(upbeat music)
00:00:00.53\00:00:03.60
>>Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
00:00:16.88\00:00:17.88
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:00:17.88\00:00:19.61
We're glad that you
could join us again this week.
00:00:19.61\00:00:22.25
And this is the 13th
week, the 13th lesson,
00:00:22.25\00:00:25.79
the final lesson in this quarter
on "Three Cosmic Messages,"
00:00:25.79\00:00:30.23
unpacking,
understanding and delving into
00:00:30.23\00:00:32.93
the three angels' messages
of Revelation, chapter 14.
00:00:32.93\00:00:36.80
We're delighted this week
once again to have with us,
00:00:36.80\00:00:39.37
for the last time
this quarter anyway,
00:00:39.37\00:00:41.40
Pastor Mark Finley.
00:00:41.40\00:00:42.67
He's an international
speaker, evangelist,
00:00:42.67\00:00:45.34
well known to those of
you who have been around
00:00:45.34\00:00:47.84
It Is Written for a long time,
00:00:47.84\00:00:49.38
and he's gonna share
with us what we need to know
00:00:49.38\00:00:51.98
to pull this all
together as we look at being
00:00:51.98\00:00:53.72
"Ablaze With God's Glory."
00:00:53.72\00:00:55.35
But before we dive into that,
00:00:55.35\00:00:56.82
we're gonna start with prayer.
00:00:56.82\00:00:58.65
Father, thank You again
for bringing us together.
00:00:58.65\00:01:00.96
Thank You for
bringing us on this journey
00:01:00.96\00:01:03.06
of the last 12
weeks, 13 weeks now.
00:01:03.06\00:01:06.06
And we ask that as we
bring everything together,
00:01:06.06\00:01:08.83
that You would help us to
understand the big picture
00:01:08.83\00:01:11.50
and the role that we play in it.
00:01:11.50\00:01:13.37
We thank You in Jesus' name.
00:01:13.37\00:01:15.40
>>Amen. >>Amen.
00:01:15.40\00:01:16.57
>>Pastor Mark,
welcome back once again.
00:01:16.57\00:01:18.31
>>It's been a delight.
00:01:18.31\00:01:19.71
I've really enjoyed
being with you, Eric.
00:01:19.71\00:01:21.21
>>So this has
been quite the journey.
00:01:21.21\00:01:23.45
We've managed to
take three messages,
00:01:23.45\00:01:26.88
and some might say,
found a way to expand them
00:01:26.88\00:01:30.35
into 13 lessons.
00:01:30.35\00:01:31.75
But really if you
stop and think about it,
00:01:31.75\00:01:33.62
we found a way to
cram that into 13 messages,
00:01:33.62\00:01:36.99
because we've
covered a lot of ground.
00:01:36.99\00:01:38.86
>>We really have.
>>A whole lot of ground.
00:01:38.86\00:01:40.90
Here we are in week number
13, "Ablaze With God's Glory."
00:01:40.90\00:01:45.73
We start this week on Sunday,
00:01:45.73\00:01:49.20
with a lesson or a message,
00:01:49.20\00:01:51.41
a section entitled, "Preparing
for the Final Crisis."
00:01:51.41\00:01:55.84
We've looked at so many elements
00:01:55.84\00:01:58.75
of these three angels' messages,
00:01:58.75\00:02:00.95
and ultimately
it's leading us to
00:02:00.95\00:02:04.15
some very significant events,
00:02:04.15\00:02:06.39
some of which are
kind of beginning now,
00:02:06.39\00:02:08.42
but are going to increase
in a very incredible way
00:02:08.42\00:02:11.83
in the very near future,
00:02:11.83\00:02:13.06
some final
events, a final crisis.
00:02:13.06\00:02:15.86
What's that gonna look like?
00:02:15.86\00:02:17.63
>>You know, both Jesus and John,
00:02:17.63\00:02:20.84
in the book of Revelation,
and Jesus throughout Matthew,
00:02:20.84\00:02:23.24
point out that there are
certain events that lead up
00:02:23.24\00:02:27.11
to the second coming
of Christ, certain signs.
00:02:27.11\00:02:30.08
But both of them point
out that although we can know
00:02:30.08\00:02:32.71
that the time is near, we
cannot know when it is here,
00:02:32.71\00:02:37.09
and there's a
difference in that.
00:02:37.09\00:02:38.49
There are some
people that want to predict
00:02:38.49\00:02:40.46
that Christ is gonna come in
five years, 10 years, 20 years.
00:02:40.46\00:02:44.63
But both Jesus and
Revelation point out that Christ
00:02:44.63\00:02:48.63
will be coming quickly, rapidly,
unexpectedly as a thief,
00:02:48.63\00:02:53.54
but yet, and we'll know
the broad outline of events,
00:02:53.54\00:02:57.01
but we will not know the
exact timing of His coming.
00:02:57.01\00:03:00.61
The Apostle Paul
picks up that theme
00:03:00.61\00:03:03.04
in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5,
00:03:03.04\00:03:06.31
where he says,
starting with verse one,
00:03:06.31\00:03:09.02
"But concerning the
times and...seasons, brethren,
00:03:09.02\00:03:11.99
you have no need that
I should write to you."
00:03:11.99\00:03:13.96
In other words, you know
the general timeframe of this.
00:03:13.96\00:03:16.66
"For you yourselves
know perfectly that the day
00:03:16.66\00:03:18.49
of the Lord...comes...a
thief in the night."
00:03:18.49\00:03:20.50
So, you know the
general timeframe,
00:03:20.50\00:03:22.50
but you don't
know the exact time.
00:03:22.50\00:03:24.97
Most thieves do not announce
they're coming to your house.
00:03:24.97\00:03:29.27
It says, "For you....know
[that] perfectly...the...Lord
00:03:29.27\00:03:31.54
"...comes...a
thief in the night.
