い い
00:01:20.01\00:01:31.05
>> It has stood the test of
time -- God's Book, the Bible --
00:01:31.05\00:01:38.09
still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:01:38.09\00:01:42.33
い "It Is Written," sharing
00:01:42.33\00:01:46.37
messages of hope
around the world.
00:01:46.37\00:01:50.51
い い >> Dear
friends, in our program
00:01:50.51\00:02:04.32
today, I'd like to start with
some review. As we consider the
00:02:04.32\00:02:08.99
appointed time, we have seen
throughout the Scriptures that
God has used this phrase "the
00:02:08.99\00:02:15.40
appointed time" to help us, as a
people, understand some very
important principles in the plan
00:02:15.40\00:02:21.37
of salvation. We have seen
that God had appointed times to
00:02:21.37\00:02:25.27
fulfill His promises. We've also
seen that God has appointed
times where we ought
00:02:25.27\00:02:29.34
to remember our deliverance from
sin. God has appointed times
00:02:29.34\00:02:33.82
that we are to wait upon Him.
God has appointed times for us
to be cleansed and renewed in
00:02:33.82\00:02:39.52
Him. God has an appointed time
when His Son, Jesus, came to
00:02:39.52\00:02:43.76
this Earth the first time. All
of those are in an effort to
prepare for us for the
00:02:43.76\00:02:49.66
appointed time of Christ's
return. Now, today we will take
00:02:49.66\00:02:55.14
a look at the prophet Jeremiah
and some of the things that he
wrote that are very interesting
00:02:55.14\00:03:01.48
and have significant
implications for us living
today. In Jeremiah, the 8th
00:03:01.48\00:03:09.52
chapter, beginning in
verse 5, it says these words.
00:03:09.52\00:03:16.19
"Why has this people slidden
back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual
00:03:16.19\00:03:21.23
backsliding? They
hold fast to deceit,
00:03:21.23\00:03:24.60
They refuse to
return. I listened and heard,
00:03:24.60\00:03:27.70
But they do not speak
aright. No man repented of his
00:03:27.70\00:03:32.41
wickedness,
Saying, 'What have I done?'
00:03:32.41\00:03:35.28
Everyone turned to his own
course, as the horse rushes into
00:03:35.28\00:03:39.91
the battle. Even
the stork in the heavens
00:03:39.91\00:03:42.85
knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift,
00:03:42.85\00:03:46.15
and the swallow observe
the time of their coming.
00:03:46.15\00:03:49.39
But My people do not
know the judgment of the Lord.
00:03:49.39\00:03:52.53
How can you say, 'We are wise,
And the law of the Lord is with
00:03:52.53\00:03:56.77
us'? Look, the false pen of the
00:03:56.77\00:03:59.77
scribe certainly works
falsehood. The wise men are
00:03:59.77\00:04:04.14
ashamed, they are dismayed and
taken. Behold, they have
rejected the word of the Lord;
00:04:04.14\00:04:08.61
So what wisdom do they have?" In
a fascinating illustration,
Jeremiah outlined God's people
00:04:08.61\00:04:17.22
falling away, backsliding from
Him, and then compares them to
00:04:17.22\00:04:24.23
birds. The stork of the heavens,
to be specific, it says, "knows
her appointed times.
00:04:24.23\00:04:31.27
The turtledove, the swift, and
the swallow observe the time of
00:04:31.27\00:04:35.64
their coming." What is it that
Jeremiah was getting at? What is
00:04:35.64\00:04:40.31
that that God was sending
through the prophet Jeremiah?
Well, you see, each of these
00:04:40.31\00:04:45.15
birds knew that there was a time
-- a time for migration, to move
00:04:45.15\00:04:52.62
from one place to another. They
knew those times in which they
needed to prepare to go
00:04:52.62\00:04:57.29
and eventually go. They
understood, so to speak, the
times in which they were
00:04:57.29\00:05:04.23
living, and those birds acted
upon it. But here, the Lord says
00:05:04.23\00:05:13.41
his people, they don't listen.
