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Shall we pray? Father in heaven
we come before your throne once
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again with humility realizing
that our ways are not your ways
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realizing that our wisdom is
limited, realizing that we need
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your help. We desperately need
the Holy Spirit to understand
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your word, to apply it to our
lives and live in harmony with
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it. So that as we study this
very important subject about
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the end of the tribulation that
you will be with us to guide our
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thoughts and open our hearts.
We thank you Father for the
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privilege of prayer and know you
have heard us because we ask it
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in the name of Jesus, Amen.
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Well let's review the great
events that take place from the
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time that the small tribulation
takes place to the time when
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the sign is seen and God's
people have to flee. I'm going
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to mention six events in order
of chronological sequence. First
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of all you have a preliminary
tribulation that is mentioned
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in Matthew chapter 24 and verse
nine through verse 14. Then you
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have a sign in verse 15. This
is a sign which is called the
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abomination of desolation.
Basically it's the sign for
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God's people to flee from
Jerusalem in the historical
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fulfillment and it's a
sign for God's people to flee to
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desolate places at the
end of time. This sign in the
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historical application was when
the Roman standards came with
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the eagle and the sun and
the Roman legions rendered them
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worship. At the end of time
it will no longer be a literal
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eagle with literal sun worship.
It will be a nation whose emblem
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is the eagle and an imposition
of Sunday as the day of rest.
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This will divide the world into
two groups. Those who flee and
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those who stay. Then after the
flight you have the beginning of
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the great tribulation such
as never has been seen since the
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world began nor every shall be.
And then in the midst of this
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great tribulation mentioned in
Matthew 24 and verses 21 and 22
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then you have the counterfeit
second coming of Christ. Satan
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is going to counterfeit
the second coming of Jesus. We
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studied about that in our last
lecture. And then at the very
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end of the tribulation
when Satan has counterfeited the
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second coming of Christ, then we
have the closing events at the
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conclusion of the great
tribulation. And that is what we
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are going to study now in our
lecture today. So let's begin by
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going to Matthew 24 and verse
29 It speaks here about signs in
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the heavens when the tribulation
comes to an end. It says there
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in Matthew 24 verse 29:
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Now to when does this particular
verse apply? There has been some
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confusion regarding these
heavenly signs in Matthew 24 and
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verse 29. Some have claimed
that this verse is out of
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chronological order in Matthew
chapter 24 because they say that
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this verse refers to the great
earthquake of Lisbon, it refers
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to the sun being darkened and
the moon looking like blood in
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1780 and the falling of the
stars in the year 1833. So they
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say see Matthew 24 verse 29 is
not in chronological order with
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the other events in the chapter.
However, this assumption is
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wrong. The signs in the heavens
in 1780 and 1833 as well as the
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great earthquake in 1755 are not
the same as the signs that are
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mentioned here in Matthew 24
and verse 29. They are different
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sets of signs. In other words
there's one set of signs that
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take place in 1755, 1780 and
1833. There is another set of
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signs that take
place immediately after the
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tribulation as Jesus is about
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to return. Now if you remember
the papacy had two stages of
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existence or of dominion.
Therefore the tribulation must
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also have two stages. And the
signs in the heavens also have
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two stages. The signs that took
place in 1755, 1780 and 1833
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announce the judgment phase
of those who were martyred under
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the fifth seal, whereas
the signs immediately after the
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tribulation point to the
avenging stage of the cry of the
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martyrs in Revelation chapter
six regarding the fifth seal.
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Now let's notice the function of
the signs. What was the function
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of the signs that occur in
the heavens; that is in 1755 the
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great earthquake, 1780 the
darkening of the sun and the
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moon looking like blood and
the stars falling from heaven in
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1833. We're going to talk about
those first, then we're going to
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deal more specifically with
Matthew chapter 24 and verse 29.
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So what is the function of
the signs that announce the
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beginning of the judgment phase
of the cry of the martyrs in the
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fifth seal. There are five
specific functions for these
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signs. First, they announce that
the first stage of persecution
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by the papacy, the first stage
of the great tribulation is
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about to come to an end. Second
they serve as an omen of the
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fall of the papal power because
they occur immediately before
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the papal power falls. And third
in the third place, they serve
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to draw attention to the
approaching judgment in the year
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1844. Four, they serve as
indicators of the beginning of
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the end. And finally they
announced the soon coming of
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Jesus Christ. So I'd like you
to notice once again the five
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functions of these signs in
the heavens and also the great
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earthquake, 1755,
1780 and 1833. First it
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announces that the great
tribulation, the first stage of
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the great tribulation is about
to come to an end. Second, it's
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an omen of the fall of the papal
power. Number three they serve
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to draw attention to the
approaching judgment in 1844.
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Four, they are indicators of the
beginning of the time of the end
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and five, they announce the
soon coming of Jesus Christ.
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Now there are critics both
within and without the Adventist
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church that argue in the
following fashion. How is it
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possible to believe that events
that took place over 250 years
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ago are signs of the soon coming
of Jesus? You know these signs
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took place in 1755, 1780 and
1833. Over 250 years have passed
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since then. So how can we
believe that those signs are
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signs that Jesus is soon to come
Isn't this stretching credulity
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to its limit. You know if
you look at this on the surface
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at appears like a persuasive
argument that these signs cannot
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announce the soon coming of
Jesus Christ. But when you look
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at this in a broader prospective
it makes perfect sense. Let me
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use an example. Let us
suppose for the sake of argument
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that I'm going to take a 6000
mile trip. When I start the trip
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everybody would agree that the
end of the trip is a long ways
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off. When I'm half way
there you would agree that the
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destination is still then very
distant. However, when I'm 250
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miles from the destination
would you say that I'm near my
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destination? Of course. Two
hundred and fifty years of 6000
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years of history is only four
percent. So when you look at it
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from the perspective of creation
to our time certainly the coming
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of Jesus is near. The late
C. Mervyn Maxwell who was my
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teacher at the Andrews
University Theological Seminary
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wrote a very good book.
It's called the Magnificent
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Disappointment on pages 91
and 92, by the way this book was
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published in 1994, he puts 1844
and the nearness of the second
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coming in proper perspective.
