Hello and welcome
again to this series.
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It's wonderful to see you,
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those of you who
are in the audience
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and those of you
who are gathered,
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and I don't know
where you may be,
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somewhere around
the world listening in.
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Thank you for tuning in.
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And today we have
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a very important
subject to share.
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So, first of all,
let us bow our heads
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in a word of prayer.
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Our loving Father in heaven,
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we thank You that we
can always come to You
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and know that we
have a God who hears
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and a God who
answers our prayer.
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Today we need,
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especially the
guidance of the Holy Spirit
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as we open Your Word.
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We have an earnest desire
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to search for
truth and to find it.
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And I pray that You
will bless every word
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that is spoken today,
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that the Holy Spirit may give us
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to give to those
who are listening.
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And I pray this in
Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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Today we are drawing
near to the end of our series
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that have been
focusing on the last message
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that God is ever
to send to this world.
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Of course, it's
to prepare the world
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for the second coming of Jesus.
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And during the
first three presentations,
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we laid out a chart,
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a chart based
upon Bible prophecy.
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For those of you who heard
our first three presentations,
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this chart was all based
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upon what God was predicting
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would happen in
the period of time
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called the time of the end.
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And you'll see
there on the diagram
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that's behind me
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that the time of the end
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was a time that
began in the year 1798.
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And we have been
looking particularly at events
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that have been happening
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to fulfill the
amazing predictions
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that we saw are outlined
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in the books of
Daniel and Revelation.
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And in the time of the end,
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the Book of Daniel
particularly was to be opened.
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But, of course also
the Book of Revelation,
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because it's interesting
that though Daniel was told,
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or the author of Daniel was told
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to close up his book
until the time of the end,
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the author of the
Book of Revelation
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was told not to
close up his book,
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not to seal it
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because it revealed the future
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way back from the time
of Jesus down to our time.
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A wonderful book,
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and we're going to
open the Book of Revelation
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particularly today.
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As I mentioned to you before,
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the last warning message
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is outlined in
the Book of Revelation
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in Chapter 14.
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And today
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in this second
last presentation,
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we're going to
focus on the third
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of the three angels' messages,
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possibly the most
serious of them all.
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Let's read as it is
described in Revelation 14:9,
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"Then a third
angel followed them
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saying with a loud voice,
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'If anyone worships
the beast and his image,
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and receives his mark on
his forehead or on his hand,
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he himself shall also drink
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of the wine of the wrath of God,
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which is poured
out full strength
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into the cup of his indignation.
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He shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone
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in the presence
of the holy angels
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and in the
presence of the Lamb."
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Those words constitute
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the most severe warning
ever to be found in Scripture.
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But I want to remind you
today that we have noticed
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that these
messages are described
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in the Book of Revelation.
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And the Book of Revelation
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is particularly introduced to us
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as a revelation from Jesus
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and the revelation of Jesus.
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And even though
this third message
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sounds so frightening in a way
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that he himself shall drink
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of the wine of the wrath of God,
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which is poured
out full strength.
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As I mentioned, a moment ago,
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there is no other warning
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anywhere to be
found in the Bible
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where God's wrath is
going to be poured out
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full strength
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upon those who worship
the beast and his image,
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and receive the mark of
the beast in his right hand
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or in his forehead.
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It's basically a message,
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a message of warning
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as we look at these
three angels' messages,
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don't worship the beast,
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but I would remind you
that earlier than verse 7,
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we have the call
to worship the creator
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in verse 7
rather, to worship Jesus.
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And so here is a call
once to worship Jesus,
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and then don't
worship the beast.
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Don't worship the beast.
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In this third
message the seriousness
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of His, Jesus' message
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must be seen in the light
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of what Revelation
13:8 has already told us
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that eventually
this world in this world,
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all the world
will worship the beast,
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whose names are not
written in the Book of Life,
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which means that if your name
is written in the Book of Life,
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the good news is
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that you won't
worship the beast.
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Who will you be worshiping?
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Well, you'll be
worshiping Jesus,
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of course.
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The three angels' messages
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make it very
clear, dear friends,
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that the world is
soon to be brought
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to a decision
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that will affect
the eternal destiny
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of everyone here
in this room today
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and everyone
listening to my voice,
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no matter where you are.
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All the world,
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all the world
must finally decide
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whom they will worship,
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either Jesus or the beast.
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The significance of this choice
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and its consequences
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are the subject of
our consideration today.
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Now I know
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that there are
those who say today,
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we don't know
what is represented
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by the beast
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and how important
is it that we do know,
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but I want to
remind you this morning,
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that since this
message comes from Jesus
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and is attached to
this most solemn warning
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to be found
anywhere in the Bible.
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Would a God of love
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give us such a warning
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and then not make
its message clear?
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But I believe
today that we must let
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the Bible tell us its meaning,
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not my ideas,
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I don't want to
depend upon human opinion
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in our search for truth
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on this most important subject.
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So let's turn to the
Book of Revelation Chapter 13
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and there in the first 10 verses
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of Chapter 13 of Revelation,
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we see a beast
rising up out of the sea.
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Now let me just
explain, first of all,
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that the sea in Bible prophecy
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is identified in Revelation 17
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as representing many peoples,
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many nations, many times.
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And so this first beast
rises up out of the sea.
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And while I,
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why I'm emphasizing this
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is because in Revelation 13,
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the same chapter we
read of a second beast
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that I'll explain
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that will be rising
up out of the earth.
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But, first of all,
we need to focus today
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on the sea beast.
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It's important to remember,
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of course, that a
beast in Bible prophecy,
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as we noticed in our
earlier presentations
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represents a
kingdom or a nation.
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And this beast must in some way
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be connected with religion
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because it's involved
in worshiping this beast.
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And it can't be
some secret society
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in the world
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that nobody knows
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where they live
or where they exist,
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because nearly all the world,
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as I've just quoted
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are going to be
worshiping this beast.
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It must have global influence.
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So let's have a look
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at the
description of this beast.
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In Revelation we'll
see in the first two verses
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the description that is given.
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And as we look
at this description,
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and as you see it on the screen,
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I think it should
remind you of a chapter
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elsewhere in the Bible,
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but let's have a look at it.
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In Revelation 13:1,
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"Then I stood on
the sand of the sea.
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And I saw a beast
rising up out of the sea,
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having seven
heads and ten horns,
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and on his horns 10 crowns,
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and on his head a
blasphemous name."
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And then in verse 2.
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"Now the beast which I
saw was like a leopard,
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his feet were
like the feet of a bear
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and his mouth like
the mouth of a lion.
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The dragon gave him his power,
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his throne and great authority."
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Now, as you look at
the description there
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of this beast,
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I wonder whether it reminds you
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of another chapter that
we have discussed together
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in this series
in Daniel Chapter 7.
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And let's have a
look at a comparison
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between Daniel 7 and
the beast of Revelation 13.
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First of all,
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Revelation
Chapter 13, the beast,
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we noticed that the description
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that we've just read
is given in this order.
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First of all, we see the beast
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and then second, a
dragon with 10 horns,
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and then there's a
four headed leopard
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and then there's
the bear and the lion,
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that's the order in
which it is described
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in Revelation Chapter 13.
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But then when we
look at Daniel Chapter 7,
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we noticed that we
read about four beasts
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coming up out of the sea.
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First of all, the
first one was like a lion.
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Then there was a bear.
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Then there was a
four headed leopard.
00:11:00.79\00:11:03.12
Then there was a
dragon with 10 horns.
00:11:03.16\00:11:05.69
And finally there
was that little horn.
00:11:05.73\00:11:10.23
Now I want you
to look at the chart
00:11:10.27\00:11:11.77
that I've put on the screen.
00:11:11.80\00:11:13.94
And I wonder whether you notice
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.30
something
particularly interesting,
00:11:15.34\00:11:18.17
that the order in Revelation 13
00:11:18.21\00:11:21.54
is opposite to
the order in Daniel 7.
00:11:21.58\00:11:27.22
Everything in the
Bible is always significant.
00:11:27.25\00:11:29.98
Why do you think that
the beast was described
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in the order that
is on there on the left
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and yet it's the same order
00:11:36.76\00:11:39.39
only in the other
direction in Daniel Chapter 7.
00:11:39.43\00:11:43.63
Let me give you what I
think is might be the answer.
00:11:43.67\00:11:46.43
In Daniel 7 on
the right hand side,
00:11:46.47\00:11:49.80
Daniel was
predicting the future,
00:11:49.84\00:11:52.54
a kingdom, the lion,
00:11:52.57\00:11:54.11
and then there
would be the bear,
00:11:54.14\00:11:55.64
Medo-Persia remember,
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.21
then the four
headed leopard of Greece,
00:11:57.25\00:11:59.55
then the dragon with 10 horns
00:11:59.58\00:12:01.48
and the empire of Rome.
00:12:01.52\00:12:03.18
And finally a
little horn coming up
00:12:03.22\00:12:05.25
out of the head of the 10,
00:12:05.29\00:12:08.02
among the 10
horns out of the head
00:12:08.06\00:12:09.99
of that fourth beast.
00:12:10.03\00:12:12.19
In Daniel's day,
those kingdoms were future.
