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>>John Bradshaw:
This is "It Is Written."
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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The book of Revelation
puzzles a lot of people.
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It uses a lot of
symbolic language,
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and so you read about a beast
that rises up out of the sea
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and another that
rises up out of the earth.
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You read of seven thunders and
seven plagues and seven seals
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and seven trumpets.
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And if you wanted to, you
could choose to just move on
00:00:41.20\00:00:45.21
to something simpler.
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¤[soft piano music]¤
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But the book of
Revelation contains plenty
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that is straightforward
and easy to understand.
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And you'd expect that
because it opens by saying
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that it is "the
Revelation of Jesus Christ."
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The whole point of the
book is to reveal Jesus.
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It tells of His final
victory over sin and rebellion.
00:01:04.26\00:01:08.00
He's portrayed as
returning to the earth
00:01:08.03\00:01:09.76
as "King of Kings and
Lord of Lords" in chapter 19.
00:01:09.80\00:01:13.67
And His return to the
earth is also spoken of
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in the first chapter of
Revelation, where it says,
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"Behold, He is
coming with clouds,
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and every eye will see Him."
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So, clearly this is a book
that's given to inspire hope.
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In fact, it opens by
saying that there's a blessing
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for those who read
Revelation, who hear it,
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and keep what they read.
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That's a clear
reference to obedience
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and to
surrendering the life to Jesus.
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The fifth verse of the book
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speaks of the
plan of redemption--
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"To Him who loved us
and washed us from our sins
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in His own blood"--
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and goes on to speak of the
restoration of God's children:
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"and has made us kings and
priests to His God and Father."
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Revelation speaks of
the last great battle
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between good and evil
and takes us to the genesis
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of that battle, when in
heaven long ago, Satan said
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that he wanted to
"be like the Most High."
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That battle crescendos
with the last great crisis
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of earth's final days, in which
false worship will be enforced
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and dissenters will be
forbidden to buy and sell
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in an attempt to coerce them
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to give up their
faithfulness to God.
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In the second and
third chapters of Revelation,
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Jesus addresses seven churches,
real churches in real places,
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wrestling with
significant issues
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which threaten their viability
and potentially their eternity.
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"If you don't repent, you'll
no longer function as a church,"
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Jesus told the
church at Ephesus.
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He doesn't correct the
persecuted church of Smyrna.
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Maybe there's
something about persecution
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that keeps a church
focused on faith in Jesus.
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Perhaps ease isn't as good for
us as we might like to think.
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He told the church at Pergamos,
the compromising church,
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to repent.
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And in each case,
Jesus made beautiful promises
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to the faithful.
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And that brings us to
church number four: Thyatira.
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¤[somber Middle-Eastern
instrumental music]¤
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There's not much left of
the ancient city of Thyatira.
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All that remains of
this once-thriving settlement
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is a small area that's
about the size of a city block,
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maybe even smaller, and
houses and shops have been built
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on the land where
the city once stood.
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Today it's known as
a producer of olives,
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olive oil, and tobacco,
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about 10 percent of the
tobacco produced in Turkey.
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Thyatira was an important
center for trade and commerce,
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thanks to its strategic
location on the main road.
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Over the
centuries, it was conquered
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by a number of
different empires,
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including the Persians
under Cyrus in the 500s BC,
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Alexander the
Great, the Seleucid Empire,
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and the Attalid
kingdom of Pergamos,
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until it finally
fell under Roman rule.
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Under the Romans,
Thyatira thrived and grew.
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And this is interesting.
In Daniel, chapter 2,
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there's a prophecy that
proves to be foundational
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for both Daniel and
the book of Revelation.
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Here's what happened.
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The Babylonian king
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream
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in which he saw an image, a
statue, made of various metals.
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Daniel explained to
the king that the image
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had a head of
gold, a chest of silver,
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a midsection of
brass, legs of iron,
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and feet of iron and clay.
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And they represented kingdoms
that would rise and fall:
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first, Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom;
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then Medo-Persia; then Greece
under Alexander the Great;
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and then Rome.
00:05:00.86\00:05:03.47
In Thyatira you see all that.
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Babylon ruled first, although
it didn't extend up here
00:05:06.10\00:05:09.20
into western Turkey.
00:05:09.24\00:05:10.27
But then,
Medo-Persia governed this area--
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and then Greece
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and then Rome,
00:05:14.68\00:05:16.11
just as Daniel 2 said.
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¤[soft reflective piano music]¤
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In Daniel, chapter
7, Greece is represented
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by a leopard with four heads.
