Welcome back to Liberty Insider.
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
Before the break,
00:00:02.73\00:00:04.07
I was sharing some
very pivotal information
00:00:04.10\00:00:07.14
from the book Great Controversy,
00:00:07.17\00:00:09.14
talking about the rise to
power of the United States,
00:00:09.17\00:00:11.87
a lamblike beast with two horns.
00:00:11.91\00:00:14.61
And those horns, as I read,
00:00:14.64\00:00:18.61
can be seen as
two characteristics
00:00:18.65\00:00:20.58
of Republicanism,
00:00:20.62\00:00:21.95
power from the
people, and Protestantism,
00:00:21.98\00:00:25.05
which I can't say
00:00:25.09\00:00:26.42
is a direct
characteristic anymore.
00:00:26.45\00:00:28.82
An interesting aside to
this and I'm not going to read
00:00:28.86\00:00:31.83
or share it here
other than the thought.
00:00:31.86\00:00:35.36
England has
created waves in Europe
00:00:35.40\00:00:38.90
by separating from
the European Union.
00:00:38.93\00:00:41.60
And I thought myself
without a lot of evidence
00:00:41.64\00:00:45.14
that it's because
00:00:45.17\00:00:46.51
is distinctly Protestant entity.
00:00:46.54\00:00:48.38
It was a bad fit to a union
00:00:48.41\00:00:50.88
that includes some
Protestant nations,
00:00:50.91\00:00:52.55
but is very Rome centric.
00:00:52.58\00:00:55.08
In fact, the
Treaty of Rome established
00:00:55.12\00:00:57.25
and recently I read a
long analytical statement
00:00:57.29\00:01:01.86
from Europe that
said just as much
00:01:01.89\00:01:04.23
that the Protestant character
of England has reacted badly
00:01:04.26\00:01:08.46
against the pervading
influence of the Church of Rome,
00:01:08.50\00:01:12.63
through the European Union.
00:01:12.67\00:01:15.50
And so the US used
to be characterized
00:01:15.54\00:01:17.91
by the Protestant
sensibility is fading.
00:01:17.94\00:01:20.51
But listen to this,
it says, "But the beast
00:01:20.54\00:01:22.64
with lamblike
horns spake as a dragon."
00:01:22.68\00:01:25.61
And this is,
quoting now Revelation.
00:01:25.65\00:01:27.92
"And he exercised all the power
of the first beast before him,
00:01:27.95\00:01:30.99
and causes the earth and them
00:01:31.02\00:01:33.36
that dwell there in to
worship the first beast
00:01:33.39\00:01:36.56
his deadly wound was
healed saying to them
00:01:36.59\00:01:38.79
that dwell on the earth,
00:01:38.83\00:01:40.16
and that they should
make an image to the beast
00:01:40.20\00:01:43.57
which had the wound
by a sword and did live."
00:01:43.60\00:01:46.80
Pretty plain, a
damage but resurgent power.
00:01:46.84\00:01:49.87
That's from Revelation 13.
00:01:49.90\00:01:51.51
"The lamblike beast
and the dragon voice
00:01:51.54\00:01:55.28
of the symbol point to
a striking contradiction
00:01:55.31\00:01:58.65
between the professions
and the practice of the nation
00:01:58.68\00:02:02.05
thus represented."
00:02:02.08\00:02:03.89
And we live through this now.
00:02:03.92\00:02:06.96
The Constitution is a
wonderfully etiological
00:02:06.99\00:02:11.29
and inspirational document.
00:02:11.33\00:02:13.23
But more and more
there's a contradiction
00:02:13.26\00:02:15.60
between the Constitution
00:02:15.63\00:02:17.40
and how things are ordered
00:02:17.43\00:02:18.93
in the late imperial
life of the United States.
00:02:18.97\00:02:24.61
And it says here,
"The speaking of the nation
00:02:24.64\00:02:28.14
is the action of its legislative
00:02:28.18\00:02:30.18
and judicial authorities.
00:02:30.21\00:02:32.18
By such action
it will give the lie
00:02:32.21\00:02:34.98
to those liberal
and peaceful principles
00:02:35.02\00:02:37.72
which it has put forth
00:02:37.75\00:02:39.25
as the foundation of its policy.