00:12:12.23\00:12:15.90
When we look at Revelation 13,
00:12:15.93\00:12:18.43
it's looking back upon
history on the same kingdoms,
00:12:18.47\00:12:23.51
but they're in the past
00:12:23.54\00:12:25.37
when the beast
is revealed to John
00:12:25.41\00:12:28.21
in the Book of Revelation.
00:12:28.24\00:12:30.71
Notice also that the little horn
00:12:30.75\00:12:32.31
comes up after the
beast with 10 horns,
00:12:32.35\00:12:35.82
which was pagan Rome,
00:12:35.85\00:12:37.69
and then the
divisions into Europe.
00:12:37.72\00:12:40.36
They were
future in Daniel's day,
00:12:40.39\00:12:43.49
but the beast appears
after those four kingdoms
00:12:43.53\00:12:47.73
have passed into history.
00:12:47.76\00:12:49.96
It seems that God,
as I look at that chat,
00:12:50.00\00:12:53.50
it seems to me that
God here is directing us
00:12:53.54\00:12:56.50
to the identity of the beast
00:12:56.54\00:12:59.01
being found in Daniel Chapter 7,
00:12:59.04\00:13:03.35
because of the similarity
00:13:03.38\00:13:04.78
between the two
chapters is really amazing.
00:13:04.81\00:13:08.05
Just as in Daniel 7,
00:13:08.08\00:13:10.32
it predicted the rise
of the little horn power,
00:13:10.35\00:13:13.52
which was described as a kingdom
00:13:13.56\00:13:15.59
arising out of the Roman Empire
00:13:15.62\00:13:19.29
that would make
war on God's people.
00:13:19.33\00:13:22.23
So in Revelation 13,
00:13:22.26\00:13:25.00
it's predicting
the rise of a kingdom,
00:13:25.03\00:13:28.27
the beast
following the Roman Empire
00:13:28.30\00:13:31.97
that would make
war on God's people.
00:13:32.01\00:13:35.34
And so we see the connection,
00:13:35.38\00:13:36.95
look at the
connection on the screen
00:13:36.98\00:13:39.11
between the beast
and the little horn.
00:13:39.15\00:13:43.72
Very clearly it is
pointing to the fact
00:13:43.75\00:13:46.59
that the little horn of Daniel 7
00:13:46.62\00:13:50.63
is the New
Testament's definition
00:13:50.66\00:13:52.96
of the beast of Revelation 13.
00:13:52.99\00:13:57.40
But rather than
take my word for it,
00:13:57.43\00:13:59.03
let's go further into Scripture
00:13:59.07\00:14:01.37
and make a
comparison or draw a comparison
00:14:01.40\00:14:04.31
between the beast
and the little horn.
00:14:04.34\00:14:08.34
We see that this little horn
arises out of the Roman Empire.
00:14:08.38\00:14:13.82
In Daniel Chapter 7,
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.35
it's very clear you'll remember
00:14:15.38\00:14:17.32
that the fourth beast,
00:14:17.35\00:14:18.85
which was the Roman, the
Roman Empire had 10 horns.
00:14:18.89\00:14:24.06
And then among those 10 horns,
00:14:24.09\00:14:26.36
there was to be a little horn
00:14:26.39\00:14:27.73
that would grow up
00:14:27.76\00:14:29.10
pointing to the fact
00:14:29.13\00:14:30.47
that among the nations of Europe
00:14:30.50\00:14:31.83
that developed out
of the Roman Empire,
00:14:31.87\00:14:33.97
this little horn power
00:14:34.00\00:14:36.14
would arise
from the Roman Empire
00:14:36.17\00:14:39.01
and from the divisions into,
00:14:39.04\00:14:42.11
among the nations of Europe.
00:14:42.14\00:14:44.91
Then two, we noticed
00:14:44.95\00:14:46.28
that it had a mouth
00:14:46.31\00:14:47.65
speaking pompous
words against God.
00:14:47.68\00:14:51.32
In Daniel 7:8,
00:14:51.35\00:14:53.92
it describes
that this horn power
00:14:53.96\00:14:56.12
would have a mouth speaking,
00:14:56.16\00:14:58.16
great words,
pompous words against God.
00:14:58.19\00:15:01.13
Then in Daniel 7:25,
00:15:01.16\00:15:05.17
we noticed that it was given
authority over God's people
00:15:05.20\00:15:09.34
for a time,
times and half a time.
00:15:09.37\00:15:13.34
And when we discussed this
in our very first presentation,
00:15:13.38\00:15:16.64
we discovered that a
time, times and half a time
00:15:16.68\00:15:19.78
is equivalent to 1,260 days.
00:15:19.81\00:15:25.85
And if we remember
that a day in Bible prophecy
00:15:25.89\00:15:28.09
represents a year.
00:15:28.12\00:15:29.62
That is the length of time
00:15:29.66\00:15:31.93
when this little horn power
00:15:31.96\00:15:33.80
would have
authority over God's people.
00:15:33.83\00:15:37.27
And then number four,
00:15:37.30\00:15:38.77
it was given power to make war
00:15:38.80\00:15:41.27
against God's people
00:15:41.30\00:15:43.44
and to prevail against them.
00:15:43.47\00:15:46.04
That too is found
00:15:46.07\00:15:47.48
describing the little
horn of Daniel Chapter 7,
00:15:47.51\00:15:51.08
that it would make war
00:15:51.11\00:15:53.35
and destroy many
of the people of God.
00:15:53.38\00:15:57.22
But now let's look at
the description of the beast
00:15:57.25\00:15:59.75
in Revelation 13.
00:15:59.79\00:16:01.89
As we do so, we
notice, first of all,
00:16:01.92\00:16:05.16
that the beast arises
out of the Roman Empire.
00:16:05.19\00:16:09.33
On that chart I've
just put on the screen,
00:16:09.36\00:16:11.40
it comes after the Roman Empire
00:16:11.43\00:16:15.27
there described
in Revelation 13.
00:16:15.30\00:16:18.87
Then two, we
notice in Revelation 13:5,
00:16:18.91\00:16:23.35
that the beast has a mouth
00:16:23.38\00:16:26.01
speaking, great things
and blasphemies against God.
00:16:26.05\00:16:30.72
And then number three,
00:16:30.75\00:16:32.32
it was given authority
to continue for 42 months.
00:16:32.35\00:16:36.73
That's how it's
described in Revelation 13.
00:16:36.76\00:16:39.49
But the interesting
thing is that 42 months
00:16:39.53\00:16:42.23
multiplied by 30 days in a month
00:16:42.26\00:16:44.83
comes to 1,260 day years.
00:16:44.87\00:16:50.07
And then number
four, it is given power,
00:16:50.11\00:16:53.07
the beast power to
make war with God's people
00:16:53.11\00:16:56.81
and to overcome them.
00:16:56.85\00:16:58.68
That's in Revelation 13:7.
00:16:58.71\00:17:01.42
Now, when we look
at that comparison,
00:17:01.45\00:17:04.22
it's very clear, dear friends,
00:17:04.25\00:17:06.22
that in our study of Daniel 7
00:17:06.25\00:17:08.26
in that first presentation
00:17:08.29\00:17:10.46
we saw how the little horn power
00:17:10.49\00:17:13.43
was fulfilled in
only one organization,
00:17:13.46\00:17:19.43
the church of Rome
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.40
that Daniel predicted
00:17:21.44\00:17:22.77
would become a
leading authority in Europe
00:17:22.80\00:17:26.11
for 1,260 years
00:17:26.14\00:17:29.04
lasting from 538 to 1798,
00:17:29.08\00:17:33.98
when the church lost
00:17:34.02\00:17:35.35
its political
influence in Europe,
00:17:35.38\00:17:38.75
but only for a short
time as will notice today.
00:17:38.79\00:17:42.42
As we examine this table,
00:17:42.46\00:17:43.86
clearly the
beast of Revelation 13
00:17:43.89\00:17:48.10
is the New Testament
00:17:48.13\00:17:49.46
equivalent of the
little horn of Daniel 7.
00:17:49.50\00:17:54.80
The difference is,
00:17:54.84\00:17:56.17
and listen to this, in Daniel 7,
00:17:56.20\00:17:58.94
it's focusing
upon the activities
00:17:58.97\00:18:01.64
of the church of Rome
00:18:01.68\00:18:03.81
before 1798 or up to 1798.
00:18:03.85\00:18:08.38
Whereas in Revelation 13,
00:18:08.42\00:18:11.39
that chapter is focusing mainly
00:18:11.42\00:18:13.39
on the activities of the church
00:18:13.42\00:18:16.19
after 1798.
00:18:16.22\00:18:20.60
Perhaps there's,
00:18:20.63\00:18:22.16
we should go continue on
00:18:22.20\00:18:23.97
and notice
00:18:24.00\00:18:25.33
in Revelation 12:4-5,
00:18:25.37\00:18:31.41
these words,
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.14
"And the dragon
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.48
stood before the woman
00:18:35.51\00:18:37.95
who was ready to give birth
00:18:37.98\00:18:39.98
to devour her Child
00:18:40.02\00:18:41.48
as soon as it was born.
00:18:41.52\00:18:43.62
She bore a male Child
00:18:43.65\00:18:45.25
who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron.