They don't know the times, and
specifically, they don't know
00:05:13.41\00:05:19.28
the time of the Judgment of the
Lord -- the appointed time of
00:05:19.28\00:05:25.29
the Judgment. Now, in newer
versions of the Bible, it says
that they do not know the
00:05:25.29\00:05:30.53
requirements or ordinances of
the Lord. But this Hebrew word
which occurs over 400 times in
00:05:30.53\00:05:35.66
the Old Testament is translated,
in 296 of those times, to
"judge" or "judgment" or
00:05:35.66\00:05:42.17
"justice." Clearly, what the
Lord is saying here, what He's
getting at, is that, while these
00:05:42.17\00:05:49.54
creatures of nature understand
the times, His people do not.
And He's calling upon His people
00:05:49.54\00:05:57.89
to know and remember that
there is an appointed time for
00:05:57.89\00:06:04.93
Judgment. Ecclesiastes 3:17
says this. "'God shall judge the
00:06:04.93\00:06:16.71
righteous and the wicked, for
there is a time there for every
purpose and for every work.'"
00:06:16.71\00:06:25.58
What is God's Judgment? Is it
something to be feared? How and
when is the Judgment
00:06:25.58\00:06:32.39
performed? Now, to help us
understand this, we need to go
00:06:32.39\00:06:36.39
to the Book of Daniel. And there
in Daniel chapter 7, Daniel sees
00:06:36.39\00:06:41.93
a vision of four beasts, which
represented the empires that had
reigned on the Earth.
00:06:41.93\00:06:46.67
And then, in Daniel 7:9-10,
Daniel sees something rather
00:06:46.67\00:06:54.58
profound. Daniel 7:9-10.
"I watched until thrones were
00:06:54.58\00:07:03.22
put in place, and the
Ancient of Days was seated.
00:07:03.22\00:07:06.12
His garment was white as snow,
and the hair of His head was
00:07:06.12\00:07:09.26
like pure wool. His
throne was a fiery flame,
00:07:09.26\00:07:12.09
its wheels of burning
fire. And a thousand thousands
00:07:12.09\00:07:16.10
ministered to Him, and ten
thousand times ten thousand
00:07:16.10\00:07:19.27
stood before Him.
The court was seated,
00:07:19.27\00:07:22.84
and the books were opened." This
throne-room imagery reminds us,
as we see what's happening,
00:07:22.84\00:07:32.45
of the sanctuary. This
throne-room scene, which is
reminiscent of the Old Testament
00:07:32.45\00:07:38.39
sanctuary, is where Daniel says
the Judgment will commence with
books being opened.
00:07:38.39\00:07:44.16
Now, let us go to the last book
of the Bible. And in Revelation,
00:07:44.16\00:07:49.50
the 14th chapter, we see
something fascinating. It is the
first amazing message
00:07:49.50\00:07:55.80
of God's final call to people on
the Earth in the Last Days. And
in verse 6, it says these
00:07:55.80\00:08:02.81
words. "Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:08:02.81\00:08:06.88
having the everlasting gospel,
saying with a loud voice, "Fear
God and give glory to Him, for
00:08:06.88\00:08:13.46
the hour of His judgment has
come.'" "The hour of his
judgment has come."
00:08:13.46\00:08:20.96
Throughout the Scriptures,
my dear friends, the Bible is
00:08:20.96\00:08:23.50
clear. There is a Judgment. The
purpose of that Judgment is made
clear in Revelation 22:12,
00:08:23.50\00:08:29.70
where it records Jesus saying,
as he returns to Earth, "My
reward is with me to give
00:08:29.70\00:08:34.81
everyone according to his work."
I don't want you to miss this.
Jesus is coming at the appointed
00:08:34.81\00:08:41.02
time, but before He comes at the
appointed time, He has an
appointed time for Judgment.
00:08:41.02\00:08:46.52
And the Judgment will determine
who is and who is not worthy to
go to Heaven with him.
00:08:46.52\00:08:56.80
Now, too often, when we talk
about the Judgment, it makes us
00:08:56.80\00:09:01.37
very scared. However, when we
understand the Judgment more
completely, there is nothing for
00:09:01.37\00:09:08.41
us to fear. In Daniel chapter 8,
Daniel was given another vision.
