So we bow our heads for prayer.
00:00:22.85\00:00:25.32
Our Father,
00:00:25.35\00:00:26.86
we come before
your awesome throne
00:00:26.89\00:00:28.36
in the powerful name of Jesus,
00:00:28.39\00:00:30.69
asking that you
will be present with us
00:00:30.73\00:00:33.29
through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit
00:00:33.33\00:00:35.26
in this study,
00:00:35.30\00:00:36.77
open our minds and
hearts to understand and receive
00:00:36.80\00:00:39.23
what you have for us.
00:00:39.27\00:00:41.10
We thank You for the
promise of Your presence.
00:00:41.14\00:00:44.11
And we claim that promise
00:00:44.14\00:00:45.84
in the precious
name of Jesus, amen.
00:00:45.87\00:00:50.31
In our last two presentations,
00:00:50.35\00:00:51.91
we took a look at the
historical fulfillment
00:00:51.95\00:00:55.18
of Matthew 24:4 through 14
00:00:55.22\00:00:59.19
and then the
abomination of desolation
00:00:59.22\00:01:02.26
in Matthew Chapter 24:15
00:01:02.29\00:01:06.66
through 21.
00:01:06.70\00:01:09.86
We also notice that
the sequence of events
00:01:09.90\00:01:13.20
that occurred that
led up to the destruction
00:01:13.23\00:01:15.87
of Jerusalem.
00:01:15.90\00:01:17.41
And so as we
begin, we want to study
00:01:17.44\00:01:20.68
the sequence of signs
that took place leading up
00:01:20.71\00:01:24.65
to the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:01:24.68\00:01:27.02
So we're going to review
the historical fulfillment,
00:01:27.05\00:01:30.35
and we're going to
do it very quickly.
00:01:30.39\00:01:32.22
And then in our
next study together,
00:01:32.25\00:01:34.42
we are going to take a look
00:01:34.46\00:01:35.79
at the abomination of desolation
00:01:35.82\00:01:40.76
as it applies to
end time prophecy.
00:01:40.80\00:01:43.97
So let's go through
the sequence of events
00:01:44.00\00:01:47.24
that led up to the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:01:47.27\00:01:50.24
First of all, we're told
that false Christ would arise.
00:01:50.27\00:01:54.21
And they certainly did,
and many would be deceived.
00:01:54.24\00:01:57.21
And that's
exactly what took place.
00:01:57.25\00:01:59.55
Then we're told that there
would be wars, rumors of wars,
00:01:59.58\00:02:02.98
nation would rise against nation
00:02:03.02\00:02:04.75
and kingdom against kingdom.
00:02:04.79\00:02:06.65
And there will be
pestilences, famine, earthquakes
00:02:06.69\00:02:10.23
and troubles.
00:02:10.26\00:02:11.59
We noticed that
that was fulfilled
00:02:11.63\00:02:13.26
between the death of Christ
00:02:13.29\00:02:14.83
and the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:02:14.86\00:02:16.87
Then we find that
God's people would be blamed
00:02:16.90\00:02:20.20
for all of these calamities,
in society and in nature.
00:02:20.24\00:02:23.71
And that's
exactly what took place.
00:02:23.74\00:02:26.68
In fact, the trial of
God's people is described
00:02:26.71\00:02:29.48
as tribulation.
00:02:29.51\00:02:31.58
And we are told
that some would die
00:02:31.61\00:02:34.52
as a result of their
faithfulness to the Lord.
00:02:34.55\00:02:36.95
This was fulfilled
to the very letter.
00:02:36.99\00:02:39.82
We're also told
00:02:39.85\00:02:41.19
that at the time
of this persecution,
00:02:41.22\00:02:42.86
this tribulation,
00:02:42.89\00:02:44.23
many individuals
would be offended.
00:02:44.26\00:02:46.53
In other words, they
would abandon the faith
00:02:46.56\00:02:48.80
because they did not
want to be persecuted
00:02:48.83\00:02:51.27
and they did not want to die.
00:02:51.30\00:02:53.50
We noticed that
during this time,
00:02:53.54\00:02:55.20
family members would
rise against family members
00:02:55.24\00:02:58.34
and friends would
rise against friends
00:02:58.37\00:03:01.48
and betray them.
00:03:01.51\00:03:02.91
We also noticed that
God's people would be taken
00:03:02.94\00:03:05.81
before magistrates
and kings and rulers
00:03:05.85\00:03:09.08
to give a witness
00:03:09.12\00:03:10.45
regarding their
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:03:10.49\00:03:13.52
We're also told
that during this time,
00:03:13.56\00:03:16.52
God's people
would not have to think
00:03:16.56\00:03:18.36
about what they
were going to say
00:03:18.39\00:03:20.30
because the Holy
Spirit would give them wisdom,
00:03:20.33\00:03:22.53
would give them
the words to speak
00:03:22.56\00:03:24.53
when they went
before kings and rulers.
00:03:24.57\00:03:27.27
And by the way, the
fact that they were to go
00:03:27.30\00:03:29.54
before kings and
rulers indicates that
00:03:29.57\00:03:32.27
probation was still
open at that particular time.
00:03:32.31\00:03:35.78
We're also told
that during this period,
00:03:35.81\00:03:38.45
false prophets arose,
who preached, peace, peace,
00:03:38.48\00:03:41.68
this city is
never going to fall.
00:03:41.72\00:03:43.59
It will stand forever.
00:03:43.62\00:03:45.45
We also noticed that
00:03:45.49\00:03:46.92
because of the
transgression of the law,
00:03:46.96\00:03:48.92
the love of many
grew cold at that time.
00:03:48.96\00:03:53.16
And we're told
also that the persons
00:03:53.19\00:03:55.66
who persevered till the end,
00:03:55.70\00:03:58.07
they would be saved
from the ruin of the city.
00:03:58.10\00:04:01.84
We also noticed
00:04:01.87\00:04:03.20
that the
preaching of the gospel,
00:04:03.24\00:04:04.57
this is verse 14,
00:04:04.61\00:04:05.97
"The preaching of the gospel
went to the entire world."
00:04:06.01\00:04:09.11
The apostle Paul tells us this
00:04:09.14\00:04:11.21
that the gospel was preached
to every nation under heaven.
00:04:11.25\00:04:16.48
And then we notice the
abomination of desolation
00:04:16.52\00:04:19.25
that divided the
city of Jerusalem
00:04:19.29\00:04:21.46
into two groups.
00:04:21.49\00:04:22.96
The first group, the
apostates that decided to stay
00:04:22.99\00:04:26.46
when they ignored the sign,
00:04:26.49\00:04:28.13
and secondly,
00:04:28.16\00:04:29.50
the faithful who fled the
city when they saw the sign.
00:04:29.53\00:04:33.00
When the sign came,
00:04:33.03\00:04:35.70
the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were divided into two groups.
00:04:35.74\00:04:40.44
And then we noticed
00:04:40.48\00:04:41.81
that God's people
had to flee from the city
00:04:41.84\00:04:44.41
because there was
a great tribulation
00:04:44.45\00:04:46.31
that took place.
00:04:46.35\00:04:47.68
And we notice that all
of those who fled the city
00:04:47.72\00:04:50.59
were actually Sabbath keepers,
00:04:50.62\00:04:53.82
praying that that your
flight will be in winter
00:04:53.86\00:04:57.19
or on the
Sabbath day, we are told.
00:04:57.23\00:05:01.20
Now that is the list
or the sequence of events
00:05:01.23\00:05:05.27
that took place leading up
00:05:05.30\00:05:07.34
to the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:05:07.37\00:05:09.60
But this is going
to be fulfilled again,
00:05:09.64\00:05:13.14
in the future, on
a much larger scale,
00:05:13.17\00:05:16.34
not only there
in the Middle East
00:05:16.38\00:05:19.91
where literal Jerusalem is,
00:05:19.95\00:05:22.08
but it is going to be
fulfilled on a global scale
00:05:22.12\00:05:26.05
with God's spiritual Israel.
00:05:26.09\00:05:29.19
In other words,
00:05:29.22\00:05:30.56
the first fulfillment
was a partial fulfillment.
00:05:30.59\00:05:33.50
Let me read you this
statement that we find
00:05:33.53\00:05:36.30
in the book
00:05:36.33\00:05:37.67
Thoughts from
the Man of Blessing,
00:05:37.70\00:05:39.03
pages 120 and 121.
00:05:39.07\00:05:42.04
Ellen White, who
wrote over 100 years ago,
00:05:42.07\00:05:45.41
well over 100
years ago, wrote this,
00:05:45.44\00:05:48.71
and we find the following words,
00:05:48.74\00:05:50.68
"The ruin of Jerusalem
00:05:50.71\00:05:52.68
was a symbol of the final ruin
00:05:52.71\00:05:56.02
that shall overwhelm the world.
00:05:56.05\00:05:58.25
The prophecies that
received a partial fulfillment
00:05:58.29\00:06:02.62
in the overthrow of Jerusalem."
00:06:02.66\00:06:04.89
The prophecies
would be Matthew 24,
00:06:04.93\00:06:07.00
Mark 13, Luke 21.
00:06:07.03\00:06:09.03
So she says the
prophecies that received
00:06:09.06\00:06:10.77
a partial fulfillment in
the overthrow of Jerusalem
00:06:10.80\00:06:14.14
have a more direct
application to the last days.
00:06:14.17\00:06:18.34
"We are now
standing on the threshold
00:06:18.37\00:06:21.08
of great and solemn
events, a crisis is before us,
00:06:21.11\00:06:25.25
such as the world
has never witnessed."
00:06:25.28\00:06:29.75
So what took place
in the first fulfillment
00:06:29.78\00:06:33.56
was only a partial fulfillment.
00:06:33.59\00:06:35.52
There were some events
00:06:35.56\00:06:36.89
that were
actually never fulfilled.
00:06:36.93\00:06:38.69
Like, for example, the sun,
moon, and stars growing dark.
00:06:38.73\00:06:43.03
We'll find that at the
end of Matthew Chapter 24,
00:06:43.06\00:06:46.87
the sign of the
Son of Man in heaven.
00:06:46.90\00:06:49.54
And we find the
tribes of the earth morning
00:06:49.57\00:06:53.91
as they see Jesus
Christ coming on the cloud.
00:06:53.94\00:06:57.05
And then we have the detail that
00:06:57.08\00:06:58.81
the angels are sent
to pick up the elect,
00:06:58.85\00:07:01.12
none of those
things were fulfilled
00:07:01.15\00:07:03.59
in the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:07:03.62\00:07:05.85
So the prophecy of Matthew
24 has a partial fulfillment
00:07:05.89\00:07:10.96
with the events that led up
00:07:10.99\00:07:12.39
to the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:07:12.43\00:07:14.06
The greater fulfillment
will be on a global scale
00:07:14.10\00:07:18.70
with spiritual Israel
00:07:18.73\00:07:20.50
that is all of
God's faithful people
00:07:20.54\00:07:22.70
who have accepted Christ,
00:07:22.74\00:07:24.54
and it will involve his people
00:07:24.57\00:07:27.51
in every corner of planet Earth.
