[inspiring music]
00:00:00.46\00:00:04.30
[inspiring music]
00:00:12.77\00:00:14.74
>>Eric Flickinger:
Welcome to "Sabbath School,"
00:00:14.78\00:00:16.08
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:00:16.11\00:00:18.15
Glad that you are with us today,
and we are going to continue
00:00:18.18\00:00:21.15
our study of how to
study Bible prophecy,
00:00:21.18\00:00:24.09
how can we make
sense of Bible prophecy
00:00:24.12\00:00:27.96
in an authentic, a
genuine, and accurate way.
00:00:27.99\00:00:31.36
That's what we are digging into
in this week, lesson number 3.
00:00:31.39\00:00:34.30
We are looking at
"Images From Marriage,"
00:00:34.30\00:00:36.26
what role do the
images from marriage play
00:00:36.30\00:00:38.13
in us rightly understanding
the prophecies of the Bible.
00:00:38.17\00:00:41.67
Let's begin with prayer.
00:00:41.70\00:00:43.67
Father, thank You for
bringing us together again,
00:00:43.71\00:00:45.87
and we ask that You
will bless us once again,
00:00:45.91\00:00:47.94
as You have in the past,
with a deeper understanding
00:00:47.98\00:00:50.48
of Your Word and Your character
00:00:50.51\00:00:53.31
as we study through
the pages of Scripture.
00:00:53.35\00:00:55.32
We thank You for hearing
and answering our prayer today.
00:00:55.35\00:00:57.65
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:00:57.69\00:01:00.39
We're grateful once again
to have with us the author
00:01:00.42\00:01:02.09
of this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson,
00:01:02.12\00:01:03.96
Pastor Shawn Boonstra,
Shawn, welcome back once again.
00:01:03.99\00:01:07.36
>>Shawn Boonstra: Hey,
thanks for having me back.
00:01:07.40\00:01:08.83
>>Eric: So this
is an exciting week.
00:01:08.86\00:01:10.17
We're looking at
"Images From Marriage,"
00:01:10.20\00:01:12.77
and throughout the
Bible you see these images
00:01:12.80\00:01:14.54
of marriage, and we want
to see how they can help us
00:01:14.57\00:01:16.67
better understand the
prophecies of the Bible.
00:01:16.71\00:01:19.24
So the metaphor of
marriage in Bible prophecy--
00:01:19.27\00:01:23.35
we look at marriage
today, and it's not what God
00:01:23.38\00:01:27.52
originally
intended for it to be.
00:01:27.55\00:01:29.55
In fact, it's very different.
00:01:29.58\00:01:31.95
One might use
the word "degraded"
00:01:31.99\00:01:34.92
from the original
intent. What do we make of this?
00:01:34.96\00:01:39.29
>>Shawn: Yeah, I
think that what's going on
00:01:39.33\00:01:42.26
with marriage is by design.
00:01:42.30\00:01:44.27
I'm not going to
pretend that life was easier
00:01:44.30\00:01:46.87
in the '50s and people
didn't have messed-up marriages
00:01:46.90\00:01:49.27
in the '30s, '40s, and '50s.
00:01:49.30\00:01:51.27
As a pastor, I've heard too
many stories to believe that.
00:01:51.31\00:01:53.94
However, there does seem to
be a consistent deterioration,
00:01:53.98\00:01:58.61
and that should
concern us because it's one
00:01:58.65\00:02:00.45
of the biggest object lessons
God has to help us understand
00:02:00.48\00:02:03.22
His relationship to us,
00:02:03.25\00:02:04.89
and the very consummation
of history is a marriage.
00:02:04.92\00:02:08.39
It's the wedding
supper of the Lamb.
00:02:08.42\00:02:09.72
It's the New Jerusalem
coming down from heaven
00:02:09.76\00:02:11.43
as a bride.
00:02:11.46\00:02:12.96
And if we get removed
from the experience of marriage
00:02:12.99\00:02:16.20
as God designed, we're
going to have a hard time
00:02:16.23\00:02:18.30
wrapping our minds
around what God's intent is
00:02:18.33\00:02:21.14
for us in the long haul
or even in the short haul.
00:02:21.17\00:02:25.81
I find it interesting. You
know, last week we were talking
00:02:25.84\00:02:28.44
about Genesis as the
foundation of all things.
00:02:28.48\00:02:30.28
Marriage shows up
for the first time there.
00:02:30.31\00:02:32.28
It opens the Bible.
It also closes the Bible.
00:02:32.31\00:02:35.12
You'll find that a lot.
00:02:35.15\00:02:36.45
Revelation is
anchored in Genesis.
00:02:36.48\00:02:38.85
It's also anchored in
Daniel and Ezekiel and Jeremiah,
00:02:38.89\00:02:41.46
but Genesis is a big one.
00:02:41.49\00:02:43.76
And there are two gifts that
come out of Eden, two, right?
00:02:43.79\00:02:47.13
We've got the Sabbath.
That shows up right away.
00:02:47.20\00:02:49.36
That's under attack.
That's been under attack
00:02:49.40\00:02:51.20
in the Western
world for a long time.
00:02:51.23\00:02:53.20
Even Christians are
saying, "Fourth commandment?
00:02:53.23\00:02:55.27
"I'm good with nine.
00:02:55.30\00:02:56.91
I don't know
about that fourth one."
00:02:56.94\00:02:58.74
And they actually call
it a curse and a burden
00:02:58.77\00:03:03.04
and an obligation, and
I'm convinced in that case
00:03:03.08\00:03:06.28
you just don't
understand what it is.
00:03:06.31\00:03:08.18
It's like, I'm not trying to
earn anything on the Sabbath.
00:03:08.22\00:03:11.39
I'm not trying to
earn my salvation,
00:03:11.42\00:03:12.72
get brownie points
with God. It's the opposite.
00:03:12.75\00:03:14.29
I stop doing, and I'm
just God's child that day.
00:03:14.32\00:03:17.03
That's pretty
nice. That's one gift.
00:03:17.06\00:03:19.69
The other one
was marriage, right?
00:03:19.73\00:03:23.20
Male and female, He
created them in His image.
00:03:23.23\00:03:27.94
There is more in that sentence
in Scripture than we could
00:03:27.97\00:03:32.34
possibly unpack in today's show.