00:03:31.54\00:03:32.74
For when they say,
'Peace and safety!'"--
00:03:32.74\00:03:34.41
now another word for
"safety" in the Greek language
00:03:34.41\00:03:36.51
there is "security."
00:03:36.51\00:03:38.11
We hear a lot about that today,
00:03:38.11\00:03:39.68
that men and women desire
peace, a society of peace.
00:03:39.68\00:03:43.15
We have crime running
rampant in our city streets,
00:03:43.15\00:03:46.42
school shootings, they're
just incredibly horrible,
00:03:46.42\00:03:49.56
lawlessness,
break-ins to homes, stores.
00:03:50.63\00:03:55.20
People are longing for
peace and they want security.
00:03:55.20\00:03:57.73
The security business in
the United States is booming.
00:03:57.73\00:04:00.40
Whether it's internet
security that keeps you
00:04:00.40\00:04:04.11
from being hacked on the
internet from the internet
00:04:04.11\00:04:08.04
thieves, whether it
is security in your home
00:04:08.04\00:04:10.71
with security
systems that are being sold,
00:04:10.71\00:04:14.58
whether it is national security,
where you have security
00:04:14.58\00:04:18.35
because of the
government building, weaponry.
00:04:18.35\00:04:20.69
"When they say,
'Peace and [security]!'
00:04:20.69\00:04:23.46
"then sudden
destruction comes upon them,
00:04:23.46\00:04:25.73
"as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman.
00:04:25.73\00:04:28.16
And they [cannot] escape."
00:04:28.16\00:04:29.66
Now, next few verses tell
you exactly how to be ready.
00:04:29.66\00:04:33.60
"But you, [brothers
and sisters, of course,]
00:04:33.60\00:04:35.90
"are not in darkness,
so that [they]...should
00:04:35.90\00:04:37.44
"overtake you as a thief.
00:04:37.44\00:04:38.67
"You are...sons
of [the] light....
00:04:38.67\00:04:40.28
"[We're] not...of darkness.
00:04:40.28\00:04:41.51
"Therefore let us
not sleep, as others do,
00:04:41.51\00:04:44.15
...let us watch and be sober."
00:04:44.15\00:04:46.45
So what is this talking about?
00:04:46.45\00:04:47.92
What it's saying is,
don't be a wild-eyed fanatic
00:04:47.92\00:04:51.29
and say Christ is
coming in two years,
00:04:51.29\00:04:53.02
three years, five years,
00:04:53.02\00:04:54.02
'cause then
when He doesn't come,
00:04:54.02\00:04:55.62
if He doesn't come, if He
does not come at that time,
00:04:55.62\00:04:58.66
you're gonna be discouraged.
00:04:58.66\00:05:00.06
But watch and be ready.
00:05:00.06\00:05:01.66
An old Adventist leader
by the name of Luther Warren,
00:05:01.66\00:05:05.23
he founded the youth department
00:05:05.23\00:05:06.84
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:05:06.84\00:05:08.27
He said this,
00:05:08.27\00:05:09.74
"The only way to be
ready for the second coming
00:05:09.74\00:05:11.37
of Christ is to get
ready today and stay ready."
00:05:11.37\00:05:14.31
When Jesus says,
"Watch," when Paul says,
00:05:14.31\00:05:16.58
"Watch and be sober,"
this is what they mean.
00:05:16.58\00:05:19.21
Be alert.
00:05:19.21\00:05:20.38
Be spiritually alert every day.
00:05:20.38\00:05:24.45
Live your life as
though Christ were coming,
00:05:24.45\00:05:27.86
because if your
heart stops beating,
00:05:27.86\00:05:31.06
for you, the next
thing you're gonna know
00:05:31.06\00:05:32.43
is the coming of Christ.
00:05:32.43\00:05:33.96
So the appeal of Scripture
is to not have our lives
00:05:33.96\00:05:38.23
so cluttered with things
00:05:38.23\00:05:41.27
that we miss the glorious event
00:05:41.27\00:05:43.64
of the second coming of Christ,
00:05:43.64\00:05:45.34
but every day be
spiritually alert.
00:05:45.34\00:05:47.21
Every day have your
life dedicated to Christ.
00:05:47.21\00:05:49.71
Be saturated--saturate
your mind in God's Word.
00:05:49.71\00:05:53.45
Let His grace fill your
heart and wash over you.
00:05:53.45\00:05:56.95
>>You know, Pastor Mark,
that very next verse there,
00:05:56.95\00:05:59.29
verse number eight, I
think continues that idea.
00:05:59.29\00:06:02.59
It says, "But let us
who are of the day be sober,
00:06:02.59\00:06:05.33
"putting on the
breastplate of faith and love,
00:06:05.33\00:06:08.10
and as a helmet
the hope of salvation."
00:06:08.10\00:06:10.27
That sounds not
unlike some counsel that Paul
00:06:10.27\00:06:12.80
has given us
elsewhere in his writings
00:06:12.80\00:06:15.04
about the armor of
righteousness and so forth,
00:06:15.04\00:06:19.81
that Christian armor.
00:06:19.81\00:06:21.38
And every day we need to
put on that Christian armor
00:06:21.38\00:06:24.21
to be ready for
those things that are
00:06:24.21\00:06:26.95
shortly going to come to pass.
00:06:26.95\00:06:28.42
>>Exactly. >>Yeah.
00:06:28.42\00:06:29.62
I wanna jump to
Tuesday's lesson here.
00:06:30.65\00:06:33.76
On Tuesday's lesson there
is an interesting question
00:06:33.76\00:06:38.33
that you ask,
00:06:38.33\00:06:40.13
and it's referring to
Revelation 18, verse number 1.
00:06:40.13\00:06:45.17
It says, "What three
things does John tell us
00:06:46.23\00:06:47.77
about this angel?"
00:06:47.77\00:06:49.40
So let's take a look at
00:06:49.40\00:06:50.71
Revelation,
chapter 18, verse number 1.
00:06:50.71\00:06:53.17
Here's what it says.
