Participants: Pastor Charles Byrd
Series Code: IST
Program Code: IST000007
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00:01 Hello and welcome to In Search of the truth.
00:04 I'm Karen Byrd. 00:05 This is our seventh program in this series. 00:08 In our first program we learned that the evidence 00:10 does not support evolution at all. 00:13 In fact, the evidence points us forcibly 00:16 to the conclusion that someone or something 00:18 of immense intelligence and capacity put us here. 00:22 In our second program 00:23 we discovered where we can find testable, 00:25 provable and convincing evidence concerning who that someone is. 00:30 That someone is the God of creation 00:33 and the testable evidence is prophecy. 00:37 We learned that through the prophet Daniel, 00:39 the God of creation predicted and named leading world empires 00:43 hundreds of years in advance. 00:46 Daniel also saw that a Day of Judgment is coming. 00:49 He saw that the old and new world empires 00:51 would be all destroyed and swept away 00:54 in His final act of judgment. 00:56 That same God, 00:58 the God of creation, and the God of prophecy 01:00 actually went camping with a nation 01:03 of former slaves at Mt. Sinai. 01:05 And today Charles is going back to the Sinai desert 01:08 and into the most holy place of God's tent 01:11 to discover the truths the Creator revealed to us 01:14 about His judgment. 01:16 Join us as we go in search of the truth 01:18 about our Date with the Judge. 02:01 The thought of standing before a Judge 02:03 can make some of us very uncomfortable. 02:06 Even when we know we're innocent, 02:08 are we sure we'll be able to convince the judge? 02:11 Some might say, well, I'm not worried 02:13 because I never do anything that will land me in a courtroom. 02:17 Are you sure? 02:18 Paul tells us in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27, 02:22 "... it is appointed unto men once to die, 02:26 but after this the judgment. " 02:29 If you live long enough, you're going to die. 02:33 And after that... the judgment? 02:36 Actually there is going to come a day when everyone 02:38 including you will be tried at the judgment bar of God. 02:42 The one who created you 02:43 will bring your whole life into His courtroom 02:45 and look over every part 02:47 including your thoughts and motives. 02:51 That's intense. 02:52 A trial from which there is no appeal, 02:54 no courtroom shenanigans will be allowed either. 02:57 No deals. No plea-bargains. 02:59 No little white lies. 03:00 No reasonable doubt because there will be no doubt. 03:04 For some, the thought 03:05 of standing before the Judge of all mankind, 03:08 may bring feelings of worry and fear. 03:10 But did you know that on four different occasions 03:14 the book of Revelation talks about the judgment 03:17 bringing feelings of praise, thanksgiving, and rejoicing? 03:22 In our search for the truth 03:24 let's look carefully at this topic. 03:26 I believe that we'll find what millions have discovered. 03:29 The judgment message, as found in the Bible, 03:32 can be thrilling and assuring. 03:35 Can we be sure there will be a judgment? 03:38 I believe we can, 03:39 because the Bible refers to the judgment 03:41 more than a thousand times. 03:43 Almost every Bible writer speaks of it. 03:46 In fact, did you know that Revelation 14 prophesies 03:49 of three angels bringing God's last message 03:52 to those who live on planet earth? 03:55 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, 03:59 having the everlasting gospel 04:01 to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, 04:03 and to every nation, and kindred, 04:05 and tongue, and people... " 04:07 Okay, now don't miss this here. 04:10 This is a prophetic message that will go to every nation, 04:13 every language, every person. 04:16 It's the everlasting gospel. 04:18 And what is the everlasting gospel? 04:21 Is it Jesus, dying on the cross for you and for me? 04:24 Is it the good news about the second coming? 04:26 Look at the next verse, verse 7. 