00:03:32.37\00:03:35.34
But I think the fallen
angels have gone after marriage
00:03:35.38\00:03:40.65
very deliberately
because it's going to obscure
00:03:40.68\00:03:43.65
the nature of our relationship
with God every bit as much
00:03:43.69\00:03:45.99
as obscuring the
Sabbath takes something away
00:03:46.02\00:03:48.46
from our understanding.
00:03:48.49\00:03:50.13
>>Eric: So we've distorted
this institution of marriage
00:03:50.16\00:03:53.29
in the 21st century.
00:03:53.33\00:03:54.93
You've touched on some of
the challenges that we face.
00:03:54.93\00:03:57.67
How else does
that manifest itself
00:03:57.70\00:03:59.23
in our misunderstanding
of God and who He is
00:03:59.27\00:04:02.94
and His desire for our lives?
00:04:02.97\00:04:05.11
>>Shawn: We've already touched
on the idea that marriage
00:04:05.14\00:04:07.01
is in trouble.
00:04:07.04\00:04:09.01
The good news is that
divorce rates in America
00:04:09.04\00:04:11.68
are actually dropping.
00:04:11.71\00:04:13.35
At least that
looks like good news
00:04:13.38\00:04:15.35
until you realize not as
many people are getting married.
00:04:15.38\00:04:17.69
And so the
marriage rate is down, so,
00:04:17.72\00:04:19.52
naturally, the
divorce rate is down.
00:04:19.55\00:04:22.89
Marriage has gotten to the
point where a lot of young men,
00:04:22.92\00:04:26.39
in particular, as I hear
for them, don't see the point.
00:04:26.43\00:04:28.60
"Why would I get married?
There's nothing there for me."
00:04:28.63\00:04:30.93
And women doing the same thing,
and I think what happens there--
00:04:30.97\00:04:35.50
we know
statistically, for example--
00:04:35.54\00:04:37.41
and listen carefully.
00:04:37.44\00:04:38.94
If you're in this boat,
I do want you to hear me.
00:04:38.97\00:04:42.81
I'm not condemning
choices you've made.
00:04:42.84\00:04:44.48
I just want to point out
that God actually has something
00:04:44.51\00:04:47.08
a little bit better.
00:04:47.12\00:04:49.25
People who live together
first have a higher divorce rate
00:04:49.28\00:04:52.92
than people who don't,
people who do it God's way
00:04:52.95\00:04:56.36
and confine
intimacy into the bonds
00:04:56.39\00:04:59.89
of that permanent relationship,
00:04:59.93\00:05:01.63
and "permanent" is
the operative word here.
00:05:01.66\00:05:04.30
In marriage, there's
a seal. It's finished.
00:05:04.33\00:05:07.80
When Gina and I got married
we said, "No matter what comes--
00:05:07.84\00:05:10.31
"look, life is hard-- it
doesn't matter what comes;
00:05:10.34\00:05:13.27
"divorce never
ends up on the table.
00:05:13.31\00:05:14.94
It doesn't matter if that
day--" and Gina and I fight.
00:05:14.98\00:05:17.95
We're pretty good
at it. Everybody does.
00:05:17.98\00:05:21.08
If you're a young couple
and you think that your marriage
00:05:21.12\00:05:22.98
is in trouble 'cause
you argue with your spouse,
00:05:23.02\00:05:24.99
welcome to the club.
00:05:25.02\00:05:26.32
I've been arguing with
my spouse for 30 years.
00:05:26.35\00:05:27.99
I'm just better
at it than you are.
00:05:28.02\00:05:29.76
That's--you know,
you learn how to do it.
00:05:29.79\00:05:32.56
But here you learn how
two different personalities
00:05:32.59\00:05:35.40
can live with each other
and honor the other above self.
00:05:35.43\00:05:38.07
That says something
about God. It's the permanence.
00:05:38.10\00:05:41.40
When God makes a covenant,
He doesn't change His mind.
00:05:41.44\00:05:43.61
"I will send my Son. He will
give His life for the world.
00:05:43.64\00:05:47.11
"I will take this planet
back. Jesus will be King.
00:05:47.14\00:05:49.94
You will be coheirs with Him."
That's all bankable, right?
00:05:49.98\00:05:53.28
"Write these words, for
they are true and faithful,"
00:05:53.31\00:05:55.62
God says in Revelation 21.
00:05:55.65\00:05:57.95
He doesn't break His covenants.
We break them all the time.
00:05:57.99\00:06:01.42
A good marriage has no backdoor.
00:06:01.46\00:06:03.76
When you shack up first,
you leave the backdoor open.
00:06:03.79\00:06:06.76
"I can always leave if
this doesn't play out."
00:06:06.80\00:06:09.96
You'll never
learn what God is like
00:06:10.00\00:06:11.83
if the backdoor is hanging open.
00:06:11.87\00:06:13.44
It's a permanent,
permanent commitment,
00:06:13.47\00:06:16.54
and everything seems to
be stacked against marriages.
00:06:16.57\00:06:19.51
I think it's by design.
00:06:19.54\00:06:21.68
Hollywood's stacked
against your marriage.
00:06:21.71\00:06:24.45
Popular culture's
stacked against your marriage.
00:06:24.48\00:06:26.55
The rock 'n' roll
industry, trust me,
00:06:26.58\00:06:28.48
stacked against your marriage.
00:06:28.52\00:06:30.29
Unfortunately, I was
raised on some of that,
00:06:30.32\00:06:33.32
and that messaging is horrible.
00:06:33.36\00:06:35.72
There's a reason that
so many people struggle.
00:06:35.76\00:06:38.26
Somebody's trying to
undermine this institution.
00:06:38.29\00:06:40.56
Even something as
seemingly innocent
00:06:40.60\00:06:42.76
as the rom-com is
against your marriage.
00:06:42.80\00:06:45.77
What's the
rom-com? Guy meets girl.
00:06:45.80\00:06:47.94
They're an odd match.
They learn to get along.
00:06:47.97\00:06:49.94
One of them has a secret.
The secret gets betrayed.
00:06:49.97\00:06:52.27
Now they're mad at each
other, it almost breaks up,
00:06:52.31\00:06:54.94
and then he realizes,
"I can't live without you."
00:06:54.98\00:06:56.61
He goes to the
airport in a taxi,
00:06:56.64\00:06:58.28
has to run the last 20
blocks 'cause there's traffic,
00:06:58.31\00:07:00.75
gets to the gate, closing
scene, a marriage, credits roll.
