I'd like to welcome you all here 00:00:27.26\00:00:29.02 to Focus on God's Word once again 00:00:29.06\00:00:32.89 as we take a look at this fifth part 00:00:32.93\00:00:35.20 in the six part series End-time Apocalypse. 00:00:35.23\00:00:38.87 And today's subject is 00:00:38.90\00:00:40.57 "Solving the Riddle of Religious Confusion". 00:00:40.60\00:00:43.51 So whether you are here for the very first time 00:00:43.54\00:00:45.81 or you've been here throughout this miniseries, 00:00:45.84\00:00:47.94 I want to give you a very warm welcome 00:00:47.98\00:00:49.54 especially to those who are here 00:00:49.58\00:00:51.55 in our Morisset Studio at 3ABN, here in Australia 00:00:51.58\00:00:55.72 as well as right around the world, 00:00:55.75\00:00:57.09 wherever you may be watching from either online 00:00:57.12\00:00:59.79 or on your TV sets 00:00:59.82\00:01:01.16 or you may be listening via your radio, 00:01:01.19\00:01:03.83 a warm welcome to you as we once again 00:01:03.86\00:01:06.80 go to the very heart of the Book of Revelation 00:01:06.83\00:01:09.40 and as we open up 00:01:09.43\00:01:10.97 to God's final message of love to the world. 00:01:11.00\00:01:14.57 Hasn't it been an exciting journey so far? 00:01:14.60\00:01:16.91 I have been blessed. 00:01:16.94\00:01:18.27 And I am so excited 00:01:18.31\00:01:19.64 to be able to open up the last book of the Bible, 00:01:19.67\00:01:22.74 the Revelation of Jesus Christ, discover the wonderful message 00:01:22.78\00:01:26.55 that Jesus Christ has for each and every one of us, 00:01:26.58\00:01:29.68 especially those that will be living 00:01:29.72\00:01:31.82 at the end of earth's history, preparing, and anticipating, 00:01:31.85\00:01:35.62 and anxiously waiting the second coming of Jesus. 00:01:35.66\00:01:39.39 So before we take a look at this all important subject, 00:01:39.43\00:01:42.20 "Solving the Riddle of Religious Confusion". 00:01:42.23\00:01:44.93 I want to invite you to pray with me 00:01:44.97\00:01:47.30 as we seek the Lord to guide and to bless us 00:01:47.34\00:01:49.80 as we spend time in His Word once more. 00:01:49.84\00:01:51.71 So let's pray. 00:01:51.74\00:01:53.07 Father in Heaven, we just want to thank You so much 00:01:53.11\00:01:55.24 that we can open Your Holy Word again 00:01:55.28\00:01:58.25 and as we open Your Word, 00:01:58.28\00:02:00.02 we pray that You will open our hearts and our minds 00:02:00.05\00:02:02.28 that we may be willing and able to receive the message 00:02:02.32\00:02:06.39 from this beautiful book, the Book of Revelation, 00:02:06.42\00:02:09.99 the revelation of Jesus Christ, may He reveal Himself 00:02:10.03\00:02:14.20 and His precious truth in all His glory 00:02:14.23\00:02:16.83 is our prayer in His name, amen. 00:02:16.87\00:02:19.30 Amen. Amen. 00:02:19.33\00:02:21.30 In our last presentation together, 00:02:21.34\00:02:24.11 we looked at Revelation's Last Appeal. 00:02:24.14\00:02:27.58 We looked at God's final call, God's final message of love 00:02:27.61\00:02:31.61 as He seeks to call His people, His people that are scattered 00:02:31.65\00:02:35.58 all around the world, in all different walks of life 00:02:35.62\00:02:39.29 amongst all the different religions 00:02:39.32\00:02:41.39 of the world, His sincere people, 00:02:41.42\00:02:44.56 calling them out of confusion and into His wonderful truth 00:02:44.59\00:02:49.06 awaiting His soon return. 00:02:49.10\00:02:51.23 We notice this scripture in Revelation 18:4 00:02:51.27\00:02:55.67 where God makes this call. 00:02:55.70\00:02:58.27 "And I heard another voice from heaven saying," 00:02:58.31\00:03:00.54 this is John speaking, "come out of her, my people," 00:03:00.58\00:03:04.91 that is come out of Babylon, 00:03:04.95\00:03:07.18 "lest you share in her sins, 00:03:07.22\00:03:08.95 and lest you receive of her plagues." 00:03:08.98\00:03:11.72 Together in our last presentation, 00:03:11.75\00:03:13.39 we discovered that Babylon not only represents confusion, 00:03:13.42\00:03:16.96 but it also represents rebellion 00:03:16.99\00:03:19.36 against God and His Word 00:03:19.39\00:03:21.50 and ultimately rebellion against God and His character. 00:03:21.53\00:03:25.50 And so God is calling His people out of confusion, 00:03:25.53\00:03:28.34 He is calling His people to follow Jesus Christ 00:03:28.37\00:03:30.81 who is the way, the truth, and the life. 00:03:30.84\00:03:34.08 And so that is what we want to take a look at today 00:03:34.11\00:03:36.68 and discover where does God call His people to. 00:03:36.71\00:03:40.65 God calls His people out of Babylon 00:03:40.68\00:03:42.68 but does He leave them orphans, 00:03:42.72\00:03:44.89 does He leave them in no man's land, 00:03:44.92\00:03:46.96 or does God have a plan, does God have a movement 00:03:46.99\00:03:52.63 that He has originated, 00:03:52.66\00:03:55.26 that He has brought in at the end of time 00:03:55.30\00:03:58.57 where all of His people can come 00:03:58.60\00:04:00.90 in order to find safety and security, 00:04:00.94\00:04:02.94 and in order to follow and practice His truth. 00:04:02.97\00:04:07.38 Today, there are many churches in the world, 00:04:07.41\00:04:09.48 and many religious organizations and institutions. 00:04:09.51\00:04:13.92 According to some estimates 00:04:13.95\00:04:15.55 there are roughly 4,200 religions 00:04:15.58\00:04:18.99 around the world 00:04:19.02\00:04:20.36 and that number is probably a lot larger. 00:04:20.39\00:04:22.99 Over 30,000 different Christian groups. 00:04:23.02\00:04:26.70 So as we take a look at this smorgasbord of faith 00:04:26.73\00:04:31.90 and religion that is in the world, 00:04:31.93\00:04:33.80 it becomes very confusing, wouldn't you say? 00:04:33.84\00:04:37.24 Very confusing. 00:04:37.27\00:04:38.61 Over 4,000 religions, over 30,000... 00:04:38.64\00:04:41.34 Some have even suggested 00:04:41.38\00:04:42.71 over 40,000 different Christian groups. 00:04:42.74\00:04:46.75 It's almost impossible, 00:04:46.78\00:04:48.28 well, it is impossible to understand God's truth 00:04:48.32\00:04:52.39 unless we had what? 00:04:52.42\00:04:54.32 Unless we had the Bible. 00:04:54.36\00:04:56.99 And I thank God that we have His Word. 00:04:57.03\00:05:01.00 Now, why do people choose a particular church 00:05:01.03\00:05:03.43 to belong to? 00:05:03.47\00:05:04.80 I want to share with you a number of ideas 00:05:04.83\00:05:07.90 that have been shared with me, a number of reasons 00:05:07.94\00:05:10.74 that have been given to me 00:05:10.77\00:05:12.11 of why individuals choose a particular church. 00:05:12.14\00:05:15.41 Let me pop them up on the screen for you. 00:05:15.44\00:05:17.48 There are those that say, I go to this church 00:05:17.51\00:05:19.11 because it's close to my house. 00:05:19.15\00:05:20.85 There are those that go to a particular church 00:05:20.88\00:05:22.68 because that's the church they grew up in, 00:05:22.72\00:05:24.82 their whole family goes there. 00:05:24.85\00:05:27.12 Then there are those that choose a particular church 00:05:27.16\00:05:29.86 because their friends go there. 00:05:29.89\00:05:31.89 There are those that go to a church 00:05:31.93\00:05:33.53 because the people are friendly. 00:05:33.56\00:05:34.90 Is there anything wrong with going to a church 00:05:34.93\00:05:36.46 where people are friendly? 00:05:36.50\00:05:37.83 Nothing wrong with that. 00:05:37.87\00:05:39.20 I'd want to go to a church where the people are friendly. 00:05:39.23\00:05:40.87 Everything right with that. 00:05:40.90\00:05:43.34 There are those that pick up a particular church 00:05:43.37\00:05:45.77 because they have a wonderful choir 00:05:45.81\00:05:47.68 and music program. 00:05:47.71\00:05:49.74 Then there are those that go to a particular church 00:05:49.78\00:05:52.45 because that particular church has a great children's program. 00:05:52.48\00:05:56.62 Another reason that is given 00:05:56.65\00:05:58.35 is that the minister is so nice. 00:05:58.39\00:06:00.96 Is there anything wrong with going to a church 00:06:00.99\00:06:02.72 where the minister is so nice? 00:06:02.76\00:06:04.86 No, there isn't. 00:06:04.89\00:06:06.66 But is that the reason we go to a particular church? 00:06:06.70\00:06:09.23 Not necessarily, as we'll discover. 00:06:09.26\00:06:12.23 There are those that go to a particular church 00:06:12.27\00:06:15.14 because of the atmosphere, 00:06:15.17\00:06:16.50 they feel such peace in that place. 00:06:16.54\00:06:19.01 There are those that go to a particular church 00:06:19.04\00:06:20.78 for the food, for the luncheon, they love the food there 00:06:20.81\00:06:25.61 and so they come week in and week out 00:06:25.65\00:06:27.82 or whenever there's a luncheon, they are there, 00:06:27.85\00:06:30.22 and I've come across a number of these individuals, 00:06:30.25\00:06:32.82 nothing wrong with that. 00:06:32.85\00:06:34.92 Then they are those that go because it's good for business. 00:06:34.96\00:06:37.36 You're thinking, "What do you mean, Danny, 00:06:37.39\00:06:38.73 good for business?" 00:06:38.76\00:06:40.10 Well, there was one particular individual 00:06:40.13\00:06:42.23 who was asked why do you go to this mega church 00:06:42.26\00:06:45.40 filled with thousands and thousands of people 00:06:45.43\00:06:48.57 each and every week? 00:06:48.60\00:06:49.94 And he simply said, "Well, I am a mechanic 00:06:49.97\00:06:52.01 and there's a lot of cars to service 00:06:52.04\00:06:53.74 in this particular church. 00:06:53.78\00:06:55.81 It's a lot more profitable 00:06:55.84\00:06:57.18 than me hanging out in a church 00:06:57.21\00:06:58.95 where there's 10 or 15 or 20 members 00:06:58.98\00:07:02.25 and so it's good for business." 00:07:02.28\00:07:04.62 And then there are those that go to a particular church 00:07:04.65\00:07:06.99 because the person they want to marry goes there. 00:07:07.02\00:07:10.99 And I have seen this firsthand. 00:07:11.03\00:07:15.33 I know of individuals that have gone 00:07:15.36\00:07:17.90 to a particular church 00:07:17.93\00:07:19.27 because the person they want to marry goes there. 