[uplifting music]
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>>Eric Flickinger:
Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
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brought to you by It Is Written.
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We're glad to
have you with us again.
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We are on a 13-lesson journey
through an incredible subject,
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an incredible topic,
"God's Love and Justice."
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This week we are on lesson
number 10, looking at the rules
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of engagement in
this cosmic conflict
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that goes on around
us each and every day,
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a fascinating study this week.
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We're glad that you are here.
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Let's begin with prayer.
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Father, we thank You for leading
us on this journey that helps us
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to understand the
world in which we live,
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the challenges that we
face, the origin of evil,
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its existence in
the world right now,
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Your power and the way
that You choose to exercise it.
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And today as we look at
the rules of engagement,
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we ask that You
would help us to understand
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a little bit more
clearly how that all works.
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And we thank You,
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Well, we're happy to
have with us, again, this week
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the author of this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson,
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John Peckham.
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He is an associate
editor at the "Adventist Review"
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and also a research professor
at the Theological Seminary
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at Andrews University.
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John, thanks for being with us.
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>>John Peckham:
Thank you for having me.
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>>Eric: So, we're looking this
week at the rules of engagement.
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Last time we looked
at the cosmic conflict,
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this big battle that's
going on behind the scenes,
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this overarching
theme throughout the Bible.
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And we touched on
the rules of engagement,
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things that God
does and doesn't do,
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chooses to do
and chooses not to do
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to stay within the confines
of what is appropriate and--
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maybe we could say "fair."
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I'm not sure if
that's the right word or not.
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You can expand on that.
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But what's the significance
of this cosmic conflict theme
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in understanding
the problem of evil
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that's going on in the world?
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>>John: Yeah, at the
center of this cosmic conflict--
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we've seen that
there is a cosmic conflict.
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We've seen many passages,
and we've seen the nature
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of this cosmic conflict.
It's a conflict over character.
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There could be no conflict
between an all-powerful God
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and any mere creature if it
was a conflict of sheer power,
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but a conflict of character
can't be settled by sheer power.
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So at the center of the conflict
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is questions of God's
character--God is love--
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and the way that He governs
the universe, His justice.
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So both of these are tied
very closely to this theme
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of the cosmic conflict.
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So it's very significant
for us to understand the nature
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of this conflict and
what the devil is trying to do
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and how God is
operating within the conflict
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within some parameters
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in order to show
His love and His justice
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in a way that
defeats the allegations
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and defeats evil
forevermore, not for His sake
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but for the sake
of the flourishing
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of the entire universe.
Everything hinges on this.
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And to see this--see something
about the nature of this
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I want to point to a
story that's in the Bible,
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the story of Absalom.
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Absalom was one
of King David's sons,
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and Absalom wanted to
take his father's throne.
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And so he devised a strategy
for how he would do this,
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and we see this in 2
Samuel 15, verses 2 through 4.
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>>Eric: "Now
Absalom would rise early
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"and stand beside
the way to the gate.
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"So it was, whenever anyone who
had a lawsuit came to the king
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"for a decision, that Absalom
would call to him and say,
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"'What city are you from?'
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"And he would say,
'Your servant is from
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"such and such a
tribe of Israel.'
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"Then Absalom would say to
him, 'Look, your case is good
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"and right; but there is no
deputy of the king to hear you.'
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"Moreover Absalom would say,
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"'Oh, that I were
made judge in the land,
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"'and everyone who has any
suit or cause would come to me;
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then I would give him justice.'"
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>>John: Now, you can see
there what Absalom is doing.
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Number one, he sets up
at the gate of the city
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because this is
where judgment took place
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in the ancient Near East. That's
where judgment--the judges sat.
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And he sets up there,
and he says things like,
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"Well, there's nobody
from the king to help you
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"with this problem.
You should receive justice.
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"And if only I was a judge
or if only I was in charge,
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things would be better for you."
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And this is the
same kind of strategy
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that the devil used in
heaven and then on earth.
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"If I was in charge, if I was
the king, if I was the ruler,
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things would be better."
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And so his whole plan is to try
to sow discord, distrust of God,
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to break our relationship with
God by deception and slander;
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and this he does
throughout the entire story.
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Now, many people think of
the cosmic conflict as something
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that is very
prominent in the New Testament
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but not very
prominent in the Old Testament,
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but as we're going to see,
that's actually not the case.
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>>Eric: So speaking
of this cosmic conflict
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and the rules of
engagement, we have demons
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who disguise themselves
as gods in pagan nations.
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How does this impact our
understanding of idolatry
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in these stories
that we see here?
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>>John: The greatest
sin that is emphasized
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throughout the Old Testament
is the sin of idolatry,
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which primarily
in the Old Testament
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refers to the
worship of these other gods,
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these false gods of the
nations, the pagan gods;
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and they are just all
throughout the Old Testament.
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Now, for a long time I read
these passages like, I think,
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a lot of Westerners
read these passages,
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and I thought, "Oh,
those gods aren't real
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because the idols
are nothing," right?
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"And so there's
not really gods there.