00:07:00.78\00:07:05.29
Like, the wedding is
the end of the story.
00:07:05.32\00:07:08.46
It's not, and that's
where you're being lied to.
00:07:08.49\00:07:11.13
The wedding is the
beginning of the story.
00:07:11.16\00:07:13.96
Eden is the
beginning of the story.
00:07:14.00\00:07:15.93
Eternity with Christ will
be the beginning of the story.
00:07:15.96\00:07:18.93
I know we say it's the
consummation of history.
00:07:18.97\00:07:21.27
I think when we
arrive and the heavenly groom
00:07:21.30\00:07:23.47
takes his bride, that's
the beginning of the story.
00:07:23.51\00:07:25.94
That's not where
the credits roll.
00:07:25.97\00:07:26.94
That's where the
opening credits roll.
00:07:26.98\00:07:29.78
Anyway, I could go on for days,
but marriage is under attack,
00:07:29.81\00:07:33.11
and I think it's by
design. You're being
00:07:33.15\00:07:34.45
cheated of something.
00:07:34.48\00:07:35.95
>>Eric: So God
desired for it to be something
00:07:35.98\00:07:38.52
that we experience,
and through that experience
00:07:38.55\00:07:41.46
we get to know Him better.
00:07:41.49\00:07:43.63
We recognize that in
the world we live in today,
00:07:43.66\00:07:45.99
it's been this way for a long,
long time; divorce is a reality.
00:07:46.03\00:07:48.86
If people bother to
get married, to begin with,
00:07:48.90\00:07:52.70
then you've got
to deal with divorce.
00:07:52.73\00:07:54.04
And the Bible does permit
divorce in certain situations.
00:07:54.07\00:07:58.97
What can we learn about
our relationship with God
00:07:59.01\00:08:01.84
through the idea of divorce?
00:08:01.88\00:08:05.18
>>Shawn: Right.
00:08:05.21\00:08:06.51
Here's what's fascinating.
It's a bit lopsided.
00:08:06.55\00:08:11.35
The marriage with
God is not--is a lot like
00:08:11.39\00:08:14.29
our human relationships,
and then again it's not.
00:08:14.32\00:08:17.73
In a human
relationship-- my wife and I,
00:08:17.76\00:08:20.40
we got two sinners in one
house, and everybody's wrong,
00:08:20.43\00:08:22.86
and everybody's
right, and in God's case,
00:08:22.90\00:08:25.53
you're married to
Somebody who's never wrong.
00:08:25.57\00:08:28.34
He's never wrong,
and He's never the one
00:08:28.37\00:08:29.94
who backs out of His commitment.
00:08:29.97\00:08:31.27
Nothing can remove you,
the book of Romans says,
00:08:31.31\00:08:33.84
from the love of God,
but God allows us to walk.
00:08:33.88\00:08:38.85
He allows us to walk.
00:08:38.88\00:08:40.28
Divorce was permitted.
This is in Matthew, chapter 19.
00:08:40.32\00:08:43.75
They're trying to trick Jesus.
00:08:43.79\00:08:45.39
This is verse 7:
"They said to Him,
00:08:45.42\00:08:46.76
"'Why then did Moses command one
00:08:46.79\00:08:48.56
to give a certificate of
divorce and...send her away?'"
00:08:48.59\00:08:50.89
In other words,
"Moses is your prophet,
00:08:50.93\00:08:53.76
and he allowed a divorce."
00:08:53.80\00:08:56.06
"He said to them,
'Because of [the] hardness
00:08:56.10\00:08:58.43
of [your] heart
Moses allowed you'"--
00:08:58.47\00:09:00.94
He's pointing out
that when it fails,
00:09:00.97\00:09:03.04
that's because of
who we are as sinners.
00:09:03.07\00:09:06.71
And, again, if
your marriage failed,
00:09:06.74\00:09:09.21
I'm not trying to
throw a heavy on you.
00:09:09.24\00:09:11.71
You've been through enough.
00:09:11.75\00:09:14.05
But I think we all can realize
00:09:14.08\00:09:15.55
that it happens
because we're all sinners.
00:09:15.58\00:09:17.22
There are very
few innocent parties,
00:09:17.25\00:09:18.95
completely innocent
parties, in a failed marriage.
00:09:18.99\00:09:22.42
It's the reality.
00:09:22.46\00:09:24.26
And when we become
disassociated with God's Word,
00:09:24.29\00:09:27.30
it becomes all that
much harder to do it.
00:09:27.36\00:09:29.66
In that case, Jesus
said sexual immorality
00:09:29.70\00:09:32.40
is one of those cases.
00:09:32.43\00:09:34.57
Now, here's where we
can learn by a contrast.
00:09:34.60\00:09:37.27
If your spouse is unfaithful,
God says you have the right--
00:09:37.31\00:09:40.48
they broke the covenant,
the covenant is finished--
00:09:40.51\00:09:42.84
you have the right
to move on guilt-free.
00:09:42.88\00:09:45.95
What's fascinating to
me is God doesn't move on
00:09:45.98\00:09:47.75
from that point. Jeremiah
says we are prostitutes.
00:09:47.78\00:09:50.75
We've gone out and slept around
00:09:50.79\00:09:52.59
with every other god
under the face of the earth.
00:09:52.62\00:09:54.62
The book of
Hosea, his wife goes out,
00:09:54.66\00:09:56.96
deliberately
unfaithful, and he goes down
00:09:56.99\00:09:58.69
to the auction
block and buys her back--
00:09:58.73\00:10:00.53
not as a slave--
she's for sale as a slave--
00:10:00.56\00:10:03.33
takes her in as
his spouse again.
00:10:03.37\00:10:06.17
There we can
learn from the contrast.
00:10:06.20\00:10:08.44
We've been the
unfaithful parties.
00:10:08.47\00:10:09.77
God will take us
back anyway at this stage.
00:10:09.80\00:10:11.94
One day He'll
say, "That's enough.
00:10:11.97\00:10:13.44
You've made up
your mind for good."
00:10:13.48\00:10:16.48
But right now, I know
I've been unfaithful to You.
00:10:16.51\00:10:18.11
I could point to three
things last week for sure,
00:10:18.15\00:10:20.25
probably every day,
that I did and were like,
00:10:20.28\00:10:22.48
"Oh, that wasn't
entirely in the will of God."