00:07:27.54\00:07:32.11
Now what I want us to do is
00:07:32.15\00:07:34.02
go through
Matthew Chapter 24 now,
00:07:34.05\00:07:37.09
verses 4 through 14.
00:07:37.12\00:07:39.52
And notice the
end time fulfillment
00:07:39.55\00:07:43.22
of what these verses describe.
00:07:43.26\00:07:45.83
I am going to quote extensively
00:07:45.86\00:07:48.76
from the
writings of Ellen White,
00:07:48.80\00:07:51.13
as I mentioned, she
wrote well over 100 years ago,
00:07:51.17\00:07:56.44
and she presented
the events of Matthew 24
00:07:56.47\00:07:58.81
in precise chronological order,
00:07:58.84\00:08:01.18
and she greatly amplified
00:08:01.21\00:08:03.85
what Matthew 24:4-14 tells us.
00:08:03.88\00:08:08.88
So let's go through the
chapter and notice the details.
00:08:08.92\00:08:12.82
And I'm going to
read some quotations
00:08:12.85\00:08:14.56
from her writings,
00:08:14.59\00:08:16.46
Matthew 24:4 says,
00:08:16.49\00:08:20.46
"And Jesus
answered and said to them,
00:08:20.50\00:08:23.06
'Take heed that
no one deceives you,
00:08:23.10\00:08:26.27
for many will come in my
name saying, I am the Christ,
00:08:26.30\00:08:31.34
or I am the Messiah,
00:08:31.37\00:08:33.01
and will deceive many."
00:08:33.04\00:08:36.11
Have we seen false
Christ in recent years?
00:08:36.14\00:08:39.65
How could we
ever forget Jim Jones,
00:08:39.68\00:08:43.28
who committed suicide
00:08:43.32\00:08:45.15
with 900 plus
other people in Guyana?
00:08:45.19\00:08:49.19
How could we forget
David Koresh in Waco, Texas,
00:08:49.22\00:08:54.00
also Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda,
00:08:54.03\00:08:57.50
who actually was an individual
00:08:57.53\00:09:00.67
who had SSS on the
front of his pulpit
00:09:00.70\00:09:03.17
meaning the number 666
00:09:03.20\00:09:06.24
and encouraged his followers
to tattoo the number of 666
00:09:06.27\00:09:10.85
on their right hand
or on their forehead.
00:09:10.88\00:09:13.55
So there have been false christs
00:09:13.58\00:09:15.52
and I'm only mentioning
some of the false christs
00:09:15.55\00:09:18.19
or false
messiahs that have arisen.
00:09:18.22\00:09:21.39
Now let's continue to verse 6,
00:09:21.42\00:09:23.59
"And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:09:23.63\00:09:27.10
See that you are not
troubled for all these things
00:09:27.13\00:09:29.53
must come to pass.
00:09:29.56\00:09:31.13
But the end is not yet
00:09:31.17\00:09:33.57
for nation will
rise against nation
00:09:33.60\00:09:36.24
and kingdom against kingdom.
00:09:36.27\00:09:38.87
And there will be
famines, pestilences,
00:09:38.91\00:09:42.28
and earthquakes
in various places."
00:09:42.31\00:09:45.61
You say, "Well, that's a
pretty serious description,
00:09:45.65\00:09:49.68
wars and rumors of wars,
nation rising against nation,
00:09:49.72\00:09:53.62
kingdom against kingdom
00:09:53.66\00:09:55.52
and then you have pestilences
00:09:55.56\00:09:57.79
and earthquakes and famines.
00:09:57.83\00:10:00.53
It sure couldn't get
any worse than that, right?"
00:10:00.56\00:10:03.23
Well, verse 8 says,
00:10:03.26\00:10:05.37
"All these things are
the beginning of sorrows."
00:10:05.40\00:10:11.14
Wow.
00:10:11.17\00:10:12.54
Well, now let me read
you an interesting statement
00:10:12.57\00:10:16.04
or a couple of statements
from the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:10:16.08\00:10:20.02
where Ellen White describes
00:10:20.05\00:10:22.08
these disasters that
will take place during
00:10:22.12\00:10:25.09
what she calls a
little time of trouble.
00:10:25.12\00:10:29.09
In fact, we're
going to find in verse 9
00:10:29.12\00:10:32.86
that verse 9 is dealing
with a little time of trouble.
00:10:32.89\00:10:37.57
It says there in verse 9,
00:10:37.60\00:10:39.83
"Then they will deliver you
up to tribulation and kill you,
00:10:39.87\00:10:43.14
and you will be
hated by all nations
00:10:43.17\00:10:45.07
for My name's sake."
00:10:45.11\00:10:46.54
Let me read you
these two statements.
00:10:46.57\00:10:50.65
This is Early Writings, page 33.
00:10:50.68\00:10:53.62
"I saw that God had children
who do not keep the Sabbath."
00:10:53.65\00:10:57.99
Most of God's people are outside
00:10:58.02\00:11:00.06
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church,
00:11:00.09\00:11:01.72
they're oblivious
00:11:01.76\00:11:03.09
to the
importance of the Sabbath,
00:11:03.12\00:11:04.76
that the seventh
day is the Sabbath.
00:11:04.79\00:11:06.23
So she says,
00:11:06.26\00:11:07.60
"I saw that God had children
00:11:07.63\00:11:08.96
who do not see the Sabbath.
00:11:09.00\00:11:10.63
They have not
rejected the light upon it
00:11:10.67\00:11:14.24
and at the commencement
of the time of trouble.
00:11:14.27\00:11:18.01
We were filled
with the Holy Ghost,
00:11:18.04\00:11:20.41
as we went forth
00:11:20.44\00:11:21.78
and proclaimed the
Sabbath more fully."
00:11:21.81\00:11:24.28
So she's saying that
00:11:24.31\00:11:25.65
at the commencement
of the time of trouble,
00:11:25.68\00:11:27.98
God's faithful people
00:11:28.02\00:11:29.35
will filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:11:29.38\00:11:31.12
And they went out
00:11:31.15\00:11:32.49
and they proclaimed
the Sabbath more fully.
00:11:32.52\00:11:34.26
What was the result?
00:11:34.29\00:11:35.62
She continues,
00:11:35.66\00:11:36.99
"This enraged the churches
00:11:37.03\00:11:38.89
and nominal Adventists,
00:11:38.93\00:11:40.70
as they could not
refute the Sabbath truth.
00:11:40.73\00:11:44.97
At this time, God's
chosen all saw clearly
00:11:45.00\00:11:47.84
that we have the truth,"
00:11:47.87\00:11:49.20
that God's chosen
those in other churches,
00:11:49.24\00:11:51.71
and they came out
00:11:51.74\00:11:53.51
and endured the
persecution with us."
00:11:53.54\00:11:56.68
And then she describes,
00:11:56.71\00:11:58.15
"I saw the sword,
00:11:58.18\00:12:00.12
famine, and pestilence
00:12:00.15\00:12:02.42
and great
confusion in the land."
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.05
Those are the very things
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.75
that are
mentioned in Matthew 24:6,7,
00:12:05.79\00:12:09.76
"Sword," would be war,
00:12:09.79\00:12:11.69
"famine is mentioned there."
00:12:11.73\00:12:14.00
Pestilence is mentioned there.
00:12:14.03\00:12:15.90
And great confusion
would be the word troubles
00:12:15.93\00:12:18.70
that is used in Mark 13:8,
00:12:18.73\00:12:21.60
she continues,
00:12:21.64\00:12:22.97
"The wicked
thought that we had brought
00:12:23.00\00:12:24.94
the judgments upon them.
00:12:24.97\00:12:26.94
And they rose up
00:12:26.98\00:12:28.31
and took counsel
to rid the earth of us
00:12:28.34\00:12:31.05
thinking that then
the evil would be stayed."
00:12:31.08\00:12:34.08
So I want you to
notice this here,
00:12:34.12\00:12:36.08
there's a
little time of trouble.
00:12:36.12\00:12:38.19
God's people receive
00:12:38.22\00:12:40.16
the outpouring
of the latter rain
00:12:40.19\00:12:42.19
of the Holy Spirit.
00:12:42.22\00:12:43.63
They go out to
proclaim the Sabbath more fully.
00:12:43.66\00:12:46.90
In the world, there is
sword, famine, pestilence,
00:12:46.93\00:12:49.83
and great confusion,
00:12:49.86\00:12:51.47
and then the wicked rise to
try and destroy God's people
00:12:51.50\00:12:55.10
because they
thought that God's people
00:12:55.14\00:12:57.41
were bringing the
judgments upon them.
00:12:57.44\00:13:00.94
Now when Ellen White wrote this,
00:13:00.98\00:13:03.51
someone wrote to her and said,
00:13:03.55\00:13:04.95
"But, Sister White, you
have said in other places
00:13:04.98\00:13:08.15
that when the time
of trouble comes up,
00:13:08.18\00:13:11.15
probation is close.
00:13:11.19\00:13:12.62
So how is it that at that time
00:13:12.65\00:13:14.16
God's people
are going to receive
00:13:14.19\00:13:15.82
the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit
00:13:15.86\00:13:17.69
to proclaim the
Sabbath more fully
00:13:17.73\00:13:19.59
if every case has
already been decided?"
00:13:19.63\00:13:22.16
And Ellen White
wrote and explained
00:13:22.20\00:13:24.33
that this time of trouble
00:13:24.37\00:13:25.93
was not actually the
great time of trouble
00:13:25.97\00:13:29.04
but it was the
tribulation that is mentioned
00:13:29.07\00:13:31.31
in Matthew 24:9.
00:13:31.34\00:13:34.08
You see, Matthew 24:9
speaks about God's people
00:13:34.11\00:13:37.88
going through tribulation,
some would be killed.
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.08
Matthew 24:21 speaks
about a great tribulation
00:13:41.12\00:13:46.09
that takes place after
the close of probation.
00:13:46.12\00:13:49.52
The tribulation in verse 9
is during probationary time.
00:13:49.56\00:13:53.76
Anyway, Ellen White
wrote back to this person
00:13:53.80\00:13:56.73
and explains what she
meant by the expression
00:13:56.77\00:13:59.43
"the time of trouble"
as it relates to verse 9.
00:13:59.47\00:14:03.51
Her explanation is
found in Early Writings,
00:14:03.54\00:14:05.77
page 85 and page 86.
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.64
"The commencement of
that time of trouble,
00:14:08.68\00:14:11.41
here mentioned, does
not refer to the time
00:14:11.45\00:14:14.82
when the plagues shall
begin to be poured out,"
00:14:14.85\00:14:17.45
which is after probation closes,
00:14:17.49\00:14:19.62
"but to a short period,
00:14:19.65\00:14:22.12
just before the
plagues are poured out,
00:14:22.16\00:14:25.46
while Christ is
in the sanctuary."
00:14:25.49\00:14:28.83
So notice Christ is
still in the sanctuary,
00:14:28.86\00:14:30.93
probation has not closed.