00:06:53.17\00:06:54.78
In Revelation 18:1 it says,
00:06:54.78\00:06:56.44
"[And] after these things
00:06:56.44\00:06:57.78
"I saw another angel
coming down from heaven,
00:06:57.78\00:07:00.88
"having great authority,
00:07:00.88\00:07:02.62
and the earth was
illuminated with his glory."
00:07:02.62\00:07:05.72
Of course, this
week's lesson is about being
00:07:05.72\00:07:08.29
"Ablaze With God's Glory."
00:07:08.29\00:07:10.46
What do we know about this angel
00:07:10.46\00:07:12.19
in Revelation,
chapter 18, verse number 1?
00:07:12.19\00:07:14.86
What are some of the
characteristics that this angel
00:07:14.86\00:07:17.40
has and why are
they important to us?
00:07:17.40\00:07:18.90
>>Yeah, I think there
are three significant things
00:07:18.90\00:07:20.54
in this verse.
00:07:20.54\00:07:22.07
First, we have been talking
about three angels' messages
00:07:22.07\00:07:25.31
to prepare people
for the coming of Jesus.
00:07:25.31\00:07:27.84
In the second of those
three angels' messages,
00:07:27.84\00:07:30.21
it says, "Babylon is fallen."
00:07:30.21\00:07:32.05
This reiterates
that announcement,
00:07:32.05\00:07:34.72
and it--Babylon has
fallen lower and lower,
00:07:34.72\00:07:38.99
and it's become a
habitation of demons,
00:07:40.06\00:07:41.79
as we pointed out in
another one of the lessons.
00:07:41.79\00:07:43.69
So the first thing I
would note about this verse
00:07:43.69\00:07:45.76
is it says, "After these
things, I saw another angel,"
00:07:45.76\00:07:48.20
that God has a continued
message for His people.
00:07:48.20\00:07:52.10
He is continually pointing
out the events that are coming.
00:07:52.10\00:07:56.04
The second, it says that
it has, "Great authority."
00:07:56.04\00:07:59.71
Now the word "authority" there,
00:07:59.71\00:08:01.28
of course, the New Testament
is written in Greek language.
00:08:01.28\00:08:03.58
The word "authority" is
a word called "exousía,"
00:08:03.58\00:08:06.72
and it's when Jesus
sent out the disciples
00:08:06.72\00:08:09.38
in Matthew 10:1.
00:08:09.38\00:08:10.62
It says that, "He
gave them authority
00:08:10.62\00:08:12.69
over unclean spirits." Exousía.
00:08:12.69\00:08:15.42
"Exousía" is a word that means
00:08:15.42\00:08:18.66
"one triumphs, not defeated."
00:08:18.66\00:08:21.63
One has triumphed
over the principalities
00:08:21.63\00:08:23.37
and powers of hell.
00:08:23.37\00:08:24.93
So the angel that
comes down from heaven,
00:08:24.93\00:08:26.94
comes down with a
message of authority.
00:08:26.94\00:08:29.27
He comes down with a
message of the living Christ.
00:08:29.27\00:08:31.74
He comes down with
a message of a Jesus
00:08:31.74\00:08:33.74
that triumphed over the
principalities and powers of
00:08:33.74\00:08:36.51
hell, so His people can be
sent out with that message.
00:08:36.51\00:08:40.45
Then it says, "And the
earth was illuminated with his,"
00:08:40.45\00:08:43.69
that is, "[the] glory [of God]."
00:08:43.69\00:08:46.99
The angel
reflects the glory of God.
00:08:46.99\00:08:49.42
The message that goes
forth illuminates the world
00:08:49.42\00:08:53.16
with the glory of God.
00:08:53.16\00:08:54.10
What is God's glory?
00:08:54.10\00:08:55.80
According to Exodus 33,
God's glory is His character.
00:08:55.80\00:09:00.07
So here is a message
that talks about a people
00:09:00.07\00:09:04.67
who complete the
task that Christ began.
00:09:04.67\00:09:08.81
Christ finished
the work on the cross.
00:09:09.91\00:09:12.01
He said, "It is finished."
00:09:12.01\00:09:14.25
His death on the
cross provides salvation,
00:09:14.25\00:09:17.02
full and complete.
00:09:17.02\00:09:19.12
But the work of God on
earth was not finished.
00:09:19.12\00:09:22.26
The plan of
salvation was finished,
00:09:22.26\00:09:24.69
the atonement was complete.
00:09:24.69\00:09:26.53
We can add nothing to it,
00:09:26.53\00:09:27.76
but the work of God on
earth was not finished.
00:09:27.76\00:09:29.43
It is not finished
till every man, woman,
00:09:29.43\00:09:31.13
and child on the face of the
planet hears about the gospel,
00:09:31.13\00:09:34.94
knows about the
knowledge of God.
00:09:34.94\00:09:36.84
And so here, the
character of Christ,
00:09:36.84\00:09:40.01
reflected in His people,
00:09:40.01\00:09:42.14
of love, joy,
peace, longsuffering,
00:09:42.14\00:09:44.91
that will be--illuminate
the earth with the glory of God.
00:09:44.91\00:09:49.98
In fact, throughout
Scripture it talks about
00:09:51.05\00:09:55.12
Christ finishing His work.
00:09:55.12\00:09:56.73
You know, in
Romans 9 it says that
00:09:56.73\00:09:59.79
and, "He will finish the work."
00:09:59.79\00:10:01.70
How does God finish the work?
00:10:01.70\00:10:03.77
He doesn't simply
finish it by angels,
00:10:03.77\00:10:05.60
because if He
were gonna do that,
00:10:05.60\00:10:06.74
He would've
finished it long ago.
00:10:06.74\00:10:08.30
He uses His people,
00:10:08.30\00:10:10.04
both through their life
and their verbal witness,
00:10:10.04\00:10:14.31
to go out and to illuminate
the earth with His glory.