I read now from the book.
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And he mentions a little before
this quotation that more than 97
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percent of human history took
place prior to 1844. So it all
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depends what perspective you
look at this from. If you look
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at it from the perspective of
Eden oh we're very close to the
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end. If you look at it from
the perspective of 1844 it is a
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different story. So let's notice
why these particular signs.
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The enemies of traditional
Adventism and Ellen White have
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frequently pointed out
that there have been other
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earthquakes, other dark days,
other times that the moon has
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looked like blood and other
times that there have been stars
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that have fallen. They argue
what makes the Lisbon earthquake
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of 1755, and the dark day of
1780 the moon looking like blood
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in 1780 and the Leonids star
shower of 1833 so unique and so
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special The answer is fourfold.
Number one, the location of
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these signs Number two,
their order. Number three, their
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timing and number four, their
intensity. So let's look at the
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location of these particular
signs. It's not coincidental
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that these signs in 1755, 1780,
and 1833 occurred in Europe and
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in the United States. Europe was
significant because the papacy
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was going to receive its deadly
wound there which would mark the
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end of the 1260 year tribulation
of God's people. The United
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States was significant,
particularly New England,
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because there the Millerites
were going to proclaim the
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beginning of the investigative
judgment in the 1830s. Once
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again C. Mervyn Maxwell explains
this importance of Europe and
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the United States. So it's
significant that the location
for these signs was
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in Europe and in the United
States because at this time
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they were studying Bible
prophecy because they knew
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that the 1260 years were coming
to an end, the papacy was coming
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to an end and the judgment was
soon to begin in 1844. Another
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thing which makes these signs
stand out is their order. These
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phenomena occurred exactly
in the order that the Bible
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presents them, in the
exact chronological order as
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Revelation chapter six. The
Lisbon earthquake occurred in
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1755. The dark day and the moon
looking like blood took place in
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1780 and the star shower took
place in the year 1833. Now show
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me one other instance within
a 100 year period where you have
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these signs in the precise
order in which they occurred in
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harmony with Revelation chapter
six and verse 12. You will not
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be able to find any other
occasion within a 100 year
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period where these signs exist
in exact order that is mentioned
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in Revelation six and verses
12 and 13. The next point is the
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timing of these particular signs
in the earthquake and the signs
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in the heavenly bodies. These
signs occurred precisely at the
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right time immediately before
the 1260 year tribulation came
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to an end and just before the
fulfillment of the prophecies
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concerning the fall of the
papacy in 1798 and the beginning
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of the investigative judgment in
1844. So they occurred right in
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time. And finally their
intensity indicates that these
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signs were unusual. Once again
we find in the book Magnificent
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Disappointment page 93 the
following words by C. Mervyn
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Maxwell...
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So notice that these signs
are special because of their
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location, because of their order
because of their timing and
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because of their intensity.
Now let's take a look at the
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scripture references of the
signs. You know that there are
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several passages from scripture
that describe these signs. And
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so we need to take a
look and see if there's a
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difference between the signs
that lead up to the year 1844
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and the signs
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that take place in the
year after the tribulation as
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Jesus is about to come to
the earth. We find signs in the
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heavenly bodies many times
in scripture. Revelation chapter
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six verses 12 and 13 that we'll
read in a moment tells us that
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the moon became like blood, not
that it became dark. Remember
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that. The signs in Revelation
6:12,13 are parallel to those in
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the book of Joel chapter two
verse 31 and Acts chapter two
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and verse 20. In a moment
we're going to read all of these
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verses and put this together.
Now let's read Revelation
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chapter six verses 12 and 13 and
examine these passages that deal
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with signs in the heavens as
well as an earthquake to see if
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there's a difference between the
signs that led up to 1844 and
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the signs and the signs that
take place announcing the second
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coming of Christ. Revelation
chapter 6 verses 12 and 13
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states...
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So you have an earthquake,
the sun becoming black, the moon
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looking like blood and the stars
falling from heaven. That's the
00:19:30.73\00:19:34.54
order of the signs Revelation
6:12,13. And as I mentioned
00:19:34.57\00:19:38.91
these signs announce several
events that are to occur in 1798
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and in 1844. Now let's read
where this actually comes from
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because there's a text in the
Old Testament where Revelation
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is actually referring to.
Joel chapter two and verse 31.
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Joel two and verse 31. There's
a very important little detail
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here...
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So the sun turned into darkness,
the moon into blood occurs
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before the great and
awesome day of the Lord.
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Incidentally the apostle Peter
quoted this prophecy from Joel
00:20:28.16\00:20:32.09
In Acts chapter two and verse
20 in his sermon on the day of
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Pentecost. I want to read
that verse. Acts two verse 20:
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So you notice that these signs
that are mentioned in Revelation
00:20:50.28\00:20:54.82
6:12,13, Joel chapter 2:31 and
Acts chapter two and verse 20
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speaks of the moon being turned
into blood and this occurs
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before the great and awesome day
of the Lord. However there are
00:21:06.63\00:21:11.67
other signs that point to
an announcement of the second
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coming of Jesus immediately
after the tribulation when Jesus
00:21:16.17\00:21:20.44
is about to come to planet
earth. And those signs have
00:21:20.48\00:21:25.58
details that are different from
the signs that led up to 1798
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and 1844. Let's notice three of
those passages. Joel chapter two
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verses 10 and 11. Now if you
read the verses before this it's
00:21:36.52\00:21:40.90
describing the second
coming of Christ very clearly.
00:21:40.93\00:21:43.63
Joel 2:10,11 says: The earth
quakes before them. And now
00:21:43.67\00:21:50.54
there's an additional detail.
Not only does the earth quake
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but it says: The heavens
tremble So this is not only an
00:21:53.94\00:21:58.71
earthly earthquake, this is a
heavenly earthquake. The heavens
00:21:58.75\00:22:03.59
tremble and then it says the
sun and moon grow dark. This is
00:22:03.62\00:22:08.59
different because in the
previous prophecies it says that
00:22:08.62\00:22:11.99
the moon looked like blood. Here
it says that the sun and the
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.03
moon grow dark. And the stars
diminish their brightness. It
00:22:15.06\00:22:20.64
doesn't say the stars fall, the
stars diminish their brightness.
