Participants:
Series Code: GPC
Program Code: GPC000006A
|
00:30 Number six in the series is titled,
00:32 Let us Bow Down and Worship. 00:36 And I just like to mention that 00:38 it is absolutely indispensable 00:40 that you not only be here tonight 00:41 but that you'll be here 00:43 for the next presentation tomorrow night. 00:45 Because I'm gonna present two sides of the same coin. 00:49 This evening we're gonna talk about worship to God. 00:54 And tomorrow evening 00:56 we're gonna talk about the counterfeit 00:57 which is worship to the beast. 01:00 And so I hope that everyone is planning 01:02 on coming back to our next lecture 01:05 because these are twin lectures that go together. 01:08 Now, as we examine the Book of Revelation, 01:11 we discover something that is absolutely clear. 01:15 And that is that 01:17 the final controversy will involve two objects of worship. 01:22 And each of those objects 01:24 has its particular sign of authority, 01:27 but before we get into this more deeply, 01:30 we do want to ask for Lord's presence in our study. 01:33 And so I invite you to bow your heads with me as we pray. 01:36 Father in heaven, we come before Your throne, 01:39 we thank You so much for not keeping your secrets 01:44 about what will happen in the future. 01:46 Thank You for revealing these things to your prophets, 01:49 so that we can read the prophets 01:51 and we can understand what will happen in the future. 01:55 I ask Lord that you will give us 01:57 the assurance that You will be with us 01:59 even till the end of the age. 02:01 Help us not to fear for we know how things will end. 02:06 So be with us as we study this very important subject 02:09 and we thank You for hearing our prayer 02:11 for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus. 02:13 Amen. 02:15 As I was mentioning the final controversy 02:19 according to the Book of Revelation is between 02:21 two objects of worship 02:23 and their respective signs of authority. 02:27 It is between the true creator God and His seal 02:31 and the beast and his mark. 02:34 In other words, that is the conflict 02:36 or the controversy that will transpire 02:40 at the very end of time. 02:42 And so because 02:44 the final conflict has to do with worship, 02:48 we need to discuss in our subject today 02:51 issues concerning worship, how the Bible sees worship. 02:57 And so I want to begin by asking this question. 03:02 How is God, the true God 03:06 distinguished from every false pretender? 03:10 Let's go to 1 Chronicles 16:26, 03:14 1 Chronicles 16:26, 03:18 where we have the explanation 03:20 of what distinguishes the true God 03:22 from every false pretender. 03:24 It says there in 1 Chronicle 16:26, 03:28 "For all the gods of the peoples are idols, 03:32 " now comes the contrast, 03:34 "but the Lord made the heavens." 03:39 So what distinguishes God, 03:41 the true God from all false gods 03:44 or false pretenders? 03:46 It is the fact that God is the creator of the heavens 03:50 and the earth. 03:52 Now, because God is the creator of the heavens and the earth 03:56 and we are His creatures, we owe Him our worship. 04:00 We worship Him because He is the creator. 04:04 Let's notice this point in Psalm 95:1-6. 04:10 This passage when I was pastor of... 04:12 Senior Pastor of Fresno Central, 04:14 every Sabbath we would read this passage 04:17 to introduce our worship service. 04:20 It says there in Psalm 95:1, 04:22 "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! 04:26 Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 04:30 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, 04:33 let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." 04:36 And now comes the reason 04:38 why we're supposed to shout with joy. 04:39 "For the Lord is what, the great God, 04:45 and the great King above all God's." 04:49 Now, why is God the great God above all gods? 04:53 Notice Verse 4, 04:55 "In His hand are the deep places of the earth, 04:59 the heights of the hills are His also. 05:02 The sea is His, for He made it, 05:05 and His hands formed the dry land. 05:09 Oh come, let us worship and bow down, 05:12 let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." 05:16 So why do we worship God? 05:19 Because God is the creator. 05:21 You notice here three expressions, 05:23 three synonymous expressions, let us worship, 05:26 let us bow down, 05:28 let us kneel before the Lord, our maker. 05:32 So we worship God as the true God 05:35 because He is the creator, 05:36 and what distinguishes the true God 05:38 from all false gods is the fact that God is the creator. 05:43 Notice another verse that teaches the same idea 05:45 that we are to worship God because He is the creator. 05:49 Nehemiah 9:6, 05:55 here the author of the Book of Nehemiah, 05:59 it's believed it might be Nehemiah, 06:01 it's not absolutely certain 06:02 but it's an inspired book of the Bible, 06:04 it says, "You alone are the Lord." 06:08 Now why is God alone the Lord? 06:11 Well, let's continue reading. 06:13 "You have" what? 06:14 "Made heaven, the heaven of heavens, 06:19 with all their host, the earth and everything on it, 06:24 the seas and all that is in them, 06:27 and You preserve them all. 06:29 The host of heaven," what? 06:32 "Worships You." 06:34 Why does the host of heaven worship the Lord? 06:37 Because God is what? 06:39 God is the creator. 06:41 So the first two points 06:43 that I want us to have very clear 06:44 in our minds is number one, 06:46 what distinguishes the true God 06:48 from all false pretenders is the fact 06:50 that God is the creator 06:52 and because second point, because God is the creator, 06:56 we owe God as His creatures what? 06:59 We owe God worship. 07:01 Is that point clear? 07:03 Now, in order to understand why we should worship God 07:09 because He is the creator. 07:10 Of course, it would help us 07:12 to go back to the story of creation. 07:15 How can you talk about the need to worship God 07:17 who is the creator and not go back to Genesis 07:20 to discuss the creation story? 07:22 So, if we want to understand why we worship God, 07:27 we need to go back to the story of creation. 07:30 So let's go back to Genesis 1:31 07:35 and we'll read through 2:1. 07:40 Now, this is the conclusion of God's work of creation 07:44 the first six days of creation week. 07:47 It says there in Genesis 1:31, 07:50 then God saw everything that He had made, 07:55 don't forget that. 07:57 Everything that, how much did man make? 08:00 Nothing, this is very important. 08:03 "Then God saw everything that He had made, 08:06 and indeed it was very good. 08:09 So the evening 08:10 and the morning were the sixth day." 08:12 So when did God finished His work of creation? 