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"This is all just some mythology
that they believed at the time,
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but it wasn't--there wasn't
really any truth behind it."
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And it's true
that idols are nothing,
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it's true that
the gods they thought
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they were
worshiping are not real,
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but the Bible shows
that behind those false gods
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that were usurping
worship from the true God
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were the demons who
were masquerading as gods,
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fallen angels who
were masquerading as gods.
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And once you see
this in the Old Testament,
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you cannot unsee
it. It is everywhere.
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And it shows not only is the
cosmic conflict all throughout
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not just the New Testament
but also the Old Testament,
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but it's a conflict over worship
where these demonic agencies,
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just like the devil
did in the temptation,
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tries to usurp the worship
that belongs to God alone.
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And once you see this, you see
that these gods of the nations
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behind them are
demonic rulers that correspond
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to what Paul calls the
principalities and powers
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in the New Testament.
Now, how do I know that?
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This is just taught
straightforwardly by the Bible.
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In Deuteronomy 32:17,
Deuteronomy says this.
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It says, "They sacrificed
to demons, not to God,
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"to gods they did
not know, to new gods,
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new arrivals that
your fathers did not fear."
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So they were sacrificing to
the false gods of the nations,
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but they were
actually sacrificing to demons.
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This is reinforced very clearly
by Paul in the New Testament
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in 1 Corinthians 10,
beginning in verse 20.
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>>Eric: "Rather, that the things
which the Gentiles sacrifice
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"they sacrifice to
demons and not to God,
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"and I do not want you to
have fellowship with demons.
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"You cannot drink the cup of
the Lord and the cup of demons;
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"you cannot
partake of the Lord's table
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and of the table of demons."
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>>John: So in this passage,
the verse right before that,
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Paul talks about
idols being nothing,
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but then he points
out that the sacrifices
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they're making to idols
are actually going to demons.
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And so behind those gods
that the idols represented,
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who don't
actually exist as the gods
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they thought
they were worshiping,
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there were demonic agencies
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that are trying to
usurp this worship.
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And these demonic
agencies appear throughout
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the Old Testament stories.
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You have many, many examples
of these celestial rulers,
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these demonic
figures that are operating
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behind even earthly
kings and earthly kingdoms
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over and over again through
the stories of Scripture.
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>>Eric: So we're looking
at, again, this cosmic conflict,
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this struggle
between good and evil.
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And many of the people
throughout the Old Testament
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who believed they
were worshiping gods,
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not actual gods but
demons masquerading as gods
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trying to usurp that
worship and that adoration.
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We see some
more angelic activity
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going on over in
the book of Daniel.
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There's a powerful story over
there in Daniel, chapter 10.
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Walk us through a little
bit what's going on in Daniel,
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chapter 10 that helps us to
understand this cosmic conflict,
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and, again, what we're
talking about this week,
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the rules of engagement,
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what's permitted and
what's not permitted.
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>>John: Yeah, yeah. This is
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an amazing, amazing
example in Daniel 10
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where you have
a striking example
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of what I call, for
lack of a better term,
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rules of engagement,
and rules of engagement
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are parameters in the
conflict that both God
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and the enemy
are operating within.
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And Daniel 10
provides one example,
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and then Job is
another that we'll see
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and many other examples
of these rules of engagement.
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So in Daniel 10 you
have a story where Daniel
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has a message revealed to him,
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and he's trying to
get further understanding
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of this vision,
this message from God,
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and he is fasting and
praying for three entire weeks.
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That's significant
because for three weeks
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he is fasting and he is praying
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because he is trying
to understand this vision.
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He's calling on God
to help him to understand
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and to bring him
prophetic and divine insight
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into this
vision and the meaning.
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He's particularly
concerned about the meaning
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it has for his people who
are in exile, still in exile.
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He's worried about whether
prophecies given to Jeremiah
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and others are
going to come true.
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So he's praying for three weeks.
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Then he has a
vision of a divine figure,
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and finally in verse 10 it says,
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"Suddenly," Daniel writes,
"Suddenly, a hand touched me,
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"which made me
tremble on my knees
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"and on the palms of my hands.
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"And he said to me, 'O
Daniel, man greatly beloved,
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"'understand the
words that I speak to you,
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"and stand upright, for
I have...been sent to you.'
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"While he was speaking this
word to me, I stood trembling.
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"Then he said to me,
'Do not fear, Daniel,
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"'for from the first
day that you set your heart
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"'to understand,
and to humble yourself
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"'before your God, your words
were heard; and I have come
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because of your words'"--
or in response to your words.
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So from the first
day he started praying
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three weeks ago,
this angel is sent,
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but it takes him three
weeks to get there. Why?
00:10:05.17\00:10:08.27
Well, the next verse tells us.
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Verse 13: "But the prince of the
kingdom of Persia withstood me
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"twenty-one days;
and behold, Michael,
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one of the chief princes"--
it can also be translated
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"the chief prince" or
"the chief of the princes"--
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"Michael...came to help me, for
I had been left [there alone]
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with the kings of Persia."