00:14:30.97\00:14:32.53
"At that time,
00:14:32.57\00:14:34.14
while the work of
salvation is closing,
00:14:34.17\00:14:37.14
trouble will be
coming on the earth,
00:14:37.17\00:14:39.61
and the nations will be angry,
00:14:39.64\00:14:41.91
yet held in check
00:14:41.94\00:14:44.31
so as not to prevent the
work of the third angel,"
00:14:44.35\00:14:47.18
which is by the way,
00:14:47.22\00:14:48.55
denouncing the
mark of the beast,
00:14:48.58\00:14:50.62
telling people don't
receive the mark of the beast,
00:14:50.65\00:14:52.89
which is the observance
of Sunday as the day of rest.
00:14:52.92\00:14:56.93
So at that time,
00:14:56.96\00:14:58.29
well, the work of
salvation is closing,
00:14:58.33\00:14:59.66
trouble will be
coming on the earth,
00:14:59.69\00:15:01.30
and the nations will be angry,
00:15:01.33\00:15:03.06
get held in check
so as not to prevent
00:15:03.10\00:15:06.47
the work of the third angel.
00:15:06.50\00:15:07.90
"At that time,
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.27
the latter rain or refreshing
from the presence of the Lord
00:15:09.30\00:15:12.77
will come to give power
00:15:12.81\00:15:14.98
to the loud voice
of the third angel."
00:15:15.01\00:15:16.64
In other words, the proclamation
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.01
of the Sabbath more fully.
00:15:18.05\00:15:19.55
"And prepare the saints to stand
00:15:19.58\00:15:22.58
when the seven last plagues
00:15:22.62\00:15:24.39
shall be poured out."
00:15:24.42\00:15:27.99
So you'll notice here
00:15:28.02\00:15:29.89
that there's an
agenda behind these disasters
00:15:29.92\00:15:34.23
behind wars and rumors of wars
00:15:34.26\00:15:37.30
and nation against
nation, kingdom against kingdom
00:15:37.33\00:15:40.64
pestilences,
famines, and earthquakes.
00:15:40.67\00:15:42.94
There's an agenda
behind these things.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.34
The agenda is
ultimately to blame God's people
00:15:45.37\00:15:48.84
for what is taking place.
00:15:48.88\00:15:50.51
I want you to
notice that connection,
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.11
verse 7,
00:15:52.15\00:15:53.48
"For nation will
rise against nation
00:15:53.52\00:15:54.98
and kingdom against kingdom
00:15:55.02\00:15:56.55
and there will be
famines, pestilences,
00:15:56.58\00:15:59.25
and earthquakes
in various places,
00:15:59.29\00:16:01.09
all these are the
beginning of sorrows, then
00:16:01.12\00:16:04.99
the word then we noticed
in our first study together
00:16:05.03\00:16:07.63
means after this,
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.40
"Then they will
deliver you up to tribulation,"
00:16:09.43\00:16:13.13
not the Great
Tribulation, to tribulation,
00:16:13.17\00:16:15.50
"and kill you."
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.44
There will be some
murders during this period,
00:16:17.47\00:16:19.37
not during the
Great Tribulation,
00:16:19.41\00:16:21.44
"and you will be
hated by all nations
00:16:21.48\00:16:24.55
for My name's sake."
00:16:24.58\00:16:27.08
Let me read you some
interesting quotations
00:16:27.12\00:16:29.65
from the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:16:29.68\00:16:31.92
By the way, God
has a causative will
00:16:31.95\00:16:34.52
and God has a permissive will.
00:16:34.56\00:16:36.86
God permits these disasters
00:16:36.89\00:16:39.16
that are
mentioned in verses 6 and 7.
00:16:39.19\00:16:41.70
But these disasters are
actually caused by Satan
00:16:41.73\00:16:45.23
and he has an agenda,
00:16:45.27\00:16:46.60
and it is to blame God's
people for what is happening.
00:16:46.63\00:16:50.11
Now, notice in the
book Last Day Events
00:16:50.14\00:16:53.34
page 24 Ellen White's comments
00:16:53.38\00:16:55.64
on how the world will experience
00:16:55.68\00:16:58.28
these social upheavals
00:16:58.31\00:17:00.35
as well as what we
call natural disasters.
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.98
It says there,
00:17:03.02\00:17:04.35
"In the last scenes
of this Earth's history,
00:17:04.39\00:17:07.49
war will rage."
00:17:07.52\00:17:09.66
That's one of the
signs in Matthew 24.
00:17:09.69\00:17:12.03
"There will be pestilence,"
00:17:12.06\00:17:13.76
that she
mentioned in Matthew 24.
00:17:13.80\00:17:19.07
"There will be
pestilence, plague,
00:17:19.10\00:17:22.10
and famine,"
00:17:22.14\00:17:23.47
also mentioned in
Matthew chapter 24.
00:17:23.51\00:17:26.51
"The waters of the deep
00:17:26.54\00:17:27.88
will overflow their boundaries."
00:17:27.91\00:17:30.21
That means that there's
going to be huge floods.
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.71
"Property and
life will be destroyed
00:17:32.75\00:17:34.62
by fire and flood."
00:17:34.65\00:17:37.12
All we have to do is
00:17:37.15\00:17:38.49
look at what
happened recently in Australia
00:17:38.52\00:17:40.72
and also in Paradise
in Northern California
00:17:40.76\00:17:43.39
that destroyed an entire city.
00:17:43.43\00:17:46.09
In another
place, Ellen White wrote
00:17:46.13\00:17:48.20
in Great Controversy, page 589
00:17:48.23\00:17:51.00
the following words,
00:17:51.03\00:17:52.37
speaking about Satan,
00:17:52.40\00:17:53.74
It is his object
to incite the nations
00:17:53.77\00:17:56.94
to war against one another,
00:17:56.97\00:17:59.24
for he can thus
diverts the minds of the people
00:17:59.27\00:18:01.84
from the work of preparation
00:18:01.88\00:18:03.65
to stand in the day of God.
00:18:03.68\00:18:05.98
While appearing to
the children of men
00:18:06.01\00:18:08.28
as a great physician
00:18:08.32\00:18:09.82
who can heal all their maladies,
00:18:09.85\00:18:12.62
he," that is
Satan, "will bring disease
00:18:12.65\00:18:15.99
and disaster
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.49
until populous
cities are reduced to ruin."
00:18:17.53\00:18:21.20
That hasn't happened yet.
00:18:21.23\00:18:22.93
Pestilences that
reduce entire cities
00:18:22.96\00:18:25.93
to ruin and desolation.
00:18:25.97\00:18:28.10
So what we're seeing now
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.51
is the beginning of sorrows.
00:18:30.54\00:18:33.81
She continues,
00:18:33.84\00:18:35.18
"Even now Satan is
at work in accidents,
00:18:35.21\00:18:38.75
calamities, by sea and by land
00:18:38.78\00:18:41.22
in the great conflagrations,"
00:18:41.25\00:18:42.98
now she's going to
add additional disasters,
00:18:43.02\00:18:45.12
"in fierce tornadoes
and terrific hail storms
00:18:45.15\00:18:48.36
in tempests, floods, cyclones,
00:18:48.39\00:18:51.46
tidal waves, and earthquakes
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.96
in every place
and in thousand forms.
00:18:54.00\00:18:56.63
Satan is exercising his power.
00:18:56.67\00:18:59.37
He sweeps away
the ripening harvest
00:18:59.40\00:19:01.57
and famine and distress follow.
00:19:01.60\00:19:04.01
He imparts to
the air a deadly Tate
00:19:04.04\00:19:06.51
and thousands
perish by the pestilence."
00:19:06.54\00:19:10.61
And then comes this state
00:19:10.65\00:19:12.98
these visitations,
00:19:13.01\00:19:14.88
in other words, what
she's just described,
00:19:14.92\00:19:17.09
"These visitations are to become
00:19:17.12\00:19:19.45
more and more frequent
00:19:19.49\00:19:22.46
and disastrous,"
00:19:22.49\00:19:25.53
you know, we're in the
midst of this COVID-19 pandemic,
00:19:25.56\00:19:30.90
we say this is
terrible, and it is,
00:19:30.93\00:19:33.60
many people have died.
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.40
And, you know,
family members suffer
00:19:35.44\00:19:37.87
because of the death
00:19:37.91\00:19:39.24
and the economy has suffered
tremendously as a result.
00:19:39.27\00:19:42.98
But, folks,
00:19:43.01\00:19:44.35
this is only the beginning
of the beginning of sorrows.
00:19:44.38\00:19:46.82
Things are going
to get a lot worse
00:19:46.85\00:19:48.78
before they get better.
00:19:48.82\00:19:50.25
So Ellen White states,
00:19:50.29\00:19:51.85
"These disasters or visitations
00:19:51.89\00:19:54.39
will become more
frequent and more disastrous."
00:19:54.42\00:19:59.49
So once again,
00:19:59.53\00:20:00.86
what is the objective
of all of these disasters?
00:20:00.90\00:20:04.53
Verse 9, once again,
00:20:04.57\00:20:06.70
it says, "Then,"
00:20:06.74\00:20:08.30
remember the word tote in Greek,
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.51
it refers to
something that happens
00:20:10.54\00:20:12.84
after what you
have immediately before,
00:20:12.87\00:20:16.04
then they will deliver you
up to tribulation kill you,
00:20:16.08\00:20:19.45
and you will be
hated by all nations
00:20:19.48\00:20:21.72
for My name's sake.
00:20:21.75\00:20:23.08
In other words,
God's people are blamed
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.55
for what is taking place.
00:20:25.59\00:20:27.02
Now let me share with you
00:20:27.06\00:20:28.82
the end of the last statement
00:20:28.86\00:20:30.66
that I read from
Great Controversy 589,
00:20:30.69\00:20:34.40
once again, I'll go back
and read the last sentence
00:20:34.43\00:20:37.73
and then I'll read
the very next sentence.
00:20:37.77\00:20:40.80
"These visitations
00:20:40.84\00:20:43.74
are to become
more and more frequent
00:20:43.77\00:20:47.34
and disastrous."
00:20:47.38\00:20:50.31
And then,
00:20:50.35\00:20:52.65
that's the word then,
just like in Matthew 24:9,
00:20:52.68\00:20:56.05
"And then, the great deceiver
00:20:56.08\00:21:00.06
will persuade men
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.36
that those who serve God
00:21:02.39\00:21:04.73
are causing these evils.
00:21:04.76\00:21:07.50
The class that has provoked
this displeasure of heaven
00:21:07.53\00:21:11.03
will charge all
their troubles upon those
00:21:11.07\00:21:14.07
whose obedience
to God's commandments
00:21:14.10\00:21:16.30
is a perpetual
reproof to transgressors."
00:21:16.34\00:21:21.48
In another
statement, Last Day Events,
00:21:21.51\00:21:23.55
page 129, she wrote,
00:21:23.58\00:21:25.81
"Satan puts his
interpretation upon events,
00:21:25.85\00:21:29.42
and they think,"
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.02
that is the ones who
are away from the Lord,
00:21:31.05\00:21:35.36
who don't follow the Lord.
00:21:35.39\00:21:36.99
"And they think,
as he would have them,
00:21:37.03\00:21:40.13
that the calamities
which filled the land
00:21:40.16\00:21:43.60
are a result of Sunday breaking,
00:21:43.63\00:21:46.53
thinking to
appease the wrath of God,
00:21:46.57\00:21:49.14
those influential men make laws
00:21:49.17\00:21:52.44
enforcing Sunday observance."