08:17 The sixth day. 08:19 Notice what it continue saying in 2:1, 08:21 which really belongs with Chapter 1, 08:24 even though it begins at Chapter 2. 08:25 It says, "Thus the heavens and the earth, 08:29 and all the host of them, were" what? 08:33 "Were finished." 08:35 So when did God finish His work, 08:37 after how many days did God finished His work? 08:40 It says that God finished His work 08:42 at the end of the sixth day and God did all of the work. 08:48 But now we have a slight little problem. 08:51 Let's go to Genesis 2:2-3, 08:55 Genesis 2:2-3, 08:58 it says there and we're gonna unpack these two verses, 09:02 because there is several points 09:03 that we want to emphasize here. 09:05 It says, "And on the seventh day," 09:08 which day? 09:10 "The seventh day God ended His work..." 09:13 Now wait a minute. 09:15 Didn't we just read that 09:17 He finished His work the sixth day, 09:20 you know, thus the word ended 09:21 here is the identical word finished 09:23 in Genesis 2:1, it's the identical word. 09:28 So, you know, you'll say now wait a minute. 09:31 So the question is how could God have finished 09:34 the sixth day and also finish the seventh day. 09:38 Let's finish reading the verses. 09:41 And on the seventh day God ended 09:43 or finished the same word, 09:44 finished His work which He had done, 09:47 and He rested, the word Shabbat, 09:51 actually a better translation would be he ceased. 09:55 The seventh day he created no more, he ceased. 09:57 "So he rested on the seventh day 10:01 from all His work which He had done. 10:03 Then God blessed the seventh day and" 10:10 what? "And sanctified it, 10:12 because in it He rested or ceased from all His work 10:17 which God had created and made. 10:20 So the first question that we want to ask is this. 10:24 How could God finish his work the sixth day 10:26 and then finish his work the seventh day? 10:29 It says so clearly here. 10:31 Did Moses see that there might be a contradiction here 10:34 when He was writing this? 10:35 There is no contradiction. 10:37 I give the following illustration. 10:40 I want you to imagine a master artist. 10:43 A master artist is painting this beautiful scene of nature. 10:49 He gets the canvas and he puts it on the frame 10:53 and the first day he add some colors to the canvas 10:58 and after the first day he looks and he says, 11:00 oh, it's good. 11:02 So the second day he comes 11:04 and he adds a few colors and objects to the canvas. 11:09 And at the end of the second day 11:10 he steps back and he says, it's good. 11:13 So the third day he comes 11:15 and he adds a few objects there and trees, 11:19 maybe flowers and so on. 11:20 And after he finishes the third day, 11:22 he says, ah, it's good. 11:24 And so he does the same the fourth day 11:27 and the fifth day and the sixth day. 11:29 And on the sixth day he puts the final touches 11:33 to this beautiful scenery of nature on the canvas. 11:38 Has he finished his work of art? 11:41 Yes and no. 11:44 You say, now, wait a minute, yes and no. 11:46 Yes, he finished it, 11:48 He's not gonna add any more colors to the canvas 11:51 but is there something missing? 11:54 What is missing? 11:56 His signature identifying 11:59 who painted the canvas. 12:03 Are you with me? 12:05 God finished painting the canvas of nature, 12:09 a living canvas in six days. 12:12 But on the seventh day 12:13 God signed His work of creation to identify who made it. 12:18 Are you with me? 12:19 So the Sabbath is definitely part of creation week. 12:23 Now, three times in this passage 12:25 that says that the Sabbath is which day of the week. 12:28 Three times it says that 12:30 the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. 12:34 And what three things did God do at creation week? 12:39 He rested and then He what? 12:43 He blessed the Sabbath and then He what? 12:47 He sanctified the Sabbath or He made it holy. 12:51 Now, I want you to remember these things 12:52 because we're gonna come 12:54 to another passage in a few moments. 12:55 Are you clear so far? 12:58 Now, let's examine some facts 13:02 about the days of creation. 13:05 The days of creation were literal 13:08 24 hour days like we know them today. 13:14 How do you know that, you'll say. 13:16 There are several reasons. 13:19 Reason number one is that each day had an evening 13:22 and a morning. 13:23 It would be absolutely absurd to say 13:26 that the day had an evening and a morning 13:28 if the day lasted for thousands or millions of years. 13:33 Secondly, there is an immediacy in the language 13:38 that is used for creation. 13:40 We're told in the Book of Psalms 13:42 that God spoke and it was done, 13:46 that is saying that God spoke and it was done. 13:50 It doesn't say He spoke 13:51 and million of years later it was done. 13:53 He spoke and it was done according to Psalm 33. 13:57 Furthermore there is an interesting expression 13:59 that is used in the creation story several times, 14:02 and it is that when God made something 14:04 it says and it was so. 14:08 It would be absurd to say 14:10 it was so after one billion years. 14:14 No, God spoke and it would so 14:17 according to the creation story. 14:19 Furthermore, the Sabbath in the fourth commandment 14:23 in the Book of Exodus 14:25 proves that the days of creation were literal days, 14:28 and you say why is that? 14:29 Because God says 14:31 and we're gonna come back to this in a few moments. 14:33 God said you work six and you rest the seventh 14:38 because I worked six and rested the seventh. 14:42 It would be absolutely ridiculous for God to say 14:45 you work six and rest the seventh 14:48 because I worked six and rested the seventh 14:51 if the days that God worked 14:53 and rested were millions of years. 14:56 Are you with me or not? 14:57 God is saying I worked six literal ones, 15:00 I rested the seventh literal one, 15:01 now you follow my example. 15:03 You work six literal days 15:05 and you rest on the seventh literal day 15:08 Are you following me or not? 15:09 Now, were there any Jews 15:14 at the beginning at creation week? 15:17 No, the word Jew comes from Judah, 15:19 son of Jacob after sin. 15:21 So let me ask you. 15:23 Was the Sabbath made for the Jews? 15:26 Absolutely not. 15:28 The Sabbath was instituted by God 15:31 for the whole human race 15:33 because the whole human race descends from Adam and Eve. 15:36 Now, the Sabbath in its original function 15:41 has nothing to do with redemption. 