00:07:19.30\00:07:21.90 How many of you are familiar with that kind of scenario? 00:07:21.94\00:07:24.37 Okay, a number of you 00:07:24.41\00:07:25.74 are familiar with that scenario. 00:07:25.77\00:07:29.01 Is that the reason 00:07:29.04\00:07:30.38 why we choose a particular church? 00:07:30.41\00:07:31.91 That reason or the other previous reasons 00:07:31.95\00:07:34.52 that we've looked at. 00:07:34.55\00:07:35.88 The question you and I need to ask is, 00:07:35.92\00:07:38.69 "How should a follower of Jesus determine 00:07:38.72\00:07:41.62 which church to attend and be part of?" 00:07:41.66\00:07:44.13 Should we look at 00:07:44.16\00:07:45.49 whether the minister is so nice, 00:07:45.53\00:07:47.16 whether the lunch and the food is delicious, 00:07:47.20\00:07:50.17 whether the music program, whether it's close to our home, 00:07:50.20\00:07:53.37 this is where our family goes, 00:07:53.40\00:07:55.20 or whether it's good for business, 00:07:55.24\00:07:56.71 or the person I want to marry goes there. 00:07:56.74\00:07:59.21 Is that how we determine what church to go to? 00:07:59.24\00:08:04.21 I want to share with you how we ought to determine 00:08:04.25\00:08:06.55 what church to go to 00:08:06.58\00:08:08.32 based on a story in 1 Kings 3. 00:08:08.35\00:08:11.52 King Solomon was asked by God, 00:08:11.55\00:08:14.69 "What is it that you want me to give you as a gift 00:08:14.72\00:08:19.19 as you begin your reign as king of Israel?" 00:08:19.23\00:08:21.83 And what did Solomon ask for when God said to him 00:08:21.86\00:08:25.80 choose anything and I will give it you, 00:08:25.83\00:08:27.34 what did he ask for? 00:08:27.37\00:08:28.70 Wisdom, is that right? 00:08:28.74\00:08:30.07 He asked for wisdom that he may know 00:08:30.11\00:08:31.94 how to lead and how to judge the people of God 00:08:31.97\00:08:35.41 in a righteous manner. 00:08:35.44\00:08:37.05 God gave him wisdom. 00:08:37.08\00:08:38.41 On one occasion, Solomon was faced with two mothers 00:08:38.45\00:08:42.18 that brought one live child to Solomon and both claimed 00:08:42.22\00:08:48.12 that that child was theirs, isn't that right? 00:08:48.16\00:08:50.56 You can read that story in 1 Kings 3. 00:08:50.59\00:08:53.03 Now how would Solomon in the days 00:08:53.06\00:08:55.23 before DNA supposed to find out 00:08:55.26\00:08:59.73 who the rightful mother was. 00:08:59.77\00:09:01.60 During the course of the evening, 00:09:01.64\00:09:03.04 both mothers sleeping with their babies, 00:09:03.07\00:09:07.21 one baby died and both mothers claimed 00:09:07.24\00:09:10.78 that the live baby belonged to them. 00:09:10.81\00:09:13.88 Now that was obviously impossible. 00:09:13.92\00:09:16.32 So how did Solomon determine the truth? 00:09:16.35\00:09:18.72 What did he ask for? The sword. 00:09:18.75\00:09:20.96 He said, "Give me the soul 00:09:20.99\00:09:23.32 and let's chop the live baby in half, 00:09:23.36\00:09:26.23 give you half and give you half." 00:09:26.26\00:09:29.36 And the rightful mother of the baby said what? 00:09:29.40\00:09:32.70 "No, give the baby to her." 00:09:32.73\00:09:35.97 But the mother of the dead baby, 00:09:36.00\00:09:39.61 the mother that wasn't the true mother 00:09:39.64\00:09:41.78 of the live baby said, "Good idea king." 00:09:41.81\00:09:45.15 And the king knew who that baby belonged to. 00:09:45.18\00:09:48.05 The king knew who the rightful mother was 00:09:48.08\00:09:50.69 because the king asked for the sword. 00:09:50.72\00:09:53.09 Now the Bible tells us that God's Word is a sword. 00:09:53.12\00:09:56.89 A sword. 00:09:56.93\00:09:58.33 Hebrews 4:12, 00:09:58.36\00:09:59.83 we are told that the Word of God 00:09:59.86\00:10:02.10 is a two-edged sword, 00:10:02.13\00:10:03.83 and so you and I can only determine the truth 00:10:03.87\00:10:07.87 by the Word of God, only by the Word of God. 00:10:07.90\00:10:12.81 You go to the Bible to find out what truth is, 00:10:12.84\00:10:16.41 then you seek to find a church that is teaching in harmony 00:10:16.44\00:10:21.12 with the truth of the Bible. 00:10:21.15\00:10:22.98 Let me repeat that again in case you missed it. 00:10:23.02\00:10:25.49 You go to the Bible, not to a church, 00:10:25.52\00:10:29.16 you go to the Bible and find out 00:10:29.19\00:10:31.53 what the Bible teaches about truth, 00:10:31.56\00:10:34.66 and then you find a church that teaches in harmony 00:10:34.70\00:10:38.83 with the Bible. 00:10:38.87\00:10:40.20 Is that fair enough, yes or no? 00:10:40.24\00:10:41.87 You don't test the Bible by what the minister says, 00:10:41.90\00:10:45.84 you test the minister by what the Bible says. 00:10:45.87\00:10:48.11 Amen? 00:10:48.14\00:10:49.48 Because who cares 00:10:49.51\00:10:51.21 what the minister says or doesn't say. 00:10:51.25\00:10:54.02 What matters at the end of the day 00:10:54.05\00:10:55.38 is what God says. 00:10:55.42\00:10:56.75 Amen? That is the truth. 00:10:56.79\00:10:58.35 So let's discover who established the church 00:10:58.39\00:11:01.46 at the very beginning of time. 00:11:01.49\00:11:03.02 Who established the church at the very beginning of time? 00:11:03.06\00:11:05.06 Notice, what we read in Matthew 16:18, 00:11:05.09\00:11:07.66 these are the words of Jesus. 00:11:07.70\00:11:09.16 He says, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, 00:11:09.20\00:11:13.03 and on this rock I will build..." 00:11:13.07\00:11:14.40 What? 00:11:14.44\00:11:15.77 "My church, and the gates of Hades 00:11:15.80\00:11:17.14 shall not prevail against it." 00:11:17.17\00:11:19.21 The church, the Christian church 00:11:19.24\00:11:22.21 was established by Jesus Christ. 00:11:22.24\00:11:26.38 He is the foundation of the Christian church, 00:11:26.41\00:11:30.22 not any human, not any human institution, 00:11:30.25\00:11:33.52 but Jesus Christ Himself. 00:11:33.56\00:11:35.12 That is how the Christian church 00:11:35.16\00:11:36.99 was established. 00:11:37.03\00:11:38.56 Notice what we read in Ephesians 4:4. 00:11:38.59\00:11:41.96 "There is..." How many bodies? 00:11:42.00\00:11:44.23 "One body..." Speaking of the church. 00:11:44.27\00:11:46.50 "And one Spirit, just as you were called 00:11:46.53\00:11:48.74 in one hope of your calling." 00:11:48.77\00:11:50.67 So the Apostle Paul says, there is one church, 00:11:50.71\00:11:53.27 there is one Christian faith and yet today, as we know, 00:11:53.31\00:11:57.08 we've discovered there are thousands and thousands 00:11:57.11\00:11:59.85 of different Christian faiths, 00:11:59.88\00:12:01.32 many of them teaching very different things. 00:12:01.35\00:12:04.49 How can they all be right when there is only one Bible 00:12:04.52\00:12:07.79 and there is only one truth? 00:12:07.82\00:12:09.92 Well, that's what we want to discover today 00:12:09.96\00:12:11.96 in order to solve the riddle of religion confusion. 00:12:11.99\00:12:14.63 We want to discover 00:12:14.66\00:12:16.00 how can there be so many churches 00:12:16.03\00:12:18.10 when there is only one Bible 00:12:18.13\00:12:19.77 and when there is only one truth? 00:12:19.80\00:12:21.60 Where did all these churches come from? 00:12:21.64\00:12:23.17 We're gonna look at that as we go along. 00:12:23.20\00:12:25.54 Now we discovered in Revelation 00:12:25.57\00:12:27.68 that God beautifully describes His church, 00:12:27.71\00:12:33.42 beautifully describes His church. 00:12:33.45\00:12:36.32 In fact, in Revelation 12, 00:12:36.35\00:12:38.52 we have a description of God's end-time church. 00:12:38.55\00:12:43.63 In our previous presentation 00:12:43.66\00:12:44.99 we discovered that in Revelation 17, 00:12:45.03\00:12:47.90 we have a description of the enemy's church 00:12:47.93\00:12:52.33 at the end of time, 00:12:52.37\00:12:53.70 the false church at the end of time 00:12:53.74\00:12:55.77 that is described as a harlot. 00:12:55.80\00:12:57.77 You remember that from our previous presentation? 00:12:57.81\00:13:00.21 Described as a harlot, 00:13:00.24\00:13:02.71 an unfaithful church, 00:13:02.74\00:13:04.38 but God has a true and faithful church. 00:13:04.41\00:13:07.18 And she is described as a virgin in Revelation 12, 00:13:07.22\00:13:11.32 faithful and true to God and God alone. 00:13:11.35\00:13:14.86 Notice what we read in Revelation 12:1 and onwards. 00:13:14.89\00:13:19.46 We read these words. 00:13:19.49\00:13:20.83 "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: 00:13:20.86\00:13:23.67 a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, 00:13:23.70\00:13:26.74 and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 00:13:26.77\00:13:29.64 Then being with child, she cried out in labor 00:13:29.67\00:13:32.41 and in pain to give birth..." 00:13:32.44\00:13:34.18 Now before we press on, I just want to note 00:13:34.21\00:13:37.11 the description of this woman. 00:13:37.15\00:13:38.88 Notice, it says that this woman, 00:13:38.91\00:13:41.98 she is clothed with the sun, she has the moon under her feet 00:13:42.02\00:13:46.65 and she has on her head a garland of 12 stars. 00:13:46.69\00:13:50.96 The moon, the sun, and the stars, 00:13:50.99\00:13:53.73 they are all light giving properties, 00:13:53.76\00:13:55.86 isn't that right? 00:13:55.90\00:13:57.63 This woman, 00:13:57.67\00:13:59.07 this church has been organized by Jesus Christ, 00:13:59.10\00:14:05.04 established by Jesus Christ to give light to the world. 00:14:05.07\00:14:10.05 Jesus said, I am the what? 00:14:10.08\00:14:12.31 The light of the world. 00:14:12.35\00:14:14.68 Jesus says, 00:14:14.72\00:14:16.05 the Bible says that God's Word is a lamp unto our feet 00:14:16.08\00:14:20.26 and a light unto our path, Psalm 119:105. 00:14:20.29\00:14:24.43 Yet, the church in Revelation 17 00:14:24.46\00:14:27.73 doesn't provide light for the world, 00:14:27.76\00:14:29.76 instead as we discovered, 00:14:29.80\00:14:31.13 the church in Revelation 17 does the opposite. 00:14:31.17\00:14:34.37 It makes all the nations drunk 00:14:34.40\00:14:36.91 with the wine of her fornication, 00:14:36.94\00:14:39.67 isn't that right? 