
powerful special, about
this book, and more importantly
00:13:57.67\00:14:01.14
about the Savior and the
God that this book reveals.
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.95
Are we all together?
00:14:04.98\00:14:05.99
So what we want to introduce
tonight is the Bible true?
00:14:06.02\00:14:09.51
I want you to know that I
believe there are excellent
00:14:09.54\00:14:11.53
reasons to trust the Bible.
00:14:11.56\00:14:13.43
When I say the Bible is
true, I'm not just saying,
00:14:13.46\00:14:15.37
well it's true for me, in
the same way you might say,
00:14:15.40\00:14:17.60
well that's not
true for you, No! No!
00:14:17.63\00:14:19.54
When we say the Bible is true,
we are saying that it is true,
00:14:19.57\00:14:22.36
in an objective sense.
00:14:22.39\00:14:24.88
In a what sense everyone?
00:14:24.91\00:14:26.53
What we mean by that is this,
even if nobody believed it,
00:14:26.56\00:14:30.39
it would still be true.
00:14:30.42\00:14:32.67
We don't buy into this,
well, you know it's true for you
00:14:32.70\00:14:34.85
but it's not true for me,
and let's just all get along
00:14:34.88\00:14:36.90
and be happy
together, No! No! No!
00:14:36.93\00:14:38.30
It is true in the most
emphatic sense of the word,
00:14:38.33\00:14:43.11
True!
00:14:43.14\00:14:44.91
What we are going to discover
as we spend some time together
00:14:44.94\00:14:48.17
is that the great prophecies
of the Bible, are not difficult
00:14:48.20\00:14:51.39
to understand, I
want to under gird that.
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.87
The great
prophecies of the Bible
00:14:53.90\00:14:55.55
are not difficult to understand.
00:14:55.58\00:14:57.34
Now I don't want to be
overly simplistic here,
00:14:57.38\00:14:59.49
there are some
prophecies that are complicated,
00:14:59.52\00:15:01.39
there are some prophecies
that do require a degree
00:15:01.42\00:15:03.87
of sophistication and
real critical thinking,
00:15:03.90\00:15:05.76
but for the most part
Bible prophecy in not difficult
00:15:05.79\00:15:10.64
to understand, in fact
that's going be one of the
00:15:10.67\00:15:12.56
major premises of this entire
series, is that Bible prophecy
00:15:12.59\00:15:16.22
is very available and very
accessible to the common person.
00:15:16.25\00:15:21.45
To the "what"
did I say everyone?
00:15:21.48\00:15:22.95
The common person, surely
the scholar and the intellectual
00:15:22.98\00:15:26.99
and the erudite can
spend time in the scriptures
00:15:27.02\00:15:29.38
and find great and wonderful,
marvelous depths there to plumb.
00:15:29.41\00:15:32.90
But our premise here
is going to be that even
00:15:32.93\00:15:35.29
the common person, even
the so called non-theologically
00:15:35.32\00:15:38.88
educated person, can
come to this Word and actually
00:15:38.91\00:15:42.46
understand the prophecies
for himself and for herself.
00:15:42.49\00:15:46.51
You might be dubious, you
might say that's impossible
00:15:46.54\00:15:48.51
I've re-read the
book of Revelation,
00:15:48.54\00:15:49.52
I don't understand anything,
I've read the book of Ezekiel,
00:15:49.55\00:15:51.79
I didn't get it, I've read the
book of Daniel, I didn't get it.
00:15:51.82\00:15:53.93
You come to these prophecy
meetings and I guarantee you.
00:15:53.96\00:15:58.35
Now what did I say everyone?
00:15:58.38\00:15:59.42
- Guarantee!
00:15:59.45\00:16:00.74
And I'm not just whistling
Dixie up here, I guarantee you,
00:16:00.77\00:16:03.85
you will be able to understand
Bible prophecy for yourself.
00:16:03.89\00:16:08.10
That's one of the reasons that
we're going to be giving you
00:16:08.13\00:16:10.31
the study guides night by
night, is I don't want you
00:16:10.34\00:16:12.13
just to take my word for it.
00:16:12.16\00:16:13.13
I want to put the
tools in your hand,
00:16:13.16\00:16:15.67
so that you can
go from this seminar,
00:16:15.70\00:16:17.67
you can go from
this presentation,
00:16:17.70\00:16:19.16
you can go from this
event, go to your own house,
00:16:19.19\00:16:21.48
your own kitchen table,
your own room, your own desk,
00:16:21.51\00:16:23.73
sit down with the Bible,
and a few tools that we will put
00:16:23.76\00:16:26.29
into your hand, and
you can start to see these
00:16:26.32\00:16:28.71
great prophecies unfold before
your own eyes, with your study.
00:16:28.74\00:16:32.45
Does that sound like
a good idea, yes or no?
00:16:32.48\00:16:34.26
That way you just
don't leave here and say oh,
00:16:34.29\00:16:36.33
Well Pastor so and so
said thus and so, No! No! No!
00:16:36.36\00:16:39.22
I want you to have
tools in your own hands,
00:16:39.25\00:16:41.76
so you can do your own
study, your own thinking
00:16:41.79\00:16:45.34
Your own "what" everyone?
00:16:45.37\00:16:46.62
- "Thinking!"
00:16:46.65\00:16:47.86
And never forget this,
if you are not thinking,
00:16:47.90\00:16:50.01
someone is doing
your thinking for you.
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.54
We don't want to do
your thinking for you here,
00:16:52.57\00:16:55.09
we want to give you the
tools that will enable you
00:16:55.12\00:16:57.23
to responsibly.
00:16:57.26\00:16:58.86
What "word" did I say everyone?
00:16:58.89\00:17:00.16
Responsibly and
in a Biblical way,
00:17:00.19\00:17:04.05
to understand
these great prophecies.
00:17:04.08\00:17:06.17
Prophecy is not just
something that religious people
00:17:06.20\00:17:08.26
are interested in,
that is why magazines
00:17:08.29\00:17:10.00
like Newsweek can
run covers like this
00:17:10.03\00:17:12.16
Prophecy, notice
the subtitle here,
00:17:12.19\00:17:14.64
What the Bible says
about the End of the World
00:17:14.67\00:17:17.67
and so we're not just talking
about something here that
00:17:17.70\00:17:19.20
is of interest
to religious people.
00:17:19.23\00:17:22.20
Perhaps no book in the
course of human history,
00:17:22.23\00:17:24.92
and certainly in modern
times, has more fascinated
00:17:24.95\00:17:27.62
different cultures,
and different peoples,
00:17:27.65\00:17:29.72
religious and irreligious alike,
than the book of Revelation.
00:17:29.75\00:17:33.45
Why don't you take
out your study guide,
00:17:33.48\00:17:34.85
and we're going to begin by
reading that first paragraph
00:17:34.88\00:17:38.01
there that's on you study guide,
00:17:38.04\00:17:39.18
it's just a brief introduction
to this marvelous book,
00:17:39.21\00:17:42.37
The Book of Revelation.
00:17:42.40\00:17:43.41
Now just by a showing of
hands, how many people of here
00:17:43.44\00:17:46.37
have read the entire
book of Revelation through,
00:17:46.40\00:17:48.70
just raise your hands nice
and high, "Excellent, Good. "
00:17:48.73\00:17:51.23
Notice what it says
here on your study guide.
00:17:51.26\00:17:53.64
The book of Revelation
contained in the Holy Bible,
00:17:53.67\00:17:56.93
is a remarkable book indeed.
00:17:56.96\00:17:58.85
it's fantastic
imagery, and poetic language,
00:17:58.88\00:18:02.23
have fascinated
people for generations,
00:18:02.26\00:18:04.92
even today nearly 2,000
years after it was written.
00:18:04.95\00:18:09.07
It inspires and intrigues
the mind, the root word
00:18:09.10\00:18:13.14
of Revelation is what everyone?
00:18:13.17\00:18:14.87
To reveal, to reveal is
to uncover, to disclose,
00:18:14.90\00:18:20.20
or to make plain.
00:18:20.23\00:18:21.81
This title is consistent with
the Greek title of the book,
00:18:21.84\00:18:25.12
which is APOKALYPSIS
which sounds to us like the word
00:18:25.15\00:18:27.93
apocalypse which also
means to unveil or to uncover.
00:18:27.96\00:18:31.99
The very title of
the book suggests that
00:18:32.02\00:18:34.55
it can be understood.
00:18:34.58\00:18:35.77
How very unusual then,
that many Christians today,
00:18:35.80\00:18:39.59
both laity and clergy alike,
suggest that it is a quote
00:18:39.62\00:18:42.29
" closed book" which cannot
be understood or comprehended.
00:18:42.32\00:18:45.67
Strange indeed!
00:18:45.70\00:18:46.73
Is there anyone here tonight
who has ever heard that before?
00:18:46.76\00:18:48.76
The Book of
Revelation cannot be understood,
00:18:48.79\00:18:50.45
raise your hand if you
have heard that before.
00:18:50.48\00:18:52.89
Ok! Oh that's a book
that can't be understood,
00:18:52.92\00:18:55.30
that's a closed book.
00:18:55.33\00:18:56.50
I want you to think
about that for just a moment,
00:18:56.53\00:18:58.22
It's a closed mind,
that's exactly right.
00:18:58.25\00:19:01.23
Why would God write
65 books in the Bible,
00:19:01.26\00:19:04.37
there are 66 books in the Bible,
00:19:04.40\00:19:05.77
39 books in the Old Testament,
27 books in the New Testament,
00:19:05.80\00:19:07.88
but think about it logically,
why would God write 65 books
00:19:07.91\00:19:11.40
which can be understood,
only to make the last book,
00:19:11.43\00:19:14.34
a book which
could not be understood,
00:19:14.37\00:19:15.79
and then give the title
of that book, the uncovering,
00:19:15.82\00:19:18.29
or the revealing.