It's a vision that follows the
00:09:08.41\00:09:14.92
same pattern of Daniel chapter 2
and Daniel chapter 7. And there,
in Daniel chapter 8,
00:09:14.92\00:09:20.06
Daniel was shown some beasts
which represented kingdoms. And
then Daniel was shown
00:09:20.06\00:09:24.83
a Judgment scene. And after that
Judgment scene comes the Second
00:09:24.83\00:09:30.37
Coming. In Daniel 8:14, there is
a phrase -- a sentence that
helps us understand more clearly
00:09:30.37\00:09:35.84
the Judgment hour. Daniel wrote
these words. "For 2,300 days,
00:09:35.84\00:09:41.78
then the sanctuary shall be
cleansed." Now, the sanctuary of
the Old Testament was a symbol
00:09:41.78\00:09:47.32
of the plan of salvation and
Jesus' atoning for our sin. Sin
was judged, and forgiveness
00:09:47.32\00:09:53.12
was dispensed from the
sanctuary. Now, the 2,300 days
00:09:53.12\00:09:58.53
of Daniel 8 is a time prophecy.
It shouldn't be missed, though,
how the Bible talks and how
00:09:58.53\00:10:04.20
critical the sanctuary was. The
Bible talks about how there is a
00:10:04.20\00:10:09.17
sanctuary today. And it's
important for us to understand
that there is a sanctuary today.
00:10:09.17\00:10:13.71
But that sanctuary is not on
the Earth. That sanctuary that
00:10:13.71\00:10:19.11
exists today is in Heaven, and
it is a vital place for Christ's
ministry to us and for us today.
00:10:19.11\00:10:27.62
Now, after Daniel heard this
vision of Daniel 8:14, Gabriel
the angel visitor explained,
00:10:27.62\00:10:33.03
in part, what the vision meant.
He said, "So, he came near where
I stood, and when he came
00:10:33.03\00:10:38.43
to me, I was afraid and fell
on my face. But he said unto me,
00:10:38.43\00:10:41.50
'Understand that the vision
refers to the time of the end.'"
Daniel didn't understand the
00:10:41.50\00:10:48.88
vision entirely, but he did
understand this -- the vision is
for the time of the end,
00:10:48.88\00:10:55.35
and it spoke of the sanctuary
being cleansed. Now, Daniel
00:10:55.35\00:11:04.03
would have undoubtedly known
that this referred to the
heavenly sanctuary.
00:11:04.03\00:11:07.93
Now, you might say, "Well, why
is that?" Well, because there
00:11:07.93\00:11:10.83
was no sanctuary in existence
in Daniel's time. Remember, the
00:11:10.83\00:11:14.50
sanctuary was destroyed by
Nebuchadnezzar and the
Babylonian armies. And so
00:11:14.50\00:11:19.07
Daniel, when he heard these
words, would have had his mind
drawn to the heavenly sanctuary.
00:11:19.07\00:11:23.14
Daniel would have also
understood that this represented
a symbolic time period, because
00:11:23.14\00:11:28.65
it referred to the time of the
end. And Daniel knew that he was
00:11:28.65\00:11:33.22
not living in the time of the
end. So, Daniel, though, longed
00:11:33.22\00:11:37.49
for an answer. He longed for
what the vision meant. But he
00:11:37.49\00:11:42.43
did not receive an answer to
understanding the vision for 13
years. It wasn't until
00:11:42.43\00:11:48.47
Daniel chapter 9, which occurred
13 years after Daniel chapter 8,
00:11:48.47\00:11:54.54
that Daniel was praying,
and there he received an answer.
00:11:54.54\00:11:58.48
In verse 1 and onward
of Daniel 9, it says this.