00:14:39.71\00:14:41.04 So we have these two different women, 00:14:41.08\00:14:45.21 one providing light, and clarity, and truth, 00:14:45.25\00:14:48.65 and the other providing confusion, 00:14:48.68\00:14:50.75 and drunkenness, and everything that is opposite to the truth. 00:14:50.79\00:14:54.49 Let's press on. 00:14:54.52\00:14:56.42 "And another sign appeared in heaven: 00:14:56.46\00:14:58.19 behold, a great, fiery red dragon 00:14:58.23\00:15:01.66 having seven heads and ten horns, 00:15:01.70\00:15:03.43 and seven diadems on his heads." 00:15:03.47\00:15:06.23 We've discovered this symbol, haven't we? 00:15:06.27\00:15:08.37 This dragon or this beast with seven heads and ten horns 00:15:08.40\00:15:12.47 in Revelation 12, Revelation 13, 00:15:12.51\00:15:14.98 and Revelation 17. 00:15:15.01\00:15:16.85 And we've discovered 00:15:16.88\00:15:18.21 that it's almost identical in each chapter, 00:15:18.25\00:15:21.88 slight variations that tells us that this system 00:15:21.92\00:15:27.79 that the enemy is using, 00:15:27.82\00:15:29.16 that the enemy himself is behind 00:15:29.19\00:15:31.46 is working all in harmony, they are all in sync. 00:15:31.49\00:15:35.13 Now this red dragon here in Revelation 12 00:15:35.16\00:15:39.77 is none other than devil and Satan, 00:15:39.80\00:15:41.77 and we discovered that in Revelation 12:9. 00:15:41.80\00:15:44.67 Let's keep reading. 00:15:44.71\00:15:46.88 "His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven 00:15:46.91\00:15:49.68 and threw them to the earth." 00:15:49.71\00:15:51.05 This is speaking of Lucifer who became Satan 00:15:51.08\00:15:54.72 and he deceived one-third of the angels of heaven 00:15:54.75\00:15:59.19 into following him and being part of his kingdom, 00:15:59.22\00:16:02.02 that's that one-third. 00:16:02.06\00:16:03.59 "And the dragon, or Satan, stood before the woman..." 00:16:03.63\00:16:06.39 The church, this is the church of Jesus Christ. 00:16:06.43\00:16:09.26 "Who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child 00:16:09.30\00:16:12.23 as soon as it was born." 00:16:12.27\00:16:14.14 And capital C, Child, is the symbol for who? 00:16:14.17\00:16:18.27 It's the symbol for Jesus Christ. 00:16:18.31\00:16:19.64 So the devil tried through pagan Rome 00:16:19.67\00:16:23.45 to destroy baby Jesus and to take the life of Christ. 00:16:23.48\00:16:27.75 But notice, we keep reading what takes place next. 00:16:27.78\00:16:31.15 "She bore a male Child 00:16:31.19\00:16:32.69 who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. 00:16:32.72\00:16:35.16 And her Child was caught up to God and to His throne. 00:16:35.19\00:16:38.59 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, 00:16:38.63\00:16:40.70 where she has a place prepared by God, 00:16:40.73\00:16:42.83 that they should feed her there 00:16:42.86\00:16:44.53 one thousand two hundred and sixty days." 00:16:44.57\00:16:48.60 We've come across this before, haven't we? 00:16:48.64\00:16:50.34 In our very first presentation we discovered 00:16:50.37\00:16:52.97 that the church of God would go into the wilderness 00:16:53.01\00:16:57.45 because it would face persecution 00:16:57.48\00:16:59.81 from the false church, 00:16:59.85\00:17:01.45 and it would be protected by God for 1260 days, 00:17:01.48\00:17:05.62 and a day in Bible prophecy represents how long? 00:17:05.65\00:17:08.82 A year. A year, 1260 years. 00:17:08.86\00:17:14.23 What will take place after that? 00:17:14.26\00:17:16.13 Well, now we continue reading 00:17:16.16\00:17:18.80 in Revelation 12:12-17, 00:17:18.83\00:17:23.20 the rest of the story. 00:17:23.24\00:17:25.17 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! 00:17:25.21\00:17:28.91 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! 00:17:28.94\00:17:31.55 For the devil has come down to you, having..." 00:17:31.58\00:17:33.52 What? 00:17:33.55\00:17:34.88 "Great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." 00:17:34.92\00:17:39.42 Let me pause there for a moment. 00:17:39.45\00:17:41.16 What John here is describing 00:17:41.19\00:17:43.06 is what took place on the cross. 00:17:43.09\00:17:45.76 When Jesus Christ cried out, it is finished on Calvary, 00:17:45.79\00:17:52.20 on Golgotha, the place of the skull, 00:17:52.23\00:17:55.04 interestingly enough. 00:17:55.07\00:17:56.81 When Jesus Christ won the victory over the enemy, 00:17:56.84\00:18:01.41 overseeing Satan on Calvary, 00:18:01.44\00:18:05.25 Satan no longer had a place in heaven. 00:18:05.28\00:18:08.28 He was now relegated to this earth 00:18:08.32\00:18:10.55 and this earth alone. 00:18:10.59\00:18:11.92 He no longer represents us in heaven 00:18:11.95\00:18:15.76 because now Jesus Christ has bought back this planet 00:18:15.79\00:18:20.06 that Satan usurped from Adam and Eve 00:18:20.10\00:18:23.13 at the very beginning of time, 00:18:23.16\00:18:24.60 and now Jesus Christ is the rightful ruler, 00:18:24.63\00:18:27.44 and now Satan has been cast down. 00:18:27.47\00:18:29.20 And the Bible says, he is filled with great wrath 00:18:29.24\00:18:31.67 because he has only a short time. 00:18:31.71\00:18:33.94 His time is ticking. 00:18:33.98\00:18:36.51 He knows that his days are numbered 00:18:36.54\00:18:39.28 and that soon Jesus will come for the second time 00:18:39.31\00:18:42.48 and he will be destroyed forever more. 00:18:42.52\00:18:44.95 So now he goes out to destroy the people of God 00:18:44.99\00:18:48.99 in fury such as we have not seen. 00:18:49.02\00:18:51.59 And the last days actually begin 00:18:51.63\00:18:53.90 with the coming of Jesus 00:18:53.93\00:18:55.26 according to the Book of Hebrews 1. 00:18:55.30\00:18:56.97 The last days begin with the coming of Jesus 00:18:57.00\00:18:59.27 and the last days intensify 00:18:59.30\00:19:02.17 all the way up until the second coming of Jesus. 00:19:02.20\00:19:05.07 So we are now living at the very time 00:19:05.11\00:19:08.24 just before the coming of Jesus, isn't that right? 00:19:08.28\00:19:10.51 The second coming of Jesus. 00:19:10.55\00:19:11.88 The Bible makes that very clear. 00:19:11.91\00:19:13.38 So let's keep reading and find out 00:19:13.42\00:19:14.78 what takes place next 00:19:14.82\00:19:16.38 because he knows that he has a short time. 00:19:16.42\00:19:18.65 "Now when the dragon saw 00:19:18.69\00:19:20.02 that he had been cast to the earth, 00:19:20.06\00:19:21.39 he persecuted the woman 00:19:21.42\00:19:22.76 who gave birth to the male Child. 00:19:22.79\00:19:26.19 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, 00:19:26.23\00:19:29.23 that she might fly into the wilderness 00:19:29.26\00:19:30.60 to her place, 00:19:30.63\00:19:31.97 where she is nourished for a time 00:19:32.00\00:19:33.34 and times and half a time..." 00:19:33.37\00:19:34.70 That's that 1260 year period, 00:19:34.74\00:19:36.07 here it's referred to as a time, 00:19:36.10\00:19:38.51 times and half a time. 00:19:38.54\00:19:40.11 "From the presence of the serpent... 00:19:40.14\00:19:41.81 That is the devil. 00:19:41.84\00:19:43.18 "So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood 00:19:43.21\00:19:46.45 after the woman... 00:19:46.48\00:19:47.82 That is through persecution. 00:19:47.85\00:19:49.45 "That he might 00:19:49.48\00:19:50.82 cause her to be carried away by the flood. 00:19:50.85\00:19:53.92 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth 00:19:53.96\00:19:57.63 and swallowed up the flood 00:19:57.66\00:19:58.99 which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth." 00:19:59.03\00:20:00.83 Now we discovered that the earth here 00:20:00.86\00:20:02.46 is the symbol for what nation? 00:20:02.50\00:20:04.43 The United States of America. 00:20:04.47\00:20:06.23 The United States of America 00:20:06.27\00:20:07.94 is that beast in Revelation 13:11, 00:20:07.97\00:20:11.11 that comes up out of the earth 00:20:11.14\00:20:13.27 and the earth here provides a refugee for the people of God 00:20:13.31\00:20:17.11 who in Western Europe in the old world 00:20:17.15\00:20:19.31 are suffering horrendous persecution, 00:20:19.35\00:20:21.98 and so the United States opened its doors wide 00:20:22.02\00:20:24.75 for all those experiencing not only religious persecution 00:20:24.79\00:20:29.09 but also civil persecution, a political persecution. 00:20:29.12\00:20:33.60 That is what Revelation here is describing will take place. 00:20:33.63\00:20:36.97 Now let's keep reading. 00:20:37.00\00:20:39.03 The text goes on and says, 00:20:39.07\00:20:41.10 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman..." 00:20:41.14\00:20:43.97 This is verse 17. 00:20:44.01\00:20:45.64 "And he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, 00:20:45.67\00:20:48.74 who keep the commandments of God 00:20:48.78\00:20:50.71 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 00:20:50.75\00:20:53.45 Here, at the very end of time, the Bible describes 00:20:53.48\00:20:57.75 who Satan will be especially angry with 00:20:57.79\00:21:00.92 at the very end of time. 00:21:00.96\00:21:02.46 So we have the entire history of the Christian church 00:21:02.49\00:21:05.33 in Revelation 12, from the days of Jesus Christ, 00:21:05.36\00:21:08.76 as we have discovered, 00:21:08.80\00:21:10.13 when the dragon seeks to destroy the male child 00:21:10.17\00:21:12.83 which is Jesus Christ, 00:21:12.87\00:21:14.20 all the way through to as the dragon 00:21:14.24\00:21:16.47 seeks to destroy the church of God 00:21:16.50\00:21:19.04 that fleece into the wilderness 00:21:19.07\00:21:20.51 for that 1260 year period, 00:21:20.54\00:21:22.64 and then right at the end of time, 00:21:22.68\00:21:24.98 we have the dragon, angry and wrath, 00:21:25.01\00:21:28.65 with those who will inherit 00:21:28.68\00:21:31.39 or those that will be part of a nation, 00:21:31.42\00:21:34.66 that is the United States of America, 00:21:34.69\00:21:36.69 where God's everlasting love 00:21:36.73\00:21:38.66 where the three angels' messages 00:21:38.69\00:21:40.33 will be proclaimed through all the world, 00:21:40.36\00:21:42.50 so to this group of people, the dragon seeks 00:21:42.53\00:21:46.77 to especially destroy 00:21:46.80\00:21:48.90 those who have the commandments of God 00:21:48.94\00:21:51.14 and those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:21:51.17\00:21:53.78 And in Revelation 13, we have how the devil 00:21:53.81\00:21:57.31 seeks to destroy the church of God 00:21:57.35\00:22:00.22 that we have identified here in Revelation 12:17, 00:22:00.25\00:22:04.09 that we will unpack together in this presentation. 