00:18:45.29\00:18:49.42
And her Child was
caught up to God and throne,
00:18:49.46\00:18:52.26
unto his throne."
00:18:52.29\00:18:53.63
Let's just pause on this one,
00:18:53.66\00:18:55.60
because I'm
concerned to also establish
00:18:55.63\00:18:58.13
that first point under the beast
00:18:58.17\00:19:00.10
was that it would arise
00:19:00.14\00:19:02.27
after the Roman Empire.
00:19:02.30\00:19:06.41
And also we notice in this verse
00:19:06.44\00:19:10.15
that the dragon
stood before the woman.
00:19:10.18\00:19:14.02
Now in the Book of Revelation,
00:19:14.05\00:19:15.38
it tells us that it's the dragon
00:19:15.42\00:19:17.12
who gives his power
00:19:17.15\00:19:18.69
and his throne and
his government basically
00:19:18.72\00:19:21.76
to this beast power.
00:19:21.79\00:19:23.63
Who is the dragon?
00:19:23.66\00:19:25.23
Well, the dragon
is in Revelation 13:2,
00:19:25.26\00:19:27.93
"The dragon gave him his power,
00:19:27.96\00:19:29.90
his throne and great authority."
00:19:29.93\00:19:32.87
Who is the dragon?
00:19:32.90\00:19:34.37
We read in Revelation 12,
00:19:34.40\00:19:36.87
that the dragon
stood in front of the woman
00:19:36.91\00:19:38.87
ready to give
birth to devour the child
00:19:38.91\00:19:41.11
as soon it was born.
00:19:41.14\00:19:42.71
Here is a
picture of God's church
00:19:42.74\00:19:45.35
represented by a pregnant woman.
00:19:45.38\00:19:47.88
She's soon to give birth
00:19:47.92\00:19:49.55
to a baby boy
who clearly is Jesus,
00:19:49.58\00:19:52.62
as you'll see in that picture,
00:19:52.65\00:19:54.69
and in front of her
was standing this dragon.
00:19:54.72\00:19:59.29
Do you remember in the
story about Jesus' birth?
00:19:59.33\00:20:02.70
Was there any attempt
00:20:02.73\00:20:04.40
to kill Jesus after his birth?
00:20:04.43\00:20:09.57
Do you remember the
story of the wise men?
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.14
They came to find the baby boy,
00:20:12.17\00:20:15.44
and then soon
after on their way,
00:20:15.48\00:20:17.45
they called in to see the king
00:20:17.48\00:20:20.52
who was ruling at
the time in Jerusalem,
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.68
King Herod.
00:20:22.72\00:20:24.29
And when King Herod heard
00:20:24.32\00:20:25.72
that there was a
baby boy who was born,
00:20:25.75\00:20:27.62
who would be probably
a threat to his reign,
00:20:27.66\00:20:31.33
he expressed great interest
in the birth of this baby boy,
00:20:31.36\00:20:35.20
but then afterwards
you'd remember King Herod
00:20:35.23\00:20:38.20
issued that terrible decree
00:20:38.23\00:20:40.37
that all the babies in Bethlehem
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.27
under two years of age,
00:20:43.30\00:20:45.54
according to the
time that the wise men
00:20:45.57\00:20:48.51
had told him about
the birth of Jesus,
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.25
they should all be killed.
00:20:51.28\00:20:53.35
Now, here in this
record in Revelation 12,
00:20:53.38\00:20:56.42
when it says,
00:20:56.45\00:20:57.79
"The dragon
stood before the woman
00:20:57.82\00:20:59.15
to devour her Child
as soon as it was born."
00:20:59.19\00:21:02.89
The dragon primarily in
Scripture represents Satan,
00:21:02.92\00:21:07.73
but Satan always works
through earthly kingdoms.
00:21:07.76\00:21:12.10
And what was the earthly kingdom
00:21:12.13\00:21:13.64
that was destroying,
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.00
trying to destroy
Jesus soon after His birth?
00:21:15.04\00:21:18.34
It was King Herod
who was a Roman king.
00:21:18.37\00:21:22.34
So very clearly the
Bible is indicating,
00:21:22.38\00:21:24.65
as I've said before,
00:21:24.68\00:21:26.25
that it was the
empire of Rome should there,
00:21:26.28\00:21:30.85
that was used with King Herod
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.46
that was used later
to pass on its throne
00:21:33.49\00:21:36.89
and its government and
its power in the world.
00:21:36.93\00:21:41.86
It passed it on
to this beast power.
00:21:41.90\00:21:47.37
Did this really happen?
00:21:47.40\00:21:49.30
I'm gonna put a
quotation on the screen
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.24
that I want you to notice.
00:21:51.27\00:21:53.54
The Roman Church in this way
00:21:53.58\00:21:56.68
privily pushed itself
00:21:56.71\00:21:59.01
into the place
of the Roman Empire,
00:21:59.05\00:22:01.95
of which it is the
actual continuation,
00:22:01.98\00:22:05.55
the empire, the Roman
Empire had not perished,
00:22:05.59\00:22:08.79
but has only
undergone a transformation.
00:22:08.82\00:22:12.26
That is no clever
remark, says the historian,
00:22:12.29\00:22:16.26
but the
recognition of the true state
00:22:16.30\00:22:18.80
of the matter historically
00:22:18.83\00:22:21.30
and the most
appropriate and fruitful way
00:22:21.34\00:22:23.51
of describing the
character of this church.
00:22:23.54\00:22:27.58
It still governs the
nations, the historian writes.
00:22:27.61\00:22:31.18
It is a political creation
00:22:31.21\00:22:33.98
and as imposing
as a World-Empire,
00:22:34.02\00:22:37.19
because it is the continuation,
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.25
notice the words,
of the Roman Empire.
00:22:39.29\00:22:42.06
The pope, who
calls himself 'King'
00:22:42.09\00:22:44.63
and 'Pontifex Maximus'
is 'Caesar's successor.' "
00:22:44.66\00:22:51.17
So here very clearly
the historian is recognizing
00:22:51.20\00:22:54.27
that the beast power
00:22:54.30\00:22:55.80
took the place
of the Roman Empire
00:22:55.84\00:22:58.77
in its power and
influence over the world.
00:22:58.81\00:23:03.04
And do I need to remind you
of this morning, dear friends,
00:23:03.08\00:23:05.41
that it was the
study of these chapters
00:23:05.45\00:23:07.72
in Daniel and Revelation
00:23:07.75\00:23:09.78
by the great
reformers of the 16th century
00:23:09.82\00:23:13.92
that led them to
break with the Roman Church
00:23:13.96\00:23:17.73
and their conviction
that all Bible teachings
00:23:17.76\00:23:20.30
must be tested by
what the Bible teaches.
00:23:20.33\00:23:24.57
Before we proceed,
00:23:24.60\00:23:26.50
can I say something
00:23:26.53\00:23:27.87
that is really
very close to my heart?
00:23:27.90\00:23:31.54
I said it in our
first presentation
00:23:31.57\00:23:34.94
concerning the
little horn power,
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.01
but I feel I need
to say it again today.
00:23:37.05\00:23:40.08
God here is predicting the rise
00:23:40.12\00:23:42.78
in describing the beast power
00:23:42.82\00:23:45.29
of a religious system
00:23:45.32\00:23:46.89
that would begin well.
00:23:46.92\00:23:49.72
And why do I say that?
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.19
Because of the Apostle Paul
00:23:51.23\00:23:52.79
wrote one of
the greatest letters
00:23:52.83\00:23:54.43
that he ever wrote
to the church in Rome,
00:23:54.46\00:23:58.53
but gradually doctrines
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.80
and practices
00:24:00.84\00:24:02.17
not found in the Bible
00:24:02.20\00:24:04.27
would lead this
church into apostasy.
00:24:04.31\00:24:08.41
This apostasy
was actually foretold
00:24:08.44\00:24:12.05
by the Apostle Paul,
00:24:12.08\00:24:14.38
and I would like you to notice
the words in Acts Chapter 20,
00:24:14.42\00:24:19.19
and we'll read from verse
25 and then onto verse 31.
00:24:19.22\00:24:23.83
Here, the Apostle Paul
00:24:23.86\00:24:25.43
is calling a meeting of
the bishops of the church.
00:24:25.46\00:24:29.53
Now it's important to notice
00:24:29.56\00:24:31.03
to whom Paul is speaking
00:24:31.07\00:24:32.67
when he delivers these words.
00:24:32.70\00:24:34.70
He is called a
meeting of the bishops,
00:24:34.74\00:24:36.81
the leadings of
the Christian Church
00:24:36.84\00:24:39.24
in his day.
00:24:39.27\00:24:40.61
He knows as he passes
through that part of the world,
00:24:40.64\00:24:43.91
that he's not
gonna be back there again
00:24:43.95\00:24:45.98
because he knows
he's on his way to Rome
00:24:46.01\00:24:48.38
where, of course,
Paul lost his life.
00:24:48.42\00:24:51.32
So it's a
farewell meeting in a way.
00:24:51.35\00:24:53.66
And therefore I
want you to understand
00:24:53.69\00:24:55.46
the background of
the council he gave
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.36
to the bishops of the church.
