Tom had decided that
it was time for his family
00:00:09.77\00:00:13.58
to start going to church.
00:00:13.61\00:00:16.01
So he decided to
get out the phone book
00:00:16.04\00:00:18.11
and find a good Christian church
00:00:18.15\00:00:20.38
for his family to go to.
00:00:20.42\00:00:22.72
But as he flipped
00:00:22.75\00:00:24.09
through the pages
of the phone book,
00:00:24.12\00:00:26.09
to his amazement,
he discovered that
00:00:26.12\00:00:28.72
there were literally
hundreds of different churches
00:00:28.76\00:00:32.79
in his city alone.
00:00:32.83\00:00:35.36
Many of them had names
he had never even heard of.
00:00:35.40\00:00:39.73
Some of those
denominations had names
00:00:39.77\00:00:42.04
that he couldn't even pronounce.
00:00:42.07\00:00:44.11
And he
recognized that it took up
00:00:44.14\00:00:46.74
five whole pages
of the phone book.
00:00:46.78\00:00:50.01
And Tom was just confused.
00:00:50.05\00:00:51.61
He scratched his head
and he thought to himself,
00:00:51.65\00:00:54.22
there's one God.
00:00:54.25\00:00:56.25
There's one Bible, there
was one Christian church,
00:00:56.28\00:01:00.79
where in the world did we get
00:01:00.82\00:01:03.49
all of these
different denominations?
00:01:03.53\00:01:07.83
Now I have a feeling
Tom is not the only one
00:01:07.86\00:01:10.07
who has ever
asked that question.
00:01:10.10\00:01:12.50
Chances are pretty
high that you've asked it,
00:01:12.53\00:01:15.57
I've asked it, or
somebody we know has asked,
00:01:15.60\00:01:18.91
if there's one God,
if there's one Bible,
00:01:18.94\00:01:21.21
where did we get all
these different groups
00:01:21.24\00:01:23.38
with thousands of
different doctrines
00:01:23.41\00:01:26.05
and teachings?
00:01:26.08\00:01:28.22
Believe it or not, did you know
00:01:28.25\00:01:30.35
the Book of
Revelation prophesied
00:01:30.39\00:01:32.69
that this would happen?
00:01:32.72\00:01:34.66
Revelation told us that
the early Christian church
00:01:34.69\00:01:38.06
would eventually
fall away from truth
00:01:38.09\00:01:40.80
and would begin to split
up into many different groups
00:01:40.83\00:01:44.63
throughout the centuries.
00:01:44.67\00:01:46.23
So tonight, we're gonna
take a look at those prophecies
00:01:46.27\00:01:49.84
in the Book of Revelation
00:01:49.87\00:01:51.27
that predicted the
emergence of these groups.
00:01:51.31\00:01:53.98
Then we're gonna go back
and trace the steps of history
00:01:54.01\00:01:57.65
to see how it happened,
and then we're going to end
00:01:57.68\00:02:01.42
with watching how God
decided to restore His truth.
00:02:01.45\00:02:06.55
So tonight, go ahead
and get out your Bibles.
00:02:06.59\00:02:08.52
And we're gonna start
00:02:08.56\00:02:09.89
in Revelation 12:1,
00:02:09.92\00:02:14.66
you want to go to
Revelation Chapter 12,
00:02:14.70\00:02:18.10
and I'm gonna
start reading verses 1-5.
00:02:18.13\00:02:22.47
Now we were in
Revelation 12 last night,
00:02:22.50\00:02:25.41
but we focused on the
last part of that chapter.
00:02:25.44\00:02:29.38
Tonight, we're gonna
focus on the first part.
00:02:29.41\00:02:32.75
So as I read
these first five verses,
00:02:32.78\00:02:35.72
I want to invite you to
just use your imagination,
00:02:35.75\00:02:39.09
and I want you to
picture the things
00:02:39.12\00:02:41.52
that John is
describing in this vision.
00:02:41.56\00:02:45.66
Revelation 12:1, the Bible says,
00:02:45.69\00:02:51.33
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven.
00:02:51.37\00:02:55.17
A woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
00:02:55.20\00:03:00.14
and on her head a
garland of," how many stars?
00:03:00.18\00:03:03.71
Twelve stars. "Twelve stars.
00:03:03.75\00:03:05.28
Then being with child,
00:03:05.31\00:03:06.78
she cried out in labor
and in pain to give birth.
00:03:06.82\00:03:11.35
And another sign
appeared in heaven,
00:03:11.39\00:03:14.12
behold a great fiery,
00:03:14.16\00:03:16.29
red dragon having
seven heads and ten horns,
00:03:16.32\00:03:20.66
and seven diadems on his heads.
00:03:20.70\00:03:23.87
His tail drew a third
of the stars of heaven
00:03:23.90\00:03:26.90
and threw them to the earth.
00:03:26.94\00:03:28.87
And the dragon
stood before the woman
00:03:28.90\00:03:32.21
who was ready to give
birth, to devour her Child
00:03:32.24\00:03:36.44
as soon as it was born."
00:03:36.48\00:03:39.25
Verse 5, "And
she bore a male Child
00:03:39.28\00:03:42.92
who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron.
00:03:42.95\00:03:46.35
And her Child
was caught up to God
00:03:46.39\00:03:49.62
and to His Throne."
00:03:49.66\00:03:52.76
Now, let's stop
there for a second.
00:03:52.79\00:03:54.86
How many of you would agree
00:03:54.90\00:03:56.23
that's a pretty
vivid description
00:03:56.26\00:03:58.20
that John gives us,
can I see your hands?
00:03:58.23\00:04:00.50
Yeah, you have
this picture of a dragon
00:04:00.54\00:04:03.97
who is attacking a woman
who's ready to give birth
00:04:04.01\00:04:07.88
to the male child.
00:04:07.91\00:04:09.64
And when the dragon
cannot conquer the male child,
00:04:09.68\00:04:13.15
the dragon turns
his attention to who?
00:04:13.18\00:04:17.02
The woman itself.
00:04:17.05\00:04:19.02
So now literally speaking,
00:04:19.05\00:04:20.39
here's what we
see in this passage.
00:04:20.42\00:04:22.02
You have a woman and her child
00:04:22.06\00:04:23.99
being attacked by a dragon
00:04:24.03\00:04:26.19
that's got seven
heads and ten horns.
00:04:26.23\00:04:29.60
And the question is, well,
00:04:29.63\00:04:31.37
what in the
world does that mean?
00:04:31.40\00:04:33.80
Well, that passage
has a number of symbols
00:04:33.84\00:04:36.60
that we have already interpreted
00:04:36.64\00:04:38.57
throughout this seminar.
00:04:38.61\00:04:39.94
So let's just take a
look at them on the screen.
00:04:39.97\00:04:42.41
We've already learned
that a woman in Bible prophecy
00:04:42.44\00:04:45.78
represents God's people,
or you could say God's Church,
00:04:45.81\00:04:50.15
the sun and the
moon, though Revelation
00:04:50.19\00:04:52.45
doesn't come right
out and say what that is.
00:04:52.49\00:04:55.36
The sun and the moon
both give and reflect light.
00:04:55.39\00:04:59.13
So they seem to be
symbols of righteousness.
00:04:59.16\00:05:03.37
The 12 stars or the garland
that's around the woman's head,
00:05:03.40\00:05:06.20
no doubt that
represents the 12 apostles.
00:05:06.23\00:05:09.00
The child Revelation
12:5 tells us represents who,
00:05:09.04\00:05:12.77
what do you think?
00:05:12.81\00:05:14.14
Yeah, Jesus Christ.
00:05:14.18\00:05:15.51
He rules all nations.
00:05:15.54\00:05:16.88
He's caught up to
God and His throne.
00:05:16.91\00:05:18.58
That was pretty easy.
00:05:18.61\00:05:19.95
That's Jesus.
00:05:19.98\00:05:21.32
The dragon we've already learned
00:05:21.35\00:05:22.78
represents Satan.
00:05:22.82\00:05:24.62
And we've studied that
00:05:24.65\00:05:25.99
this beast with
seven heads and ten horns
00:05:26.02\00:05:28.82
represents the
persecuting power of Rome.
00:05:28.86\00:05:33.26
So when you put all
those symbols together,
00:05:33.29\00:05:36.16
here is the picture
that Revelation is giving us.
00:05:36.20\00:05:39.87
It's a picture of
Jesus Christ and His Church
00:05:39.90\00:05:44.47
being attacked by Satan
through the Roman Empire.
00:05:44.51\00:05:49.18
That's how Revelation 12 begins.
00:05:49.21\00:05:52.31
Now, the question is,
00:05:52.35\00:05:54.12
is that actually
what happened in history?
00:05:54.15\00:05:56.75
And the answer is yes.
00:05:56.79\00:05:58.72
No sooner was Jesus Christ born,
00:05:58.75\00:06:02.06
then Mary and
Joseph had to take him
00:06:02.09\00:06:05.09
and they had to hide
away in Egypt for a while.
00:06:05.13\00:06:08.40
Do you remember why?
00:06:08.43\00:06:10.77
Because King Herod
had made the decree
00:06:10.80\00:06:14.80
to murder all children
aged two years and under
00:06:14.84\00:06:18.41
because he had heard that
the King of the Jews was born.
00:06:18.44\00:06:21.24
Can you imagine that,
murdering all the children
00:06:21.28\00:06:23.78
two years and under
to protect your throne?
00:06:23.81\00:06:27.68
You know, I would
not want to be Herod
00:06:27.72\00:06:30.09
when the record of my
life comes up in the judgment.
00:06:30.12\00:06:34.36
Now Herod was a Roman ruler,
00:06:34.39\00:06:35.89
tried to kill Christ
00:06:35.92\00:06:37.26
from the moment
that He was born.
00:06:37.29\00:06:39.69
All through His life,
the devil dogged His steps,
00:06:39.73\00:06:42.80
and eventually Jesus was
arrested by Roman soldiers,
00:06:42.83\00:06:46.74
tried in Roman courts
and nailed on a Roman cross.
00:06:46.77\00:06:52.47
But when Jesus
died and resurrected,
00:06:52.51\00:06:55.48
He had victory over the grave
and He had victory over sin.
00:06:55.51\00:06:58.78
Can you say amen?
00:06:58.81\00:07:00.15
Because when Jesus
laid His life down,
00:07:00.18\00:07:02.32
that sealed the devil's
fate and the devil's doom,
00:07:02.35\00:07:06.19
and eventually when He
ascended back to heaven,
00:07:06.22\00:07:09.12
back to the throne
of God, it was clear
00:07:09.16\00:07:12.26
the dragon could not
conquer the male child.
00:07:12.29\00:07:15.36
And so now the dragon Satan
00:07:15.40\00:07:18.13
turns his attention to who?
00:07:18.17\00:07:22.17
The followers of Jesus
or the Church of Christ,
00:07:22.20\00:07:27.04
and all we have to do
is just look at the first,
00:07:27.08\00:07:31.18
second and third
centuries of Christian history.
00:07:31.21\00:07:34.28
And you read all
about the persecution
00:07:34.32\00:07:37.75
that the early
Christian church went through.
00:07:37.79\00:07:41.32
You see, to be a Christian
00:07:41.36\00:07:42.82
in their pagan
Roman Empire was illegal
00:07:42.86\00:07:45.69
because Christianity
was an illegal religion.