00:19:18.32\00:19:19.30
Does that make any
sense to anyone in here?
00:19:19.33\00:19:22.04
- NO
00:19:22.07\00:19:23.58
God is..., an incidentally
the very reason that
00:19:23.62\00:19:25.25
the Book of Revelation, is
the last book of the Bible,
00:19:25.28\00:19:27.28
is that you need
everything else before it,
00:19:27.31\00:19:29.23
in order to understand it.
00:19:29.26\00:19:31.01
In fact that's what we're
going to discover this evening.
00:19:31.04\00:19:33.97
Notice the next paragraph,
the Book of Revelation
00:19:34.00\00:19:36.22
is a prophetic book, meaning
that it's primary content
00:19:36.25\00:19:39.95
is what everyone?
00:19:39.98\00:19:40.95
- Prophecy!
00:19:40.96\00:19:42.30
Prophecy! Of course, never
the less it must be noted at the
00:19:42.33\00:19:44.34
outset, that according to the
first three verses of Revelation
00:19:44.37\00:19:47.28
the primary purpose of the
book is to reveal Jesus Christ,
00:19:47.31\00:19:52.12
it is a Revelation of Him.
00:19:52.15\00:19:53.12
Open your Bibles with me
to the Book of Revelation,
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.00
I hope you have
your Bibles tonight,
00:19:56.03\00:19:57.20
you will be
needing them every night.
00:19:57.23\00:19:58.64
Some of the text we
will give you on the screen,
00:19:58.67\00:20:02.27
but many of them, we
will want you to turn to
00:20:02.30\00:20:04.49
right in your own
Bibles, now you can find that,
00:20:04.52\00:20:06.28
it's easy to find, it's
the last book of the Bible.
00:20:06.31\00:20:08.23
Go to the far end of
your Bible, the far cover,
00:20:08.26\00:20:12.00
the right cover
there, and you will find
00:20:12.03\00:20:13.20
the Book of Revelation.
00:20:13.23\00:20:14.20
Revelation chapter 1,
and I want you to notice
00:20:15.23\00:20:18.98
the very first 1st verse, and
00:20:19.01\00:20:20.46
we'll look at the
3rd verse as well.
00:20:20.49\00:20:21.60
Revelation
Chapter 1 and Verse 1,
00:20:21.63\00:20:25.82
it says the
Revelation of "who" everyone?
00:20:25.85\00:20:30.48
- Jesus Christ!
00:20:30.51\00:20:31.94
Many people have this idea
that the Book of Revelation
00:20:31.97\00:20:34.69
is all about beasts, and
dragons, and cryptic imagery,
00:20:34.72\00:20:38.57
and smoking alters,
and all kinds of fantastic
00:20:38.61\00:20:42.08
almost mystical imagery
and all of that is in there,
00:20:42.11\00:20:45.41
but right at the
outset we are told
00:20:45.44\00:20:48.10
that the book of
Revelation is about "who?"
00:20:48.13\00:20:51.04
- Jesus Christ!
00:20:51.07\00:20:52.46
- Jesus Christ,
that's exactly right,
00:20:52.49\00:20:53.46
we'll talk more
about that in a moment.
00:20:53.47\00:20:54.57
Which God gave Him
to show His servants,
00:20:54.60\00:20:57.81
things which must
shortly take place.
00:20:57.84\00:21:01.29
What we are going to discover
through all of Revelation,
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.66
is that there is
a sense of urgency.
00:21:03.69\00:21:06.18
A sense of "what"
everyone? - Urgency!
00:21:06.21\00:21:09.38
That permeates this book
through all of it's 22 chapters,
00:21:09.41\00:21:12.51
here in the first verse it
says, things that must shortly
00:21:12.54\00:21:15.57
take place, it's saying don't
be lazy, don't be lackadaisical,
00:21:15.60\00:21:19.25
don't be lethargic, there's
something that's happening,
00:21:19.28\00:21:21.72
it's going to happen soon.
00:21:21.75\00:21:23.02
It says, which must
shortly take place, and He sent
00:21:23.05\00:21:26.70
and signified it by His
angel to His servant John.
00:21:26.73\00:21:30.32
My Bible uses
the word "signified,"
00:21:30.35\00:21:33.21
how many of your Bibles
tonight say He signified it,
00:21:34.41\00:21:36.21
raise your hands, Ok!
00:21:36.24\00:21:37.37
What is the root
word of signified?
00:21:37.40\00:21:39.16
Sign, that's exactly right.
00:21:39.19\00:21:41.96
One of the reasons that
some people find Revelation
00:21:41.99\00:21:44.61
difficult to understand,
is that it is written in
00:21:44.64\00:21:46.92
signs and symbols.
00:21:46.95\00:21:49.25
Written in "what" everyone?
00:21:49.28\00:21:50.62
- Signs and symbols.
00:21:50.65\00:21:51.97
Well, don't let that
be a surprise to you,
00:21:52.00\00:21:54.16
it says right in the
first verse of the first chapter
00:21:54.19\00:21:56.51
of this book, that
when God gave it to John,
00:21:56.54\00:21:59.26
through His angel, He
gave it in symbolic language,
00:21:59.29\00:22:03.66
He sent and signified it.
00:22:03.69\00:22:06.15
Now jump down to verse three.
00:22:06.18\00:22:07.80
"Blessed is he... The
word Blessed means happy.
00:22:08.11\00:22:11.86
Blessed is he who reads,
and those who hear the words
00:22:11.89\00:22:19.46
of this prophecy and keep those
things which are written in it
00:22:19.49\00:22:23.34
for the time is near," there's
that sense of urgency again.
00:22:23.37\00:22:25.96
The time is near, don't be
lazy, don't be lackadaisical,
00:22:25.99\00:22:29.68
don't put it
off, the time is near.
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.90
Notice the three fold blessing,
Blessed are those who hear,
00:22:31.93\00:22:35.31
Blessed are those who
read, and Blessed are those who
00:22:35.34\00:22:37.79
keep a book that
no one can understand.
00:22:37.82\00:22:40.12
Does that make any sense?
00:22:40.15\00:22:43.07
God is saying, oh you
know I gave you the 65,
00:22:43.10\00:22:45.73
but I gave you that last
book that you can't understand
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.68
but if you could understand
it you would be happy,
00:22:47.71\00:22:49.07
but nanny, nanny, boo,
boo, it doesn't make any sense.
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.47
The Book of
Revelation can be understood,
00:22:51.51\00:22:55.39
and we're going to see
tonight that it is not even that
00:22:55.42\00:22:56.39
difficult if we
have the proper tools.
00:22:56.42\00:23:00.82
The proper "what" everyone?
00:23:00.85\00:23:02.39
- Tools!
00:23:02.42\00:23:03.43
The other day I was trying to
hang up a picture at my house,
00:23:03.46\00:23:05.27
and I needed a hammer, but
the hammer seemed like it was
00:23:05.30\00:23:08.84
so far away, after all, it
was all the way in the garage,
00:23:08.87\00:23:11.63
and so I was looking
around for something,
00:23:11.66\00:23:14.22
and I found a shoe, ha! ha!
ha! you ever done this before?
00:23:14.25\00:23:18.34
How come the garage
seemed so far away sometimes?
00:23:18.37\00:23:21.76
Well you know I'll just use
the shoe, you pick up the shoe
00:23:21.79\00:23:24.12
and of course you know it
doesn't dawn on you at the time,
00:23:24.15\00:23:25.80
but the shoe has a rubber sole,
and you hold the nail up there
00:23:25.83\00:23:29.44
and it just doesn't seem to
be working, and you are getting
00:23:29.47\00:23:30.93
black scuff marks on the
wall, and you are really making
00:23:30.96\00:23:34.11
hanging up a picture,
look like a difficult thing.
00:23:34.14\00:23:36.73
Why does it seem so difficult?
00:23:36.76\00:23:39.32
You have the wrong tools.
00:23:39.35\00:23:42.91
If you have the right
tools, is that difficult?
00:23:42.94\00:23:45.73
Not at all.
00:23:45.76\00:23:47.16
What we're going to discover
tonight..., in fact tonight
00:23:47.19\00:23:48.88
we're going to put
two tools in your hand,
00:23:48.91\00:23:50.68
that will transform
the way you understand
00:23:50.71\00:23:53.28
the Book of Revelation.
00:23:53.31\00:23:54.28
But before we get there,
00:23:54.29\00:23:55.26
we must ask two
important questions.
00:23:55.27\00:23:57.06
Now we're right
on your study guide.
00:23:57.09\00:23:58.77
Two important
questions: Number one.
00:23:58.80\00:24:07.01
Well the first one is
actually quite simple.
00:24:07.04\00:24:08.98
What is Prophecy?
The answer is this:
00:24:09.01\00:24:18.32
That's what the word prophecy
means, you can look it up
00:24:18.35\00:24:21.40
in your dictionary, the
word prophecy is to foretell,
00:24:21.43\00:24:24.22
To predict something.
00:24:24.25\00:24:25.97
Our second question was: Where
can I find true and reliable
00:24:26.00\00:24:29.64
Prophecy, and what are those
two words right there everyone?
00:24:29.67\00:24:32.45
The Bible, that's exactly right,
now you are not following along
00:24:32.48\00:24:35.92
with me any more because you
are busy writing on your sheets
00:24:35.95\00:24:37.69
and that just fine,
you are welcome to do that.
