(upbeat music)
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>>Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
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brought to you by It Is Written.
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We're delighted that you could
join us once again this week.
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We are making rapid progress
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through this
quarter's series of lessons.
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In fact, we've
only got two to go,
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well, three to go,
two after today's program.
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We're on lesson
number 11, looking at
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"The Seal of God and the
Mark of the Beast: Part 1,"
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which of course, implies that
there's going to be a Part 2,
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which will be next week,
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but we got a little ground
to cover between now and then.
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Our guest this week
as each week this quarter
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is going to be
Pastor Mark Finley,
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he's an international
speaker and evangelist.
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You're well
accustomed to hearing him
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share thoughts on this,
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because of
course, he is the author
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of this quarter's lesson.
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We'll be hearing
from him in just a moment.
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But before we do, we're
gonna spend a moment in prayer.
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Let's pray.
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Father, we wanna
thank You for being with us,
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for guiding and
directing our study.
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And as we look at a
significant subject this week,
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we ask that You
would illumine our minds
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so that we may
understand where we are
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in the grand scheme of things
and what is shortly to come.
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Help us to end
up on the right side
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in this great controversy.
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We ask in Jesus' name,
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amen. >>Amen.
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>>Pastor Mark, this week,
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"The Seal of God and
Mark of the Beast: Part 1".
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Welcome, we're glad that you're
gonna lead us through this.
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>>I'm so glad to do that.
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You know, you
can't cover this topic
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that's so deep and
detailed in one lesson.
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So, we've kind of
split it into two lessons,
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looking at what is
the mark of the beast,
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who is the beast power,
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what issues are
coming in the future,
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and what is the seal of God
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and how can I
receive the seal of God?
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So, we'll look at
that in both lessons.
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>>So these are some, can
be, some controversial subjects,
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but we're gonna
base what we study
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on the Bible as we always do
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and come to some conclusions
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that are sound, make
sense, and profoundly biblical.
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I wanna begin by reading
the first couple of paragraphs
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that you have penned
in this week's lesson.
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It says, "As we
study end-time events
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"in regard to the
mark of the beast,
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"one crucial
point that comes through
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"is the difference
between how God operates
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"and how the
enemy of souls does.
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"As we have been
studying, the central issues
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"in the great controversy
between Christ and Satan,
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"[focus on] loyalty,
authority, and worship.
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"The prophecies describing the
beast power in Revelation 13,
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"the little horn in Daniel 7,
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"and the 'son of
perdition' in 2 Thessalonians 2
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"all speak of a power that
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"usurps God's
authority, commands loyalty,
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"and introduces a
counterfeit system of worship.
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"And [they do] so
through the use of force,
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"coercion, and at
times bribes and rewards--
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all in order to compel worship."
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I wonder if you might reflect on
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those statements for a moment
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and help launch us
into this week's lesson.
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>>Sure, thank you.
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The essence of the beast power
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is-- the beast power attempts
to usurp God's authority.
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Satan uses
deception to accomplish that,
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and he does it
through deception, coercion,
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the restriction
of religious liberty.
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He does it through
force and pressure,
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economic boycott, and the
threats of a death decree.
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The weapon that God has is love,
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the weapon that
God has is truth.
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So, you see this
contrast between the beast power
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with his attempt
to force and coerce,
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with God attempting to love
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and win us through
His mercy and grace.
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You see on this hand, the
devil working through deception
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and God working through truth.
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And that's what
this final controversy,
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Pastor Eric, is all about.
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>>You know, when you
look at effective ways
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to get someone to do something,
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I've often heard it said that
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fear is a great
short-term motivator.
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If someone is
holding a gun to your head,
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you're inclined
to do what they ask,
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but when they
take that gun away,
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you're less inclined to do
what they wanted you to do.
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Love, on the other hand, is
a great long-term motivator.
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And so, God is looking for
people who will follow Him,
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who will serve Him,
who will glorify Him
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out of love rather than fear.
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>>Exactly, and that's what
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the great theme of
Revelation is all about.
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The winsomeness of
Christ, the majesty of Christ,
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the power of
Christ, the grace of Christ,
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the mercy of Christ,
to win us to Himself.
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He uses, not force, but love.
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>>With that in mind,
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Sunday's lesson is
titled "Steadfast Endurance."
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"Steadfast
Endurance," and the passage
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that you reference there is
Revelation 14, verse number 12,
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and this is, I think, a
familiar passage to many.
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But in Revelation
14, verse 12 it says,
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"Here is the
patience of the saints;
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"here are those who
keep the commandments of God
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and the faith of Jesus."
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So, "the
patience of the saints,"
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this idea of
steadfast endurance,
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what can you help us
to understand about that?