00:10:22.52\00:10:24.65
But God doesn't
break the marriage covenant
00:10:24.69\00:10:26.72
He has with us, ever.
00:10:26.76\00:10:29.39
>>Eric: So God
keeps His end of the deal.
00:10:29.42\00:10:32.46
>>Shawn: Yeah, He does.
>>Eric: But it's up to us
00:10:32.49\00:10:34.10
if we want to uphold our end.
00:10:34.13\00:10:37.00
There's an interesting
passage that you spend some time
00:10:37.03\00:10:39.93
digging into here
in this week's lesson.
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.44
That's Ezekiel 16.
Walk us through Ezekiel 16.
00:10:41.47\00:10:44.94
>>Shawn: This one's an
eye-opener. Just in case--
00:10:44.97\00:10:47.94
you know, we talk a lot
about the remnant church.
00:10:47.98\00:10:50.45
It's a big, big
theme in Bible prophecy,
00:10:50.48\00:10:55.48
and sometimes we
get a little puffed up:
00:10:55.52\00:10:57.29
"Wow, I'm one of the chosen."
00:10:57.32\00:10:59.12
It's like--well,
Ezekiel 16 reminds us
00:10:59.15\00:11:03.12
of who we were
and how we ended up
00:11:03.16\00:11:05.26
as the bride of Christ.
00:11:05.29\00:11:07.10
This is Ezekiel 16, verse 4.
00:11:07.13\00:11:10.63
God reminds us
where He found us:
00:11:10.67\00:11:12.63
"As for your birth,
on the day you were born
00:11:12.67\00:11:15.87
your cord was not cut"--
00:11:15.90\00:11:17.37
in other words,
nobody cared about you;
00:11:17.41\00:11:19.37
no, nobody even cut
your umbilical cord--
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.18
"nor were you washed
with water to cleanse you,
00:11:22.21\00:11:24.05
"nor rubbed with salt, nor
wrapped in swaddling [clothes].
00:11:24.08\00:11:25.98
"No eye pitied you, to
do any of [those] things...
00:11:26.01\00:11:28.32
"out of compassion for
you, but you were cast out
00:11:28.35\00:11:30.32
"[in] the open field,
for you were abhorred,
00:11:30.35\00:11:32.72
on the day...you were born."
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.39
That was pagan birth control.
00:11:34.42\00:11:36.06
The Romans were famous for this.
"Well, I didn't want a baby."
00:11:36.09\00:11:38.76
Stick it on a rock
and let the sun get it
00:11:38.79\00:11:40.50
or the coyotes or--no coyotes
in Italy, I don't think--
00:11:40.53\00:11:42.63
but the wolves get
it, that kind of thing.
00:11:42.66\00:11:45.30
God says, "I found
you in that condition.
00:11:45.33\00:11:46.94
Nobody wanted
you, but I loved you."
00:11:46.97\00:11:50.44
"Your renown went
forth among the nations
00:11:50.47\00:11:52.27
because of your
beauty," down in verse 14.
00:11:52.31\00:11:54.31
Once God takes us
in, it's different.
00:11:54.34\00:11:56.91
But we become beautiful not
because we were naturally so;
00:11:56.95\00:12:00.52
we become
beautiful because God says,
00:12:00.55\00:12:02.28
"That baby, that's mine."
00:12:02.32\00:12:05.59
And then when she
grows up, she's real pretty,
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.06
and we become
the bride of Christ.
00:12:08.09\00:12:12.56
But then the story turns
the-- then it talks about
00:12:12.59\00:12:15.33
how we cheated on
God and how we destroyed
00:12:15.36\00:12:17.10
that marriage covenant, but
what I'm especially drawn to
00:12:17.13\00:12:20.74
in this story is, like,
God took me when I was nobody.
00:12:20.77\00:12:25.31
"Your origin and your birth are
...the land of the Canaanites;
00:12:25.34\00:12:27.54
your father was an Amorite...
your mother a Hittite."
00:12:27.58\00:12:29.58
Those aren't compliments.
Those aren't compliments.
00:12:29.61\00:12:32.45
God says, "I took you"--
what does it say in Deuteronomy?
00:12:32.48\00:12:35.45
"You were the
least among all nations.
00:12:35.48\00:12:38.92
"And I found you.
You were messed up.
00:12:38.95\00:12:40.79
"I took you home,
and I cleaned you up,
00:12:40.82\00:12:42.19
and you are mine."
00:12:42.22\00:12:44.03
That gives me great
hope. That's the nature
00:12:44.06\00:12:45.69
of God's relationship with
me. He knew how filthy I was.
00:12:45.73\00:12:48.66
He knew that I was unwanted
in this universe, and He says,
00:12:48.70\00:12:51.90
"Now you belong to me."
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.60
I just hit my mic on live
TV. I hope you heard that.
00:12:54.64\00:12:57.27
>>Eric: [laughs] So marriage
is a powerful illustration
00:12:57.31\00:13:00.84
that God uses to help us
to understand our relationship
00:13:00.88\00:13:04.21
with Him, the relationship
that He wants to have with us
00:13:04.25\00:13:06.75
and us with Him.
00:13:06.78\00:13:08.45
The study guide is
thin. >>Shawn: Yeah, it is.
00:13:08.48\00:13:11.29
>>Eric: And in
here-- again, in marriage
00:13:11.32\00:13:13.46
you're touching on things here,
00:13:13.49\00:13:14.79
but there's more
in the companion book.
00:13:14.82\00:13:16.46
What else would we
find in the companion book
00:13:16.49\00:13:18.56
that would deepen our
understanding of this subject?
00:13:18.59\00:13:21.93
>>Shawn: A few more anecdotes,
00:13:21.96\00:13:23.77
you'll see how this
plays out in my own life,
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.44
and a few of the
thoughts that couldn't make it
00:13:27.47\00:13:28.94
into the quarterly,
and some, maybe, prompts
00:13:28.97\00:13:31.77
to help you examine
your marriage and what
00:13:31.81\00:13:33.91
that might teach you about God.
00:13:33.94\00:13:35.34
>>Eric: So if that
sounds like something
00:13:35.38\00:13:36.68
you might like to pick up, I
would encourage you to do so.