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This is because after
Alexander the Great died,
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four of his generals divided
the empire among themselves.
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One of those generals,
Seleucus, ruled in Thyatira.
00:05:32.39\00:05:37.33
Interestingly, in
Daniel, chapter 8,
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we see a similar
sequence of kingdoms,
00:05:39.43\00:05:41.84
except for the
already fallen Babylon.
00:05:41.87\00:05:44.81
Chapter 7 also introduces the
concept of "the little horn,"
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which represents the antichrist.
00:05:48.84\00:05:52.35
It's important to remember that
the Bible is rooted in history,
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and understanding
history is key to interpreting
00:05:56.52\00:06:00.49
its prophecies accurately.
00:06:00.52\00:06:03.12
Thyatira became
famous during Roman times
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for its purple cloth.
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In the city's ruins
you can find inscriptions
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speaking of a guild of
purple dyers in this city,
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as well as for bronzesmiths,
slave dealers, wool workers,
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potters, tanners,
coppersmiths, and others.
00:06:17.57\00:06:20.71
These guilds were associations
of craftsmen and merchants
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formed to
protect their interests,
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something akin to trade unions.
00:06:27.15\00:06:30.12
But the existence of the guilds
presented Christian believers
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with a major problem.
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We'll look at
that in just a moment.
00:06:35.99\00:06:38.76
¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
00:06:38.79\00:06:45.77
>>Announcer 1: For
2,000 years it's been the hope
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of the Christian church.
00:06:50.14\00:06:51.31
It's a major theme of the Bible
00:06:51.34\00:06:53.14
and the focal point of
the book of Revelation:
00:06:53.17\00:06:55.94
the return of
Jesus to the world.
00:06:55.98\00:06:58.25
Call now for your free copy
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Or visit us
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>>Announcer 1: Planning
for your financial future
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For this reason, It Is
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00:07:42.49\00:07:46.43
¤[music ends]¤¤
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>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on "It Is Written."
00:07:48.23\00:07:50.87
The ancient city of
Thyatira in western Turkey
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is the fourth church addressed
by Jesus in His messages
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to the seven
churches of Revelation.
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It was a city that was impacted
by a collection of guilds.
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These were business
organizations that represented
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craftsmen and business people.
00:08:06.82\00:08:09.52
The guilds were very
influential in Thyatira.
00:08:09.55\00:08:13.39
They impacted not
only the city's political
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and economic life but also
social and religious circles.
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Anyone pursuing a trade
had to be a member of a guild,
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and that was
problematic for Christians,
00:08:25.43\00:08:27.90
as each guild was
dedicated to a pagan god,
00:08:27.94\00:08:32.37
who would be
honored at guild functions.
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Their banquets were sordid
affairs that not only featured
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food offered to idols
but also sexual immorality.
00:08:39.51\00:08:44.25
So Christian business
people or craftsmen or -women
00:08:44.29\00:08:46.82
were confronted by a dilemma:
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Participate in pagan worship
and gross immorality and be in,
00:08:49.32\00:08:54.66
or refuse to
take part and be out.
00:08:54.73\00:08:58.43
Renounce your
faith and earn a living,
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or stick to your faith
and face real hardship.
00:09:01.37\00:09:06.14
Now, that same dilemma surfaces
again later in Revelation.
00:09:06.17\00:09:09.48
In chapter 13, people in
earth's last days will be forced
00:09:09.51\00:09:13.01
to choose between
buying and selling
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and receiving the
mark of the beast.
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Those are tough choices, but
God calls us to faithfulness.
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Remember, God Himself said back
in the days of Eli the priest,
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"Them that honour
me I will honour."
00:09:27.86\00:09:32.00
Christianity seems to
have taken root in Thyatira
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at a very early
point in church history.
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While there's no
record in the New Testament
00:09:37.84\00:09:39.91
of the apostles
actually visiting Thyatira,
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it's entirely
possible that they did.
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¤[soft mysterious music]¤
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The Bible says that
while Paul was in Philippi,
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he met a seller of purple
cloth by the name of Lydia,
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the first convert
to the Christian faith
00:09:52.79\00:09:55.26
on the continent of Europe.
00:09:55.29\00:09:57.03
Lydia was a native of Thyatira,
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and she was
obviously pretty successful,
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as her home was large enough
00:10:01.93\00:10:03.57
to host the apostle
Paul's missionary team.
00:10:03.60\00:10:06.57
The purple cloth produced
in Thyatira was well known.