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So, for three weeks this
angel sent by God is delayed
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by this prince of Persia.
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Now, most biblical scholars
believe this is not merely
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the human king of Persia
but is actually a demonic ruler
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standing behind the human
king of Persia that this demon
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is trying to influence
and the angel is also trying
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to influence because their--the
decisions of the human king
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are going to determine
whether or not the people
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will remain in exile, the human
king Cyrus and also his son.
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And so, you have
this demonic figure
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that is
operating behind the scenes
00:11:06.09\00:11:08.10
and withstanding an angel
sent by God for three weeks.
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So we can ask ourselves,
"How is this possible?"
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It's only possible if God
is not exercising all His power
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because if God is
exercising all His power,
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.31
He could send an
angel, and He could have
00:11:22.34\00:11:23.65
the angel there immediately,
or He could give Daniel
00:11:23.68\00:11:25.88
a vision immediately
that explains everything.
00:11:25.91\00:11:29.18
But it seems in the story
that there is a real conflict
00:11:29.22\00:11:32.05
taking place behind the
scenes, with some real authority
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and jurisdiction
given to demonic rulers,
00:11:34.92\00:11:37.09
in which God Himself even abides
00:11:37.13\00:11:39.53
within those
parameters of this conflict.
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And for lack of a better term,
I refer to those parameters
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that even God abides by--
they limit Satan's activity
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within some jurisdiction--
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but God also operates
within these parameters
00:11:49.40\00:11:51.71
that I refer to as
rules of engagement
00:11:51.74\00:11:53.94
in this cosmic conflict.
00:11:53.98\00:11:55.34
And this is just one of many
striking scenes in the Bible
00:11:55.38\00:11:59.21
where you have these parameters
00:11:59.25\00:12:00.88
that are usually
in the background.
00:12:00.92\00:12:02.22
We usually don't see
them, we don't know precisely
00:12:02.25\00:12:03.95
what they are, but
they come to the surface,
00:12:03.99\00:12:05.95
and you see them in the
story of the cosmic conflict.
00:12:05.99\00:12:09.69
>>Eric: And this idea
of rules of engagement,
00:12:09.72\00:12:12.36
we have, of course,
what's currently in the lesson.
00:12:12.39\00:12:15.90
The concept is much
broader, much deeper.
00:12:15.93\00:12:18.73
Share with us a little
bit about that companion book
00:12:18.77\00:12:20.84
that you have
written for this quarter's
00:12:20.87\00:12:22.84
"Sabbath School" lesson and
what someone might get further,
00:12:22.87\00:12:26.11
a deeper
understanding of some of these
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.24
rules of engagement
in the cosmic conflict
00:12:28.28\00:12:30.25
if they were to pick
up that companion book.
00:12:30.28\00:12:32.05
>>John: Yeah, so in
the companion volume
00:12:32.08\00:12:33.55
I get to unpack
further what the Bible means
00:12:33.58\00:12:37.45
with regard to
these parameters or rules
00:12:37.49\00:12:42.12
that I call rules of engagement
in the cosmic conflict
00:12:42.16\00:12:44.93
that God Himself has
morally bound Himself
00:12:44.96\00:12:47.86
to operate within.
00:12:47.86\00:12:49.46
And I can't unpack all of
this in the case--in the course
00:12:49.50\00:12:53.13
of the lesson by itself,
but you have these parameters
00:12:53.17\00:12:57.21
that God Himself
is operating within
00:12:57.24\00:12:59.71
because these parameters are not
just set by Him unilaterally.
00:12:59.74\00:13:02.84
They're actually set
in the heavenly court.
00:13:02.88\00:13:04.71
This is part of a
cosmic courtroom drama,
00:13:04.75\00:13:07.15
and much more is
going on behind the scenes.
00:13:07.18\00:13:09.58
There's many heavenly
council scenes in Scripture
00:13:09.62\00:13:11.52
that I unpack just a little
bit in the companion volume
00:13:11.55\00:13:14.36
so you can see
some further insights
00:13:14.39\00:13:16.26
into how this is working,
and it's really amazing.
00:13:16.29\00:13:18.73
When I studied this, I
saw so many amazing things
00:13:18.76\00:13:21.03
that I had never seen
before that really provide
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.70
a much larger picture
of this cosmic conflict
00:13:23.73\00:13:26.37
and what is
happening behind the scenes.
00:13:26.40\00:13:27.94
>>Eric: So if this is something
you would like to understand
00:13:27.97\00:13:30.27
better, there is a
good way to do that.
00:13:30.31\00:13:31.94
That's to pick up the companion
book or the companion volume
00:13:31.97\00:13:34.61
to this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson.
00:13:34.64\00:13:36.51
You will find it
at itiswritten.shop.
00:13:36.54\00:13:39.85
Again, that's itiswritten.shop.
00:13:39.88\00:13:42.35
Just look for the
companion book to this quarter's
00:13:42.38\00:13:44.39
"Sabbath School" lesson
on God's love and justice.