00:24:58.39\00:25:00.83
Keep that in mind.
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.63
"And indeed," he
says in verse 25,
00:25:02.66\00:25:06.03
"now I know that you all
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.20
among whom I have gone
preaching the kingdom of God,
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.81
will see my face no more.
00:25:11.84\00:25:16.28
For I know this,
that after my departure,
00:25:16.31\00:25:19.88
after his death in the future,
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.42
savage wolves
will come in among you
00:25:22.45\00:25:25.49
not sparing the flock.
00:25:25.52\00:25:29.09
Also from among yourselves,
among the bishops, notice this,
00:25:29.12\00:25:33.73
men will rise up
speaking perverse things
00:25:33.76\00:25:37.07
to draw away the
disciples after themselves."
00:25:37.10\00:25:41.44
Therefore says the
apostle with his pastoral heart,
00:25:41.47\00:25:46.01
"Therefore watch
00:25:46.04\00:25:47.64
and remember
that for three years,
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.84
I did not cease to warn everyone
00:25:49.88\00:25:52.78
night and day with tears."
00:25:52.81\00:25:55.75
What is Paul concerned about?
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.45
He's concerned that
sometime in the future
00:25:57.49\00:25:59.75
among the bishops of the church,
00:25:59.79\00:26:02.59
that there would be,
00:26:02.62\00:26:03.96
those who would arise
00:26:03.99\00:26:05.39
and make disciples after them
00:26:05.43\00:26:08.20
and leading them away
from the truths of the gospel.
00:26:08.23\00:26:12.60
That was Paul's prediction.
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.34
I'm sure under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit
00:26:14.37\00:26:17.71
and that's exactly
what was happening.
00:26:17.74\00:26:21.48
So let me make
something very clear
00:26:21.51\00:26:23.55
and this weighs very heavily
on my heart, dear friends.
00:26:23.58\00:26:26.61
God is not condemning
faithful members of this church
00:26:26.65\00:26:30.85
who love the Lord
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.45
and are living up
00:26:32.49\00:26:33.82
to all they believe to be right.
00:26:33.86\00:26:36.22
He's describing a
system of organization,
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.96
a hierarchy of power
00:26:38.99\00:26:41.33
that would eventually
come to dominate the world
00:26:41.36\00:26:44.47
as we've noticed
00:26:44.50\00:26:46.33
and teach doctrines
00:26:46.37\00:26:47.70
that are not found in the Bible.
00:26:47.74\00:26:51.14
It is
significant that Jesus warns,
00:26:51.17\00:26:53.41
as we approach the
second coming of Jesus
00:26:53.44\00:26:56.68
of the widespread deception
00:26:56.71\00:26:59.15
that Satan will use
00:26:59.18\00:27:01.68
to turn people
away from the truth.
00:27:01.72\00:27:06.25
But during his life on earth,
00:27:06.29\00:27:07.72
Jesus was opposed and criticized
00:27:07.76\00:27:10.76
and finally killed
00:27:10.79\00:27:12.83
by the leading members
00:27:12.86\00:27:14.63
of the most influential
religious organization
00:27:14.66\00:27:18.30
in Israel while He was on earth.
00:27:18.33\00:27:20.04
And I'm referring, of
course, to the Pharisees.
00:27:20.07\00:27:23.27
How did Jesus relate
00:27:23.30\00:27:24.64
to those who were
leading people astray?
00:27:24.67\00:27:28.18
This may surprise some of you,
but toward the end of His life,
00:27:28.21\00:27:32.01
Jesus spoke a most
scathing denunciation
00:27:32.05\00:27:36.32
of these leaders
of the Pharisees.
00:27:36.35\00:27:39.69
He condemned them
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.06
that in spite of
their religious profession,
00:27:41.09\00:27:44.36
they were far away
00:27:44.39\00:27:45.73
from the
principles of God's kingdom
00:27:45.76\00:27:48.40
and were teaching the
people error rather than truth.
00:27:48.43\00:27:53.20
And if you read
Matthew Chapter 23,
00:27:53.23\00:27:56.04
you will find that Jesus
calls these religious leaders
00:27:56.07\00:27:59.61
with words like
this, hypocrites,
00:27:59.64\00:28:02.58
blind, fools,
00:28:02.61\00:28:05.15
serpents and a brood of vipers.
00:28:05.18\00:28:08.48
Words we wouldn't
expect to come from Jesus
00:28:08.52\00:28:10.75
when He was talking about
people who were religious,
00:28:10.79\00:28:13.59
but it was religion
that had gone wrong.
00:28:13.62\00:28:16.66
And that is why God is concerned
00:28:16.69\00:28:19.53
about the rise of the beast.
00:28:19.56\00:28:22.06
And yet in spite
of His denunciations
00:28:22.10\00:28:23.80
of the Pharisees,
00:28:23.83\00:28:25.17
did Jesus love any Pharisees?
00:28:25.20\00:28:27.60
Jesus loves
everybody as you know.
00:28:27.64\00:28:30.81
And can you think of any people
00:28:30.84\00:28:32.51
who were Pharisees,
00:28:32.54\00:28:34.54
who came to love Jesus
00:28:34.58\00:28:36.75
and were great
leaders in the church?
00:28:36.78\00:28:39.51
I can think of, well, Simon,
00:28:39.55\00:28:41.35
not so much a
leader in the church,
00:28:41.38\00:28:42.92
but he was called a Pharisee.
00:28:42.95\00:28:45.12
And then there was Nicodemus,
00:28:45.15\00:28:46.49
the man who came to
visit Jesus by night
00:28:46.52\00:28:48.62
and Jesus explained
the new birth to him.
00:28:48.66\00:28:52.89
But then, of course,
there was the Apostle Paul.
00:28:52.93\00:28:56.46
Saul, as he was
first, a Pharisee,
00:28:56.50\00:29:00.04
a terrible Pharisee
00:29:00.07\00:29:01.90
because he was on his
way to kill the Christians.
00:29:01.94\00:29:06.14
When he met Jesus on the road
00:29:06.17\00:29:08.34
and Jesus turned his life around
00:29:08.38\00:29:11.11
and Saul, Paul
00:29:11.15\00:29:13.25
became the great founder
of so many Christian churches.
00:29:13.28\00:29:17.92
Jesus loves, you
know this, all people,
00:29:17.95\00:29:22.49
He loves every one of you
00:29:22.52\00:29:23.96
that I'm speaking to today
00:29:23.99\00:29:27.16
in spite of
where you may be living
00:29:27.20\00:29:29.30
on the earth.
00:29:29.33\00:29:30.97
But it's also
true that He condemns
00:29:31.00\00:29:33.10
the hierarchy of a system
00:29:33.13\00:29:35.70
identified as the
little horn or the beast
00:29:35.74\00:29:39.01
that murdered
millions of Christians
00:29:39.04\00:29:41.91
and taught doctrines
00:29:41.94\00:29:43.28
that are not found
in the Word of God.
00:29:43.31\00:29:47.25
Notice that the Bible predicted
00:29:47.28\00:29:48.98
what would happen
to this beast power
00:29:49.02\00:29:52.15
after its 1260 years,
00:29:52.19\00:29:54.82
because in Revelation 13:3,
00:29:54.86\00:29:58.56
it speaks about a deadly wound.
00:29:58.59\00:30:03.10
And I saw one of his heads,
John writes in Revelation,
00:30:03.13\00:30:08.00
of this beast power
00:30:08.04\00:30:09.57
as if it had
been mortally wounded,
00:30:09.60\00:30:13.14
wounded almost to the death.
00:30:13.17\00:30:16.18
And here the Bible predicts
00:30:16.21\00:30:17.55
that this beast
would suffer a deadly wound
00:30:17.58\00:30:20.92
that would
finally almost destroy it
00:30:20.95\00:30:24.15
at the end of that
1,260 years of Bible prophecy.
00:30:24.19\00:30:30.13
In our first presentation,
00:30:30.16\00:30:32.76
we learned that right at the end
00:30:32.79\00:30:34.73
of that 1,260 years
00:30:34.76\00:30:37.13
of the church's
dominance in Europe,
00:30:37.17\00:30:39.87
the pope was taken captivity
00:30:39.90\00:30:44.31
and the papal
states were abolished
00:30:44.34\00:30:47.51
by the French General Berthier,
00:30:47.54\00:30:49.81
when he entered
Rome in February, 1798.
00:30:49.84\00:30:54.65
And the painting
you see on the screen
00:30:54.68\00:30:56.79
is a painting commemorating,
00:30:56.82\00:30:58.55
if I could use that word,
00:30:58.59\00:31:00.22
that event
00:31:00.26\00:31:01.59
that's there in
the Vatican museum,
00:31:01.62\00:31:03.59
even to this very day.
00:31:03.63\00:31:06.63
Napoleon announced
00:31:06.66\00:31:08.00
that there would
be no more popes.
00:31:08.03\00:31:10.37
He did not
understand Bible prophecy.
00:31:10.40\00:31:13.27
And why do I say that?
00:31:13.30\00:31:14.94
Because look at
Revelation 13:3 again,
00:31:14.97\00:31:19.51
and see what the Bible says.