00:10:06.60\00:10:10.04
An inscription as far
away as Thessalonica in Greece
00:10:10.07\00:10:14.08
mentions a man of
Thyatira who had been honored
00:10:14.11\00:10:17.65
by the purple
dyers of that city.
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.55
You'd probably consider Thyatira
to be the least important town
00:10:20.58\00:10:24.42
of those in which the
seven churches were located.
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But the message from
Jesus to the church of Thyatira
00:10:27.56\00:10:30.73
is the longest of the
letters to the seven churches.
00:10:30.76\00:10:33.93
¤[soft somber music]¤
00:10:33.96\00:10:34.93
It's also one
of the most severe.
00:10:34.93\00:10:38.33
"And to the angel of the
church in Thyatira write,
00:10:38.37\00:10:42.07
"'These things
says the Son of God,
00:10:42.10\00:10:44.51
"'who has eyes
like a flame of fire,
00:10:44.54\00:10:46.64
"'and His feet like fine
brass: "I know your works, love,
00:10:46.68\00:10:51.88
"'"service,
faith, and your patience;
00:10:51.91\00:10:55.18
"'"and as for your works, the
last are more than the first.
00:10:55.22\00:10:59.72
"'"Nevertheless I have
a few things against you,
00:10:59.75\00:11:02.76
"'"because you
allow that woman Jezebel,
00:11:02.79\00:11:04.93
"'"who calls herself a
prophetess, to teach and seduce
00:11:04.96\00:11:08.43
"'"my servants to
commit sexual immorality
00:11:08.46\00:11:11.17
"'"and eat things
sacrificed to idols.
00:11:11.20\00:11:14.34
"'"And I gave her time to
repent of her sexual immorality,
00:11:14.37\00:11:17.54
"'"and she did not repent.
00:11:17.57\00:11:20.08
"'"Indeed I will
cast her into a sickbed,
00:11:20.11\00:11:23.18
"'"and those who
commit adultery with her
00:11:23.21\00:11:25.31
"'"into great tribulation,
00:11:25.35\00:11:26.95
"'"unless they
repent of their deeds.
00:11:26.98\00:11:30.15
"'"I will kill her
children with death,
00:11:30.19\00:11:32.95
"'"and all the
churches shall know that I am He
00:11:32.99\00:11:35.92
"'"who searches
the minds and hearts.
00:11:35.96\00:11:38.46
"'"And I will give to each one
of you according to your works.
00:11:38.49\00:11:41.86
"'"Now to you I say,
and to the rest in Thyatira,
00:11:41.90\00:11:45.73
"'"as many as do
not have this doctrine,
00:11:45.77\00:11:48.07
"'"[and] who have not known the
depths of Satan, as they say,
00:11:48.10\00:11:51.24
"'"I will put on
you no other burden.
00:11:51.27\00:11:53.78
"'"But hold fast
what you have till I come.
00:11:53.81\00:11:56.51
"'"And he who overcomes, and
keeps my works until the end,
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"'"to him I will give
power over the nations--
00:12:00.28\00:12:02.92
"'"'He shall rule
them with a rod of iron;
00:12:02.95\00:12:05.35
"'"'they shall
be dashed to pieces
00:12:05.39\00:12:07.12
"'"like the potter's vessels'--
00:12:07.16\00:12:08.62
"'"as I also have
received from my Father;
00:12:08.66\00:12:11.46
"'"and I will give
him the morning star.
00:12:11.49\00:12:14.73
"'"He who has an
ear, let him hear
00:12:14.73\00:12:17.60
what the Spirit
says to the churches."'"
00:12:17.63\00:12:20.67
At the start of each
message to the seven churches,
00:12:20.70\00:12:23.34
Jesus describes
Himself in various ways.
00:12:23.37\00:12:26.57
Here He refers to
Himself as "the Son of God,
00:12:26.61\00:12:29.41
"who has eyes
like a flame of fire,
00:12:29.44\00:12:32.58
and His feet
[are] like...brass."
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.32
He declares His divinity.
00:12:35.35\00:12:36.95
Remember, Revelation is
the revealing of who Jesus is,
00:12:36.99\00:12:41.02
and the Thyatirans are reminded
that He is the Son of God.
00:12:41.06\00:12:45.23
And He's the one whose
eyes are "like a flame of fire."
00:12:45.26\00:12:49.43
That's a description for Jesus
00:12:49.46\00:12:50.70
that we find later on
in the book of Revelation
00:12:50.73\00:12:53.57
at the time of His
return to this earth.