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>>Well, there's a
couple things here
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that I think are important.
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One, is it'll take
steadfast endurance
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to get through
the coming conflict.
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The Bible predicts, as we'll
get into in this very lesson,
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that there's a time coming
when nobody can buy or sell.
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There'll be a death
decree hanging over our heads
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and it'll take
steadfast endurance.
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There are those who believe that
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we will be raptured
before the time of trouble.
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But Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego
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weren't raptured
before the fiery furnace.
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They went in, but
Christ was there with them.
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Daniel was not
raptured before the lions' den.
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He went in, but
was protected by God.
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The Israelites were not raptured
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before the plagues
were poured out in Egypt.
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They survived
through the plagues
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and were
delivered after the plagues.
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And the book of
Corinthians says,
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"All these things happened
[to] them [as] examples:
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"and...are written
for our admonition,
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upon whom the ends
of the world are come."
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So the Bible teaches that
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we will go through the
final crisis trusting God,
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but then, notice
what our text says.
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It says, here is
the steadfast endurance
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to go through that time.
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"Here are they that keep
the commandments of God,"
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I'll come back to that,
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"and the faith of Jesus."
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Now, it's interesting, it
doesn't say faith in Jesus.
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I'm sure it's
faith in Jesus as well.
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What is the faith of Jesus?
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It's the quality of
faith that Christ had,
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when He was on the cross,
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that could not see
through the portals of the tomb.
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When Jesus was on the
cross, bearing the condemnation,
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the guilt, and
the sins of humanity,
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and the guilt of
sin was so great,
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He sensed the
consequences of sin.
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He did not see
Himself, at that moment,
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coming out of the tomb,
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although He had said previously,
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"Destroy this body in three
days, I'll raise it up again."
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At that moment
when sin was so great,
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when the sins of the world
had so accumulated upon Him,
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in their guilt and shame,
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in the hiding of
His Father's face,
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in the darkness of the
cross, what did Jesus say?
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"Father, into Thy
hands I commend my spirit."
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That's the faith of Jesus.
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The faith of Jesus is
trusting when you cannot see.
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It is believing,
when you don't know
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the end from the beginning.
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So the faith of Jesus is
the quality of Christ's faith,
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in our heart, that will
give us steadfast endurance,
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so that we keep
the commandments of God
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through the time of trouble.
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>>And there's
nothing that we can do
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to increase that
faith in and of ourselves.
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We can't, as it were,
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pull ourselves
up by our bootstraps
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or bear down stronger
and increase our faith,
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if our faith is a little weak.
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Kind of like the
fellow who met Jesus and said,
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"Lord, I believe;
help Thou mine unbelief."
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What could we do
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to strengthen
our faith in Jesus,
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so we can have
that faith of Jesus?
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>>There are two
wonderful Bible passages
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that answer that question.
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The first is found
in Romans 15, verse 4.
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And in Romans 15,
verse 4, it tells us this,
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that when we come to Christ,
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He gives us a measure of faith.
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So, Romans 15, and we're
looking there at verse four,
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and you can read that for us,
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if you would please.
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>>Romans 15, verse 4 says,
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"For whatever
things [are] written before
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"were written for our learning,
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"that we through
the patience and comfort
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of the
Scriptures might have hope."
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>>Okay. So, God has
written things beforehand
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so that we will have patience.
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What's that patience?
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Steadfast endurance. >>Yes.
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>>So,
notice--compare that passage
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with Romans 10 and verse 17.
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So some things
were written beforehand
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so that we can have patience.
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And Romans 10,
verse 17 puts it this way,
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"So then faith
comes by hearing,"
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and hearing, by what?
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"The word of
God." >>The word of God.
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>>So as I open my
mind to God's Word,
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I will develop
steadfast into assurance
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and my faith will grow.
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So faith grows as we fill
our minds with God's Word.
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As I study the
gospels, and I see Jesus
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touching the eyes of the
blind, and they're opened,
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touching the ears of the
deaf and they're unstopped,
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and healing the
withered man's arms,
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I can have faith in that Jesus.
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I see what He's done for others,
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I know He can do
something for me.
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When I see Him forgiving sins
of Mary, caught in adultery,
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when I see Him
delivering the demoniac.
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So the more you
study the Word of God,
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the more your
faith is gonna grow.
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The other aspect of this is,
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faith grows as we exercise it.
00:10:00.96\00:10:02.93
So God's gonna
give us little trials,
00:10:02.93\00:10:04.83
He's not gonna give us,
00:10:04.83\00:10:06.23
He's gonna allow us to
experience trials in our life.