00:22:04.12\00:22:07.02 He calls up two powers, 00:22:07.06\00:22:09.56 the sea beast and the earth beast 00:22:09.59\00:22:11.43 that we've already identified and through these two powers, 00:22:11.46\00:22:14.96 he seeks to destroy the people of God. 00:22:15.00\00:22:17.20 But the good news is, that's not where the story ends 00:22:17.23\00:22:20.44 because the heart of Revelation ends in what chapter? 00:22:20.47\00:22:23.67 In chapter 14. 00:22:23.71\00:22:25.04 In chapter 14, 00:22:25.07\00:22:26.41 where God describes in great detail 00:22:26.44\00:22:29.31 those that will be faithful to Jesus Christ, 00:22:29.34\00:22:31.55 the message they will preach, the three angels' messages 00:22:31.58\00:22:34.75 and that is why 3ABN has been established, 00:22:34.78\00:22:39.39 that is why God has divinely brought this ministry 00:22:39.42\00:22:44.19 at the very end of time 00:22:44.23\00:22:45.56 to preach the three angels' messages 00:22:45.59\00:22:48.50 that will prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:22:48.53\00:22:52.83 So that is where we are going together in this presentation. 00:22:52.87\00:22:58.57 Now as we continue to look, 00:22:58.61\00:23:00.88 we discover that God has always had his light bearers. 00:23:00.91\00:23:04.91 God has had always individuals 00:23:04.95\00:23:07.02 who have shone the torch on truth, 00:23:07.05\00:23:10.12 always, He has always had that right 00:23:10.15\00:23:11.89 from the very beginning of time, 00:23:11.92\00:23:13.46 those that have proclaimed the truth of God, 00:23:13.49\00:23:15.92 those that have invited those around them 00:23:15.96\00:23:19.09 to be part of God's people 00:23:19.13\00:23:21.40 to be ready for the coming of Jesus. 00:23:21.43\00:23:23.77 Notice these examples. 00:23:23.80\00:23:25.63 We have Adam. 00:23:25.67\00:23:27.10 God raised up Adam to be a light bearer. 00:23:27.14\00:23:29.04 Then we have Noah. 00:23:29.07\00:23:30.71 And God used him to prepare the world 00:23:30.74\00:23:33.88 before the flood came. 00:23:33.91\00:23:35.24 Then God raised up Abraham and Israel. 00:23:35.28\00:23:38.35 Then God raised up Jesus Christ Himself 00:23:38.38\00:23:42.88 and the early church. 00:23:42.92\00:23:44.72 And then it was time for God to raise up who? 00:23:44.75\00:23:48.02 The reformers. 00:23:48.06\00:23:49.39 And as we take a look at each and every one 00:23:49.42\00:23:52.63 of these individuals or groups, 00:23:52.66\00:23:54.73 we discover that they began well 00:23:54.76\00:23:58.07 but then things fell away, isn't that right? 00:23:58.10\00:24:00.74 Adam began well but then the flood came. 00:24:00.77\00:24:02.84 Noah began well but then things went bad, 00:24:02.87\00:24:05.24 and God had to raise up Abraham and the children of Israel. 00:24:05.27\00:24:08.81 And then God had to raise up Jesus Christ 00:24:08.84\00:24:10.95 and things began well but then things deteriorated, 00:24:10.98\00:24:13.52 and God had to raise up the reformers 00:24:13.55\00:24:16.89 in order to continue the journey. 00:24:16.92\00:24:19.79 Now, when we talk about the reformers, 00:24:19.82\00:24:22.19 why did God raised up the reformers? 00:24:22.22\00:24:24.46 Well, God raised up the reformers 00:24:24.49\00:24:26.63 to call for reformation in the church. 00:24:26.66\00:24:30.10 Now what is a reformation? 00:24:30.13\00:24:31.63 A reformation is simply God seeking to bring His people 00:24:31.67\00:24:36.27 back on the right track. 00:24:36.30\00:24:37.74 Amen? 00:24:37.77\00:24:39.11 God seeking to bring His people, 00:24:39.14\00:24:41.61 seeking to bring the world back to Bible truth, 00:24:41.64\00:24:44.81 back to the Bible. 00:24:44.85\00:24:46.58 That's what the reformation was all about. 00:24:46.61\00:24:48.85 And God raised up men and women to bring the world 00:24:48.88\00:24:54.42 back to His Word. 00:24:54.46\00:24:56.26 Notice some individuals that God raised up. 00:24:56.29\00:24:58.83 I have them up there on the screen for you. 00:24:58.86\00:25:00.60 In the 14th Century, God raised up John Wycliffe 00:25:00.63\00:25:04.10 there in England, and he was instrumental 00:25:04.13\00:25:06.67 in providing for us the English Bible. 00:25:06.70\00:25:09.74 Then God raised up in the 15th Century, 00:25:09.77\00:25:11.81 John Huss of Bohemia 00:25:11.84\00:25:14.34 today known as the Czech Republic. 00:25:14.38\00:25:17.38 In the 16th Century, God raised up Martin Luther 00:25:17.41\00:25:20.85 and he sparked through his 95 Theses 00:25:20.88\00:25:25.45 nailed to the Wittenberg Church door in 1517, 00:25:25.49\00:25:28.26 the Reformation. 00:25:28.29\00:25:30.03 He was from Germany and the Lutherans. 00:25:30.06\00:25:33.80 The Lutheran faith was born out of Martin Luther 00:25:33.83\00:25:36.87 and his ministry. 00:25:36.90\00:25:38.23 Then in the 16th Century, we've got God raising up 00:25:38.27\00:25:40.90 John Calvin from Switzerland and the Reformed Church 00:25:40.94\00:25:45.51 was established. 00:25:45.54\00:25:46.88 Then also in the 16th Century, we have John Knox from Scotland 00:25:46.91\00:25:51.35 and we have the birth of the Presbyterian Church. 00:25:51.38\00:25:54.45 In the 17th Century, we have John Smyth of Holland 00:25:54.48\00:25:57.59 and the birth of the Baptist Church. 00:25:57.62\00:25:59.25 In the 18th Century, we have John Wesley in England 00:25:59.29\00:26:02.62 and the Methodist Church is born. 00:26:02.66\00:26:04.69 In the 19th Century, we have God raising up 00:26:04.73\00:26:07.16 a Baptist farmer, 00:26:07.20\00:26:08.53 there in the United States of America 00:26:08.56\00:26:10.40 and the Millerites were formed. 00:26:10.43\00:26:12.47 The Millerites seeking to call the people of God, 00:26:12.50\00:26:17.27 the people of the world, especially there 00:26:17.31\00:26:19.44 in the United States to prepare for the second coming of Jesus. 00:26:19.47\00:26:22.81 Why do we have so many churches today? 00:26:22.84\00:26:25.95 It's because individuals were raised up by God 00:26:25.98\00:26:29.82 to share a precious truth. 00:26:29.85\00:26:31.85 With Martin Luther, 00:26:31.89\00:26:33.22 it was the Bible and the Bible alone 00:26:33.25\00:26:35.46 and righteousness by faith. 00:26:35.49\00:26:37.93 With the Baptists, it was baptism by immersion 00:26:37.96\00:26:41.23 as an adult. 00:26:41.26\00:26:43.37 Then you have the Methodists 00:26:43.40\00:26:44.73 and John Wesley and holy living, 00:26:44.77\00:26:46.94 and as I have already pointed out. 00:26:46.97\00:26:48.47 The Millerites, they especially focused 00:26:48.50\00:26:51.74 on the second coming of Jesus. 00:26:51.77\00:26:54.01 William Miller, 00:26:54.04\00:26:55.38 who based on his study of Daniel 8:14, 00:26:55.41\00:27:00.25 believed whole-heartedly and many others 00:27:00.28\00:27:03.28 also along with him that Jesus was coming. 00:27:03.32\00:27:06.02 In 1844, October 22, 1844, 00:27:06.05\00:27:09.02 at the end of the 2300 year prophecy 00:27:09.06\00:27:12.89 that is given there in Daniel 8:14. 00:27:12.93\00:27:15.20 So God raised up individuals to proclaim a message 00:27:15.23\00:27:19.57 for a time. 00:27:19.60\00:27:20.97 The question is, would God raise up a movement 00:27:21.00\00:27:25.17 to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:27:25.21\00:27:27.84 The answer is yes. 00:27:27.88\00:27:29.84 In the end-time, according to Revelation 12:17, 00:27:29.88\00:27:33.45 we have discovered that God raises up Revelation's Remnant. 00:27:33.48\00:27:38.95 God in a very beautiful way describes Revelation's Remnant. 00:27:38.99\00:27:43.86 God describes this movement. 00:27:43.89\00:27:45.69 It's not really a church as we'll discover, 00:27:45.73\00:27:47.96 a movement that He raises up 00:27:48.00\00:27:50.67 in order to preach the three angels' messages 00:27:50.70\00:27:53.03 to all the world and to prepare the world 00:27:53.07\00:27:55.57 for the second coming of Jesus. 00:27:55.60\00:27:57.61 So that's what we want to take a look at right now 00:27:57.64\00:28:00.31 as we take a look at how Revelation 00:28:00.34\00:28:02.78 beautifully describes God's end-time church. 00:28:02.81\00:28:07.32 Let's take a look at seven identification marks 00:28:07.35\00:28:10.92 of God's end-time church as it is described so clearly, 00:28:10.95\00:28:16.49 as clear as the noon day sun in the Book of Revelation. 00:28:16.52\00:28:20.00 Are you ready for this? 00:28:20.03\00:28:21.43 Seven wonderful points that help us 00:28:21.46\00:28:24.47 understand the truth about the people of God 00:28:24.50\00:28:28.40 that God has chosen or that God has set in place, 00:28:28.44\00:28:32.51 that God has established, 00:28:32.54\00:28:34.14 as He did with Israel to prepare the world 00:28:34.18\00:28:37.48 for the second coming of Jesus. 00:28:37.51\00:28:38.85 The first point. 00:28:38.88\00:28:41.45 Revelation's Remnant, God's end-time church. 00:28:41.48\00:28:44.82 It's called the "remnant," it stands on God's word alone. 00:28:44.85\00:28:50.13 Notice what we read in Revelation 12:17. 00:28:50.16\00:28:53.43 It says, "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, 00:28:53.46\00:28:55.93 and he went to make war with the rest..." 00:28:55.96\00:28:57.80 That is New King James, 00:28:57.83\00:28:59.17 or I like the King James rendition, the what? 00:28:59.20\00:29:02.60 "The remnant of her offspring, 00:29:02.64\00:29:04.41 who keep the commandments of God 00:29:04.44\00:29:05.77 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 00:29:05.81\00:29:07.18 So God raises up a remnant. 00:29:07.21\00:29:09.84 Now the remnant are true to God's Word. 00:29:09.88\00:29:14.08 That is most important of all. 00:29:14.12\00:29:16.99 Notice what we read in John 17:17. 