00:13:36.71\00:13:39.55
You can find the companion book
00:13:39.58\00:13:41.22
to this quarter's
"Sabbath School" lesson
00:13:41.25\00:13:42.78
at itiswritten.shop.
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.75
Again, itiswritten.shop.
00:13:44.79\00:13:47.09
We're going to come back
in just a moment and continue
00:13:47.12\00:13:48.76
looking at some of these
images of marriage that help us
00:13:48.79\00:13:51.09
understand how to study
the prophecies of the Bible.
00:13:51.13\00:13:54.20
We'll be right back here
again on "Sabbath School,"
00:13:54.20\00:13:56.56
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:13:56.60\00:13:58.47
[inspiring music]
00:13:58.50\00:14:00.84
>>John Bradshaw:
Captive in a foreign land,
00:14:03.17\00:14:05.67
faithful to the God of heaven,
four young men find themselves
00:14:05.71\00:14:10.11
facing death through
no fault of their own.
00:14:10.15\00:14:13.58
What they did in
the face of crisis
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.52
not only demonstrated bravery
but revealed the faithfulness
00:14:15.55\00:14:19.75
of the God who is
with you in times of need.
00:14:19.79\00:14:23.09
Join me as we look
at Daniel, chapter 2
00:14:23.12\00:14:25.93
in our continuing
series on the book of Daniel.
00:14:25.96\00:14:29.33
"Unfolding the
Future" reveals the master key
00:14:29.36\00:14:32.63
to Bible
prophecy, the great prophecy
00:14:32.67\00:14:35.70
on which Daniel and the
book of Revelation stand.
00:14:35.74\00:14:39.14
Understanding
this powerful chapter
00:14:39.17\00:14:41.68
opens up a treasury of
prophetic wisdom and insight
00:14:41.71\00:14:45.35
as God reveals in great detail
00:14:45.38\00:14:47.78
major
developments on Planet Earth
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.85
over the next
2,500 years and beyond.
00:14:49.88\00:14:53.49
Don't miss
"Unfolding the Future,"
00:14:53.52\00:14:56.49
Daniel, chapter 2,
00:14:56.52\00:14:58.19
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:14:58.23\00:15:01.20
[inspiring music]
00:15:03.47\00:15:07.44
>>Eric: Welcome
back to "Sabbath School,"
00:15:07.47\00:15:08.94
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:15:08.97\00:15:10.64
We're looking at images
of marriage that help us
00:15:10.67\00:15:12.27
understand how to study
the prophecies of the Bible.
00:15:12.31\00:15:16.48
On Monday, Shawn, you
talk about wayward Israel
00:15:16.51\00:15:21.85
and the connection
with Lucifer and so forth.
00:15:21.88\00:15:26.42
Walk us through this.
00:15:26.45\00:15:27.89
>>Shawn: All
right. It's fascinating.
00:15:27.92\00:15:30.56
I mean, we're in Ezekiel,
and so we're going to operate
00:15:30.59\00:15:33.06
inside the same
book. In Ezekiel 16,
00:15:33.09\00:15:35.20
we see God finding His bride.
00:15:35.23\00:15:37.43
She's abandoned. He raises her.
00:15:37.47\00:15:39.77
He makes her
beautiful. He marries her.
00:15:39.80\00:15:42.27
But then she falls
in love with her beauty.
00:15:42.30\00:15:43.94
Here it is in verse 15:
00:15:43.97\00:15:46.17
"You trusted in your beauty."
00:15:46.21\00:15:47.94
God is now saying, "Here's
where you went wrong, Israel."
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.95
"You trusted in your
beauty and played the whore
00:15:50.98\00:15:54.18
"because of your renown
and lavished your whorings
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.28
on any passerby;
your beauty became his."
00:15:56.32\00:15:59.12
In other words, Israel started
to fall in love with herself.
00:15:59.15\00:16:01.46
"Wow, we are the
privileged people.
00:16:01.49\00:16:03.16
"Look at us. Our crops do well.
00:16:03.19\00:16:05.69
"We've got--
we're at the crossroads
00:16:05.73\00:16:07.23
of the world;
everybody passes through here."
00:16:07.23\00:16:09.93
And they stop paying
attention to the fact that God
00:16:09.96\00:16:12.10
put them there for a purpose,
00:16:12.13\00:16:13.44
to convey the
message of the gospel.
00:16:13.47\00:16:15.10
There's a reason they're in
the crossroads of the world,
00:16:15.14\00:16:17.57
and there's a reason
that they prosper so well.
00:16:17.61\00:16:20.08
And they fall in
love with themselves.
00:16:20.11\00:16:21.58
Why? They trust
in their own beauty.
00:16:21.61\00:16:23.95
And wouldn't you
know it, 12 chapters later
00:16:23.98\00:16:26.72
in the book of Ezekiel we
find the same problem described,
00:16:26.75\00:16:31.45
but this time it's Lucifer.
00:16:31.49\00:16:33.82
"You were in Eden"--
this is Ezekiel 28, verse 13--
00:16:33.86\00:16:37.43
"the garden of God;
every precious stone
00:16:37.46\00:16:39.16
was your
covering." He's beautiful.
00:16:39.19\00:16:42.66
"You were [the] anointed"--
verse 14--"guardian cherub.
00:16:42.70\00:16:45.50
I placed you; you were on
the holy mountain of God."
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.70
Verse 15: "You were blameless
in your ways from the day
00:16:47.74\00:16:51.24
"you were created,
till unrighteousness
00:16:51.27\00:16:52.84
was found in you."
00:16:52.87\00:16:54.61
So, perfectly beautiful
00:16:54.64\00:16:57.11
because of his association with
God--he's the covering cherub.
00:16:57.15\00:17:00.25
He's right next
to the throne of God.
00:17:00.28\00:17:02.15
The cherub--and we'll look
at this in the coming lesson--
00:17:02.18\00:17:03.99
the cherub's job is to
reflect the glory of God
00:17:04.02\00:17:06.25
to the universe. They're
like the marketing agency
00:17:06.29\00:17:09.79
for the throne of
God-- look how great God is.
00:17:09.82\00:17:12.39
Verse 17: "Your heart was
proud because of your beauty;
00:17:12.43\00:17:17.67
you corrupted your wisdom
for the sake of your splendor."
00:17:17.70\00:17:21.07
Israel was doing
exactly the same thing
00:17:21.10\00:17:24.84
that Lucifer did
in the beginning.