15:43 You know, you'll find evangelicals today, 15:45 they'll say well, you know, 15:47 the Sabbath was in the Old Testament 15:50 a sign of the coming Messiah, 15:51 the rest that we were gonna have in Jesus, 15:53 so the important thing is the spiritual rest, 15:56 it's not keeping the day. 15:59 The problem with that idea is that 16:01 when God created the Sabbath, 16:02 there was no need for redemption 16:04 because there was no sin. 16:06 You see the Sabbath was not a shadow of redemption 16:09 in its first function, 16:12 later it became a symbol of redemption, 16:14 but in its original function, 16:16 the Sabbath was to point to God as the creator before sin. 16:20 So this argument that, you know, 16:22 the Sabbath came in after sin 16:25 to illustrate the rest that was gonna be given to us 16:28 in Christ simply does not square 16:30 with a Genesis story 16:31 because the Genesis story says that 16:33 the Sabbath was made by God 16:35 at the very beginning of history before sin, 16:39 before there was any need of a redeemer. 16:42 Is that clear? 16:43 Now, let's take a look at the weekly cycle. 16:48 Henry Morris who was a staunch creationist. 16:53 He passed away a few years ago, 16:58 said something very interesting 17:00 about the weekly cycle of seven days. 17:03 Do you know why we have a weekly cycle of seven days? 17:07 Let me ask you what is the year? 17:09 The year is the amount of time that it takes our planet 17:13 to make one complete revolution around the sun, 17:16 365 and a quarter days. 17:19 What is the biblical month? 17:21 It's the time between one new moon and another. 17:25 What is the day? 17:27 It's the amount of time that it takes the earth 17:31 to make one complete turn on its axis 17:33 which about what? 17:35 24 hours. 17:36 So the year, the month and the day 17:38 have an astronomical explanation, 17:41 but why does the week have seven days? 17:44 It has no astronomical explanation. 17:46 It has no reason in nature to have seven days. 17:51 So why does the week have seven days? 17:53 It must be that the week has seven days 17:56 because God in Genesis it says 17:59 established a week of seven days 18:01 and has nothing to do with astronomy 18:03 with the movements of heavenly bodies. 18:05 And Henry Morris recognized this when he wrote, 18:08 "The Lord himself had worked six days, 18:13 then rested on the seventh, setting thereby a" what? 18:19 "A permanent pattern for the benefit of the" Jews, 18:24 no that's not what He says, He says, 18:26 "A permanent pattern for the benefit of" whom? 18:30 "Of mankind." 18:32 Did this individual who is not a Seventh-day Adventist 18:34 recognized that the weekly cycle 18:36 was established at creation, 18:38 and that it was to be a permanent pattern 18:40 throughout all of human history, 18:42 that's what he's saying. 18:44 Ellen White was even more explicit. 18:46 She agrees with Henry Morris 18:48 but she is more explicit and more descriptive. 18:50 Notice in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 111, 18:53 this is a magnificent statement, 18:56 she wrote, "Like the Sabbath, 18:59 the week originated at creation, 19:03 and it has been" what? 19:05 "Preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. 19:10 God Himself measured off..." 19:15 He say you can see Him, 19:16 He measures off in 24 hour segments, 19:19 seven 24 hour segments, 19:20 you can just see God using His measuring stick. 19:24 So she says God Himself measured off the first week 19:27 as a" what? 19:28 "As a sample for successive weeks to the close of time." 19:33 Is that exactly what Henry Morris wrote? 19:35 Absolutely, then she writes, "Like every other, 19:39 it consisted of seven literal days. 19:44 Six days were employed in the work of creation, 19:47 and upon the seventh, God rested..." 19:50 And now I want you to catch this, don't miss it. 19:52 We're gonna come back to this in a few moments. 19:55 "God rested and" what? 19:58 He then, 20:01 now listen carefully, 20:04 "God rested, and He then did" what? 20:08 "And then He blessed this day 20:11 and set it apart as a day of rest for man." 20:15 When did God set the Sabbath apart as a day of rest for man? 20:18 When the Sabbath began or when the Sabbath ended? 20:22 When the Sabbath ended after God rested. 20:25 Are you following me or not? 20:26 Now, we're gonna take a look at that 20:28 because that's a very, very important point. 20:31 Now, some people say, Pastor Bohr, 20:32 how do you know that 20:34 the Sabbath today is the same Sabbath of the days of Christ? 20:38 Or how do you know that the Sabbath 20:40 that is the same Sabbath of creation. 20:43 And I've had non-Adventists ask me this question 20:46 on several occasions, 20:47 and I usually ask them a question, I say, okay, 20:50 let me ask you which day of the week do you keep? 20:53 They say, "Well, we keep Sunday." 20:54 And I say, "Why do you keep Sunday?" 20:56 Say, "Well, because that's the day 20:57 that Jesus resurrected." 20:59 So, I say, "You're telling me 21:00 that you go to church on Sunday today 21:02 because that's a very day that Jesus resurrected." 21:04 "Yes, that's what we're saying." 21:06 And so I tell him, "Now, wait a minute, 21:08 if Sunday today is the same Sunday of the resurrection, 21:12 the Sabbath is the same Sabbath as well. 21:16 You can't say that Sunday is the same Sunday 21:18 but the Sabbath is not the same Sabbath. 21:20 So you're telling me 21:22 that the weekly cycle has not changed 21:23 at least to the days of Christ. 21:25 But they say, "Oh, but how do you know 21:27 that the weekly cycle goes all the way back to creation 21:30 and I tell them because Jesus was the creator 21:33 and He would not have kept the wrong day. 21:37 He kept the day that He established. 21:39 You know, it's amazing how people seek for excuses 21:43 to not keep God's Holy Sabbath. 21:46 And you know what Henry Morris does? 21:48 He just spoils it all 21:50 because shortly after he makes the statement 21:53 that God established the week as a permanent pattern, 21:56 he says but there is no way that we can know 21:59 that the weekly cycle 22:00 as we have it today is a same weekly cycle of creation 22:03 and so Christians need only keep one day in seven. 22:09 And in that way, 22:10 he disposes of the seventh day Sabbath 22:13 because He says we don't know 22:15 that the weekly cycle today is the same weekly cycle. 22:17 Well, if God created the weekly cycle, 22:19 do you think God would preserve the weekly cycle, 22:22 especially if the Sabbath was established 22:24 as the sign of creation, I believe so. 22:27 You know, it's interesting how some European countries 22:30 have switched the calendar around. 22:33 They begin the week on the calendar on Monday. 22:37 They make Monday the first day 22:39 and if you make Monday the first day, 22:41 what is the seventh day? 22:42 Sunday. 22:44 What they're trying to do is 22:45 they're trying to say see the seventh day is what? 22:48 Sunday. 