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.88
How interesting.
00:21:55.91\00:21:57.45
Now the Gospel of Mark
00:21:57.48\00:21:59.51
and the Gospel of Luke
00:21:59.55\00:22:01.08
add details about the
trials of God's people
00:22:01.12\00:22:04.39
who is going to
hate God's people.
00:22:04.42\00:22:06.62
So let's go to Mark Chapter 13
00:22:06.65\00:22:09.56
and we'll read verses 12 and 13.
00:22:09.59\00:22:13.19
Mark 13:12,13.
00:22:13.23\00:22:15.53
It's in the same context
00:22:15.56\00:22:17.23
of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:22:17.27\00:22:20.00
"Now brother will
betray brothers to death.
00:22:20.04\00:22:24.47
And father his child,
00:22:24.51\00:22:26.61
and children will
rise up against parents,
00:22:26.64\00:22:29.94
and cause them
to be put to death.
00:22:29.98\00:22:33.05
And you will be hated
by all for My name's sake.
00:22:33.08\00:22:36.99
But he who endures to
the end shall be saved."
00:22:37.02\00:22:39.45
This is very serious.
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.06
You see, Matthew doesn't tell
00:22:41.09\00:22:42.96
who is going to hate
and persecute God's people.
00:22:42.99\00:22:45.93
Mark does.
00:22:45.96\00:22:47.30
Mark says,
00:22:47.33\00:22:48.66
"Brother will
betray brother to death,
00:22:48.70\00:22:50.03
father his child,
00:22:50.07\00:22:51.40
and children will
rise against their parents
00:22:51.43\00:22:53.80
and cause them
to be put to death."
00:22:53.84\00:22:56.00
Wow, amazing.
00:22:56.04\00:22:58.01
Also Luke 21:16
00:22:58.04\00:23:01.61
describes this period,
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.51
"You will be betrayed
even by parents and brothers,
00:23:04.55\00:23:07.85
relatives and friends,
00:23:07.88\00:23:09.68
and they will put
some of you to death."
00:23:09.72\00:23:13.56
At this time, it doesn't appear
00:23:13.59\00:23:15.42
like this would be possible.
00:23:15.46\00:23:16.79
We say,
00:23:16.83\00:23:18.16
"Well, we live in
a civilized society.
00:23:18.19\00:23:19.53
You know, this
could never happen."
00:23:19.56\00:23:20.96
Never say never,
00:23:21.00\00:23:22.36
because prophecy is correct
00:23:22.40\00:23:25.23
and will be fulfilled.
00:23:25.27\00:23:28.64
So let's notice then
00:23:28.67\00:23:30.61
some other statements
from the Spirit of Prophecy
00:23:30.64\00:23:33.98
about these disasters
00:23:34.01\00:23:36.01
and how they will cause
00:23:36.04\00:23:39.51
the people who
claim to follow Jesus
00:23:39.55\00:23:42.58
but really don't
00:23:42.62\00:23:43.95
will lead them to
persecute God's people.
00:23:43.99\00:23:47.96
Let's go to Volume
6 of the Testimonies,
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.69
page 408.
00:23:50.73\00:23:53.50
"The restraining Spirit of God
00:23:53.53\00:23:55.26
is even now being
withdrawn from the world.
00:23:55.30\00:23:58.63
Hurricanes, storms,
00:23:58.67\00:24:01.24
tempests, fire,
00:24:01.27\00:24:03.71
and flood.
00:24:03.74\00:24:05.11
Disasters by sea and land
00:24:05.14\00:24:07.68
follow each other
in quick succession."
00:24:07.71\00:24:10.95
So notice the
disaster she's mentioning
00:24:10.98\00:24:13.31
hurricanes,
storms, tempests, fire,
00:24:13.35\00:24:16.18
flood disasters by sea and land,
00:24:16.22\00:24:18.72
she says follow each
other in quick succession.
00:24:18.75\00:24:20.96
And then she states this,
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.62
science seeks to
explain all these.
00:24:22.66\00:24:26.56
So the scientists
they tried to explain this.
00:24:26.59\00:24:29.80
"The signs thickening around us,
00:24:29.83\00:24:32.47
telling of the near
approach of the Son of God
00:24:32.50\00:24:35.40
are attributed to,"
00:24:35.44\00:24:37.91
listen carefully now,
00:24:37.94\00:24:39.31
"any other than the true cause."
00:24:39.34\00:24:42.61
So science tries to
explain these things.
00:24:42.64\00:24:45.31
But the signs
thickening around us
00:24:45.35\00:24:47.72
telling us the near
approach of the Son of God
00:24:47.75\00:24:49.82
are attributed to any
other than the true cause.
00:24:49.85\00:24:53.59
Man cannot discern
the sentinel angels
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.49
restraining the four
winds that they shall not blow
00:24:56.52\00:24:59.43
until the
servants of God are sealed.
00:24:59.46\00:25:01.46
But when God shall bid
His angels loose the winds,
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.87
there will be
such a scene of strife
00:25:04.90\00:25:07.24
as no pen can picture.
00:25:07.27\00:25:10.97
There's a lot of talk these days
00:25:11.01\00:25:12.64
about climate change.
00:25:12.67\00:25:15.44
They say, well, the
reason for climate change
00:25:15.48\00:25:17.88
is the use of fossil fuels
and air conditioners, etcetera.
00:25:17.91\00:25:22.75
No, I'm not saying that
00:25:22.78\00:25:24.12
these things might not
impact the weather systems.
00:25:24.15\00:25:27.26
However, the true
cause of these disasters
00:25:27.29\00:25:31.79
of climate change
00:25:31.83\00:25:33.33
is not what
people are saying it is.
00:25:33.36\00:25:37.90
You know, the two of
the greatest climate changes
00:25:37.93\00:25:40.84
that the Bible mentions
are first of all the flood.
00:25:40.87\00:25:44.77
Why did God send the flood?
00:25:44.81\00:25:47.61
Because the wickedness of
man was great in the earth.
00:25:47.64\00:25:50.71
And every intent
of the heart of man
00:25:50.75\00:25:52.85
was only evil continually.
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.72
It was the
sinfulness of humanity
00:25:54.75\00:25:56.72
that led to the flood.
00:25:56.75\00:25:58.32
In the days of Elijah
00:25:58.35\00:25:59.72
didn't rain for
three and a half years.
00:25:59.75\00:26:01.52
I would say
that's a climate change.
00:26:01.56\00:26:03.56
What was the reason?
00:26:03.59\00:26:04.93
The reason is that
God's own professed
00:26:04.96\00:26:07.20
people were in apostasy.
00:26:07.23\00:26:08.93
They needed to pray,
00:26:08.96\00:26:10.30
and they needed to
turn from their wicked ways.
00:26:10.33\00:26:13.40
Let me read you a
few other statements
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.24
where Ellen White
describes this period
00:26:15.27\00:26:17.01
where God's
people will be blamed
00:26:17.04\00:26:19.24
and will be betrayed
00:26:19.27\00:26:20.81
by their relatives and friends.
00:26:20.84\00:26:23.41
Last Day Events,
page 150 and 151,
00:26:23.45\00:26:28.12
"Friends will prove
treacherous and will betray us,
00:26:28.15\00:26:33.15
relatives,
deceived by the enemy,
00:26:33.19\00:26:36.36
will think they do God service
00:26:36.39\00:26:39.03
in opposing us and putting forth
00:26:39.06\00:26:41.36
the utmost efforts to
bring us into hard places
00:26:41.40\00:26:45.17
hoping we will deny our faith."
00:26:45.20\00:26:49.87
So the purpose
of this persecution
00:26:49.90\00:26:52.37
is to get God's
people to deny their faith.
00:26:52.41\00:26:56.61
In Prophets and Kings, page 588
00:26:56.64\00:26:59.25
we have this statement,
00:26:59.28\00:27:00.82
"Those who are true to God
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.08
will be menaced,
denounced, proscribed,
00:27:03.12\00:27:07.02
they will be..."
00:27:07.06\00:27:08.39
And now she quotes Luke 21:16.
00:27:08.42\00:27:10.49
"They will be
betrayed both by parents
00:27:10.53\00:27:14.13
and brethren and
kinsfolks and friends,
00:27:14.16\00:27:18.17
even unto death."
00:27:18.20\00:27:20.84
But God's people will
remain firm as a rock.
00:27:20.87\00:27:24.44
In the Great
Controversy, page 612,
00:27:24.47\00:27:27.21
we find these words,
00:27:27.24\00:27:28.64
"Family connections,
00:27:28.68\00:27:30.41
church relations are
powerless to stay them now.
00:27:30.45\00:27:35.08
Truth is more
precious than all besides.
00:27:35.12\00:27:38.55
Notwithstanding the agencies
combined against the truth,
00:27:38.59\00:27:42.42
a large number
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.13
take their stand
upon the Lord's side."
00:27:44.16\00:27:48.66
Now during this time,
00:27:48.70\00:27:50.37
when the Holy
Spirit is poured out
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.23
in latter rain power
00:27:52.27\00:27:54.14
and the Holy
Spirit is giving wisdom
00:27:54.17\00:27:56.40
and words to his people,
00:27:56.44\00:27:58.07
His faithful
followers will have to stand
00:27:58.11\00:28:00.54
before the
great men of the earth
00:28:00.58\00:28:02.94
before the rulers
and kings and presidents
00:28:02.98\00:28:05.91
and legislators of the world
00:28:05.95\00:28:07.58
to give witness for their faith.
00:28:07.62\00:28:09.68
Notice Luke Chapter 21,
00:28:09.72\00:28:11.79
Luke 21:12, 13,
00:28:11.82\00:28:15.22
where this is spoken up.
00:28:15.26\00:28:17.29
"Before all these things,
they will lay hands on you
00:28:17.33\00:28:20.10
and persecute you,
00:28:20.13\00:28:21.46
delivering you up to
the synagogues and prisons.
00:28:21.50\00:28:24.57
You will be brought
before kings and rulers
00:28:24.60\00:28:27.94
for My name's sake.
00:28:27.97\00:28:32.81
But it will turn out for you
00:28:32.84\00:28:35.11
as the occasion for testimony."
00:28:35.14\00:28:38.28
In other words,
00:28:38.31\00:28:39.65
when God's people are taken
before the rulers of the earth,
00:28:39.68\00:28:42.82
they will give
witness to their faith.
00:28:42.85\00:28:45.45
Let me read you some statements
00:28:45.49\00:28:47.26
once again by Ellen White
00:28:47.29\00:28:48.96
about the end time
fulfillment of these words.
00:28:48.99\00:28:52.03
Testimonies for
the Church Volume 6,
00:28:52.06\00:28:54.10
page 128 and 129.
00:28:54.13\00:28:57.13
"We shall have to
stand before magistrates
00:28:57.17\00:29:00.87
to answer for our
allegiance to the law of God,
00:29:00.90\00:29:04.74
to make known the
reasons of our faith."
00:29:04.77\00:29:08.34
And now notice,
00:29:08.38\00:29:09.71
"And the youth
00:29:09.74\00:29:11.08
should understand these things."