00:22:20.67\00:22:23.74
In other words, everything goes
dark. It continues: This is the
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second coming. The Lord gives
voice before His army, for His
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camp is very great; for strong
is the one who executes his word
00:22:32.68\00:22:36.69
And then comes this reference to
Revelation six and verse 17. For
00:22:36.72\00:22:43.49
the day of the Lord is great and
very terrible; Who can endure it
00:22:43.53\00:22:48.86
So you notice here that this is
speaking about signs that take
00:22:48.90\00:22:52.97
place when the great and
terrible day of the Lord has
00:22:53.00\00:22:56.14
arrived. The earthquakes and
the heavens tremble, the sun and
00:22:56.17\00:23:00.61
moon and the stars don't give
their light. These are not the
00:23:00.64\00:23:04.51
signs that led up the years 1798
and 1844. These are different
00:23:04.55\00:23:10.12
signs because they take place
in the great and terrible day of
00:23:10.15\00:23:13.52
the Lord and we are told that
the sun, moon and stars grow
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dark. It doesn't say that
the moon is turned into blood.
00:23:18.73\00:23:21.66
Let's notice Joel chapter three
and verses 15 and 16. It says
00:23:21.70\00:23:28.17
there the sun and moon will
grow dark and the stars diminish
00:23:28.20\00:23:33.38
their brightness. Once again
everything's going to go dark.
00:23:33.41\00:23:36.81
It does say the stars fall from
heaven, doesn't say the moon
00:23:36.85\00:23:40.02
is turned into blood. It says
that the sun and moon will grow
00:23:40.05\00:23:43.05
dark and the stars will diminish
their brightness. Verse 16:
00:23:43.08\00:23:47.36
The Lord also will roar from
Zion, And utter His voice from
00:23:47.39\00:23:52.03
Jerusalem. The heavens and earth
will shake. This isn't only the
00:23:52.06\00:23:56.03
Lisbon earthquake. The heavens
and earth will shake; But the
00:23:56.06\00:24:00.44
Lord will be a shelter for His
people, and the strength of the
00:24:00.47\00:24:04.37
children of Israel. Let's notice
one further passage Isaiah
00:24:04.41\00:24:08.91
chapter 13 verses 10-13
and I'm reading from the New
00:24:08.94\00:24:12.31
International Version,
this particular passage. It says
00:24:12.35\00:24:16.65
there: The stars of heaven and
their constellations will not
00:24:16.69\00:24:21.09
show their light. So notice that
the stars and constellations
00:24:21.12\00:24:25.93
don't shine anymore, they're
dark. We continue: The rising
00:24:25.96\00:24:29.20
sun will be darkened and the
moon will not give it's light.
00:24:29.23\00:24:32.83
Once again, different than
the signs that announce 1798 and
00:24:32.87\00:24:38.71
1844. Verse 11:...
00:24:38.74\00:25:07.50
So this takes place at the
second coming folks. So Matthew
00:25:07.54\00:25:12.57
chapter 24:29 is not out of
chronological order. You just
00:25:12.61\00:25:17.58
can't take those signs and say
well they're the same signs that
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.62
led up to 1798 and 1844.
You know I've been on Zoom a lot
00:25:20.65\00:25:26.52
during this pandemic and every
single time that I've shared
00:25:26.55\00:25:31.93
this message on Matthew chapter
24 at the end we have a question
00:25:31.96\00:25:36.23
and answer session, they say
oh but wait a minute Pastor Bohr
00:25:36.26\00:25:39.60
you say that Matthew 24 is in
chronological order but Matthew
00:25:39.63\00:25:42.97
24 verse 29, the signs in
the heavens, they're out of
00:25:43.00\00:25:46.07
chronological order because that
happened in 1755, 1780 and 1833.
00:25:46.11\00:25:51.75
And I have to explain all
of this to them. You see the
00:25:51.78\00:25:55.05
chapter is in chronological
order. There are signs that
00:25:55.08\00:25:58.99
point to the end of the
tribulation at the hands of the
00:25:59.02\00:26:02.72
papacy and there are signs that
the great time of trouble at the
00:26:02.76\00:26:06.19
end of time is about to come to
an end. There are two different
00:26:06.23\00:26:10.17
sets of signs. You need
to understand that. There's a
00:26:10.20\00:26:15.10
difference between the
expression time of the end and
00:26:15.14\00:26:18.91
the expression the end of time.
The signs in Revelation 6:12,13
00:26:18.94\00:26:25.88
point to the beginning of
the time of the end whereas the
00:26:25.91\00:26:30.29
signs immediately before the
second coming point to the end
00:26:30.32\00:26:33.92
of time. You notice that Matthew
24 verse 29 refers to the powers
00:26:33.96\00:26:40.76
of the heavens being shaken. Now
the first thing is, what are the
00:26:40.80\00:26:44.87
power of the heavens that
are shaken when Jesus begins his
00:26:44.90\00:26:50.07
second coming. Well the answer
is in Genesis chapter one and
00:26:50.11\00:26:54.98
verse 16. Genesis one verse
16 says: Then God made two great
00:26:55.01\00:27:01.55
lights, the greater light
to rule the day and the lesser
00:27:01.58\00:27:07.09
light to rule the night. He made
the stars also. So the sun and
00:27:07.12\00:27:13.03
the moon are the rulers of
heaven. The sun rules the day
00:27:13.06\00:27:16.73
and the moon rules the night.