00:12:53.60\00:12:56.67
I've mentioned
before that the evidence
00:12:56.71\00:12:59.21
from the historical record
indicates that these messages
00:12:59.24\00:13:02.74
were not only intended
for the churches in Asia Minor
00:13:02.78\00:13:05.85
to which they were sent
00:13:05.88\00:13:07.32
but also for successive
periods of Christian history.
00:13:07.35\00:13:11.59
We saw this
particularly in the message
00:13:11.62\00:13:13.56
to the church of Smyrna,
which spoke prophetically
00:13:13.59\00:13:16.62
of the 10-year
persecution in the reign
00:13:16.66\00:13:19.59
of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
00:13:19.63\00:13:21.43
¤[soft music]¤
00:13:21.46\00:13:22.76
The message to Pergamos gives
evidence of its application
00:13:22.80\00:13:26.10
to the period in which
the early church compromised
00:13:26.13\00:13:29.57
its integrity for
the sake of acceptance
00:13:29.60\00:13:32.47
by the culture of its day.
00:13:32.51\00:13:34.81
And now the message to
Thyatira gives evidence
00:13:34.84\00:13:37.48
of its prophetic application
to the medieval church,
00:13:37.51\00:13:40.55
both to the faithful
Christians who kept their faith
00:13:40.58\00:13:43.15
in the midst of
terrible persecution
00:13:43.18\00:13:45.25
and the apostate majority
who corrupted their faith
00:13:45.29\00:13:48.66
before the world.
00:13:48.69\00:13:50.29
First, we find Jesus
praising His striving faithful:
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.83
"I know your works,
love, service, faith,
00:13:53.86\00:13:57.13
and your patience."
00:13:57.17\00:13:59.10
This was a time in
which committed Christians
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.70
were forced into exile,
00:14:01.74\00:14:03.91
when their
possessions were confiscated,
00:14:03.94\00:14:06.04
their words misrepresented,
00:14:06.07\00:14:08.48
and their bodies often
subjected to torture and death.
00:14:08.51\00:14:12.91
Many of them
traveled to distant lands,
00:14:12.95\00:14:15.08
sharing copies
of the Scriptures.
00:14:15.12\00:14:18.09
They had to endure the worst
that any human could suffer.
00:14:18.12\00:14:22.92
So the Christians who
suffered during this time
00:14:22.96\00:14:25.39
are saluted by
Jesus for their patience.
00:14:25.43\00:14:29.10
The reason He says that the last
works of these suffering saints
00:14:29.13\00:14:32.63
will be more than their first
is because persecution and trial
00:14:32.67\00:14:37.01
bring refinement and
character development.
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.58
Those whose faith had
been preserved during this time
00:14:40.61\00:14:43.41
offered a witness to the
world of greater faithfulness
00:14:43.45\00:14:46.88
and integrity because
of what they had endured.
00:14:46.92\00:14:50.85
But Jesus had some
very different words
00:14:50.89\00:14:53.25
for those who had
perverted the Christian message
00:14:53.29\00:14:55.79
during the same time.
00:14:55.82\00:14:57.83
He says that this
church had permitted
00:14:57.86\00:14:59.89
"that woman Jezebel, ...to
teach and seduce my servants."
00:14:59.93\00:15:04.73
Jezebel was the pagan
wife of Israel's king Ahab
00:15:04.77\00:15:08.40
during the days of
the prophet Elijah.
00:15:08.44\00:15:10.87
And she led the
children of Israel
00:15:10.91\00:15:12.51
into idolatry and sexual sin.
00:15:12.54\00:15:16.21
The worship of Baal
and Ashtaroth was prominent
00:15:16.24\00:15:18.95
in the false worship she brought
to God's people in those days.
00:15:18.98\00:15:22.52
And this worship
frequently included immorality.
00:15:22.55\00:15:26.52
So, who or what is Jezebel?
00:15:26.55\00:15:30.26
We'll find out in just a moment.
00:15:30.29\00:15:33.23
¤[music swells and ends]¤¤
00:15:33.26\00:15:40.24
¤[ominous music]¤
00:15:41.77\00:15:42.80
>>John: "I know your
works and where you dwell."
00:15:42.84\00:15:46.61
These are some of
Christ's first words
00:15:46.64\00:15:48.61
to the ancient
church of Pergamos.
00:15:48.64\00:15:51.81
Pergamos was
filled with pagan temples,
00:15:51.85\00:15:54.52
one of which was dedicated to a
god whose symbol was a serpent.