00:10:14.31\00:10:17.35
>>So this sounds,
among other things,
00:10:17.35\00:10:19.35
like a message of mercy,
00:10:19.35\00:10:21.28
because God's not
done saving people.
00:10:21.28\00:10:24.39
Like you said, on the cross,
the work of salvation was done,
00:10:24.39\00:10:28.32
but we're still here.
00:10:28.32\00:10:30.26
Either God is
vindictive and hateful
00:10:30.26\00:10:32.53
and just wants us to keep
living in a messed-up planet
00:10:32.53\00:10:35.76
and experiencing pain
and sadness and death,
00:10:35.76\00:10:38.33
or there's something
still that's going on.
00:10:38.33\00:10:40.84
And God is working
through you, through me,
00:10:40.84\00:10:43.61
through all of us,
to reflect His glory
00:10:43.61\00:10:47.38
into the pathways of others.
00:10:47.38\00:10:49.51
As we embrace Christ, as
we embrace His way of life,
00:10:49.51\00:10:52.38
as we embrace His message, and
share that, not just in word,
00:10:52.38\00:10:56.72
but in the lives that we live,
00:10:56.72\00:10:59.69
other people get to
see a glimpse of Jesus
00:10:59.69\00:11:02.06
that they might have a
hard time getting otherwise.
00:11:02.06\00:11:04.26
>>Exactly.
00:11:04.26\00:11:05.69
And you know, I love here,
what it says in the next verse.
00:11:05.69\00:11:09.43
"He cried with a
loud voice saying,
00:11:09.43\00:11:10.87
'Babylon is fallen, is fallen.'"
00:11:10.87\00:11:12.70
And then he talks about
the nations, verse three,
00:11:12.70\00:11:14.60
being "drunk [with] the
wine of...her fornication,"
00:11:14.60\00:11:16.67
and this union of the church,
state, and economic powers.
00:11:16.67\00:11:21.24
But look at verse four.
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.68
"And I heard another
voice from heaven saying,
00:11:22.68\00:11:24.48
"'Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her sins,
00:11:24.48\00:11:27.72
and lest you
receive of her plagues.'"
00:11:27.72\00:11:29.92
So there is this appeal that
Christ has given to His people,
00:11:29.92\00:11:34.42
whom He desperately loves,
who He desperately wants saved,
00:11:34.42\00:11:38.29
and He appeals to them to
come out of this conglomerate
00:11:38.29\00:11:41.70
of false religiosity, Babylon.
00:11:41.70\00:11:44.43
>>I love in that
verse where He says,
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.60
"Come out of her, my people."
00:11:46.60\00:11:49.70
He claims them as His own.
00:11:49.70\00:11:51.81
Now, they may be
steeped in error,
00:11:51.81\00:11:54.51
the system that
they are a part of may be
00:11:54.51\00:11:57.71
headed downhill fast,
00:11:57.71\00:11:59.41
but He still
has people in there,
00:11:59.41\00:12:00.95
and His desire is
not to see them go down
00:12:00.95\00:12:04.09
with the proverbial ship.
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.79
He wants to save them,
He wants to bring them out.
00:12:05.79\00:12:09.02
And if you happen
to be watching this
00:12:09.02\00:12:11.09
and realize that you are
on a ship that is sinking,
00:12:11.09\00:12:14.83
that is not based upon the
sound foundation of Scripture,
00:12:14.83\00:12:19.73
as it were, God's
message to you may be,
00:12:19.73\00:12:23.00
and in fact is, "Come out."
00:12:23.00\00:12:24.51
I also noticed something
here that God doesn't say.
00:12:25.87\00:12:29.64
He says, if you
find yourself in Babylon,
00:12:29.64\00:12:31.41
He doesn't say
try to reform her.
00:12:31.41\00:12:33.95
His message is
pretty straightforward.
00:12:33.95\00:12:36.28
It's, "Come out."
00:12:36.28\00:12:37.52
>>Yeah. He
doesn't say, "Stay in."
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.09
>>That's right.
>>He says come out.
00:12:39.09\00:12:40.12
>>He says come out, yeah.
00:12:40.12\00:12:41.56
>>You know, and I was
thinking about it, as well,
00:12:41.56\00:12:43.46
the book of Revelation has some
00:12:43.46\00:12:44.69
very
straightforward condemnation.
00:12:44.69\00:12:48.03
It condemns systems.
00:12:48.03\00:12:49.86
It does not condemn individuals
within those systems,
00:12:51.20\00:12:54.40
and I think that's important.
00:12:54.40\00:12:55.90
We've talked, in this series,
about the medieval church,
00:12:55.90\00:13:00.18
the Roman church,
00:13:00.18\00:13:01.51
and the Bible is very
clear on its call to come out.
00:13:01.51\00:13:05.91
We've talked about
other religious organizations,
00:13:05.91\00:13:09.45
apostate religious organizations
within Protestantism.
00:13:09.45\00:13:13.42
God's clarity is, "Come out."
00:13:13.42\00:13:15.89
But God is looking at
broad outlines of systems,
00:13:15.89\00:13:20.63
not people. >>That's right.
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.06
>>And within those systems,
00:13:22.06\00:13:24.40
God has people that
He loves desperately,
00:13:24.40\00:13:27.27
that He's inviting to follow
Jesus and follow His truth.
00:13:27.27\00:13:30.47
>>He absolutely does.
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.37
We're gonna continue
looking in just a moment
00:13:32.37\00:13:34.21
at the earth being
"Ablaze With God's Glory."
00:13:34.21\00:13:37.71
But I wanna
remind you one more time,
00:13:37.71\00:13:39.38
if you haven't done it yet,
00:13:39.38\00:13:40.55
don't let this
opportunity slip by.
00:13:40.55\00:13:42.82
You wanna pick up
the companion book
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.42
to this quarter's lesson.
00:13:44.42\00:13:45.75
You will get so
much more out of it.