00:02:39.29\00:02:41.49
The prediction that
it will speak as a dragon
00:02:41.52\00:02:45.09
and exercise all the
power of the first beast
00:02:45.13\00:02:49.00
plainly foretells a development
00:02:49.03\00:02:52.10
of the spirit of intolerance
00:02:52.13\00:02:54.70
and persecution
that was manifested
00:02:54.74\00:02:57.77
by the nations
represented by the dragon
00:02:57.81\00:03:01.08
and the leopardlike beast."
00:03:01.11\00:03:02.61
And who can doubt in this era,
00:03:02.64\00:03:05.71
this present administration
to be more specific,
00:03:05.75\00:03:08.58
that the United States
00:03:08.62\00:03:09.95
is incapable of
aggressive, dominant,
00:03:09.98\00:03:12.32
and even cruel actions.
00:03:12.35\00:03:14.22
Of course, we see it
incipiently presented now.
00:03:14.26\00:03:17.53
And it says, "In the statement
00:03:17.56\00:03:19.36
that the beast with
two horns causeth the earth
00:03:19.39\00:03:22.60
and them which
dwell therein to worship
00:03:22.63\00:03:24.47
the first beast indicates
00:03:24.50\00:03:26.23
that the
authority of this nation
00:03:26.27\00:03:29.20
is to be exercised in enforcing
00:03:29.24\00:03:31.81
some observance which shall be
an act of homage to the papacy.
00:03:31.84\00:03:37.01
Such action would
be directly contrary
00:03:37.05\00:03:39.75
to the principles
of this government,
00:03:39.78\00:03:41.55
to the genius of
its free institutions,
00:03:41.58\00:03:44.29
to the direct and solemn avowals
00:03:44.32\00:03:46.62
of the
Declaration of Independence,
00:03:46.65\00:03:48.29
and to the Constitution."
00:03:48.32\00:03:49.66
Of course!
00:03:49.69\00:03:51.59
"The founders," it continues,
00:03:51.63\00:03:53.03
"of the nation
wisely sought to guard
00:03:53.06\00:03:56.10
against the
employment of secular power
00:03:56.13\00:03:58.73
on the part of the church,
with the inevitable result,
00:03:58.77\00:04:02.50
intolerance and persecution.
00:04:02.54\00:04:04.91
The Constitution provides that,
00:04:04.94\00:04:07.11
and this is in quotes
from the Constitution,
00:04:07.14\00:04:10.01
"Congress shall make no law
00:04:10.05\00:04:12.98
respecting an
establishment of religion,
00:04:13.01\00:04:15.68
or preventing the
free exercise thereof,"
00:04:15.72\00:04:19.85
and that quote again
from the Constitution,
00:04:19.89\00:04:23.79
"No religious test
shall ever be required
00:04:23.83\00:04:27.80
as a qualification to any office
00:04:27.83\00:04:29.83
of public trust
under the United States."
00:04:29.86\00:04:33.00
That's all that the Constitution
00:04:33.03\00:04:34.94
has to say about religion.
00:04:34.97\00:04:36.81
Only continuing,
"Only in flagrant violation
00:04:36.84\00:04:40.88
of these safeguards
to the nation's liberty
00:04:40.91\00:04:43.91
can any religious observance
be enforced by civil authority.
00:04:43.95\00:04:49.02
But the
inconsistency of such action
00:04:49.05\00:04:51.55
is no greater than is
represented in the symbol.
00:04:51.59\00:04:54.59
It is the beast
with lamb-like horns
00:04:54.62\00:04:58.33
in profession pure,
gentle, and harmless
00:04:58.36\00:05:02.03
that speaks as a dragon."
00:05:02.06\00:05:04.50
We are living through
that transformation, I believe.
00:05:04.53\00:05:07.60
It's not given to us to
know the day and the hour
00:05:07.64\00:05:10.51
when, you know,
00:05:10.54\00:05:11.87
the growl of the
beast is so loud,
00:05:11.91\00:05:14.08
it'll be patently
obvious that even in the US,
00:05:14.11\00:05:17.31
the land of freedom,
religious compulsion,
00:05:17.35\00:05:20.22
you know, is either
imminent or upon you.