00:10:06.23\00:10:08.30
Satan brings the
trials in our life,
00:10:08.30\00:10:09.94
but He's gonna allow us
to experience those trials.
00:10:09.94\00:10:13.07
As we experience
those trials and have faith
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and see God's deliverance,
our faith is gonna grow.
00:10:15.94\00:10:18.81
It's like a
weightlifter who lifts weights.
00:10:18.81\00:10:22.15
You start with 5
pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds,
00:10:22.15\00:10:24.75
you know, 100 pounds, 100--
00:10:24.75\00:10:26.12
whatever you're gonna go up to,
00:10:26.12\00:10:27.62
and you grow
your muscles that way.
00:10:27.62\00:10:30.76
We grow muscles of
faith by exercising faith.
00:10:30.76\00:10:33.16
So, how do you grow faith?
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One, believe that God and
Jesus is the author of faith.
00:10:34.73\00:10:38.10
Two, fill your mind
with the Word of God
00:10:38.10\00:10:40.70
and claim the promises
of God's Word by faith.
00:10:40.70\00:10:43.37
Say, "This promise is for me."
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And three, exercise faith
and watch God grow your faith.
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>>So this steadfast endurance
00:10:49.44\00:10:51.91
can be experienced by
us as our faith grows.
00:10:51.91\00:10:56.05
There's something that plays,
sometimes at odds with faith,
00:10:56.05\00:10:59.65
and that is our feelings.
00:10:59.65\00:11:01.36
And there are many
who walk more by feelings
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than they do by faith.
00:11:04.56\00:11:06.43
How might one, if
they're not feeling
00:11:06.43\00:11:09.33
like they have what
it takes to make it,
00:11:09.33\00:11:13.00
how might they bridge a
gap between feeling and faith?
00:11:13.00\00:11:16.67
Or at least understand that even
00:11:16.67\00:11:19.34
if they don't feel 100%,
00:11:19.34\00:11:22.34
that faith can still
00:11:22.34\00:11:23.45
be running strong? >>Sure.
00:11:23.45\00:11:25.71
Feelings are natural.
00:11:25.71\00:11:27.28
We have feelings of
fear, feelings of anxiety,
00:11:27.28\00:11:30.35
feelings of worry.
00:11:30.35\00:11:32.05
We have feelings of
joy, feelings of gladness.
00:11:32.05\00:11:34.76
So feelings sweep over us.
00:11:34.76\00:11:36.22
We are human beings
created to experience feelings.
00:11:36.22\00:11:40.86
So feelings in themselves
are not necessarily wrong.
00:11:40.86\00:11:44.10
What becomes challenging is,
00:11:44.10\00:11:45.70
if you let your
feelings dominate your life,
00:11:45.70\00:11:48.10
if you live by your feelings.
00:11:48.10\00:11:50.41
So here are
feelings, here is faith.
00:11:50.41\00:11:53.64
What connects me to
Christ is my choice.
00:11:53.64\00:11:58.01
I can choose to harbor
feelings of bitterness,
00:11:58.01\00:12:01.02
anger, and resentment.
00:12:01.02\00:12:02.45
Those feelings
may sweep over me,
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.69
but I choose to allow
Christ to live in my heart
00:12:04.69\00:12:08.52
and I choose to
receive His power
00:12:08.52\00:12:10.83
and not be
dominated by those feelings.
00:12:10.83\00:12:14.00
Let me give you two
very practical examples.
00:12:14.00\00:12:16.43
Philippians, chapter 4,
verse 13, "I can do all things
00:12:16.43\00:12:19.23
through Christ
[that] strengthens me."
00:12:19.23\00:12:21.50
When you have feelings
of weakness that you cannot
00:12:21.50\00:12:25.81
overcome, claim
the promise of God that
00:12:25.81\00:12:27.88
I can do all
things through Christ,
00:12:27.88\00:12:29.21
and choose to
receive that promise
00:12:29.21\00:12:30.81
and choose to believe it.
00:12:30.81\00:12:31.95
So what do I do? Do
I believe my feelings
00:12:31.95\00:12:33.21
or do I believe
the promise of God?
00:12:33.21\00:12:35.02
Philippians 4:19, "My God
shall supply all your need."
00:12:36.38\00:12:39.62
Do I cherish my
feelings of inadequacy
00:12:39.62\00:12:44.13
or do I believe
the promise of God?
00:12:44.13\00:12:46.56
So, faith grows as
I claim God's promises
00:12:46.56\00:12:50.67
and don't allow the
feelings to dominate my life.
00:12:50.67\00:12:54.40
>>Very good.
00:12:54.40\00:12:55.67
Well, hopefully, that
will be an encouragement
00:12:55.67\00:12:57.31
to you or someone that
you are trying to encourage.