00:29:11.11\00:29:12.91
The youth to be
champions in God's word
00:29:12.95\00:29:15.38
because someday,
00:29:15.42\00:29:16.75
you'll be taken
before kings and rulers
00:29:16.79\00:29:18.75
and they're going to ask you
00:29:18.79\00:29:20.22
why you stand for the Sabbath,
00:29:20.26\00:29:22.56
why you believe what you do.
00:29:22.59\00:29:25.49
Another statement
we find in the book
00:29:25.53\00:29:27.40
Fundamentals of
Christian Education,
00:29:27.43\00:29:29.36
page 217,
00:29:29.40\00:29:31.87
it says like this,
00:29:31.90\00:29:33.23
"Many will have to stand
in the legislative courts.
00:29:33.27\00:29:37.77
Some will have to
stand before kings
00:29:37.81\00:29:40.88
and before the
learned of the earth
00:29:40.91\00:29:43.61
to answer for their faith.
00:29:43.65\00:29:45.91
Those who have
00:29:45.95\00:29:47.75
only a superficial
understanding of truth
00:29:47.78\00:29:51.85
will not be able clearly
00:29:51.89\00:29:54.39
to expound the scriptures
00:29:54.42\00:29:55.99
and give definite
reasons for their faith."
00:29:56.02\00:29:58.33
How sad.
00:29:58.36\00:29:59.79
When God's people have
to appear before rulers
00:29:59.83\00:30:02.80
so that we can give a witness
and they can accept the truth
00:30:02.83\00:30:06.13
and be saved, not
having a reason for our faith
00:30:06.17\00:30:10.87
because we had a superficial
understanding of the truth.
00:30:10.91\00:30:15.51
In the book Last
Day Events, page 209,
00:30:15.54\00:30:18.01
we find this statement,
00:30:18.05\00:30:19.78
"It does not seem
possible to us now
00:30:19.81\00:30:22.68
that any should
have to stand alone."
00:30:22.72\00:30:26.65
What?
00:30:26.69\00:30:28.02
We're going to
have to stand where?
00:30:28.06\00:30:29.76
Alone.
00:30:29.79\00:30:31.16
"So it does not
seem possible to us now
00:30:31.19\00:30:34.00
that any should
have to stand alone.
00:30:34.03\00:30:36.13
But if God has
ever spoken by me,
00:30:36.16\00:30:38.67
the time will come
00:30:38.70\00:30:40.04
when we shall be
brought before councils,
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.50
and before
thousands for His name's sake,
00:30:42.54\00:30:46.07
and each one will have to
give the reason of his faith,
00:30:46.11\00:30:50.45
then will come
the severest criticism
00:30:50.48\00:30:53.42
upon every position
00:30:53.45\00:30:55.22
that has been
taken for the truth.
00:30:55.25\00:30:57.32
We need them to
study the Word of God,
00:30:57.35\00:31:01.02
that we may know why we believe
00:31:01.06\00:31:03.73
the doctrines we advocate."
00:31:03.76\00:31:07.26
So God's people at
the end will be taken
00:31:07.30\00:31:09.93
before the great
individuals of the earth,
00:31:09.96\00:31:12.97
politicians, rulers,
legislators, presidents
00:31:13.00\00:31:17.11
to give a
witness for their faith.
00:31:17.14\00:31:20.54
Now who is going to
empower God's people
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.94
during this time?
00:31:22.98\00:31:24.31
Well, let's read Luke 21:14, 15.
00:31:24.35\00:31:29.28
Luke 21:14, 15.
00:31:29.32\00:31:32.42
"Therefore,
settle it in your hearts
00:31:32.45\00:31:34.92
not to meditate beforehand
on what you will answer,
00:31:34.96\00:31:38.83
for I will give
you a mouth and wisdom
00:31:38.86\00:31:42.86
which all your adversaries
would not be able to contradict
00:31:42.90\00:31:46.94
or resist."
00:31:46.97\00:31:49.04
Mark 13:11 tells us,
00:31:49.07\00:31:53.01
who is going to give
wisdom to his people,
00:31:53.04\00:31:56.81
it says in verse 11,
00:31:56.85\00:31:58.25
"But when they arrest you
00:31:58.28\00:31:59.88
and deliver you up,
00:31:59.91\00:32:01.48
do not worry
beforehand or premeditate
00:32:01.52\00:32:04.05
what you will speak
but whatever is given you
00:32:04.09\00:32:07.06
in that hour speak that,
00:32:07.09\00:32:09.12
for it is not you who
speak but the Holy Spirit."
00:32:09.16\00:32:12.99
Do you remember the sequence
that Ellen White presented?
00:32:13.03\00:32:16.16
She says there's going
to be all these disasters,
00:32:16.20\00:32:18.97
the nations will be enraged,
00:32:19.00\00:32:21.30
then God is going to
pour out His Holy Spirit.
00:32:21.34\00:32:24.14
God's people will
preach the Sabbath more fully.
00:32:24.17\00:32:27.38
The nations will get
even angry at God's people.
00:32:27.41\00:32:30.65
But God's people will
stand before rulers and kings
00:32:30.68\00:32:33.98
to give a witness as to
why they keep the Sabbath,
00:32:34.02\00:32:36.82
why they believe what they do.
00:32:36.85\00:32:39.42
Ellen White wrote in
Manuscript Releases Volume 8,
00:32:39.45\00:32:42.92
page 187 the following words
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.33
about when God's
people will have to stand
00:32:45.36\00:32:48.06
before the great
persons of the earth.
00:32:48.10\00:32:50.90
"Those who received
Christ as personal Savior
00:32:50.93\00:32:54.27
will stand the test of
trial in these last days.
00:32:54.30\00:32:58.27
The Lord Jesus
will give the disciples
00:32:58.31\00:33:00.78
a tongue and wisdom
00:33:00.81\00:33:02.91
that their adversaries can
neither gainsay nor resist.
00:33:02.94\00:33:08.25
Those who could not by reasoning
00:33:08.28\00:33:10.62
overcome satanic delusions
00:33:10.65\00:33:13.15
will bear an
affirmative testimony
00:33:13.19\00:33:16.02
that will baffle
supposedly learned men."
00:33:16.06\00:33:19.73
In other words, humble
people are going to give reasons
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.70
for their faith
00:33:21.73\00:33:23.06
that even learned
men will be baffled at.
00:33:23.10\00:33:27.04
She continues,
00:33:27.07\00:33:28.40
"Words will come from
the lips of the unlearned
00:33:28.44\00:33:31.97
with such
convincing power and wisdom
00:33:32.01\00:33:35.18
that conversions
will be made to the truth.
00:33:35.21\00:33:39.01
Thousands will be converted
under their testimony."
00:33:39.05\00:33:42.55
Imagine the
tremendous opportunity
00:33:42.58\00:33:45.75
that we have during that time
of receiving the latter rain,
00:33:45.79\00:33:50.26
proclaiming the
Sabbath more fully
00:33:50.29\00:33:52.29
before the Great
persons of the earth.
00:33:52.33\00:33:55.03
And having thousands upon
thousands hear the message
00:33:55.06\00:33:58.43
and accept the message
so that they can be saved.
00:33:58.47\00:34:01.80
But sadly, during this period,
00:34:01.84\00:34:04.01
many of those who
had embraced the faith
00:34:04.04\00:34:07.18
are going to apostatize.
00:34:07.21\00:34:09.41
That takes us to Matthew 24:10.
00:34:09.44\00:34:13.05
Matthew 24:10.
00:34:13.08\00:34:16.55
It says, "And then,"
notice after individuals
00:34:16.58\00:34:22.36
rise to deliver
God's people up to death,
00:34:22.39\00:34:25.59
when we're appearing
before kings and rulers,
00:34:25.63\00:34:28.00
and we're speaking through
the power of the Holy Spirit,
00:34:28.03\00:34:30.83
"then many will be offended,
00:34:30.87\00:34:34.44
will betray one another
and will hate one another."
00:34:34.47\00:34:39.41
So notice, many
will be offended.
00:34:39.44\00:34:43.31
If you look up that
word offended in Scripture,
00:34:43.35\00:34:46.01
you're going to find
that it refers to people
00:34:46.05\00:34:48.48
who forsake the faith,
00:34:48.52\00:34:50.82
the faith that
they once embraced.
00:34:50.85\00:34:53.52
In other words, they turn back,
00:34:53.56\00:34:55.62
they apostatize
because of the persecution
00:34:55.66\00:34:59.09
that is mentioned
in the previous verse
00:34:59.13\00:35:01.23
in verse 9,
00:35:01.26\00:35:02.83
Ellen White
described this period
00:35:02.86\00:35:05.00
in the book Great
Controversy, page 608.
00:35:05.03\00:35:09.47
And I read,
00:35:09.50\00:35:10.84
"As the storm
approaches a large class."
00:35:10.87\00:35:14.94
Notice, it's a large
class, not just one or two,
00:35:14.98\00:35:17.01
"a large class,
00:35:17.05\00:35:18.71
who have professed faith
in the third angel's message,"
00:35:18.75\00:35:22.12
they have to be Adventists
00:35:22.15\00:35:23.82
because only the
evidence church professes faith
00:35:23.85\00:35:26.62
in the third angel's message.
00:35:26.65\00:35:28.46
So once again,
00:35:28.49\00:35:29.82
"As the storm
approaches large classes,
00:35:29.86\00:35:31.79
who have professed faith
in the third angel's message
00:35:31.83\00:35:34.66
but have not been sanctified
through obedience to the truth,
00:35:34.70\00:35:38.37
abandon their position
00:35:38.40\00:35:40.27
and join the ranks
of the opposition."
00:35:40.30\00:35:43.51
This is verse 10.
00:35:43.54\00:35:44.94
Many will be offended.
00:35:44.97\00:35:46.57
She continues,
00:35:46.61\00:35:47.94
"Men of talent
and pleasing address,
00:35:47.98\00:35:52.35
who wants rejoiced in the truth,
00:35:52.38\00:35:55.12
employ their powers
00:35:55.15\00:35:56.52
to deceive and mislead souls."
00:35:56.55\00:35:58.72
They become false
prophets in other words,
00:35:58.75\00:36:00.36
that's the next verse.
00:36:00.39\00:36:02.02
She continues,
00:36:02.06\00:36:03.39
"They become the
bitterest enemies
00:36:03.43\00:36:05.26
of their former brethren.
00:36:05.29\00:36:07.20
When Sabbath keepers are brought
00:36:07.23\00:36:08.76
before the courts to
answer for their faith,
00:36:08.80\00:36:11.47
these apostates
00:36:11.50\00:36:13.54
are the most
efficient agents of Satan
00:36:13.57\00:36:15.64
to misrepresent and accuse them
00:36:15.67\00:36:17.81
and by false
reports and insinuations
00:36:17.84\00:36:20.31
to stir up the
rulers against them."
00:36:20.34\00:36:23.81
So these are the false
prophets that are mentioned
00:36:23.85\00:36:26.25
in the next verse,
00:36:26.28\00:36:27.62
those who apostatize
00:36:27.65\00:36:28.98
will become
false prophets and say,
00:36:29.02\00:36:30.62
"Don't pay any
attention to what these people
00:36:30.65\00:36:33.56
what the Seventh-day
Adventists are having to say."