00:13:44.42\00:13:47.69
We're going to come
back in just a moment
00:13:47.72\00:13:49.36
as we continue
looking a little bit more
00:13:49.39\00:13:51.19
at the rules of engagement
in this cosmic conflict
00:13:51.23\00:13:55.06
here on "Sabbath School,"
00:13:55.10\00:13:56.40
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:13:56.43\00:13:58.07
[uplifting music]
00:13:58.10\00:14:00.10
>>John Bradshaw: It's the sound
that strikes instant terror
00:14:03.14\00:14:05.57
into the hearts of many.
00:14:05.61\00:14:07.31
[rattlesnake's tail rattling]
00:14:07.34\00:14:10.18
The rattlesnake's
bite can be deadly,
00:14:10.21\00:14:12.98
but how did it get this way?
00:14:13.01\00:14:15.82
Join me for "War in Heaven,"
00:14:15.85\00:14:18.09
part two of It Is Written's
series "Prequel of the Bible."
00:14:18.12\00:14:22.89
We'll hear from an
expert on venomous snakes.
00:14:22.92\00:14:25.73
>>man: So, these
are designed to kill.
00:14:25.76\00:14:28.16
When it comes to us, they
have no desire to do that.
00:14:28.20\00:14:32.03
>>John: You sure?
>>man: I am positive.
00:14:32.07\00:14:34.70
>>John: And we'll learn
about the war in heaven,
00:14:34.74\00:14:37.57
a war of ideas that caused a
third of the angels in heaven
00:14:37.61\00:14:42.98
to turn against God
and set our world on a path
00:14:43.01\00:14:47.35
very different from
the one God intended.
00:14:47.38\00:14:51.09
Don't miss "War in Heaven,"
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.82
part two of the series
"Prequel of the Bible."
00:14:53.86\00:14:57.46
"War in Heaven"
00:14:57.49\00:14:59.13
on It Is Written TV.
00:14:59.16\00:15:01.00
>>John: You know that at
It Is Written we are serious
00:15:03.16\00:15:05.50
about studying the Word
of God, and we encourage you
00:15:05.53\00:15:08.17
to be serious as well.
00:15:08.20\00:15:09.60
Well, here's what you do
00:15:09.64\00:15:10.94
if you want to dig
deeper into God's Word.
00:15:10.97\00:15:12.94
Go to itiswritten.study for the
It Is Written Bible Study Guides
00:15:12.97\00:15:17.25
online, 25 in-depth Bible
studies that will take you
00:15:17.28\00:15:20.58
through the major
teachings of the Bible.
00:15:20.62\00:15:22.78
You'll be
blessed, and it's something
00:15:22.82\00:15:24.62
you'll want to tell
others about as well:
00:15:24.65\00:15:26.45
itiswritten.study.
00:15:26.49\00:15:28.22
Go further: itiswritten.study.
00:15:28.26\00:15:30.59
[uplifting music]
00:15:32.99\00:15:37.43
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:15:37.47\00:15:38.93
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:15:38.97\00:15:40.84
We are looking at
lesson number 10 of 13
00:15:40.87\00:15:44.17
in this quarter's study,
00:15:44.21\00:15:45.51
and we're looking at
the rules of engagement.
00:15:45.54\00:15:48.44
John, I want to make a
statement here and then let you
00:15:48.48\00:15:51.01
kind of unpack it
and respond to it:
00:15:51.05\00:15:53.62
"God works only by
love, not coercion."
00:15:53.65\00:15:58.05
So if that's the case, how
does this principle help us
00:15:58.09\00:16:03.06
to understand the
perceived limits of divine power
00:16:03.09\00:16:07.10
when we're talking
about this cosmic conflict?
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.63
>>John Peckham:
Because God only works by love,
00:16:09.66\00:16:12.63
He of necessity grants free will
00:16:12.67\00:16:15.30
because free will
is necessary for love
00:16:15.34\00:16:17.34
because love must be freely
given and freely received.
00:16:17.37\00:16:20.21
That means God is
not coercing creatures
00:16:20.24\00:16:22.14
to do what He wants
00:16:22.18\00:16:23.48
because that would
undermine the kind of freedom
00:16:23.51\00:16:25.48
that is necessary for love.
00:16:25.51\00:16:27.18
Now, when people
first hear of this concept
00:16:27.22\00:16:28.85
of rules of engagement, it
might seem foreign to them,
00:16:28.88\00:16:30.89
it might even seem strange,
00:16:30.92\00:16:32.52
but I would suggest to everyone
that you might already have
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.92
the pieces in your mind
for the basic parameters
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.83
of what I mean by
rules of engagement.
00:16:38.86\00:16:40.60
So if you believe that
God makes promises, does He?
00:16:40.63\00:16:44.43
Clearly in the Bible, the
God of the Bible is nothing
00:16:44.47\00:16:46.57
if not a God who makes promises.
00:16:46.60\00:16:48.44
Then you also would believe that
God always keeps His promises.
00:16:48.47\00:16:53.41
Would God ever break a promise?