00:17:24.87\00:17:27.18
It was pride, right?
00:17:27.21\00:17:28.68
He catches a reflection
of himself, and it's like,
00:17:28.71\00:17:30.91
"Ah, man, am I
ever good-looking!"
00:17:30.95\00:17:33.75
And there's nothing
quite as ugly as somebody
00:17:33.78\00:17:35.55
who's in love
with themselves, right?
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.32
You know, I had a
good friend in college
00:17:37.35\00:17:39.22
wanted to meet this girl.
00:17:39.25\00:17:40.56
He was desperate to meet her,
and he was trying to figure out
00:17:40.59\00:17:43.39
a way to talk to her, and
you know how nerve-racking
00:17:43.43\00:17:45.93
that can be for you guys, like,
00:17:45.96\00:17:47.30
just working up the
courage. And he thought,
00:17:47.30\00:17:49.00
"I know which way she
goes to class every morning.
00:17:49.03\00:17:50.67
"I'll stand in the
path. She'll have to stop
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.50
right in front of me."
It worked like a charm.
00:17:52.53\00:17:54.77
She stopped, and now he can't
think of something smart to say,
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.44
and he just says, "You're the
prettiest girl I've ever seen."
00:17:57.47\00:18:02.44
And she said, "I know
it." And [laughs] he said,
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.35
"You know, she didn't
seem so beautiful after that."
00:18:05.38\00:18:07.95
Pride is hideous.
00:18:07.98\00:18:09.45
Now, you transport that
to some of the major themes
00:18:09.48\00:18:12.22
you find in the
book of Revelation.
00:18:12.25\00:18:14.32
You get to chapters 17
and 18 and there's a harlot,
00:18:14.36\00:18:19.36
and what's fascinating to
me-- and we may touch on this
00:18:19.39\00:18:21.60
in other weeks; it's for sure
00:18:21.63\00:18:23.10
in the quarterly and
in the companion book.
00:18:23.13\00:18:27.10
We often look,
in this day and age,
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.94
all over the place.
Who is the antichrist?
00:18:28.97\00:18:30.77
We play
pin-the-tail on the antichrist.
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.61
"It's going to be
some dictator in Europe.
00:18:32.64\00:18:35.08
It's going to be this.
It's going to be a Muslim imam."
00:18:35.11\00:18:37.28
And we're always
looking to the outside.
00:18:37.31\00:18:39.38
That's not the message here.
00:18:39.41\00:18:41.28
The church in
the New Testament era
00:18:41.32\00:18:43.35
repeats the mistakes
that Israel made in the past.
00:18:43.39\00:18:46.62
And when you find a harlot
in the book of Revelation,
00:18:46.65\00:18:49.99
it's the same
problem we found in Ezekiel.
00:18:50.03\00:18:52.49
It's the same
problem you find in Jeremiah.
00:18:52.53\00:18:54.73
It's God's people
falling in love with themselves
00:18:54.76\00:18:57.20
and assuming that
they are the reason
00:18:57.23\00:19:00.10
they are who they are, and
it's described as harlotry,
00:19:00.14\00:19:04.27
and it's
following in the footsteps
00:19:04.31\00:19:06.44
of the dragon, who gives
the final beast its throne
00:19:06.47\00:19:09.71
and its authority.
00:19:09.74\00:19:11.05
It's inspired by
the one who fell in love
00:19:11.08\00:19:12.88
with his beauty first.
00:19:12.91\00:19:14.48
>>Eric: So we end up--well,
the greater Christian world
00:19:14.52\00:19:17.69
ends up looking
outside. >>Shawn: Always.
00:19:17.72\00:19:19.52
>>Eric: God's saying, "No,
no, no. I'm trying to tell you,
00:19:19.55\00:19:21.72
look inside. It's
coming from inside."
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.63
>>Shawn: This book--
I know what we're like.
00:19:24.66\00:19:27.30
We like to hold this book up
in church, and we like to look
00:19:27.36\00:19:30.63
and like I could check out
Eric compared to what this is--
00:19:30.67\00:19:33.47
I'll find stuff. And
you could do the same thing.
00:19:33.50\00:19:35.64
You'll find stuff where
I don't line up with this,
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.51
and that's a misuse of the book.
00:19:38.54\00:19:40.34
Does it describe general trends
in the world? Yes, it does.
00:19:40.38\00:19:43.48
But the primary problem in
the Bible is not an outsider.
00:19:43.51\00:19:47.85
It's us. It's us.
00:19:47.88\00:19:49.72
It's telling us
what we're doing wrong.
00:19:49.75\00:19:51.55
It's addressed to God's people.
00:19:51.59\00:19:53.42
>>Eric: Very good, important
for us to understand that.
00:19:53.46\00:19:55.76
On Tuesday you talk
about Revelation being anchored
00:19:55.79\00:19:58.29
in the stories of
the Old Testament.
00:19:58.33\00:19:59.63
These are some examples of that.
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.73
Just--we end up looking in
the wrong places sometimes.
00:20:01.76\00:20:06.17
Wednesday, you
mention-- rather interesting
00:20:06.20\00:20:08.94
that Abraham's servant
went to find a distant relative
00:20:08.97\00:20:11.44
as a suitable wife.
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.14
That doesn't make a
whole lot of sense to us--
00:20:13.17\00:20:16.41
>>Shawn: No, no.
>>Eric: ...but God had a reason.
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.75
>>Shawn: Yeah, my
number one problem
00:20:18.78\00:20:19.91
with that story is, like,
I don't really want someone
00:20:19.95\00:20:21.78
going out and
picking a wife for me.
00:20:21.82\00:20:23.22
I'm really happy I was
born in the 20th century
00:20:23.25\00:20:26.22
and got to pick my own.
00:20:26.25\00:20:29.12
But it is a relative.
00:20:29.16\00:20:31.36
Abraham's in a strange
land, in a strange place
00:20:31.39\00:20:33.96
with pagan cultures.
"Pagan" is a much later word.
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.93
I'm just using it
as a catch-all, but--
00:20:36.97\00:20:39.93
and he needs somebody
from within the same family,
00:20:39.97\00:20:43.94
and they go to a
distant relative.
00:20:43.97\00:20:46.47
Now, think about
God's relationship to us.
00:20:46.51\00:20:48.61
What are we to God?