00:36:33.59\00:36:35.92
And this leads us to verse 11.
00:36:35.96\00:36:38.39
It says, "Then," notice then,
00:36:38.43\00:36:42.13
that's like a word tote,
00:36:42.16\00:36:43.90
"Then many false
prophets will rise up
00:36:43.93\00:36:47.34
and deceive many."
00:36:47.37\00:36:50.74
What is a false prophet?
00:36:50.77\00:36:53.24
But we're not
talking about false prophets
00:36:53.27\00:36:55.14
of the Jeane Dixon type.
00:36:55.18\00:36:57.38
False prophets are those
who prophesy peace, peace
00:36:57.41\00:37:00.45
when there is no peace.
00:37:00.48\00:37:02.38
When the
religious world is saying
00:37:02.42\00:37:04.25
don't worry about
those Seventh-day Adventist
00:37:04.29\00:37:06.15
who are preaching
about the Sabbath,
00:37:06.19\00:37:07.79
Sunday is the day that
you're supposed to keep.
00:37:07.82\00:37:10.13
And those who have
apostatized from the faith
00:37:10.16\00:37:12.53
have joined that group,
00:37:12.56\00:37:14.80
then false prophets will arise
00:37:14.83\00:37:16.83
and say don't pay
any attention to them.
00:37:16.87\00:37:18.40
Everything is okay.
00:37:18.43\00:37:19.77
Everything will work out.
00:37:19.80\00:37:21.37
"Peace, peace,"
when there is no peace.
00:37:21.40\00:37:24.37
You know, the Bible describes
what a false prophet is.
00:37:24.41\00:37:27.68
In Deuteronomy 13:1-5,
00:37:27.71\00:37:30.71
we find these words,
00:37:30.75\00:37:32.61
"If there arises
among you a prophet,
00:37:32.65\00:37:35.52
or a dreamer of dreams,
00:37:35.55\00:37:37.55
and he gives you
a sign or wonder,
00:37:37.59\00:37:40.52
and the sign or the
wonder comes to pass
00:37:40.56\00:37:43.96
out of which he
spoke to you saying,
00:37:43.99\00:37:46.19
'Let us go after other
gods that you have not known.
00:37:46.23\00:37:50.17
And let us serve them,'"
00:37:50.20\00:37:52.03
here comes the council,
00:37:52.07\00:37:53.40
"You shall not listen to
the words of that Prophet,
00:37:53.44\00:37:56.50
or that dreamer of dreams,
00:37:56.54\00:37:58.51
for the Lord your
God is testing you
00:37:58.54\00:38:00.68
to know whether you
love the Lord your God
00:38:00.71\00:38:03.14
with all your heart
and with all your soul."
00:38:03.18\00:38:05.68
You shall notice all
the synonymous terms now.
00:38:05.71\00:38:09.02
"You shall walk
after the Lord your God,
00:38:09.05\00:38:11.75
and fear Him, and
keep His commandments
00:38:11.79\00:38:15.62
and obey His voice,
00:38:15.66\00:38:17.83
you shall serve Him
and hold fast to Him."
00:38:17.86\00:38:22.26
So what is a false prophet?
00:38:22.30\00:38:24.27
A false prophet is one
that might even do a sign
00:38:24.30\00:38:26.97
or wonder according to this,
00:38:27.00\00:38:28.74
but he leads God's people astray
00:38:28.77\00:38:31.84
from the truth
that God has revealed.
00:38:31.87\00:38:34.61
He leads them astray
from the will of God.
00:38:34.64\00:38:37.45
God has said that the Sabbath
00:38:37.48\00:38:39.18
is that they
were supposed to keep.
00:38:39.21\00:38:41.02
The majority of the
Christian world says
00:38:41.05\00:38:42.55
no, it's Sunday.
00:38:42.58\00:38:43.99
It's leading God's people
astray from God's holy law.
00:38:44.02\00:38:48.02
Let's read a
couple of statements,
00:38:48.06\00:38:49.42
two or three statements
from the Spirit of Prophecy
00:38:49.46\00:38:51.39
on this particular point.
00:38:51.43\00:38:54.13
Ellen White wrote in
Desire of Ages, page 631,
00:38:54.16\00:38:57.60
false prophets, she's talking
about the first destruction,
00:38:57.63\00:39:00.24
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:39:00.27\00:39:02.44
The first
fulfillment of Matthew 24,
00:39:02.47\00:39:04.77
"False prophets did rise,
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.71
deceiving the people
and leading great numbers
00:39:06.74\00:39:09.54
into the desert.
00:39:09.58\00:39:10.95
Magicians and sorcerers
claiming miraculous power
00:39:10.98\00:39:14.62
drew the people after them
into the mountain solitudes."
00:39:14.65\00:39:17.72
And then she writes,
00:39:17.75\00:39:19.09
"But this prophecy was spoken
00:39:19.12\00:39:21.26
also for the last days."
00:39:21.29\00:39:24.23
In another statement,
she wrote the following,
00:39:24.26\00:39:29.10
"The false prophets
will have to be met,
00:39:29.13\00:39:32.33
they will make an
effort to deceive many,
00:39:32.37\00:39:34.97
by leading them to
accept false theories.
00:39:35.00\00:39:37.64
Many scriptures
will be misapplied
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.31
in such a way
00:39:40.34\00:39:41.68
that deceptive theories
will apparently be based
00:39:41.71\00:39:44.51
upon the words
that God has spoken.
00:39:44.55\00:39:46.35
In other words, they're
misusing the Word of God.
00:39:46.38\00:39:48.52
They claim to be Christians,
00:39:48.55\00:39:50.49
precious truth
will be appropriated
00:39:50.52\00:39:53.09
to substantiate
and establish error,
00:39:53.12\00:39:56.62
the false prophets who
claim to be taught of God,
00:39:56.66\00:39:59.29
so the false prophets,
00:39:59.33\00:40:00.66
they're not of a
Jeane Dixon type or secular,
00:40:00.70\00:40:03.33
and predict
what's going to happen
00:40:03.37\00:40:04.70
to the next Hollywood celebrity.
00:40:04.73\00:40:06.53
No, these false prophets
who claim to be taught of God
00:40:06.57\00:40:11.27
will take beautiful scriptures
00:40:11.31\00:40:13.54
that have been
given to adorn the truth
00:40:13.58\00:40:15.94
and will use them as
a robe of righteousness
00:40:15.98\00:40:18.41
to cover false and
dangerous theories.
00:40:18.45\00:40:22.58
"And many," she
continues saying,
00:40:22.62\00:40:24.45
"will depart from
the truth as a result."
00:40:24.49\00:40:28.66
Now what is the next sign here?
00:40:28.69\00:40:30.89
Oh, when persecution comes,
00:40:30.93\00:40:33.93
when false prophets arise,
00:40:33.96\00:40:36.06
to accuse God's faithful people,
00:40:36.10\00:40:39.47
something is going
to happen, verse 12,
00:40:39.50\00:40:42.34
and because
lawlessness will abound,
00:40:42.37\00:40:45.47
the love of many will grow cold.
00:40:45.51\00:40:50.41
Why does love grow cold?
00:40:50.45\00:40:52.28
Because of lawlessness
00:40:52.31\00:40:54.78
That word
lawlessness is very interesting,
00:40:54.82\00:40:56.62
as I mentioned in
a previous lecture.
00:40:56.65\00:40:59.15
It is the word anomias.
00:40:59.19\00:41:02.19
It is used in 1 John 3:4
in the King James Version.
00:41:02.22\00:41:06.03
It says sin is the
transgression of the law.
00:41:06.06\00:41:09.26
That entire expression
transgression of the law
00:41:09.30\00:41:11.90
is the same expression
that that is translated here
00:41:11.93\00:41:16.00
in the New King
James Version, lawlessness,
00:41:16.04\00:41:19.17
so because of lawlessness,
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.54
the love of many will grow cold.
00:41:21.58\00:41:23.81
Now obviously, the love
of many cannot grow cold
00:41:23.85\00:41:26.98
unless it was hot before that.
00:41:27.02\00:41:29.48
Let me read you a few statements
00:41:29.52\00:41:31.22
from the writings of
Ellen White once again.
00:41:31.25\00:41:33.72
"There will be a
shaking of the sieve.
00:41:33.76\00:41:37.83
The chaff must in time
be separated from the wheat.
00:41:37.86\00:41:43.50
Because inequity abounds,
the love of many waxes cold.
00:41:43.53\00:41:49.20
It is the very time
00:41:49.24\00:41:50.81
when the genuine
will be the strongest."
00:41:50.84\00:41:55.21
In another statement,
Last Day Events page 27,
00:41:55.24\00:41:58.78
she wrote,
00:41:58.81\00:42:00.15
"I was shown that
the Spirit of the Lord
00:42:00.18\00:42:01.72
is being
withdrawn from the earth.
00:42:01.75\00:42:03.92
God's keeping power
will soon be refused
00:42:03.95\00:42:06.96
to all who continue to
disregard His commandments.
00:42:06.99\00:42:11.19
The reports of
fraudulent transactions,
00:42:11.23\00:42:14.16
murders and crimes of every kind
00:42:14.20\00:42:16.80
are coming to us daily.
00:42:16.83\00:42:18.57
Iniquity is
becoming so common a thing
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.90
that it no longer shocks
the senses as it once did.
00:42:21.94\00:42:27.88
In the
devotional book, lift him up
00:42:27.91\00:42:30.35
by Ellen White page 310.
00:42:30.38\00:42:32.68
She clearly states that
those whose love grows cold,
00:42:32.71\00:42:37.02
once had a hot
experience with the Lord Jesus,
00:42:37.05\00:42:40.59
but persecution
and the false prophets,
00:42:40.62\00:42:43.69
lead them to lose their faith.
00:42:43.73\00:42:46.16
This is what she wrote
in Lift Him Up, page 310,
00:42:46.19\00:42:49.83
"The Lord Jesus on
the Mount of Olives,
00:42:49.86\00:42:52.33
plainly stated that
because iniquity shall abound,
00:42:52.37\00:42:55.70
the love of
many shall wax cold."
00:42:55.74\00:42:58.54
She's quoting this verse,
00:42:58.57\00:43:00.18
"He speaks of a
class who have fallen
00:43:00.21\00:43:03.55
from a high
state of spirituality.
00:43:03.58\00:43:07.02
Let such utterances as
these come home with solemn,
00:43:07.05\00:43:10.62
searching power to our hearts.
00:43:10.65\00:43:12.95
Where is the
fervor devotion to God
00:43:12.99\00:43:16.02
that corresponds to
the greatness of truth
00:43:16.06\00:43:18.66
that we claim to believe?
00:43:18.69\00:43:20.70
The love of the world,
the love of some darling sin,
00:43:20.73\00:43:25.03
has weaned the heart
from the love of prayer,
00:43:25.07\00:43:28.70
and of
meditation on sacred things.
00:43:28.74\00:43:31.14
A formal round of
religious services
00:43:31.17\00:43:34.04
is kept up.
00:43:34.08\00:43:35.44
But where is the love of Jesus?