00:15:54.55\00:15:58.92
So what did Jesus have to say
to early Christians in Pergamos?
00:15:58.95\00:16:03.63
"You hold fast to my
name, and did not deny my faith,
00:16:03.66\00:16:07.50
"even in the days in which
00:16:07.50\00:16:08.56
"Antipas was my
faithful martyr....
00:16:08.60\00:16:11.23
But I have a few
things against you."
00:16:11.27\00:16:13.90
¤[ominous music continues]¤
00:16:13.94\00:16:15.07
What pitfalls could a
church that had been so recently
00:16:15.10\00:16:17.67
delivered from
persecution stumble into?
00:16:17.71\00:16:21.11
And what does Christ
promise to those who overcome?
00:16:21.14\00:16:24.91
Find out by watching
00:16:24.95\00:16:26.18
"The Seven Churches
of Revelation: Pergamos"
00:16:26.21\00:16:30.02
and learn how you can
be among the overcomers.
00:16:30.05\00:16:33.39
"The Seven Churches
of Revelation: Pergamos,"
00:16:33.42\00:16:36.29
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:16:36.32\00:16:38.63
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:16:39.96\00:16:40.96
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:16:42.06\00:16:44.00
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:16:44.03\00:16:47.44
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:16:47.47\00:16:50.67
please call us
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00:16:50.71\00:16:54.94
You can send your
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00:16:54.98\00:16:56.41
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00:16:56.44\00:16:57.88
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.72
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:17:01.75\00:17:04.55
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:17:04.59\00:17:08.72
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:17:08.76\00:17:11.76
[traffic noise]
00:17:12.59\00:17:14.56
>>John Bradshaw: The early
Christian church in Thyatira
00:17:14.60\00:17:16.77
had a growing problem.
00:17:16.80\00:17:19.03
They'd begun
blending the worship of God
00:17:19.07\00:17:21.40
with the worship of pagan gods.
00:17:21.44\00:17:23.87
This was serious,
and so God brings it up
00:17:23.91\00:17:26.78
in His message to the church.
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.88
Jesus rebukes Christians
in Thyatira for allowing
00:17:28.91\00:17:32.25
the introduction
of pagan teachings.
00:17:32.28\00:17:35.62
He references Jezebel.
00:17:35.65\00:17:38.19
Just as Jezebel was
allowed in ancient Israel
00:17:38.22\00:17:40.89
to combine pagan worship with
the worship of the true God,
00:17:40.92\00:17:45.53
the church of the Middle
Ages blended true Christianity
00:17:45.56\00:17:49.10
with Greek philosophy
and various pagan customs.
00:17:49.13\00:17:54.10
The worship of images,
the veneration of saints,
00:17:54.14\00:17:57.77
human mediation for
the forgiveness of sins,
00:17:57.81\00:18:00.68
the substitution of Sunday for
the true Sabbath of the Bible--
00:18:00.71\00:18:04.31
all of these represented
the illegitimate union
00:18:04.35\00:18:07.15
of true with false worship.
00:18:07.18\00:18:10.12
The Jezebel of the Old Testament
00:18:10.15\00:18:11.99
is a fitting
symbol for this apostasy.
00:18:12.02\00:18:14.66
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:18:14.69\00:18:15.72
Jesus pledges to
this church of corruption
00:18:15.76\00:18:18.69
that those
promoting this apostasy
00:18:18.73\00:18:20.43
will suffer
punishment and, some, death.
00:18:20.46\00:18:24.70
All, He says, will be rewarded
"according to your works."
00:18:24.73\00:18:28.57
But "as many as do not
have this doctrine"--that is,
00:18:28.60\00:18:31.41
the faithful
Christians who kept alive
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.64
the testimony of Scripture--
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.18
are exhorted to
"hold fast what you have."
00:18:35.21\00:18:38.28
Those who overcome are
promised power over the nations.
00:18:39.75\00:18:44.19
The persecuted
saints at Thyatira,
00:18:44.22\00:18:46.25
having suffered
injustice and cruelty,
00:18:46.29\00:18:49.29
are told by their Savior
00:18:49.32\00:18:50.53
that one day the apostasy of
this world will be behind them.
00:18:50.56\00:18:55.23
¤[relaxing Middle-Eastern
instrumental music]¤
00:18:55.26\00:18:59.27
Next, we're headed to the
sixth church of Revelation:
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.74
the church of Philadelphia.