00:31:19.54\00:31:22.81
"And I saw one of his heads
00:31:22.84\00:31:24.18
as if it had been
mortally wounded,"
00:31:24.21\00:31:25.68
we've just noticed that,
00:31:25.71\00:31:27.55
"and his deadly wound was,"
00:31:27.58\00:31:30.19
and look at the next word
00:31:30.22\00:31:31.95
"would be healed
00:31:31.99\00:31:33.89
until all the world would marvel
00:31:33.92\00:31:37.86
and follow this beast power."
00:31:37.89\00:31:41.90
All the world would marvel
00:31:41.93\00:31:44.33
that the power
that was almost killed
00:31:44.37\00:31:47.44
as it were in 1798,
00:31:47.47\00:31:50.01
slowly it would be healed.
00:31:50.04\00:31:53.14
And can I remind you
from history, dear friends,
00:31:53.17\00:31:55.31
that a significant step
00:31:55.34\00:31:58.15
in the healing
of that deadly wound
00:31:58.18\00:32:00.88
took place on the
11th of February, 1929.
00:32:00.92\00:32:06.59
Known as the Lateran Treaty,
00:32:06.62\00:32:08.96
it was an
agreement signed by Mussolini
00:32:08.99\00:32:11.36
and I'm sure many
of you may have heard
00:32:11.39\00:32:12.89
of his name before,
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.63
signed by Mussolini
00:32:14.66\00:32:16.00
and a representative of the pope
00:32:16.03\00:32:18.13
that gave the pope a territory
00:32:18.17\00:32:21.27
of 121 acres
00:32:21.30\00:32:24.54
in the city of Rome
00:32:24.57\00:32:26.94
called Vatican City
00:32:26.98\00:32:29.21
guaranteeing to the pope,
00:32:29.24\00:32:31.55
complete
independence and sovereignty.
00:32:31.58\00:32:35.52
Once again,
00:32:35.55\00:32:37.49
the wound was being healed.
00:32:37.52\00:32:41.62
And as we look at the,
00:32:41.66\00:32:43.89
what is
happening in today's world,
00:32:43.93\00:32:47.06
we see for example,
00:32:47.10\00:32:48.96
and I have it here,
a copy in front of me,
00:32:49.00\00:32:52.70
a copy of Time Magazine.
00:32:52.73\00:32:56.10
And you'll notice
that on the front,
00:32:56.14\00:32:57.81
there it is on
the screen behind,
00:32:57.84\00:33:00.14
a copy of Pope Francis,
00:33:00.18\00:33:03.01
and you notice what he's called?
00:33:03.04\00:33:05.85
The New World Pope,
an interesting title.
00:33:05.88\00:33:12.09
And then as we think
of what has been happening
00:33:12.12\00:33:14.16
in the world since that time,
00:33:14.19\00:33:17.56
we find that also
leaders of the world
00:33:17.59\00:33:22.03
have been meeting with the pope.
00:33:22.06\00:33:23.97
Here is Putin, the
man in charge of Russia,
00:33:24.00\00:33:27.04
meeting with the pope.
00:33:27.07\00:33:28.60
We see also the
picture of the pope
00:33:28.64\00:33:33.07
meeting other world leaders
00:33:33.11\00:33:36.44
and speaking to the
world with great authority.
00:33:36.48\00:33:40.55
Finally, until all
the world, it says,
00:33:40.58\00:33:43.59
will worship again
this revived beast.
00:33:43.62\00:33:48.69
This process is very much seen
00:33:48.72\00:33:53.66
in what we are
seeing in our newspapers
00:33:53.70\00:33:56.56
and television stations today.
00:33:56.60\00:33:59.87
The sort of political power
00:33:59.90\00:34:02.54
that the pope had before 1798
00:34:02.57\00:34:06.78
is to be restored with the aid
00:34:06.81\00:34:10.95
of a most unexpected nation.
00:34:10.98\00:34:16.42
Its identity is revealed
in a remarkable prophecy
00:34:16.45\00:34:21.02
in the Book of Revelation
00:34:21.06\00:34:22.92
that I want you
to notice as we read.
00:34:22.96\00:34:26.39
It's found in the
second half of Revelation.
00:34:26.43\00:34:29.76
You remember I mentioned to you
earlier that in Revelation 13,
00:34:29.80\00:34:32.23
there are two beasts.
00:34:32.27\00:34:33.90
The first beast
that we've just described
00:34:33.94\00:34:36.10
comes up out of the sea.
00:34:36.14\00:34:37.87
The second beast
00:34:37.91\00:34:39.24
that I'm about to share with you
00:34:39.27\00:34:40.98
comes up out of the earth.
00:34:41.01\00:34:43.35
Let's read what the Bible says
00:34:43.38\00:34:45.58
in Revelation 13:11,
00:34:45.61\00:34:50.99
"Then I saw," John says,
00:34:51.02\00:34:53.56
"another beast
coming up out of the earth,
00:34:53.59\00:34:58.39
and he had two
horns like a lamb,
00:34:58.43\00:35:01.96
and spoke as a dragon."
00:35:02.00\00:35:05.53
Notice that this second nation
00:35:05.57\00:35:08.54
will compel the earth
to worship the first beast.
00:35:08.57\00:35:13.81
Look at that very
important statement
00:35:13.84\00:35:16.31
in prophecy in the next verse,
00:35:16.34\00:35:19.48
that he, that second beast,
00:35:19.51\00:35:21.85
will exercise all the
authority of the first beast
00:35:21.88\00:35:25.65
that we've just
been talking about.
00:35:25.69\00:35:28.02
And he will cause the earth,
00:35:28.06\00:35:30.06
those are softer words
00:35:30.09\00:35:33.13
than what it's really saying
00:35:33.16\00:35:35.00
that this second
beast will make the earth
00:35:35.03\00:35:38.57
and the people who
dwell in it to do what?
00:35:38.60\00:35:42.47
To worship the first beast
00:35:42.50\00:35:45.41
whose deadly wound was healed.
00:35:45.44\00:35:47.81
Do you remember
that I mentioned to you
00:35:47.84\00:35:49.18
that that third message
of God's last warning message
00:35:49.21\00:35:52.35
says, if any man worships
the beast and his image,
00:35:52.38\00:35:57.52
he shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of God.
00:35:57.55\00:36:00.32
And here, the
Bible is revealing to us,
00:36:00.36\00:36:02.52
dear friends,
00:36:02.56\00:36:03.89
of a second power,
00:36:03.93\00:36:05.26
a second nation
00:36:05.29\00:36:06.80
that is going to force the world
00:36:06.83\00:36:08.96
to worship that first beast
00:36:09.00\00:36:12.23
whose deadly wound was healed.
00:36:12.27\00:36:15.54
This must happen after 1798,
00:36:15.57\00:36:18.87
well after 1798,
00:36:18.91\00:36:21.18
because it's going to take time
00:36:21.21\00:36:22.74
for the healing of the wound
00:36:22.78\00:36:25.21
that had suffered at that time.
00:36:25.25\00:36:27.25
So what political power
00:36:27.28\00:36:29.42
is this second
beast referring to?
00:36:29.45\00:36:32.69
I want to give you
00:36:32.72\00:36:34.06
five identifying characteristics
00:36:34.09\00:36:38.33
that the Bible gives us
00:36:38.36\00:36:39.69
all in Revelation
13:10 and onwards.
00:36:39.73\00:36:44.83
First of all, I
want you to notice
00:36:44.87\00:36:46.63
the timing of its rise.
00:36:46.67\00:36:50.44
In Revelation 13:10-11,
00:36:50.47\00:36:53.94
notice these words.
00:36:53.98\00:36:56.34
First of all, in verse 10,
00:36:56.38\00:36:58.58
he who leads into captivity,
00:36:58.61\00:37:00.45
now this is
referring to the beast power.
00:37:00.48\00:37:02.58
The first beast,
the one out of the sea.
00:37:02.62\00:37:05.05
"He who leads into
captivity," notice the words,
00:37:05.09\00:37:07.86
"shall go into captivity."
00:37:07.89\00:37:09.96
I've just talked
about what happened in 1798.
00:37:09.99\00:37:12.99
"He who kills with the sword,"
00:37:13.03\00:37:15.00
as the power
and organization did
00:37:15.03\00:37:17.17
over many centuries
00:37:17.20\00:37:18.77
"must be killed
with the sword, "
00:37:18.80\00:37:20.84
that mortal wound.
00:37:20.87\00:37:22.90
"Here is the patients
and the faith of the saints."
00:37:22.94\00:37:24.91
Now that's at the end
00:37:24.94\00:37:26.37
of the description
of the first beast.
00:37:26.41\00:37:28.64
The very next verse says
this in Revelation 13:11.
00:37:28.68\00:37:35.58
Then as the first beast
is going into captivity,
00:37:35.62\00:37:39.99
"Then I saw another beast
coming up out of the earth
00:37:40.02\00:37:43.59
and he had two horns
00:37:43.63\00:37:44.96
like a lamb and
spoke like a dragon."
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.53
In other words, the timing
00:37:47.56\00:37:49.13
of this rise of this
kingdom would be about 1798.
00:37:49.16\00:37:54.14
In 1798 the first beast
went into captivity as we saw.
00:37:54.17\00:37:59.04
And at that time, John envision,
00:37:59.07\00:38:00.78
sees something happening.