00:24:37.72\00:24:39.68
Now let me just give you
a quick Biblical picture.
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.55
Two texts, one from the
Old Testament, one from the
00:24:42.58\00:24:45.30
New Testament, that
sort of paint the picture
00:24:45.33\00:24:47.60
of what prophecy is.
00:24:47.63\00:24:49.30
Isaiah 46:9, 10, Old Testament
verse, notice what God says:
00:24:49.33\00:24:54.20
Notice what God is saying here
in chapter 46 verses 9 and 10,
00:25:11.74\00:25:15.35
God says I am God,
no one else is God,
00:25:15.38\00:25:17.58
and I'll prove to
you that I am God.
00:25:17.61\00:25:18.77
I know the future and
I can declare the future.
00:25:18.80\00:25:22.94
I know what is going to
happen before it comes to pass.
00:25:22.97\00:25:27.19
Notice a New Testament verse,
these are the words of Jesus
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.21
Himself, in John chapter
14:29, Jesus said notice this.
00:25:30.24\00:25:33.92
It just makes such good sense.
00:25:33.95\00:25:36.33
And now I have told you...
What's that word everyone?
00:25:36.36\00:25:39.00
before it takes place, so
that when it does take place
00:25:39.03\00:25:42.35
you may "what", believe,
that just makes good sense
00:25:42.38\00:25:49.40
what Jesus is saying.
00:25:49.43\00:25:50.40
Jesus says listen! I'll tell
you in advance what is going
00:25:50.41\00:25:52.78
to happen, so that
when it does come to happen,
00:25:52.81\00:25:55.02
just like I've said, you
can believe in the credibility
00:25:55.05\00:25:58.15
of what I am
saying, if that makes sense
00:25:58.18\00:25:59.58
I want you to say "Amen. "
00:25:59.61\00:26:00.79
If someone could accurately, and
consistently, and unequivocally,
00:26:00.82\00:26:05.15
and unarguably tell the future,
that person would by nature
00:26:05.18\00:26:08.45
be supernatural, and you
would be interested in what else
00:26:08.48\00:26:10.98
they had to say.
00:26:11.01\00:26:11.98
Jesus says listen, I
will tell you in advance,
00:26:11.99\00:26:13.43
what is going to happen,
so that when it does happen,
00:26:13.46\00:26:16.32
just as I've said, you can
believe that everything else
00:26:16.35\00:26:19.63
that I say is true.
00:26:19.66\00:26:20.64
So prophecy is a
foretelling of events.
00:26:20.67\00:26:24.48
Other religious books
surprisingly, or perhaps
00:26:24.51\00:26:28.57
I should say not
surprisingly, do not contain
00:26:28.60\00:26:31.39
predictive prophecy.
00:26:31.42\00:26:32.88
We could look at the
writings of Confucius,
00:26:32.91\00:26:36.00
and we find there, no prophecy.
00:26:36.03\00:26:38.92
We can look to the writings
of Buddha and about Buddhism,
00:26:38.95\00:26:42.62
and there we find
no predictive prophecy.
00:26:42.65\00:26:45.56
We can even look to the Qur'an,
and we find in the Qur'an,
00:26:45.59\00:26:48.66
no predictive prophecy.
00:26:48.69\00:26:51.25
Yet a remarkable statistic about
the Bible, is that a full 30%
00:26:51.28\00:26:57.10
of the Bible is prophecy.
00:26:57.13\00:26:58.80
How much everyone?
00:26:58.83\00:26:59.95
30%, I want you to think
about that for just a moment
00:26:59.98\00:27:02.92
we're not poking fun here,
we're not being pejorative here
00:27:02.95\00:27:05.53
we're just stating the facts.
00:27:05.56\00:27:07.48
In order to declare
the future by definition,
00:27:07.51\00:27:13.10
what would you
first have to know?
00:27:13.13\00:27:14.51
You would have to know the
future, doesn't that make sense
00:27:14.54\00:27:17.58
everyone yes or no?
00:27:17.61\00:27:18.61
Now think about that, in
order to declare the future
00:27:18.64\00:27:21.78
you must first, know the future.
00:27:21.81\00:27:24.33
So why might it be the
case that other religious books
00:27:24.36\00:27:28.02
do not contain
predictive prophecy, perhaps
00:27:28.05\00:27:31.86
because the authors of those
books, don't know the future.
00:27:31.89\00:27:37.46
That's exactly right,
that is exactly right.
00:27:37.49\00:27:41.12
There are two classifications
of prophecy in the Bible,
00:27:41.15\00:27:44.84
Classical prophecy, number
one, and number two Apocalyptic
00:27:44.87\00:27:49.23
prophecy, we've
already talked about that word
00:27:49.26\00:27:51.36
apocalyptic, it comes
from the Greek work Apokalupsis
00:27:51.39\00:27:54.47
which means to unveil
to uncover or to disclose,
00:27:54.50\00:27:57.64
that is the title of
the Book of Revelation.
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.82
The Apokalupsis, two
kinds of prophecy in the Bible
00:27:59.85\00:28:03.57
and it's going to be
helpful for us to understand,
00:28:03.60\00:28:05.41
that these two kinds of
prophecy will significantly
00:28:05.44\00:28:09.06
and dramatically inform how
we understand the prophecies
00:28:09.09\00:28:12.93
of the Bible.
00:28:12.96\00:28:13.93
Are we all together so
far, so good yes or no?
00:28:13.94\00:28:15.58
Classical prophecy was
directed primarily at the nation
00:28:15.61\00:28:20.62
of ancient Israel, most of
the commonly known Biblical
00:28:20.65\00:28:25.45
prophets fall
into this category.
00:28:25.48\00:28:27.22
Prophets like Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos,
00:28:27.25\00:28:30.33
the vast majority of Biblical
prophets would fall into that
00:28:30.36\00:28:33.75
categorization of
classical prophecy.
00:28:33.78\00:28:36.76
There are certainly
apoplectic themes is some
00:28:36.79\00:28:38.96
of those books, but broadly
00:28:38.99\00:28:40.45
these are the
classical prophets.
00:28:40.48\00:28:42.46
There are only two books
however, in the entire Bible
00:28:42.49\00:28:45.80
that are in their entirety
apocalyptic, and those two books
00:28:45.83\00:28:50.64
are the Old Testament book
of Daniel and the New Testament
00:28:50.67\00:28:54.21
book of "what"
everyone? Revelation!
00:28:54.24\00:28:56.69
I want to show you something
absolutely fascinating.
00:28:56.72\00:28:58.97
Open your Bible with
me to the Book of Matthew.
00:28:59.00\00:29:01.92
That's the first
book of the New Testament.
00:29:01.95\00:29:04.17
Matthew chapter 24, and if
you are sitting next to someone
00:29:04.20\00:29:07.10
who looks like they are having
a little difficulty finding it,
00:29:07.13\00:29:08.90
then be a good friend,
be a brother, be a sister,
00:29:08.93\00:29:11.34
lean over and
help them to find it.
00:29:11.37\00:29:12.71
Matthew chapter 24, the
first Book of the New Testament,
00:29:12.74\00:29:16.32
right between Malachi, and Mark.
00:29:16.35\00:29:17.88
Matthew chapter 24, I'll give
you plenty of time to get there,
00:29:17.91\00:29:23.38
It's important for
me, that you see it.
00:29:23.41\00:29:24.64
Matthew chapter 24, now in
two nights, not tomorrow night,
00:29:24.67\00:29:28.52
but the following night,
we will spend the entire night
00:29:28.55\00:29:30.74
in Matthew chapter 24,
looking at one of the most
00:29:30.77\00:29:32.73
remarkable
prophecies in all of the Bible.
00:29:32.76\00:29:35.27
Look at Matthew 24,and verse
15, verse 15 Jesus speaking,
00:29:35.30\00:29:42.07
If you have the
words in red in your Bible,
00:29:42.10\00:29:44.60
then you will notice
that these words are in red,
00:29:44.63\00:29:46.05
that means that
Jesus is speaking.
00:29:46.08\00:29:47.69
Jesus says in verse 15,
therefore, when you shall see
00:29:47.72\00:29:52.31
the abonominations of
desolation spoken of by "who"
00:29:52.34\00:29:55.63
everyone? Daniel the prophet.
00:29:55.66\00:29:58.15
You say well,
I'm already confused,
00:29:58.18\00:29:59.23
what's the
abomination of desolation?
00:29:59.26\00:30:00.64
Don't worry, that's
not what we are here for,
00:30:00.67\00:30:02.34
We'll spend plenty of time on
that abomination of desolation.
00:30:02.37\00:30:04.52
What I want you to see is
the second part of that verse.
00:30:04.55\00:30:07.14
Verse 15,
therefore when you shall see,
00:30:07.17\00:30:09.76
the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet
00:30:09.79\00:30:13.41
standing in the Holy Place,
who so reads, let him "what"
00:30:13.44\00:30:18.34
understand.
00:30:18.37\00:30:20.52
Isn't that interesting, Jesus
here is speaking to the people
00:30:20.55\00:30:24.04
of His day, and incidentally,
it's about the second coming,
00:30:24.07\00:30:27.82
it's about the end of time,
and right in the middle of it
00:30:27.85\00:30:29.82
He says, by the way,
you should understand
00:30:29.85\00:30:32.84
the book of Daniel.
00:30:32.87\00:30:34.06
In an end time
context Jesus says, understand
00:30:34.09\00:30:37.74
the book of Daniel, well we've
already read in the book of
00:30:37.77\00:30:40.52
Revelation, Blessed is he
that reads, and keeps and hears.