00:16:53.44\00:16:54.94
Of course not. The Bible teaches
He never breaks His promises.
00:16:54.98\00:16:58.21
To the extent, then,
that God makes a promise
00:16:58.25\00:17:00.82
or enters into any commitments,
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.65
He has morally bound Himself to
act according to those promises
00:17:02.68\00:17:06.59
or according to
those commitments.
00:17:06.62\00:17:08.59
Now, if you bring
that over to the domain
00:17:08.62\00:17:09.76
of the cosmic conflict
where the enemy has raised
00:17:09.79\00:17:11.76
slanderous allegations,
and in order to respond
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.96
to those allegations,
these can only be met
00:17:14.00\00:17:16.43
by a demonstration, not
by a mere show of power.
00:17:16.46\00:17:20.67
Why? Because you
cannot defeat allegations
00:17:20.70\00:17:22.57
against your
character by a show of power.
00:17:22.60\00:17:24.64
No matter how much
power you would show,
00:17:24.67\00:17:26.34
it would only make
the allegations worse.
00:17:26.37\00:17:28.11
It can only be by a
demonstration of character,
00:17:28.14\00:17:30.75
but that can only take
place within some parameters,
00:17:30.78\00:17:33.98
with some room being given
to make this demonstration.
00:17:34.02\00:17:37.72
So God Himself before a heavenly
council or heavenly court
00:17:37.75\00:17:41.06
enters into some
commitments or agreements
00:17:41.09\00:17:44.26
that morally bound--bind even
Him within this cosmic conflict.
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.56
So He's operating within
these parameters temporarily
00:17:48.60\00:17:50.97
because it's the only way
to settle the cosmic conflict
00:17:51.00\00:17:54.47
once and for all for
the good of all concerned.
00:17:54.50\00:17:57.44
>>Eric: And so He
doesn't want to see evil come up
00:17:57.47\00:17:59.81
a second time, and in order for
that to happen, there has to be
00:17:59.84\00:18:02.81
some satisfaction of
questions, answers of questions.
00:18:02.84\00:18:05.51
>>John: And we see
some of these parameters
00:18:05.55\00:18:06.92
in some very interesting places.
00:18:06.95\00:18:09.12
One of those
places I want to look at
00:18:09.15\00:18:10.45
is in Mark, chapter
6, verses 5 through 6.
00:18:10.49\00:18:13.99
>>Eric: "Now He could
do no mighty work there,
00:18:14.02\00:18:16.22
"except that He laid His
hands on a few sick people
00:18:16.26\00:18:18.89
"and healed
them. And He marveled
00:18:18.93\00:18:20.73
"because of their unbelief.
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.36
Then He went about the villages
in a circuit, teaching."
00:18:22.40\00:18:25.53
>>John: So this
refers to Jesus in Nazareth,
00:18:25.57\00:18:27.04
and it says He
could do no miracle there,
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.14
except for a few miracles;
and there seems to be a link
00:18:29.17\00:18:32.01
with their lack of faith.
00:18:32.04\00:18:33.38
So even Jesus, the all-powerful
Son of God, is limited
00:18:33.41\00:18:37.38
in His miracle-working
ability in His hometown
00:18:37.41\00:18:39.55
in some way that's
linked to their faith.
00:18:39.58\00:18:41.88
This shows some
parameters, some rules,
00:18:41.92\00:18:44.15
some factors in the background
00:18:44.19\00:18:45.85
that are affecting
even the ability of Jesus
00:18:45.89\00:18:48.52
to work miracles
within this cosmic conflict.
00:18:48.56\00:18:51.19
We see something similar
in a story in Mark, chapter 9.
00:18:51.23\00:18:54.36
In Mark 9, there's a
story of this man who brings
00:18:54.36\00:18:57.77
his demon-afflicted son
to Jesus; first, he actually
00:18:57.80\00:19:01.27
brings his son to Jesus'
disciples, and they're not able
00:19:01.30\00:19:04.24
to cast the demon out.
00:19:04.27\00:19:05.57
And he comes to
Jesus and he says,
00:19:05.61\00:19:06.84
"If You can do
anything, please help my son."
00:19:06.88\00:19:10.65
And Jesus
replies, "'If You can'?
00:19:10.68\00:19:12.81
All things are
possible to him who believes."
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.65
And then the man
responds this way.
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.82
He says, "Lord, I
believe; help my unbelief!"
00:19:18.85\00:19:24.03
And I always love that
passage because it's almost like
00:19:24.06\00:19:26.83
the man is saying, "I want
to believe. I think I believe.
00:19:26.86\00:19:31.03
I don't know if I believe
quite enough, so help me."
00:19:31.07\00:19:34.90
And it's very, very interesting
and encouraging to me
00:19:34.94\00:19:37.77
that Jesus
doesn't say to that man,
00:19:37.81\00:19:40.41
"Come back to me
when you have more faith.
00:19:40.44\00:19:42.14
"Go find your faith, come back.
00:19:42.18\00:19:43.48
When you believe, then
I'll do something for you."