22:50 But there is a big problem with that. 22:51 The Bible says that Jesus resurrected 22:53 the first day not on the seventh day. 22:55 So that argument can be clearly disposed off 22:58 by going to the Bible, 22:59 but the desire is to change the calendar 23:02 to make people think that the seventh day is Sunday 23:06 because they see it on the calendar 23:07 when clearly the weekly cycle begins on Sunday, 23:12 the first day of the week and it ends on Sabbath. 23:15 Are we clear so far? 23:16 You're saying, 23:17 "What does this have to do with the prophetic chain?" 23:19 Well, just wait. 23:20 See, all of this is background 23:22 especially to what we're gonna study tomorrow 23:24 in our next subject, 23:26 but we need to first understand 23:27 worship to the true God and the sign of the true God. 23:32 Now, another interesting point that we find is that 23:36 according to Psalm 24:1-2, 23:40 God owns everything. 23:44 Notice there Psalm 24:1-2, 23:49 "The earth is" whose, 23:52 "is the Lord's, and all its fullness, " 23:55 that means everything in it. 23:57 "the world and those who dwell therein." 24:00 Let me ask you, why is the world 24:02 and everything in the world the property of God? 24:05 Here comes the explanation, 24:06 for that means because He has what? 24:10 Founded it upon the seas, 24:12 and established it upon the waters. 24:15 So why does everything that God created 24:18 at the beginning belong to Him, 24:19 because He made it, because He created it, right. 24:23 Let me ask you. 24:25 To whom does the light belong? 24:27 To God. 24:29 To whom does the firmament belong? 24:31 To whom does the vegetation belong? 24:34 To whom do the sun, moon and stars belong? 24:37 To whom do the birds belong? 24:40 To whom do the fish belong? 24:43 To whom do the land animals belong? 24:46 To whom do man and woman belong? 24:50 To whom does the Sabbath belong? 24:52 To the Jews. 24:55 Now how much sense does that make? 24:57 Everything God made at creation week, 25:00 they say, oh, yeah, 25:01 its God's, its God's, its God's 25:02 but when you come to the seventh day 25:04 which God made, they say for the Jews. 25:07 In order for the Sabbath to be the Sabbath of the Jews, 25:10 the Jews would have to make it, 25:12 but God made the Sabbath 25:14 and therefore the Sabbath belongs to Him 25:16 just as much as everything else 25:19 that was made during creation week. 25:21 And that's the reason 25:22 why the Sabbath in the Bible 25:25 is referred to as the Sabbath of the Lord, your God. 25:30 It is never called the Sabbath of the Jews. 25:32 Furthermore in Isaiah 58, 25:34 God says take away your foot from my holy day, 25:39 is what God is saying. 25:41 So who owns the Sabbath? 25:43 The Sabbath is owned by God. 25:46 Why is it owned by God? 25:47 Because He made it, He made it just like 25:49 He made everything else during creation week. 25:51 It is not something that belongs to the Jews. 25:55 In fact, everything that God made during creation week, 26:00 He made for whom? 26:03 For us. 26:05 Was this world made for us? 26:07 Yes, absolutely. 26:09 So everything was made for us 26:11 but the Sabbath was made for the Jews. 26:15 How much sense... 26:17 Come on, let's use our reasoning powers. 26:19 You know, God says come let us reason together. 26:23 He wants things to make sense. 26:25 So how much sense does it make to say oh, yeah, 26:28 everything in this world is belongs to God 26:31 but the Sabbath belongs to the Jews. 26:34 It's absolutely absurd. 26:36 It doesn't make any sense. 26:38 The Sabbath is God's because God made it. 26:40 And we find it in Mark 2:27, 26:43 Jesus Himself said the Sabbath was made for the Jews. 26:48 No, that's not what it says, that's not what it says. 26:51 He says, the Sabbath was made for what? 26:54 For man, for Anthropos, 26:57 so Jesus is saying at the very beginning 27:00 the Sabbath when it was made, it was made for whom? 27:03 For man, it was not made for the Jews. 27:07 Now, let's go to another passage 27:11 which deals with creation. 27:14 The fourth commandment of the God's holy law, 27:16 spoken by His own voice and written by His own finger. 27:21 Exodus 20:8-11. 27:27 Remember, we're gonna make comments 27:31 a little bit later on everything here. 27:33 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 27:37 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 27:41 but the seventh day is the Sabbath 27:44 of the Lord your God. 27:47 In it you shall do no work: you nor your son, 27:52 nor your daughter, nor your male servant, 27:54 nor your female servant, nor your cattle, 27:57 nor your stranger who is within your gates." 27:59 Why would God say 28:00 they were supposed to labor six days 28:02 and we're supposed to rest on the seventh day. 28:05 Why would He say that? 28:06 Because He did it first. 28:10 When did He do it? 28:12 At creation. 28:13 The fourth commandment sends us back where? 28:15 To creation. 28:17 Notice what verse 11 says, 28:18 'For, " that means because 28:22 "in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 28:26 the sea, and all that is in them, 28:28 " and now notice this. 28:30 "And rested the seventh day." 28:33 Is that in the story of Genesis also 28:35 that God rested the seventh day? 28:38 Yes, and then what did He do? 28:41 Blessed the Sabbath day. 28:43 Is that in the story of creation in Genesis? 28:46 And hallowed it or made it holy. 28:50 Is that in the Genesis story? 28:51 Are we dealing with the same Sabbath here 28:54 in the fourth commandment as the creation Sabbath? 28:56 Absolutely. 28:58 And God is commanding human beings to what? 29:04 To keep it. 29:06 So we know that the fourth commandment is connected 29:09 with the creation story. 29:12 The Sabbath of the fourth commandment 29:13 is the same Sabbath of Genesis. 29:17 Now, were the days of creation literal? 29:20 Of course they were, because God says, 29:23 you work six and rest the seventh 29:25 like I worked six and rested the seventh. 29:28 It would be ridiculous for God to say 29:30 they were supposed to follow his example 29:32 in working six and resting the seventh 29:34 if the days of creation were millions of years long. 29:37 Is that making sense? 29:39 See, God tells us the reason, use our reasoning powers, 29:42 don't just listen to what people say, 29:44 don't just read the newspapers, 29:46 don't just go with the flow, 29:47 you know, go to the Bible and study it for yourself. 29:51 And if you find it in scripture, obey it, 29:53 because it's always best to obey God. 29:57 In other words, we are to keep the Sabbath 29:59 following God's what? 30:01 God's example, He says keep the Sabbath... 30:04 work six and rest the seventh following my example 30:08 which I established when? 30:09 Which I established at creation. 30:12 Now, did you notice the word remember 30:14 at the beginning of fourth commandment? 30:16 Remember, interesting. 30:20 Did the Sabbath exist 30:22 before the law was given on Mount Sinai? 