So Matthew 24 verse 29 says that
00:27:16.77\00:27:23.57
the powers of the rulers of
heaven will be shaken. What does
00:27:23.61\00:27:27.28
that mean? It simply means that
the sun, moon, and stars will be
00:27:27.31\00:27:34.32
moved from their places. They
will be shaken somewhere in the
00:27:34.35\00:27:39.59
universe. They will not
disappear. I'm going to read an
00:27:39.62\00:27:42.22
interesting statement in a few
moments. They will not disappear
00:27:42.26\00:27:45.43
but they will be thrown some
where in the universe and that's
00:27:45.46\00:27:48.06
the reason why during the
thousand years this planet will
00:27:48.10\00:27:52.03
be dark. It will have no light
because there's no sun, no moon
00:27:52.07\00:27:57.11
and no stars to illumine
the earth. Now here's a very
00:27:57.14\00:28:02.88
interesting detail. It is
noteworthy that Ellen White
00:28:02.91\00:28:08.12
quotes, and don't miss
this point. Ellen White quotes
00:28:08.15\00:28:11.55
Revelation 6:12,13 in the Great
Controversy page 304. Notice
00:28:11.59\00:28:19.29
this. Ellen White
quotes Revelation 6:12,13 which
00:28:19.33\00:28:22.36
mentions the great earthquake
and the signs in heaven, the sun
00:28:22.40\00:28:25.53
being darkened, the moon looking
like blood and the stars falling
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.20
from heaven. She quotes this
and she comments on this in The
00:28:28.24\00:28:32.37
Great Controversy, page 304.
But interestingly enough she
00:28:32.41\00:28:38.15
does not quote verses
14-17 until pages 641 and 642.
00:28:38.18\00:28:46.89
That's almost 350 pages
00:28:46.92\00:28:50.69
between her reference to
Revelation 6:12,13 and her
00:28:50.73\00:28:55.76
reference to Revelation six
verses 14-17. This indicates
00:28:55.80\00:29:00.30
that there is a parentheses
of time between verses 12 and 13
00:29:00.34\00:29:08.08
and verses 14-17. Let me quote
from Ellen White pages 641 and
00:29:08.11\00:29:16.28
642. This is a short quotation.
00:29:16.32\00:29:19.35
This is Ellen White commenting.
She said the heavens are rolled
00:29:29.56\00:29:32.40
together as a scroll, the earth
trembles before him because he's
00:29:32.43\00:29:36.24
coming in his second coming.
Every mountain and island is
00:29:36.27\00:29:38.21
moved out of its place. And then
immediately after this Ellen
00:29:38.24\00:29:41.74
White quotes Revelation
six verses 15-17. Interestingly
00:29:41.78\00:29:47.22
enough in connection with
the second coming. But when she
00:29:47.25\00:29:51.35
comments on verses 12 and 13
she's speaking of the signs that
00:29:51.39\00:29:54.92
took place in 1755, 1780
and 1833. So there are 350 pages
00:29:54.96\00:30:03.10
between page 304 and pages 641
and 642. There is a period of
00:30:03.13\00:30:09.30
time, in other words, between
verses 12 and 13 and verses
00:30:09.34\00:30:13.94
14-17. What is the principle
here? The principle here is that
00:30:13.98\00:30:21.92
there are signs that mark
the end of the two tribulation
00:30:21.95\00:30:27.52
stages. In both cases the signs
indicate that God is going to
00:30:27.56\00:30:34.26
deliver his people from
oppression. The signs in the
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.73
heavens leading up to 1798
and 1833 show that the period of
00:30:36.77\00:30:41.30
oppression during the
tribulation when the papacy
00:30:41.34\00:30:44.54
persecuted God's saints is
the first stage of these signs.
00:30:44.57\00:30:49.14
Whereas the second stage of the
signs in the heavens is that the
00:30:49.18\00:30:54.08
tribulation of God's people
in the great time of trouble is
00:30:54.12\00:30:57.02
coming to an end and God is
about to deliver his people.
00:30:57.05\00:31:00.82
We must understand this
also from the perspective of the
00:31:00.86\00:31:04.43
fifth seal as we studied in
our last presentation. The fifth
00:31:04.46\00:31:08.53
seal mentions the two groups
of martyrs; one past during the
00:31:08.56\00:31:12.70
1260 years and one future during
the great tribulation at the end
00:31:12.73\00:31:17.84
of time. The signs in the
sixth seal, Revelation 6:12,13
00:31:17.87\00:31:23.31
announce the judgment stage of
the cry of the martyrs whereas
00:31:23.35\00:31:29.08
the signs in Revelation 6:14-17
point to the moment when God
00:31:29.12\00:31:34.52
avenges his faithful
people. Let's go once again to
00:31:34.56\00:31:39.89
Revelation chapter six
and notice this because it's
00:31:39.93\00:31:43.50
important that keep this
particularly in mind. Revelation
00:31:43.53\00:31:46.77
chapter six and we'll read
verses nine through 11. And I
00:31:46.80\00:31:51.37
remind you that the horse,
the first seal, represents the
00:31:51.41\00:31:54.58
apostolic church going
out conquering and to conquer.
00:31:54.61\00:31:58.85
The second seal is the red
horse. This is the Imperial
00:31:58.88\00:32:03.89
persecutions where God's people
are mowed down by the Roman
00:32:03.92\00:32:05.49
Empire. The third horse, the
black horse, is when error comes
00:32:05.52\00:32:09.62
into the church and paganism and
Christianity are joined together
00:32:09.66\00:32:13.53
in the days of Constantine. The
fourth horse, the yellow horse,
00:32:13.56\00:32:16.63
the horse of death is the
period of papal oppression when
00:32:16.67\00:32:19.97
millions of God's people are
slain and then in the fifth seal
00:32:20.00\00:32:22.94
the martyrs are crying out,
the martyrs that died during the
00:32:22.97\00:32:26.21
fourth seal are crying out.
Let's read verse nine. When they
00:32:26.24\00:32:29.54
opened the fifth seal: I
saw under the altar the souls of
00:32:29.58\00:32:33.98
those who had been slain
for the word of God and for the
00:32:34.02\00:32:36.99
testimony which they had.
And they cried with a loud voice
00:32:37.02\00:32:40.76
saying how long O Lord holy and
true until you judge, they are
00:32:40.79\00:32:47.70
pleading for two things, until
you judge and avenge our blood
00:32:47.73\00:32:53.03
on those who dwell on the earth?