00:07:45.73\00:07:48.16
If you chose to follow Jesus,
00:07:48.20\00:07:50.70
if you chose to
be a disciple of His,
00:07:50.73\00:07:53.37
you risk your house,
your home, your business,
00:07:53.40\00:07:57.17
and even your life.
00:07:57.21\00:08:00.18
To give you an idea how
bad that persecution was,
00:08:00.21\00:08:02.88
I'm gonna put a symbol of that
persecution up on the screen.
00:08:02.91\00:08:06.58
And as soon as you see it,
00:08:06.61\00:08:08.02
you're gonna immediately
recognize what it is.
00:08:08.05\00:08:11.75
What's that a picture of?
00:08:11.79\00:08:13.96
The Roman Colosseum.
00:08:13.99\00:08:16.32
Now, how many of you
have ever been to Rome
00:08:16.36\00:08:18.23
and had a chance to
go through the Colosseum?
00:08:18.26\00:08:20.93
Can I see your hands?
00:08:20.96\00:08:22.30
Okay, a few of you had.
00:08:22.33\00:08:23.77
About 10 years ago or so,
00:08:23.80\00:08:25.83
Marquita and I
had the opportunity
00:08:25.87\00:08:27.87
to go on a study tour of
the Protestant Reformation,
00:08:27.90\00:08:32.01
and to go to all
the significant sites
00:08:32.04\00:08:34.81
where the reformers were,
00:08:34.84\00:08:36.58
and one of the
places they took us
00:08:36.61\00:08:39.11
was into Rome to go
into this Colosseum.
00:08:39.15\00:08:43.45
Now to give you an idea
how large this Colosseum is,
00:08:43.49\00:08:47.32
can you see the little
truck that's parked right there
00:08:47.36\00:08:50.76
in the first
level, you see that?
00:08:50.79\00:08:52.63
Compare the size of that truck?
00:08:52.66\00:08:55.56
So the three levels
of the Roman Colosseum,
00:08:55.60\00:08:58.70
that was a huge
monstrosity of a structure,
00:08:58.73\00:09:02.40
three levels high.
00:09:02.44\00:09:04.01
And it was said that
it could seat probably
00:09:04.04\00:09:06.04
70,000 screaming fans
and see here's what happened.
00:09:06.07\00:09:11.11
Inside that Colosseum
is where Rome would throw
00:09:11.15\00:09:15.25
all their prisoners, all
of the enemies of the state
00:09:15.28\00:09:18.62
those who were condemned to die.
00:09:18.65\00:09:21.19
And they were then
forced to defend themselves
00:09:21.22\00:09:23.83
against armed gladiators,
00:09:23.86\00:09:25.73
but also wild
and ravenous beasts.
00:09:25.76\00:09:29.26
You see a picture
00:09:29.30\00:09:30.63
of the circular
plainfield there.
00:09:30.67\00:09:32.77
Now half of it is excavated.
00:09:32.80\00:09:35.20
And you might be
able to notice that
00:09:35.24\00:09:37.01
right below the plain
floor, you have these tunnels
00:09:37.04\00:09:40.74
or these caverns
that had been carved out.
00:09:40.78\00:09:43.38
That's where they would
hide all the wild beasts.
00:09:43.41\00:09:46.88
And they actually
had, believe it or not,
00:09:46.92\00:09:49.75
ancient primitive elevators
that would bring those animals
00:09:49.78\00:09:53.99
up to the plainfield
00:09:54.02\00:09:56.29
and see what would occur
is they would throw thousands
00:09:56.32\00:09:59.93
upon thousands of
Christians over the years,
00:09:59.96\00:10:02.66
of course, not at the same time,
00:10:02.70\00:10:04.37
into the middle
of this plainfield,
00:10:04.40\00:10:06.84
70,000 people
screaming to see their death,
00:10:06.87\00:10:12.67
70,000 people
00:10:12.71\00:10:14.68
calling for their
blood to be spilled.
00:10:14.71\00:10:18.11
Not that different from
00:10:18.15\00:10:19.51
when Jesus stood
on one side of Pilate
00:10:19.55\00:10:22.38
and Barabbas stood on the other.
00:10:22.42\00:10:24.89
And the Bible describes,
and there's also a book called
00:10:24.92\00:10:27.76
The Desire of Ages
about the life of Jesus
00:10:27.79\00:10:30.26
that actually describes as
the crowd screamed for Jesus
00:10:30.29\00:10:34.43
to be crucified that it was like
00:10:34.46\00:10:36.56
the bellowing of wild beasts,
00:10:36.60\00:10:39.00
as though demons
had taken over the crowd
00:10:39.03\00:10:42.00
and were screaming
for the blood of Jesus.
00:10:42.04\00:10:45.41
That's what happened
inside this Colosseum.
00:10:45.44\00:10:49.04
Seventy thousand people
who wanted to see a Christian
00:10:49.08\00:10:52.68
getting mauled to
death by wild beasts,
00:10:52.71\00:10:56.72
they would throw blood
on top of the Christians.
00:10:56.75\00:10:59.99
And then these wild beasts
00:11:00.02\00:11:01.56
that had been starved for weeks,
00:11:01.59\00:11:03.46
when they smelled and
saw the sight of blood,
00:11:03.49\00:11:06.93
they went into a wild frenzy,
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.36
and they tore
them limb from limb.
00:11:09.40\00:11:13.40
Can you imagine a
society so depraved,
00:11:13.44\00:11:18.01
that you're eager
to watch people die
00:11:18.04\00:11:20.74
in front of your face?
00:11:20.78\00:11:22.11
That's what sin does to us.
00:11:22.14\00:11:24.05
It twists our minds
and our perceptions.
00:11:24.08\00:11:28.18
But yet you read in
history, these Christians,
00:11:28.22\00:11:31.79
they could look
death in the face.
00:11:31.82\00:11:34.92
They could look
wild beasts in the eyes,
00:11:34.96\00:11:37.33
they could stand
before the Roman emperor
00:11:37.36\00:11:39.63
and they would say,
00:11:39.66\00:11:41.00
"I will not give up
my faith in Jesus Christ.
00:11:41.03\00:11:44.10
I will not give up
the truths of Scripture,
00:11:44.13\00:11:46.97
the truth of the
Gospels that I know."
00:11:47.00\00:11:50.51
And I believe Jesus is
looking for Christians today,
00:11:50.54\00:11:53.64
like those early believers.
00:11:53.68\00:11:55.01
Can you say amen?
00:11:55.04\00:11:56.41
People who are willing to
stand for Christ and His truth,
00:11:56.44\00:11:59.98
no matter what the cost,
00:12:00.02\00:12:01.95
people who are not
willing to make excuses,
00:12:01.98\00:12:04.75
people who are not
going to compromise,
00:12:04.79\00:12:07.22
people who are not
going to straddle the fence,
00:12:07.26\00:12:09.69
but are willing to put
Jesus above everyone else,
00:12:09.72\00:12:13.06
and to put His Word
above everything else.
00:12:13.09\00:12:17.83
You see, the dragon
was not able to conquer
00:12:17.87\00:12:20.64
the male child.
00:12:20.67\00:12:22.00
And the dragon was also
not able to conquer the woman
00:12:22.04\00:12:26.24
or the Church of Jesus
Christ in those early centuries.
00:12:26.27\00:12:31.15
But you know,
00:12:31.18\00:12:32.51
then a shift
occurred in the Roman world,
00:12:32.55\00:12:36.62
because Satan decided
to follow an old adage.
00:12:36.65\00:12:41.36
Have you ever heard that saying,
00:12:41.39\00:12:42.72
which says, "If
you can't beat them,
00:12:42.76\00:12:47.50
join them."
00:12:47.53\00:12:49.00
See, the devil realized,
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.00
the dragon knew that
persecution never stamps out
00:12:51.03\00:12:54.57
the Christian church.
00:12:54.60\00:12:55.94
In fact, all throughout history
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.51
when you persecute
the followers of Christ,
00:12:57.54\00:12:59.67
that's when they grow.
00:12:59.71\00:13:01.78
Because for
every Christian martyr
00:13:01.81\00:13:03.71
whose blood was shed,
00:13:03.75\00:13:05.08
four or five more would
stand up in their place,
00:13:05.11\00:13:07.05
and the devil
realized this is not working.
00:13:07.08\00:13:10.12
So here's what happened.
00:13:10.15\00:13:12.49
Within the Roman
Empire, a shift took place,
00:13:12.52\00:13:15.02
Satan changed his strategy.
00:13:15.06\00:13:18.59
The Roman Emperor
Constantine became a Christian.
00:13:18.63\00:13:23.53
And Christianity went
from being an illegal religion
00:13:23.57\00:13:28.40
to becoming the
official state religion.
00:13:28.44\00:13:32.27
In 313, Constantine
issues the Edict of Milan,
00:13:32.31\00:13:37.21
where
Christianity is now acceptable
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.58
in the Roman Empire.
00:13:39.61\00:13:41.58
Now at first,
that may sound good,
00:13:41.62\00:13:44.45
you may say wonderful,
God is getting the victory.
00:13:44.49\00:13:48.09
But you see when that happened,
00:13:48.12\00:13:50.09
Constantine because
he formerly was a pagan,
00:13:50.13\00:13:54.13
brought many of the
false pagan teachings
00:13:54.16\00:13:58.03
into the Christian church.
00:13:58.07\00:14:00.47
And out of Rome
came a religious system,
00:14:00.50\00:14:03.94
where the traditions of men
00:14:03.97\00:14:05.84
took the place of
the truth of Scripture,
00:14:05.87\00:14:08.61
and the commandments
of men and human authority
00:14:08.64\00:14:11.85
was placed above
the commandments of God.
00:14:11.88\00:14:15.68
And papal Rome
became a persecuting power
00:14:15.72\00:14:20.49
for over 1,000 years.
00:14:20.52\00:14:23.36
And that's why you read
what you see in verse 6.
00:14:23.39\00:14:27.00
Now go to Revelation 12:6.
00:14:27.03\00:14:32.00
Now this is
after the male child,
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.34
Jesus is caught up
to God and His throne.
00:14:34.37\00:14:36.71
This is after the ascension.
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.37
This is after the persecution
of the early centuries.
00:14:38.41\00:14:41.41
Now notice what verse 6 says,
00:14:41.44\00:14:44.78
Revelation 12:6,
00:14:44.81\00:14:47.22
the Bible says,
00:14:47.25\00:14:49.85
"Then the woman fled," where?
00:14:49.88\00:14:53.89
Into the wilderness.
00:14:53.92\00:14:55.69
where she has a
place prepared by God
00:14:55.72\00:14:59.09
that they should feed
her there 1260," what?
00:14:59.13\00:15:04.07
Days. "Days."
00:15:04.10\00:15:05.43
Now we already know
from our previous study,
00:15:05.47\00:15:07.94
if you apply the
day for a year principle
00:15:07.97\00:15:10.01
what time frame is
that, not 1260 days but what?
00:15:10.04\00:15:14.18
1260 years.
00:15:14.21\00:15:16.48
See when it talks about
00:15:16.51\00:15:18.01
the woman having to
hide in the wilderness.
00:15:18.05\00:15:21.75
This is referring
00:15:21.78\00:15:23.12
to the 1260 years of persecution
00:15:23.15\00:15:26.59
in the Middle Ages,
00:15:26.62\00:15:28.26
when papal Rome dominated,
00:15:28.29\00:15:30.76
when church and
state came together.