30:25 Absolutely, because Israel is asked to what? 30:29 To remember the Sabbath day. 30:32 When you're asked to remember something, 30:34 it's dealing with a past event. 30:38 You know, we have this expression 30:39 remember the Alamo. 30:42 Now, was the Alamo historical event? 30:46 Yeah, so when it says remember the Alamo, 30:48 it means that you're remembering an event 30:50 that took place when? 30:51 In the past. 30:53 So if the fourth commandment begins by saying 30:54 remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, 30:57 did the Sabbath exist before? 30:59 It did and we know where it existed before 31:02 because the same words seventh day rested, 31:06 blessed, sanctified, 31:08 are using the fourth commandment as at what? 31:12 As at creation. 31:14 Now, I find it very interesting that Christians would agree, 31:19 if you ask them should we worship God? 31:21 Oh, yeah, yeah, we should worship God. 31:24 Why should we worship God? 31:25 Oh, because He is our creator. 31:27 But when you say, you know, 31:30 should we be reminded of that? 31:32 No, that's not important. 31:35 Let me ask you, 31:36 is it important to be reminded that God is the creator? 31:39 Yes. 31:40 And what sign did God give to remind us 31:44 that He is the creator? 31:45 The seventh day Sabbath. 31:47 Let me add a little side light here. 31:50 The creator according to the Bible was Jesus Christ. 31:54 You can read that in John 1:1-3. 31:58 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God 32:01 and the word was God. 32:02 He was in the beginning with God, 32:03 all things were made through Him. 32:06 Jesus was the creator. 32:07 It's interesting that Jesus worked six days 32:10 and it says that He finished the sixth day 32:13 and then He rested the seventh day. 32:15 Do you know that happened in redemption as well? 32:18 On the sixth day Jesus said on the cross, 32:20 "It is finished." 32:21 And on the seventh day 32:23 He rested from His works of redemption 32:25 in the tomb on the Sabbath. 32:28 So you can't separate the redeemer from the creator 32:30 and say, the creator sign is the Sabbath 32:33 but the redeemer sign is Sunday, 32:36 because the creator is also what? 32:38 The creator is also the redeemer. 32:43 Now, here we come to a very important point. 32:47 Protestant theologians will tell you, 32:51 listen there is no record in the Book of Genesis 32:55 that Adam and Eve were commanded to keep the Sabbath. 33:01 There is not any evidence in Genesis 33:03 where God told Adam and Eve, keep the seventh day Sabbath. 33:06 And so they argue 33:08 that the Sabbath was not a creation institution 33:12 because there is no direct command in the creation story 33:14 where God told Adam and Eve 33:16 that they had to keep the Sabbath. 33:19 So the question is why didn't God... 33:23 Why don't we find in the pages of Genesis, 33:26 God commanding Adam and Eve 33:28 to keep the seventh day Sabbath? 33:30 The reason is that 33:34 the Sabbath had to be created 33:38 before God could command Adam and Eve to keep it. 33:42 Let's read two texts from the Old Testament. 33:45 Let's go to Genesis 2:3. 33:51 You know there is this concept 33:54 that you know God told Adam and Eve 33:57 to keep that for Sabbath. 33:59 When the Sabbath was beginning, God told Adam and Eve, 34:01 okay, now, this day you're gonna keep. 34:05 In other words, the idea that God blessed 34:07 and sanctified the Sabbath when the day was beginning. 34:10 The Bible doesn't teach that. 34:11 Notice Genesis 2:3, 34:14 "Then God blessed the seventh day 34:17 and sanctified it..." 34:18 Why did God blessed the Sabbath and sanctify it? 34:22 "Because in it He" what? 34:24 "Rested." 34:25 So let me ask you, 34:27 did God rest first and then blessed 34:28 and sanctified the day, 34:30 that's what the text says. 34:31 It says, "Then God blessed the seventh day 34:33 and sanctified it, 34:35 because in it He rested from His work 34:39 which God had created and made." 34:41 So God rests and then He what? 34:45 And then He blesses and He sanctifies the Sabbath. 34:48 So when is the Sabbath blessed and sanctified? 34:50 When that first Sabbath was beginning 34:52 or when the first Sabbath came to an end. 34:54 When the first Sabbath came to an end. 34:57 Let's notice another text, 34:58 and you say what difference doest it make, 35:00 you'll see in a minute. 35:01 Exodus 20:11. 35:06 This is the conclusion of the fourth commandment 35:08 we just read it, 35:09 but now I want to underline a very important point. 35:12 "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 35:16 the sea, and all that is in them, 35:19 and rested the seventh day..." 35:21 Do you know that in many versions 35:22 there is a period there? 35:25 In Hebrews it's called the Athnak. 35:29 And there is an Athnak in Hebrew where... 35:34 When there is a period, 35:36 it means that this event finished 35:39 and now the reason is going to be given. 35:42 Notice what it says after the period. 35:45 So it says, "For in six days the Lord made 35:49 the heavens and the earth, 35:50 the sea, and all that is in them, 35:52 and rested the seventh day. 35:55 Therefore... 35:59 What did God do? 36:00 The Lord blessed the Sabbath day 36:03 and hallowed it. 36:05 Why did God bless and hallow the seventh day? 36:08 Why did He make it Holy, because what? 36:10 Because He had rested on that day. 36:13 So does God rest and bless 36:16 and sanctify the Sabbath all at the same time? 36:18 No, God rest up on it, 36:22 His rest makes the day holy 36:24 and a blessed day and when the day ends, 36:26 God says this day is now blessed, 36:30 this day is now what? 36:31 This day is now holy. 36:35 Now you say, why is this important. 36:38 There is a very important reason. 36:41 You see God made the Sabbath by resting on it. 36:44 Did He? 36:46 Did God make the Sabbath by resting on it? 36:48 He most certainly did. 36:50 And then after He had made it, what did He do? 36:53 He gave it to man. 36:55 Let me ask you, 36:57 could God give the Sabbath to man before He made it? 37:02 Are you following me or not? 37:04 Could God give all the things of the first six days 37:07 of creation week to man without making them first? 37:10 No, so God makes the Sabbath by His rest. 37:13 The Sabbath becomes blessed and holy by His rest 37:16 and then when He's made the Sabbath, 37:19 then God says to Adam and Eve, now, 37:23 the Sabbath is what? 37:25 Is for you. 37:27 So the Sabbath becomes holy when it ends 37:30 and it's holy because God rested on the day. 37:32 Now we can understand 37:34 why God didn't command Adam and Eve 37:35 to rest on that first Sabbath 37:36 because God could not tell them to keep the Sabbath holy 37:40 if it wasn't holy until it ended. 37:43 You're not following me. 37:45 Are you following me? 37:46 When did the Sabbath become holy? 37:48 When it ended. 