So they're asking for two things
00:32:53.07\00:32:58.37
We want you to judge and we want
you to avenge. And then verse 11
00:32:58.41\00:33:04.28
says, Then a white robe was
given to each of them, that is
00:33:04.31\00:33:07.42
to those who died during the
first period of tribulation, the
00:33:07.45\00:33:11.02
period of persecution and it was
said to them that they should
00:33:11.05\00:33:15.49
rest a little while longer, in
other words, they were going to
00:33:15.52\00:33:17.93
remain dead, they'll rest
a little while until both the
00:33:17.96\00:33:21.26
number of their fellow servants
and their brethren who will be
00:33:21.30\00:33:24.23
killed as they were
completed. In other words, until
00:33:24.27\00:33:27.77
the rest of the martyrs die
these martyrs are supposed to
00:33:27.80\00:33:32.21
rest. So the first signs are
an indication that the judgment
00:33:32.24\00:33:37.45
stage of the cry of the martyrs
is coming very soon in 1844.
00:33:37.48\00:33:42.82
The signs that we find in
the heavens at the end of time
00:33:42.85\00:33:46.62
is the sign that God is
delivering his people from the
00:33:46.65\00:33:49.39
end time tribulation and he's
going to avenge them. Now let's
00:33:49.42\00:33:57.10
go to Luke chapter 21 verses
25 and 26. These are interesting
00:33:57.13\00:34:02.87
verses. Usually preachers take
these verses and say that they
00:34:02.90\00:34:06.98
are describing the present
turmoil of society. In other
00:34:07.01\00:34:10.91
words, the distress among
nations that is taking place now
00:34:10.95\00:34:14.05
Let's read the verses
and see when this applies to
00:34:14.08\00:34:19.05
specifically.
Luke 21:25,26 reads:
00:34:19.09\00:34:22.96
So notice that this distress
among nations, the signs in the
00:34:51.35\00:34:54.42
sun, moon and stars when the
powers of the heavens are shaken
00:34:54.46\00:34:58.96
You know, this is the
same concept that we found in
00:34:58.99\00:35:03.26
Matthew 24:29. In other words,
Luke is parallel to Matthew but
00:35:03.30\00:35:10.84
Luke adds some details. He
adds that there's going to be
00:35:10.87\00:35:15.24
distress, perplexity, the
roaring of the sea and men's
00:35:15.28\00:35:18.88
hearts failing them for fear.
Jesus here is not talking about
00:35:18.91\00:35:24.52
present distress among nations.
That is out of context. In
00:35:24.55\00:35:29.79
context the focus is the
distress among nations now
00:35:29.82\00:35:35.06
because they see the signs in
the sun, moon and stars and the
00:35:35.10\00:35:38.23
great earthquake and they know
that Jesus is coming soon. The
00:35:38.27\00:35:42.64
sea is raging at this time.
In the chapters, The Time of
00:35:42.67\00:35:49.91
Trouble and God's People
Delivered in the book The Great
00:35:49.94\00:35:53.42
Controversy, Ellen White follows
the identical order of the
00:35:53.45\00:35:57.25
events of Matthew 24 verses
29 and 30. I want you to notice
00:35:57.29\00:36:03.49
this. You know, how did Ellen
White get all these things in
00:36:03.53\00:36:05.89
the exact proper order, in the
correct order. Was it a lucky
00:36:05.93\00:36:10.07
guess? Or was she simply
inspired by the Spirit and she
00:36:10.10\00:36:13.44
is being given this information
so that she puts everything
00:36:13.47\00:36:16.27
where it's supposed to be. After
describing the great tribulation
00:36:16.30\00:36:21.01
in the chapter on The Time
of Trouble Ellen White wrote on
00:36:21.04\00:36:26.61
how God's voice will shake the
heavens and the earth. She then
00:36:26.65\00:36:32.69
describes the roaring of the
sea in tempestuous fury and the
00:36:32.72\00:36:38.09
resulting distress among nations
a clear allusion to the language
00:36:38.13\00:36:42.66
of Luke 21:25,26. So Luke
21:25,26 is referring to the
00:36:42.70\00:36:49.44
distress among nations when they
see the sun and the moon and the
00:36:49.47\00:36:54.11
stars darken and not only
the earth being shaken but the
00:36:54.14\00:36:56.48
heavens shaken, the indication
that Jesus is about to undertake
00:36:56.51\00:37:00.88
his return to this earth.
Then just a few pages after this
00:37:00.92\00:37:05.72
Ellen White describes the sign
of the Son of Man in heaven.
00:37:05.75\00:37:10.13
The she describes how the sign
which is a little black cloud
00:37:10.16\00:37:16.67
about half the size of a man's
hand which comes closer and
00:37:16.70\00:37:21.40
closer to the earth, it becomes
a white cloud and then Jesus
00:37:21.44\00:37:24.94
sends the angles to pick up
his saints from the four winds.
00:37:24.97\00:37:29.51
Now let me just review with you
the pages in Great Controversy
00:37:29.54\00:37:34.15
where Ellen White follows
Matthew 24:29,30 in the exact
00:37:34.18\00:37:38.22
order in which it appears in the
text. In Great Controversy 613
00:37:38.25\00:37:43.46
and 634 she describes the
time of trouble or the great
00:37:43.49\00:37:49.06
tribulation. Great Controversy
613 to 634. Then in Great
00:37:49.10\00:37:53.64
Controversy 636 and 637 she
refers to the signs in the sun,
00:37:53.67\00:38:00.71
moon and stars and the great
earthquake. Then in pages 638
00:38:00.74\00:38:07.02
and 639 she describes the
distress among nations and the
00:38:07.05\00:38:11.65
lashing of the sea. Then in
Great Controversy 640 and 641
00:38:11.69\00:38:16.66
she describes the sign of
the coming of the Son of Man and
00:38:16.69\00:38:20.80
then on page 645 she describes
the gathering of the elect.
00:38:20.83\00:38:25.40
It's in the exact order of
Matthew 24 and verses 29-31.