00:15:30.79\00:15:34.06
And if you chose not
to follow the doctrines
00:15:34.10\00:15:36.77
or the creeds of Rome,
you were considered a heretic
00:15:36.80\00:15:40.64
that could be tortured,
and that could be put to death.
00:15:40.67\00:15:44.27
If you wanted to
follow what the Bible said,
00:15:44.31\00:15:47.48
if you wanted to
follow God's authority
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.94
instead of man's authority,
00:15:49.98\00:15:52.08
you could lose your life.
00:15:52.11\00:15:54.28
If you wanted to believe
00:15:54.32\00:15:55.65
that you could
go to Jesus Christ
00:15:55.68\00:15:58.15
and to Him
crucified for your salvation
00:15:58.19\00:16:01.22
instead of to
earthly human leaders,
00:16:01.26\00:16:03.93
you were considered
to be a traitor to Rome
00:16:03.96\00:16:07.30
who was not fit to
live, you lost everything.
00:16:07.33\00:16:12.93
That's why Revelation
describes that time period
00:16:12.97\00:16:16.20
as the woman
hiding in the wilderness.
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.27
It's the time of persecution.
00:16:19.31\00:16:22.14
And what's amazing, when
you look back in history,
00:16:22.18\00:16:25.35
538 is when church
and state came together
00:16:25.38\00:16:29.72
in the Roman Empire.
00:16:29.75\00:16:31.42
It lasted all the way to 1798
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.96
when the papal government
00:16:34.99\00:16:36.36
was abolished by Napoleon
in the French Revolution.
00:16:36.39\00:16:40.46
And if you do the
addition or the subtraction,
00:16:40.50\00:16:43.53
that is exactly 1260 years,
00:16:43.57\00:16:48.37
when the woman is
in the wilderness.
00:16:48.40\00:16:52.64
God's people have
to exist underground,
00:16:52.67\00:16:56.28
in a sense.
00:16:56.31\00:16:57.68
See, it was a time
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.05
when the Bible was
forbidden to the people,
00:16:59.08\00:17:01.22
you couldn't translate
it, you couldn't own it,
00:17:01.25\00:17:03.89
it was taken away.
00:17:03.92\00:17:05.72
That's why people couldn't
just open the Bible and say,
00:17:05.75\00:17:08.22
"Oh, well, that's not the truth.
00:17:08.26\00:17:09.86
I need to follow
what the Scripture say."
00:17:09.89\00:17:11.76
They didn't have
the Bible to look at.
00:17:11.79\00:17:16.03
In fact, just to give you
a little illustration of what
00:17:16.06\00:17:19.23
it was like during
this time in the wilderness,
00:17:19.27\00:17:22.20
I wanna read you a couple quotes
00:17:22.24\00:17:24.77
from a book called
Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
00:17:24.81\00:17:27.48
Now, that's a
very well known book
00:17:27.51\00:17:30.01
that details some of
the horrible persecutions
00:17:30.05\00:17:33.72
that God's people
00:17:33.75\00:17:35.08
and His church went
through in the Middle Ages.
00:17:35.12\00:17:38.85
On page 250, it says,
00:17:38.89\00:17:41.72
"A Spaniard named
Juliano traveled into Germany,
00:17:41.76\00:17:45.86
and there became a convert
to the reformed religion."
00:17:45.89\00:17:49.70
Now, do you know what
the reformed religion is?
00:17:49.73\00:17:52.20
That's talking
about Protestantism,
00:17:52.23\00:17:54.10
that's talking about
00:17:54.14\00:17:55.47
the movement in the Middle Ages,
00:17:55.50\00:17:56.91
which said, we need to start
00:17:56.94\00:17:58.67
coming back to the
Bible and the Bible alone.
00:17:58.71\00:18:01.28
That's the reformed religion.
00:18:01.31\00:18:03.58
It goes on to say,
00:18:03.61\00:18:05.98
"When he went back to Spain,
00:18:06.01\00:18:08.28
he took with him to
Seville a number of," what?
00:18:08.32\00:18:12.82
"Bibles...
00:18:12.85\00:18:14.19
He succeeded in
this dangerous enterprise
00:18:14.22\00:18:17.63
so far as getting books
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.29
into the hands of a
great number of people...
00:18:19.33\00:18:22.60
Juliano was immediately seized
00:18:22.63\00:18:25.13
and put to the
most cruel tortures
00:18:25.17\00:18:27.44
to make him confess
the names of all to whom
00:18:27.47\00:18:31.27
he had given the hated books."
00:18:31.31\00:18:35.14
Now, I want you to notice
the word that's used there.
00:18:35.18\00:18:37.61
What book was
Juliano sharing with people?
00:18:37.65\00:18:41.28
The Bible.
00:18:41.32\00:18:42.65
What was that book
called during this time?
00:18:42.68\00:18:45.79
The hated book,
00:18:45.82\00:18:48.66
just for owning
or sharing a Bible.
00:18:48.69\00:18:52.43
See, folks, there's a reason
it was called the Dark Ages,
00:18:52.46\00:18:55.86
people were living in darkness
because the light of truth
00:18:55.90\00:18:59.73
was not able to shine,
00:18:59.77\00:19:02.20
not in its full brightness.
00:19:02.24\00:19:04.94
It goes on to say on page 234.
00:19:04.97\00:19:08.24
"The usual charge
brought against prisoners
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.85
was heresy.
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.61
Now this was
held to mean anything
00:19:12.65\00:19:14.58
spoken or written
00:19:14.62\00:19:15.95
against any of the
articles of the creed
00:19:15.98\00:19:18.29
or the traditions
of the Roman church...
00:19:18.32\00:19:20.92
The most common,
00:19:20.96\00:19:22.29
the tortures most
common in the Inquisition
00:19:22.32\00:19:24.59
were those of
the rope and pulley,
00:19:24.63\00:19:27.10
and the rack...
00:19:27.13\00:19:28.46
And there were many
other murderous machines
00:19:28.50\00:19:31.03
used by the Inquisition
00:19:31.07\00:19:33.10
in exhorting confessions
from unhappy victims."
00:19:33.13\00:19:38.57
No such thing as
religious liberty.
00:19:38.61\00:19:41.34
People were tortured
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.24
until they were
willing to reject the Bible
00:19:43.28\00:19:46.48
and go with the
traditions of men.
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.78
You and I can't imagine
that because we have only known
00:19:48.82\00:19:52.09
religious liberty,
praise God for that.
00:19:52.12\00:19:55.52
That's the time that
woman's in the wilderness.
00:19:55.56\00:19:57.66
It's the time of
papal persecution.
00:19:57.69\00:20:00.70
We can't even
imagine what it's like.
00:20:00.73\00:20:03.33
You see, there's a
reason Revelation symbolizes
00:20:03.37\00:20:06.23
Rome of the
Middle Ages as a beast.
00:20:06.27\00:20:09.37
Now, I don't say
that to be unkind
00:20:09.40\00:20:12.21
or offensive in any way.
00:20:12.24\00:20:14.04
It's just unfortunately,
the sad facts of human history.
00:20:14.08\00:20:19.08
Because whenever you
stray from the Word of God,
00:20:19.11\00:20:22.08
whether it's an institution,
or whether it is a person,
00:20:22.12\00:20:27.56
it always changes our character.
00:20:27.59\00:20:31.29
And it always
changes it for the worst.
00:20:31.33\00:20:35.46
Now, here in Revelation 12,
00:20:35.50\00:20:36.93
we see a
picture of a pure woman,
00:20:36.97\00:20:40.57
the church being
persecuted by the dragon.
00:20:40.60\00:20:44.84
The woman has been
left in the wilderness.
00:20:44.87\00:20:48.38
So now I want you to take
a journey to Revelation 17
00:20:48.41\00:20:51.81
and you're going to see
00:20:51.85\00:20:53.18
the picture of another
woman and another church.
00:20:53.21\00:20:57.79
Revelation Chapter 17,
00:20:57.82\00:20:59.95
I want us to go to verse 1 here.
00:20:59.99\00:21:02.82
Revelation Chapter 17,
00:21:02.86\00:21:05.96
and I want to start by
reading the first four verses.
00:21:05.99\00:21:10.80
Now I want you
to take note here.
00:21:10.83\00:21:13.20
You saw how the pure woman
of Revelation 12 was described.
00:21:13.23\00:21:18.84
I want you to notice
00:21:18.87\00:21:20.21
how the woman of
Revelation 17 is described,
00:21:20.24\00:21:23.41
and you're going to notice
a very distinct difference.
00:21:23.45\00:21:28.55
Revelation 17:1,
00:21:28.58\00:21:32.79
the Bible says,
00:21:32.82\00:21:35.49
"Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls came
00:21:35.52\00:21:40.40
and talked with
me, saying to me,
00:21:40.43\00:21:42.76
'Come, I will show you
00:21:42.80\00:21:44.83
the judgment of the great harlot
00:21:44.87\00:21:47.07
who sits on many waters,
00:21:47.10\00:21:48.94
with whom the kings of the earth
00:21:48.97\00:21:50.57
committed fornication
00:21:50.61\00:21:52.04
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk
00:21:52.07\00:21:54.48
with the wine of
her fornication.'
00:21:54.51\00:21:57.18
" Verse 3, "So
he carried me away
00:21:57.21\00:22:00.48
in the spirit into the," where?
00:22:00.52\00:22:03.45
"Into the wilderness."
00:22:03.49\00:22:04.82
Now in Chapter 12 of Revelation,
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.39
where did we leave the woman?
00:22:07.42\00:22:10.06
In the wilderness.
00:22:10.09\00:22:11.49
So now we're coming back
00:22:11.53\00:22:12.86
to the wilderness in Chapter 17.
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.66
Notice that
something has changed.
00:22:15.70\00:22:20.07
Verse 3,
00:22:20.10\00:22:22.04
"And I saw a woman
00:22:22.07\00:22:24.77
sitting on a scarlet beast,
00:22:24.81\00:22:28.24
which was full of
names of blasphemy,
00:22:28.28\00:22:31.91
having seven
heads and ten horns.
00:22:31.95\00:22:35.02
The woman was arrayed
in purple and scarlet,
00:22:35.05\00:22:38.59
and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls,
00:22:38.62\00:22:42.92
having in her hand a
golden cup full of abominations
00:22:42.96\00:22:47.36
and the filthiness
of her fornication."
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.33
Now, let's stop
there for a second.
00:22:50.37\00:22:52.97
Now, we may not know
what all that means just yet,
00:22:53.00\00:22:55.27
but just let me
ask a simple question.
00:22:55.30\00:22:57.74
Does that description
sound like a positive one
00:22:57.77\00:23:00.08
or a negative one?
00:23:00.11\00:23:01.44
What do you think? Negative.
00:23:01.48\00:23:02.81
Yeah, that
doesn't sound too good.
00:23:02.84\00:23:04.25
Now here's the summary
what John is describing for us,
00:23:04.28\00:23:07.62
"You have the
picture of an impure woman
00:23:07.65\00:23:10.69
dressed in scarlet and
purple and adorned with jewels.
00:23:10.72\00:23:15.52
And she is holding
a cup of fornication
00:23:15.56\00:23:19.16
and riding on the beast."
00:23:19.19\00:23:23.33
Now notice back
in Revelation 12,
00:23:23.37\00:23:25.90
the woman was being
attacked by the dragon
00:23:25.93\00:23:28.97
and the beast.