00:13:45.75\00:13:48.46
Even if you've gone
through the lessons,
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.03
this adds so much more.
00:13:51.03\00:13:52.46
It's called "Three Cosmic
Messages" by Pastor Mark Finley.
00:13:52.46\00:13:56.10
Where can you find
it? itiswritten.shop.
00:13:56.10\00:13:58.80
Go to itiswritten.shop.
00:13:58.80\00:14:00.24
Pick up "Three Cosmic
Messages" by Pastor Mark Finley,
00:14:00.24\00:14:03.34
and you will gain
so much more insight
00:14:03.34\00:14:05.77
into this quarter's lesson.
00:14:05.77\00:14:07.58
We're going to be
back in just a moment
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.21
with the last
segment, of the last lesson,
00:14:09.21\00:14:12.25
and we're gonna tie
everything together.
00:14:12.25\00:14:14.02
We'll see you
back in just a moment.
00:14:14.02\00:14:15.65
(upbeat music)
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.09
>>More and more
people are watching
00:14:20.12\00:14:21.79
It Is Written TV.
00:14:21.79\00:14:23.29
They're watching their
favorite It Is Written programs,
00:14:24.56\00:14:27.20
listening to inspiring
sermon series, and much more.
00:14:27.20\00:14:31.53
They're watching them
here, here, and even here.
00:14:31.53\00:14:35.44
See for yourself why
people are turning to
00:14:35.44\00:14:37.54
It Is Written TV
00:14:37.54\00:14:39.04
to watch their
favorite Christian programs
00:14:39.04\00:14:41.08
live and on demand.
00:14:41.08\00:14:42.91
Watch It Is Written TV
for free anytime on Roku,
00:14:42.91\00:14:46.48
Apple TV, and at itiswritten.tv.
00:14:46.48\00:14:49.48
(upbeat music)
00:14:50.42\00:14:52.89
>>Welcome back
to "Sabbath School,"
00:14:55.09\00:14:56.36
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:14:56.36\00:14:58.89
We're gonna bring
the last little bit
00:14:58.89\00:15:00.43
of this quarter
together, as we take a look
00:15:00.43\00:15:03.16
at two significant questions,
00:15:03.16\00:15:05.07
and the first one, Pastor Mark,
00:15:05.07\00:15:06.90
the Bible says about
the earth being filled
00:15:06.90\00:15:09.74
with God's glory.
00:15:09.74\00:15:11.21
And in fact, that's the
title of Wednesday's lesson,
00:15:11.21\00:15:13.48
"God's Glory Fills the Earth."
00:15:13.48\00:15:16.98
This sounds phenomenal,
00:15:16.98\00:15:18.91
something to look
forward to, absolutely.
00:15:18.91\00:15:21.88
What do we have to
look forward to when
00:15:21.88\00:15:23.69
God's glory fills this earth?
00:15:23.69\00:15:25.42
What is that all about?
00:15:25.42\00:15:26.79
Unpack that for us if you would.
00:15:26.79\00:15:28.42
>>When I was studying
in preparation to write the
00:15:28.42\00:15:32.39
lessons, I began to look
at this idea of God's glory,
00:15:32.39\00:15:37.03
to find out what it
was associated with.
00:15:37.03\00:15:41.40
And you know,
Revelation 18:1 says,
00:15:41.40\00:15:43.37
"I saw another angel
[come] down from heaven,
00:15:43.37\00:15:46.11
"having great authority,
00:15:46.11\00:15:48.14
and the earth was
illuminated with his glory."
00:15:48.14\00:15:52.18
What is the glory of God?
00:15:52.18\00:15:53.58
Well, obviously
it's His character.
00:15:53.58\00:15:55.82
Why does John use the
expression "the glory of God"?
00:15:55.82\00:16:00.46
Satan attacked God in
this great cosmic conflict
00:16:00.46\00:16:05.03
between good and evil.
00:16:05.03\00:16:06.53
He attacked His authority.
00:16:06.53\00:16:08.60
Satan wanted the
glory that would go to God.
00:16:08.60\00:16:11.63
That's why the message
of the three angels says,
00:16:11.63\00:16:13.67
"Fear God and
give glory to Him."
00:16:13.67\00:16:16.94
Now, when you look at this
idea of giving glory to God,
00:16:16.94\00:16:20.94
I wanna look at three
texts in the book of Revelation
00:16:20.94\00:16:23.95
that I think are
gonna help us a great deal.
00:16:23.95\00:16:26.31
Why do we give glory to God?
00:16:26.31\00:16:28.32
Revelation 4, verse 11.
00:16:28.32\00:16:30.42
"You are worthy, O Lord,
00:16:31.29\00:16:32.95
"to receive glory
and honor and power;
00:16:32.95\00:16:35.59
"for You created all things,
00:16:35.59\00:16:37.13
and by Your will they
exist and were created."
00:16:37.13\00:16:41.73
Notice two things here.
00:16:41.73\00:16:43.37
First, the worthiness
of God to receive worship
00:16:43.37\00:16:47.00
and glory is
because He's the Creator.
00:16:47.00\00:16:49.67
The devil attacked creation.
00:16:49.67\00:16:52.54
But notice two other
words that are linked
00:16:52.54\00:16:55.11
closely with
this, "honor and power."
00:16:55.11\00:16:57.51
What did Satan desire?
00:16:57.51\00:17:01.48
He wanted the
glory that went to God,
00:17:01.48\00:17:03.79
he wanted the
honor that went to God,
00:17:03.79\00:17:05.99
and he wanted God's power.
00:17:05.99\00:17:07.32
Didn't want God's character.
00:17:07.32\00:17:08.96
Why is God worthy of
glory, honor, and power?
00:17:08.96\00:17:11.06
Because He is our Creator.
00:17:11.06\00:17:12.96
But Revelation,
chapter five and verse 12,
00:17:12.96\00:17:18.00
if you look at
five and verse 12,
00:17:19.07\00:17:21.50
it again, you see this.