00:12:57.31\00:13:01.11
I encourage them
to walk by faith,
00:13:01.11\00:13:02.74
to get to know Christ better
and to walk in that faith.
00:13:02.74\00:13:07.02
We've been looking
at steadfast endurance,
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.48
something that each
one of us needs to have,
00:13:09.48\00:13:12.02
as Christ had, as we
walk closer and closer
00:13:12.02\00:13:15.76
to these trials that are
coming on us very, very soon.
00:13:15.76\00:13:19.59
I wanna encourage
you to pick up this book.
00:13:19.59\00:13:21.60
I know we're pretty
far through the quarter.
00:13:21.60\00:13:24.63
We're at week number 11,
only a couple weeks to go,
00:13:24.63\00:13:27.50
but it is not too
late to pick this book up
00:13:27.50\00:13:29.40
and to gain a lot from it.
00:13:29.40\00:13:31.41
This is the companion book
00:13:31.41\00:13:32.61
to this quarter's
Sabbath school lesson
00:13:32.61\00:13:34.48
called "Three Cosmic
Messages" by Pastor Mark Finley.
00:13:34.48\00:13:38.21
You can pick this
up at itiswritten.shop,
00:13:38.21\00:13:41.65
again, itiswritten.shop.
00:13:41.65\00:13:44.15
It's a powerful
volume that will add
00:13:44.15\00:13:47.06
much to your study
of this great subject.
00:13:47.06\00:13:49.72
We're going to come
back in just a moment
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.16
as we continue our look at
00:13:51.16\00:13:52.83
"The Seal of God and
the Mark of the Beast,"
00:13:52.83\00:13:55.50
especially, focusing
on the mark of the beast,
00:13:55.50\00:13:58.20
here, coming up very soon.
00:13:58.20\00:13:59.60
We'll be right back.
00:13:59.60\00:14:00.60
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00:14:20.62\00:14:24.53
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00:14:24.53\00:14:27.30
Our number,
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00:14:27.30\00:14:31.73
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>>Welcome back
to "Sabbath School,"
00:15:10.61\00:15:11.61
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.17
We're looking at
00:15:13.17\00:15:14.38
"The Seal of God and
the Mark of the Beast."
00:15:14.38\00:15:16.68
Pastor Mark, I wanna jump
to Tuesday's lesson right now.
00:15:16.68\00:15:20.85
Tuesday you called
"An Ungodly Chain."
00:15:20.85\00:15:24.02
Now, there's a list
of things happening here,
00:15:24.02\00:15:26.86
events that are coming that are,
00:15:26.86\00:15:28.52
to say the least, unpleasant.
00:15:29.59\00:15:31.16
Now, there's some things that
00:15:31.16\00:15:32.09
are going to be happening here.
00:15:32.09\00:15:34.10
Flesh that out a
little bit for us.
00:15:34.10\00:15:36.06
>>The reason we call
this "The Ungodly Chain"
00:15:36.06\00:15:38.10
is because down through history,
00:15:38.10\00:15:39.57
Satan has attempted to
destroy the people of God.
00:15:39.57\00:15:42.54
We saw this for
example, in Egypt, with Pharaoh,
00:15:42.54\00:15:45.91
in the oppression that
he had on God's people.
00:15:45.91\00:15:48.08
We saw in Babylon
with Nebuchadnezzar
00:15:48.08\00:15:50.35
trying to destroy God's people,
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.41
setting up the counterfeit
image on the plains of Dura.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.98
We saw it in the
casting of Daniel
00:15:54.98\00:15:57.89
into the lions' den with Darius.
00:15:57.89\00:16:00.52
So "The Ungodly
Chain," we've seen that
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.52
in the Roman, pagan Roman,
persecutions in the first,
00:16:02.52\00:16:06.93
and second, third centuries.
00:16:06.93\00:16:09.26
We've seen that in
the Dark Ages as well.
00:16:09.26\00:16:12.20
This ungodly chain
where Satan uses force,
00:16:12.20\00:16:16.24
coercion, pressure to
destroy the people of God.
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.21
Revelation talks about the
climax of the ungodly chain
00:16:19.21\00:16:23.78
in Revelation, chapter 13,
00:16:23.78\00:16:26.58
looking there at verse 15 to 17.
00:16:26.58\00:16:29.72
Would you like to
read those, Pastor Eric?
00:16:29.72\00:16:31.62
>>"He was granted
power to give breath
00:16:31.62\00:16:33.99
"to the image of the beast,
00:16:33.99\00:16:35.46
"that the image of the
beast should both speak
00:16:35.46\00:16:37.46
"and cause [that]
as many as would not
00:16:37.46\00:16:39.19
"worship the image of
the beast [should] be killed.