00:23:29.00\00:23:30.71
Here in Revelation 17,
00:23:30.74\00:23:33.21
It says though she has
now partnered with the beast,
00:23:33.24\00:23:36.34
because she is
riding on the beast.
00:23:36.38\00:23:40.48
That gives us a clue
00:23:40.52\00:23:41.85
that something has
drastically changed.
00:23:41.88\00:23:44.72
There has been a shift.
00:23:44.75\00:23:48.19
Now again, let's
look at these symbols
00:23:48.22\00:23:49.89
and let the Bible
interpret them for us.
00:23:49.92\00:23:52.73
We already know the
woman represents the church
00:23:52.76\00:23:56.06
or God's people.
00:23:56.10\00:23:57.97
When it's a pure woman,
00:23:58.00\00:23:59.70
it represents
God's faithful people.
00:23:59.73\00:24:02.20
When it's an impure
woman or a prostitute,
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.94
it represents
God's unfaithful people
00:24:04.97\00:24:07.84
or an unfaithful church.
00:24:07.88\00:24:11.01
The scarlet, purple,
00:24:11.05\00:24:12.38
and jewels of
which she is adorned.
00:24:12.41\00:24:14.88
It's quite interesting
because in Ezekiel 16,
00:24:14.92\00:24:17.95
that was the
adornment of a prostitute
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.39
in ancient times,
00:24:20.42\00:24:22.46
you know, but even
back in biblical times,
00:24:22.49\00:24:25.29
when prostitutes
wanted to advertise
00:24:25.33\00:24:28.20
that they were available,
00:24:28.23\00:24:29.66
there was a certain way
you dress to communicate that.
00:24:29.70\00:24:33.13
And unfortunately,
00:24:33.17\00:24:34.57
the same thing
still exists today,
00:24:34.60\00:24:36.60
does it not?
00:24:36.64\00:24:37.97
You go into the
major cities of America,
00:24:38.01\00:24:40.01
I guess it doesn't even
have to be the major cities,
00:24:40.04\00:24:42.21
you go to
certain street corners,
00:24:42.24\00:24:44.28
and women will be
dressed a certain way
00:24:44.31\00:24:46.51
in order to communicate
what they do for a career.
00:24:46.55\00:24:50.99
In ancient times, if
you were a prostitute,
00:24:51.02\00:24:54.49
you were to dress in
scarlet, purple and jewels
00:24:54.52\00:24:57.79
to show that you were available.
00:24:57.83\00:25:00.23
It's interesting that
here in Revelation 17,
00:25:00.26\00:25:03.16
that's how the woman is adorned.
00:25:03.20\00:25:06.03
It says that she's
holding a cup of fornication.
00:25:06.07\00:25:09.67
Well, that's probably not good
00:25:09.70\00:25:11.04
because
fornication simply means what?
00:25:11.07\00:25:14.08
Unfaithfulness. Unfaithfulness.
00:25:14.11\00:25:15.44
And we already
know the beast is Rome.
00:25:15.48\00:25:18.38
So put all of
those symbols together.
00:25:18.41\00:25:21.85
And here's what you have.
00:25:21.88\00:25:24.52
"You have the
church of the Middle Ages,
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.36
acting like a
prostitute and being unfaithful
00:25:27.39\00:25:31.19
by joining with Rome
and accepting her errors
00:25:31.23\00:25:35.10
and traditions."
00:25:35.13\00:25:36.56
In other words,
instead of staying true
00:25:36.60\00:25:39.00
to the pure Word of God,
00:25:39.03\00:25:40.84
they have now
left the Word of God
00:25:40.87\00:25:43.41
to follow the traditions
and the commandments of men
00:25:43.44\00:25:46.88
that are coming from Rome.
00:25:46.91\00:25:50.81
That's why the woman is
no longer being persecuted
00:25:50.85\00:25:54.35
you might say about the dragon.
00:25:54.38\00:25:55.72
She's now riding with the beast.
00:25:55.75\00:25:59.15
Revelation 12 was a pure
woman, a faithful church.
00:25:59.19\00:26:03.49
Revelation 17 is an impure woman
00:26:03.53\00:26:06.86
or an unfaithful church.
00:26:06.90\00:26:10.37
You say, well, what happened
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.00
that God describes the woman
00:26:12.03\00:26:14.57
in such two different ways?
00:26:14.60\00:26:18.14
You see the time
00:26:18.17\00:26:19.51
when the woman
was in the wilderness.
00:26:19.54\00:26:22.44
The truth is when
you face persecution,
00:26:22.48\00:26:26.25
when you have to go
through difficult times
00:26:26.28\00:26:28.22
because of your faith in Jesus,
00:26:28.25\00:26:30.79
because of
standing for His Word.
00:26:30.82\00:26:33.82
For so many people,
00:26:33.86\00:26:36.22
it was just easier to
compromise and to give him,
00:26:36.26\00:26:41.86
it was easier to just
simply go with the majority
00:26:41.90\00:26:45.27
instead of wanting
to be in the minority,
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.84
because if you
went along with Rome,
00:26:47.87\00:26:49.77
if you went along
with the traditions of men,
00:26:49.80\00:26:52.27
you could live a normal
life and not be persecuted.
00:26:52.31\00:26:57.31
But if you chose to stand
00:26:57.35\00:26:59.38
for the truths
of the Word of God,
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.12
if you chose to
stand for Jesus Christ,
00:27:02.15\00:27:05.12
that He's the only mediator
that He's the only Savior
00:27:05.15\00:27:08.92
and you wanted to
point people to the cross,
00:27:08.96\00:27:12.89
you were a heretic.
00:27:12.93\00:27:15.13
You were persecuted.
00:27:15.16\00:27:16.83
You lost everything.
00:27:16.87\00:27:19.93
So see the majority
just gave into Rome.
00:27:19.97\00:27:23.81
And it was only a few
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.17
who decided to remain faithful.
00:27:25.21\00:27:29.48
You know, folks,
00:27:29.51\00:27:30.85
that doesn't just
happen in the Middle Ages.
00:27:30.88\00:27:33.15
It even happens
in our lives today,
00:27:33.18\00:27:36.05
in our workplace,
00:27:36.08\00:27:38.15
in our schools,
00:27:38.19\00:27:39.52
sometimes to
say I'm a Christian.
00:27:39.55\00:27:42.56
Sometimes to say I'm a
believer in Jesus Christ
00:27:42.59\00:27:45.09
does cause persecution,
00:27:45.13\00:27:46.59
maybe not the same kind of
persecution of the Middle Ages.
00:27:46.63\00:27:49.96
But people shying away from you,
00:27:50.00\00:27:52.43
people making fun of you,
00:27:52.47\00:27:54.44
people talking
behind your back and saying,
00:27:54.47\00:27:56.64
you know what, that
person's just different
00:27:56.67\00:27:59.21
and they don't necessarily
mean it in a good way.
00:27:59.24\00:28:03.11
But the truth
is, if Jesus Christ
00:28:03.14\00:28:05.11
could have
abuse heaped upon Him,
00:28:05.15\00:28:07.98
if He could go to the cross,
00:28:08.02\00:28:10.19
because He wanted
you and I to be saved,
00:28:10.22\00:28:12.85
if He will confess our names
00:28:12.89\00:28:15.02
before the Father,
00:28:15.06\00:28:16.39
then we need to be
00:28:16.42\00:28:17.76
willing to
confess the name of Jesus
00:28:17.79\00:28:19.13
before men.
00:28:19.16\00:28:20.50
Can you say amen?
00:28:20.53\00:28:21.86
And we need not be ashamed
of following the scriptures
00:28:21.90\00:28:25.10
and what the Word of God says.
00:28:25.13\00:28:28.40
See, I don't want
to join with the beast.
00:28:28.44\00:28:30.34
I don't want to
join with culture.
00:28:30.37\00:28:32.97
I want to be faithful to Jesus,
00:28:33.01\00:28:34.58
I want to uphold His Word.
00:28:34.61\00:28:38.48
But you know,
then comes verse 5,
00:28:38.51\00:28:41.52
and verse 5
answers the question,
00:28:41.55\00:28:43.72
why are there so many
different denominations?
00:28:43.75\00:28:47.69
Notice what it says.
00:28:47.72\00:28:49.22
Revelation 17:5,
00:28:49.26\00:28:52.89
"And on her
forehead a name was written,
00:28:52.93\00:28:56.63
Mystery, Babylon the Great,
00:28:56.67\00:29:00.17
the mother of," what?
00:29:00.20\00:29:02.30
"Harlots and the
abominations of the earth."
00:29:02.34\00:29:07.01
Let's pause there.
00:29:07.04\00:29:08.71
Now that's a
pretty hard hitting verse.
00:29:08.74\00:29:10.88
That is definitely not a verse
that you would consider to be
00:29:10.91\00:29:14.28
politically correct.
00:29:14.32\00:29:16.79
But God's not
beating around the bush
00:29:16.82\00:29:18.79
about what
happened during this time,
00:29:18.82\00:29:21.16
on the woman's forehead,
00:29:21.19\00:29:22.99
the unfaithful
church in the Middle Ages,
00:29:23.02\00:29:25.63
Babylon the Great.
00:29:25.66\00:29:27.63
And remember what Babylon means?
00:29:27.66\00:29:29.16
Religious confusion.
00:29:29.20\00:29:31.43
See, it was the
church of the Middle Ages
00:29:31.47\00:29:33.13
that was responsible
00:29:33.17\00:29:34.54
for all the religious confusion,
00:29:34.57\00:29:36.57
the doctrines,
the traditions of men,
00:29:36.60\00:29:39.07
human authority being
put above God's authority
00:29:39.11\00:29:42.28
that brought it into the world,
00:29:42.31\00:29:44.18
even all the way
to our time today.
00:29:44.21\00:29:49.05
But then it says
she's the mother of harlots.
00:29:49.08\00:29:54.19
And when you
connect that with history,
00:29:54.22\00:29:56.06
what is it saying,
the unfaithful woman
00:29:56.09\00:29:58.49
has given birth to daughters.
00:29:58.53\00:29:59.89
She's the mother of harlots.
00:29:59.93\00:30:01.70
The unfaithful
church of the Middle Ages
00:30:01.73\00:30:04.40
has given birth
to other churches.
00:30:04.43\00:30:07.70
The Mother church has
given birth to others.
00:30:07.74\00:30:12.91
And isn't it
interesting even today,
00:30:12.94\00:30:16.01
Rome is considered
to be the Mother church.
00:30:16.04\00:30:20.88
See, what
Revelation 17:5 was telling us
00:30:20.92\00:30:24.72
is that the woman's
giving birth to daughters.
00:30:24.75\00:30:27.36
What Revelation was telling
us is that in the Middle Ages,
00:30:27.39\00:30:30.73
there would be
groups that would start
00:30:30.76\00:30:32.63
to break away from Rome.
00:30:32.66\00:30:34.96
And they would eventually
break into many different groups
00:30:35.00\00:30:37.97
or many different denominations.
00:30:38.00\00:30:40.00
And that's what you see,
00:30:40.04\00:30:41.50
when God ignited the
Protestant Reformation,
00:30:41.54\00:30:44.67
and people rebelled
against the idea that
00:30:44.71\00:30:47.28
man's word can be
placed above God's Word.
00:30:47.31\00:30:50.08
They started to bring
people back to the Bible.