00:17:21.50\00:17:23.57
It says, and can
you read that, Eric?
00:17:25.27\00:17:27.54
>>Yeah, Verse 12 says,
"Saying with a loud voice:
00:17:27.54\00:17:29.68
"'Worthy is the Lamb who
was slain to receive power
00:17:29.68\00:17:33.38
"'and riches and wisdom,
00:17:33.38\00:17:35.12
and strength and honor
and glory and blessing!'"
00:17:35.12\00:17:39.09
>>Mmm.
00:17:39.09\00:17:40.02
There's seven things there,
00:17:40.02\00:17:41.49
those are the seven things
that Adam and Eve lost by sin.
00:17:41.49\00:17:43.83
They lost power, another
word for that is "dominion."
00:17:43.83\00:17:46.73
They had
dominion over the earth.
00:17:46.73\00:17:48.23
They lost the riches of--
00:17:48.23\00:17:50.47
the richness of the
experience of living in Eden
00:17:50.47\00:17:53.90
and all the treasures of Eden.
00:17:53.90\00:17:55.57
They lost wisdom.
00:17:55.57\00:17:56.74
Their hearts were
deceived and desperate,
00:17:56.74\00:17:58.71
above all things were wicked.
00:17:58.71\00:18:00.58
They became sinful.
00:18:00.58\00:18:02.01
They lost their
strength to resist evil.
00:18:02.01\00:18:04.35
They lost the
honor that they had
00:18:04.35\00:18:07.62
before the whole
universe as created beings.
00:18:07.62\00:18:10.12
They lost their glory.
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.92
Their robes of
righteous were taken from them,
00:18:11.92\00:18:14.82
and now they were naked.
00:18:14.82\00:18:16.36
And they lost the
blessing that heaven had.
00:18:16.36\00:18:18.96
Christ was
slain, as our Redeemer,
00:18:18.96\00:18:22.50
so He could
recover that lost dominion,
00:18:22.50\00:18:25.43
He could recover
those lost riches,
00:18:25.43\00:18:27.27
the wisdom, the
strength, the honor,
00:18:27.27\00:18:28.87
and glory and blessings.
00:18:28.87\00:18:30.04
So why is Jesus
worthy of our worship
00:18:30.04\00:18:33.27
and our honor and our praise?
00:18:33.27\00:18:36.41
Because first, He created us,
00:18:36.41\00:18:38.35
secondly, He redeemed us.
00:18:38.35\00:18:39.81
So what is this glory of God
00:18:39.81\00:18:41.38
in Revelation,
chapter 18 talking about?
00:18:41.38\00:18:44.35
It's talking about the
proclamation that Christ
00:18:44.35\00:18:47.26
is worthy to be worshiped
because He's our Creator.
00:18:47.26\00:18:50.19
Christ is worthy to be worshiped
because He's our Redeemer.
00:18:50.19\00:18:53.40
That the whole earth
is filled with this idea
00:18:53.40\00:18:56.83
of worship and
praise and honor and glory
00:18:56.83\00:19:00.27
to Christ because He
created us and He redeemed us.
00:19:00.27\00:19:02.77
But there's one more
thing about this, too,
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.11
and that is, we're
gonna turn to Revelation,
00:19:05.11\00:19:08.34
and we're going to look
there at chapter 19, verse one.
00:19:08.34\00:19:13.42
This is chapter 19.
00:19:14.08\00:19:15.32
There's another--there
are four hallelujahs
00:19:15.32\00:19:17.32
in Revelation 19,
00:19:17.32\00:19:19.09
but this one is
very fascinating,
00:19:19.09\00:19:21.82
and you wanna pick up
this one in Revelation 19,
00:19:21.82\00:19:25.96
and we're gonna look
there at verse one to start?
00:19:25.96\00:19:28.73
>>Sure. Verse one says,
"After these things," John says,
00:19:28.73\00:19:31.63
"I heard a loud
voice of a great multitude
00:19:31.63\00:19:34.20
"in heaven saying, 'Alleluia!
00:19:34.20\00:19:36.50
"'Salvation and
glory and honor and power
00:19:36.50\00:19:39.67
belong to the Lord our God!'"
00:19:39.67\00:19:41.78
>>Yeah, then verse two.
00:19:41.78\00:19:42.94
"For true and
righteous are His judgments,
00:19:42.94\00:19:44.68
because He has
judged the great harlot."
00:19:44.68\00:19:46.21
That's all the false systems.
00:19:46.21\00:19:47.65
"[He's]...avenged...the blood."
00:19:47.65\00:19:49.02
It gives four hallelujahs,
00:19:49.02\00:19:50.89
then it talks about
Christ coming, in verse 15
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.42
and onward, about King
of kings and Lord of lords.
00:19:53.42\00:19:55.86
So why is He
worthy of our glory?
00:19:55.86\00:19:57.83
Because He's gonna come again.
00:19:57.83\00:19:59.49
He is our
Creator, He's our Redeemer,
00:19:59.49\00:20:01.66
and He's our coming King.
00:20:01.66\00:20:03.03
And so when we read in
Revelation, chapter 18,
00:20:03.03\00:20:07.14
the earth filled
with the glory of God,
00:20:07.14\00:20:09.20
a people
committed to Jesus Christ,
00:20:09.20\00:20:12.51
a people
totally loyal to Christ,
00:20:12.51\00:20:15.68
who are filled
with His love and grace,
00:20:15.68\00:20:19.11
go out to proclaim
that He is the Creator
00:20:19.11\00:20:21.22
in an age of evolution.
00:20:21.22\00:20:23.32
That He is their Redeemer,
00:20:23.32\00:20:25.62
and His grace is
filling their life,
00:20:25.62\00:20:27.56
and He is coming again,
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.02
and the earth is
filled with His glory.
00:20:29.02\00:20:31.06
And what is His
glory? His character.