00:16:39.19\00:16:42.06
"He causes all,
both small and great,
00:16:42.06\00:16:44.30
"rich and poor, free and slave,
00:16:44.30\00:16:46.33
"to receive a mark
on their right hand
00:16:46.33\00:16:48.14
"or on their foreheads,
00:16:48.14\00:16:49.27
"and that no one may buy or sell
00:16:49.27\00:16:51.71
"except one who has the
mark or the name of the beast,
00:16:51.71\00:16:55.11
or the number of his name."
00:16:55.11\00:16:56.95
>>So the Bible predicts that
00:16:56.95\00:16:58.38
there'll be a union of
church and state in the future,
00:16:58.38\00:17:01.05
just like there was in
the days of ancient Babylon,
00:17:01.05\00:17:04.75
when Nebuchadnezzar
made that golden image,
00:17:04.75\00:17:07.69
a counterfeit
image, in an attempt
00:17:07.69\00:17:10.36
to force and coerce
worship in his empire.
00:17:10.36\00:17:13.66
Now, this talks about
two major things here.
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.40
One, an economic boycott,
00:17:16.40\00:17:18.47
a time when no
man could buy or sell
00:17:18.47\00:17:20.57
except he had the
mark of the beast.
00:17:20.57\00:17:23.10
And second, a death decree.
00:17:23.10\00:17:25.61
Now, when we
think of those things,
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.21
those are not very
pleasant things to think about,
00:17:27.21\00:17:29.38
they're tough, but
we need to think about
00:17:29.38\00:17:31.68
them in the context
of Christ being with us
00:17:31.68\00:17:34.18
during that period of time.
00:17:34.18\00:17:35.95
Now, notice it says
the mark of the beast
00:17:35.95\00:17:37.72
is received either in
the hand or on the forehead.
00:17:37.72\00:17:41.72
The forehead, throughout the
Bible, is a symbol of thinking,
00:17:41.72\00:17:45.49
conscious reasoning, choice,
00:17:45.49\00:17:48.53
the mental assent to something.
00:17:48.53\00:17:51.27
The forehead has to
do with the forebrain.
00:17:51.27\00:17:54.00
The hand has to do with
pressure, coercion, force.
00:17:55.37\00:18:00.14
The seal of God,
00:18:00.68\00:18:01.94
which we'll study in
our next week's lesson,
00:18:01.94\00:18:04.21
is only given on the forehead,
00:18:04.21\00:18:08.85
because God only wants
us to have positive choice.
00:18:08.85\00:18:11.92
So, it says the seal of
God is in your forehead.
00:18:11.92\00:18:14.36
We choose to respond
to His love and obey Him.
00:18:14.36\00:18:18.46
The mark of the
beast is received
00:18:18.46\00:18:20.96
in the forehead or in the hand.
00:18:20.96\00:18:23.30
And either the
devil wants to deceive you
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.00
or he wants to
pressure or coerce you.
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.37
>>Very good.
00:18:28.37\00:18:29.74
So that helps us
understand this ungodly chain
00:18:29.74\00:18:32.64
that's going on here.
00:18:32.64\00:18:34.38
Ultimately, as you mentioned,
00:18:35.34\00:18:36.75
everybody's gonna
choose one way or the other,
00:18:36.75\00:18:38.48
the seal of God or
the mark of the beast.
00:18:38.48\00:18:40.12
Those who will be
saved, those who will be lost.
00:18:40.12\00:18:42.75
God is in the
business of saving people,
00:18:42.75\00:18:44.62
He wants people to be saved,
00:18:44.62\00:18:46.39
and He's not going to pronounce
00:18:46.39\00:18:47.99
this terrible,
ominous condition to the world
00:18:47.99\00:18:51.49
and not tell us who the beast is
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.40
and what the
mark is and so forth.
00:18:53.40\00:18:55.30
How would we identify
the beast power, to make sure
00:18:55.30\00:18:59.00
that we end up on the right
side and not on the beast side?
00:18:59.00\00:19:03.07
>>The book of
Revelation clearly gives us
00:19:03.07\00:19:06.98
a significant number of
marks of the beast power,
00:19:06.98\00:19:11.38
signs of the beast
power, identifying clues.
00:19:11.38\00:19:14.82
You know, if I were
coming to the airport
00:19:14.82\00:19:17.59
and we had never met before
00:19:17.59\00:19:19.95
and my secretary
sent you a note, says,
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.22
"Mark Finley is about six
foot one, he weighs about 165.
00:19:22.22\00:19:26.93
He's gonna be wearing
a pinstriped bluish suit.