00:38:00.81\00:38:03.14
A second beast is
rising up out of the earth.
00:38:03.18\00:38:06.68
So it is rising up
00:38:06.72\00:38:08.68
as the first
beast is going down.
00:38:08.72\00:38:12.22
It must be a kingdom or a nation
00:38:12.25\00:38:14.89
that rises about the 1790s.
00:38:14.92\00:38:19.26
But then the second activity
00:38:19.29\00:38:21.90
of this beast is the
location of its rise.
00:38:21.93\00:38:26.57
I've already mentioned to
you that in Revelation 13:11,
00:38:26.60\00:38:30.57
we notice that it says,
00:38:30.61\00:38:32.11
I saw another beast
00:38:32.14\00:38:33.71
coming up out of the earth,
00:38:33.74\00:38:36.71
not the sea, but
out of the earth,
00:38:36.75\00:38:40.42
all the other beasts.
00:38:40.45\00:38:42.08
This is
interesting, dear friends,
00:38:42.12\00:38:43.45
all the other
beasts in Bible prophecy
00:38:43.49\00:38:45.89
rise up out of the sea.
00:38:45.92\00:38:47.66
The ones in Daniel
came up out of the sea.
00:38:47.69\00:38:50.43
The first beast
rises up out of the sea.
00:38:50.46\00:38:52.96
This is the only
one of all the nations
00:38:52.99\00:38:55.56
that are
represented in the scriptures
00:38:55.60\00:38:57.83
that rises up out of the earth.
00:38:57.87\00:39:02.00
What does that mean?
00:39:02.04\00:39:03.97
Well, since the sea represents
00:39:04.01\00:39:06.91
as it tells us
in Revelation 17:15,
00:39:06.94\00:39:10.41
representing many nations,
00:39:10.45\00:39:13.01
tongues and peoples.
00:39:13.05\00:39:15.68
This one rising
up out of the earth
00:39:15.72\00:39:18.62
must represent that
this nation will rise
00:39:18.65\00:39:21.52
in a sparsely
populated area of the earth.
00:39:21.56\00:39:25.93
But then number three.
00:39:25.96\00:39:28.20
It would have an
unobtrusive rise.
00:39:28.23\00:39:32.03
What do I mean by that?
00:39:32.07\00:39:34.17
In Revelation 13:11, it says,
00:39:34.20\00:39:38.04
"Then I saw another beast
coming up out of the earth."
00:39:38.07\00:39:44.48
I was interested in
that word coming up.
00:39:44.51\00:39:46.58
It doesn't come up
and exist as a nation
00:39:46.61\00:39:50.62
after fighting
battles with other nations.
00:39:50.65\00:39:52.89
Remember it's growing
up in a part of the world,
00:39:52.92\00:39:54.76
where it's not
heavily populated before.
00:39:54.79\00:39:58.39
And that word coming
up the same Greek word
00:39:58.43\00:40:01.56
is used in one
of Jesus' parables.
00:40:01.60\00:40:04.87
When it talks about the parable
of the wheat and the tares
00:40:04.90\00:40:08.70
and how those plants
were coming up in the field
00:40:08.74\00:40:13.74
that Jesus talks about.
00:40:13.78\00:40:15.61
And the word coming up is
the same word as used here.
00:40:15.64\00:40:20.22
It's like the
sprouting of plants.
00:40:20.25\00:40:23.32
That's the word coming up.
00:40:23.35\00:40:25.35
And I was very
interested to find
00:40:25.39\00:40:26.72
that one historian describes
00:40:26.76\00:40:28.26
the early history
of the United States,
00:40:28.29\00:40:31.76
like a silent seed
we grew into an empire.
00:40:31.79\00:40:37.60
But notice number four,
00:40:37.63\00:40:39.20
that it has two
horns like a lamb,
00:40:39.23\00:40:42.87
but speaks like a dragon.
00:40:42.90\00:40:47.71
In Revelation 13:11,
00:40:47.74\00:40:50.68
"Then I saw another beast
coming up out of the earth,
00:40:50.71\00:40:53.72
he had two horns like a lamb
and spoke look like a dragon."
00:40:53.75\00:40:59.69
Revelation always
uses the word lamb
00:40:59.72\00:41:03.79
to refer to Jesus.
00:41:03.83\00:41:06.53
And so when this
nation is first rising up,
00:41:06.56\00:41:09.33
it would be lamb like.
00:41:09.36\00:41:10.73
It would be a Christian nation,
00:41:10.77\00:41:13.90
a Christian nation,
00:41:13.94\00:41:16.40
but it has two
horns like a lamb.
00:41:16.44\00:41:19.84
What are horns represent?
00:41:19.87\00:41:21.78
You may remember that
00:41:21.81\00:41:23.14
when we looked
at Daniel Chapter 7,
00:41:23.18\00:41:24.78
that beast had 10 horns
representing 10 kingdoms,
00:41:24.81\00:41:28.88
Medo-Persia that
kingdom has two horns
00:41:28.92\00:41:32.85
with the ram
00:41:32.89\00:41:34.59
and they
represented two kingdoms,
00:41:34.62\00:41:36.69
the Medes and the Persians.
00:41:36.73\00:41:38.93
Well, what does it mean to say
00:41:38.96\00:41:40.30
that there would be two kingdoms
00:41:40.33\00:41:42.06
in the one beast,
00:41:42.10\00:41:44.27
two kingdoms in the one nation?
00:41:44.30\00:41:46.90
Because these two kingdoms
00:41:46.94\00:41:48.77
are referred to
by Jesus Himself.
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.97
In Matthew 22:21,
00:41:52.01\00:41:57.05
Jesus is talking
to His disciples,
00:41:57.08\00:42:00.02
particularly to Peter.
00:42:00.05\00:42:01.78
And He says,
00:42:01.82\00:42:03.28
"Render therefore to Caesar
00:42:03.32\00:42:06.35
the things that are Caesar's
00:42:06.39\00:42:09.02
and to God the
things that are God's."
00:42:09.06\00:42:13.60
What two kingdoms was
Jesus recognizing here?
00:42:13.63\00:42:17.63
That in the world,
there was the civil to Caesar,
00:42:17.67\00:42:21.44
the obligations we have
to legitimize government
00:42:21.47\00:42:25.44
of where we're living,
00:42:25.47\00:42:27.28
but render also to God,
00:42:27.31\00:42:29.48
the things that are God's.
00:42:29.51\00:42:31.48
This is suggesting
00:42:31.51\00:42:32.85
that this nation would
begin as a Christian nation
00:42:32.88\00:42:36.65
with the separation of
the civil and the spiritual,
00:42:36.69\00:42:41.06
a separation of the
church and the state,
00:42:41.09\00:42:43.59
but in the
future and listen to me,
00:42:43.63\00:42:47.20
in the future
00:42:47.23\00:42:49.06
it would
contradict its profession
00:42:49.10\00:42:52.07
and speak like a dragon.
00:42:52.10\00:42:55.04
But then there's the
fifth and final characteristic
00:42:55.07\00:42:57.87
that I want you to
notice from Revelation,
00:42:57.91\00:43:00.54
that this kingdom
would become in the future
00:43:00.58\00:43:04.55
a global superpower.
00:43:04.58\00:43:08.08
Remember this is a
prediction in the future,
00:43:08.12\00:43:09.95
in the Book of Revelation,
00:43:09.98\00:43:11.72
it would become, it
would start lamb like,
00:43:11.75\00:43:14.12
coming up slowly like a plant
00:43:14.16\00:43:16.93
into the world into a
sparsely populated area.
00:43:16.96\00:43:21.13
But it would
become in the future,
00:43:21.16\00:43:23.23
a global superpower.
00:43:23.26\00:43:24.77
You might say, "Well,
how do you know that?"
00:43:24.80\00:43:26.94
Well, have a look
at, what it describes.
00:43:26.97\00:43:29.50
Then I saw
another beast coming up.
00:43:29.54\00:43:32.74
And he exercises
all the authority
00:43:32.77\00:43:35.44
of the first
beast in his presence,"
00:43:35.48\00:43:37.55
the authority of
the Church of Rome,
00:43:37.58\00:43:39.95
"and causes the earth
00:43:39.98\00:43:41.85
and those who dwell in it
to worship the first beast
00:43:41.88\00:43:45.25
whose deadly wound was healed.
00:43:45.29\00:43:47.46
Notice that the Bible predicts
00:43:47.49\00:43:49.36
that this power
would have the authority,
00:43:49.39\00:43:52.19
if I can use that
word as a superpower
00:43:52.23\00:43:55.40
to cause and to
speak to the whole world,
00:43:55.43\00:43:58.37
cause the earth
00:43:58.40\00:43:59.73
and those who dwell in it
one day to worship the beast.
00:43:59.77\00:44:04.17
But then look at
the very next verse.
00:44:04.21\00:44:06.17
Well, the verse 14,
as it goes on to say,
00:44:06.21\00:44:08.98
speaking about
the same second beast.