00:11:58.48\00:12:03.32
"In the first year of Darius,
the son of Ahasuerus, of the
00:12:03.32\00:12:06.45
lineage of the Medes, who is
made king over the realm of the
00:12:06.45\00:12:09.79
Chaldeans in the first year of
his reign I, Daniel, understood
00:12:09.79\00:12:14.20
by the books the number of years
specified by the Word of the
00:12:14.20\00:12:18.17
Lord through Jeremiah
the prophet, that He would
00:12:18.17\00:12:20.64
accomplish 70 years in the
desolations of Jerusalem." Now,
Daniel was specifically
00:12:20.64\00:12:27.88
praying about the prophet
Jeremiah's message that, for 70
years, Israel would
00:12:27.88\00:12:32.45
remain captive in Babylon. Those
70 years were coming to an end,
and Daniel prayed about
00:12:32.45\00:12:38.29
their ending. And in Daniel
9:23, the Bible says that an
00:12:38.29\00:12:44.53
angel visitor came and gave
a message to Daniel. "'At the
00:12:44.53\00:12:50.83
supplications'" -- a word for
beginning of your "prayer" --
"'the command went out, and I
00:12:50.83\00:12:56.30
have come to tell you, you are
greatly beloved. Therefore,
consider the matter, and
00:12:56.30\00:13:02.08
understand the vision.'" Now,
without a doubt, this angel
visitor was coming to help
00:13:02.08\00:13:06.15
Daniel understand the vision
that he didn't understand. And
the vision that he didn't
00:13:06.15\00:13:11.22
understand was the 2,300-day
prophecy. So, in Daniel 9:24,
the angel visitor Gabriel spoke,
00:13:11.22\00:13:15.72
saying this. "'70 weeks are
determined for your people and
for your city.'" Daniel's people
00:13:15.72\00:13:22.06
were the Jews. Daniel's city was
Jerusalem. And they were given
70 weeks. Now I want you to
00:13:22.06\00:13:32.51
think about this. Daniel was
given a vision of 2,300 days,
but now he was given
00:13:32.51\00:13:37.51
a vision of 70 weeks. Daniel's
people, the Jews, had 70 weeks
00:13:37.51\00:13:42.88
determined from them. Literally,
in Hebrew, the word "determined"
00:13:42.88\00:13:46.69
means to be cut off from a
larger piece. The 2,300 days
represented a larger piece of
00:13:46.69\00:13:52.99
prophetic history, from which
would be cut off 490 days
specifically for the Jews.
00:13:52.99\00:13:59.20
Now, some of you are saying,
"Wait a second. 490 days?" Very
00:13:59.20\00:14:03.54
simple. 70 weeks times 7 equals
490 days. The 2,300-day prophecy
00:14:03.54\00:14:09.71
has something to do with the
time of the end. It has
"heavenly sanctuary"
00:14:09.71\00:14:14.55
message and language and
imagery. But 490 of those days
00:14:14.55\00:14:20.12
are cut off specifically for the
Jews. Now, remember, this cannot
00:14:20.12\00:14:23.73
be speaking of literal days,
because it referred to the time
00:14:23.73\00:14:27.00
of the end. Now, to help us with
our journey, we must look at one
of the most accepted biblical
00:14:27.00\00:14:32.17
principles of interpretation
of time prophecy. It's found in
00:14:32.17\00:14:37.34
both Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers
14:34. And this is what the
Bible says. "For each day I have
00:14:37.34\00:14:42.68
laid upon you a year. I
have laid on you a day for each
00:14:42.68\00:14:47.25
year." Quite simply, in biblical
interpretation of prophetic
time, one day equals one year.
00:14:47.25\00:14:53.82
And so 2,300 days would be 2,300
literal years. Daniel 9:25
continues with these
00:14:53.82\00:15:03.90
words then. "'Know, therefore,
and understand that from the
00:15:03.90\00:15:07.00
going-forth of the command to
restore and build Jerusalem...'"
The word "command" literally
00:15:07.00\00:15:15.94
means, from the original Hebrew,
a decree. So we have a time
00:15:15.94\00:15:21.75
prophecy, but we don't have a
starting point. But here in
Daniel 9:25, we are
00:15:21.75\00:15:26.72
given that starting point. Ezra
7:12-13 records the decree of
00:15:26.72\00:15:34.10
restoration that was needed.
This is what it says.
"'Artaxerxes, king of kings,
00:15:34.10\00:15:42.50
to Ezra the priest, a scribe of
the law of God of Heaven,
perfect peace and so forth,
00:15:42.50\00:15:48.04
I issue a decree that all of
those of the people of Israel
and the priests and the Levites
00:15:48.04\00:15:53.42
in my realm who volunteer to
go up into Jerusalem may go with
00:15:53.42\00:16:00.36
him.'" Artaxerxes' decree
allowed the Jewish people to go
back to Jerusalem and begin to
00:16:00.36\00:16:04.16
rebuild Jerusalem. The
date of that decree was 457 B.C.