37:50 So how could God tell them 37:52 when that Sabbath was beginning, 37:53 keep the Sabbath holy if it wasn't holy yet. 37:58 Further, even further Adam and Eve 38:01 were supposed to follow God's example 38:05 in observing Sabbath. 38:06 But how could Adam and Eve 38:08 follow God's example of Sabbath keeping 38:10 unless God showed them how to do it. 38:15 Let me read you three statements 38:17 from the writings of Ellen White, 38:18 the little lady understood this, 38:21 notice, she never got it wrong. 38:24 She clearly says each time in her writings 38:27 that God rested and after He rested, 38:31 when He had rested the last second, 38:33 then God said this day is now blessed 38:37 and this day is holy, 38:38 and then when He had created the day, 38:41 He gives it to Adam and Eve. 38:43 Now notice this statement 38:45 the first one is Patriarchs and Prophets, page 47. 38:48 After resting upon the seventh day, 38:51 what was that? 38:55 Do you understand what the word after means? 38:58 "After resting upon the seventh day, 39:01 God sanctified it." 39:04 When was the Sabbath sanctified? 39:06 After He rested. 39:08 "After resting upon the seventh day, 39:10 God sanctified it, 39:12 or set it apart, as a day of rest for man." 39:14 When did the Sabbath become a day of rest for man? 39:17 When the first Sabbath what? 39:19 Ended, I hope you got this point, 39:21 very important. 39:23 So after resting upon the seventh day, 39:25 God sanctified it or set it apart 39:27 as a day of rest for man. 39:28 Now listen to this. 39:29 "Following the example of the Creator..." 39:33 How could God tell Adam and Eve to keep the Sabbath 39:35 if He didn't show them how to do it first? 39:39 That's why it's called the Sabbath of the Lord 39:41 because God rested first. 39:45 Continue saying, 39:46 "Following the example of the creator, 39:48 man was to rest upon this sacred day, 39:51 that as he should look upon the heavens and the earth, 39:54 he might reflect upon God's great work of creation 39:57 and that as he should behold 39:58 the evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, 40:01 his heart might be filled with love and reverence 40:04 for his Maker." 40:06 Do you know what God did on that first Sabbath? 40:09 In the Book of Job kind of gives us a little inkling, 40:11 Job 38:4-7, 40:13 describes creation and then it says, 40:15 that all of the heavenly universe 40:17 shouted and sang for joy. 40:21 It describes creation 40:23 and then it says they all sang. 40:25 So I can imagine what God did on that seventh day? 40:27 By the way Adam and Eve were there, 40:29 they were observing what God was doing. 40:31 They were observing God's Sabbath observance. 40:33 What was God doing? 40:34 Oh, He was taking them on a scenic tour of the Garden. 40:39 See, how do you like those flower? 40:41 Oh, those flowers are so beautiful, 40:43 they smell so nice. 40:45 What about these fruits? 40:46 Here, have a taste of this apple, 40:48 Lord, this is delicious. 40:49 In other words, God delighted on the seventh day 40:52 in His work of creation. 40:54 The Bible teaches that 40:55 and then when the day ends 40:57 and Adam and Eve has seen God 40:58 delight in His work of creation, 41:00 God says to have Adam and Eve, 41:01 now you've seen how I've done it, 41:03 now, next Sabbath you do it that way. 41:07 Are you understanding this? 41:09 God first have to give the example. 41:10 Here's another statement, Desire of Ages, 281, 41:13 "Because He had rested upon the Sabbath, 41:17 "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it." 41:20 Why did God bless and sanctified the Sabbath? 41:21 Because He had rested. 41:24 And when did He give it to Adam? 41:26 When the day began or when it ended. 41:28 It says, He gave it to Adam 41:30 as a day of rest after He rested. 41:32 He gave it to Adam as a day of rest. 41:34 It was a what? 41:35 A memorial of the work of creation and thus a what? 41:39 A sign, it's a memorial and a sign of God's power 41:44 and His love. 41:47 Now, let me go, 41:49 let me just mention one more thing 41:51 so this is absolutely clear. 41:55 Do you know the fourth commandment 41:56 applies to Adam and Eve 41:58 beginning with a second week of history? 42:03 You say, now, why would that be? 42:05 Because the fourth commandment says, 42:07 work six and rest the seventh like I worked six 42:11 and rested the seventh 42:12 but Adam and Eve had not worked six. 42:19 Are you following me? 42:20 And so God work six, 42:23 He rest the seventh 42:24 and then He says to Adam and Eve, 42:25 by the way, you know, 42:27 I did all of this in six days, 42:28 you saw me rest on the seventh says, 42:30 now, tomorrow your sixth day start 42:34 and you're gonna work six days 42:35 and the next seventh day 42:37 you're gonna keep the Sabbath the way you saw me keep it. 42:42 Is this making sense? 42:43 So, God established Sabbath as the creation institution. 42:47 God did not command Adam and Eve 42:49 to keep that first Sabbath 42:50 because the Sabbath wasn't holy yet, 42:52 God had to give the example, God had to rest first. 42:54 The Sabbath is first of all God's Sabbath 42:57 and then after He makes it, what does He do? 43:00 He gives it to man. 43:02 Incidentally, the Bible tells us, 43:06 that at the second coming of Jesus, 43:08 this earth will be returned 43:10 to the condition it was in before creation. 43:13 Jeremiah, the Prophet Jeremiah saw this, 43:16 it's in fact, chapter 4:23, 43:18 he says, "I beheld the earth 43:19 and it was without form and void 43:22 and darkness was over the earth." 43:24 Is that the condition of the earth 43:25 before creation week? 43:27 Absolutely, so the world is gonna return 43:29 to a great degree to the condition it was in 43:31 before creation week. 43:34 So is God going to perform another work of creation? 43:36 Is He gonna create a new heavens and new earth? 43:39 How many days do you think 43:41 God is gonna use to create a new heavens and new earth? 43:44 You know, I used to think that God would instantaneously say, 43:48 He would instantaneously say, 43:49 let there be everything that there was before. 43:53 But that's not what the Bible teaches. 43:55 Go with me to Isaiah 66:22-23, 44:01 three ideas that I want us to notice in this verse, 44:04 three ideas in these two verses. 44:07 "For as the new heavens 44:10 and the new earth which I will make 44:13 shall remain before Me..." 44:14 So is God going to do a new work of creation, 44:16 new heavens and new earth? 44:18 Yes, He's gonna create again, that's a first point. 44:21 "So shall your descendants and your name remain. 44:25 And it shall come to pass 44:26 that from one new moon to another..." 44:27 Don't get all hung up over that, 44:29 the new moon marks the beginning of the month. 