00:29:17.02\00:29:21.09 Jesus says, "Sanctify them by Your truth Your... 00:29:21.12\00:29:23.69 What? 00:29:23.73\00:29:25.06 "Word is truth." 00:29:25.09\00:29:26.43 So in order for you and I to discover 00:29:26.46\00:29:29.83 who the remnant church 00:29:29.86\00:29:32.17 of Bible prophecy is at the end of time, 00:29:32.20\00:29:34.97 this first point must be established, God's church. 00:29:35.00\00:29:39.17 In order to be His church at the end of time, 00:29:39.21\00:29:42.04 must stand on Sola scriptura as Martin Luther 00:29:42.08\00:29:46.41 so powerfully put it, the Bible and the Bible alone. 00:29:46.45\00:29:50.59 Is that clear? Yes or no? Yes. 00:29:50.62\00:29:52.62 It's absolutely crystal clear. 00:29:52.65\00:29:55.02 Notice what we read in 1 Timothy 3:17. 00:29:55.06\00:30:00.10 The Apostle Paul writes to young Timothy, 00:30:00.13\00:30:01.90 and he writes, "But if I am delayed, 00:30:01.93\00:30:03.70 I write so that you may know 00:30:03.73\00:30:05.47 how you ought to conduct yourself 00:30:05.50\00:30:06.84 in the house of God..." 00:30:06.87\00:30:08.20 Speaking of the church. 00:30:08.24\00:30:09.57 "Which is the church of the living God, 00:30:09.60\00:30:11.51 the pillar and ground of..." What? 00:30:11.54\00:30:13.31 "The truth." God's church. 00:30:13.34\00:30:16.28 In order to be God's church, 00:30:16.31\00:30:17.98 must be established on the pillar 00:30:18.01\00:30:20.65 and the ground of truth. 00:30:20.68\00:30:23.05 Thy word is truth. 00:30:23.08\00:30:26.55 If the church that you belong to 00:30:26.59\00:30:29.92 does not fulfill this first and all important requirement, 00:30:29.96\00:30:34.03 it cannot be God's end-time remnant church. 00:30:34.06\00:30:37.67 It just cannot be. 00:30:37.70\00:30:39.27 Because God's end-time remnant church 00:30:39.30\00:30:41.20 must be based firmly and squarely on the Bible 00:30:41.24\00:30:45.21 and the Bible alone in all its teachings 00:30:45.24\00:30:48.14 and all its practice. 00:30:48.18\00:30:49.51 Amen? I hope that's crystal clear. 00:30:49.54\00:30:52.18 Let's move on to our second point. 00:30:52.21\00:30:55.82 Revelation identifies God's end-time church 00:30:55.85\00:30:59.15 as those who keep all of God's Commandments. 00:30:59.19\00:31:02.72 We read that in Revelation 12:17. 00:31:02.76\00:31:05.36 They are those who keep the commandments of God. 00:31:05.39\00:31:09.43 This is so significant that God's people 00:31:09.46\00:31:12.40 are described as keeping His commandments 00:31:12.43\00:31:14.80 not once, not twice, but three times in Revelation. 00:31:14.84\00:31:17.54 Notice what we read in Revelation 14:12. 00:31:17.57\00:31:20.58 "Here is the patience of the saints, 00:31:20.61\00:31:21.94 here are those who do..." What? 00:31:21.98\00:31:23.68 "Keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." 00:31:23.71\00:31:25.98 And finally, in Revelation 22:14, 00:31:26.01\00:31:30.75 we have these words. 00:31:30.79\00:31:32.45 "Blessed are those who..." What? 00:31:32.49\00:31:34.26 "Do His commandments, 00:31:34.29\00:31:35.62 that they may have right to the tree of life, 00:31:35.66\00:31:37.73 and may enter through the gates into the city." 00:31:37.76\00:31:40.53 And if you read the previous verse, 00:31:40.56\00:31:42.06 you will discover that those 00:31:42.10\00:31:43.43 who break the commandments of God, 00:31:43.47\00:31:45.43 willfully and knowingly, they are outside the city. 00:31:45.47\00:31:48.40 But God's people at the end of time 00:31:48.44\00:31:51.94 will keep all of God's Ten Commandments 00:31:51.97\00:31:54.91 including the one that begins with the word remember, 00:31:54.94\00:31:58.35 what was that word? 00:31:58.38\00:31:59.71 Remember. Remember. 00:31:59.75\00:32:01.08 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 00:32:01.12\00:32:02.98 And that eliminates more than 00:32:03.02\00:32:05.25 90% of the Christian churches in the world today. 00:32:05.29\00:32:09.29 Just that one point, isn't that right? 00:32:09.32\00:32:10.89 Yeah. 00:32:10.93\00:32:12.26 Most Christian churches today in the world 00:32:12.29\00:32:14.06 keep nine of the Ten Commandments. 00:32:14.10\00:32:16.56 But the one that God said, 00:32:16.60\00:32:19.27 remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, 00:32:19.30\00:32:20.87 that one has been eliminated 00:32:20.90\00:32:23.71 from their list of Ten Commandments. 00:32:23.74\00:32:27.11 Why is this so important? 00:32:27.14\00:32:29.04 Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me..." What? 00:32:29.08\00:32:32.71 "Keep My commandments." 00:32:32.75\00:32:34.08 God's people at the end of time will love Jesus Christ 00:32:34.12\00:32:39.15 with their heart, soul, strength, and mind 00:32:39.19\00:32:41.62 and because of their love for Jesus Christ, 00:32:41.66\00:32:44.03 they will seek to keep His Ten Commandments. 00:32:44.06\00:32:47.13 Not to be saved as we've discovered 00:32:47.16\00:32:48.93 over and over again, but because they are saved. 00:32:48.96\00:32:51.83 And Jesus made it very clear that love towards Him 00:32:51.87\00:32:56.91 and love towards your neighbor, 00:32:56.94\00:32:59.24 on these two principles hang all the, what? 00:32:59.27\00:33:01.88 All the law and the prophets. 00:33:01.91\00:33:03.78 The entire Bible is summed up in, 00:33:03.81\00:33:06.72 love God with all your hearts, all strength and mind, 00:33:06.75\00:33:08.92 and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:33:08.95\00:33:11.22 So God's people will be true to Him 00:33:11.25\00:33:14.46 and all of His Ten Commandments be true to His Word. 00:33:14.49\00:33:18.36 Be true to His Word. 00:33:18.39\00:33:19.79 Let's take a look at point number three. 00:33:19.83\00:33:24.90 God's end-time church, 00:33:24.93\00:33:26.27 according to the Book of Revelation 00:33:26.30\00:33:27.64 will have the "Testimony of Jesus Christ." 00:33:27.67\00:33:30.44 In Revelation 12:17, 00:33:30.47\00:33:33.94 it describes God's end-time people 00:33:33.98\00:33:35.61 as those who keep the commandments of God 00:33:35.64\00:33:37.31 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:33:37.35\00:33:39.88 Now, what is the testimony of Jesus Christ? 00:33:39.91\00:33:42.72 How we're to find out specifically 00:33:42.75\00:33:45.49 what this phrase is describing? 00:33:45.52\00:33:48.52 Do we do a poll? Do we go to Google? 00:33:48.56\00:33:50.59 No. Where do we go? 00:33:50.63\00:33:51.96 We go to the Bible. 00:33:51.99\00:33:53.33 And in particular, 00:33:53.36\00:33:54.70 let's look in the Book of Revelation 00:33:54.73\00:33:56.06 to find out what this phrase, 00:33:56.10\00:33:58.07 the testimony of Jesus Christ is specifically describing. 00:33:58.10\00:34:02.54 And we have the answer in Revelation 19:10. 00:34:02.57\00:34:06.74 Notice what we read in Revelation 19:10. 00:34:06.78\00:34:10.05 John writes, "And I fell at his feet to worship him. 00:34:10.08\00:34:13.21 But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that! 00:34:13.25\00:34:16.15 I am your fellow servant..." 00:34:16.18\00:34:17.52 That is John is about to worship the angel. 00:34:17.55\00:34:20.99 "And of your brethren who have the..." What? 00:34:21.02\00:34:23.69 "Testimony of..." Who? 00:34:23.73\00:34:25.26 "Of Jesus. Worship God! 00:34:25.29\00:34:27.13 For the testimony of Jesus is the... What? 00:34:27.16\00:34:30.17 "The spirit of prophecy." 00:34:30.20\00:34:31.90 So here the angel makes it crystal clear 00:34:31.93\00:34:34.54 to the Apostle John that the testimony of Jesus, 00:34:34.57\00:34:38.47 the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy, 00:34:38.51\00:34:42.24 it's the prophetic gift. 00:34:42.28\00:34:44.61 It's what gift? 00:34:44.65\00:34:45.98 The prophetic gift 00:34:46.01\00:34:47.62 that God gives His end-time people 00:34:47.65\00:34:50.45 in order to lead and to guide them. 00:34:50.49\00:34:53.52 Now, it's interesting that the angel here says, 00:34:53.56\00:34:57.53 "I am of your fellow servant, and of your brethren 00:34:57.56\00:35:01.60 who have the testimony of Jesus." 00:35:01.63\00:35:04.03 If you go and read Revelation 22:8, 9, 00:35:04.07\00:35:08.24 there you'll discover 00:35:08.27\00:35:09.74 that John is about to worship the angel again, 00:35:09.77\00:35:13.24 and the angel says, "See that you do not do that. 00:35:13.27\00:35:16.44 For I am of your brethren." 00:35:16.48\00:35:19.41 I am a servant like you that has the gift of prophecy. 00:35:19.45\00:35:24.69 I am of the prophets. 00:35:24.72\00:35:26.09 I am a spokesman on behalf of God. 00:35:26.12\00:35:28.92 In Revelation 1:1, 2, there John says 00:35:28.96\00:35:34.00 he was given the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:35:34.03\00:35:36.60 He was a prophet. 00:35:36.63\00:35:38.57 In Revelation 1:9, John says, 00:35:38.60\00:35:41.94 "I was imprisoned 00:35:41.97\00:35:45.87 because of the testimony of Jesus Christ 00:35:45.91\00:35:48.51 and because of the Word of God." 00:35:48.54\00:35:49.88 We're gonna look at that in a lot more detail 00:35:49.91\00:35:51.78 in our next presentation, 00:35:51.81\00:35:53.15 but God's end-time people 00:35:53.18\00:35:54.62 will have the prophetic gift in their midst 00:35:54.65\00:35:58.22 as they prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:35:58.25\00:36:01.32 Let's try to look at point number four. 00:36:01.36\00:36:03.66 It has the "patience of the saints." 00:36:03.69\00:36:06.46 Notice what we read in Revelation 14:12. 00:36:06.49\00:36:10.00 It says, "Here is the... What? 00:36:10.03\00:36:12.37 "Patience of the saints." The patience of the saints. 00:36:12.40\00:36:16.64 Now, I was curious to understand a little more 00:36:16.67\00:36:21.14 so what that word patience means. 00:36:21.18\00:36:24.15 Like you and I, when we think of patience, 00:36:24.18\00:36:26.25 when we talk about patience, 00:36:26.28\00:36:27.62 we think one thing, being patient. 00:36:27.65\00:36:29.98 But I wanted to take a look at 00:36:30.02\00:36:31.75 what this word actually means in its original. 