04:29 "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; 04:33 for the hour of his judgment is come: 04:36 and worship him that made the heavens, 04:38 and the earth, the sea, the fountains of water. " 04:41 Can you believe it? 04:42 It says we are to worship the creator God, and fear Him 04:45 because THE HOUR of HIS JUDGMENT is COME! 04:50 Judgment. Hour. Come. Do you see it? 04:54 There is a time that God 04:55 "shall judge the world in righteousness, 04:57 And He shall administer judgment 04:59 for the peoples in uprightness. " 05:02 When is that hour, that time that God will judge the world, 05:07 make all the wrongs right, bring justice to all the oppressed? 05:11 That very time is foreshadowed in the wilderness tabernacle, 05:15 the sanctuary that was built at God's direction 05:18 right there at the foot of Sinai. 05:21 In our last program we learned that God "tabernacled" with man, 05:25 actually went camping with a bunch of human beings 05:28 for over 40 years. 05:31 Imagine having God living in a tent nearby to yours. 05:34 We learned that His tent had walls 05:36 made of wood from acacia trees and overlaid with gold. 05:41 It had only four pieces of furniture inside, 05:43 and two outside in the courtyard. 05:46 This tabernacle and its services were used each day 05:49 to help God communicate with humanity. 05:52 He taught them through the symbols of the sanctuary 05:55 and its services about His character, His law, 05:58 how we should live and ultimately 06:00 how He was planning to work out our salvation. 06:03 Through the services of the sanctuary 06:05 God taught that daily sins were to be taken care of daily; 06:10 that all confessed sins where transferred symbolically 06:13 into the sanctuary as the blood was sprinkled before the veil. 06:18 But finally, once each year 06:20 on the tenth day of the seventh month, 06:22 the Day of Atonement concluded the whole sin issue. 06:25 Here in a symbolic form was the judgment. 06:29 First all the people were to make absolutely sure 06:32 that ALL their sins were repented of, 06:35 and confessed, and made right. 06:37 Then two goats were chosen. 06:39 One was the Lord's goat and the other was the scapegoat. 06:43 That scapegoat represented Satan. 06:46 The Lord's goat was slain and only this once in the year 06:49 the High Priest carried his blood into the Most Holy Place 06:53 right to the mercy seat 06:55 on top of the Ark of the Covenant. 06:57 This blood would "CLEANSE" the sanctuary of sins 07:01 that had been brought into the sanctuary during the year. 07:05 Now all the people in the camp were sin free. 07:08 The sanctuary was cleansed. 07:11 Here in miniature symbol 07:12 God showed mankind what His plan was 07:15 to finally rid the world, His church, and His people of sin. 07:19 When would that sanctuary symbol of the judgment 07:22 take place in reality? 07:24 You may be surprised to learn that God actually tells us 07:28 in this book when the sanctuary would be cleansed, 07:31 when the judgment would take place. 07:34 While the prophet Daniel was in vision he heard the Lord say, 07:37 "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; 07:41 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. " 07:44 This prophecy actually opens to us 07:46 the very YEAR God begins the judgment process. 07:50 You can know from the Bible when the judgment takes place, 07:53 all three phases of it! 07:55 That's right; there are three phases of the judgment. 07:58 The judgment begins at the end of 2300 days! 08:01 Now, I can hear some say, "When is that?" 08:04 I'll explain this to you and show you 08:07 all the scriptures time will allow right now but 08:09 I hope that this topic will pique your interest enough 08:12 to request our two FREE Bible study guides. 08:15 These study guides will give you real insight 08:17 as you search the subject out for yourself. 08:21 First let me explain that Daniel has been a captive in Babylon 08:25 ever since Nebuchadnezzar had overrun Israel in 606 B.C. 08:30 Daniel, a prophet in his own right, 08:32 had read the other prophecies 08:34 concerning the captivity of Israel 08:36 and he knew from Jeremiah's writings 08:38 that the Jewish people were supposed to be captive 08:40 for just 70 years. 08:43 Daniel is now an old man. 08:44 He seeks the Lord to learn 08:46 when the people can go back to Jerusalem 08:48 and he hears God say, 08:50 "Unto 2300 days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. " 08:55 He doesn't know what it means so 08:56 Gabriel comes to explain that Babylon is coming to an end 09:00 and the rest of the vision is for the future. 