00:20:31.06\00:20:33.53
But the truth about Christ,
the truth about the Creator God,
00:20:33.53\00:20:37.50
the truth about redemption,
00:20:37.50\00:20:39.13
the truth about
the second coming.
00:20:39.13\00:20:40.67
>>And that character, by His
grace, will be reflected in us.
00:20:40.67\00:20:45.47
>>Yes. >>Those who recognize Him
00:20:45.47\00:20:46.78
as our Creator,
00:20:46.78\00:20:48.01
our Redeemer, and
our soon coming King.
00:20:48.01\00:20:49.54
And that, hopefully, should
shine in the lives of others.
00:20:49.54\00:20:53.62
>>Yes. >>To give
them encouragement,
00:20:53.62\00:20:55.08
to give them hope as the
gospel goes to all the world.
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.99
I've heard some people say,
00:20:57.99\00:20:59.25
"Preach the
gospel to all the world
00:20:59.25\00:21:00.69
and if necessary use words."
00:21:00.69\00:21:03.16
You know, I think
there's some truth to that.
00:21:03.16\00:21:05.49
But certainly through
our lives, through our words,
00:21:05.49\00:21:08.06
through our actions, through
our interactions with others,
00:21:08.06\00:21:11.87
we ought to be giving a
picture of the character of God,
00:21:11.87\00:21:14.94
a loving, caring,
merciful character.
00:21:14.94\00:21:18.14
And yet one
that's coming very soon
00:21:18.14\00:21:20.18
that we need to be ready for.
00:21:20.18\00:21:21.31
>>Exactly.
00:21:21.31\00:21:22.58
This whole concept of
glory of God has to do
00:21:22.58\00:21:25.91
with both what we
live and our proclamation.
00:21:25.91\00:21:30.92
>>Very good.
00:21:30.92\00:21:32.39
One last question as we're
kind of pulling things together.
00:21:32.39\00:21:36.19
The Bible describes
Jesus as the "Lamb of God"
00:21:36.19\00:21:40.43
many times throughout Scripture.
00:21:40.43\00:21:42.60
And especially in
the book of Revelation,
00:21:42.60\00:21:44.43
we see this depiction
of Him as the Lamb of God.
00:21:44.43\00:21:48.07
John talks about
Him as "the Lamb slain
00:21:48.07\00:21:50.41
from the
foundation of the world."
00:21:50.41\00:21:52.11
Why is this
understanding of Jesus being
00:21:53.41\00:21:55.38
the Lamb of God so critical,
00:21:55.38\00:21:57.48
so central to the message
of the book of Revelation
00:21:57.48\00:22:00.42
and the three angels' messages?
00:22:00.42\00:22:02.32
>>In the book of Revelation,
00:22:02.32\00:22:03.75
there is a battle
between Christ and Satan.
00:22:03.75\00:22:07.82
Satan is pictured as the dragon,
00:22:07.82\00:22:09.99
Jesus is pictured as the lamb.
00:22:09.99\00:22:11.79
When you consider a battle
with the dragon and a lamb,
00:22:13.16\00:22:17.33
you pretty well
know who's gonna win.
00:22:17.33\00:22:19.03
But Jesus reverses it,
00:22:19.03\00:22:20.80
because the Lamb of God
is stronger than the dragon.
00:22:20.80\00:22:24.11
At least 28 times, some
people have counted 29 times,
00:22:24.11\00:22:28.31
but at least 28 times
in the book of Revelation
00:22:28.31\00:22:30.75
Jesus is mentioned
as the Lamb of God.
00:22:30.75\00:22:32.85
One of
the--there's a couple places
00:22:33.92\00:22:35.78
that I'd like to highlight.
00:22:35.78\00:22:37.12
One of them is
Revelation, chapter five.
00:22:37.12\00:22:39.49
In Revelation, chapter five,
00:22:40.29\00:22:42.22
John looks up into heaven.
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.33
And as he looks up into heaven,
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.13
in Revelation 5:1, it says,
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.00
"And I saw in
the right hand of Him
00:22:49.00\00:22:51.13
"who sat on the
throne a scroll written
00:22:51.13\00:22:54.27
inside and on the back,
sealed with seven seals."
00:22:54.27\00:22:58.21
So John sees this scroll
of history that is sealed,
00:22:58.21\00:23:02.51
and he wonders who
can open that scroll?
00:23:02.51\00:23:04.48
Who can explain to us
the scroll of history?
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.95
Who can explain to
us the judgments of God
00:23:06.95\00:23:09.32
upon the wicked and the
triumph of the righteous?
00:23:09.32\00:23:12.19
Who can explain to
us the ultimate solution
00:23:12.19\00:23:14.59
of the great controversy
between good and evil?
00:23:14.59\00:23:16.73
And as he looks up into
heaven, he sees something,
00:23:16.73\00:23:20.30
and what he sees
is quite remarkable.
00:23:20.30\00:23:23.26
In verse five, "But one
of the elders said to me,
00:23:23.26\00:23:26.37
"'Do not weep.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.60
"'Behold, the Lion
of the tribe of Judah,
00:23:27.60\00:23:30.01
"'the Root of David,
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.41
"'[was] prevailed
to open the scroll
00:23:31.41\00:23:34.48
and to loose [the]...seals.'"
00:23:34.48\00:23:36.11
Then he continues and
read verse six, please.
00:23:36.11\00:23:38.81
>>Verse six says, "And I looked,
00:23:38.81\00:23:40.08
"and behold, in
the midst of the throne
00:23:40.08\00:23:42.12
"and of the four
living creatures,
00:23:42.12\00:23:43.75
"and in the midst of
the elders, stood a Lamb
00:23:43.75\00:23:46.12
"as though it had been slain,
00:23:46.12\00:23:47.99
"having seven
horns and seven eyes,
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.16
"which are the
seven Spirits of God
00:23:50.16\00:23:52.16
sent out into all the earth."
00:23:52.16\00:23:53.83
>>Jesus is the lion
of the tribe of Judah,
00:23:53.83\00:23:56.56
but He's also the lamb.