00:30:40.55\00:30:43.85
In fact, these are the only
two books that I'm personally
00:30:43.88\00:30:47.26
aware of in all of the
New Testament, where Jesus
00:30:47.29\00:30:50.09
explicitly says,
understand this book.
00:30:50.12\00:30:54.47
The book of Daniel and
the book of Revelation,
00:30:54.50\00:30:56.53
we're going to discover in
our Bible prophecy seminar,
00:30:56.56\00:30:58.54
that these two books
are like sisters, brothers,
00:30:58.57\00:31:02.61
it is basically
impossible to understand one,
00:31:02.64\00:31:04.83
without the other.
00:31:04.86\00:31:06.07
Daniel and
Revelation, go together,
00:31:06.10\00:31:09.05
go "what" everyone?
00:31:09.08\00:31:10.05
Together, and not coincidentally
these are the very two books
00:31:10.06\00:31:13.79
that Jesus said that
you better understand it
00:31:13.82\00:31:15.74
You better
understand the book of Daniel,
00:31:15.77\00:31:17.20
and you better understand
the book of Revelation.
00:31:17.23\00:31:19.77
Not coincidentally, those
are the two books that are
00:31:19.80\00:31:23.41
apoplectic in nature, two
classifications of prophecy.
00:31:23.44\00:31:28.73
So the burning question that
we have this evening is this,
00:31:28.76\00:31:31.59
How can we correctly
interpret Bible prophecy?
00:31:31.62\00:31:35.62
How can we correctly
interpret end-time prophecy?
00:31:35.65\00:31:39.31
We don't to just
know what one man thinks,
00:31:39.34\00:31:42.38
can someone say Amen to that?
00:31:42.41\00:31:43.76
We want to have the tools to
arrive at correct conclusions
00:31:43.79\00:31:47.75
our self.
00:31:47.78\00:31:49.24
Well in order to correctly
understand Bible prophecy
00:31:49.27\00:31:51.70
we're going to
need two essential keys.
00:31:51.73\00:31:55.34
Two essential keys.
00:31:55.37\00:31:56.98
If you are following along,
we are on the second page,
00:31:57.01\00:32:00.31
under the
correct interpretation.
00:32:00.34\00:32:02.99
Correct interpretation
on the second page.
00:32:03.02\00:32:05.29
Let's read that
introductory paragraph,
00:32:05.32\00:32:08.59
second page where it
says correct interpretation.
00:32:08.62\00:32:11.30
This brings us to the
question of interpretation.
00:32:11.33\00:32:14.66
How can we correctly
interpret apocalyptic,
00:32:14.69\00:32:17.22
or end time prophecy,
that's our burning question,
00:32:17.25\00:32:18.91
that we had just
here a moment ago.
00:32:18.94\00:32:20.27
As we'll discover the
Bible holds the keys to unlock
00:32:20.30\00:32:24.43
the message of it's
own prophetic books,
00:32:24.46\00:32:26.10
especially Revelation.
00:32:26.13\00:32:28.05
It is simply a matter
of discovering the keys,
00:32:28.08\00:32:31.51
and then "what"
everyone? Using them.
00:32:31.54\00:32:34.52
How many of you have heard of
this book the Bible Code Book?
00:32:34.55\00:32:38.86
Oh yeah! the Bible Code Book,
it's all a great big mystery.
00:32:38.90\00:32:42.93
Let me tell you something,
that is what the Devil
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.33
would love you to believe,
oh it's a great big mystery
00:32:45.36\00:32:47.98
Takes a real Genius to
understand it, No! No! No!
00:32:48.01\00:32:50.79
You want to see
the Bible Code Book,
00:32:50.82\00:32:51.91
I've actually got it over
here, let me grab it, "here,"
00:32:51.94\00:32:54.02
Oh! There it is! There's
the Bible Code Book right there.
00:32:54.05\00:32:56.60
The Bible is
it's own interpreter,
00:32:56.64\00:33:00.69
let's say that together.
00:33:00.72\00:33:02.03
The Bible is
it's own interpreter,
00:33:02.06\00:33:06.07
you don't need a PhD.,
a ThD., or any of that,
00:33:06.10\00:33:08.22
you surely don't need
some esoteric, do-do-do-do-do,
00:33:08.25\00:33:11.78
Code Book, God speaks
in natural normal language.
00:33:11.81\00:33:17.39
I'm not here to make
fun or put anybody down,
00:33:17.42\00:33:18.99
but the point is this.
00:33:19.02\00:33:19.99
Whenever you see
something that says,
00:33:20.00\00:33:21.91
oh it's all so mysterious,
it's all so mystical.
00:33:21.94\00:33:24.63
You should
immediately be concerned,
00:33:24.66\00:33:26.52
is God not intelligent
enough to communicate with us
00:33:26.55\00:33:28.81
in normal every day language?
00:33:28.84\00:33:30.76
Can you say Amen to that?
00:33:30.79\00:33:31.82
Surely He can do
that, and he has done it.
00:33:31.85\00:33:34.37
What we're going to discover
tonight, is that there are two
00:33:34.40\00:33:36.51
very simple
keys to understanding
00:33:36.54\00:33:38.57
the book of
Revelation, and here they are:
00:33:38.60\00:33:40.47
Key number one:
00:33:40.50\00:33:41.87
The Book of Revelation
rests upon the broad foundation
00:33:41.90\00:33:48.02
of Old Testament
history, imagery, and prophecy.
00:33:48.05\00:33:51.81
That's what you would write
in on the line right there,
00:33:51.84\00:33:54.14
Old Testament
History Imagery and Prophecy.
00:33:54.17\00:33:57.88
The second key is this:
00:33:57.91\00:33:59.81
Jesus Christ is the focus of
end-time prophecy, especially
00:33:59.84\00:34:05.44
the Book of Revelation
00:34:05.48\00:34:06.45
and we've already seen that
in the first three verses of
00:34:06.46\00:34:07.77
Book of Revelation chapter one.
00:34:07.80\00:34:08.92
Those are the two keys
that are absolutely essential,
00:34:08.95\00:34:11.78
as we begin tonight.
00:34:11.81\00:34:12.78
Number one, we
need a sure foundation,
00:34:12.79\00:34:14.85
and number two, we
need a sharp focus.
00:34:14.88\00:34:16.63
The sure foundation of
the Book of Revelation,
00:34:16.66\00:34:18.98
is the Old Testament.
00:34:19.01\00:34:20.87
The sharp focus of the Book
of Revelation is Jesus Christ.
00:34:20.90\00:34:24.23
Are there beasts in
Revelation, sure there are,
00:34:24.26\00:34:26.79
are there dragons in
Revelation, sure there are,
00:34:26.82\00:34:29.68
is there mystical imagery
in Revelation, sure there is,
00:34:29.71\00:34:32.74
but those are not
the focus of Revelation,
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.95
those are all
props on the stage,
00:34:34.98\00:34:37.13
Jesus is the focus,
does that make sense?
00:34:37.16\00:34:39.91
I want you to say Amen.
00:34:39.94\00:34:40.92
So tonight we're going
to apply these two keys,
00:34:40.95\00:34:43.47
and in applying
these two keys...
00:34:43.50\00:34:45.58
Let's spend a moment
here on the first key,
00:34:45.61\00:34:47.89
that the Old
Testament is the foundation,
00:34:47.92\00:34:50.92
and it's
imagery, and it's history,
00:34:50.95\00:34:53.27
and all of its illustrations
help us to understand,
00:34:53.30\00:34:57.56
the Book of Revelation.
00:34:57.59\00:34:59.49
The Book of Revelation contains:
00:34:59.52\00:35:09.49
Trying to understand the
Book of Revelation without
00:35:09.52\00:35:13.28
knowing the Old
Testament context,
00:35:13.31\00:35:15.43
is like trying to
understand the English language
00:35:15.46\00:35:17.73
without knowing the alphabet.
00:35:17.76\00:35:19.17
It's an exercise
in impossibility,
00:35:19.20\00:35:23.10
if you are going to
go buy the Detroit News,
00:35:23.13\00:35:25.32
or you are going
to buy the Free Press,
00:35:25.35\00:35:27.70
and pick those papers
up, and in one hand have the
00:35:27.73\00:35:30.09
Detroit News, and in one hand
have the Book of Revelation,
00:35:30.12\00:35:31.94
and think you are
going to understand
00:35:31.97\00:35:33.14
the Book of Revelation,
based on these events,
00:35:33.17\00:35:34.90
that is an
exercise doomed to failure.
00:35:34.93\00:35:38.53
There are all kinds of religious
figures, that are saying,
00:35:38.56\00:35:40.93
oh yeah, Russia is the
Great Dragon of Revelation 12,
00:35:40.96\00:35:44.57
and oh, Russia,
Russia, Russia, and every time
00:35:44.60\00:35:46.90
they open the Book of Revelation
00:35:46.93\00:35:47.93
Russia was all over it, until
Communism basically evaporated
00:35:47.96\00:35:52.95
right before our very
eyes, and hm, hm, hm, hm, hm,
00:35:52.98\00:35:55.28
got to go back and
think that one through again.
00:35:55.31\00:35:57.10
because their
interpretation wasn't based
00:35:57.13\00:35:59.81
on the Old Testament foundation.
00:35:59.84\00:36:01.44
It was based on a
man made foundation
00:36:01.47\00:36:03.25
of current news
events, and this is fanaticism,
00:36:03.28\00:36:06.14
this is sensationalism, and this
does not lead to a responsible,
00:36:06.17\00:36:10.65
What word everyone?