09:03 Daniel is sick. 09:04 Could it be that their captivity would be prolonged? 09:08 Was Jeremiah's prophecy somehow wrong? 09:11 Sure enough, the Babylonian kingdom ends 09:14 and the Medes and the Persians take over the empire. 09:16 Daniel begins to fast and pray 09:18 asking God to make known the meaning of the vision. 09:22 So God sends word to Daniel and begins to explain the 2300 days, 09:27 the longest time prophecy in scripture. 09:30 Right here in Daniel chapter 9 09:32 He begins to break down the prophecy into bite-sized pieces. 09:36 He tells Daniel the beginning date of the 2300 days, 09:40 and even puts in mile markers as it were, 09:43 predicts certain events along the time line 09:46 so that anyone who considers this prophecy will know for sure 09:50 that God knows the future even before it happens. 09:54 For us to get anything out of this prophecy 09:56 we first need a beginning date. 09:59 Let's look at Daniel 9 and verse 25 together. 10:02 "Know therefore and understand, 10:05 that from the going forth of the commandment to restore 10:08 and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, 10:12 and threescore and two weeks: 10:15 the street shall be built again, 10:17 and the wall, even in troublous times. " 10:20 The historical date that anchors this prophecy is 10:23 "... the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem... " 10:27 History now reveals that this commandment 10:29 was made by Artaxerxes, king of Persia in 457 B.C. 10:35 Suddenly we have a beginning date 10:37 for the judgment hour message. 10:39 But can we be sure this is the correct date? 10:43 Absolutely thanks to the mileposts 10:45 that were added to the interpretation. 10:48 Look at Daniel 9:25 again. 10:50 "Know therefore and understand, 10:52 that from the going forth of the commandment 10:54 to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah 10:57 the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:" 11:03 From the Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem 11:06 which we now know happened in 457 B.C. 11:09 unto Messiah - or Jesus - 11:12 would be 7 weeks plus 62 weeks or 69 weeks. 11:16 A simple look at history shows we've got an apparent problem. 11:20 Sixty nine weeks is 1.25 years. 11:24 457 minus 1.25 years brings us to 455 B.C. 11:31 But we know that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit 11:34 to be the Messiah in A.D. 27. 11:38 Is the prophecy wrong? 11:40 Was Jesus not the Messiah? 11:42 Not at all. 11:44 This will become clear when we look at another prophesy 11:46 in the book of Ezekiel. 11:48 When God had Ezekiel prophecy against Israel 11:51 Ezekiel was to lie on his right side for 40 days. 11:56 You can read about it in Ezekiel 4 verse 6. 11:58 Then God said, "I have appointed thee each day for a year. " 12:04 What God reveals to us through Ezekiel is 12:07 that one prophetic day equals one literal year. 12:12 Is that true? 12:13 Let's check. 12:15 Sixty-nine weeks times 7 days a week equals 483 prophetic days. 12:22 But prophetic days equal literal years. 12:24 So let's go back and see if the numbers work out right. 12:28 457 B.C. minus 483 years brings us right to 27 A.D. 12:36 And right on time the Messiah came, 12:39 anointed by the Holy Spirit. 12:42 Isn't prophecy amazing? 12:44 God knows the future 12:46 and in his mercy he has revealed it to us in scripture. 12:51 He is accurate in advance with absolute precision 12:54 even to the date of Jesus' baptism. 12:58 Real quick, let's look at the most important mile post 13:02 along the road of this prophecy. 13:04 According to Daniel 9:26 and 27, 13:07 after 69 weeks, or 483 years, 13:10 there is another week of prophecy, or another 7 years. 13:14 After the 69 weeks, and in the midst of the 70th week 13:18 the Messiah would be cut off Daniel 9 tells us. 13:22 The sanctuary lamb, 13:23 the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world 13:26 would die. 13:28 There would be no more need for animal sacrifices. 13:31 Once again prophecy is fulfilled. 13:34 In the spring of A.D. 31, in the midst of the week 13:37 Jesus died for your sins and mine, 13:40 and at that very moment the veil in the temple 13:43 that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place 13:47 was rent from top to bottom. 