00:23:56.56\00:23:58.40
And here in this, it says,
"The Lamb as it had been slain."
00:23:58.40\00:24:02.90
We'll come back to
that, "with seven horns."
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.71
Horns are always
a symbol of power.
00:24:04.71\00:24:06.51
Christ has complete power.
00:24:06.51\00:24:08.34
"Seven eyes," eyes
are a symbol of wisdom.
00:24:08.34\00:24:10.71
Jesus is the one with complete
power and complete wisdom.
00:24:10.71\00:24:13.45
"The seven Spirits,"
00:24:13.45\00:24:14.68
the complete
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
00:24:14.68\00:24:16.65
So the Holy Spirit
will go out to reveal
00:24:16.65\00:24:19.35
the slain Lamb
with wisdom and power
00:24:19.35\00:24:22.69
to the entire
universe and to this world.
00:24:22.69\00:24:26.09
And so Jesus is
mentioned as this Lamb of God,
00:24:26.09\00:24:29.50
you find this all
through the book of Revelation.
00:24:29.50\00:24:32.47
Revelation, chapter
seven, for example, in verse 17,
00:24:32.47\00:24:37.51
it talks about the identity
that we have with the Lamb.
00:24:38.91\00:24:41.61
"For the Lamb who is
in the midst of the throne
00:24:41.61\00:24:44.25
"will shepherd
them and lead them
00:24:44.25\00:24:46.48
"to living fountains of waters.
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.92
And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes."
00:24:48.92\00:24:51.82
Here you have the intimacy.
00:24:51.82\00:24:53.89
Revelation 14 talks
about those who are redeemed
00:24:53.89\00:24:58.46
and stand on the sea of glass.
00:24:58.46\00:25:00.70
And it says there in
Revelation 14, that they follow,
00:25:00.70\00:25:05.60
"These are they"--
00:25:05.60\00:25:07.14
verse four:
00:25:07.14\00:25:09.10
"These are the ones who follow
the Lamb wherever He goes."
00:25:09.10\00:25:14.01
All through the book of
Revelation you have this concept
00:25:14.01\00:25:16.71
of the Lamb of God
that was slain for us,
00:25:16.71\00:25:20.98
has provided
salvation full and complete.
00:25:20.98\00:25:24.52
There is no reason to be lost.
00:25:24.52\00:25:26.82
There is no reason not
to understand His peace,
00:25:26.82\00:25:31.13
His joy, His
grace, His forgiveness.
00:25:31.13\00:25:34.63
Revelation is not so
much about wild beasts
00:25:34.63\00:25:39.13
or mystic
symbols or weird images.
00:25:39.13\00:25:42.77
It's about the Lamb of God.
00:25:42.77\00:25:44.87
This Christ, who bore
the sins of the world,
00:25:44.87\00:25:49.84
who experienced
our condemnation,
00:25:49.84\00:25:53.01
who experienced
sin itself for us.
00:25:53.01\00:25:55.72
You know, Galatians
3, verse 13 says that,
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.52
"Cursed is everyone
that hangs upon the tree."
00:25:59.52\00:26:01.92
2 Corinthians 5:21 says,
00:26:01.92\00:26:03.89
"He who knew no
sin became sin for us."
00:26:03.89\00:26:06.90
So Jesus became sin for us.
00:26:06.90\00:26:09.70
That's what Revelation is
all about, that we can be saved.
00:26:09.70\00:26:13.47
>>That's encouraging.
00:26:13.47\00:26:14.97
Pastor Mark, we've been on
a 13-week journey together,
00:26:14.97\00:26:18.21
looking at the
three angels' messages
00:26:18.21\00:26:20.31
and how they apply
to our lives today,
00:26:20.31\00:26:22.71
and not just
historical, interesting tidbits,
00:26:22.71\00:26:26.65
but very real messages for us.
00:26:26.65\00:26:29.75
As we tie things together,
00:26:29.75\00:26:32.19
is there any
kind of final message,
00:26:32.19\00:26:33.96
final thoughts
that you would like us
00:26:33.96\00:26:36.02
to dwell on as we're
bringing this journey
00:26:36.02\00:26:39.06
through the three
angels' messages to a close?
00:26:39.06\00:26:40.93
>>Thank you so much for asking.
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.06
The three angels'
messages are a message of love,
00:26:43.06\00:26:47.97
given to us by loving
God, to prepare people,
00:26:47.97\00:26:51.71
to prepare us
for His soon return.
00:26:51.71\00:26:54.58
At the center of those messages
is the everlasting gospel,
00:26:54.58\00:26:59.15
the good news
of the grace of God
00:26:59.15\00:27:01.75
that can save every human being.
00:27:01.75\00:27:03.79
I don't know where you stand
in your experience with Christ,
00:27:03.79\00:27:07.89
but here's the
incredible good news.
00:27:07.89\00:27:09.96
Christ is
reaching out to you today.
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.53
Maybe there's some
decision you need to make.
00:27:12.53\00:27:15.70
He's inviting you to
make that decision today.
00:27:15.70\00:27:19.40
He's coming soon.
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.07
Open your heart,
just now, to receive Him.
00:27:23.17\00:27:25.74
Eric?
00:27:26.57\00:27:27.81
>>Pastor Mark, thank
you so much for joining us
00:27:27.81\00:27:29.74
for 13 weeks on an
incredible journey.
00:27:29.74\00:27:31.81
We appreciate
your time and insights.
00:27:31.81\00:27:34.55
And thank you for
joining us, as well.
00:27:34.55\00:27:36.25
May God bless you as you
continue your study of God's
00:27:36.25\00:27:40.19
Word, and may we all be
ready for that great day
00:27:40.19\00:27:42.29
when Christ returns.
00:27:42.29\00:27:44.66
(upbeat music)
00:27:44.66\00:27:47.86
(music ends)
00:28:25.50\00:28:28.67