00:20:48.64\00:20:49.94
Made in His image,
but that's been corrupted.
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.58
And we handed the keys to
this planet to a fallen angel.
00:20:52.61\00:20:55.42
"Okay, we have dominion over
this place, but here you go.
00:20:55.45\00:20:57.75
"Here are the
keys. You run the show.
00:20:57.79\00:21:00.16
We'll listen to
you from now on."
00:21:00.19\00:21:02.86
God is our-- still
our distant relative.
00:21:02.89\00:21:05.43
It has not been entirely removed
from us, the image of God.
00:21:05.46\00:21:09.06
And so our spouse,
Christ, you know, He's looking
00:21:09.10\00:21:13.00
for a bride. He's
going to relatives.
00:21:13.03\00:21:15.67
And not only that, Jesus
actually--quite literally,
00:21:15.70\00:21:18.74
the second
person of the Godhead--
00:21:18.77\00:21:20.08
becomes one of us,
identifies so closely
00:21:20.11\00:21:23.35
that He actually
becomes fully human
00:21:23.38\00:21:24.95
while remaining fully God.
00:21:24.98\00:21:27.22
We are saved by a relative.
00:21:27.25\00:21:30.72
You'll find Boaz appearing
in this week's lesson as well,
00:21:30.75\00:21:33.96
also a relative, that saves
Ruth by the end of the story.
00:21:33.99\00:21:39.53
It's a reminder of
the one who is saving us
00:21:39.56\00:21:43.47
is not some
distant alien from a planet
00:21:43.50\00:21:45.37
that can't identify with us.
00:21:45.40\00:21:47.07
We're made in His image.
00:21:47.10\00:21:48.54
We are a relative, and
He's saving a relative.
00:21:48.57\00:21:51.41
>>Eric: We have so little
time and so much to cover.
00:21:51.44\00:21:54.14
It's the
struggle we always face.
00:21:54.18\00:21:56.24
On Thursday you
talk about this concept,
00:21:56.28\00:21:58.85
this balance
that we try to find,
00:21:58.88\00:22:01.22
or need to find,
between God's love and mercy.
00:22:01.25\00:22:03.28
In fact, we just
spent an entire quarter
00:22:03.32\00:22:05.22
looking at that, last quarter--
>>Shawn: Yeah, that's right.
00:22:05.25\00:22:06.96
>>Eric: ...13 weeks of that.
00:22:06.99\00:22:08.79
But maybe God wants us
to understand this better
00:22:08.82\00:22:11.66
if we're seeing it
again this quarter.
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.19
Perhaps He wants to
catch our attention.
00:22:13.23\00:22:14.83
>>Shawn: It wasn't coordinated.
00:22:14.86\00:22:16.16
>>Eric: God's love and
justice, how can we--how is it
00:22:16.20\00:22:20.00
that God can be
consistent being a God of love
00:22:20.04\00:22:24.01
and also punishing the wicked?
What does that look like?
00:22:24.04\00:22:26.68
>>Shawn: Yeah, and,
again, we got to unpack that
00:22:26.71\00:22:28.88
in about 5 minutes, which
isn't going to do it justice,
00:22:28.91\00:22:31.55
but maybe I'll give
you something to study.
00:22:31.58\00:22:33.82
Go back to your Bible and
see if this is so. Be a Berean.
00:22:33.85\00:22:37.69
Real love does not permit
suffering to endure forever.
00:22:37.72\00:22:44.96
Horrible illustration, maybe,
00:22:44.99\00:22:47.56
but they read us "Old
Yeller" in third grade, right?
00:22:47.60\00:22:52.27
"Old Yeller." And like every
other 8-year-old in the class--
00:22:52.30\00:22:56.17
"It's awful dusty in
here"-- we wouldn't admit
00:22:56.20\00:22:58.04
we were crying
by the end of that
00:22:58.07\00:22:59.21
when they have
to shoot Old Yeller.
00:22:59.24\00:23:00.28
Why do they have
to shoot Old Yeller?
00:23:00.31\00:23:02.54
He's rabid. He's dangerous.
00:23:02.58\00:23:05.11
There's no hope of a cure.
00:23:05.15\00:23:07.35
And what are you going to do?
Let him loose in the farmyard
00:23:07.38\00:23:09.38
to bite the other
animals and the children?
00:23:09.42\00:23:11.35
And eventually the owner
has to step up to the plate
00:23:11.39\00:23:14.69
and put that dog down because
there's no future for it.
00:23:14.72\00:23:17.96
And this is a
much bigger subject
00:23:17.99\00:23:20.73
than we can tackle responsibly,
but some people hate the idea
00:23:20.76\00:23:24.03
that God pun--I've seen
people say, "No, no, no.
00:23:24.07\00:23:26.47
God just steps out of the way,
and we reap the consequences
00:23:26.50\00:23:30.21
of our"--well, is
there a moral difference
00:23:30.24\00:23:33.61
between me pushing you
off the tracks to save you
00:23:33.64\00:23:37.75
from the oncoming train,
or me just saying nothing,
00:23:37.78\00:23:40.82
knowing the train is coming?
What's the moral difference?
00:23:40.85\00:23:42.98
There isn't one.
00:23:43.02\00:23:44.89
I think it raises my respect
for God that, even though
00:23:44.92\00:23:48.39
He is not responsible
for the problem, He is not
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.96
the author of sin, at
the end of the day He says,
00:23:50.99\00:23:53.80
"I am so involved with
you, so identified with you,
00:23:53.83\00:23:56.93
I will step up to the plate
and do the hard thing here."
00:23:56.97\00:23:59.77
I think it's in
Isaiah 28. I could be wrong.
00:23:59.80\00:24:02.77
Somewhere it is written
God says, "I'm going to hide
00:24:02.80\00:24:05.84
all of you for a moment while
I have to do the hard thing."
00:24:05.87\00:24:09.71
And so with tears in His
eyes, He brings an end to it,
00:24:09.74\00:24:12.71
and it's fascinating
to me that in the end,
00:24:12.75\00:24:15.85
God raises the
wicked in prophecy
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.99
for just half a moment
because we've just gone through
00:24:18.02\00:24:22.06
the books, and I
know what I'm like.
00:24:22.09\00:24:23.79
"Okay, you know, my
best friend Steve isn't here.