13:50 The sacredness and significance 13:52 of the sacrificial service had departed. 13:55 The time had come for the earthly sacrifice 13:57 and oblation or offerings to cease. 14:01 Let's look at the next mile marker of this prophecy. 14:04 The Jewish people were given 70 weeks 14:07 from 457 B.C. according to Daniel 9:24. 14:11 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people 14:14 and upon the holy city, 14:16 to finish the transgression, 14:18 to make an end of sins, 14:19 and to make reconciliation for iniquity, 14:23 and to bring in everlasting righteousness, 14:25 and to seal up the vision and prophecy, 14:28 and to anoint the Most Holy. " 14:30 Seventy prophetic weeks or 490 literal years 14:35 brings us to 34 A.D. and the stoning of Stephen. 14:40 God had been merciful to his chosen people 14:43 in spite of their continual disobedience. 14:46 But there is a limit to God's forbearance. 14:49 Daniel was clearly told that a date was set 14:51 for the probation of the children of Abraham. 14:54 They were given 490 years 14:56 to decide if they were going to be His people. 14:59 What a patient God! 15:01 457 B.C. minus 490 years brings us to 34 A.D. 15:08 It was in this year that the Jewish Nation 15:10 filled the final cup of their iniquity 15:13 in the tragic stoning of Stephen. 15:15 They had the prophecies of Daniel and Isaiah. 15:19 They should have been ready to receive Messiah right on time. 15:22 The prophet Micah had told them 15:24 Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, 15:26 and Jesus was. 15:28 They knew the prophecies of Moses 15:30 that a star would arise out of Jacob. 15:32 The wise men from the East 15:33 were poignant reminders of this when they said, 15:36 "we have seen his star in the east, 15:38 and we are come to worship him. " 15:41 But Stephen was an eyewitness to their final rejection... 15:46 "You stiff-necked people 15:48 and uncircumcised in heart and ears!" 15:51 Stephen said to them. 15:52 "You always resist the Holy Spirit; 15:55 as your fathers did, so do you. 15:57 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? 16:00 And they killed those who foretold 16:02 the coming of the Just One, 16:03 whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers. " 16:08 Instead of the leaders and the people repenting at this truth 16:11 and pleading with God to give them a new heart 16:13 they rushed upon Stephen, grabbing him, biting him, 16:17 shoving him outside the city 16:19 where they stoned him to death. 16:22 Their probation had closed. 16:25 No longer as a Nation would they be the favored ones. 16:29 Only as individuals, 16:31 believing in the Messiah were they to be saved. 16:34 Then, as predicted in the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 21 16:39 the message was given to others 16:41 who would bear fruit. 16:43 All these milestones give us confidence 16:46 that the last marker is solid and sure. 16:50 From AD 34 we add 1,810 days or the rest 16:55 of the 2300 prophetic days or years and we come to 1844. 17:00 The Day of Atonement that year was Oct 22. 17:04 This was the beginning of Phase I of the Judgment. 17:08 Suddenly we hear angels, or messengers 17:12 all over the world crying out, 17:14 "The hour of His judgment is come. " 17:18 On October 22, 1844 Jesus, 17:21 our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, 17:24 left the Holy Place and entered the Most Holy 17:27 for the last portion of His sanctuary work 17:30 before He comes back to earth. 17:32 Phase I of the judgment had begun. 17:35 What happens in Phase I? 17:37 That judgment looks at the records of all those 17:40 who have claimed the name of Jesus. 17:42 It considers the lives of all those 17:44 who were believers in the God of creation, 17:47 in the God who formed Adam from the dust of the ground. 17:51 "For the time is come that judgment must begin 17:54 at the house of God... " 17:55 All those living and dead who claimed to be followers of God, 17:59 His church, the house of God, 18:01 will be considered in the pre-advent judgment. 