00:30:50.11\00:30:52.95
And when Rome
wouldn't accept that
00:30:52.98\00:30:55.02
after a period
of many, many years,
00:30:55.05\00:30:57.42
it started other movements.
00:30:57.45\00:30:59.15
It started other
churches that came out of Rome.
00:30:59.19\00:31:02.19
And you fast forward
through the centuries.
00:31:02.22\00:31:04.76
Now we have today,
00:31:04.79\00:31:06.46
hundreds of
different denominations.
00:31:06.49\00:31:09.46
And it all started
00:31:09.50\00:31:10.97
when the woman
gave birth to daughters
00:31:11.00\00:31:15.10
when other
churches came out of Rome.
00:31:15.14\00:31:18.87
Revelation
predicted all the way back
00:31:18.91\00:31:21.81
in the first century.
00:31:21.84\00:31:23.28
And it happened just
the way God said it would.
00:31:23.31\00:31:28.88
But now here's the question.
00:31:28.92\00:31:32.09
Let's trace the steps of history
00:31:32.12\00:31:34.99
and look just in a
little bit more detail
00:31:35.02\00:31:37.26
how that actually happened.
00:31:37.29\00:31:39.73
And then we're gonna see
how God began to restore truth.
00:31:39.76\00:31:42.96
Because when you think about it,
00:31:43.00\00:31:44.37
when you fall away from truth,
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.63
does that happen in one day?
00:31:46.67\00:31:49.27
Not usually, it
happens over time.
00:31:49.30\00:31:52.77
I want you to take
your Bibles and let's go to
00:31:52.81\00:31:54.71
2 Thessalonians 2:3,
00:31:54.74\00:31:59.75
2 Thessalonians 2:3,
00:31:59.78\00:32:03.52
now since we're on
night 18, by this point
00:32:03.55\00:32:06.79
you ought to be pretty
familiar and pretty quick
00:32:06.82\00:32:09.12
at finding the
different books of the Bible.
00:32:09.16\00:32:12.03
2 Thessalonians 2:3, by the way,
00:32:12.06\00:32:15.66
I gotta tell you, I
remember doing one seminar
00:32:15.70\00:32:18.00
where there was a guy coming,
00:32:18.03\00:32:19.73
who didn't know
00:32:19.77\00:32:21.20
where a lot of the
books of the Bible were.
00:32:21.24\00:32:23.41
And you know, after
doing this for a month,
00:32:23.44\00:32:25.37
and I mean, you've noticed
00:32:25.41\00:32:26.74
how many Bible verses we
look up every single night.
00:32:26.78\00:32:29.81
By the time the thing was
done, he said, "You know what,
00:32:29.84\00:32:32.51
I have now learned
00:32:32.55\00:32:33.88
where most of the
books of the Bible are,"
00:32:33.92\00:32:35.62
because he got
familiar with the scriptures,
00:32:35.65\00:32:38.19
can you say amen?
00:32:38.22\00:32:39.55
And if you get
nothing else from the seminar,
00:32:39.59\00:32:41.39
then you get
familiar with your Bible,
00:32:41.42\00:32:43.46
then it's all been worth it.
00:32:43.49\00:32:46.13
2 Thessalonians 2:3,
00:32:46.16\00:32:50.30
the Bible says,
00:32:50.33\00:32:52.87
"Let no one deceive you
by any means for that day,"
00:32:52.90\00:32:57.67
that's referring
to the second coming,
00:32:57.71\00:32:59.54
"for that day will not come
00:32:59.57\00:33:02.44
unless the
falling away comes first.
00:33:02.48\00:33:06.05
And the man of sin is revealed
00:33:06.08\00:33:08.88
the son of perdition."
00:33:08.92\00:33:12.42
Now, did you notice
what Paul warned about?
00:33:12.45\00:33:15.49
He said, there's going to be
00:33:15.52\00:33:17.76
a Falling Away from Truth,
00:33:17.79\00:33:21.86
because he already saw it
starting to happen in his day.
00:33:21.90\00:33:26.87
Why do you think
00:33:26.90\00:33:28.24
most of the books
of the New Testament
00:33:28.27\00:33:29.90
are simply
letters that were written
00:33:29.94\00:33:32.01
to Christian churches?
00:33:32.04\00:33:33.84
In most of those letters,
00:33:33.88\00:33:35.58
they're trying to
combat false teachings
00:33:35.61\00:33:38.58
that were already coming in
to the Christian church then
00:33:38.61\00:33:42.78
and Paul knew when
they were dead and gone,
00:33:42.82\00:33:45.75
it would just accelerate.
00:33:45.79\00:33:48.42
Let me show you a little summary
00:33:48.46\00:33:49.89
of the falling away of truth.
00:33:49.92\00:33:52.09
It started with Arienism,
00:33:52.13\00:33:53.60
the belief that
Jesus was not fully divine.
00:33:53.63\00:33:57.50
In 321 Constantine passes
one of the first Sunday laws
00:33:57.53\00:34:01.77
and the Sabbath is
beginning to be lost sight of.
00:34:01.80\00:34:05.31
In 327 pagan images were
introduced into the church
00:34:05.34\00:34:08.98
and image worship began.
00:34:09.01\00:34:11.31
In 538, church and
state began to combine.
00:34:11.35\00:34:15.85
In 590, the false doctrine
of Purgatory was invented.
00:34:15.88\00:34:19.89
In 850, the worship of Mary
00:34:19.92\00:34:22.42
as intercessor was introduced
00:34:22.46\00:34:24.89
and Jesus as our
mediator was lost sight of.
00:34:24.93\00:34:28.76
In 1198, confessional began
00:34:28.80\00:34:31.27
where you confessed
to an earthly human being
00:34:31.30\00:34:33.70
instead of to Christ.
00:34:33.74\00:34:35.37
In 1229, the Bible was
00:34:35.40\00:34:37.41
officially
banned as a hated book.
00:34:37.44\00:34:40.68
In 1311, different
forms of baptism came in,
00:34:40.71\00:34:44.01
and in 1411,
00:34:44.05\00:34:45.38
the Spanish or rather 1480,
the Spanish Inquisition began.
00:34:45.41\00:34:49.88
Now do you know
what the Inquisition is?
00:34:49.92\00:34:52.35
The Inquisition was
basically a group of people,
00:34:52.39\00:34:55.06
many of them Jesuits,
who had been commissioned by
00:34:55.09\00:34:58.03
Rome to go hunt
down and find heretics.
00:34:58.06\00:35:02.20
Find anybody who
believe the Bible
00:35:02.23\00:35:05.17
and disagreed with
the traditions of Rome,
00:35:05.20\00:35:08.14
find them, torture
them, make them recant.
00:35:08.17\00:35:12.07
And if they
don't, put them to death.
00:35:12.11\00:35:16.08
You know, when
the Bible talks about
00:35:16.11\00:35:17.45
the end times
and times of trouble,
00:35:17.48\00:35:19.98
it's hard for us to
imagine how that can happen.
00:35:20.02\00:35:22.42
But you have to keep in mind,
00:35:22.45\00:35:23.99
it has happened many
times throughout history,
00:35:24.02\00:35:27.69
because what
happened in the Middle Ages
00:35:27.72\00:35:29.82
may very well happen again.
00:35:29.86\00:35:31.63
But God promises to
protect His faithful people.
00:35:31.66\00:35:35.03
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.70
Now, this
Falling Away from Truth.
00:35:36.73\00:35:38.97
Notice, it
didn't happen in a year.
00:35:39.00\00:35:41.80
It didn't even
happen in one century.
00:35:41.84\00:35:44.87
Over a period of
hundreds of years,
00:35:44.91\00:35:48.48
there was this
gradual falling away
00:35:48.51\00:35:51.61
from the Bible.
00:35:51.65\00:35:53.72
See, just like in
our personal lives,
00:35:53.75\00:35:56.79
do you think any of us
wake up one morning and decide,
00:35:56.82\00:35:59.45
you know what,
00:35:59.49\00:36:00.82
"I think I ought to
totally backslide today
00:36:00.86\00:36:02.66
and completely
fall away from truth."
00:36:02.69\00:36:04.76
Does that happen?
00:36:04.79\00:36:06.23
Not usually, it
happens in perceptively
00:36:06.26\00:36:10.40
a little bit at a time,
'cause the devil is too smart
00:36:10.43\00:36:14.67
to get us to do
everything at once.
00:36:14.70\00:36:16.40
He wants to do a little bit here
00:36:16.44\00:36:18.17
and a little bit there
00:36:18.21\00:36:19.57
until we don't even recognize
the direction he's taking us.
00:36:19.61\00:36:24.41
That's what he did
00:36:24.45\00:36:26.31
with the church
of the Middle Ages,
00:36:26.35\00:36:28.78
till it got to the point
00:36:28.82\00:36:30.75
where Scripture is
totally lost sight of.
00:36:30.79\00:36:35.42
Now, that seems like a
depressing story, doesn't it?
00:36:35.46\00:36:38.63
But here's the good news.
00:36:38.66\00:36:41.00
You would think that
when the Bible was banned,
00:36:41.03\00:36:43.70
and anyone who wants
to follow is a heretic,
00:36:43.73\00:36:45.83
you would think
that all hope is lost.
00:36:45.87\00:36:48.97
But you know, it's
when all hope is lost,
00:36:49.00\00:36:50.97
that's when God steps in.
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.37
Can you say amen?
00:36:52.41\00:36:53.74
And he ignited
a series of events
00:36:53.78\00:36:56.28
that today is
known as the Reformation.
00:36:56.31\00:36:59.88
And even while this
falling away occurred,
00:36:59.91\00:37:03.28
behind the scenes,
00:37:03.32\00:37:04.69
God was already
raising up people
00:37:04.72\00:37:07.26
who were gonna begin
00:37:07.29\00:37:08.62
the process of
restoring God's truth
00:37:08.66\00:37:11.26
from the Middle Ages, all
the way to the end of time.
00:37:11.29\00:37:15.23
Now we've talked about
the Falling Away from Truth.
00:37:15.26\00:37:17.70
I don't wanna end on that.
00:37:17.73\00:37:19.07
Let's talk about
00:37:19.10\00:37:20.44
how God began to
restore His truth
00:37:20.47\00:37:23.10
from the latter
Middle Ages onward.
00:37:23.14\00:37:25.67
And this is gonna
be a fascinating study.
00:37:25.71\00:37:28.11
You might say it
00:37:28.14\00:37:29.48
began somewhere around the 1300,
00:37:29.51\00:37:31.35
well, it actually
began long before that.
00:37:31.38\00:37:33.18
But in the 1300s,
God raised up a man
00:37:33.21\00:37:36.38
by the name of John Wycliffe.
00:37:36.42\00:37:38.65
Now, how many of you
ever heard of Wycliffe?
00:37:38.69\00:37:40.26
Can I see your hands?
00:37:40.29\00:37:41.62
Awesome.
00:37:41.66\00:37:42.99
John Wycliffe was
actually a parish priest,
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.76
he was a Roman
priest in Oxford, England,
00:37:45.79\00:37:49.70
but he thought that it
was wrong of the church
00:37:49.73\00:37:52.40
of the Middle Ages
00:37:52.43\00:37:53.77
to keep the
Bible from the people.
00:37:53.80\00:37:55.37
He believed the
Bible ought to be
00:37:55.40\00:37:57.34
put in people's hand
in the common language
00:37:57.37\00:38:00.28
so they can read
truth for themselves.