00:19:05.74\00:19:07.74
It's located southeast of Sardis
00:19:09.14\00:19:11.65
and northwest of Laodicea.
00:19:11.68\00:19:14.18
The name of the
city, Philadelphia,
00:19:14.22\00:19:15.95
means "one who loves his
brother" or "brotherly love."
00:19:15.98\00:19:19.45
¤[music continues]¤
00:19:19.49\00:19:21.49
There's not much left
today of ancient Philadelphia.
00:19:23.32\00:19:26.53
Throughout the city here
00:19:26.56\00:19:27.83
you can find remnants
of the old city walls.
00:19:27.86\00:19:30.93
Way out there,
there are some leftovers
00:19:30.97\00:19:33.50
of what was once a
theater and perhaps a stadium,
00:19:33.54\00:19:36.71
but...this is really it.
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.61
What you see here are
remnants of a Christian church--
00:19:39.64\00:19:43.11
not that church, not
the one John wrote to.
00:19:43.14\00:19:45.68
This church dates to
around the sixth century,
00:19:45.71\00:19:49.15
and you get the idea that it was
00:19:49.18\00:19:50.49
clearly a very
impressive structure in its day.
00:19:50.52\00:19:54.92
When Polycarp,
the bishop of Smyrna,
00:19:54.96\00:19:57.39
was martyred for his
faith in the second century,
00:19:57.43\00:20:00.33
it's said that 11
Christians from Philadelphia
00:20:00.36\00:20:03.40
were martyred with him.
00:20:03.43\00:20:05.20
Like the message to
the church of Smyrna,
00:20:05.23\00:20:07.50
the letter to the
church of Philadelphia
00:20:07.54\00:20:09.30
contains no
rebukes, only praises:
00:20:09.34\00:20:14.41
"And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write,
00:20:14.44\00:20:17.78
"'These things [say] He
who is holy, He who is true,
00:20:17.81\00:20:22.25
"'"He who has the key of David,
He who opens and no one shuts,
00:20:22.28\00:20:27.12
"'and shuts and no one
opens": "I know your works.
00:20:27.16\00:20:31.46
"'"See, I have set
before you an open door,
00:20:31.49\00:20:34.00
"'"and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength,
00:20:34.03\00:20:37.43
"'"have kept my word,
and have not denied my name.
00:20:37.47\00:20:41.30
"'"Indeed I will make
those of the synagogue of Satan,
00:20:41.34\00:20:43.84
"'"who say they are Jews
and are not, but lie--indeed
00:20:43.87\00:20:47.44
"'"I will make them come
and worship before your feet,
00:20:47.48\00:20:50.55
"'"and to know
that I have loved you.
00:20:50.58\00:20:53.31
"'"Because you have
kept my command to persevere,
00:20:53.35\00:20:56.52
"'"I will also keep
you from the hour of trial
00:20:56.55\00:20:59.59
"'"which shall come
upon the whole world,
00:20:59.62\00:21:02.19
"'"to test those
who dwell on the earth.
00:21:02.22\00:21:04.59
"'"Behold, I...[come] quickly!
00:21:04.63\00:21:06.16
"'"Hold fast what you have,
that no one may take your crown.
00:21:06.19\00:21:10.80
"'"He who overcomes,
I will make him a pillar
00:21:10.83\00:21:13.77
"'"in the temple of my God,
and he shall go out no more.
00:21:13.80\00:21:18.07
"'"I will write on
him the name of my God
00:21:18.11\00:21:20.98
"'"and the name of the city
of my God, the New Jerusalem,
00:21:21.01\00:21:24.25
"'"which comes down
out of heaven from my God.
00:21:24.28\00:21:27.82
"'"And I will
write on him my new name.
00:21:27.85\00:21:31.15
"'"He who has an
ear, let him hear
00:21:31.19\00:21:33.96
what the Spirit
says to the churches."'"
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.22
In AD 17, the city
suffered terrible damage
00:21:37.16\00:21:40.83
from an earthquake.
00:21:40.86\00:21:42.40
Maybe this is the basis for
Jesus' promise to the church
00:21:42.43\00:21:45.33
in Philadelphia:
00:21:45.37\00:21:46.87
"He who overcomes, I
will make him a pillar
00:21:46.90\00:21:49.54
in the temple of my God,
and he shall go out no more."
00:21:49.57\00:21:53.27
The idea of an open
door is mentioned by Paul
00:21:54.54\00:21:57.68
with some frequency
in the New Testament.