00:36:10.68\00:36:11.65
- Responsible! - A
responsible understanding
00:36:11.66\00:36:14.08
of the book itself.
00:36:14.11\00:36:15.08
If we want to responsibly
understand this book,
00:36:15.09\00:36:17.24
hey, if you are
looking for sensationalism
00:36:17.27\00:36:18.51
then you came to the wrong
place, if you are looking for
00:36:18.54\00:36:20.65
responsible Bible interpretation
for responsible tools,
00:36:20.68\00:36:24.49
that you can apply yourself,
you came to the right place.
00:36:24.52\00:36:26.86
404 verses in the
Book of Revelation,
00:36:26.89\00:36:30.56
more that 270 are taken
directly from the Old Testament
00:36:30.59\00:36:33.15
Let me give you five
quick examples you've got there
00:36:33.18\00:36:36.01
in your study
guide, five quick examples
00:36:36.04\00:36:38.42
of how this works.
00:36:38.45\00:36:39.72
I'll just give you five examples
of how it would be basically
00:36:39.75\00:36:42.31
impossible to understand
the Book of Revelation,
00:36:42.34\00:36:44.36
without the Old
Testament context.
00:36:44.39\00:36:47.59
Key number one: The Old
Testament is the foundation
00:36:47.62\00:36:49.90
Bible example number one.
00:36:49.93\00:36:51.21
Ancient Israel's economy
centered around the sanctuary
00:36:51.24\00:36:55.06
and it's sacrifices, the
lamb was the most prominent
00:36:55.09\00:36:59.06
of the sacrificial animals,
you find that all throughout
00:36:59.09\00:37:01.60
Exodus, all throughout
Leviticus, particularly,
00:37:01.63\00:37:03.93
the lamb, the lamb,
the lamb, the sanctuary,
00:37:03.96\00:37:05.69
and the sacrifices.
00:37:05.72\00:37:07.56
When we come to
the Book of Revelation,
00:37:07.59\00:37:10.22
we find that Jesus Christ
is referred to as the lamb
00:37:10.25\00:37:14.30
26 times.
00:37:14.33\00:37:17.08
John the Baptist said in
John chapter one verse 29 there,
00:37:17.11\00:37:20.36
he said: Behold the
lamb of God which takes away
00:37:20.39\00:37:25.85
the sins of the world.
00:37:25.88\00:37:26.85
So if we are going to understand
what John the revelator means
00:37:26.86\00:37:30.01
in the Book of Revelation,
when he uses the word 26 times.
00:37:30.04\00:37:33.67
Incidentally, the word
lamb only occurs 29 times,
00:37:33.70\00:37:36.74
in the whole of the New
Testament, think about that,
00:37:36.77\00:37:38.94
29 times in all
the New Testament,
00:37:38.97\00:37:40.73
and 26 of them are in
the Book of Revelation.
00:37:40.76\00:37:43.43
What John is saying is go back
and figure out what that means
00:37:43.46\00:37:47.78
the lamb, go back and take a
look at it in it's Old Testament
00:37:47.81\00:37:50.59
context, it doesn't
mean a literal lamb,
00:37:50.62\00:37:52.72
it's pointing to
something significant.
00:37:52.75\00:37:55.83
To try to understand the
Book of Revelation without
00:37:55.86\00:37:58.53
the Old Testament
context, is "impossible. "
00:37:58.56\00:38:01.53
It's "what" everyone?
00:38:01.56\00:38:02.89
Impossible!
00:38:02.92\00:38:04.51
The second one here: When
we come to Daniel chapter 7
00:38:04.54\00:38:09.52
and we're going to study this
prophecy in just a few nights.
00:38:09.55\00:38:11.69
It's absolutely
amazing, I love this painting,
00:38:11.72\00:38:14.19
a good friend of mine
Eric Pletcher, painted this,
00:38:14.22\00:38:15.89
I just love this.
00:38:15.92\00:38:17.09
We find there
these incredible images,
00:38:17.12\00:38:19.99
I mean just out of this world
images, a lion with eagles wings
00:38:20.02\00:38:24.01
and a bear that's
raised up on one side
00:38:24.04\00:38:26.00
with three ribs in his
mouth, a four headed leopard,
00:38:26.03\00:38:28.54
of all things, with four
wings, and a beast that was so
00:38:28.57\00:38:32.01
horrific, so
terrible that Daniel
00:38:32.04\00:38:33.54
couldn't even describe it,
and he sees these unusual beasts
00:38:33.57\00:38:37.14
coming up out of the water.
00:38:37.17\00:38:38.14
You are saying what does
all that mean, hang in here,
00:38:38.40\00:38:39.96
we are going to study that,
we're going to spend quite a bit
00:38:39.99\00:38:41.94
of time on that,
as a matter of fact.
00:38:41.97\00:38:43.07
But here's something interesting
when we come to Revelation
00:38:43.10\00:38:45.53
chapter 13, we find this beast
called the Antichrist beast.
00:38:45.56\00:38:49.40
Oh, oh did he say it, the
Antichrist, sure we said it
00:38:49.43\00:38:52.57
nothing mysterious about
it, in fact if you look at your
00:38:52.60\00:38:54.68
extended schedule there.
00:38:54.71\00:38:55.88
We have a message
entitled, The Actual, Definite,
00:38:55.91\00:38:58.11
Certain, Unavoidable,
Identity of the Antichrist.
00:38:58.14\00:39:00.91
We will show you from the
Bible, from the "what" everyone?
00:39:00.94\00:39:04.60
- Bible! - From the Bible,
00:39:04.63\00:39:05.89
who this actually is.
00:39:05.92\00:39:06.89
The point is this, when you
come to Revelation chapter 13
00:39:06.92\00:39:10.26
and you encounter this
beast, I mean this thing is a
00:39:10.29\00:39:12.21
hideous looking beast.
00:39:12.24\00:39:13.79
John says, listen carefully,
he has the mouth of a lion,
00:39:13.82\00:39:16.92
he has the body of a leopard.
00:39:16.95\00:39:19.44
He has the feet of a
bear, and he has ten horns.
00:39:19.47\00:39:22.65
Guess where that
imagery comes from, just guess!
00:39:22.68\00:39:25.61
It comes from the Old Testament,
00:39:25.65\00:39:29.53
and guess what
book it comes from.
00:39:29.56\00:39:31.01
- Daniel! - You
are exactly right.
00:39:31.04\00:39:32.71
Try to understand
who this beast is,
00:39:32.75\00:39:34.39
without first understanding what
those beasts represent in Daniel
00:39:34.42\00:39:37.76
it's going to be impossible.
00:39:37.79\00:39:40.20
Now you can pick up your
Detroit News and say well
00:39:40.23\00:39:42.02
I think that that is North
Korea, yeah that is North Korea
00:39:42.05\00:39:46.98
right there, and that
interpretation will last
00:39:47.01\00:39:48.74
for about five or six
years until North Korea
00:39:48.77\00:39:51.25
passes off the scene, and
we hope that that situation
00:39:51.28\00:39:53.99
is alleviated in a positive way.
00:39:54.02\00:39:56.94
Notice this one here
Bible example number 3:
00:39:56.97\00:39:57.94
According to Daniel and
Isaiah, in the Old Testament,
00:39:57.97\00:40:02.84
ancient Babylon fell after a man
named Cyrus diverted the river
00:40:02.87\00:40:07.91
Euphrates into an field and this
allowed the armies to come in
00:40:07.94\00:40:12.88
and Babylon fell.
00:40:12.91\00:40:14.23
That's history,
that's how Babylon fell,
00:40:14.26\00:40:17.18
and we'll spend some
more time talking about that.
00:40:17.21\00:40:18.71
What's remarkable is when you
come to the Book of Revelation,
00:40:18.74\00:40:21.81
you find in Revelation,
the great river Euphrates
00:40:21.84\00:40:24.98
in Revelation 16, is
depicted as drying up,
00:40:25.01\00:40:27.68
and immediately after the drying
up of the river Euphrates,
00:40:27.71\00:40:30.43
in Revelation 17, Babylon falls.
00:40:30.46\00:40:33.96
Whoa! where did
John get that idea from?
00:40:33.99\00:40:36.87
Where did John
get that imagery from?
00:40:36.90\00:40:38.53
It comes directly
from the Old Testament.
00:40:38.56\00:40:40.80
You want to understand
that prophecy, we better go back
00:40:40.83\00:40:43.84
and understand the
prophecy that it is based upon,
00:40:43.87\00:40:46.51
is this making
sense everyone, yes or no?
00:40:46.54\00:40:48.40
You might be saying, well wait
a minute, I don't understand
00:40:48.43\00:40:50.56
those Old
Testament things either.
00:40:50.59\00:40:51.98
Well, that's why you come to
a Bible prophecy seminar, Amen!
00:40:52.01\00:40:54.74
Exactly!
00:40:54.77\00:40:56.80
Example number four: We'll
give you just five of these.
00:40:56.83\00:40:59.32
In the Book of Exodus, that's
the second book of the Bible,
00:40:59.35\00:41:02.50
Israel was delivered
from Egyptian bondage
00:41:02.53\00:41:05.72
by divine intervention
in the form of ten plagues.
00:41:05.75\00:41:08.59
Maybe you saw the movie
with Charlton Hesston, right!
00:41:08.62\00:41:10.64
"The Ten Commandments,"
God delivered His people
00:41:10.67\00:41:14.46
in the form of ten
plagues, well guess what we find
00:41:14.49\00:41:18.07
in the Book of Revelation.