00:38:00.31\00:38:03.18
And that man
translated the Bible
00:38:03.21\00:38:06.92
into the English language.
00:38:06.95\00:38:09.98
Now, we may not
think that's a big deal,
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.02
but I can tell you
standing here tonight,
00:38:12.05\00:38:14.42
the fact that you
have an English Bible
00:38:14.46\00:38:16.73
in your hand
regardless of what version is,
00:38:16.76\00:38:19.43
you and I owe to the courage
00:38:19.46\00:38:21.53
and the
fortitude of John Wycliffe.
00:38:21.56\00:38:23.93
Can you say amen?
00:38:23.97\00:38:25.30
He translated that
Bible down into English
00:38:25.33\00:38:28.37
at the risk of his life.
00:38:28.40\00:38:31.67
And when he died,
00:38:31.71\00:38:33.98
in order to show
their contempt for the man
00:38:34.01\00:38:37.91
that put the Bible in
the hands of the people,
00:38:37.95\00:38:41.18
you know, Rome dug up his bones
00:38:41.22\00:38:43.95
and burned them publicly.
00:38:43.99\00:38:47.69
In the 1400s,
00:38:47.72\00:38:49.06
God raised up a
man named John Huss.
00:38:49.09\00:38:51.09
Now, John Huss was a
disciple of John Wycliffe.
00:38:51.13\00:38:54.76
Huss believed that the
Bible is the supreme authority.
00:38:54.80\00:38:59.30
Now to you and I,
we're thinking, well,
00:38:59.33\00:39:01.14
yeah, that's like
fundamental, isn't it?
00:39:01.17\00:39:03.47
But remember, back
then you were taught
00:39:03.51\00:39:06.71
the church is
the final authority.
00:39:06.74\00:39:09.64
The church has the
power to place its laws,
00:39:09.68\00:39:12.31
its traditions above the Bible,
00:39:12.35\00:39:15.08
that the church can
even change the Bible
00:39:15.12\00:39:17.45
if it wants to.
00:39:17.49\00:39:18.95
But John Huss said, "No,
00:39:18.99\00:39:20.66
the Bible is
the final authority,
00:39:20.69\00:39:22.92
not the church,
not religious leaders."
00:39:22.96\00:39:25.53
He taught the church
doesn't change the Bible,
00:39:25.56\00:39:27.90
the Bible ought
to change the church.
00:39:27.93\00:39:29.63
Can you say amen?
00:39:29.66\00:39:31.00
And just for teaching that,
00:39:31.03\00:39:34.30
this man was
burned alive at the stake
00:39:34.34\00:39:38.74
in the year 1415.
00:39:38.77\00:39:41.28
Now I had the chance
to go to his memorial,
00:39:41.31\00:39:43.81
his grave site in
Konstanz, Germany.
00:39:43.85\00:39:46.88
And you know, I was
expecting to see some,
00:39:46.92\00:39:49.02
you know, huge memorial
that everybody would notice
00:39:49.05\00:39:51.79
as they walked by.
00:39:51.82\00:39:53.72
And you know what it is?
00:39:53.76\00:39:55.99
It's just a little stone
00:39:56.02\00:39:58.19
in the corner of
a street somewhere.
00:39:58.23\00:39:59.93
And if it wouldn't have
been for the tour guide,
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.70
I would have
never even noticed it.
00:40:01.73\00:40:06.50
You see, the world may
forget what John Huss did,
00:40:06.53\00:40:10.24
the world may
forget things we do.
00:40:10.27\00:40:13.11
But the good news is,
00:40:13.14\00:40:14.48
God never forgets
His faithful people.
00:40:14.51\00:40:18.88
He knows the
choices John Huss made.
00:40:18.91\00:40:24.02
But it didn't
stop with John Huss.
00:40:24.05\00:40:25.85
In the 1500s,
came William Tyndale,
00:40:25.89\00:40:28.36
he translated
the Bible some more.
00:40:28.39\00:40:30.49
And then in the
1500s, God raised up someone
00:40:30.53\00:40:34.23
that you have
heard of quite a bit.
00:40:34.26\00:40:36.36
How many of you
know about Martin Luther,
00:40:36.40\00:40:38.03
let me see your hands.
00:40:38.07\00:40:39.40
Everybody's
heard of Martin Luther.
00:40:39.43\00:40:41.34
Why was Martin
Luther significant?
00:40:41.37\00:40:43.67
Because Martin Luther
was also a parish priest.
00:40:43.71\00:40:47.68
And by the way, I got to
say something about that.
00:40:47.71\00:40:50.41
You know,
sometimes I meet people
00:40:50.45\00:40:51.98
who get a holier than
thou attitude and they think,
00:40:52.01\00:40:54.62
"Oh, yeah, that's what Rome did.
00:40:54.65\00:40:56.12
Us, Protestants we're
great, we would never do that."
00:40:56.15\00:40:58.85
But I wanna
remind you of something.
00:40:58.89\00:41:01.72
Who started the Reformation?
00:41:01.76\00:41:05.76
Roman Catholics
of the Middle Ages.
00:41:05.79\00:41:09.03
John Wycliffe and Martin Luther
00:41:09.06\00:41:11.70
were parish
priests who decided that
00:41:11.73\00:41:14.27
they wanted to stand
up and follow the Bible
00:41:14.30\00:41:16.74
and the Bible alone.
00:41:16.77\00:41:18.11
So before we're too
quick to get on our high horse
00:41:18.14\00:41:20.88
because maybe some
of us are Protestants,
00:41:20.91\00:41:22.68
you have to remember
00:41:22.71\00:41:24.05
it was many
dear Roman Christians
00:41:24.08\00:41:26.55
who were also part
of that reformation
00:41:26.58\00:41:29.25
and coming back to the
Bible and the Bible alone.
00:41:29.28\00:41:31.79
Can you say amen?
00:41:31.82\00:41:33.15
Now, Martin Luther
is this parish priest.
00:41:33.19\00:41:35.92
But you know,
00:41:35.96\00:41:37.29
he never felt the
assurance of salvation with God.
00:41:37.33\00:41:42.36
He never felt that no
matter how many rosaries he did,
00:41:42.40\00:41:45.33
or prayers he prayed
or penances he performed,
00:41:45.37\00:41:48.64
he just never felt
like he was forgiven.
00:41:48.67\00:41:52.34
Until one day he
came across the Bible
00:41:52.37\00:41:54.64
that was chained
in a convent cell
00:41:54.68\00:41:57.91
and he came
across one simple verse.
00:41:57.95\00:42:00.42
Romans 117,
00:42:00.45\00:42:02.48
"The just shall live by," what?
00:42:02.52\00:42:04.75
Faith. "Faith."
00:42:04.79\00:42:06.12
Not by works, not by penance,
00:42:06.15\00:42:09.22
not by going to a human leader.
00:42:09.26\00:42:11.63
The just shall live by faith.
00:42:11.66\00:42:13.90
Faith in what?
00:42:13.93\00:42:16.63
Faith in Jesus
Christ and the cross.
00:42:16.67\00:42:19.67
And Martin Luther
realize for the first time,
00:42:19.70\00:42:23.00
he can go to Jesus
and find forgiveness,
00:42:23.04\00:42:27.34
that Jesus' perfect
life will cover him,
00:42:27.38\00:42:30.78
that Jesus offers
him His righteousness.
00:42:30.81\00:42:33.52
And when he
finally understood that
00:42:33.55\00:42:35.48
this
righteousness by faith concept,
00:42:35.52\00:42:38.15
it changed his
entire life and his outlook,
00:42:38.19\00:42:41.66
that he can't save himself,
but Jesus can change him
00:42:41.69\00:42:45.16
and give him assurance.
00:42:45.19\00:42:46.93
It's about what Jesus has done.
00:42:46.96\00:42:49.36
When Martin
Luther finally understood
00:42:49.40\00:42:51.43
that he began
preaching the cross of Christ,
00:42:51.47\00:42:54.20
he began
directing people to pray
00:42:54.24\00:42:56.24
and talk to Jesus directly.
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.07
In fact, they
had something called
00:42:58.11\00:42:59.71
indulgences back then.
00:42:59.74\00:43:01.94
Now I don't know if you
know what indulgences are,
00:43:01.98\00:43:03.45
most people read about
it in the history books.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.58
That was basically,
00:43:05.61\00:43:07.35
if you gave enough
money to the church,
00:43:07.38\00:43:09.12
you could buy
your own salvation.
00:43:09.15\00:43:11.12
You could pull a
loved one out of purgatory
00:43:11.15\00:43:13.86
and into the kingdom,
00:43:13.89\00:43:15.36
you know, or you could
gain your own assurance.
00:43:15.39\00:43:17.36
In fact, it is
said that Martin Luther
00:43:17.39\00:43:19.13
came across someone
lying in the street,
00:43:19.16\00:43:22.76
who was known to
be a regular drunk
00:43:22.80\00:43:25.37
and being intoxicated.
00:43:25.40\00:43:27.10
And when he walked by
him, the man looked up at him
00:43:27.14\00:43:30.37
and so Martin Luther tried
to talk to him about Jesus.
00:43:30.41\00:43:33.07
And the man said, "Well,
you don't need to do that.
00:43:33.11\00:43:35.01
I've already,
I'm going to heaven."
00:43:35.04\00:43:36.91
And he said, "How's that?"
00:43:36.95\00:43:38.38
He says, "I bought indulgences.
00:43:38.41\00:43:40.22
And the church
gave me this certificate
00:43:40.25\00:43:41.98
so I can live however I
want, and I'm going to heaven."
00:43:42.02\00:43:45.79
That really
irritated Martin Luther
00:43:45.82\00:43:48.19
and he began
preaching against indulgences,
00:43:48.22\00:43:51.06
because you don't put
your faith in human beings,
00:43:51.09\00:43:54.23
you put your faith in Jesus.
00:43:54.26\00:43:55.86
And do you know when Tetzel,
00:43:55.90\00:43:57.33
the guy who was in
charge of selling indulgences,
00:43:57.37\00:43:59.97
when he came to
Martin Luther's town
00:44:00.00\00:44:02.30
you know how many
indulgences he sold?
00:44:02.34\00:44:05.14
Not one, because Martin Luther
00:44:05.17\00:44:08.14
had taught
\people to look to Jesus
00:44:08.18\00:44:10.88
and He who was crucified.
00:44:10.91\00:44:14.22
From there, Martin
Luther nailed on the door
00:44:14.25\00:44:17.55
of the
Wittenberg Church 95 Theses.
00:44:17.59\00:44:20.22
You say, "What's that?"
00:44:20.26\00:44:21.79
He basically wrote down 95 ways
00:44:21.82\00:44:24.53
in which the church
had strayed from the Bible.
00:44:24.56\00:44:27.56
You say, "Why did he put on
the door of the church for?"
00:44:27.60\00:44:29.96
Well, you got to understand
500 years ago in the 1500s,
00:44:30.00\00:44:33.10
that was basically
the internet of the day.
00:44:33.13\00:44:35.67
You know, anything
that was going on in town,
00:44:35.70\00:44:37.54
you nailed it on
the door of the church.
00:44:37.57\00:44:38.97
That was the bulletin board.
00:44:39.01\00:44:40.41
So when he did
that, that's like you
00:44:40.44\00:44:42.24
and I posting
something on Facebook
00:44:42.28\00:44:44.51
or posting
something on the internet.
00:44:44.55\00:44:46.38
Everybody read it.