00:43:35.48\00:43:38.08
Spirituality is dying."
00:43:38.11\00:43:42.22
And then I want to
read one more statement.
00:43:42.25\00:43:44.75
And this one we find in the book
00:43:44.79\00:43:46.45
Sons and
Daughters of God, page 210,
00:43:46.49\00:43:49.76
also a devotional book.
00:43:49.79\00:43:51.93
She actually begins by quoting
00:43:51.96\00:43:54.86
this verse in Matthew 24:12.
00:43:54.90\00:43:58.83
"And because
iniquity shall abound,
00:43:58.87\00:44:00.84
the love of many shall wax cold,
00:44:00.87\00:44:03.54
the very atmosphere
is polluted with sin.
00:44:03.57\00:44:06.81
Soon God's people
00:44:06.84\00:44:08.18
will be tested by fiery trials,"
00:44:08.21\00:44:09.81
known as God's people.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.18
This verse
applies to God's people,
00:44:11.21\00:44:13.15
not to the world in
general that you know the world
00:44:13.18\00:44:15.48
people of the world are lawless
because they have no love.
00:44:15.52\00:44:18.65
No, this is
talking about God's people.
00:44:18.69\00:44:20.86
"The very atmosphere
is polluted with sin.
00:44:20.89\00:44:23.43
Soon God's people will be tested
00:44:23.46\00:44:25.43
by fiery trials."
00:44:25.46\00:44:27.26
And listened carefully.
00:44:27.30\00:44:28.63
This is sad,
00:44:28.66\00:44:30.00
"And the great proportion
00:44:30.03\00:44:32.30
of those who now
appear to be genuine and true,
00:44:32.33\00:44:35.77
will prove to be base metal
00:44:35.80\00:44:38.71
instead of being strengthened
and confirmed by opposition,
00:44:38.74\00:44:43.48
threats, and abuse.
00:44:43.51\00:44:45.48
So know instead
of being strengthened
00:44:45.51\00:44:48.02
and confirmed by what,
00:44:48.05\00:44:50.15
by opposition threats and abuse,
00:44:50.19\00:44:52.85
they will cowardly take
the side of the opposers.
00:44:52.89\00:44:56.62
This is exactly
what we're looking
00:44:56.66\00:44:57.99
at in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:44:58.03\00:44:59.83
She continues,
00:44:59.86\00:45:01.20
"To stand in defense of
the truth and righteousness.
00:45:01.23\00:45:04.83
When the majority forsake us..."
00:45:04.87\00:45:07.50
She's talking about Adventists,
00:45:07.54\00:45:08.94
"When the majority forsake us,
00:45:08.97\00:45:11.67
to fight the battles of the Lord
00:45:11.71\00:45:13.34
when champions are
few, this will be our test.
00:45:13.38\00:45:18.81
At this time, we
must gather warmth,
00:45:18.85\00:45:21.95
from the coldness of others,
00:45:21.98\00:45:24.49
courage from their cowardice
00:45:24.52\00:45:27.42
and loyalty from their treason."
00:45:27.46\00:45:31.89
Wow.
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.53
Then we are told
in Matthew 24:13,
00:45:33.56\00:45:37.33
not everyone is
going to apostatize,
00:45:37.37\00:45:39.30
not everybody's love
is going to grow cold.
00:45:39.33\00:45:41.87
Not everyone is
going to be deceived
00:45:41.90\00:45:43.54
by the false prophets.
00:45:43.57\00:45:44.91
Not everyone is
going to be offended
00:45:44.94\00:45:46.27
because of the persecution.
00:45:46.31\00:45:47.78
There will be a
group that will endure
00:45:47.81\00:45:50.55
or persevere until the end.
00:45:50.58\00:45:53.11
So we find in verse 13,
00:45:53.15\00:45:54.88
but he who endures to the end
00:45:54.92\00:45:57.65
or who he who perseveres
to the end will be saved.
00:45:57.69\00:46:00.56
It's the wordhupomone in
Greek, which means perseverance.
00:46:00.59\00:46:05.86
Luke 21:9.
00:46:05.89\00:46:08.96
Luke 21:9.
00:46:09.00\00:46:14.27
Actually it's verse 19,
00:46:14.30\00:46:17.41
"By your patience
possess your souls."
00:46:17.44\00:46:22.48
Incidentally,
Revelation Chapter 13
00:46:22.51\00:46:24.78
uses this same word
00:46:24.81\00:46:26.68
with regards to the Final Crisis
00:46:26.72\00:46:28.68
over the beast,
his image and his mark.
00:46:28.72\00:46:31.72
We find in Revelation 14:12.
00:46:31.75\00:46:35.06
Revelation 14:12,
00:46:35.09\00:46:37.43
the conclusion of the
third angels message, it says,
00:46:37.46\00:46:40.86
here is the patient's
better translated perseverance,
00:46:40.90\00:46:43.90
the same word, hupomone.
00:46:43.93\00:46:45.73
Here is the
perseverance of the saints.
00:46:45.77\00:46:49.04
Here are those
00:46:49.07\00:46:50.41
who keep the commandments of God
00:46:50.44\00:46:52.47
and the faith of Jesus.
00:46:52.51\00:46:55.78
Of course, the parable
of the persistent widow,
00:46:55.81\00:46:59.51
in Luke Chapter 18
applies to this period
00:46:59.55\00:47:03.79
of history as well.
00:47:03.82\00:47:05.82
And then you go back
to Matthew Chapter 24,
00:47:05.85\00:47:09.22
Matthew 24:14,
00:47:09.26\00:47:12.46
"And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached
00:47:12.49\00:47:16.10
in all the world as a
witness to all the nations
00:47:16.13\00:47:19.57
and then the end will come."
00:47:19.60\00:47:23.07
Now this verse is very
similar to two other verses
00:47:23.10\00:47:27.24
that we find in Scripture.
00:47:27.28\00:47:29.21
We have
00:47:29.24\00:47:30.71
a Revelation 14:6,7
00:47:30.75\00:47:36.38
and Matthew 28:19,
20 interestingly enough.
00:47:36.42\00:47:40.99
These three places in Scripture,
00:47:41.02\00:47:43.56
Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19, 20
00:47:43.59\00:47:48.26
and Revelation 14:6,7
00:47:48.30\00:47:51.53
have three common denominators.
00:47:51.57\00:47:53.60
First of all,
preaching the gospel,
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.90
secondly, to all nations,
00:47:55.94\00:47:58.14
and three, then the end comes.
00:47:58.17\00:48:00.91
Notice Matthew 28:19, 20,
00:48:00.94\00:48:04.71
Matthew 28:19, 20.
00:48:04.75\00:48:08.05
"Jesus gives a great commission,
00:48:08.08\00:48:10.19
goal therefore
00:48:10.22\00:48:11.55
and makes
disciples of all the nations,
00:48:11.59\00:48:13.49
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:48:13.52\00:48:15.89
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:48:15.92\00:48:18.09
teaching them to
observe all things
00:48:18.13\00:48:19.73
that I have commanded you.
00:48:19.76\00:48:21.10
And lo, I am with you always,
00:48:21.13\00:48:23.00
even to the end of the
age or the end of the world."
00:48:23.03\00:48:25.73
So you have all
three elements there
00:48:25.77\00:48:27.40
you have
preaching to all the world
00:48:27.44\00:48:31.44
and then the end comes.
00:48:31.47\00:48:33.41
Revelation Chapter 14 contains
also the same three elements.
00:48:33.44\00:48:38.05
So going to Revelation 14,
and we'll read verses 6 and 7.
00:48:38.08\00:48:42.92
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:48:42.95\00:48:45.59
having the everlasting gospel."
00:48:45.62\00:48:46.96
See there you have
the everlasting gospel
00:48:46.99\00:48:48.56
that being proclaimed,
00:48:48.59\00:48:50.26
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth
00:48:50.29\00:48:52.59
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:48:52.63\00:48:55.60
So you have the
same three elements,
00:48:55.63\00:48:57.73
preaching the
gospel to every nation,
00:48:57.77\00:49:00.44
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:49:00.47\00:49:02.10
And then if you read verse 14,
00:49:02.14\00:49:04.27
after the three angels
messages are proclaimed,
00:49:04.31\00:49:06.84
Jesus is sitting on the
cloud with a sickle in his hand,
00:49:06.88\00:49:10.31
and he's coming on the cloud,
00:49:10.35\00:49:11.88
which represents
the closer probation
00:49:11.91\00:49:14.02
and the second coming of Christ.
00:49:14.05\00:49:16.89
However, Revelation 14, 6,7
00:49:16.92\00:49:19.92
presents the
proclamation of the gospel
00:49:19.95\00:49:23.22
to the whole world
00:49:23.26\00:49:24.59
in a special context.
00:49:24.63\00:49:26.53
I want to read a statement
that we find in the book
00:49:26.56\00:49:29.03
Great Controversy, page 356.
00:49:29.06\00:49:32.60
You see, the
gospel that is preached
00:49:32.63\00:49:34.70
at the end time
00:49:34.74\00:49:36.07
is through the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:49:36.10\00:49:37.77
because the latter
rain has been poured out,
00:49:37.81\00:49:40.14
and is proclaimed in a loud cry,
00:49:40.18\00:49:42.61
calling God's faithful people
00:49:42.64\00:49:44.05
to come out of
the apostolic churches
00:49:44.08\00:49:46.31
and join God's faithful people.
00:49:46.35\00:49:49.65
In other words, in Revelation
00:49:49.68\00:49:51.29
it is in the context
of the final judgment
00:49:51.32\00:49:53.56
and end time events.
00:49:53.59\00:49:55.12
In Great Controversy,
page 356, Ellen White wrote,
00:49:55.16\00:49:58.46
"The message of salvation
has been preached in all ages.
00:49:58.49\00:50:02.76
But this message,"
00:50:02.80\00:50:04.13
she's referring to
the first angels message,
00:50:04.17\00:50:06.43
"is a part of the gospel,
which could be proclaimed
00:50:06.47\00:50:10.01
only in the last days,
00:50:10.04\00:50:12.41
for only then would it be true
00:50:12.44\00:50:14.81
that the hour of
judgment had come."
00:50:14.84\00:50:19.71
So, you know, could Paul preach
00:50:19.75\00:50:21.82
the hour of His
judgment has come?
00:50:21.85\00:50:24.29
No, because the
judgment was in the future.
00:50:24.32\00:50:27.32
Could Luther preach the
hour of his judgment has come?
00:50:27.36\00:50:30.76
No, Luther predicted
that the judgment would take
00:50:30.79\00:50:34.53
300 years after he lived.
00:50:34.56\00:50:37.43
So they could not
preach the everlasting gospel
00:50:37.47\00:50:40.44
in the context of the
judgment, the last judgment.
00:50:40.47\00:50:44.57
This is a message
that will be proclaimed
00:50:44.61\00:50:46.61
at the end of time,
00:50:46.64\00:50:48.34
under the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:50:48.38\00:50:50.45
the loud cry,
the final gospel call
00:50:50.48\00:50:53.75
will be given for all of
those who are faithful to Lord
00:50:53.78\00:50:57.35
to come out and
join God's Final remnant
00:50:57.39\00:51:00.52
that will go through
the final time of trouble.