00:41:18.10\00:41:19.53
In the Book of Revelation,
God's last day people
00:41:19.56\00:41:22.06
are delivered again by divine
intervention in the form of
00:41:22.09\00:41:26.37
the seven last plagues.
00:41:26.40\00:41:28.91
Say whoa! where did
that imagery come from?
00:41:28.94\00:41:31.21
It comes directly
from the Old Testament.
00:41:31.24\00:41:33.51
The fifth example here:
Actually this is still part of
00:41:33.54\00:41:38.85
example number four, pardon
me, according to Exodus 15,
00:41:38.88\00:41:41.60
the pinnacle of
Israel's deliverance came
00:41:41.63\00:41:43.97
when God brought
them through the Red Sea.
00:41:44.00\00:41:46.38
Remember that story, God
lead them through the Red Sea.
00:41:46.41\00:41:49.83
It was the pinnacle of
Israel's exodus experience,
00:41:49.86\00:41:52.48
and according to Revelation
15, the pinnacle of deliverance
00:41:52.51\00:41:55.98
for God's last day
people comes, when they stand
00:41:56.01\00:41:59.52
on the Sea of Glass.
00:41:59.55\00:42:01.59
The imagery is so
similar, it's almost synonymous.
00:42:01.62\00:42:06.11
Here is our
fifth Biblical example.
00:42:06.14\00:42:08.23
According to
the Book of Genesis,
00:42:08.26\00:42:10.42
the center of the Garden
of Eden was the tree of life.
00:42:10.45\00:42:17.93
According To Revelation,
the center of the New Jerusalem
00:42:17.96\00:42:21.45
is "guess what,"
the tree of life.
00:42:21.48\00:42:24.34
In fact we're going to
be spending some pretty
00:42:24.37\00:42:25.57
significant time
on that very theme.
00:42:25.60\00:42:28.24
Two essential keys,
absolutely essential.
00:42:28.27\00:42:31.59
Number one: The
Book of Revelation
00:42:31.62\00:42:33.63
say it with me, rests
upon the broad foundation of
00:42:33.66\00:42:36.62
Old Testament
history, imagery, and prophecy.
00:42:36.65\00:42:39.94
Tonight we have given
you just five examples,
00:42:39.97\00:42:41.70
we could literally give you
50 examples if time allowed.
00:42:41.73\00:42:44.30
What I want you to see
here is that if we're going to
00:42:44.33\00:42:47.00
understand the
Book of Revelation,
00:42:47.03\00:42:48.68
it's at the end of
the Bible for a reason.
00:42:48.71\00:42:51.21
Many people come right
to the Book of Revelation,
00:42:51.24\00:42:53.64
and they try to read it
and they don't understand it.
00:42:53.67\00:42:55.25
That's a little bit like
picking up a Calculus text book,
00:42:55.28\00:42:57.35
and trying to understand
it when you don't understand
00:42:57.38\00:42:59.51
simple arithmetic.
00:42:59.54\00:43:00.51
If you go through the process
of understanding Revelation,
00:43:00.52\00:43:04.50
listen to these
words, on it's own terms.
00:43:04.53\00:43:07.87
What did I say everyone?
00:43:07.90\00:43:09.50
On it's own terms, it
really is not very difficult,
00:43:09.53\00:43:13.71
in fact you have got a
key in your hand tonight,
00:43:13.74\00:43:15.35
the first one we've
already talked about,
00:43:15.38\00:43:16.75
that will already open
up the Book of Revelation
00:43:16.78\00:43:19.15
before you, in ways
that you never knew possible.
00:43:19.18\00:43:21.04
It's not a scary book,
it's not a mystical book,
00:43:21.07\00:43:23.79
It's an awesome
book, it's an amazing book,
00:43:23.82\00:43:25.84
and it's an understandable
book that brings glory
00:43:25.88\00:43:28.96
to Jesus Christ.
00:43:28.99\00:43:30.85
Number two: That
brings us to our second key.
00:43:30.88\00:43:33.94
Jesus Christ is
the "what" everyone?
00:43:33.97\00:43:36.82
Focus of end time
prophecy, especially
00:43:36.85\00:43:40.04
the Book of Revelation,
these two keys are essential
00:43:40.07\00:43:42.73
to unlocking prophecies doors.
00:43:42.76\00:43:44.91
We have a sure
foundation in key number one,
00:43:44.94\00:43:47.49
and we have a sharp
focus in key number two.
00:43:47.52\00:43:49.69
What I would like to
do now is take you through
00:43:49.72\00:43:52.97
the Book of
Revelation very quickly.
00:43:53.00\00:43:57.04
In fact as we survey
the Book of Revelation,
00:43:57.07\00:43:59.74
I want you to note with
me carefully the preeminence
00:43:59.77\00:44:03.11
of Jesus Christ.
00:44:03.14\00:44:04.23
He is clearly the central
figure of this amazing book,
00:44:04.26\00:44:08.23
in fact what we are going
to do is take a whirlwind tour
00:44:08.26\00:44:11.64
this evening, of
the Book of Revelation,
00:44:11.67\00:44:13.35
and I mean whirl wind, it's
going to last about 10 minutes.
00:44:13.38\00:44:15.61
If you go
walking through a forest,
00:44:15.64\00:44:18.91
you can look at the
trees, you can look at the bark,
00:44:18.94\00:44:21.91
you can look at the flowers,
you can spend time looking at
00:44:21.94\00:44:24.44
all of the details and
the nuances of the forest.
00:44:24.47\00:44:27.47
It's a very different experience
than if you fly over the forest.
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.76
If you "what" everyone?
00:44:31.79\00:44:33.57
When you fly over the forest,
you get an airplane view.
00:44:33.60\00:44:36.83
You can see the lay of the land,
it's very helpful to understand
00:44:36.86\00:44:41.11
the lay of the land, before you
go walking into the innermost
00:44:41.14\00:44:44.77
details of it all.
00:44:44.80\00:44:46.00
Does that make sense everyone?
00:44:46.03\00:44:47.00
So instead of just
starting right into Revelation
00:44:47.01\00:44:49.18
chapter one and saying verse
one, verse two, verse three,
00:44:49.21\00:44:52.56
verse four, and start
wading our way through,
00:44:52.59\00:44:54.88
we're going to
start loosing people
00:44:54.91\00:44:56.02
What we're going to do tonight
is we're going to fly over
00:44:56.05\00:44:59.05
the Book of Revelation in
kind of an airplane fashion,
00:44:59.08\00:45:01.92
and we're going
to look down and say,
00:45:01.95\00:45:03.12
so that's what
the book is all about.
00:45:03.15\00:45:04.81
Let's walk through it together.
00:45:04.84\00:45:07.36
In Revelation chapter one
a man by the name of John,
00:45:07.39\00:45:10.91
he was the last living apostle,
he was stranded on an island
00:45:10.94\00:45:15.00
a penal colony
called Patmos, P- A-T-M-O-S,
00:45:15.03\00:45:19.58
24 miles out into the
Aegean Sea, he was Christ's
00:45:19.61\00:45:24.05
last living apostle, he was
there, he was separated from
00:45:24.08\00:45:26.65
his family, he was
separated from his friends,
00:45:26.68\00:45:28.84
he was separated from
everything that was familiar
00:45:28.87\00:45:31.47
to him, and there he was
all alone, dejected perhaps,
00:45:31.50\00:45:34.75
and forlorn, just wandering,
all of his friends gone,
00:45:34.78\00:45:37.26
all of his family gone.
00:45:37.29\00:45:38.26
He's been exiled to this island
because of the Word of God,
00:45:38.27\00:45:41.29
the Bible says, and he's sitting
there, and Jesus appears to him
00:45:41.32\00:45:45.46
on that island.
00:45:45.49\00:45:46.46
There's an older man, perhaps
00:45:46.49\00:45:48.59
80 or 90 years old at the time.
00:45:48.62\00:45:49.94
Most scholars believe that the
00:45:49.98\00:45:51.24
Book of Revelation was
written some time around 96 A.D.
00:45:51.27\00:45:54.21
and here's John an old
man, and his weathered hand,
00:45:54.24\00:45:57.71
and his weathered face on that
island, his friends all gone,
00:45:57.74\00:46:00.65
his fellow disciples all gone,
separated from all that was
00:46:00.68\00:46:04.32
familiar and
common to him, and "BOOM,"
00:46:04.35\00:46:06.46
Jesus appears to him.
00:46:06.49\00:46:10.12
He says John I have
appeared to you for a reason,
00:46:10.15\00:46:13.85
I'm going to show
you things that everybody
00:46:13.88\00:46:17.14
is going to wonder about right
down to the very end of time.
00:46:17.17\00:46:20.37
People are going to read
what I'm going to show you
00:46:20.40\00:46:23.62
and John just basically
sat back and got to watch
00:46:23.65\00:46:26.39
the most amazing
movie to ever transpire,
00:46:26.42\00:46:30.56
directed by Jesus Christ.
00:46:30.59\00:46:32.64
All of these visions
began to flash before John,
00:46:32.67\00:46:36.85
in cinematic fashion, and
he guides him right through
00:46:36.88\00:46:40.82
these remarkable visions.
00:46:40.85\00:46:42.61
The visions that we are
going to be spending time on,
00:46:42.64\00:46:44.81
night, by night, by
night, looking as John looked
00:46:44.84\00:46:48.23
at these amazing images.
00:46:48.26\00:46:49.67
Looking as John looked at these
mysterious and unusual signs
00:46:49.70\00:46:54.11
and symbols.
00:46:54.14\00:46:55.17
There's John
looking up into heaven,
00:46:55.20\00:46:56.56
and what's the first thing he
sees in Revelation chapter one?