00:44:46.41\00:44:48.75
And you know what's interesting?
00:44:48.78\00:44:51.32
You see what day that happened?
00:44:51.35\00:44:53.86
What day is it?
00:44:53.89\00:44:55.96
October 31, 1517.
00:44:55.99\00:44:59.43
That is one of the
most important events
00:44:59.46\00:45:01.83
in Christian history,
00:45:01.86\00:45:04.23
the truth of
people going to Jesus
00:45:04.27\00:45:07.44
to find salvation, the
cross being rediscovered.
00:45:07.47\00:45:11.37
But you fast forward 500 years.
00:45:11.41\00:45:15.11
And what is October 31?
00:45:15.14\00:45:18.28
Halloween. Halloween.
00:45:18.31\00:45:20.42
Now, I'm not here
to judge whether or not
00:45:20.45\00:45:21.78
you should
participate in Halloween.
00:45:21.82\00:45:23.28
I mean, I went trick-or-treating
00:45:23.32\00:45:24.65
when I was a kid.
00:45:24.69\00:45:26.02
My point is this.
00:45:26.05\00:45:28.02
Isn't it interesting
00:45:28.06\00:45:29.86
how what Martin Luther
did was totally lost sight of?
00:45:29.89\00:45:34.43
And now the day
is all about ghosts,
00:45:34.46\00:45:36.77
ghouls and goblins and
lifting up the dark side.
00:45:36.80\00:45:41.87
That's no accident.
00:45:41.90\00:45:44.17
That's part of
the devil strategy,
00:45:44.21\00:45:45.57
you lose sight of
coming back to the Bible.
00:45:45.61\00:45:49.71
Eventually,
Martin Luther was called
00:45:49.74\00:45:51.35
before all the
leaders of the world
00:45:51.38\00:45:53.55
that then known world,
both political and religious.
00:45:53.58\00:45:55.75
And when they tried
to force him to recant,
00:45:55.78\00:45:57.75
they intended you know
what if this guy don't recant,
00:45:57.79\00:46:00.29
he's not going back home,
00:46:00.32\00:46:01.66
we'll burn him at
the stake right here.
00:46:01.69\00:46:04.26
And most people
wilted under that pressure.
00:46:04.29\00:46:07.96
But you know what
Martin Luther did?
00:46:08.00\00:46:10.57
As he stood before
that council of kings
00:46:10.60\00:46:13.74
and princes and
religious leaders,
00:46:13.77\00:46:17.04
he looked them in
the eyes and he said,
00:46:17.07\00:46:20.14
"If I can be shown
00:46:20.18\00:46:21.51
from the Bible
that I am in error,
00:46:21.54\00:46:23.98
I will gladly recant.
00:46:24.01\00:46:26.31
But if not,
00:46:26.35\00:46:27.68
here I stand on the Word of God,
00:46:27.72\00:46:30.49
so God help me."
00:46:30.52\00:46:34.19
And that man
walked out of the council,
00:46:34.22\00:46:37.23
and nobody dared
to lay a hand on him.
00:46:37.26\00:46:42.26
Of all the Reformers,
00:46:42.30\00:46:43.63
Martin Luther
died a natural death
00:46:43.67\00:46:47.00
because God's
grace was upon him.
00:46:47.04\00:46:49.74
I mean, we could spend
all night talking about this.
00:46:49.77\00:46:51.77
Then John Calvin came,
00:46:51.81\00:46:53.68
in the 1600 Roger Williams came,
00:46:53.71\00:46:55.94
in the 1700s John Wesley
00:46:55.98\00:46:58.21
talked about being born
again and overcoming sin.
00:46:58.25\00:47:01.12
And in the 1800s
came William Miller,
00:47:01.15\00:47:04.02
who brought people back
to the prophecies of Daniel
00:47:04.05\00:47:06.76
and Revelation,
00:47:06.79\00:47:08.12
began teaching
Jesus is coming soon,
00:47:08.16\00:47:11.13
something that
wasn't taught back then.
00:47:11.16\00:47:13.50
And bit by bit,
00:47:13.53\00:47:15.20
little by little
God restored the truth.
00:47:15.23\00:47:18.97
Now you notice,
00:47:19.00\00:47:20.34
he didn't do it
all in one century.
00:47:20.37\00:47:21.97
Why do you think that is?
00:47:22.00\00:47:24.27
It's too much to handle.
00:47:24.31\00:47:25.77
I mean, until you recognize
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.14
that the Bible is
the supreme authority,
00:47:27.18\00:47:28.84
all that other
stuff doesn't matter.
00:47:28.88\00:47:30.95
You know, like
when you turn a light
00:47:30.98\00:47:32.31
on in the middle of the night,
00:47:32.35\00:47:33.68
that's too much
light, you can't handle it.
00:47:33.72\00:47:35.12
He did it one century at a time.
00:47:35.15\00:47:39.42
But unfortunately,
something happened
00:47:39.45\00:47:41.32
that is all too
common to the human nature.
00:47:41.36\00:47:45.19
What happened is
many of the people
00:47:45.23\00:47:46.76
who follow these Reformers
00:47:46.80\00:47:49.23
began to build
churches around them
00:47:49.26\00:47:51.43
and they stopped
following the light.
00:47:51.47\00:47:55.50
Those who followed
Huss became Hussites.
00:47:55.54\00:47:57.97
Those who followed
Luther became Lutherans.
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.57
Which by the way,
00:47:59.61\00:48:00.94
did you know
Martin Luther begged them
00:48:00.98\00:48:02.54
not to build a
church around him.
00:48:02.58\00:48:04.75
Most of these Reformers
00:48:04.78\00:48:06.11
did not want a church
to be built around them,
00:48:06.15\00:48:08.85
because they knew
there was still more light
00:48:08.88\00:48:12.05
and there was still
more truth to discover.
00:48:12.09\00:48:15.09
But the problem was
00:48:15.12\00:48:16.46
those who followed Luther
00:48:16.49\00:48:17.83
wouldn't go on to follow
Calvin's light that he found.
00:48:17.86\00:48:20.73
Those who followed Calvin
00:48:20.76\00:48:22.23
wouldn't go on to
accept Wesley's light,
00:48:22.26\00:48:24.50
those who followed Wesley
00:48:24.53\00:48:25.87
wouldn't go on to
follow Roger Williams' light,
00:48:25.90\00:48:28.47
and so the Protestant
Reformation began to stop
00:48:28.50\00:48:32.07
because we're
gonna come this far.
00:48:32.11\00:48:33.98
And if our
leader doesn't believe
00:48:34.01\00:48:35.44
these other truth,
00:48:35.48\00:48:36.81
we're just going to stand still.
00:48:36.85\00:48:40.02
And see that happens so
much even in our world today.
00:48:40.05\00:48:43.59
I follow this person.
00:48:43.62\00:48:45.75
I follow this
preacher or this leader,
00:48:45.79\00:48:48.16
and what they teach
maybe well and good.
00:48:48.19\00:48:50.86
But when God brings me
to a knowledge of truth
00:48:50.89\00:48:53.70
that I didn't know
before, we need to follow it.
00:48:53.73\00:48:57.93
And so by the
time the 1800s came,
00:48:57.97\00:49:01.24
then Revelation 12:17 kicks in,
00:49:01.27\00:49:03.97
remember what
we read last night.
00:49:04.01\00:49:06.44
"And the dragon was
wroth with the woman,"
00:49:06.47\00:49:09.94
it's talking
about the Middle Ages,
00:49:09.98\00:49:12.35
"but then went to
make war with," who?
00:49:12.38\00:49:15.42
"The remnant of her seed,"
00:49:15.45\00:49:17.42
the people, God's
people, the end of time,
00:49:17.45\00:49:19.99
"which keep the
commandments of God,
00:49:20.02\00:49:22.26
and have the
testimony of Jesus."
00:49:22.29\00:49:23.76
What is Revelation saying?
00:49:23.79\00:49:25.63
Revelation is telling us,
00:49:25.66\00:49:27.70
after the time
00:49:27.73\00:49:29.06
when the woman is
in the wilderness,
00:49:29.10\00:49:31.43
after the 1260 years
of persecution is over,
00:49:31.47\00:49:35.24
Revelation says,
00:49:35.27\00:49:36.60
"There's gonna be
a remnant movement."
00:49:36.64\00:49:38.67
And that remnant is
going to call people
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.51
back to the commandments of God,
00:49:40.54\00:49:42.44
which includes the true Sabbath
00:49:42.48\00:49:44.41
and back to the
testimony of Jesus.
00:49:44.45\00:49:47.75
And that period of persecution,
00:49:47.78\00:49:49.38
the 1260 years ended in 1798.
00:49:49.42\00:49:52.82
So that means
somewhere in the 1800s,
00:49:52.85\00:49:56.19
we should see a
continuation of the Reformation,
00:49:56.22\00:49:58.99
we should see a
movement of people
00:49:59.03\00:50:01.73
that are drawing
folk back to the Bible,
00:50:01.76\00:50:04.03
back to the commandments of God
00:50:04.07\00:50:05.87
and back to the Bible Sabbath.
00:50:05.90\00:50:09.37
And when you look,
that's exactly what happened.
00:50:09.40\00:50:11.61
Now I've told you
where other churches
00:50:11.64\00:50:13.17
have played a part
in this Reformation.
00:50:13.21\00:50:15.38
Now I'd like to share
with you where this church,
00:50:15.41\00:50:17.88
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church played a part.
00:50:17.91\00:50:21.02
In the 1800s,
00:50:21.05\00:50:22.38
after Rome lost its power
00:50:22.42\00:50:24.05
and church and state
are no longer united.
00:50:24.09\00:50:26.79
"It was the early 1800s
00:50:26.82\00:50:28.46
the printing
press was improved upon.
00:50:28.49\00:50:31.06
Bible societies were formed.
00:50:31.09\00:50:33.36
Bibles were widely made
available to the people.
00:50:33.40\00:50:36.33
And so people
from various churches
00:50:36.36\00:50:38.40
began to study the
scriptures together."
00:50:38.43\00:50:41.37
Baptists, Methodists,
00:50:41.40\00:50:44.34
Episcopalians, Catholics,
00:50:44.37\00:50:47.38
they thought, you know what,
00:50:47.41\00:50:48.98
now that we have
religious liberty and freedom
00:50:49.01\00:50:51.11
because by now
America is formed.
00:50:51.15\00:50:53.45
Let's open the Bible
and let's study it together.
00:50:53.48\00:50:57.02
And as they did these people
00:50:57.05\00:50:59.05
from all
different denominations,
00:50:59.09\00:51:01.32
they discovered
truths that had been lost
00:51:01.36\00:51:03.76
during the Middle Ages.
00:51:03.79\00:51:05.13
And two of them was
the soon return of Jesus,
00:51:05.16\00:51:08.30
and the seventh day Sabbath.
00:51:08.33\00:51:10.33
See, the other truths
had already been recovered.
00:51:10.37\00:51:12.83
These were two
that had not been.
00:51:12.87\00:51:15.44
Because remember,
00:51:15.47\00:51:17.01
what did Revelation
say the remnant would do?
00:51:17.04\00:51:20.28
Keep the commandments of
God, which includes the Sabbath,
00:51:20.31\00:51:23.88
and have the testimony of Jesus.
00:51:23.91\00:51:27.38
These faithful Christians
of all different denominations,
00:51:27.42\00:51:29.92
they were excited about this.