00:38:25.43\00:38:30.87
And of course she adds a lot of
details. She amplifies greatly
00:38:30.91\00:38:36.31
what we find there in Matthew
24 verses 29-31. But now we need
00:38:36.34\00:38:43.12
to deal with a seemingly
difficult statement from Ellen
00:38:43.15\00:38:47.29
White. This statement is found
in Great Controversy page 304.
00:38:47.32\00:38:51.76
And some people are confused.
They say Pastor Bohr's wrong
00:38:51.79\00:38:56.87
because the signs that took
place in 1755, in 1780 and 1833
00:38:56.90\00:39:02.10
Ellen White says that Matthew
24 at the end of the chapter is
00:39:02.14\00:39:05.91
talking about that. Let's read
it carefully. You know we need
00:39:05.94\00:39:09.24
to read things carefully, not
superficially. Here Ellen White
00:39:09.28\00:39:14.18
wrote the following: Prophecy
not only foretells the manner
00:39:14.22\00:39:21.16
and object of Christ's coming,
but it presents tokens by which
00:39:21.19\00:39:28.56
men are to know when it is near.
So notice two things: Prophecy
00:39:28.60\00:39:36.67
foretells the manner and object
of Christ's coming and also
00:39:36.71\00:39:41.78
presents the tokens by which men
can know that it is near. She
00:39:41.81\00:39:47.15
continue: Said Jesus...
00:39:47.18\00:39:49.02
There she's quoting from Mark
13 verses 24-26. and then she
00:40:10.71\00:40:17.11
states:...
00:40:17.15\00:40:18.48
So because Ellen White quotes
Mark 13:24-26 where it says the
00:40:31.29\00:40:35.96
sun will be darkened, the moon
shall not give her light, the
00:40:36.00\00:40:38.40
will fall from heaven, the
powers that are in heaven will
00:40:38.43\00:40:40.90
be shaken and then they will
see the Son of Man coming in the
00:40:40.94\00:40:44.04
clouds with great power and
great glory, she's quoting Mark
00:40:44.07\00:40:46.88
chapter 13:24-26. And then
she says the revelator thus
00:40:46.91\00:40:51.08
describes the first of the signs
that precede the second advent.
00:40:51.11\00:40:54.72
So she saying Mark 13:24-26
seemingly is referring to the
00:40:54.75\00:41:00.49
first signs that took place in
1755, 1780 and 1833. That's only
00:41:00.52\00:41:08.00
if we read this superficially.
You say why is that? Because
00:41:08.03\00:41:14.77
at the beginning of the
statement Ellen White says that
00:41:14.80\00:41:19.24
prophecy foretells two things.
It foretells the manner and
00:41:19.27\00:41:23.58
object of Christ's coming and
it also presents the tokens by
00:41:23.61\00:41:29.18
which men may know that it is
near. So Ellen White is talking
00:41:29.22\00:41:35.29
about two sets of signs. First
of all, manner and object of
00:41:35.32\00:41:40.30
Christ's coming and the tokens
by which men are to know when it
00:41:40.33\00:41:44.97
is near. When Ellen White quotes
Mark 13:24-26 she's referring to
00:41:45.00\00:41:51.64
the manner and object of
Christ's coming. And when she
00:41:51.67\00:41:55.61
talks about the great earthquake
the sun being black as sackcloth
00:41:55.64\00:41:59.61
of hair and the moon became
as blood she's talking about
00:41:59.65\00:42:03.02
the tokens by which
00:42:03.05\00:42:04.79
men may know that it is
near. Now let me read another
00:42:04.82\00:42:11.09
statement which puts this all in
perspective. Ellen White wrote
00:42:11.13\00:42:16.00
in Early Writings page
41 the following words:
00:42:16.03\00:42:20.90
So she's saying that when
Matthew, Mark and Luke talk
00:43:12.12\00:43:15.56
about the signs that are taking
place in heaven they have to do
00:43:15.59\00:43:21.56
with the moving of the sun, moon
and stars out of their places.
00:43:21.60\00:43:25.87
So we need to understand this
quotation and read it carefully,
00:43:25.90\00:43:31.17
because Ellen White is talking
about two things: The manner and
00:43:31.21\00:43:35.11
object of Christ's coming and
the tokens by which men may know
00:43:35.14\00:43:41.02
that it is near. And first she
mentions the manner and object
00:43:41.05\00:43:45.05
of Christ's coming by quoting
Mark 13:24-26 and then she goes
00:43:45.09\00:43:50.29
to speak about the tokens at the
end of this quotation which are
00:43:50.33\00:43:54.40
the signs that took place in
1755, 1780 and 1833. Now let's
00:43:54.43\00:44:02.30
look at sign of the coming of
the Son of Man. Matthew 24:30:
00:44:02.34\00:44:10.25
When these signs take
place in the heavens it says:
00:44:10.28\00:44:14.12
What is the sign of the Son of
Man? The answer is in the Elijah
00:44:26.36\00:44:32.90
story in 1 Kings chapter
18:41-44. I wish I had time to
00:44:32.93\00:44:38.71
develop the story of Elijah.
I've done it in other venues.
00:44:38.74\00:44:42.74
You remember that Elijah had
three enemies: A harlot Jezebel,
00:44:42.78\00:44:48.65
false prophets that did her
bidding and Ahab who was a wimp
00:44:48.68\00:44:54.06
and did everything that Jezebel
said. These three foreshadow the
00:44:54.09\00:45:00.93
trilogy of terror at the end of
time; the dragon, the beast and
00:45:00.96\00:45:05.33
the false prophet. Do you
remember in the story of Elijah
00:45:05.37\00:45:09.17
that after Elijah went through
his severe time of trouble when
00:45:09.20\00:45:14.98
Jezebel was seeking him out and
after Elijah had brought down
00:45:15.01\00:45:20.52
fire from heaven in the sight of
men, you remember what occurred?