00:16:04.16\00:16:09.36
And it gives us the starting
point of our prophecy. Now,
going back to Daniel 9:25,
00:16:09.36\00:16:14.90
"'Know, therefore, and
understand, from the going-forth
of the command to restore and
00:16:14.90\00:16:19.17
build Jerusalem until Messiah
the Prince, there shall be seven
00:16:19.17\00:16:22.84
weeks and 62 weeks.'" 7 and 62
is 69. 69 weeks from 457 B.C.,
00:16:22.84\00:16:31.15
or 483 prophetic days, 483
literal years. If you add 483 to
00:16:31.15\00:16:39.79
457 B.C. -- and there is no year
zero, remember -- it takes you
00:16:39.79\00:16:44.80
to 27 A.D. So, is there anything
in prophetic time that happened
00:16:44.80\00:16:48.50
in 27 A.D.? Well, as a matter of
fact, Luke chapter 3 begins with
00:16:48.50\00:16:52.04
these words. "Now, in the 15th
year of the reign of Tiberius
Caesar..." Now, the 15th year of
00:16:52.04\00:16:57.55
Tiberius Caesar just so happens
to be 27 A.D. Immediately
00:16:57.55\00:17:04.49
following that passage in Luke
3:1 is verse 21. And it says
00:17:04.49\00:17:10.06
this. "When all the people were
baptized, it came to pass that
Jesus also was baptized."
00:17:10.06\00:17:16.00
And Acts 10:38 speaks of that
baptism by saying, "God anointed
00:17:16.00\00:17:21.20
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit and with power, who went
about doing good and healing all
00:17:21.20\00:17:25.27
who were oppressed by the
devil." The Holy Spirit fell
upon Jesus at his baptism.
00:17:25.27\00:17:30.58
Jesus was anointed as Messiah
when the Holy Spirit descended
upon Him at that baptism.
00:17:30.58\00:17:37.15
The Book of Daniel predicts,
with absolute reliability, the
year that Jesus would be
00:17:37.15\00:17:43.06
baptized or anointed as the
Messiah. Jesus was baptized on
00:17:43.06\00:17:47.60
time -- at the appointed time.
Then, Daniel 9:26 goes on to
say, "'And after the 62 weeks,
00:17:47.60\00:17:55.04
Messiah shall be cut off... Then
he shall confirm a covenant with
00:17:55.04\00:17:59.37
many for one week; But in the
middle of the week, He shall
bring an end to sacrifice and
00:17:59.37\00:18:04.41
offering.'" So, in the middle of
the week. Seven prophetic days
or seven literal years, in the
00:18:04.41\00:18:09.58
midst of that, the Messiah would
be cut off, and the sacrifices
would be brought to an end.
00:18:09.58\00:18:17.66
3 1/2 years after 27 A.D. would
take us to 31 A.D. And in 31
00:18:17.66\00:18:23.63
A.D., Jesus was crucified
exactly on time. When Jesus was
crucified, when Jesus died on
00:18:23.63\00:18:29.90
the Cross, the veil of the
temple was torn from the top to
the bottom, and with it, ended
00:18:29.90\00:18:34.44
the sacrificial system, exactly
as predicted, in the midst of
00:18:34.44\00:18:39.61
those seven years. But what
about the second 3 1/2 years?
That would take us to 34 A.D.
00:18:39.61\00:18:44.22
And in 34 A.D., the
deacon Stephen came before the
00:18:44.22\00:18:49.02
religious council. Stephen gave
them a sermon on the history of
Israel and their continued
00:18:49.02\00:18:54.50
rejection of God's plan and his
prophet. Stephen pled with the
Jews, as a nation, to confess
00:18:54.50\00:19:00.97
Christ and be maintained as
God's special people. However,
the record of Scripture
00:19:00.97\00:19:05.27
is that they rejected him and
they stoned Stephen in A.D. 34.
And ultimately, in doing so,
00:19:05.27\00:19:12.45
they rejected God. And with it
came and ending to Israel as a
00:19:12.45\00:19:17.89
nation, as God's special people.
And now the Gospel went in full
force to the Gentiles.
00:19:17.89\00:19:23.32
490 years were cut off from the
-- cut off for the Jewish people
00:19:23.32\00:19:31.17
in that 2,300-year prophecy.