00:19:43.51\00:19:45.68
No. Just that
little faith, right?
00:19:45.71\00:19:48.05
We might say faith like
the size of a mustard seed,
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.82
the way Jesus might
describe it elsewhere.
00:19:50.85\00:19:53.39
That was enough.
00:19:53.42\00:19:54.72
And Jesus acts, and He
casts this demon out of the boy.
00:19:54.76\00:19:59.66
He heals the man's son
in response to this question
00:19:59.69\00:20:04.87
and shows his power even
over the demonic agencies.
00:20:04.90\00:20:08.40
But that's not the end of
the story because after this
00:20:08.44\00:20:10.77
the disciples'
pride is kind of hurt.
00:20:10.81\00:20:12.71
You know, they come to Jesus:
00:20:12.74\00:20:14.14
"Well, why couldn't
we cast this demon out?
00:20:14.18\00:20:15.68
What's going on here?"
And Jesus answered them.
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.91
Again, it's very
interesting, very instructive.
00:20:18.95\00:20:21.22
He says, "This kind can
only come out by prayer."
00:20:21.25\00:20:26.82
And so you see here,
again, there are some
00:20:26.86\00:20:28.46
rules of engagement, that
prayer can make a difference
00:20:28.49\00:20:31.03
with the casting out of demons,
with the limits within which
00:20:31.06\00:20:34.00
the demonic agencies
are even allowed to operate.
00:20:34.03\00:20:36.63
And we don't
understand all the ins and outs,
00:20:36.67\00:20:38.30
we just get
glimpses of these rules
00:20:38.33\00:20:40.50
throughout the
stories of Scripture
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.40
where the demons
are--have some jurisdiction
00:20:42.44\00:20:45.34
within some
parameters, but then elements
00:20:45.37\00:20:48.11
like faith and prayer
can make a difference.
00:20:48.14\00:20:50.45
Like, God can do more
when there's faith involved.
00:20:50.48\00:20:53.08
Sometimes, at least, it
can open up avenues for God,
00:20:53.11\00:20:55.65
moral avenues, within
the rules of engagement.
00:20:55.68\00:20:57.85
And prayer can
also open up avenues
00:20:57.89\00:21:00.36
within the rules of
engagement for God to do things
00:21:00.39\00:21:02.52
He already wanted to do,
but maybe they were against
00:21:02.56\00:21:04.93
the rules of engagement,
unless God's people pray.
00:21:04.96\00:21:09.00
So I believe within these rules
God reserves the right that,
00:21:09.03\00:21:12.40
"When my people call on me,
this may open up more avenues."
00:21:12.43\00:21:15.37
Now, we shouldn't
think that prayer is always
00:21:15.40\00:21:17.27
going to do that because there's
so many other factors involved.
00:21:17.31\00:21:19.97
And we don't always know all
of the factors behind the scene,
00:21:20.01\00:21:22.58
but we see faith and
prayer as big factors alongside
00:21:22.61\00:21:25.91
these rules of engagement
in the cosmic conflict.
00:21:25.95\00:21:28.08
>>Eric: As we're
looking at rules of engagement
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.75
in this cosmic conflict,
there's probably one story
00:21:29.78\00:21:32.69
that in many people's
minds percolates up to the top,
00:21:32.72\00:21:35.12
and I think appropriately
so, and that's the story of Job.
00:21:35.16\00:21:39.33
Help us understand how
this story of what's happening
00:21:39.36\00:21:41.66
at the beginning of the
book of Job illustrates this.
00:21:41.70\00:21:44.73
>>John: Yeah, so, you
have Job, who's introduced
00:21:44.77\00:21:46.57
at the beginning of
the story as a good man.
00:21:46.60\00:21:49.24
He's blameless,
and he's upright,
00:21:49.27\00:21:51.91
and he's one who serves God,
00:21:51.94\00:21:54.11
but then a number of
things end up happening to Job.
00:21:54.14\00:21:58.51
But before this, we
have a scene in heaven
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.95
where the sons of God meet,
and Satan appears among them.
00:22:00.98\00:22:05.62
This is a heavenly
council scene, and this begins
00:22:05.65\00:22:07.26
in verse 6 of Job 1.
00:22:07.29\00:22:09.26
>>Eric: "Now there was
a day when the sons of God
00:22:09.29\00:22:11.43
"came to present
themselves before the Lord,
00:22:11.46\00:22:13.46
"and Satan also came among them.
00:22:13.50\00:22:15.76
"And the Lord said to
Satan, 'From where do you come?'
00:22:15.80\00:22:18.43
"So Satan answered the Lord
and said, 'From going to and fro
00:22:18.47\00:22:22.44
on the earth, and from
walking back and forth on it.'"
00:22:22.47\00:22:25.21
>>John: Okay, so we see
there in verse 6 that this is
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.61
a scene of the sons of God,
and this is one of many scenes
00:22:28.64\00:22:31.41
that scholars identify as
heavenly council scenes, okay?