00:45:20.55\00:45:25.62
Then we find Elijah see a small
cloud in heaven about the size
00:45:25.65\00:45:33.76
of a man's hand. What was
this cloud? Well we know by
00:45:33.80\00:45:39.53
continuing our reading of this
particular story. In 2 Kings
00:45:39.57\00:45:46.54
chapter two verse 11 we find
a fiery chariot surrounded by
00:45:46.57\00:45:52.68
angels that picks up Elijah and
takes Elijah in a whirlwind to
00:45:52.71\00:45:57.85
heaven. Remember that small
black cloud was the sign that
00:45:57.89\00:46:02.12
the chariot was coming to pick
up Elijah. And that's exactly
00:46:02.16\00:46:06.66
what happened. Is that going to
happen at the end of time? Yes
00:46:06.70\00:46:11.17
God's going to give a sign, the
sign of the coming of the Son of
00:46:11.20\00:46:16.17
Man. That small cloud about half
the size of the palm of a man
00:46:16.20\00:46:20.94
and Ellen White describes
how this cloud is going to get
00:46:20.98\00:46:24.91
closer and closer and it will
become a white cloud. Let me
00:46:24.95\00:46:28.35
read you this statement
in Early Writing 33 and 34:
00:46:28.38\00:46:31.92
This is the chariot of fire that
comes to pick up God's people.
00:47:13.46\00:47:17.93
You say now wait a minute.
It says there that a white cloud
00:47:17.97\00:47:21.64
comes for God's people. It
doesn't say anything about a
00:47:21.67\00:47:23.94
chariot. Well let me read you
about the return of God's people
00:47:23.97\00:47:27.91
to heaven with Jesus. We find
in Great Controversy page 645:
00:47:27.94\00:47:34.08
Swing low sweet chariot comin'
for to carry me home, as the
00:48:05.51\00:48:11.29
Negro spiritual says. So you
have the great tribulation, the
00:48:11.32\00:48:18.19
signs in the heavens and the
great earthquake that announces
00:48:18.23\00:48:21.16
the end of the tribulation. Then
you have the sign of the Son of
00:48:21.20\00:48:24.93
Man, that black cloud, Jesus
is beginning the second coming.
00:48:24.97\00:48:29.17
And then Jesus comes down and
he arrives above the earth and
00:48:29.20\00:48:35.04
then he's going to send his
angels to pick up his elect.
00:48:35.08\00:48:39.81
Notice that Jesus doesn't come
all the way down to the earth
00:48:39.85\00:48:42.22
and start walking around
gathering his elect. No, he
00:48:42.25\00:48:47.36
stays above and he sends his
angels. Notice Matthew 24 and
00:48:47.39\00:48:52.36
verse 31.
00:48:52.39\00:48:54.30
Obviously the rapture isn't true
Why would Jesus come to gather
00:49:06.21\00:49:10.81
his elect from the four winds
of heaven if they had previously
00:49:10.85\00:49:13.92
gone to heaven in the rapture?
They would actually be coming
00:49:13.95\00:49:17.55
with him. He would not be
sending his angels to gather
00:49:17.59\00:49:20.99
them. Now there are other
passages in scripture that
00:49:21.02\00:49:25.23
that Jesus will not touch the
earth when he returns for the
00:49:25.26\00:49:28.83
second time. We find this,
of course, in Matthew 24:31 it's
00:49:28.86\00:49:33.30
strongly hinted at when we are
told that Jesus sends his angels
00:49:33.34\00:49:37.04
to pick up his elect. But also
we find it in 1 Thessalonians
00:49:37.07\00:49:40.94
chapter four and verses 15-17.
A passage very well-known read
00:49:40.98\00:49:46.25
possibly at every funeral that I
have attended. The apostle Paul
00:49:46.28\00:49:52.19
wanted to comfort the
Thessalonians and he wrote the
00:49:52.22\00:49:55.02
following words:
00:49:55.06\00:49:56.39
In other words, those who are
00:49:56.42\00:50:07.04
alive are not going to heaven
before those who die. Verse 16:
00:50:07.07\00:50:11.71
Notice that
Jesus stays in the air.
00:50:11.74\00:50:37.10
He doesn't come down to set up
his everlasting kingdom here at
00:50:37.13\00:50:40.80
his second coming. He's going to
take his people to heaven. We're
00:50:40.84\00:50:43.74
going to know it. So once again
Verse 17: The we who are alive
00:50:43.77\00:50:48.18
and remain shall be caught up
together with them, with those
00:50:48.21\00:50:50.95
who died and resurrected, in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the
00:50:50.98\00:50:54.92
air. And thus we shall always be
with the Lord. Therefore comfort
00:50:54.95\00:50:58.95
one another with these words.
00:50:58.99\00:51:01.26
Second Thessalonians chapter
two and verse one also indicates
00:51:01.29\00:51:05.13
that we are going to gather
to Jesus at the second coming,
00:51:05.16\00:51:08.70
Jesus is not going to
gather to us. It says there in
00:51:08.73\00:51:11.63
2 Thessalonians two verse one:
00:51:11.67\00:51:14.24
It doesn't say that he's going
to come to gather to us and he's
00:51:21.51\00:51:23.85
going to stay here on earth for
a thousand years. No, it says
00:51:23.88\00:51:27.18
that we will gather to him. Also
we need to read John 14 verses
00:51:27.22\00:51:32.05
one to three. Famous verses
that were referred to in my last
00:51:32.09\00:51:36.22
presentation Jesus said to
his troubled disciples as he had
00:51:36.26\00:51:40.50
told them in the previous
chapter that he was leaving,
00:51:40.53\00:51:42.80
he told them this so
that they would be comforted.
00:51:43.47\00:51:45.53
Let not your heart be troubled;
you believe in God, believe also
00:51:45.57\00:51:50.81
in Me. In my father's house...
Let me ask you where does the
00:51:50.84\00:51:54.54
Father live? We pray our Father
which art in heaven. The Father
00:51:54.58\00:51:59.58
lives in heaven. So Jesus says:
In My Father's house, that is in
00:51:59.61\00:52:04.49
heaven, are many mansions; if it
were not so, I would have told
00:52:04.52\00:52:08.12
you. I go... Where was he
going? To heaven right? I go to
00:52:08.16\00:52:12.49
prepare a place for you. And if
I go and prepare a place for you
00:52:12.53\00:52:18.90
That's heaven... I will come
again and receive you to Myself;
00:52:18.93\00:52:24.41
that where I am,
there you may be also.