18:04 Phase I is sometimes called the Pre-Advent judgment because 18:08 at the advent or when Jesus returns he says, 18:11 "And, behold, I come quickly; 18:14 and my reward is with me, 18:15 to give every man according as his work shall be. " 18:19 When He returns He already knows who is going to be saved, 18:22 and who is going to be lost. 18:24 His reward is with Him. 18:25 He has already passed sentence in favor of those 18:28 who have believed in Him and chosen to follow Him. 18:32 The rest, by their own choice, are eternally lost. 18:37 When Jesus finishes the pre-advent judgment 18:40 which is going on right now and has been since 1844 18:43 He will stand and declare, 18:46 "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: 18:49 and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: 18:52 and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: 18:56 and he that is holy, let him be holy still. " 18:59 At that point it is all final. 19:02 So, who presides at this judgment? 19:04 Who is the defense attorney? The judge? The accuser? 19:08 And who are the witnesses? 19:09 First Daniel says, "The Ancient of days did sit, 19:13 ...his throne was like a fiery flame, 19:16 ...and the judgment was set, 19:18 and the books were opened. " 19:20 Daniel 7:9-10 19:22 God the Father, the Ancient of days, 19:24 presides over this pre-advent judgment. 19:27 If that is scary, remember what Jesus said in John 16:27, 19:32 "For the Father himself loves you. " 19:35 And in John 3:16, 19:36 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son... " 19:41 So who accuses us in this judgment? 19:43 The Bible tells us 19:45 "Satan... accused them before our God day and night. " 19:50 Isn't that just mean of him? 19:52 He tempts us to sin, 19:53 shows us how wonderful it will be if we eat this, 19:56 or drink that, or take this, and then as soon as we stumble 19:59 he races to God pointing out our faults, 20:01 and our failures, our shortcomings and mistakes. 20:05 But we have a defense attorney! 20:07 Who is that? 20:08 According to 1 John chapter 2 verse 1 20:11 our attorney is Jesus Himself. 20:15 "We have an advocate with the Father, 20:17 Jesus Christ the righteous. " 20:20 And look what it says in Daniel chapter 7:22 20:23 from the New English Bible about this judgment 20:26 judgment will be "... given in favor of the saints. " 20:30 Saints are just sinners saved by grace and if we ask Him too, 20:34 He will give us His salvation. 20:37 So, phase I of the judgment process 20:39 is the pre-advent judgment that is on-going right now. 20:44 It has been ever since 1844. 20:46 And this is where God goes over the records 20:48 of all those who have claimed to be faithful. 20:52 What is Phase II? 20:54 Phase II of the judgment process 20:56 is the judgment we pass on God and all that are lost. 21:00 You see, we get to play, 21:01 as it were, Monday morning quarterback 21:03 on all the decisions God made in the pre-advent judgment. 21:07 It's true! 21:08 Paul tells the folks in Corinth 21:10 "that the saints shall judge the world". 21:13 Suppose a family discovered that their much-beloved son 21:16 who was murdered was not in heaven. 21:19 Can you imagine their shock to discover the murderer was? 21:23 Doubtless they would need some answers. 21:26 This second phase of the judgment 21:27 will answer all those questions of the righteous. 21:31 Here we can ask, "Why isn't my mother here?" 21:34 Where is my grandfather? 21:36 Why didn't my pastor make it? 21:38 Why is my sister lost forever? 21:41 The life of every lost person, including Satan and his angels, 21:45 will be carefully reviewed by the righteous. 21:49 As a result of this totally open and honest review 21:52 it will become obvious to all 21:54 that the judgment is no arbitrary matter. 21:57 It will confirm the choices, which people have already made. 22:01 John saw this clearly in prophetic vision when he said, 22:05 "I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, 22:09 and judgment was given unto them. " 22:12 For one thousand years saints will look at all these records 22:15 until they are fully satisfied. 22:18 Revelation 20 verse 5 tells us that during the 1,000 years 22:22 those who are lost are dead on earth 22:24 until the second resurrection 22:27 and the third and final phase of judgment. 22:30 When and where will the third phase 22:32 of the final judgment take place? 22:34 Perhaps you remember 22:36 when I was talking about heaven and the New Jerusalem 22:38 and how God was planning to bring 22:40 that colossal city here to earth. 