00:22:31.45\00:22:35.28
And in the next verse
you have this statement:
00:22:35.32\00:22:37.92
Well, why is Satan there?
00:22:37.95\00:22:39.49
God even asked him,
"From where do you come?"
00:22:39.52\00:22:41.99
Now, we know this
isn't God asking a question
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.19
'cause He doesn't know the
answer. He's omniscient, right?
00:22:44.23\00:22:45.96
He knows everything already.
00:22:45.99\00:22:47.46
This is actually a kind of
formulaic question and response
00:22:47.50\00:22:50.43
because the same question
and response is given in Job 2.
00:22:50.47\00:22:53.17
He says, "From
where do you come?"
00:22:53.20\00:22:54.67
And Satan's
answer is basically like,
00:22:54.70\00:22:56.24
"From earth, from roaming on it
00:22:56.27\00:22:57.74
because I'm the
ruler of the earth."
00:22:57.77\00:22:59.44
Because after Adam and Eve fell,
he has temporary rulership.
00:22:59.47\00:23:02.58
Jesus three times calls
him "the ruler of this world"
00:23:02.61\00:23:04.91
in the book of John.
And so he claims that.
00:23:04.95\00:23:06.58
He says, "I have the right
to be at this heavenly council
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.95
as the
representative of the earth."
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.19
>>Eric: "Then the
Lord said to Satan,
00:23:11.22\00:23:12.59
"'Have you
considered my servant Job,
00:23:12.62\00:23:14.46
"'that there is none
like him on the earth,
00:23:14.49\00:23:16.49
a blameless and upright man, one
who fears God and shuns evil?'"
00:23:16.52\00:23:21.66
>>John: Now, at this
point we can be clear
00:23:21.70\00:23:24.73
that there is a dispute
that's already taking place--
00:23:24.77\00:23:27.97
or kind of like a
heavenly court case
00:23:28.00\00:23:29.87
before the heavenly council
that's already taking place
00:23:29.90\00:23:32.54
in the background, just from
this kind of question, right?
00:23:32.57\00:23:35.54
Because if I were to say
to you right now in the midst
00:23:35.58\00:23:37.38
of our discussion, "Have
you considered my son Joel?
00:23:37.41\00:23:39.81
He's really a great kid, I
mean, the best kind of kid."
00:23:39.85\00:23:43.39
You might say, "That's
nice, but why are you starting
00:23:43.42\00:23:46.55
"to talk about your son
in the middle of this program
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.39
that we're airing," right?
00:23:48.42\00:23:49.72
This is strange indeed,
unless there is something
00:23:49.76\00:23:52.39
in the background, and
there's actually a court case.
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.93
And God is putting Job in
kind of as an exhibit to prove
00:23:54.96\00:23:59.67
one of Satan's
allegations wrong,
00:23:59.70\00:24:01.67
and He declares Job to
be blameless and upright.
00:24:01.70\00:24:04.84
That's significant
for what takes place.
00:24:04.87\00:24:06.98
>>Eric: "So Satan
answered the Lord and said,
00:24:07.01\00:24:08.81
"'Does Job fear God for nothing?
00:24:08.84\00:24:11.75
"'Have You not
made a hedge around him,
00:24:11.78\00:24:13.85
"'around his household,
00:24:13.88\00:24:15.18
"'and around all
that he has on every side?
00:24:15.22\00:24:17.55
"'You have blessed
the work of his hands,
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.25
and his possessions
have increased in the land.'"
00:24:19.29\00:24:22.16
>>John: So, here
Satan raises doubt:
00:24:22.19\00:24:24.56
Does Job really fear God, or is
he just serving God because God
00:24:24.59\00:24:29.20
blesses him and protects him?
And you have that phrase there:
00:24:29.23\00:24:32.20
"You've put a hedge around
him" or a fence around him.
00:24:32.23\00:24:34.24
That's another
example, another clear example,
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.30
of rules of engagement.
00:24:36.34\00:24:38.44
The devil is allowed to
operate within some parameters,
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.48
but in this case he's
bumping up against parameters
00:24:41.51\00:24:43.98
that he's not allowed to cross,
00:24:44.01\00:24:45.31
and he's basically
going to the heavenly court
00:24:45.35\00:24:46.88
and saying, "You know what,
00:24:46.92\00:24:48.32
"if You would
remove these parameters,
00:24:48.35\00:24:49.65
"I could make my case.
00:24:49.68\00:24:51.45
"But God is protecting
Job, so I can't prove my case
00:24:51.49\00:24:54.76
"that Job isn't
really who he appears to be.
00:24:54.79\00:24:56.76
He's not really blameless
and upright, as God claims."
00:24:56.79\00:25:00.46
>>Eric: '"But now,
stretch out Your hand and touch
00:25:00.50\00:25:02.83
"all that he has, and he will
surely curse You to Your face!'
00:25:02.86\00:25:06.74
"And the Lord said to
Satan, 'Behold, all that he has
00:25:06.77\00:25:09.94
"is in your power; only do
not lay a hand on his person.'
00:25:09.97\00:25:13.68
So Satan went out from
the presence of the Lord."