00:46:56.59\00:46:58.83
He sees the risen Christ,
it's the first thing he sees
00:46:58.86\00:47:02.92
the risen Christ, and the
Bible says He was walking among
00:47:02.95\00:47:06.08
seven golden candlesticks, and
He had seven stars in His hand,
00:47:06.11\00:47:10.32
His feet burned like fire, and
were bronze, He had white hair,
00:47:10.35\00:47:13.81
and He speaks to John, and
He says John don't be afraid,
00:47:13.84\00:47:16.64
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
I am Him who was, and who is,
00:47:16.67\00:47:21.97
and who is to come, I'm Him
who was dead, and who was risen.
00:47:22.00\00:47:25.29
John looked up, and
he saw the glorified face
00:47:25.32\00:47:30.09
of his best friend
in the world, Jesus.
00:47:30.12\00:47:32.49
The Man that he had
spent three and a half years
00:47:32.52\00:47:34.01
of his life with, and he looks
up and he sees Jesus in Glory
00:47:34.04\00:47:37.60
that's Revelation chapter one.
00:47:37.63\00:47:38.93
Revelation chapter two, and
three we find Jesus saying John,
00:47:38.96\00:47:42.60
I've got my churches
Ephesus and Smyrna, Pergamum,
00:47:42.63\00:47:46.04
Thyatira's, Sardis, I've
got my churches Laodecia,
00:47:46.07\00:47:49.48
I need you to send
letter of encouragement,
00:47:49.51\00:47:52.54
letters of rebuke,
letters of inspiration,
00:47:52.57\00:47:54.98
to my churches John.
00:47:55.01\00:47:56.13
Write these letters
down and send them out.
00:47:56.16\00:47:58.83
Jesus in Revelation
two and three is depicted
00:47:58.86\00:48:01.34
as the tender shepherd, keeping
watch over His dear churches
00:48:01.37\00:48:05.81
keeping watch over
those that were close to Him
00:48:05.84\00:48:08.26
He said John before
we get into the visions,
00:48:08.29\00:48:09.98
I need you to send
out some urgent letters
00:48:10.01\00:48:12.04
to my special churches,
give them encouragement,
00:48:12.07\00:48:15.33
give them inspiration, and
some of them give them rebuke,
00:48:15.36\00:48:18.16
and council.
00:48:18.19\00:48:19.75
In Revelation chapter four,
we are transported to what is my
00:48:19.78\00:48:22.74
personal favorite
vision in all of Revelation,
00:48:22.77\00:48:25.87
Revelation four and
five, John sees a throne
00:48:25.90\00:48:28.65
and he looks at that throne
and he is amazed at the throne,
00:48:28.68\00:48:31.89
and one sat on the throne, and
as the story develops you know
00:48:31.92\00:48:35.54
that that's God on the throne.
00:48:35.57\00:48:37.05
John looks around
and there is a scroll,
00:48:37.08\00:48:41.53
in our modern time
we bind books like this,
00:48:41.56\00:48:45.76
this is what is
called the Kodak's form,
00:48:45.79\00:48:47.40
but in those times,
there were scrolls and
00:48:47.43\00:48:50.58
John sees this scroll, and
it's sealed with seven seals
00:48:50.61\00:48:53.66
and John has a sense that
00:48:53.69\00:48:55.33
whatever is in that
scroll is important.
00:48:55.37\00:48:57.28
He doesn't know what
it is, but it's important
00:48:57.31\00:48:58.84
and then the cry is
"Who can open the scroll"
00:48:58.87\00:49:02.86
it's been sealed.
00:49:02.89\00:49:04.78
They would seal in ancient times
scrolls with wax or with pitch
00:49:04.81\00:49:09.26
so that they couldn't be
opened when a message was sent
00:49:09.29\00:49:11.28
from one dignitary to
another by a messenger,
00:49:11.31\00:49:13.89
and they would know
if it had been opened.
00:49:13.92\00:49:15.82
John sees this marvelous
scroll with seven seals,
00:49:15.85\00:49:19.20
and he's looking and no
one was found in all of Heaven
00:49:19.23\00:49:22.69
to open it.
00:49:22.72\00:49:23.88
John begins to cry, he begins
to weep, because he has a sense
00:49:23.91\00:49:29.13
that whatever is in that scroll,
that the destiny of humanity
00:49:29.16\00:49:32.68
hinges on what is in that
scroll and he begins to weep.
00:49:32.71\00:49:35.42
Then an angel turns to
John and says don't cry.
00:49:35.45\00:49:38.93
The lion of the tribe of Judah
has prevailed to open the scroll
00:49:38.96\00:49:45.94
and loose it's seals.
00:49:45.97\00:49:47.41
Then John looks in Revelation
chapter five, and he sees a lamb
00:49:47.44\00:49:51.88
as if it had been slain,
so in Revelation four and five
00:49:51.91\00:49:54.29
you have the lamb slain, and
the lion of the tribe of Judah
00:49:54.32\00:49:57.70
and Jesus comes
in, the "Risen Christ"
00:49:57.73\00:50:00.26
and He takes that
scroll from the hand of Him
00:50:00.29\00:50:02.48
who was sitting on the throne.
00:50:02.51\00:50:03.48
That's God the Father and
He sits down on the throne.
00:50:03.49\00:50:07.60
Powerful imagery, the
coronation service of Christ
00:50:07.63\00:50:13.24
taking place there,
Christ taking His rightful place
00:50:13.27\00:50:16.91
there on the throne.
00:50:16.94\00:50:19.75
Revelation six and seven,
is the opening of those seals.
00:50:19.78\00:50:24.05
Every time Jesus peels
back a seal there is a vision.
00:50:24.09\00:50:28.66
Every time Jesus
takes off one on the seals,
00:50:28.69\00:50:31.65
there is a special vision
that correlates to that seal.
00:50:31.68\00:50:35.44
Revelation six and seven,
you can see the flow of it,
00:50:35.47\00:50:38.37
It makes perfectly
good chronological sense.
00:50:38.40\00:50:41.88
It's not to say the Book
of Revelation is entirely
00:50:41.91\00:50:44.74
chronological, in fact
it's not entirely chronological
00:50:44.77\00:50:47.28
that's one of the reasons
that people have trouble with
00:50:47.31\00:50:48.84
the Book of Revelation.
00:50:48.87\00:50:49.84
The Book of Revelation is
not written chronologically
00:50:49.85\00:50:52.05
it is written thematically,
it's based on themes
00:50:52.08\00:50:54.95
more than chronology,
and we'll spend time on that.
00:50:54.98\00:50:56.95
Revelation six and seven,
Jesus the glorified Christ
00:50:56.98\00:50:59.69
begins to peel back those
seals and vision, after vision,
00:50:59.72\00:51:02.41
after vision comes and
then we get to Revelation eight
00:51:02.44\00:51:05.07
and nine, and the
trumpets begin to blow.
00:51:05.10\00:51:08.49
The trumpets of
judgment, ta tada da, ta tada da
00:51:08.52\00:51:11.66
the great shofar is sounding,
what did you think of that?
00:51:11.69\00:51:13.48
I can play the trumpet,
but I didn't want to scare you.
00:51:13.51\00:51:15.49
The trumpet sounds and
these horrific judgments
00:51:15.52\00:51:21.22
begin to fall.
00:51:21.25\00:51:22.22
So what are those judgments,
and what are those trumpets.
00:51:22.23\00:51:25.43
It's Christ that is
issuing these things,
00:51:25.46\00:51:28.14
Christ is at the center
of it, are there judgments?
00:51:28.17\00:51:30.48
Sure there are, but it is
Christ who is issuing them,
00:51:30.51\00:51:32.88
it's Christ who is at the center
and the judgments flow out.
00:51:32.91\00:51:37.09
In Revelation chapter 10,
we find this angel who looks
00:51:37.12\00:51:40.56
exactly like Christ in
Revelation chapter one.
00:51:40.59\00:51:43.52
Many Bible expositors
believe it is Jesus, a messenger
00:51:43.55\00:51:46.54
and He returns and He
puts one foot on the sea,
00:51:46.57\00:51:49.69
and He puts one foot on the land
and He lifts His hand to heaven
00:51:49.72\00:51:52.47
and swears that there will
be time or delay no longer.
00:51:52.50\00:51:55.67
He has a little scroll
in His hand, a remarkable,
00:51:55.70\00:51:58.69
remarkable prophecy.
00:51:58.72\00:52:00.68
Revelation chapter eleven,
we find these two witnesses.
00:52:00.71\00:52:04.41
Two witnesses that could
call down fire from heaven,
00:52:04.44\00:52:09.19
and a witness that
could cause plagues to fall,
00:52:09.22\00:52:11.84
and then the
witnesses are slain.
00:52:11.87\00:52:12.84
Who are they witnesses of?
00:52:12.87\00:52:15.52
Jesus Christ!
00:52:15.55\00:52:17.04
These things do not exist
in a vacuum, even the witnesses
00:52:17.07\00:52:20.41
were testifying of
Christ and their slaying.
00:52:20.44\00:52:23.51
And then Revelation 12 and
13, is the undisputed climax
00:52:23.54\00:52:28.24
of the Book of Revelation.
00:52:28.27\00:52:29.30
Here we find Jesus
Christ, the Risen Christ,
00:52:29.33\00:52:32.48
the Glorified Christ, in
direct conflict and combat
00:52:32.51\00:52:37.81
with the enemy.