22:43 The Prophet Zechariah tells us in chapter 14 22:45 that Jesus' feet will touch the Mt. of Olives 22:48 and a great plain will flatten out ready for the city to land. 22:52 Revelation 21 verse 2 says, "And I, John, saw the holy city, 22:57 the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, 23:00 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 23:03 "And when the thousand years are expired, 23:06 Satan shall be loosed out of prison, 23:09 and shall go out to deceive the nations 23:11 ...to gather them together to battle. " 23:13 At the end of the 1,000 years God will bring His city to earth 23:18 and there will be a resurrection of the wicked 23:20 just like Jesus predicted in John 5:29. 23:24 All the wicked who ever lived, 23:26 including the devil and his angels, will be present. 23:29 Satan immediately launches a powerful propaganda campaign 23:33 to deceive them. 23:35 Amazingly, he succeeds in convincing the nations of earth 23:38 that they can capture the holy city. 23:41 Revelation 20 and verse 9 23:43 foresees the wicked surrounding the city 23:45 and preparing to attack when unexpectedly, 23:48 without warning, God appears 23:49 with almost paralyzing brightness above the city. 23:53 Now all the wicked are judged according to their deeds. 23:56 Their lives are compared 23:58 to the law of God which they have despised. 24:01 They now see their lives in contrast 24:03 to the one who loved them and died for them. 24:06 And suddenly there is a movement. 24:08 One lost soul drops to his knees to admit his guilt 24:11 and openly confess that God was more than fair with him. 24:16 His own stubborn pride is what kept him from responding. 24:19 On all sides now, 24:21 people and evil angels are likewise kneeling. 24:23 "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, 24:26 every knee shall bow to me, 24:28 and every tongue shall confess to God. " 24:32 So then every one of us 24:33 shall give account of himself to God. 24:36 And now the sentencing Phase of judgment is executed 24:39 upon that vast angry and bitter crowd. 24:43 John opens to us the end of all wickedness. 24:46 "... and fire came down from God out of heaven, 24:49 and devoured them. 24:50 And the devil that deceived them was cast 24:52 into the lake of fire... " 24:55 What about you friend? 24:57 Which resurrection are you going to be in? 24:59 That all depends on what happens in the judgment; 25:02 and it all depends on who you ask to be your defense attorney. 25:07 The good news is you don't have to be lost. 25:09 You have the power of choice. 25:12 You can choose to invite the God of creation into your heart 25:15 each day and know the peace that passes all understanding. 25:20 Your destiny is so important 25:22 and you owe it to yourself and to those you love 25:25 to be on the informed side of this discussion. 25:28 To aid you in this search 25:30 we are offering two very informative study guides 25:33 Now, here is the information you'll need. 25:37 [Text on screen] 25:42 To access this powerful resource go to www. amazingfacts. org. 25:49 and simply select the studies button. 25:52 From there, you can order the entire set of the study guides 25:55 or you can look and listen to this particular study guide. 25:59 You can even enroll to the free online bible study course 26:03 which will answer many of your bible questions. 26:06 Again, this study guide is available to you anywhere 26:09 in the world at www. amazingfacts. org 26:15 Friend, you can know from the Bible what your future holds. 26:19 Your careful study of this information 26:21 will create some profound insights. 26:24 In our next program Charles will be going to Gehenna 26:27 just outside Jerusalem. 26:29 This was the city dump for hundreds of years. 26:33 Refuse was constantly being thrown in 26:35 and it was constantly burning. 26:37 This became the symbol for Hell. 26:40 Some of us have been told that if we don't make it to heaven, 26:43 we will burn forever and ever in hell. 26:46 Is that true? 26:48 Many honest people 26:49 have come to honest misunderstandings about hell. 26:52 What's more, some unscrupulous folks 26:54 have taken advantage of this widely held doctrine 26:57 to control people through fear. 27:00 I hope you won't miss this revealing topic. 27:03 We'll see you next time as we go together 27:05 in search for the good news about hell. |
Revised 2014-12-17