00:51:00.56\00:51:04.73
You'll notice Revelation
14, after verse 6, it says,
00:51:04.76\00:51:08.20
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:51:08.23\00:51:10.87
having the everlasting gospel
00:51:10.90\00:51:12.23
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth,
00:51:12.27\00:51:14.04
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people
00:51:14.07\00:51:16.20
saying with a loud voice,"
00:51:16.24\00:51:17.67
this is the angels
proclaiming the gospel,
00:51:17.71\00:51:19.61
but now in a special context,
00:51:19.64\00:51:21.74
"Saying with a loud voice,
00:51:21.78\00:51:24.38
'fear God, and
give glory to Him,
00:51:24.41\00:51:27.68
for the hour of His
judgment has come.'"
00:51:27.72\00:51:31.05
So in other words,
this could not be proclaimed
00:51:31.09\00:51:33.05
by Paul and Peter
and Luther, etcetera
00:51:33.09\00:51:35.92
because the hour
of God's judgment
00:51:35.96\00:51:37.43
had not yet come at that time.
00:51:37.46\00:51:39.89
And then there's another detail,
00:51:39.93\00:51:41.66
"And worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:51:41.70\00:51:45.07
the sea and springs of water,"
00:51:45.10\00:51:46.94
in other words,
worship the Creator.
00:51:46.97\00:51:51.01
In other words, the
first angel's message,
00:51:51.04\00:51:53.04
the preaching of
the everlasting gospel
00:51:53.07\00:51:54.84
to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people
00:51:54.88\00:51:56.75
with a loud voice,
at the end of time,
00:51:56.78\00:51:58.78
through the power
of the Holy Spirit
00:51:58.81\00:52:00.25
brings to view two ideas.
00:52:00.28\00:52:02.75
Number one,
00:52:02.78\00:52:04.12
we are going to be in
the hour of the judgment,
00:52:04.15\00:52:06.65
the judgment of the
living, if you wish,
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.99
and also it will be a
call for God's people,
00:52:09.02\00:52:13.80
God's faithful people
00:52:13.83\00:52:15.53
to proclaim the Creator.
00:52:15.56\00:52:18.90
The creator, as it says, here,
00:52:18.93\00:52:20.84
worship Him who made
heaven, earth, the sea,
00:52:20.87\00:52:24.94
and the springs of water.
00:52:24.97\00:52:27.54
Who is the creator?
00:52:27.58\00:52:29.31
God is the Creator.
00:52:29.34\00:52:31.05
Did God give us a sign
that He is the Creator?
00:52:31.08\00:52:34.98
He most certainly did.
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.05
He gave us the Sabbath
00:52:37.09\00:52:38.85
as a sign to remember Him
00:52:38.89\00:52:41.76
as the Creator of the
heavens and the earth.
00:52:41.79\00:52:44.53
Thus, the gospel in
the end time is preached
00:52:44.56\00:52:47.83
in the context of the judgment,
00:52:47.86\00:52:50.10
and it is preached,
00:52:50.13\00:52:51.67
calling people to
worship the Creator
00:52:51.70\00:52:54.50
and to keep His holy Sabbath,
00:52:54.54\00:52:57.07
the reminder that
He is the Creator.
00:52:57.11\00:53:01.18
Notice Exodus Chapter 20,
00:53:01.21\00:53:02.94
the fourth
commandment of God's holy law,
00:53:02.98\00:53:05.21
you can't extract
the fourth commandment
00:53:05.25\00:53:08.05
from the Ten
Commandments and say,
00:53:08.08\00:53:09.42
"Well, that one
applies only to the Jews."
00:53:09.45\00:53:11.79
All of the Ten Commandments
apply to God's people
00:53:11.82\00:53:14.86
at all times in history.
00:53:14.89\00:53:17.03
Exodus 20: 8-11 tells us
00:53:17.06\00:53:20.83
why God gave the Sabbath.
00:53:20.86\00:53:23.80
It actually leads
us back to creation.
00:53:23.83\00:53:27.67
It says there in verse 8,
00:53:27.70\00:53:29.30
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:53:29.34\00:53:33.17
Six days you shall
labor and do all your work,
00:53:33.21\00:53:36.34
but the seventh
day is the Sabbath
00:53:36.38\00:53:38.51
of the Lord your God."
00:53:38.55\00:53:40.62
No, that's not the
Sabbath of the Jews,
00:53:40.65\00:53:42.65
it's the Sabbath
of the Lord your God.
00:53:42.68\00:53:45.55
"In it, you shall do no work.
00:53:45.59\00:53:48.52
You, nor your son
nor your daughter,
00:53:48.56\00:53:50.36
nor your male servant,
nor your female servant,
00:53:50.39\00:53:52.39
nor your cattle,
nor your stranger,
00:53:52.43\00:53:54.66
who is within your gates."
00:53:54.70\00:53:56.33
And now comes the
reason why God said
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.80
that his people are
supposed to keep the Sabbath.
00:53:58.83\00:54:01.80
Verse 11, connected with
the first angel's message,
00:54:01.84\00:54:05.91
which is the end time
proclamation of the gospel,
00:54:05.94\00:54:08.84
"For in six days,
00:54:08.88\00:54:11.25
the Lord made the
heavens and the earth, the sea,
00:54:11.28\00:54:14.45
and all that is in them,
00:54:14.48\00:54:16.22
and rest of the seventh day.
00:54:16.25\00:54:18.22
Therefore, the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day
00:54:18.25\00:54:21.82
and hallowed it
or sanctified it."
00:54:21.86\00:54:27.70
I want to end by
reading a statement
00:54:27.73\00:54:29.73
that we find once again in
the writings of Ellen White,
00:54:29.76\00:54:32.67
Desire of Ages, page 633,
00:54:32.70\00:54:37.47
"In the prophecy of
Jerusalem's destruction,
00:54:37.51\00:54:41.11
Christ said,
00:54:41.14\00:54:43.11
'Because iniquity shall abound,
00:54:43.14\00:54:44.78
the love of many shall wax cold,
00:54:44.81\00:54:47.58
however, he that
shall endure unto the end,
00:54:47.62\00:54:51.22
the same shall be saved.
00:54:51.25\00:54:53.86
And this gospel of the kingdom
00:54:53.89\00:54:55.39
shall be
preached in all the world
00:54:55.42\00:54:57.06
for a witness unto all nations,
00:54:57.09\00:54:59.29
and then shall the end come.'"
00:54:59.33\00:55:03.43
And she writes this,
00:55:03.47\00:55:05.13
"This prophecy will
again be fulfilled."
00:55:05.17\00:55:09.44
She just quoted Matthew 24:14.
00:55:09.47\00:55:12.64
And she says, "This prophecy
will again be fulfilled,"
00:55:12.67\00:55:16.38
because we noticed that
Matthew 24:14 was fulfilled
00:55:16.41\00:55:19.85
leading up to the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:55:19.88\00:55:21.98
the gospel went to the
entire inhabited world,
00:55:22.02\00:55:24.99
the Roman world at that time,
00:55:25.02\00:55:26.92
the statement continues,
00:55:26.96\00:55:28.59
"The abounding
inequity of that day
00:55:28.62\00:55:31.53
finds its
counterpart in this generation.
00:55:31.56\00:55:35.80
So with the prediction in regard
00:55:35.83\00:55:38.73
to the preaching of the gospel.
00:55:38.77\00:55:41.00
Before the fall of Jerusalem,
00:55:41.04\00:55:43.10
Paul, writing
by the Holy Spirit,
00:55:43.14\00:55:46.37
declared that the
gospel was preached
00:55:46.41\00:55:48.84
to every creature
which is under heaven."
00:55:48.88\00:55:52.55
Colossians 1:23.
00:55:52.58\00:55:54.42
Now she speaks of our time.
00:55:54.45\00:55:56.08
"So now, before the
coming of the Son of man,
00:55:56.12\00:55:59.89
the everlasting gospel
00:55:59.92\00:56:01.62
is to be
preached to every nation,
00:56:01.66\00:56:04.16
and kindred, and
tongue, and people."
00:56:04.19\00:56:08.73
So Matthew 24 has
a dual fulfillment,
00:56:08.76\00:56:12.47
it has a partial fulfillment,
00:56:12.50\00:56:14.24
not all of the
details were fulfilled
00:56:14.27\00:56:17.04
leading up to the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:56:17.07\00:56:18.77
in the year 70.
00:56:18.81\00:56:20.14
It had a partial fulfillment
00:56:20.18\00:56:22.84
in the events that led up
00:56:22.88\00:56:24.21
to the destruction of Jerusalem,
00:56:24.25\00:56:25.98
but it has a
broader global fulfillment
00:56:26.01\00:56:29.62
with God's spiritual
Israel at the end of time.
00:56:29.65\00:56:33.56
All of the events
00:56:33.59\00:56:34.92
that are
mentioned in Matthew 24:4-14
00:56:34.96\00:56:40.03
were fulfilled
00:56:40.06\00:56:41.40
leading up to the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:56:41.43\00:56:43.53
And they will be fulfilled
00:56:43.57\00:56:45.83
once again on a
broader, grander scale
00:56:45.87\00:56:49.30
at the very end of time.
00:56:49.34\00:56:52.87
So now we have taken a look
00:56:52.91\00:56:55.24
at the end time
fulfillment of Matthew 24.
00:56:55.28\00:56:59.85
How did Ellen White
know all of these things?
00:56:59.88\00:57:02.85
She wrote,
actually, over 120 years ago,
00:57:02.88\00:57:06.99
what we just noticed today
00:57:07.02\00:57:08.82
and yet she presents
00:57:08.86\00:57:10.19
all of these events in the order
00:57:10.23\00:57:11.86
in which we find them
in Matthew Chapter 24.
00:57:11.89\00:57:15.20
The answer is simple.
00:57:15.23\00:57:16.90
She was inspired by God's Spirit
00:57:16.93\00:57:19.80
to amplify and comment
00:57:19.83\00:57:23.04
on the prophecy of
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:57:23.07\00:57:25.94
She adds...
00:57:25.97\00:57:27.74
I shouldn't say maybe she adds,
00:57:27.78\00:57:29.38
but she amplifies the details,
00:57:29.41\00:57:32.01
the basic details that
we find in this chapter.
00:57:32.05\00:57:35.28
I would encourage everyone
00:57:35.32\00:57:38.22
to acquire a copy of the
book, The Great Controversy.
00:57:38.25\00:57:41.72
It's the greatest
commentary ever written
00:57:41.76\00:57:44.66
on the prophecy of
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:57:44.69\00:57:47.83
Secrets unsealed as
copies of this book,
00:57:47.86\00:57:50.63
The Great
Controversy by Ellen White,
00:57:50.67\00:57:54.10
written over 120 years ago,
00:57:54.14\00:57:57.61
yet being fulfilled
before our very eyes.
00:57:57.64\00:57:59.97
God bless you and keep you.
00:58:00.01\00:58:01.61
Next study will be the
abomination of desolation
00:58:01.64\00:58:05.35
in its end time fulfillment.
00:58:05.38\00:58:06.92