There remains 1,810 years. If we
simply add this onto
00:19:31.17\00:19:37.37
A.D. 34, it takes us to the year
1844. Now, if you take some time
00:19:37.37\00:19:46.58
to understand history and the
history of Christianity, the
1840s were very important.
00:19:46.58\00:19:51.12
Something very special happened.
In the early 1800s, people began
to re-engage with the
00:19:51.12\00:19:56.66
Book of Daniel, and a great
awakening occurred. This was
00:19:56.66\00:20:01.60
vital because, in the 18th and
19th century, much of North
American Christianity believed
00:20:01.60\00:20:06.60
in something called
postmillennialism. They
basically believed that
00:20:06.60\00:20:09.60
the Earth was getting better and
better and better and better,
and finally, Jesus would come
00:20:09.60\00:20:13.58
and reign over this utopian
state that had been achieved
through human intervention and
00:20:13.58\00:20:18.21
human goodness. But as people
began studying the Book of
Daniel all over the
00:20:18.21\00:20:22.78
world, they read Daniel 8:14,
and they understood that only
God's divine intervention
00:20:22.78\00:20:29.12
could bring about perfect
harmony on the Earth. They began
00:20:29.12\00:20:33.70
to identify Daniel 8:14 as the
Second Coming of Christ. And
while Jesus said that no man
00:20:33.70\00:20:38.87
knows the day or the hour, they
believed that those words were
applicable only for the time of
00:20:38.87\00:20:43.71
Jesus, but now God was revealing
to them the date of His coming
through Daniel 8:14.
00:20:43.71\00:20:49.58
Seemed logical, and it was
exciting. And these God-fearing
00:20:49.58\00:20:54.05
people began preaching, all over
the world, the message of
Christ's soon return,
00:20:54.05\00:20:59.29
proclaiming that He would return
sometime in the mid-1800s. There
was an explosion in growth
00:20:59.29\00:21:04.03
in Christianity, called the
second great Advent Awakening.
It happened all around the
00:21:04.03\00:21:10.13
world, but with especially great
power in North America. In fact,
some identified a date
00:21:10.13\00:21:17.71
for the return of Christ. They
identified that date as 1844.
00:21:17.71\00:21:24.81
I want you to imagine with me
for a moment. Think about it --
00:21:24.81\00:21:29.72
how exciting it must have been
to live in a time and believe
you knew the date of Christ's
00:21:29.72\00:21:34.29
return. People were excited.
They gave their businesses away.
They let their crops go
00:21:34.29\00:21:39.19
unharvested. They were
going to the Promised Land.
00:21:39.19\00:21:42.40
They had no need of any of it.
But Jesus did not come in 1844.
There was a massive
00:21:42.40\00:21:50.34
disappointment. I want you to
imagine in your mind how
disappointing it would
00:21:50.34\00:21:55.04
have been. But there were some
who re-examined that prophecy.
00:21:55.04\00:22:00.22
They went over their
calculations. The timeline was
00:22:00.22\00:22:04.69
right, as we just studied that
timeline. Here's the challenge
00:22:04.69\00:22:09.19
that they had. The event that
they predicted was wrong. So, in
their study, they finally
00:22:09.19\00:22:14.23
saw the connection of the
sanctuary, the Day of Atonement,
and the Day of Judgment
00:22:14.23\00:22:20.40
in the Old Testament to
that cleansing of the sanctuary.
00:22:20.40\00:22:24.67
You see, in 1844, nothing
happened on the Earth. But
something very important
00:22:24.67\00:22:30.01
happened in Heaven. There in
Heaven, Christ transitioned His
00:22:30.01\00:22:34.68
ministry from a ministry of
simply redemption to a ministry
of redemption and judgment.
00:22:34.68\00:22:39.59
This new phase of His ministry
began in 1844 -- the Judgment.
00:22:39.59\00:22:48.56
Why is the Judgment going on?
Because, as we have seen, it is
00:22:48.56\00:22:52.70
vital. Before Jesus comes at the
appointed time, there is an
appointed time of Judgment.