00:05:20.25\00:05:22.18
But I think any
analytical person,
00:05:22.22\00:05:25.92
anyone vaguely
familiar with prophecy
00:05:25.95\00:05:28.62
must see a distinct change
00:05:28.66\00:05:30.93
in the nature
of the US generally
00:05:30.96\00:05:33.16
in administering laws
and how it relates to others,
00:05:33.19\00:05:36.03
you know, from illegal aliens
to aliens and other countries.
00:05:36.06\00:05:40.94
The growling,
rumbling, threats of war,
00:05:40.97\00:05:44.01
and they've all
existed in elements before
00:05:44.04\00:05:47.24
but it's overwhelming now.
00:05:47.28\00:05:50.15
And who cannot notice
that the United States
00:05:50.18\00:05:54.08
while it's toyed
with as far back as 1888
00:05:54.12\00:05:57.79
with religious legislation,
the Sunday laws and 20 states
00:05:57.82\00:06:02.42
or so still have
blue laws on their books.
00:06:02.46\00:06:05.29
You know, it's
not totally behind us,
00:06:05.33\00:06:06.73
but who cannot see that
with the present alliance
00:06:06.76\00:06:10.10
between politically
active religious factions
00:06:10.13\00:06:16.24
and the direct
presidential power,
00:06:16.27\00:06:18.87
that there is this hungering
00:06:18.91\00:06:20.58
for legislative support
00:06:20.61\00:06:23.01
of a not
religious liberty generally,
00:06:23.04\00:06:26.28
they're not keen
on supporting Muslims.
00:06:26.31\00:06:28.18
They're not keen on supporting
00:06:28.22\00:06:29.92
marginal
aberrant religious views.
00:06:29.95\00:06:32.15
It's a mainline American
00:06:32.19\00:06:34.72
form of Protestantism/universal
Catholicism,
00:06:34.76\00:06:40.23
which is sort of a contradiction
00:06:40.26\00:06:43.97
because
Catholic means universal,
00:06:44.00\00:06:45.67
but you know,
00:06:45.70\00:06:47.04
there's an amalgamation
of elements of Catholicism
00:06:47.07\00:06:50.07
and a debased
Protestantism debased
00:06:50.11\00:06:53.48
in the sense of identity.
00:06:53.51\00:06:55.94
Protestantism is cajole,
evangelicalism is cajole,
00:06:55.98\00:07:00.32
not even solely characterized,
00:07:00.35\00:07:03.02
but often represented
00:07:03.05\00:07:05.22
under the idea of
the secret rapture
00:07:05.25\00:07:08.89
and you know, in a fanciful,
00:07:08.92\00:07:11.09
non-biblical view
of a great conflict,
00:07:11.13\00:07:16.97
not the Great Controversy,
00:07:17.00\00:07:18.33
but the conflict
between those who are assumed
00:07:18.37\00:07:19.97
to be swept away to heaven
00:07:20.00\00:07:21.77
and behind you know
is a fight to the death
00:07:21.80\00:07:25.11
between others who come to God
00:07:25.14\00:07:27.64
and evil forces
or evil, fanciful,
00:07:27.68\00:07:29.94
only equaled by what the Muslims
00:07:29.98\00:07:33.01
hold is sort of their end time
00:07:33.05\00:07:34.58
where the Jews and
their satanic colleagues
00:07:34.62\00:07:38.95
will fight
against the heavenly hosts
00:07:38.99\00:07:42.79
led by Muhammad and Jesus.
00:07:42.82\00:07:44.53
You know, there's an expectation
00:07:44.56\00:07:46.46
of a great conflict,
00:07:46.49\00:07:47.83
but only by looking at the Bible
00:07:47.86\00:07:49.23
can we see that
it's over loyalty to God.
00:07:49.26\00:07:52.13
Can we see that
the Sabbath observance
00:07:52.17\00:07:55.80
is probably as pure a sign
00:07:55.84\00:07:58.37
of whether you're for God
00:07:58.41\00:07:59.74
or against Him and
the application of force
00:07:59.77\00:08:02.78
to accomplish that in
is sort of the signature
00:08:02.81\00:08:06.75
of persecution
through the ages now picked up
00:08:06.78\00:08:10.49
by a once democratically free
00:08:10.52\00:08:14.59
and benign force prepared
now to get its way by force.