00:36:31.79\00:36:34.29 The richness of this word that describes 00:36:34.32\00:36:37.99 God's end-time people awaiting the coming of Jesus, 00:36:38.03\00:36:44.10 preaching the three angels' messages, 00:36:44.13\00:36:45.70 it describes them as patient saints. 00:36:45.73\00:36:48.24 Now are they just simply patient as in patient, 00:36:48.27\00:36:50.71 patient just waiting? 00:36:50.74\00:36:52.34 Or does this word encapsulate a whole heap more? 00:36:52.37\00:36:55.51 Notice what I discovered. 00:36:55.54\00:36:58.35 This is from the Blue Letter Bible dictionary 00:36:58.38\00:37:03.08 and it unpacks this word patience, 00:37:03.12\00:37:07.29 and I just want to read for you 00:37:07.32\00:37:10.33 this sentence that you can see there 00:37:10.36\00:37:12.49 on the screen. 00:37:12.53\00:37:13.86 Point one, the word means steadfastness, 00:37:13.90\00:37:16.60 constancy, endurance. 00:37:16.63\00:37:18.47 Notice, in The New Testament, 00:37:18.50\00:37:20.44 the characteristic of a man or a woman 00:37:20.47\00:37:23.67 who is not swerved from his or her deliberate purpose 00:37:23.71\00:37:27.31 and his loyalty to faith and piety 00:37:27.34\00:37:29.84 by even the greatest trials and sufferings. 00:37:29.88\00:37:34.55 What does it mean to be patient at the end of time? 00:37:34.58\00:37:36.92 It means that God will have a people 00:37:36.95\00:37:39.55 who will not be swerved. 00:37:39.59\00:37:41.46 They will be faithful, they will be loyal to God, 00:37:41.49\00:37:44.46 rain, hail or shine, 00:37:44.49\00:37:46.23 no matter what the dragon throws at them. 00:37:46.26\00:37:49.50 And we have just read in Revelation 12:17 00:37:49.53\00:37:51.70 that the dragon was wrath 00:37:51.73\00:37:54.40 with the remnant at the end of time, 00:37:54.44\00:37:57.17 and he goes and makes war with them. 00:37:57.21\00:37:59.01 And in Revelation 13, we have a description 00:37:59.04\00:38:01.38 of how the devil will seek to destroy the people of God. 00:38:01.41\00:38:05.85 No matter what, 00:38:05.88\00:38:07.22 they remain faithful to God in the midst of turmoil 00:38:07.25\00:38:12.59 and trouble that you and I cannot even begin to imagine. 00:38:12.62\00:38:15.99 They remain faithful to God. 00:38:16.02\00:38:17.83 Notice what the Bible says regarding this group of people. 00:38:17.86\00:38:21.36 Well, before we do that, 00:38:21.40\00:38:22.73 we'll get to that later on obviously, 00:38:22.76\00:38:25.07 it has the faith of Jesus. 00:38:25.10\00:38:27.67 It has the faith of Jesus. 00:38:27.70\00:38:29.04 Notice what we read in Revelation 14:12, it says, 00:38:29.07\00:38:32.64 "Here are those who keep the commandments of God 00:38:32.67\00:38:35.58 and they have the faith of Jesus." 00:38:35.61\00:38:38.91 Now what does it mean to have the faith of Jesus? 00:38:38.95\00:38:41.72 Notice a definition from Strong's Concordance 00:38:41.75\00:38:44.65 regarding what that word faith literally means. 00:38:44.69\00:38:47.36 It means moral conviction of religious truth, 00:38:47.39\00:38:50.83 especially reliance upon Christ for salvation, 00:38:50.86\00:38:54.26 constant in your profession, assurance, 00:38:54.30\00:38:56.97 belief and fidelity or loyalty. 00:38:57.00\00:38:59.90 So this group of people have the faith of Jesus. 00:38:59.93\00:39:03.81 They are loyal, they are true, 00:39:03.84\00:39:06.84 they are not willing to be swerved, 00:39:06.88\00:39:09.34 they are filled with conviction, 00:39:09.38\00:39:12.65 they rely whole-heartedly upon Christ for salvation. 00:39:12.68\00:39:18.59 God's end-time people will preach the message 00:39:18.62\00:39:23.59 that we are saved by God's grace alone, 00:39:23.63\00:39:26.70 through faith alone, 00:39:26.73\00:39:28.23 as an act of incredible love by Christ alone. 00:39:28.26\00:39:32.33 God's end-time people will never ever preach 00:39:32.37\00:39:37.01 the message that you are saved by something you do. 00:39:37.04\00:39:40.44 But you are saved by Jesus Christ 00:39:40.48\00:39:42.24 and His merits alone. 00:39:42.28\00:39:44.08 In order for God's church to be God's church 00:39:44.11\00:39:46.48 at the end of time, 00:39:46.51\00:39:47.85 it must preach this faith message. 00:39:47.88\00:39:51.39 And not only that, 00:39:51.42\00:39:52.75 but the Bible says it has the faith of Jesus. 00:39:52.79\00:39:55.46 What kind of faith did Jesus have? 00:39:55.49\00:39:57.79 Jesus had complete faith 00:39:57.83\00:39:59.59 and trust in His Heavenly Father, 00:39:59.63\00:40:01.30 isn't that right? 00:40:01.33\00:40:02.66 When Jesus was faced with drinking that bitter cup 00:40:02.70\00:40:06.37 in the garden of Gethsemane 00:40:06.40\00:40:07.74 filled with the sins of the entire world, 00:40:07.77\00:40:10.47 Jesus could have walked away but instead He prayed, 00:40:10.51\00:40:14.44 "Father, let this cup pass from my lip nevertheless, 00:40:14.48\00:40:19.28 not My will, but Your will be done." 00:40:19.31\00:40:22.35 This group of people at the end of time 00:40:22.38\00:40:24.85 have the same faith that Jesus had, 00:40:24.89\00:40:27.06 willing to endure to the very end, 00:40:27.09\00:40:29.22 for Jesus said in Matthew 24, 00:40:29.26\00:40:30.99 "He who endures to the very end will be..." What? 00:40:31.03\00:40:33.60 "He will be saved." 00:40:33.63\00:40:34.96 They have the same faith of Jesus. 00:40:35.00\00:40:37.57 They have faith in Jesus 00:40:37.60\00:40:39.30 which is also a correct translation of the text, 00:40:39.33\00:40:41.74 and they also have the same faith that Jesus had, 00:40:41.77\00:40:45.01 complete reliance on the Heavenly Father. 00:40:45.04\00:40:47.34 They will trust in Jesus Christ alone and always. 00:40:47.38\00:40:51.88 Amen? 00:40:51.91\00:40:53.35 These individuals, 00:40:53.38\00:40:55.05 their cry is though the heavens fall, 00:40:55.08\00:40:57.95 we'll continue to trust and be loyal to Jesus Christ. 00:40:57.99\00:41:03.16 We will not be swerved. 00:41:03.19\00:41:04.89 That is the group of people that God is describing 00:41:04.93\00:41:07.63 at the very end of time. 00:41:07.66\00:41:09.33 Notice what we read in Revelation 14:4. 00:41:09.36\00:41:11.67 It says, "These are the ones..." 00:41:11.70\00:41:13.97 Speaking of God's end-time people. 00:41:14.00\00:41:16.27 "Who were not defiled with women..." 00:41:16.30\00:41:19.04 Or in other words, 00:41:19.07\00:41:21.04 false religious teachings or doctrines. 00:41:21.08\00:41:23.68 "For they are..." What? 00:41:23.71\00:41:25.05 "They are virgins." 00:41:25.08\00:41:26.41 They are true to Jesus Christ who is the groom. 00:41:26.45\00:41:29.58 "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes." 00:41:29.62\00:41:33.46 God will have a people who follow the Lamb 00:41:33.49\00:41:35.99 wherever He goes. 00:41:36.02\00:41:37.83 Faithful, loyal to Jesus Christ, 00:41:37.86\00:41:40.73 no matter what the cost. 00:41:40.76\00:41:42.50 Even as we discovered in Revelation 13, 00:41:42.53\00:41:45.73 even if their very lives are on the line. 00:41:45.77\00:41:49.57 Loyal and faithful 00:41:49.60\00:41:51.11 just like those three young Hebrew men 00:41:51.14\00:41:54.34 on the plain of Dura. 00:41:54.38\00:41:56.28 You remember them in Daniel 3? 00:41:56.31\00:41:58.48 Those three Hebrew men... 00:41:58.51\00:42:01.22 When it came time to worship 00:42:01.25\00:42:02.68 the image that Nebuchadnezzar had established, 00:42:02.72\00:42:04.99 they said, "No way, we will not worship the image. 00:42:05.02\00:42:09.02 We are happy to die for our Lord, for our God. 00:42:09.06\00:42:12.83 But we will not worship your image 00:42:12.86\00:42:14.76 because we worship only one God, 00:42:14.80\00:42:16.30 the true God, the God in heaven, 00:42:16.33\00:42:19.03 the creator of the heavens and the earths 00:42:19.07\00:42:20.90 and all that is in them." 00:42:20.94\00:42:22.77 And God will have such a people on planet earth. 00:42:22.80\00:42:25.81 Here they are also described in Revelation 12:11. 00:42:25.84\00:42:29.71 It says, "And they overcame him..." 00:42:29.74\00:42:31.28 That is God's end-time people. 00:42:31.31\00:42:33.48 God's people down through the ages 00:42:33.52\00:42:35.25 in the last 2000 years. 00:42:35.28\00:42:37.72 "They overcame him, that is the dragon, 00:42:37.75\00:42:39.35 by the blood of the Lamb 00:42:39.39\00:42:40.76 and by the word of their testimony, 00:42:40.79\00:42:42.46 and they did not love their lives even..." What? 00:42:42.49\00:42:45.39 "Unto the death." 00:42:45.43\00:42:46.83 That is the faith of Jesus, that is loyalty, 00:42:46.86\00:42:50.40 that is what God is calling His people to, 00:42:50.43\00:42:53.87 that is what God is calling the whole world to, 00:42:53.90\00:42:58.04 give their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, 00:42:58.07\00:42:59.77 to be faithful, 00:42:59.81\00:43:01.41 to be loyal to Him and to Him alone. 00:43:01.44\00:43:04.35 This is God's remnant at the end of time. 00:43:04.38\00:43:07.48 Let's take a look at our sixth identification mark 00:43:07.52\00:43:10.72 of God's end-time remnant. 00:43:10.75\00:43:12.09 It will arise after 1798, 00:43:12.12\00:43:15.12 that is after the 1260 years have come to an end 00:43:15.16\00:43:19.16 in the United States of America. 00:43:19.19\00:43:20.80 And we've already looked at that 00:43:20.83\00:43:22.16 in our previous presentation 00:43:22.20\00:43:23.77 where God opened up a way, He opened up a door, 00:43:23.80\00:43:27.40 He opened up a whole continent 00:43:27.44\00:43:30.31 in order for His people to escape 00:43:30.34\00:43:32.91 and that all took place at that period around 1798. 00:43:32.94\00:43:37.65 So God's church according to Revelation 12, 00:43:37.68\00:43:40.32 the sequence of Revelation 12 makes it clear 00:43:40.35\00:43:42.58 that God's end-time remnant in Revelation 12:17 00:43:42.62\00:43:46.22 will arise after the 1260 year period has come to an end. 00:43:46.25\00:43:51.39 So that's a very important point also to remember. 