00:44:09.01\00:44:11.81
"He deceives those who dwell
on the earth by those signs,
00:44:11.85\00:44:16.72
which he was granted to
do in the sight of the beast,
00:44:16.75\00:44:20.22
telling,"
00:44:20.26\00:44:21.59
listen to this,
00:44:21.62\00:44:22.96
"telling those
who dwell on the earth
00:44:22.99\00:44:25.79
to make an image to the beast
00:44:25.83\00:44:30.73
who was wounded by
the sword and lived."
00:44:30.77\00:44:34.17
Here again, notice
what this power is doing.
00:44:34.20\00:44:36.81
He's telling the whole world
00:44:36.84\00:44:38.97
to make an image to the beast.
00:44:39.01\00:44:41.28
And then these words
00:44:41.31\00:44:42.78
in Revelation 13:16,
00:44:42.81\00:44:48.32
"He, " the same beast,
00:44:48.35\00:44:50.82
"causes all," notice that,
00:44:50.85\00:44:53.86
"small and great, rich
and poor, free and slave,
00:44:53.89\00:44:57.19
to receive a mark
on their right hand
00:44:57.23\00:45:00.00
or on their forwards."
00:45:00.03\00:45:04.27
What power,
00:45:04.30\00:45:05.80
a power that
would tell the world
00:45:05.83\00:45:09.07
about receiving
the mark of the beast
00:45:09.10\00:45:12.01
in their forehead
or in their right hand.
00:45:12.04\00:45:16.24
What power is brought to
view in these five descriptions?
00:45:16.28\00:45:21.58
Of all the nations on
the earth, dear friends,
00:45:21.62\00:45:25.19
there is only one that meets
00:45:25.22\00:45:28.99
the specifications
of Bible prophecy,
00:45:29.02\00:45:32.29
only one that
was rising about 1798
00:45:32.33\00:45:38.87
in a sparsely
populated area of the world
00:45:38.90\00:45:41.70
called the new world
00:45:41.74\00:45:43.81
with a government
00:45:43.84\00:45:45.17
based upon lamb like
Christian principles,
00:45:45.21\00:45:49.31
democracy and religious freedom,
00:45:49.34\00:45:53.55
guaranteeing the
separation of church and state
00:45:53.58\00:45:59.25
that has become a
global superpower.
00:45:59.29\00:46:04.03
And that is the
United States of America.
00:46:04.06\00:46:10.13
I want you to
notice this painting
00:46:10.17\00:46:13.10
that has been painted
00:46:13.13\00:46:14.80
of the signing
of the Constitution
00:46:14.84\00:46:17.51
of the United States
00:46:17.54\00:46:20.24
because the United States
began as a nation around 1798,
00:46:20.28\00:46:25.88
just as the Bible says,
00:46:25.91\00:46:27.52
the first beast
would be going down
00:46:27.55\00:46:29.12
into captivity and this
nation would be growing.
00:46:29.15\00:46:32.92
In 1776,
00:46:32.95\00:46:36.56
it wrote its
Declaration of Independence
00:46:36.59\00:46:40.63
and that is portrayed
in that painting, you see.
00:46:40.66\00:46:44.40
And then in 1787,
00:46:44.43\00:46:48.04
its Constitution was finalized
00:46:48.07\00:46:51.61
and its Bill of Rights
00:46:51.64\00:46:53.21
amendments to the
Constitution in 1791,
00:46:53.24\00:46:58.98
it began as a Protestant nation
00:46:59.01\00:47:01.78
guaranteeing, dear friends,
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.05
religious freedom
00:47:04.09\00:47:05.42
and the separation
of church and state.
00:47:05.45\00:47:09.82
As you'll see, there portrayed,
00:47:09.86\00:47:12.23
the state had its role
render to Caesar the things
00:47:12.26\00:47:15.73
that are Caesar's
00:47:15.76\00:47:17.60
and unto God the
things that are God's.
00:47:17.63\00:47:21.97
And this nation
began separating the church
00:47:22.00\00:47:24.81
and the state writing
that into its very Constitution
00:47:24.84\00:47:28.71
and into its amendments.
00:47:28.74\00:47:31.18
And the world has
never seen and had never seen
00:47:31.21\00:47:34.08
before such a nation
guaranteeing religious freedom
00:47:34.12\00:47:40.06
and guaranteeing
00:47:40.09\00:47:41.79
that the church and the
state would be separated.
00:47:41.82\00:47:45.03
I want you to notice
these words, dear friends.
00:47:45.06\00:47:48.43
Thomas Jefferson
was the primary author
00:47:48.46\00:47:52.00
of the
Declaration of Independence.
00:47:52.03\00:47:55.14
And he wrote some words
00:47:55.17\00:47:56.50
that are
thought provoking words.
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.57
When he was writing
concerning the first amendment
00:47:58.61\00:48:02.31
in the Bill of Rights.
00:48:02.34\00:48:03.95
Notice what he says,
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.05
"I contemplate
with solemn reverence
00:48:06.08\00:48:08.88
that act of the
whole American people,
00:48:08.92\00:48:12.02
which declared
00:48:12.05\00:48:13.39
that their
legislature should make"
00:48:13.42\00:48:15.06
and he's quoting
from that amendment,
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.36
"should make no law
00:48:17.39\00:48:18.89
respecting an
establishment of religion
00:48:18.93\00:48:22.03
or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof."
00:48:22.06\00:48:26.50
And do you notice what he said
00:48:26.53\00:48:27.87
and how he
concluded those words?
00:48:27.90\00:48:30.27
"Thus building a wall
00:48:30.31\00:48:32.47
of separation
between church and state."
00:48:32.51\00:48:37.98
That was the
beginnings of this great nation
00:48:38.01\00:48:41.78
that is described
there in Revelation 13.
00:48:41.82\00:48:45.79
In spite of these
ideal, dear friends,
00:48:45.82\00:48:48.52
I wish I didn't
have to say this,
00:48:48.56\00:48:50.76
but in spite of this ideal,
00:48:50.79\00:48:52.39
the Bible predicts in Revelation
00:48:52.43\00:48:55.43
that there will come
a day soon, I believe,
00:48:55.46\00:48:59.03
when a change will take
place in the United States,
00:48:59.07\00:49:03.07
as we have noticed.
00:49:03.10\00:49:04.44
Let's look at
Revelation 13:12 again,
00:49:04.47\00:49:08.64
"And he, this power
00:49:08.68\00:49:11.11
will exercise all the authority
00:49:11.15\00:49:13.08
of the first
beast in his presence,
00:49:13.11\00:49:15.32
and he will cause the earth,
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.75
and that will
affect all of us here today
00:49:17.79\00:49:20.02
and those of you
who are in TV land,
00:49:20.06\00:49:22.42
everyone living in the world
00:49:22.46\00:49:25.73
to worship the first beast
00:49:25.76\00:49:28.80
whose deadly wound was healed.
00:49:28.83\00:49:31.57
Clearly in these words,
00:49:31.60\00:49:33.54
the Bible is predicting
a growing relationship
00:49:33.57\00:49:37.77
between the United
States and the Church of Rome.
00:49:37.81\00:49:43.14
I want you to look at
the pictures that follow.
00:49:43.18\00:49:47.75
I won't make much comment,
00:49:47.78\00:49:49.12
but I want you to
have a look at them
00:49:49.15\00:49:50.79
and think what
it's speaking to you.
00:49:50.82\00:49:55.26
The first picture.
00:49:55.29\00:49:57.39
The pope speaking
00:49:57.43\00:49:59.13
to the President
of the United States
00:49:59.16\00:50:02.26
and his wife
00:50:02.30\00:50:04.90
having fellowship
with Bill Clinton,
00:50:04.93\00:50:07.94
the President of
the United States,
00:50:07.97\00:50:11.11
speaking to Donald
Trump and his wife,
00:50:11.14\00:50:17.55
then having communication
00:50:17.58\00:50:21.75
with the Vice President
to Donald Trump, Mike Pence,
00:50:21.78\00:50:26.82
and then three presidents
00:50:26.86\00:50:31.39
and the secretary of state
00:50:31.43\00:50:33.50
bowing before the
body of Pope Paul II
00:50:33.53\00:50:37.63
after his death.
00:50:37.67\00:50:41.30
I ask you this today in
all sincerity, dear friends,
00:50:41.34\00:50:46.11
are these prophecies slowly,
00:50:46.14\00:50:49.21
but certainly being
fulfilled in our world today?
00:50:49.24\00:50:53.68
Is Protestantism
in the United States
00:50:53.72\00:50:55.92
that began so well
with those two horns
00:50:55.95\00:50:58.35
that were like a lamb?
00:50:58.39\00:51:00.72
Is Protestantism
forgetting its origins
00:51:00.76\00:51:04.63
and reaching across the gulf
00:51:04.66\00:51:06.33
to join hands
with the Church of Rome
00:51:06.36\00:51:10.60
as the Bible has predicted?
00:51:10.63\00:51:13.50
In 2014,
00:51:13.54\00:51:16.47
the Anglican Bishop Tony Palmer
00:51:16.50\00:51:21.44
spoke to a large
Pentecostal gathering
00:51:21.48\00:51:25.41
in the United States.
00:51:25.45\00:51:27.78
I quote his words,
00:51:27.82\00:51:30.79
"Brothers and sisters,
00:51:30.82\00:51:32.82
Luther's protests are over.