00:08:14.62\00:08:20.16
We're living in that day.
00:08:20.20\00:08:21.53
And I have a great
burden that, of course,
00:08:21.56\00:08:23.83
Seventh-day Adventist
who are particularly given
00:08:23.87\00:08:26.77
this well researched
00:08:26.80\00:08:28.14
and prophetically informed book,
00:08:28.17\00:08:31.37
but I have a burden that
Adventist should read it,
00:08:31.41\00:08:34.08
we should circulate it to others
00:08:34.11\00:08:35.68
and the awareness that
00:08:35.71\00:08:37.81
it creates of us
living in a stream of prophecy
00:08:37.85\00:08:41.25
needs to be communicated.
00:08:41.28\00:08:44.02
You know, these
are not normal times
00:08:44.05\00:08:47.09
and in Liberty
magazine and on this program,
00:08:47.12\00:08:49.92
I keep trying to
tell people that.
00:08:49.96\00:08:53.33
Yes, other people
have lived through
00:08:53.36\00:08:55.23
great historical dislocations.
00:08:55.26\00:08:57.40
I would have hated
to have been in Europe
00:08:57.43\00:08:59.27
during the Black
Death when the, you know,
00:08:59.30\00:09:01.84
the hand drawn carts were pulled
00:09:01.87\00:09:04.97
through the narrow streets
00:09:05.01\00:09:06.61
and the cry bring out your dead.
00:09:06.64\00:09:08.41
And you know,
00:09:08.44\00:09:09.78
maybe half of my
family had already gone.
00:09:09.81\00:09:11.25
Those were times
that to those living then,
00:09:11.28\00:09:14.22
they seem like
the end of the world,
00:09:14.25\00:09:15.92
but we look back on it,
00:09:15.95\00:09:17.29
it was a quaint desperate time
00:09:17.32\00:09:18.65
but it's not the
end of the world.
00:09:18.69\00:09:20.02
I would have hate to
have lived even as recently
00:09:20.06\00:09:23.09
as World War II
00:09:23.12\00:09:24.46
when about 60
million people died,
00:09:24.49\00:09:27.40
not the hundred
and some thousand
00:09:27.43\00:09:28.80
so far from
COVID in this country
00:09:28.83\00:09:30.63
and a few hundred
thousand more worldwide
00:09:30.67\00:09:32.67
which may be even
larger but we're unlikely
00:09:32.70\00:09:36.04
in our present
emergency to equal World War II.
00:09:36.07\00:09:39.24
Millions of people
perished, 6 million or so,
00:09:39.27\00:09:43.24
most of them Jews
00:09:43.28\00:09:44.61
went systematically
to the gas chambers.
00:09:44.65\00:09:47.38
Evil upon evil has
been visited upon us
00:09:47.42\00:09:50.02
in the modern era and going back
00:09:50.05\00:09:52.45
into the distant
past Genghis Khan
00:09:52.49\00:09:54.52
and others but here we
are as Francis Fukuyama,
00:09:54.56\00:09:58.99
once, a historian said,
00:09:59.03\00:10:01.26
"We're almost at
the end of history."
00:10:01.30\00:10:02.83
He was a bit wrong
because he thought that
00:10:02.86\00:10:04.67
historical process had finished.
00:10:04.70\00:10:06.80
But we're by
most people's lights,
00:10:06.84\00:10:09.87
the processes of
democracy, of globalization
00:10:09.90\00:10:13.48
and so on are reaching
their flash point something...
00:10:13.51\00:10:17.05
Let me quote
Ellen White, she says,
00:10:17.08\00:10:18.88
"The rulers and statesman,
00:10:18.91\00:10:21.02
thinking men and
women of all classes,
00:10:21.05\00:10:23.52
recognize that something great
00:10:23.55\00:10:26.49
and decisive is
about to take place,
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.42
that the world is at
the point of a great event."
00:10:29.46\00:10:35.40
And that great event, of course,
00:10:35.43\00:10:37.53
is the revelation of
God's eternal kingdom.
00:10:37.57\00:10:40.17
But between then and now
is a defining moment when,
00:10:40.20\00:10:44.97
as Joshua said to
the people of God,
00:10:45.01\00:10:47.14
"Choose you this
day, whom you will serve."
00:10:47.18\00:10:50.25