00:19:26.93\00:19:30.67
He'll have a grayish
blue tie, a light blue shirt."
00:19:30.67\00:19:34.87
If somebody walks off the plane,
00:19:34.87\00:19:36.30
they're six foot one
and 250, that's not me.
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.44
If somebody walks off the plane
00:19:39.44\00:19:40.98
and they're six
foot one, 165 pounds,
00:19:40.98\00:19:43.68
and they have a
red tie, that's not me.
00:19:43.68\00:19:45.88
If they have a plaid shirt
with no jacket, that's not me.
00:19:45.88\00:19:50.02
You have certain identifying
signs that you would say,
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.72
"Hey, that's the guy."
00:19:52.72\00:19:54.56
Well, in Revelation, chapter
13, we have certain signs.
00:19:54.56\00:19:57.76
Let's look at
them, and just look at
00:19:57.76\00:19:59.63
a couple of them
today, in this program,
00:19:59.63\00:20:01.43
and then we'll look at some more
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.96
in our next program, next week.
00:20:02.96\00:20:06.77
But in Revelation 13, it says,
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.50
"Then I stood on
the sand of the sea."
00:20:08.50\00:20:11.24
Verse one, "And...saw a
beast rising up out of the sea,
00:20:11.24\00:20:15.31
"[he has] seven
heads and ten horns,
00:20:15.31\00:20:18.51
"and on his horns ten crowns,
00:20:18.51\00:20:20.55
"and on his heads
a blasphemous name.
00:20:20.55\00:20:23.82
"Now the beast which I
saw was like a leopard,
00:20:23.82\00:20:27.06
"his feet were
like the feet of a bear,
00:20:27.06\00:20:29.16
"and his mouth like
the mouth of a lion.
00:20:29.16\00:20:30.86
"The dragon gave him his power,
00:20:30.86\00:20:33.33
his throne, and
great authority."
00:20:33.33\00:20:35.83
Let's stop there.
00:20:35.83\00:20:37.40
Can you remember any time that
00:20:37.40\00:20:39.93
we've seen these beasts before,
00:20:39.93\00:20:42.00
a lion, bear, leopard?
00:20:42.00\00:20:43.61
>>Sounds a lot
like the book of Daniel.
00:20:43.61\00:20:45.41
>>It does, doesn't it?
00:20:45.41\00:20:47.01
And, you know, we read
about, in Daniel, chapter seven,
00:20:47.01\00:20:50.75
about the lion, Babylon,
00:20:50.75\00:20:52.28
and Medo-Persia, the
bear, and the leopard, Greece,
00:20:52.28\00:20:56.12
and then the dragon like Rome.
00:20:56.12\00:20:57.99
And so, here is a
power that follows
00:20:57.99\00:21:01.09
Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
00:21:01.09\00:21:04.43
Then it says the
dragon gave him his power,
00:21:04.43\00:21:08.50
his seat, and great authority.
00:21:08.50\00:21:11.40
Now in Revelation 12, the dragon
is mentioned as the devil.
00:21:11.40\00:21:16.40
Revelation 12,
verse 7, says that,
00:21:16.40\00:21:19.17
the great dragon is Satan.
00:21:19.17\00:21:22.61
We come down to
say verse 7, 8, 9,
00:21:22.61\00:21:26.25
and maybe just to
summarize it, to save time,
00:21:26.25\00:21:29.62
you can read verse nine for us.
00:21:29.62\00:21:31.42
>>Verse nine says,
00:21:31.42\00:21:32.59
"So the great
dragon was cast out,
00:21:32.59\00:21:34.12
"that serpent of old,
called the Devil and Satan,
00:21:34.12\00:21:36.49
"who deceives the whole world;
00:21:36.49\00:21:38.16
"he was cast to the earth,
00:21:38.16\00:21:40.00
and his angels
were cast out with him."
00:21:40.00\00:21:42.30
>>Yeah, so the dragon there
primarily represents Satan,
00:21:42.30\00:21:45.70
but the dragon always
works through earthly powers.
00:21:45.70\00:21:48.60
And so, in
Revelation, chapter 12,
00:21:48.60\00:21:50.37
you find the dragon
trying to destroy Christ.
00:21:50.37\00:21:54.11
Well, who did he use to do that?
00:21:54.11\00:21:56.58
He certainly used pagan Rome.
00:21:56.58\00:21:58.51
He worked through the
political powers of pagan Rome.
00:21:58.51\00:22:01.25
He attempted to destroy
Jesus as a decree was passed
00:22:02.58\00:22:06.35
that male children
under two be killed.