00:21:57.71\00:22:00.42
He said that at Ephesus
"a great and effective door
00:22:00.45\00:22:03.45
has [been] opened to me"--
00:22:03.49\00:22:04.99
although he pointed out,
"There are many adversaries."
00:22:05.02\00:22:08.49
He said "a door was opened"
for him to preach the gospel
00:22:08.52\00:22:11.03
in Troas, and he asked
the Colossian church to pray
00:22:11.06\00:22:13.93
"that God would open
to us a door for the word,
00:22:13.96\00:22:17.70
to speak the mystery of Christ."
00:22:17.73\00:22:20.60
Looking now at Philadelphia
as representative of the church
00:22:20.64\00:22:24.31
at the end of the Dark
Ages, this is the time period
00:22:24.34\00:22:28.11
of those who witnessed the end
of a time of great persecution.
00:22:28.14\00:22:32.31
There was a door
opened before that church,
00:22:32.35\00:22:35.22
the door to share
the gospel of Jesus.
00:22:35.25\00:22:37.99
And as Jesus is in heaven as
High Priest, it could be said
00:22:38.02\00:22:41.76
this was a door opened
to the sanctuary in heaven,
00:22:41.79\00:22:44.46
from where He ministers
the merits of His shed blood.
00:22:44.49\00:22:47.76
[background
traffic noise and wind]
00:22:47.83\00:22:51.20
There's never been
any evidence uncovered
00:22:51.23\00:22:53.47
of there having been a
synagogue here in Philadelphia.
00:22:53.50\00:22:57.44
Nevertheless, Jesus refers
to "the synagogue of Satan."
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.41
What's He's doing
is describing those
00:23:01.44\00:23:03.01
who falsely profess
the Christian faith,
00:23:03.04\00:23:06.21
those who claim to be
spiritual Jews but are not.
00:23:06.25\00:23:11.12
Ultimately, they'll acknowledge
the error of their ways
00:23:11.15\00:23:14.22
and recognize that those they
had despised for their fidelity
00:23:14.26\00:23:18.13
were right after all.
00:23:18.16\00:23:20.16
It might be that the primary
message for the church today
00:23:20.20\00:23:22.73
is found in the name
of this church itself.
00:23:22.76\00:23:26.30
Jesus says nothing critical
00:23:26.33\00:23:27.80
of a church characterized
by love for others.
00:23:27.84\00:23:31.51
In the great
conflict of the last days
00:23:31.54\00:23:33.31
described in Revelation,
there are those who receive
00:23:33.34\00:23:35.71
the seven last plagues--
the lost--and the saved,
00:23:35.74\00:23:40.08
"those who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus."
00:23:40.12\00:23:44.02
Jesus is reminding us
here that it's not enough
00:23:44.05\00:23:46.55
to simply be right.
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.59
In fact, a saved
person can't be "right"
00:23:48.62\00:23:51.86
without having the love
of Jesus in their heart.
00:23:51.89\00:23:54.30
Truth and love matter.
00:23:54.36\00:23:57.13
According to Jesus, God
wants His people to worship Him
00:23:57.17\00:24:00.20
"in spirt and [in] truth."
00:24:00.24\00:24:03.30
And a church that has
before it an open door
00:24:03.34\00:24:06.24
will go through that open
door to proclaim the gospel
00:24:06.27\00:24:09.68
if it has love in its heart.
00:24:09.71\00:24:12.08
[bird squawks in background]
00:24:12.11\00:24:13.58
Jesus says to the
church of brotherly love,
00:24:13.62\00:24:16.32
"Hold on tight to what
you've got; don't let it go;
00:24:16.35\00:24:20.06
don't let
anybody take your crown."
00:24:20.09\00:24:22.19
And He reminds them
that He's coming again soon.
00:24:22.22\00:24:25.53
There's a lot in that.
00:24:25.56\00:24:26.86
Motivated by brotherly
love, we, as believers in Jesus,
00:24:26.90\00:24:30.07
ought to want to see
others know Jesus as we do
00:24:30.10\00:24:34.20
and enter into a
saving relationship with Him.
00:24:34.24\00:24:37.21
And then we're to
remember: Time is almost up.
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.11
He says, "Hold fast."
00:24:40.14\00:24:42.98
I know there are days
that it's difficult to do that,
00:24:43.01\00:24:45.58
where faith seems
harder to come by;
00:24:45.61\00:24:47.75
life seems as though
it's conspiring against you.
00:24:47.78\00:24:51.59
But Jesus says, "Here's what
you do. You just hold tight."