00:22:52.70\00:22:56.77
The cleansing of the sanctuary
was symbolic of that Day of
00:22:56.77\00:23:00.81
Atonement. The Day of Atonement
was a Day of Judgment. It was a
time of preparation of
00:23:00.81\00:23:05.38
solemnity, in which God's
people prepared to meet God in a
00:23:05.38\00:23:11.65
special way. And so it is today
that we, too, are living in the
prophetic Day of Atonement.
00:23:11.65\00:23:16.52
And the cry of God is that He is
pleading with us to be ready for
the appointed time of
00:23:16.52\00:23:23.47
Jesus's return. My dear friend,
Daniel was accurate about the
00:23:23.47\00:23:27.44
baptism of Jesus. He was
accurate about the crucifixion
00:23:27.44\00:23:30.44
of Jesus. And he was accurate
about the stoning of Stephen.
And the reality is, he is
00:23:30.44\00:23:34.28
absolutely accurate that the
Judgment hour began in 1844. But
00:23:34.28\00:23:42.28
here's the beauty of why we do
not need to fear the Judgment. 1
00:23:42.28\00:23:50.33
John 2:1 -- one of my favorite
verses of the Bible says these
00:23:50.33\00:23:56.93
words. "My little children,
these things I write to you so
that you may not sin.
00:23:56.93\00:24:04.04
And if anyone sins, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous,
00:24:04.04\00:24:10.15
and He Himself is the
propitiation for our sins, and
not for ours only but also
00:24:10.15\00:24:14.42
for the whole world." This word
here, "propitiation," literally
00:24:14.42\00:24:20.52
means "the atoning sacrifice."
Here is the amazing truth about
00:24:20.52\00:24:24.13
the Judgment. Christ's atoning
sacrifice is for our sins, and
not for ours only but for the
00:24:24.13\00:24:29.60
whole world. But I want you to
notice, the Bible says that
Jesus is also our advocate.
00:24:29.60\00:24:34.24
That word "advocate" means that
He is on our behalf. He stands
00:24:34.24\00:24:38.61
there next to us. He is our
encourager. He is our comforter.
Jesus is there to lift us up
00:24:38.61\00:24:42.78
when we fall down. But the Bible
also says that in the Judgment,
00:24:42.78\00:24:46.75
Christ is our propitiation. He's
our sacrifice. He's the one that
00:24:46.75\00:24:51.05
paid the price. But then,
to make it all even the more
00:24:51.05\00:24:56.76
amazing, the Bible tells us that
Jesus is our judge. You know,
00:24:56.76\00:25:04.97
too often in Christianity, the
Bible is presented as a book of
rules and regulations, with the
00:25:04.97\00:25:09.44
goal of narrowing down,
limiting, and keeping people out
of the Kingdom of God.
00:25:09.44\00:25:14.28
But Jesus contradicts this idea.
He says that's not what the deal
00:25:14.28\00:25:20.25
is. "I came into the world not
to condemn the world but that
the world might be saved through
00:25:20.25\00:25:24.52
Me. I came to this world as a
human being so, that way, I
could sympathize with what's
00:25:24.52\00:25:29.36
happening in your life. You're
going through difficulties.
00:25:29.36\00:25:31.43
I went through those
difficulties," is what Jesus
00:25:31.43\00:25:34.73
says. Are you experiencing loss
in your life? Jesus experienced
00:25:34.73\00:25:38.17
loss in His life. Are you
experiencing rejection in your
00:25:38.17\00:25:40.84
life? Jesus experienced
rejection. Jesus has experienced
everything, in principle, that
00:25:40.84\00:25:45.81
we experience. And the Bible
says that Jesus is our high
00:25:45.81\00:25:49.88
priest -- the one who can
sympathize with us. He's our
judge. He's the one that looks
00:25:49.88\00:25:53.88
at the account of our life. But
when He looks at the account of
our life, He is the one that
00:25:53.88\00:25:58.52
advocates and stands next to us
and encourages us. And He is the
00:25:58.52\00:26:02.99
one that, when we sin, has paid
the price for our sin. And in
paying the price for our
00:26:02.99\00:26:06.63
sin, He has paved the way for
us to go to Heaven. Christ our
00:26:06.63\00:26:11.33
judge, Christ our advocate,
Christ the one who's paid the
penalty. The question which we
00:26:11.33\00:26:17.81
must wrestle with today is,
"What more could have Jesus
done?" The story of the Bible is
00:26:17.81\00:26:28.28
the story of God's relentless
pursuit to save us through
having appointed times in our
00:26:28.28\00:26:32.92
lives to prepare us to be ready
so that He can take us to our
00:26:32.92\00:26:38.03
rightful home. He never intended
for economic decline and people
00:26:38.03\00:26:42.16
could be bankrupt. He never
intended for people to die of
cancer. He never intended for
00:26:42.16\00:26:45.67
people to die of old age. He
never intended for there to be
00:26:45.67\00:26:49.37
hip surgeries. He never intended
for there to be hospitals. He
never intended for there to
00:26:49.37\00:26:53.27
be rejection in relationships.