00:52:37.84\00:52:38.81
In Revelation chapter 12 is
the conflict with the dragon,
00:52:38.82\00:52:41.20
verse nine says, that dragon
that deceives the whole world
00:52:41.23\00:52:44.07
is the Devil and Satan.
00:52:44.10\00:52:45.93
Here we find Jesus
locked in almost hand to hand
00:52:45.96\00:52:49.47
combat with His arch enemy.
00:52:49.50\00:52:51.50
Well, who is this
dragon? Who is this Devil?
00:52:51.53\00:52:53.43
Where did he come from?
00:52:53.46\00:52:54.43
You got to keep
coming to the meetings,
00:52:54.44\00:52:55.56
that's exactly what
we're going to talk about.
00:52:55.59\00:52:57.30
Revelation 13, this beast
that we've already talked about,
00:52:57.33\00:52:59.91
The body of a leopard, the feet
of a bear, the mouth of a lion,
00:52:59.94\00:53:02.30
and these ten horns, and
Jesus in direct conflict,
00:53:02.33\00:53:05.49
the people of God, in
direct conflict with these
00:53:05.52\00:53:07.93
satanic, anti-Christian powers.
00:53:07.96\00:53:10.68
Revelation 14, we see
these three angels streaking
00:53:10.71\00:53:13.98
through the midnight heavens.
00:53:14.01\00:53:15.03
Three very special
important messages:
00:53:15.06\00:53:17.67
The first message is fear
God and give Glory to Him,
00:53:17.70\00:53:20.54
for the hour of
His judgment is come.
00:53:20.57\00:53:22.66
And these angels have special
messages that point us to,
00:53:22.69\00:53:26.01
guess who
everyone? Jesus Christ!
00:53:26.04\00:53:28.74
That's exactly right.
00:53:28.77\00:53:29.74
Revelation 14, ends with the
second coming of Jesus Christ,
00:53:29.75\00:53:33.19
Powerful, unimaginable,
unfathomable glory that will be.
00:53:33.22\00:53:36.91
Revelation 15 all the way
through 19, Jesus in chapter 19
00:53:36.94\00:53:41.11
is depicted as riding
on a great white stallion.
00:53:41.14\00:53:44.24
The Bible says He has on His
vesture a name King of Kings,
00:53:44.27\00:53:48.60
and say it with
me Lord of Lords,
00:53:48.63\00:53:51.16
He is the Word of God,
He's clothed in a garment
00:53:51.19\00:53:53.49
dipped in blood, and He returns
victorious over His enemies.
00:53:53.52\00:53:57.49
That imagery comes directly
from an ancient practice.
00:53:57.52\00:54:01.46
When one army had been
defeated, the general of the
00:54:01.49\00:54:04.45
victorious army would
get on a white stallion,
00:54:04.48\00:54:06.52
and he would ride victoriously
across the battlefield
00:54:06.55\00:54:08.97
on that white stallion.
00:54:09.00\00:54:10.14
That's exactly what we find
in Revelation 15, 16, 17, 18,
00:54:10.17\00:54:14.04
and 19, is Christ
gets the victory over His
00:54:14.07\00:54:16.86
self styled opposers.
00:54:16.89\00:54:18.60
Revelation 20, Christ
takes that nail scarred hand,
00:54:18.63\00:54:21.95
and lays it directly on the
hand of Satan, and binds him,
00:54:21.98\00:54:26.43
and throws him into a pit.
00:54:26.46\00:54:27.87
Her we find Christ in direct
conflict with His arch-enemy
00:54:27.90\00:54:32.59
and that is awesome, I can not
wait to get to Revelation 20.
00:54:32.62\00:54:36.09
Revelation 21: The best of
all, we see the New Jerusalem,
00:54:36.12\00:54:41.83
the Bible says there will be
no more pain, no more sorrow,
00:54:41.86\00:54:44.72
no more death, no more
disease, no more terrorism,
00:54:44.75\00:54:47.52
someone say Amen!
00:54:47.55\00:54:48.58
- Amen!
00:54:48.61\00:54:49.60
What's the focus
of the New Jerusalem?
00:54:49.63\00:54:51.40
It's not a city, it's not gold
streets, it's not gold walls,
00:54:51.43\00:54:55.40
it's who's in that
city, that is "Jesus!"
00:54:55.43\00:54:59.74
All the way through
the Book of Revelation,
00:54:59.77\00:55:03.43
the whole focus is Jesus.
00:55:03.46\00:55:06.52
From Revelation
one to Revelation 22,
00:55:06.55\00:55:09.80
we can understand this book.
00:55:09.83\00:55:12.52
We can
understand Bible prophecy,
00:55:12.55\00:55:15.00
but we're going
to need two keys.
00:55:15.03\00:55:16.54
Number one, we're going
to need the key that says
00:55:16.57\00:55:18.83
the Old
Testament, is the foundation
00:55:18.86\00:55:22.06
of the Book of Revelation.
00:55:22.09\00:55:23.74
Number two: We're going
to need the key that says,
00:55:23.77\00:55:26.08
the focus of this book is not
dragons, the focus of this book
00:55:26.11\00:55:29.10
is not the anti-Christ,
the focus of this book is not
00:55:29.13\00:55:31.65
all of this mystical imagery.
00:55:31.68\00:55:33.74
The focus of this book
is who? Say it with me now.
00:55:33.77\00:55:35.92
Jesus Christ!
00:55:35.95\00:55:38.63
Can you say Amen?
00:55:38.66\00:55:40.49
- Amen! - Alright!
00:55:40.52\00:55:42.06
Is your appetite wetted?
00:55:42.09\00:55:43.53
Alright, Well
we're done for tonight.
00:55:43.56\00:55:46.05
Ha! ha! ha! ha!
We're going to close with
00:55:46.08\00:55:48.56
a word of prayer, we're
going to turn you loose,
00:55:48.59\00:55:50.22
tomorrow night, I'm going
to let you know something,
00:55:50.25\00:55:51.69
I'm going to make you a promise.
00:55:51.72\00:55:52.70
We want to be very sensitive
to your time, are you busy?
00:55:52.73\00:55:57.52
Anybody here
busy? Hey, I'm busy.
00:55:57.55\00:56:00.72
Here's what's going to
happen, I want to let you know,
00:56:00.75\00:56:02.02
I'm not whistling Dixie up here.
00:56:02.05\00:56:03.32
These meetings are
going to start at 7:00 sharp.
00:56:03.35\00:56:06.43
Seven sharp, so don't think,
well I'll show up at 7:10,
00:56:06.46\00:56:10.26
you show up at 7:10, you
miss the first ten minutes
00:56:10.29\00:56:11.87
of the meetings.
00:56:11.90\00:56:12.90
You show up at 7:00 sharp,
this meeting is going to last
00:56:12.93\00:56:15.73
about 55 minutes, and you
can walk out of here most nights
00:56:15.76\00:56:19.66
by eight o'clock.
00:56:19.69\00:56:20.66
Sound like a good idea?
00:56:20.67\00:56:21.65
So can still get home and
eat your meal, and see the game,
00:56:21.68\00:56:25.06
whatever you want, but
beloved, we are going to be here
00:56:25.09\00:56:28.73
responsibly, carefully,
studying God's Holy Word.
00:56:28.76\00:56:33.01
I want to give you a personal
invitation to be with us
00:56:33.04\00:56:35.71
as many nights as you
can, and I'll let you know.
00:56:35.74\00:56:38.73
I don't gain anything from you
being here except the fellowship
00:56:38.76\00:56:41.97
of good Christian
brothers, and sisters.
00:56:42.00\00:56:43.70
But you will gain a lot from
being here, do whatever you can,
00:56:43.73\00:56:47.70
change your schedule,
manipulate your schedule,
00:56:47.73\00:56:49.99
adjust your schedule, if you
cannot make it on certain nights
00:56:50.02\00:56:53.08
no problem, we'll
have audio CD's available
00:56:53.11\00:56:55.05
every single
night for a nominal fee,
00:56:55.08\00:56:56.86
again that money doesn't
go to me, that money goes to
00:56:56.89\00:56:58.97
defray the
expenses of this event.
00:56:59.00\00:57:01.12
You are all invited as
my personal guests, to come,
00:57:01.15\00:57:03.92
to bring family
members, to bring friends,
00:57:03.95\00:57:05.82
and to go on a journey
with us as we discover prophecy.
00:57:05.85\00:57:11.43
Let's pray
together, Father in Heaven,
00:57:11.46\00:57:13.66
we have just spent a
few moments together tonight
00:57:13.69\00:57:16.23
trying to unlock a few of
the mysteries of Revelation,
00:57:16.26\00:57:20.34
and Father we have seen tonight
it is not some mysterious book,
00:57:20.37\00:57:23.71
incomprehensibly difficult,
to understand no!, no!, no!,
00:57:23.74\00:57:26.39
In fact tonight with just two
keys in our hands, we've already
00:57:26.42\00:57:29.89
begun to unlock some of the
00:57:29.92\00:57:31.05
marvelous
mysteries of this book.
00:57:31.08\00:57:32.95
Father, I want to pray for every
person here, unique people,
00:57:32.99\00:57:36.02
special people,
people that you love.
00:57:36.05\00:57:38.34
Father there are people
here tonight with challenges,
00:57:38.37\00:57:40.68
there's people
here with frustrations,
00:57:40.71\00:57:42.05
people here with needs,
Father minister to every person
00:57:42.08\00:57:45.69
that is here and their families,
and Father bring them back
00:57:45.72\00:57:48.75
not to my Glory but to
your Glory in the name of Jesus,
00:57:48.78\00:57:52.96
let everyone say, "Amen. "
00:57:52.99\00:57:55.43