00:43:51.43\00:43:54.76 Number seven and finally, 00:43:54.80\00:43:56.67 it will be a world-wide movement 00:43:56.70\00:43:58.60 that will preach the everlasting gospel, 00:43:58.63\00:44:00.87 that is God's final message of love to the world 00:44:00.90\00:44:03.91 found in Revelation 14:6-12. 00:44:03.94\00:44:07.18 The message that we have been going through 00:44:07.21\00:44:10.08 in this presentations together, 00:44:10.11\00:44:12.18 as we have been taking a look at end-time apocalypse 00:44:12.21\00:44:15.85 in this series on Focus on God's Word. 00:44:15.88\00:44:18.95 We have been taking a look at Revelation 14 00:44:18.99\00:44:23.66 and that all important three angels' messages 00:44:23.69\00:44:27.00 that is to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:44:27.03\00:44:30.07 Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 24:14. 00:44:30.10\00:44:33.23 Jesus said, "And this gospel 00:44:33.27\00:44:34.94 of the kingdom will be preached in..." 00:44:34.97\00:44:36.30 How much of the world? 00:44:36.34\00:44:37.67 "In all the world as a... What? 00:44:37.71\00:44:39.04 "As a witness..." 00:44:39.07\00:44:40.41 Or as a testimony to how many of the nations? 00:44:40.44\00:44:42.84 "To all the nations..." 00:44:42.88\00:44:44.21 And what will happen then? 00:44:44.25\00:44:45.58 "And then the end will come." 00:44:45.61\00:44:48.45 Jesus made it clear. 00:44:48.48\00:44:49.82 These are the words of Jesus in Matthew 24. 00:44:49.85\00:44:52.09 He said, "This gospel will be preached 00:44:52.12\00:44:54.56 in all the world as a witness to all the nations 00:44:54.59\00:44:57.39 and then the end will come. 00:44:57.43\00:44:59.56 We have in the Book of Revelation, 00:44:59.59\00:45:02.13 in the three angels' messages, 00:45:02.16\00:45:04.27 we have the gospel in an end-time context. 00:45:04.30\00:45:08.64 In what context? 00:45:08.67\00:45:10.14 In an end-time context to prepare the world 00:45:10.17\00:45:12.74 for the second coming of Jesus. 00:45:12.77\00:45:14.24 Notice these words in Revelation 14:6. 00:45:14.28\00:45:20.05 The three angels' messages. 00:45:20.08\00:45:21.42 We have... 00:45:21.45\00:45:22.78 This is how they begin in Revelation 14:6. 00:45:22.82\00:45:24.82 John writes, "Then I saw another angel 00:45:24.85\00:45:26.45 flying in the midst of heaven, 00:45:26.49\00:45:27.82 having the... What? 00:45:27.86\00:45:29.19 "The everlasting gospel 00:45:29.22\00:45:30.73 to preach to those who dwell on the earth, 00:45:30.76\00:45:32.33 to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people." 00:45:32.36\00:45:35.86 This is God's final message of love to the world. 00:45:35.90\00:45:38.80 This is the gospel that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:14, 00:45:38.83\00:45:43.20 in an end-time context. 00:45:43.24\00:45:46.07 I've said it before, I'll say it again, 00:45:46.11\00:45:47.81 this is why God raised up 3ABN. 00:45:47.84\00:45:52.15 For this reason and this reason alone, 00:45:52.18\00:45:54.35 God raised up 3ABN through the ministry 00:45:54.38\00:45:58.92 of someone who was not very qualified at all 00:45:58.95\00:46:01.29 by the name of Danny Shelton. 00:46:01.32\00:46:03.06 God raised up this ministry in order to proclaim 00:46:03.09\00:46:06.43 this message around the world. 00:46:06.46\00:46:10.27 The truth about God and His love, 00:46:10.30\00:46:13.07 the truth of God's final message of love, 00:46:13.10\00:46:17.67 the three angels' messages. 00:46:17.71\00:46:19.54 This is a message that needs to go to all the world. 00:46:19.57\00:46:23.65 And what will take place then? 00:46:23.68\00:46:25.21 It will be the second coming of Jesus. 00:46:25.25\00:46:26.72 And these three messages 00:46:26.75\00:46:28.32 are summarized in these six words. 00:46:28.35\00:46:30.89 I'll share them with you again. 00:46:30.92\00:46:32.35 The first angel's message, God points out what? 00:46:32.39\00:46:35.46 His truth, God's truth. 00:46:35.49\00:46:36.83 The second angel's message is all about Satan's lies. 00:46:36.86\00:46:39.96 God exposes Satan's lies. 00:46:40.00\00:46:41.43 And in the third angel's message, God says what? 00:46:41.46\00:46:43.77 It's your choice. 00:46:43.80\00:46:45.13 This is the everlasting gospel. 00:46:45.17\00:46:48.24 God's truth, Satan's lies exposed, 00:46:48.27\00:46:51.84 and we've done that especially in our previous presentation. 00:46:51.87\00:46:54.24 And then God finally says, 00:46:54.28\00:46:56.28 it's your opportunity to choose. 00:46:56.31\00:46:59.05 You choose, you choose. 00:46:59.08\00:47:01.32 And what follows? 00:47:01.35\00:47:03.69 The second coming of Jesus follows. 00:47:03.72\00:47:05.85 You read Revelation 14, 00:47:05.89\00:47:07.82 at the conclusion 00:47:07.86\00:47:09.19 of the third angel's message in verse 12, 00:47:09.22\00:47:11.76 we have the second coming of Jesus. 00:47:11.79\00:47:13.76 And that is it. 00:47:13.80\00:47:15.33 This message prepares the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:47:15.36\00:47:20.30 You and I are privileged to hear this message. 00:47:20.34\00:47:23.71 You and I are privileged to understand this message. 00:47:23.74\00:47:27.31 The question is, 00:47:27.34\00:47:29.61 does God have a church on the planet 00:47:29.64\00:47:33.55 that is preaching the three angels' messages, 00:47:33.58\00:47:35.88 preparing the world for the second coming of Jesus, 00:47:35.92\00:47:39.05 and the answer is yes. 00:47:39.09\00:47:40.59 And there is only one church today on earth 00:47:40.62\00:47:45.56 that fits every single one 00:47:45.59\00:47:47.00 of the seven identification marks 00:47:47.03\00:47:49.13 that God has given in His Word! 00:47:49.16\00:47:50.90 Only one. 00:47:50.93\00:47:52.30 And my friends that church today 00:47:52.33\00:47:54.27 is the Seventh-day Adventist church. 00:47:54.30\00:47:57.41 The Seventh-day Adventist church, my friends, 00:47:57.44\00:48:00.21 is the remnant church of Bible prophecy. 00:48:00.24\00:48:03.51 It's the church that God described 00:48:03.55\00:48:06.88 in Revelation 12:17. 00:48:06.92\00:48:10.39 Does that mean that Seventh-day Adventists 00:48:10.42\00:48:13.05 are the only ones going to heaven? 00:48:13.09\00:48:15.09 Absolutely not. 00:48:15.12\00:48:18.19 I don't believe that. I don't teach that. 00:48:18.23\00:48:19.93 And that is not what the Bible teaches. 00:48:19.96\00:48:22.43 But does God teach in His Word 00:48:22.46\00:48:25.43 that He has raised up this movement 00:48:25.47\00:48:27.90 from very humble beginnings 00:48:27.94\00:48:29.57 to be a worldwide movement today 00:48:29.60\00:48:32.07 to prepare the entire world 00:48:32.11\00:48:33.98 with God's final message of love 00:48:34.01\00:48:35.88 in order that all who are willing 00:48:35.91\00:48:38.78 may be ready to receive Jesus when He comes the second time, 00:48:38.81\00:48:42.45 and the answer is yes. 00:48:42.48\00:48:44.42 The answer is yes. 00:48:44.45\00:48:45.99 It's a wonderful privilege 00:48:46.02\00:48:47.99 to be a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, 00:48:48.02\00:48:50.33 to have the privilege of sharing 00:48:50.36\00:48:52.23 God's final message of love to the world. 00:48:52.26\00:48:54.06 But with privileges come responsibilities. 00:48:54.10\00:48:57.53 What comes with privileges? 00:48:57.57\00:48:59.90 Responsibilities. 00:48:59.93\00:49:01.70 It's an even greater responsibility. 00:49:01.74\00:49:03.81 God has His people all around the world, 00:49:03.84\00:49:05.87 in all denominations, in all religious faiths, 00:49:05.91\00:49:09.68 everywhere, 00:49:09.71\00:49:11.08 and God is calling all at the end of time to come 00:49:11.11\00:49:14.45 and to follow Jesus Christ 00:49:14.48\00:49:16.22 and to be part of His remnant movement. 00:49:16.25\00:49:18.15 It's not really a church. 00:49:18.19\00:49:19.82 The Seventh-day Adventist church is a movement 00:49:19.85\00:49:22.26 that God has raised. 00:49:22.29\00:49:24.23 Not men, God has raised. 00:49:24.26\00:49:26.26 So let's take a look at these 00:49:26.29\00:49:28.10 seven identification marks really, really quickly 00:49:28.13\00:49:30.37 because we are running out of time, 00:49:30.40\00:49:31.73 to discover whether the Seventh-day Adventist church 00:49:31.77\00:49:34.44 fulfills every single one of these seven. 00:49:34.47\00:49:36.84 Firstly, it is called the "remnant". 00:49:36.87\00:49:38.51 That is it stands on God's World alone. 00:49:38.54\00:49:40.58 We have been looking at God's Word 00:49:40.61\00:49:42.04 over and over again, haven't we? 00:49:42.08\00:49:43.41 So it fits that description well and truly. 00:49:43.45\00:49:45.85 Notice what the first fundamental belief 00:49:45.88\00:49:49.02 of the Seventh-day Adventist church is. 00:49:49.05\00:49:51.15 It's on the Holy Scriptures. 00:49:51.19\00:49:52.69 Let me read that to you. 00:49:52.72\00:49:54.06 "The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, 00:49:54.09\00:49:56.16 are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. 00:49:56.19\00:49:59.33 The inspired authors spoke 00:49:59.36\00:50:01.13 and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 00:50:01.16\00:50:03.63 In this Word, God has committed to humanity 00:50:03.67\00:50:06.27 the knowledge necessary for salvation. 00:50:06.30\00:50:08.47 The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, 00:50:08.50\00:50:12.14 and infallible revelation of His will. 00:50:12.17\00:50:14.48 They are the standard of character, 00:50:14.51\00:50:16.38 the test of experience, 00:50:16.41\00:50:17.95 the definitive revealer of doctrines, 00:50:17.98\00:50:19.98 and the trustworthy record of God's acts in history." 00:50:20.02\00:50:24.09 The Seventh-day Adventist church believes 00:50:24.12\00:50:28.56 wholeheartedly that the Bible and the Bible alone 00:50:28.59\00:50:31.73 ought to be that which tests everything we believe 00:50:31.76\00:50:34.63 and everything we practice. 00:50:34.66\00:50:36.13 It's the very first fundamental belief 00:50:36.16\00:50:38.87 of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 00:50:38.90\00:50:40.24 There are 28 and it is right there 00:50:40.27\00:50:42.14 at the very beginning. 