00:24:23.83\00:24:29.03
Lord, maybe You made a mistake,"
just this lingering doubt,
00:24:29.06\00:24:31.77
and God says, "Let
me show you something,"
00:24:31.80\00:24:34.07
raises the dead, and
they're still following Lucifer,
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.94
they're still storming the city,
and it's like I'll have a chance
00:24:36.97\00:24:39.87
to say, "All right, enough.
00:24:39.91\00:24:41.58
"I get it, I get it.
There is no other option
00:24:41.61\00:24:44.81
but for You to do this."
00:24:44.85\00:24:46.51
So God has mercy.
00:24:46.55\00:24:49.72
Praise the Lord that He
does because we all deserve
00:24:49.75\00:24:51.75
to be on the
outside of the city.
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.49
We all deserve to be in
the second resurrection.
00:24:53.52\00:24:56.86
But He loves us.
God so loved the world.
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.66
"I can't lose my near relative.
I can't lose you. Here's a door.
00:24:58.69\00:25:03.30
"Here's a way back for
you with Christ, who is now
00:25:03.33\00:25:05.77
"the new head of the human race.
00:25:05.80\00:25:07.10
"You can be in Adam,
or you can be in Christ.
00:25:07.14\00:25:09.80
"But if you're in
Adam, am I supposed
00:25:09.84\00:25:11.31
to let this go on forever?"
00:25:11.34\00:25:13.11
Right? In Genesis, we
find that foundation there.
00:25:13.14\00:25:16.11
"Don't let them
eat from the tree,
00:25:16.14\00:25:17.88
or they'll live forever."
00:25:17.91\00:25:19.21
He's not scared of competition.
We're not competition for God.
00:25:19.25\00:25:23.15
No, imagine the
wickedness we'd get up to
00:25:23.18\00:25:26.09
with a 1,000-year
lifespan or 5,000-year lifespan
00:25:26.12\00:25:29.92
or a 10,000-year lifespan.
00:25:29.96\00:25:32.13
We do enough damage in
80 years. God says, "Enough.
00:25:32.16\00:25:35.56
I can't handle the
suffering," and He's the one
00:25:35.60\00:25:37.70
who blows the
whistle. His justice is mercy.
00:25:37.73\00:25:41.74
You want to live without God,
forever outside of His presence?
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.17
No, His justice is His
mercy, and that is a subject
00:25:44.21\00:25:49.04
we could spend an entire
quarter on, and you just did.
00:25:49.08\00:25:52.01
>>Eric: Yeah, it was a fanta--
very timely, very timely,
00:25:52.05\00:25:54.45
and here we are
revisiting it again right now.
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.39
Shawn, let's say that
there's somebody out here
00:25:57.42\00:25:59.02
watching this program
right now who is struggling.
00:25:59.05\00:26:02.69
They're struggling to
see-- to understand God's love.
00:26:02.72\00:26:07.96
What would you tell
them about God's love
00:26:08.00\00:26:11.77
that would give
them some encouragement,
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.84
some hope as they're
facing some struggles right now?
00:26:13.87\00:26:17.47
>>Shawn: The Bible
says, if you take a look
00:26:17.51\00:26:19.14
at Romans 5 and verse 8,
that "while we were yet sinners,
00:26:19.17\00:26:22.71
Christ died for us."
00:26:22.74\00:26:24.38
And I know that
you've got this instinct
00:26:24.41\00:26:26.41
to get yourself
ready to meet God.
00:26:26.45\00:26:28.32
"If I just dust off my
resume, He will love me.
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.25
If I were just more
impressive, He would love me."
00:26:31.29\00:26:33.15
Let me assure
you God is not after
00:26:33.19\00:26:36.36
your intellectual abilities.
00:26:36.39\00:26:37.63
He is not after your eloquence.
He's not after your good looks.
00:26:37.66\00:26:41.53
He's not after any of that.
He already knows what you are.
00:26:41.56\00:26:43.83
"While we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:26:43.87\00:26:47.90
He didn't wait for you
to get good enough to save.
00:26:47.94\00:26:50.31
Here's the fact.
He just--He loves you,
00:26:50.34\00:26:53.21
kind of like you love your kids.
00:26:53.24\00:26:54.91
Your kids could
write on the sofa
00:26:54.94\00:26:57.08
with a permanent marker,
and you'll be a little upset
00:26:57.11\00:27:00.52
with what happened. It's
not supposed to be that way.
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.58
You'll teach your
child that's not the way
00:27:02.62\00:27:04.25
you handle a marker, but
you never stop loving them.
00:27:04.29\00:27:07.29
If you're waiting to be
good enough to love, relax.
00:27:07.32\00:27:10.56
It's done. He loves you.
00:27:10.59\00:27:12.99
He died while you were
yet a sinner. It's handled.
00:27:13.03\00:27:17.90
"But I'm not good enough."
No, that's the whole point.
00:27:17.93\00:27:19.77
You're not. You can just
take that one to the bank now.
00:27:19.80\00:27:22.60
Just relax in the fact
that you're not good enough.
00:27:22.64\00:27:24.41
You aren't.
Jesus is good enough,
00:27:24.44\00:27:26.74
and He says, "I got you
covered. "I've got you covered.
00:27:26.78\00:27:28.94
"I love you because
you are my relative,
00:27:28.98\00:27:32.35
and I can't think of
the kingdom without you."
00:27:32.38\00:27:34.65
>>Eric: Shawn, thanks for
giving us some encouragement
00:27:34.68\00:27:36.25
and some hope today.
We're glad you're here.
00:27:36.28\00:27:37.79
>>Shawn: Thanks for having me.
00:27:37.82\00:27:39.12
>>Eric: And thank you
for joining us as well.
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.89
We're going to
continue looking at how to study
00:27:40.92\00:27:42.92
the prophecies of the
Bible when we come back again
00:27:42.96\00:27:45.46
next week, and
we're going to learn more
00:27:45.49\00:27:47.23
about God's character
and His love for us as we do.
00:27:47.30\00:27:51.07
We look forward to
seeing you again next time
00:27:51.10\00:27:52.73
here on "Sabbath School,"
brought to you by It Is Written.
00:27:52.77\00:27:56.27
[inspiring music]
00:27:56.30\00:28:00.31
[inspiring music]
00:28:23.97\00:28:26.94
[Captions provided by Aberdeen
Captioning www.abercap.com]
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.97