00:24:51.62\00:24:55.02
And you know that
He'll never let you go.
00:24:55.06\00:24:57.33
We have moments
until the return of Jesus.
00:24:57.36\00:25:00.20
His encouragement
to His people today:
00:25:00.23\00:25:02.53
"Hold on tight."
He's coming back soon.
00:25:02.56\00:25:06.07
>>Announcer 1: For
2,000 years it's been the hope
00:25:07.47\00:25:09.90
of the Christian church.
00:25:09.94\00:25:11.07
It's a major theme of the Bible
00:25:11.11\00:25:12.97
and the focal point of
the book of Revelation:
00:25:13.01\00:25:15.71
the return of
Jesus to the world.
00:25:15.74\00:25:18.01
Call now for your free copy
of "The Soon Return of Jesus."
00:25:18.05\00:25:22.38
Learn what the Bible
says on this vital subject
00:25:22.42\00:25:24.82
and untangle many modern myths.
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.86
Call 800-253-3000.
00:25:26.89\00:25:29.42
That's 800-253-3000.
00:25:29.46\00:25:32.36
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:25:32.39\00:25:38.23
¤[soft somber piano music]¤
00:25:38.27\00:25:40.27
[goat-bells
jingling, goat bleats]
00:25:41.44\00:25:43.41
[waves crash on shore]
00:25:43.44\00:25:46.44
>>John Bradshaw: The
apostle John was exiled here
00:25:48.24\00:25:50.78
to the island of Patmos.
00:25:50.81\00:25:52.45
It was John who
wrote the Gospel of John,
00:25:52.48\00:25:54.62
the epistles First,
Second, and Third John,
00:25:54.65\00:25:57.15
and here on Patmos he
wrote the book of Revelation.
00:25:57.19\00:26:00.89
He could stand on
this island in the Aegean
00:26:00.92\00:26:03.02
and look eastward
towards Asia Minor,
00:26:03.06\00:26:05.89
his heart desirous for
the seven churches there,
00:26:05.93\00:26:08.96
wishing that they'd learn
the lessons Jesus had for them
00:26:09.00\00:26:11.80
so that their "calling and
election [might be] sure"--
00:26:11.83\00:26:16.17
and that ours might be also.
00:26:16.20\00:26:19.71
While he was
separated from the churches,
00:26:19.74\00:26:22.04
his heart was
very much with them.
00:26:22.08\00:26:24.28
While we are
separated physically from God,
00:26:24.31\00:26:27.72
God's heart is
still very much with you.
00:26:27.75\00:26:31.59
And He wants you to
receive the blessings
00:26:31.62\00:26:34.42
that the book of Revelation
speaks of--and to be ready
00:26:34.46\00:26:37.56
for that great day when
Jesus returns to take you home.
00:26:37.59\00:26:42.40
Let's pray together.
00:26:42.43\00:26:44.03
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:44.07\00:26:45.37
in Jesus' name we come to You.
00:26:45.40\00:26:47.97
And here I am in the
very place where John wrote
00:26:48.00\00:26:50.61
the book of
Revelation, where You showed him
00:26:50.64\00:26:53.27
"things which must
shortly come to pass,"
00:26:53.31\00:26:57.01
where You communicated to us
00:26:57.05\00:26:58.45
of Your great desire that
we spend eternity with You.
00:26:58.48\00:27:03.22
So give us grace
now to yield our hearts
00:27:03.25\00:27:07.16
to the Christ of Revelation,
00:27:07.19\00:27:09.79
that the great
promises of Revelation--
00:27:09.82\00:27:12.46
the return of
Jesus, the eternal kingdom,
00:27:12.49\00:27:15.70
and earth made
new--might be experienced by us.
00:27:15.73\00:27:20.84
I'm praying now for that
person whose faith is wavery,
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.57
that person who feels like
he or she might not be worthy.
00:27:23.61\00:27:27.01
Remind them that in
Christ they are worthy.
00:27:27.04\00:27:30.38
In Christ they have salvation.
00:27:30.41\00:27:33.35
Would You take our hearts,
I pray, and keep them forever,
00:27:33.38\00:27:36.72
in Jesus' name.
00:27:36.75\00:27:38.75
Amen.
00:27:38.79\00:27:40.12
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:40.16\00:27:41.62
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:41.66\00:27:43.63
Until then, remember:
00:27:43.66\00:27:45.46
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:45.49\00:27:49.60
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:49.63\00:27:54.24
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:27:54.27\00:27:58.27
¤[music ends]¤¤
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