44:31 The Spanish version says from month to month, 44:33 de mes a mes. 44:34 So the new moon simply means that from month to month 44:36 and the Bible says 44:37 that we will go from month to month 44:39 to eat from the tree of life 44:40 'cause the tree of life produces its fruit every month, 44:42 Revelation 22:2, 44:44 but not only every month, 44:46 it says and it shall come to pass that 44:49 from one New moon to another, 44:51 and from one Sunday to another... 44:54 Uh, thank you very much, 44:55 you're still awake out there, and from what? 44:59 One Sabbath to another, 45:02 all flesh, not all the Jews, 45:05 if you have flesh you'll be there, 45:06 if you're saved, 45:08 all flesh shall come to what? 45:10 To worship before me, says the Lord. 45:13 What are the three day ideas 45:15 that are connected in these verses? 45:16 Number on, creation. 45:19 Number two, worship. 45:21 And number three, 45:22 the sign of worship which is the Sabbath. 45:26 Is that found in Genesis 45:27 and in the fourth commandment as well? 45:29 It's found in Genesis and in Exodus. 45:32 The same will happen at the end. 45:34 How much sense does it make to say, 45:35 well, at creation it was the Sabbath, you know, 45:39 all throughout the Old Testament 45:40 it was the Sabbath. 45:41 Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. 45:44 The apostles in the Book of Acts kept the Sabbath. 45:47 In the new heavens and new earth, 45:48 it's gonna be Sabbath, 45:50 but meanwhile Sunday. 45:54 Come on, 45:56 let's use our heads. 45:59 You know, God doesn't want us to go 46:01 simply by emotion about what others say. 46:04 Christians follow what they're said, 46:06 even ministers follow 46:07 what they've been taught in the seminary. 46:11 Go to the Bible for yourself, think, 46:14 pray and ask God for light, 46:16 and when God has given you the light, 46:18 obey the light, 46:20 no matter what it might cost you. 46:24 The Sabbath is not only a memorial creation, 46:27 the Sabbath is also a sign between God and His people. 46:32 It is the seal of God between Him and His people. 46:36 Let's read Exodus 31:16-17, 46:39 Exodus 31:16-17, 46:44 "Therefore the children of Israel 46:47 shall keep the Sabbath..." 46:49 Let's stop there for a moment. 46:50 See, people say see, 46:52 it's only the children of Israel 46:54 that shall keep the Sabbath. 46:56 We'll come back to that in a minute. 46:58 "Therefore the children of Israel 46:59 shall keep the Sabbath, 47:01 to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations 47:04 as a perpetual covenant. 47:06 But now notice the reason 47:08 why God says that Israel should keep the Sabbath, 47:11 it says, it is a what? 47:14 A sign between Me 47:16 and the children of Israel forever, 47:19 and now comes the reason. 47:20 "For that is because in six days 47:24 the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 47:26 and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed." 47:30 Let me ask you, is the reason for Israel keeping the Sabbath, 47:33 the reason at creation before the entrance of sin? 47:37 Absolutely, because this harks back to what? 47:41 It harks back to creation as the reason. 47:44 Now, let's deal with the issue 47:45 where it says here 47:47 that therefore the children of Israel 47:50 shall keep the Sabbath. 47:52 Let me ask you this. 47:55 Did God give all of the Ten Commandments 47:56 to Israel at Mount Sinai? 48:01 So, thou shall have no other gods 48:03 before Me is only for Israel. 48:10 You should not make any graven image or worship it, 48:12 that was only for Israel, 48:13 God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. 48:16 Don't take the name of the Lord God in vain, 48:18 that's only for Israel, 48:19 God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. 48:22 Honor your father and your mother, 48:23 that was for Israel, 48:25 God give the Ten Commandments to Israel. 48:27 You shall not kill, that was for Israel, 48:29 God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. 48:32 You shall not commit adultery only for Israel, 48:34 God gave the Ten commandments to Israel. 48:37 You shall not steal. 48:39 Praise the Lord, we can steal all we want, 48:43 because the commandment was given to Israel at Mount Sinai. 48:46 Don't bear false witness against your neighbor, 48:48 that's for Israel, 48:49 the Ten Commandments were given to Israel. 48:51 Don't covet, only for Israel, 48:53 God gave the Ten Commandments for Israel. 48:54 So, what they do is they say, oh no, 48:58 the Ten Commandments were for everybody 49:00 except the Sabbath. 49:03 God gave all of the Ten Commandments to Israel, 49:06 but nowhere does it say 49:07 that the Ten Commandments 49:09 were given exclusively for Israel. 49:12 God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel 49:14 because those were His people at that day and age. 49:19 But it doesn't mean that 49:21 the Ten Commandments did not apply to everyone after that 49:24 because the Ten Commandments are God's moral law 49:27 for the entirety of humanity. 49:30 Are you understanding my point? 49:32 Nowhere does it say exclusively. 49:35 And by the way the reason why 49:39 Israel is to be keep the Sabbath is because 49:40 they are to be reminded that it is a sign 49:42 that God is the creator. 49:44 So only Israel needs to remember the creator. 49:47 We're not to remember the creator, 49:49 we're not to keep the Sabbath or remember the creator. 49:51 Only Israel needs to be reminded 49:53 that God was the creator. 49:55 Come on, be real. 49:57 don't, doesn't everybody, 49:58 don't Christians have to be reminded 50:00 that God is the creator. 50:01 Yes and what is the sign that God gave 50:04 or the memorial that God gave 50:05 to remind us every week that God was the creator. 50:08 It is the seventh day Sabbath. 50:11 Furthermore, Galatians 3:28-29 50:15 says that if we are Christ, 50:17 we are Abraham's seed. 50:19 So if we are Abraham's seed, we are Israel. 50:22 And if we are Israel, we must keep the Sabbath. 50:25 Are you understanding me or not? 50:27 Besides that Isaiah 56:4-7 50:31 says that the Sabbath 50:32 even in the Old Testament was for the gentiles. 50:35 Not only for the Jews. 50:37 My house will be called the House of Prayer 50:40 for all the Jews. 50:41 That's not what it says, for all people. 50:44 And it's speaking in the context 50:46 about the gentiles. 50:47 Furthermore, Jesus said 50:49 the Sabbath was made for whom? 50:52 The Sabbath was made for men. 50:54 So let's not say that simply because it says that 50:57 the Sabbath is a sign between God and Israel, 51:01 that it's not a sign between God 51:03 and the rest of the people after Israel, 51:06 because it was not made only for Israel. 51:10 Don't add the word only or the word exclusively there 51:14 to Exodus Chapter 31. 