00:22:06.35\00:22:08.89
Then you see Jesus tried
00:22:09.92\00:22:13.26
by a Roman governor, Pilate;
00:22:13.26\00:22:15.76
Jesus nailed to the
cross by Roman soldiers.
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.83
You see it was a Roman seal
that was on the tomb of Christ.
00:22:18.83\00:22:23.10
So, the devil
worked through pagan Rome.
00:22:23.10\00:22:26.37
Now, here it says, the
dragon gives this new power
00:22:27.68\00:22:30.41
that follows Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome,
00:22:30.41\00:22:33.85
the lion, the bear,
the leopard, the dragon.
00:22:33.85\00:22:36.22
The pagan Rome,
working through the dragon,
00:22:36.22\00:22:39.22
Satan working through
the dragon power, pagan Rome,
00:22:39.22\00:22:41.69
gives its authority to somebody.
00:22:41.69\00:22:43.49
But the question is,
00:22:43.49\00:22:44.69
who did pagan Rome
give its authority to?
00:22:44.69\00:22:48.00
And here, in the lesson,
00:22:48.00\00:22:51.83
on Wednesday's lesson,
00:22:51.83\00:22:54.84
we quote the
Adventist Bible Commentary
00:22:54.84\00:22:59.81
and also historian A.C. Flick.
00:22:59.81\00:23:03.11
And this helps us to understand
00:23:03.11\00:23:05.58
where this new power arose
00:23:06.95\00:23:09.68
and who Satan worked through
00:23:09.68\00:23:14.32
to give his authority
00:23:14.32\00:23:16.29
to this new power and
who the new power was.
00:23:16.29\00:23:19.13
So, do you have it there?
00:23:19.13\00:23:20.80
>>I do.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.20
It says, "Though
primarily representing Satan,
00:23:22.20\00:23:25.00
"the dragon, in
a secondary sense,
00:23:25.00\00:23:27.04
"represents the Roman Empire.
00:23:27.04\00:23:29.44
"The power
succeeding the Roman Empire,
00:23:29.44\00:23:31.94
"which received from the dragon
00:23:31.94\00:23:33.48
"'his power, and his
seat, and great authority'
00:23:33.48\00:23:36.34
is clearly papal Rome."
00:23:36.34\00:23:39.01
>>And then historian
Flick's statement as well.
00:23:39.01\00:23:41.12
>>Yep, and then it says,
00:23:41.12\00:23:42.38
"Out of the ruins
of political Rome,
00:23:42.38\00:23:44.49
"arose the great moral Empire
00:23:44.49\00:23:46.45
in the 'giant form'
of the Roman Church."
00:23:46.45\00:23:49.39
>>So, when Rome
faded into insignificance,
00:23:49.39\00:23:52.13
as the barbarian
tribes are coming down
00:23:52.13\00:23:53.90
and dividing up
Rome, the Roman Empire,
00:23:53.90\00:23:56.46
and as
Constantine moved his kingdom
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.20
from Rome to Constantinople,
00:23:58.20\00:24:00.74
the vacuum was
filled by the popes of Rome.
00:24:00.74\00:24:04.91
So, the dragon, pagan Rome,
00:24:04.91\00:24:08.28
Satan working through
pagan Rome, gives its authority.
00:24:08.28\00:24:11.31
In fact, in Stanley's
history of the Roman Empire,
00:24:11.31\00:24:15.38
it says that the Roman church
00:24:15.38\00:24:18.85
received the seat
of its government,
00:24:18.85\00:24:20.49
used the very same language,
and authority from pagan Rome.
00:24:20.49\00:24:23.63
So that's a pretty
well-known historical fact.
00:24:23.63\00:24:26.06
Now, I need to
point out that the Bible
00:24:26.06\00:24:28.00
is not condemning
individual Roman Catholics.
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.37
It's not condemning individuals,
00:24:31.37\00:24:33.97
it's pointing out a vast system
00:24:33.97\00:24:35.87
that grew out of pagan
Rome, namely papal Rome.
00:24:35.87\00:24:40.18
I was brought up in a
lovely Roman Catholic home
00:24:40.18\00:24:43.08
and attended
Catholic church for years;
00:24:43.08\00:24:46.72
my first elementary school
years till I was 17 years old.
00:24:46.72\00:24:50.29
But then discovered these truths
00:24:50.29\00:24:52.22
and it just changed my life.
00:24:52.22\00:24:54.22
I found Jesus as my mediator,
00:24:54.22\00:24:56.32
I found Christ as my savior,
00:24:56.32\00:24:58.73
I found the truths
of the Word of God,
00:24:58.73\00:25:00.63
or I said I found
them, they found me.
00:25:00.63\00:25:02.96
Jesus reached out to
me and touched my life,
00:25:02.96\00:25:05.40
and it's been my
thrill to preach these things.