00:51:29.95\00:51:31.75
They wanted to throw,
00:51:31.79\00:51:33.12
keep throwing away
the traditions of men
00:51:33.15\00:51:34.69
and come back to the Bible.
00:51:34.72\00:51:36.19
So they took these truths,
00:51:36.22\00:51:37.96
then they went back to
the churches of their day
00:51:37.99\00:51:40.26
in the 1800s.
00:51:40.30\00:51:42.76
But the sad
part of the story is,
00:51:42.80\00:51:46.17
the churches of the 1800s
00:51:46.20\00:51:48.47
rejected those two truths,
and they were not willing
00:51:48.50\00:51:52.57
to move forward with the light.
00:51:52.61\00:51:56.38
And as a result, many of those
00:51:56.41\00:51:57.81
dear Christians
were disfellowshipped
00:51:57.85\00:51:59.91
from their churches,
00:51:59.95\00:52:02.08
and they were eventually
forced to band together.
00:52:02.12\00:52:05.99
And they began what was known as
00:52:06.02\00:52:07.76
the Seventh-day
Adventist movement.
00:52:07.79\00:52:10.06
It wasn't their original intent
00:52:10.09\00:52:12.66
to start a
movement or a denomination,
00:52:12.69\00:52:14.76
they just wanted to
bring people back to truth.
00:52:14.80\00:52:17.07
But when the churches
of the day rejected it,
00:52:17.10\00:52:20.24
they had no choice.
00:52:20.27\00:52:21.94
And so when the Seventh-day
Adventist movement began
00:52:21.97\00:52:25.81
in the early 1800s,
00:52:25.84\00:52:27.28
it was simply a
continuation of the Reformation.
00:52:27.31\00:52:30.85
It was a
fulfillment of this prophecy
00:52:30.88\00:52:33.25
in Revelation 12:17 that
God would have a movement
00:52:33.28\00:52:36.79
that brings people
back to His commandments,
00:52:36.82\00:52:39.75
back to His Sabbath, back
to the testimony of Jesus,
00:52:39.79\00:52:43.63
and the traditions of
men would be let go off.
00:52:43.66\00:52:48.06
Now that's partly
why I choose to be
00:52:48.10\00:52:49.76
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian,
00:52:49.80\00:52:51.77
not because I believe
Seventh-day Adventists
00:52:51.80\00:52:53.54
are gonna be saved
before anybody else,
00:52:53.57\00:52:56.04
because I wanna be
part of that movement.
00:52:56.07\00:52:58.67
I wanna be part of the movement
00:52:58.71\00:53:00.04
that continues the reformation,
that comes back to the Bible,
00:53:00.08\00:53:03.24
that comes back
to His commandments.
00:53:03.28\00:53:06.55
And that's why
Revelation speaks to us
00:53:06.58\00:53:08.85
in Revelation 18:4
that we saw last night,
00:53:08.88\00:53:12.15
where God gives
this all important appeal
00:53:12.19\00:53:15.72
to people living
in the last days.
00:53:15.76\00:53:18.26
He says to us, "Come out of her,
00:53:18.29\00:53:21.86
my people, lest
you share in her sins."
00:53:21.90\00:53:25.00
What do you mean?
00:53:25.03\00:53:26.43
It's a call to
come out of Babylon
00:53:26.47\00:53:28.70
like we learned last night.
00:53:28.74\00:53:30.71
Babylon representing
00:53:30.74\00:53:32.37
all the religious
confusion in the world,
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.84
the traditions of men,
the commandments of men,
00:53:34.88\00:53:38.48
the authority
of men being placed
00:53:38.51\00:53:40.65
above the Word of God.
00:53:40.68\00:53:42.48
Just as it
happened in the Middle Ages,
00:53:42.52\00:53:44.55
God is saying today, I
want you to come out of that.
00:53:44.59\00:53:48.82
He's calling Baptists.
00:53:48.86\00:53:50.66
He's calling Catholics.
00:53:50.69\00:53:52.03
He's calling Episcopalians.
00:53:52.06\00:53:53.90
He's calling non
denominational folk.
00:53:53.93\00:53:55.90
He's calling all of us no matter
00:53:55.93\00:53:57.83
what language we speak,
00:53:57.87\00:53:59.40
no matter what the
color of our skin is.
00:53:59.43\00:54:02.14
He says, I want you to come out
00:54:02.17\00:54:03.51
of the religious confusion.
00:54:03.54\00:54:04.87
I want you to come
back to following the Bible
00:54:04.91\00:54:07.84
and the Bible alone.
00:54:07.88\00:54:09.54
If you love me,
00:54:09.58\00:54:10.91
I want you to
keep my commandments.
00:54:10.95\00:54:14.68
You see, folks,
00:54:14.72\00:54:16.05
the call to come out of Babylon,
00:54:16.08\00:54:18.35
is simply a call to put Jesus
00:54:18.39\00:54:20.32
above everyone else
00:54:20.36\00:54:22.49
and to put His Word
above everything else.
00:54:22.52\00:54:26.39
Folks, in these last days,
00:54:26.43\00:54:28.53
I believe God's
looking for people
00:54:28.56\00:54:30.30
just like Martin Luther.
00:54:30.33\00:54:32.17
People who aren't worried
about what the majority says,
00:54:32.20\00:54:36.04
people who aren't
willing to compromise.
00:54:36.07\00:54:38.21
People who like Martin
Luther can stand up and say,
00:54:38.24\00:54:42.31
"Here I stand
on the Word of God,
00:54:42.34\00:54:45.11
I can do no other."
00:54:45.15\00:54:48.88
He's looking for
people who will follow Him
00:54:48.92\00:54:50.72
with all their heart,
00:54:50.75\00:54:52.39
all their soul,
and all their mind.
00:54:52.42\00:54:55.56
Amen.
00:54:55.59\00:54:57.36
And you see as a
Christian myself,
00:54:57.39\00:55:01.00
I know the commandments
of God aren't popular.
00:55:01.03\00:55:04.80
I know the
Sabbath isn't popular.
00:55:04.83\00:55:08.37
But when I see Jesus
Christ lying prostrate
00:55:08.40\00:55:12.21
in the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:55:12.24\00:55:15.91
when I see drops of
blood coming from His forehead,
00:55:15.94\00:55:21.08
when I recognize that
He gave up all of heaven,
00:55:21.12\00:55:25.15
to go through the plan of
salvation just to save me,
00:55:25.19\00:55:29.59
just to save you,
00:55:29.62\00:55:32.33
that He would leave a place
00:55:32.36\00:55:33.70
where He's worshipped
and adored by millions,
00:55:33.73\00:55:36.23
billions of angelic beings,
00:55:36.26\00:55:39.43
and He would
literally risk His eternal life
00:55:39.47\00:55:43.81
to come and save
sinful human beings.
00:55:43.84\00:55:47.64
See, Jesus went
all the way for us.
00:55:47.68\00:55:52.31
Now Jesus is calling His people
to go all the way with Him
00:55:52.35\00:55:57.22
to come out of Babylon,
00:55:57.25\00:56:00.42
to keep His commandments,
00:56:00.46\00:56:02.96
to follow the Bible
and the Bible alone.
00:56:02.99\00:56:06.76
That's God's call to
His people in the last days.
00:56:06.80\00:56:10.00
And the question is,
what will your answer be?
00:56:10.03\00:56:13.70
Are we willing to
come out of Babylon,
00:56:13.74\00:56:16.50
to take our stand on God's Word,
00:56:16.54\00:56:19.17
and to take our
stand with Jesus?
00:56:19.21\00:56:21.71
Because when we follow Jesus,
00:56:21.74\00:56:23.38
though there may be challenges,
00:56:23.41\00:56:25.48
we have peace,
00:56:25.51\00:56:27.45
we have assurance,
and that we know that
00:56:27.48\00:56:30.29
we're standing
on the right side.
00:56:30.32\00:56:33.12
Even if the
majority is against us,
00:56:33.15\00:56:35.52
I can walk through anything
as long as Jesus is by my side.
00:56:35.56\00:56:40.83
Amen.
00:56:40.86\00:56:42.20
I want to invite you to
get out your response cards
00:56:42.23\00:56:44.57
for tonight.
00:56:44.60\00:56:45.93
Now as you came in,
00:56:45.97\00:56:47.30
you should have
got a response card
00:56:47.34\00:56:48.67
that says Revelation's Remnant.
00:56:48.70\00:56:50.21
If you don't have one,
00:56:50.24\00:56:51.77
if you would just
kindly raise your hand
00:56:51.81\00:56:53.91
and your row host
should be able to give you one
00:56:53.94\00:56:56.14
because these are
in the blue buckets.
00:56:56.18\00:56:58.28
Is there anyone
that doesn't have a card
00:56:58.31\00:57:00.42
that says Revelation's Remnant?
00:57:00.45\00:57:03.18
All right, let's go
through it together.
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.55
There's something on
here for everyone to mark.
00:57:04.59\00:57:07.82
The first box says,
00:57:07.86\00:57:09.89
"I believe the Bible is
the inspired Word of God
00:57:09.92\00:57:13.03
and should be our guide."
00:57:13.06\00:57:14.96
If you can say, "Yes,
00:57:15.00\00:57:16.33
I believe we
should follow the Bible
00:57:16.36\00:57:18.00
and the Bible alone."
00:57:18.03\00:57:19.37
I invite you to check that box.
00:57:19.40\00:57:22.37
By the way, you may wonder
00:57:22.40\00:57:23.74
why do you do
response cards every night?
00:57:23.77\00:57:27.01
Because when we're convicted
of something in our heart,
00:57:27.04\00:57:30.41
if we don't take
some kind of step,
00:57:30.45\00:57:32.41
that conviction will die.
00:57:32.45\00:57:34.82
Even if that
conviction is as simple as just
00:57:34.85\00:57:37.25
marking something on a card.
00:57:37.29\00:57:39.45
If it's important
enough to speak about,
00:57:39.49\00:57:42.39
it's important enough
to make a decision about.
00:57:42.42\00:57:45.83
The second box says,
00:57:45.86\00:57:47.20
"I wanna be
baptized one day soon."
00:57:47.23\00:57:50.37
I don't know your situation
or what's going on in life.
00:57:50.40\00:57:53.40
But if you've
never taken that step of
00:57:53.44\00:57:55.40
publicly confessing Jesus,
00:57:55.44\00:57:57.27
through baptism by immersion,
00:57:57.31\00:57:58.97
I would invite you
to just check that box.
00:57:59.01\00:58:01.74
And I'm sure
Pastor Mark would love
00:58:01.78\00:58:03.24
to make that day
possible for you one day soon.
00:58:03.28\00:58:07.65
Box number three says,
00:58:07.68\00:58:09.02
"I wanna be part of the remnant
00:58:09.05\00:58:10.39
who keeps the
commandments of God."
00:58:10.42\00:58:12.89
And in other
words, you're saying,
00:58:12.92\00:58:15.06
"Pastor Dave, I wanna keep
00:58:15.09\00:58:16.42
God's commandments in my life.
00:58:16.46\00:58:18.69
And I wanna ask the Holy Spirit
00:58:18.73\00:58:20.10
if he will help me to do that,
including his Bible Sabbath."
00:58:20.13\00:58:24.53
If that's the
desire of your heart,
00:58:24.57\00:58:25.90
I wanna invite
you to check that box.
00:58:25.93\00:58:27.77