00:50:42.17\00:50:43.67 Let's take a look... 00:50:43.71\00:50:45.04 Well, before we do that, God's church began. 00:50:45.07\00:50:48.04 And there is so much I could share but we don't have time. 00:50:48.08\00:50:50.45 God's church began more than 150 years ago. 00:50:50.48\00:50:54.72 The Seventh-day Adventist church began when God's people 00:50:54.75\00:50:58.22 from all different religions came together, 00:50:58.25\00:51:00.39 they studied the Bible to find out 00:51:00.42\00:51:02.02 what the Bible teaches in order that 00:51:02.06\00:51:03.99 they may live their lives in harmony with the Bible. 00:51:04.03\00:51:06.26 Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, 00:51:06.29\00:51:08.43 all sorts came together and based on God's Word, 00:51:08.46\00:51:11.70 they discovered the truth about different teachings 00:51:11.73\00:51:14.97 that you and I today have been exposed to, 00:51:15.00\00:51:18.04 and that you and I have been blessed by. 00:51:18.07\00:51:20.24 Let's take a look at the second point. 00:51:20.28\00:51:22.88 It keeps all of God's Commandments. 00:51:22.91\00:51:25.11 Well, that's a no-brainer. 00:51:25.15\00:51:27.15 The seventh day Sabbath is well and truly at the heart 00:51:27.18\00:51:30.32 of the name of Seventh-day Adventists, 00:51:30.35\00:51:32.79 Seventh-day Adventists, it's part of our name. 00:51:32.82\00:51:35.52 We certainly teach and share 00:51:35.56\00:51:36.89 that all Ten Commandments are important. 00:51:36.93\00:51:38.86 Notice this very interesting statement here 00:51:38.89\00:51:41.46 from Saint Catherine, 00:51:41.50\00:51:43.53 that is the Catholic Church Sentinel, 00:51:43.57\00:51:45.50 May 21, 1995. 00:51:45.53\00:51:46.97 Notice these words. 00:51:47.00\00:51:48.57 These are not Seventh-day Adventists 00:51:48.60\00:51:49.94 that are writing these. 00:51:49.97\00:51:51.31 This is a Roman Catholic journal. 00:51:51.34\00:51:53.11 "People who think that the scripture 00:51:53.14\00:51:54.54 should be the sole authority, 00:51:54.58\00:51:56.28 should logically become... What? 00:51:56.31\00:51:58.61 "Seventh-day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy." 00:51:58.65\00:52:01.38 So if you believe, as a Christian, 00:52:01.42\00:52:03.55 that the Bible is your sole authority, 00:52:03.59\00:52:06.32 there is no other option. 00:52:06.35\00:52:07.69 You've got nowhere else to go 00:52:07.72\00:52:09.49 but become a Seventh-day Adventist 00:52:09.52\00:52:11.69 according to our friends in the church of Rome. 00:52:11.73\00:52:15.16 Let's take a look at the third point. 00:52:15.20\00:52:18.03 It will have the "testimony of Jesus Christ." 00:52:18.07\00:52:19.90 Indeed. 00:52:19.93\00:52:21.27 We'll discover in our next presentation 00:52:21.30\00:52:22.64 that God raised up the gift of prophecy 00:52:22.67\00:52:24.87 in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 00:52:24.91\00:52:26.51 And we're gonna look at that in our next presentation. 00:52:26.54\00:52:28.84 It has the "patience of the saints." 00:52:28.88\00:52:30.85 Indeed. God is calling a people. 00:52:30.88\00:52:34.22 Seventh-day Adventists believe that we need to be loyal to God 00:52:34.25\00:52:38.85 by His grace and through His strength. 00:52:38.89\00:52:40.62 It has the faith of Jesus. 00:52:40.66\00:52:41.99 Absolutely. 00:52:42.02\00:52:43.36 We believe in salvation by faith alone. 00:52:43.39\00:52:47.73 Not by works but by grace, through faith alone, 00:52:47.76\00:52:51.57 and through the merits of Jesus Christ alone. 00:52:51.60\00:52:54.94 It will arise after 1798 00:52:54.97\00:52:57.11 in the United States of America. 00:52:57.14\00:52:58.47 Indeed. 00:52:58.51\00:52:59.84 The Seventh-day Adventist church arose, it was... 00:52:59.87\00:53:02.74 The name was given in 1860 and in 1863, 00:53:02.78\00:53:07.48 the Seventh-day Adventist church 00:53:07.52\00:53:09.22 was officially organized. 00:53:09.25\00:53:10.62 So it fits that criteria also. 00:53:10.65\00:53:12.62 And finally, it will be a world-wide movement 00:53:12.65\00:53:14.79 that will preach the everlasting gospel, 00:53:14.82\00:53:16.39 God's final message of love to the world. 00:53:16.42\00:53:18.03 And the answer is what? 00:53:18.06\00:53:19.89 Yes. 00:53:19.93\00:53:21.26 The Seventh-day Adventist church 00:53:21.30\00:53:22.63 is the only church in the world, 00:53:22.66\00:53:24.73 wide around the world that is preaching 00:53:24.77\00:53:26.94 this final message of God's love to the world. 00:53:26.97\00:53:31.34 Now, it's also interesting, 00:53:31.37\00:53:33.48 and I could spend a lot of time on each and every one of these, 00:53:33.51\00:53:36.38 but we don't have time. 00:53:36.41\00:53:37.75 But in Revelation, we have some more clear evidence 00:53:37.78\00:53:43.12 of God's end-time church. 00:53:43.15\00:53:44.69 The remnant. 00:53:44.72\00:53:46.05 In Revelation 12, we have the when 00:53:46.09\00:53:48.02 and the where of God's church. 00:53:48.06\00:53:51.19 After the 1260 years, and it would arise 00:53:51.23\00:53:54.46 in the United States of America. 00:53:54.50\00:53:55.90 In Revelation 10, we have the divine origin 00:53:55.93\00:53:58.67 of the Seventh-day Adventist church, 00:53:58.70\00:54:00.07 and how God divinely organized and orchestrated this movement 00:54:00.10\00:54:04.47 to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:54:04.51\00:54:06.98 In Revelation 14, as we've already pointed out, 00:54:07.01\00:54:09.61 we have the mission and message 00:54:09.64\00:54:11.58 of the Seventh-day Adventist church, 00:54:11.61\00:54:13.01 the three angels' messages. 00:54:13.05\00:54:14.65 In Revelation 12, we have these two key identification markers 00:54:14.68\00:54:18.35 that they keep the commandments of God 00:54:18.39\00:54:20.49 and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:54:20.52\00:54:22.36 And in Revelation 3, 00:54:22.39\00:54:24.23 we have the condition of the end-time church of God, 00:54:24.26\00:54:27.96 there it's described as Laodicea, 00:54:28.00\00:54:30.40 but Jesus makes an appeal to His people 00:54:30.43\00:54:34.07 at the end of time to open the door 00:54:34.10\00:54:36.47 and to be the people that God has called them to be. 00:54:36.50\00:54:40.18 God has raised up 00:54:40.21\00:54:41.61 the Seventh-day Adventist church 00:54:41.64\00:54:44.08 in order to perform the greatest work 00:54:44.11\00:54:47.05 this universe will ever witness 00:54:47.08\00:54:49.02 and that is to prepare the entire world 00:54:49.05\00:54:51.95 with God's final message of love 00:54:51.99\00:54:54.19 to be ready for the second coming of Jesus. 00:54:54.22\00:54:57.53 Before the flood, 00:54:57.56\00:54:58.99 God raised up a man by the name of what? 00:54:59.03\00:55:00.96 Noah. 00:55:01.00\00:55:02.83 God raised up Noah to prepare the world for the flood 00:55:02.86\00:55:07.14 that would destroy the entire world. 00:55:07.17\00:55:09.90 Before God sends Jesus Christ, 00:55:09.94\00:55:15.11 the Bible tells us, 00:55:15.14\00:55:16.75 He has raised up a church. 00:55:16.78\00:55:18.81 A church that will have the same message as Noah had, 00:55:18.85\00:55:22.18 and that is to prepare a people who will be safe and secure, 00:55:22.22\00:55:26.45 not in the ark, but in the nail scarred hands of Jesus 00:55:26.49\00:55:30.13 who is coming back soon. 00:55:30.16\00:55:31.49 Amen? 00:55:31.53\00:55:32.86 Jesus has raised up 00:55:32.89\00:55:34.23 the Seventh-day Adventist church 00:55:34.26\00:55:35.73 according to Bible prophecy to prepare the world 00:55:35.76\00:55:39.37 for the soon return of Jesus. 00:55:39.40\00:55:41.60 I want to finish off with a couple of scriptures 00:55:41.64\00:55:43.71 from Jesus. 00:55:43.74\00:55:45.07 In John 10:16, we read these words Jesus says, 00:55:45.11\00:55:48.48 "And there will be..." How many flocks? 00:55:48.51\00:55:49.84 "One flock..." 00:55:49.88\00:55:51.21 And how many shepherds? 00:55:51.25\00:55:52.58 "One flock and one shepherd." 00:55:52.61\00:55:55.28 And in John 10:27, Jesus says, 00:55:55.32\00:55:57.95 "My sheep hear My voice, 00:55:57.99\00:55:59.32 and I know them, and they... Do what? 00:55:59.35\00:56:01.52 "They follow Me." 00:56:01.56\00:56:02.89 Jesus says, "There will be one flock, 00:56:02.92\00:56:06.59 there will be one shepherd. 00:56:06.63\00:56:08.66 My sheep that are scattered all around the world, 00:56:08.70\00:56:13.00 in confusion, many of them will hear 00:56:13.03\00:56:16.30 My voice from My Word, 00:56:16.34\00:56:19.44 they will hear My final message of love to the world 00:56:19.47\00:56:23.18 and they will follow me." 00:56:23.21\00:56:25.65 Is that your decision to follow Jesus Christ? 00:56:25.68\00:56:27.48 To follow His truth? 00:56:27.52\00:56:29.72 To follow this beautiful message 00:56:29.75\00:56:31.52 and be part of this movement 00:56:31.55\00:56:33.05 that God has raised to prepare the world 00:56:33.09\00:56:35.06 for the second coming of Jesus. 00:56:35.09\00:56:36.42 What a privilege? 00:56:36.46\00:56:37.79 What an honor to be part of this movement 00:56:37.83\00:56:39.19 that God has established. 00:56:39.23\00:56:40.60 Let's pray together. 00:56:40.63\00:56:42.00 Father in heaven, we want to thank You 00:56:42.03\00:56:43.50 for Your Word once again. 00:56:43.53\00:56:45.53 Your Word has made it abundantly clear 00:56:45.57\00:56:47.87 what Your truth is 00:56:47.90\00:56:49.24 and where we can go to find truth. 00:56:49.27\00:56:51.57 You have made it abundantly clear 00:56:51.61\00:56:53.01 that You do have a people, 00:56:53.04\00:56:54.38 You do have a church, You do have a movement 00:56:54.41\00:56:55.98 that You've raised up to prepare the world 00:56:56.01\00:56:59.31 for the second coming of Jesus. 00:56:59.35\00:57:01.55 Father, may we all choose to be part of this movement, 00:57:01.58\00:57:06.15 sharing this final message of love with our neighbors, 00:57:06.19\00:57:09.19 friends, and loved ones, 00:57:09.22\00:57:10.59 preparing them for Your soon return, 00:57:10.63\00:57:12.79 for this is our prayer in Jesus' name, 00:57:12.83\00:57:14.36 and everybody said amen and amen. 00:57:14.40\00:57:16.67