00:25:13.71\00:25:16.68
>>John: So, here
Satan directly claims
00:25:16.71\00:25:18.88
that Job isn't really
what God claims that he is.
00:25:18.91\00:25:22.88
"If You would just
bring affliction on him,
00:25:22.92\00:25:24.79
"he would curse
You to Your face.
00:25:24.82\00:25:27.06
"He doesn't really
fear You, which means he's
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.06
not really
blameless and upright."
00:25:29.09\00:25:30.53
This is not only a
slander against Job's character,
00:25:30.56\00:25:33.50
but it's also indirectly a
slander against God's character
00:25:33.53\00:25:37.83
and God's government because
God has already judged Job
00:25:37.87\00:25:40.50
to be blameless and upright.
00:25:40.54\00:25:42.04
So if Satan's allegations
are true, not only is Job
00:25:42.07\00:25:45.21
not what he appears to be,
but God has judged unfairly
00:25:45.24\00:25:48.28
or unjustly and is
protecting Job in an unjust way.
00:25:48.31\00:25:52.21
And so, this is
slanderous of God's character
00:25:52.25\00:25:54.72
and government in
a way that continues
00:25:54.75\00:25:57.22
throughout the entire story.
00:25:57.25\00:25:58.72
This is the modus
operandi of the devil.
00:25:58.75\00:26:01.16
And this is taking
place in a heavenly court.
00:26:01.19\00:26:03.43
This is a cosmic courtroom
drama in which these rules
00:26:03.46\00:26:06.93
of engagement are in
place, and Satan is appealing
00:26:06.96\00:26:09.40
to the court to change
these rules of engagement.
00:26:09.43\00:26:11.80
So we see that there
are rules of engagement.
00:26:11.83\00:26:13.74
There is a
cosmic courtroom drama.
00:26:13.77\00:26:15.94
These rules are
not set unilaterally,
00:26:15.97\00:26:18.01
but it's part of
this larger scene
00:26:18.04\00:26:20.24
in which not only the
devil and God are involved,
00:26:20.28\00:26:22.74
it's not just a
conversation between them,
00:26:22.78\00:26:24.51
but this is part
of court proceedings,
00:26:24.55\00:26:26.41
which means the rules
of engagement themselves
00:26:26.45\00:26:28.58
will be set in ways that
neither party might find ideal.
00:26:28.62\00:26:32.69
>>Eric: Satan claims to
be the ruler of this world,
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.82
and we see today
that there's a depiction
00:26:34.86\00:26:39.66
of Satan as the ruler
behind earthly kingdoms.
00:26:39.69\00:26:43.00
In the book of Revelation,
00:26:43.03\00:26:45.20
that becomes
very, very apparent.
00:26:45.23\00:26:47.40
How does--or how should
that shape our understanding
00:26:47.44\00:26:50.44
of political and spiritual power
and how those come together?
00:26:50.47\00:26:53.84
>>John: Yeah, so I
want to encourage everyone
00:26:53.88\00:26:55.51
to read these. In Revelation
12, you have this dragon ruler
00:26:55.54\00:26:57.95
who's introduced
as the enemy ruler.
00:26:57.98\00:26:59.88
Then in Revelation
13, you have these beasts.
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.32
You have a beast from the sea,
who is clearly a composite beast
00:27:02.35\00:27:05.89
consisting of the
beast from Daniel 7,
00:27:05.92\00:27:08.06
which referred to
these oppressive empires
00:27:08.09\00:27:09.82
that oppress God's
people throughout the ages,
00:27:09.86\00:27:11.59
and then to powers
that come after them,
00:27:11.63\00:27:14.00
including religious
powers that also do the same.
00:27:14.03\00:27:16.53
And these powers,
these earthly powers, receive
00:27:16.56\00:27:19.20
their authority from the dragon.
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.54
Directly, the dragon is the one
who gives them their authority
00:27:21.57\00:27:23.91
and their power, which shows you
that all throughout the story,
00:27:23.94\00:27:26.98
standing behind these
regimes and these earthly powers
00:27:27.01\00:27:30.61
that stand against
God and His people,
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.88
is the dragon ruler himself,
00:27:32.91\00:27:34.52
which shows you how much
authority he has temporarily.
00:27:34.55\00:27:36.82
But there's good news
because Revelation also says
00:27:36.85\00:27:39.75
the devil knows
that his time is short.
00:27:39.79\00:27:42.42
>>Eric: And so we've
seen how Revelation ends.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.43
Or if you haven't seen how
Revelation ends, I sure hope
00:27:44.46\00:27:47.10
you're going to read it,
because we're going to see
00:27:47.13\00:27:48.90
how this cosmic
conflict all does come to an end
00:27:48.93\00:27:52.07
in a satisfactory way.
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.07
We're going to continue looking
at this incredible subject
00:27:54.10\00:27:56.57
when we come
back again next week
00:27:56.60\00:27:58.41
for more study here
on "Sabbath School,"
00:27:58.44\00:28:00.71
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.64
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