00:51:32.85\00:51:36.49
If there is no more protest,
00:51:36.52\00:51:38.73
how can there be
a Protestant Church?
00:51:38.76\00:51:41.86
We now teach the same gospel.
00:51:41.90\00:51:45.43
We now teach the same faith.
00:51:45.47\00:51:48.74
The protest is over."
00:51:48.77\00:51:52.37
Now those words
were spoken in 2014.
00:51:52.41\00:51:57.25
But look at the second
man that I want to notice.
00:51:57.28\00:52:00.52
Joel Osteen,
00:52:00.55\00:52:02.92
and the picture that
you see on the screen
00:52:02.95\00:52:05.35
is Joel Osteen's church
00:52:05.39\00:52:08.12
in the United States of America.
00:52:08.16\00:52:10.96
He's one of the most
influential Protestant leaders
00:52:10.99\00:52:13.46
in America.
00:52:13.50\00:52:15.50
And he too has
expressed his agreement
00:52:15.53\00:52:18.83
with a move
towards unity with Rome.
00:52:18.87\00:52:23.61
He met Pope
Francis in June, 2014,
00:52:23.64\00:52:27.54
and expressed those
concerns and wishes to him.
00:52:27.58\00:52:32.81
Then two, there is Rick Warren,
00:52:32.85\00:52:35.88
also one of the most influential
00:52:35.92\00:52:37.95
of evangelical
Christians in the United States.
00:52:37.99\00:52:41.79
He served as the minister
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.16
of the Saddleback
Southern Baptist mega church
00:52:43.19\00:52:46.33
in California.
00:52:46.36\00:52:47.80
And is the author of the book
00:52:47.83\00:52:49.36
that many of you may have heard,
00:52:49.40\00:52:51.00
The Purpose Driven Life.
00:52:51.03\00:52:53.23
Some years ago, he was
named as one of the 15 people
00:52:53.27\00:52:56.50
who have made America great,
00:52:56.54\00:52:59.07
but he is been
embracing unity with Rome.
00:52:59.11\00:53:05.01
And before he
died, Billy Graham,
00:53:05.05\00:53:08.65
Dr. Billy Graham
00:53:08.68\00:53:10.69
was giving strong
endorsement to unity with Rome.
00:53:10.72\00:53:17.13
And then on
September the 24th, 2015
00:53:17.16\00:53:21.50
Pope Francis was the
first pope in history
00:53:21.53\00:53:25.90
to address the
houses of Congress
00:53:25.93\00:53:29.20
in the United States.
00:53:29.24\00:53:32.04
And there you see him.
00:53:32.07\00:53:34.28
And I guess you
might recognize the man
00:53:34.31\00:53:38.91
who is standing before,
00:53:38.95\00:53:40.28
behind him
applauding, it is Joe Biden.
00:53:40.32\00:53:45.82
And on this occasion,
00:53:45.85\00:53:47.19
he was speaking with
authority to the congresses
00:53:47.22\00:53:51.23
and the main parliament building
00:53:51.26\00:53:53.29
there in the United States.
00:53:53.33\00:53:56.70
Dear friends, it may appear
00:53:56.73\00:53:58.07
that I've been
diverted in our presentation
00:53:58.10\00:54:00.04
of God's last warning message
00:54:00.07\00:54:02.47
by introducing the
role of the United States
00:54:02.50\00:54:05.11
in Bible prophecy.
00:54:05.14\00:54:08.04
But as you would have heard,
00:54:08.08\00:54:09.41
I have done this
00:54:09.44\00:54:11.28
for some very important reasons.
00:54:11.31\00:54:14.42
And I want to
mention just one more
00:54:14.45\00:54:17.15
because included
in God's last message
00:54:17.19\00:54:20.02
of warning to the world.
00:54:20.06\00:54:22.06
We read in Revelation 14:9,
00:54:22.09\00:54:27.86
where it says,
00:54:27.90\00:54:30.27
"Then a third
angel followed them
00:54:30.30\00:54:32.00
saying with a loud voice,
00:54:32.03\00:54:34.17
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image."
00:54:34.20\00:54:39.91
What do those words mean?
00:54:39.94\00:54:42.48
This is referring
to the United States.
00:54:42.51\00:54:44.31
The earth beast
00:54:44.35\00:54:45.81
that will tell the world
00:54:45.85\00:54:47.52
to make an image
to the Church of Rome.
00:54:47.55\00:54:52.35
In verse 15, "It is
called an image of the beast."
00:54:52.39\00:54:56.93
What's an image?
00:54:56.96\00:54:58.76
Did you look into
a mirror this morning
00:54:58.79\00:55:01.33
and see your image?
00:55:01.36\00:55:03.70
What did you see?
00:55:03.73\00:55:05.43
You saw a likeness to yourself.
00:55:05.47\00:55:10.11
If there is to be
an image of the beast,
00:55:10.14\00:55:14.11
what will the church look like?
00:55:14.14\00:55:17.71
What will the image look like?
00:55:17.75\00:55:20.72
As it grew in power,
00:55:20.75\00:55:22.72
the Church of Rome
00:55:22.75\00:55:24.09
destroyed the teachings of
Jesus and the early church.
00:55:24.12\00:55:27.86
And church and state
00:55:27.89\00:55:29.89
was not to be separated
00:55:29.92\00:55:31.43
according to the
growth of this church.
00:55:31.46\00:55:34.26
But the church,
00:55:34.30\00:55:35.66
as it exercise that authority
00:55:35.70\00:55:38.17
for over a thousand
years controlled the state.
00:55:38.20\00:55:42.77
In its long
history it's demonstrated
00:55:42.80\00:55:45.14
that the state would yield,
00:55:45.17\00:55:46.78
should yield to the
demands of the church
00:55:46.81\00:55:49.54
and it's strongly opposed
any separation of the two.
00:55:49.58\00:55:53.52
But the Bible is here predicting
00:55:53.55\00:55:55.02
that the United States
will in the near future
00:55:55.05\00:55:57.89
overturn the
separation of church and state
00:55:57.92\00:56:01.29
that was established
00:56:01.32\00:56:02.79
by those founding
documents that we've looked at.
00:56:02.82\00:56:06.66
How will this be accomplished?
00:56:06.70\00:56:08.96
It will be accomplished
when the leading churches
00:56:09.00\00:56:11.53
in the United States
00:56:11.57\00:56:13.54
shall influence
the state to pass laws,
00:56:13.57\00:56:18.37
limiting religious freedom.
00:56:18.41\00:56:22.48
And evidently from
what the Bible says,
00:56:22.51\00:56:24.18
it will persuade the
world to follow its agenda.
00:56:24.21\00:56:27.92
I know you're
probably sitting there
00:56:27.95\00:56:29.52
listening to this and
saying, that sounds impossible.
00:56:29.55\00:56:32.69
That can never happen,
00:56:32.72\00:56:35.19
but can I remind
us all this morning
00:56:35.22\00:56:37.76
that history informs us
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.36
that our freedoms
can be easily restricted
00:56:40.40\00:56:44.57
in times of national
and global emergency,
00:56:44.60\00:56:49.70
such as global
warming and pandemics.
00:56:49.74\00:56:56.48
And the Bible
indicates that we are living
00:56:56.51\00:56:58.71
in the most serious of times.
00:56:58.75\00:57:01.52
That is why God's
message to the world
00:57:01.55\00:57:04.62
presents a
message to worship Jesus.
00:57:04.65\00:57:07.82
Jesus is our only safeguard
to get to really know Him,
00:57:07.86\00:57:11.99
dear friends,
00:57:12.03\00:57:13.36
and to believe the
everlasting gospel,
00:57:13.40\00:57:15.50
the good news
00:57:15.53\00:57:16.90
that He is
sending to all the world,
00:57:16.93\00:57:20.04
calling each one of
us to stand for truth.
00:57:20.07\00:57:25.57
May these messages
00:57:25.61\00:57:26.94
that I've been sharing with you,
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.31
these three angels' messages,
00:57:28.34\00:57:30.85
not just be a
transmission of information
00:57:30.88\00:57:34.15
from me to you.
00:57:34.18\00:57:37.15
I want you to recognize
that this is a call from Jesus
00:57:37.19\00:57:40.72
to think seriously
about what's ahead,
00:57:40.76\00:57:43.43
but about what we can do now
00:57:43.46\00:57:45.89
to prepare for the
crisis that is ahead.
00:57:45.93\00:57:49.36
Let us bow our
heads in a word of prayer.
00:57:49.40\00:57:52.07
Our loving Father in heaven,
00:57:52.10\00:57:53.44
we thank You for these warnings.
00:57:53.47\00:57:55.87
We know that they
come from a heart of love
00:57:55.90\00:57:58.47
because You don't
want anybody to perish.
00:57:58.51\00:58:01.18
You want all of us
to receive the gospel,
00:58:01.21\00:58:03.95
the good news about Jesus.
00:58:03.98\00:58:06.15
Help us all today to
open our hearts to His voice
00:58:06.18\00:58:09.82
and to His leading in our lives.
00:58:09.85\00:58:12.05
And I pray this in
Jesus' precious name.
00:58:12.09\00:58:15.32
Amen.
00:58:15.36\00:58:16.69