He never intended any of that.
And so Jesus is coming soon,
00:26:53.27\00:26:59.61
at the appointed time, to make
all those wrongs right. Jesus is
doing all He can in the
00:26:59.61\00:27:05.05
sanctuary to save each and every
one of us. Will we today make
00:27:05.05\00:27:10.43
the decision to accept the work
He is doing? We don't have to
00:27:10.43\00:27:14.73
fear the Judgment. God has an
appointed time for the Judgment.
The Judgment is not something
00:27:14.73\00:27:19.83
we must cringe at. The Judgment
is God's appointed time -- his
00:27:19.83\00:27:25.64
appointed time to prepare His
people. It's something we can
take joy in, because we know
00:27:25.64\00:27:31.38
that, just as Jesus has
transitioned His ministry in the
year 1844, it means one very
00:27:31.38\00:27:38.79
simple thing. We are in the
final hours of Earth's history.
We don't know exactly when He's
00:27:38.79\00:27:43.43
coming. But this is what we
do know -- we are in those final
00:27:43.43\00:27:48.40
hours. God has an appointed time
of Judgment, to prepare us for
00:27:48.40\00:27:54.70
the appointed time of His
return. Heavenly Father, we are
so grateful that in the midst of
00:27:54.70\00:28:01.78
the appointed time of Judgment,
that you have appointed Jesus as
our judge, as our Savior,
00:28:01.78\00:28:10.62
as our comforter. And, Lord,
today we give our lives fully to
00:28:10.62\00:28:18.89
You and ask that You would
save us and prepare us for the
00:28:18.89\00:28:24.07
appointed time. We pray this in
Jesus' name. Amen. Dear friend,
00:28:24.07\00:28:32.54
the Judgment is nothing that we
need to fear. In fact, it is an
opportunity for us to stand
00:28:32.54\00:28:40.58
before God. And Jesus, as our
judge, as our advocate, as our
sacrifice, demonstrates that we
00:28:40.58\00:28:48.99
are ready to go to Heaven with
Him. It is vital that we give
00:28:48.99\00:28:54.50
our lives to Him. And so today
I want to offer you the book
00:28:54.50\00:28:59.43
"Pending Your Case in Court."
This little booklet will give
you information that you need
00:28:59.43\00:29:07.14
to prepare for that day.
Here's the information you need
00:29:07.14\00:29:10.95
to receive today's offer.
>> To request today's offer,
00:29:10.95\00:29:15.35
just log on to
www.itiswrittencanada.ca.
00:29:15.35\00:29:19.99
If you prefer, you may call
toll-free at 1-888-CALL-IIW.
00:29:19.99\00:29:26.16
>> Dear friend, we want to be
prepared for the appointed time.
00:29:26.16\00:29:29.86
I invite you to go to our
website, itiswrittencanada.ca.
00:29:29.86\00:29:33.47
And there you'll find resources
to grow in your spiritual life.
00:29:33.47\00:29:36.97
Also invite you to like us
on Facebook or follow us on
00:29:36.97\00:29:40.21
Twitter. There, you'll receive
00:29:40.21\00:29:42.18
inspirational quotes to help you
draw nearer to Jesus. I hope
this program inspired you
00:29:42.18\00:29:48.68
to be a follower of Jesus today.
I invite you to join us again
00:29:48.68\00:29:53.15
next week. Until then, remember,
it is written, "Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by
00:29:53.15\00:30:00.16
every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:30:00.16\00:30:04.13
い い
00:30:04.13\00:30:18.61