00:25:05.40\00:25:07.40
So here's one
identifying characteristic,
00:25:07.40\00:25:09.94
that is, this beast
power in Revelation 13,
00:25:09.94\00:25:13.04
whoever that is, gets its
authority from pagan Rome.
00:25:13.04\00:25:16.11
But there are many more.
00:25:16.11\00:25:17.78
>>So we've got
some indicators here,
00:25:17.78\00:25:20.62
of the identity of
this particular power.
00:25:20.62\00:25:23.89
And again, as you mentioned,
00:25:23.89\00:25:25.52
God is not
against people. >>Right.
00:25:25.52\00:25:28.69
>>He is against error.
00:25:28.69\00:25:30.23
He doesn't appreciate
systems that teach error,
00:25:30.23\00:25:33.93
but He loves the people
who are in those systems.
00:25:33.93\00:25:38.40
He loves all
sinners, including you and me,
00:25:38.40\00:25:41.70
and that's what gives us hope.
00:25:41.70\00:25:43.14
Anything else that we can do
00:25:43.14\00:25:44.54
to help identify
this beast power--
00:25:44.54\00:25:47.01
>>There is.
>>...gives us any other ideas.
00:25:47.01\00:25:48.24
>>There is.
00:25:48.24\00:25:49.74
You know, in the last
lesson of this week, Thursday's,
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.31
"Jesus: Our Only Mediator,"
the book of Revelation,
00:25:53.31\00:25:57.65
chapter 13,
verse 4, verse 5, says,
00:25:57.65\00:26:01.99
"Who's able to make
war with the beast?"
00:26:01.99\00:26:04.06
And it talks
about this beast power;
00:26:04.06\00:26:05.66
it talks about, that
it's fact, that he's a power--
00:26:05.66\00:26:07.66
that it's a system of worship.
00:26:07.66\00:26:10.17
Then it says, verse five,
00:26:10.17\00:26:12.33
"And he was given a mouth
00:26:12.33\00:26:13.90
speaking great
things and blasphemies."
00:26:13.90\00:26:16.67
What is blasphemy?
00:26:16.67\00:26:18.74
The Bible defines
blasphemy in two ways.
00:26:18.74\00:26:21.84
One, Jesus was criticized
00:26:21.84\00:26:26.15
by the
Pharisees, as a blasphemer,
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.28
because He forgave sins.
00:26:28.28\00:26:30.15
The Pharisees said,
00:26:30.15\00:26:31.19
"Who is this that blasphemes?"
00:26:31.19\00:26:35.59
Was Jesus a blasphemer?
00:26:35.59\00:26:37.09
Not at all.
00:26:37.09\00:26:38.59
Why? Because He was the Son
of God and could forgive sin.
00:26:38.59\00:26:41.36
Secondly, the Pharisees said
00:26:41.36\00:26:44.43
anybody who makes man a God,
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.04
makes themself a
God, is a blasphemer.
00:26:48.07\00:26:51.91
And so, Jesus was
claimed to be a blasphemer
00:26:51.91\00:26:54.81
because they said He
was exalting Himself of God.
00:26:54.81\00:26:57.41
Does the Roman church claim
the ability to forgive sin?
00:26:58.81\00:27:02.32
And does the Roman church claim
00:27:02.32\00:27:04.69
that its leader
stands in the place of God?
00:27:04.69\00:27:07.49
Well, there are
clear historical statements
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.49
that indicate that it does.
00:27:09.49\00:27:12.16
So here are two very fascinating
00:27:12.16\00:27:14.86
identifying characteristics.
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.63
What does this
tell us spiritually?
00:27:16.63\00:27:18.50
It tells us, my friend,
that we have one mediator,
00:27:18.50\00:27:21.27
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:27:21.27\00:27:22.70
>>Amen.
00:27:23.74\00:27:24.97
And we need to get to know Him,
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.28
and to get to
know Him personally,
00:27:27.28\00:27:28.64
because He is the one
who can lead us through.
00:27:28.64\00:27:30.91
Pastor Mark, thank you
again for joining us this week.
00:27:30.91\00:27:33.48
Thank you for joining us.
00:27:33.48\00:27:34.78
We're going to
continue our study next week.
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.79
Two more weeks
left into this quarter
00:27:36.79\00:27:38.95
as we continue dissecting
these three angels' messages.
00:27:38.95\00:27:42.39
God bless you,
00:27:42.39\00:27:43.63
and we'll see
you back next time.
00:27:43.63\00:27:45.16
(inspirational music)
00:27:45.16\00:27:48.36
(inspirational music ends)
00:28:26.67\00:28:29.64