51:18 Now there's another passage 51:19 that speaks of the Sabbath as the sign. 51:21 Notice, Ezekiel 20:12 and 20. 51:26 "Moreover I also gave them my Sabbaths, 51:31 to be what? 51:33 A sign between them and Me, 51:35 that they might know that I am the Lord who what? 51:39 Who sanctifies them." 51:41 And then verse 20 says, "Hallow My Sabbaths, 51:44 " that means keep them holy, 51:46 and they will be once again what? 51:48 "A sign between Me and you, 51:50 that you may know that I am the Lord your God." 51:56 Some people say, "How do you know that 51:58 these are not the ceremonial Sabbaths?" 52:00 Very simple, there's no evidence in the Bible 52:03 that the ceremonial Sabbaths were ever a sign 52:05 between God and His people. 52:08 Secondly, the word sign is the identical word 52:11 that is used in Exodus 31 52:13 where we just noticed that the Sabbath, 52:15 the seventh day Sabbath is the sign. 52:18 And furthermore, it says here in Ezekiel Chapter 20, 52:22 that the Sabbath is a sign that God sanctifies His people. 52:26 Let me ask you. 52:28 Do the feast have anything to do 52:30 with God sanctifying His people? 52:31 No, it's the fourth commandment that says 52:34 that God sanctified which, the seventh day of the week. 52:38 So this is dealing with the seventh day Sabbath. 52:41 Are we clear on this point? 52:42 Now, the Bible tells us that at the very end of time 52:47 and I believe that we're in that end of time. 52:49 God will raise up a people 52:51 to proclaim three messages from the Book or Revelation. 52:54 They're known as the Three Angels' Message. 52:57 They're actually one message with three parts. 53:01 And I want you to notice the first angel's message. 53:05 We are told in Revelations 14:6 and 7 53:09 in language very similar to Genesis, 53:12 and very similar to Exodus Chapter 20, 53:15 the following. 53:16 "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, 53:20 having the everlasting gospel to preach 53:22 to those who dwell on the earth 53:23 to every nation, tribe, tongue and people 53:26 saying with a loud voice," 53:28 notice what this angel is proclaiming, 53:30 ''Fear God and give glory to Him, 53:33 for the hour of His judgment has come,' 53:35 and now notice this, 53:36 and what, 53:38 ''and worship Him,'' who what? 53:41 "Who made heaven and earth, and the springs of water.'' 53:44 What does the first angel command? 53:47 By the way, did you notice that it doesn't say 53:48 that this message goes to the Jews? 53:51 The command to worship it says it goes to every nation, 53:55 to those who dwell on the earth, 53:56 to every nation, tribe, tongue and people. 53:59 Is this a universal message for everyone? 54:01 The call to worship God because He is the creator. 54:05 By the way, would that involve the Sabbath as well? 54:08 Would the first angels' message bring attention of the people 54:12 of worshipping God 54:13 because He's the creator 54:15 and the sign of the creator is the Sabbath? 54:17 We notice that in scripture. 54:19 You can't separate the Sabbath 54:21 from the idea of worshipping God 54:23 because He's the creator, 54:25 because the Sabbath is the sign of the creator. 54:28 You can't get rid of the sign and say that you worship God. 54:32 You know it's like Christians, they say, 54:34 "Oh yeah, I believe that I worship God 54:36 and I should worship God because He's the creator. 54:38 But don't remind me of it." 54:41 God gave us a weekly reminder. 54:44 Because God wants us to remember 54:46 that He is the creator 54:47 and they were supposed to worship the creator. 54:49 Absolutely. 54:50 He gave us a weekly sign. 54:52 By the way, 54:54 God will have that same sign at the end of time. 54:56 Notice Revelation 7:1-3. 54:59 Revelation 7:1-3, 55:01 ''After these things I saw four angels 55:03 standing at the four corners of the earth, 55:05 holding the four winds of the earth, 55:07 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 55:09 or on the sea or on any tree." 55:11 In other words, God is holding back 55:12 the winds of strife in this world. 55:15 "Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, 55:17 having what? 55:18 The seal of the living God." 55:20 If you go to Romans 4:11 55:21 seal and sign are used interchangeably. 55:25 Those two words basically mean the same thing. 55:27 So it says, ''Having the seal of the living God. 55:31 And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels 55:33 to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 55:35 saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees 55:39 till we have sealed the servants of our God 55:41 on their foreheads.' 55:42 '' Does God have a seal or a sign 55:46 between Him and His people? 55:47 Yes. 55:49 What is that sign according to what we've studied? 55:52 The Book of Ezekiel and Exodus 31 says that, 55:55 that sign is what? 55:57 The seventh day Sabbath. 55:58 So let's review 56:00 the three essential points of what we've studied, 56:03 and this will set the stage for the other side of the coin 56:06 in our next lecture. 56:08 Number one, we worship the true God 56:12 because He is what? 56:14 Because He is the creator 56:16 and the sign that He is the creator is 56:20 the seventh day Sabbath. 56:22 But now listen up. 56:23 In the Book of Revelation, 56:26 we have a power that is called the beast. 56:29 We've studied about the beast, haven't we? 56:32 And this beast is going to claim to be God on earth 56:37 because he is going to demand what? 56:40 Worship. 56:42 Does the beast also have a mark or a sign, 56:45 that he's going to put on the forehead 56:47 and on the right hand? 56:48 Yes. 56:50 Is that sign a mark of the beast's authority? 56:53 Like the seal or the sign of God, 56:55 is the sign of God's authority? 56:58 Yes. 56:59 In fact, listen carefully to what I'm going to say. 57:02 The first angel's message says, 57:04 ''Worship the creator.'' 57:07 And even though it doesn't mention the Sabbath, 57:09 we know that the Sabbath is the sign of the creator. 57:12 The third angel's message says, "Don't worship the beast." 57:18 It is the other side of the coin. 57:20 The first angel says, 57:21 worship the true God, the creator, 57:23 keep his sign. 57:24 The third angel's message says, 57:26 woe to you if you worship the beast 57:29 and you receive his sign, 57:30 because you're going to be lost. 57:32 Now if the sign of God is the Sabbath, 57:38 what would be the opposite sign of the beast? 57:42 It must be another day, because it is the opposite, 57:47 are you with me or not? 57:49 And so in our next study, 57:50 we're going to study about the beast 57:53 demanding worship 57:54 and we're going to talk about his sign. 57:57 The great dividing issue in the world 58:01 at the end of time. |
Revised 2016-11-07