00:52:24.44\00:52:29.58
You know the fundamental problem
of those who believe in the
00:52:29.61\00:52:33.18
rapture is what they believe
concerning the millennium.
00:52:33.21\00:52:37.32
They're wrong regarding the
millennium. You see Jesus made
00:52:37.35\00:52:40.62
two promises. The first promise
that he made to his followers
00:52:40.66\00:52:45.56
is that he was going to
take them to heaven. The second
00:52:45.59\00:52:49.46
promise that he made to them is
that the meek will inherit the
00:52:49.50\00:52:52.37
earth. So how can Jesus fulfill
both of those promises? The
00:52:52.40\00:52:56.54
promise to take his people to
heaven and then the promise that
00:52:56.57\00:52:59.37
the meek will inherit the earth.
Well those who believe in the
00:52:59.41\00:53:03.21
rapture say there's only one way
in which Jesus can fulfill both
00:53:03.24\00:53:06.55
of these promises and that is
when he returns at the rapture
00:53:06.58\00:53:11.39
he takes his faithful people to
heaven, that fulfills the first
00:53:11.42\00:53:15.72
promise, and then seven years
later he comes to this earth and
00:53:15.76\00:53:20.03
he establishes his millennial
kingdom here on earth. So that
00:53:20.06\00:53:23.63
way they say he's fulfilled
both promises. He's taken the
00:53:23.67\00:53:27.04
redeemed who were ready to
heaven in the rapture, that
00:53:27.07\00:53:31.17
fulfills the first promise, he
takes them to the Father's house
00:53:31.21\00:53:34.54
and then he comes down seven
years later in his glorious
00:53:34.58\00:53:40.38
coming and he sets up his
kingdom on earth and the meek
00:53:40.42\00:53:42.78
will inherit the earth. But
there's a much more biblical way
00:53:42.82\00:53:45.69
of understanding how Jesus can
fulfill both of these promises.
00:53:45.72\00:53:48.52
You say how. Well, there's only
one glorious coming of Jesus
00:53:48.56\00:53:53.96
Christ. He comes from heaven
at his second coming and at his
00:53:54.00\00:53:59.30
second coming he resurrects the
dead, he transforms the living
00:53:59.33\00:54:04.51
gives both the dead who were
resurrected and those who were
00:54:04.54\00:54:07.71
alive glorified bodies and then
Jesus takes them to heaven for a
00:54:07.74\00:54:12.65
thousand years. That's how
he fulfills the first promise by
00:54:12.68\00:54:17.75
taking all the redeemed not only
those who were ready for the
00:54:17.79\00:54:20.52
rapture but all of those who are
ready. He comes the second time,
00:54:20.56\00:54:26.23
picks up all of his people and
the takes them to heaven for a
00:54:26.26\00:54:30.67
thousand years. That's the way
he fulfills his first promise.
00:54:30.70\00:54:34.37
And then, at the end of the
thousand years Jesus returns to
00:54:34.40\00:54:40.18
this earth with the New
Jerusalem. You can find it in
00:54:40.21\00:54:42.98
Revelation chapters 21 and
22. He returns to the earth, he
00:54:43.01\00:54:47.35
destroys Satan and his angels,
the wicked, and then he creates
00:54:47.38\00:54:51.72
a new heavens and a new earth
and the meek inherit the earth.
00:54:51.75\00:54:55.56
So there's another way of
understanding how Jesus can
00:54:55.59\00:54:59.09
fulfill promises without trying
to create the rapture idea which
00:54:59.13\00:55:05.40
does not find any foundation in
holy scripture. I want to read a
00:55:05.43\00:55:12.01
final statement that we find
in Great Controversy page 37:
00:55:12.04\00:55:15.91
The world will then behold,
as never before, the results of
00:55:15.94\00:55:22.52
Satan's rule... She's talking
about when God's Spirit is
00:55:22.55\00:55:28.32
withdrawn from the
earth. She continues:...
00:55:28.36\00:55:30.39
This is what the Bible refers
to as the blessed hope. And you
00:56:20.71\00:56:26.38
know when I was Pastor of Fresno
Central Church here in Fresno,
00:56:26.41\00:56:30.05
California at the end of the
service we always sang that song
00:56:30.09\00:56:33.62
We have this hope that burns
within our hearts, Hope in the
00:56:33.66\00:56:39.09
coming of the Lord. That is the
blessed hope according to the
00:56:39.13\00:56:43.87
apostle Paul, the coming
of Jesus to take his people to
00:56:43.90\00:56:48.10
heaven for a thousand years
where they will judge Satan and
00:56:48.14\00:56:52.44
his angels and the wicked who
have been left here. The wicked
00:56:52.47\00:56:55.68
are dead, Satan and his angels
are alive. God's people will be
00:56:55.71\00:56:59.08
pronouncing sentence upon them.
The after the thousand years
00:56:59.11\00:57:02.78
Jesus will descend with his
saints and he will enter the
00:57:02.82\00:57:06.96
holy city, he will resurrect all
of the wicked dead. The wicked
00:57:06.99\00:57:10.83
dead will gather around the city
with the intention of destroying
00:57:10.86\00:57:14.33
those who are inside. In other
words, the battle that took
00:57:14.36\00:57:16.80
place against God's
people before the thousand years
00:57:16.83\00:57:18.87
continues after the thousand
years. But then the Bible tells
00:57:18.90\00:57:22.64
us that fire descends from
heaven and consumes Satan, his
00:57:22.67\00:57:28.21
angels and the wicked. And then
God will create a new heaven and
00:57:28.24\00:57:32.98
a new earth where righteousness
reigns. So the apostle Paul
00:57:33.01\00:57:38.35
told us in 1 Thessalonians
chapter 4, after speaking about
00:57:38.39\00:57:42.99
the resurrection of the dead
and the translation of the dead
00:57:43.02\00:57:47.23
along with the living, he said
to the Thessalonians who were
00:57:47.26\00:57:50.33
wondering what was going to
happen with those who had died
00:57:50.37\00:57:52.77
in Christ, the apostle Paul said
Therefore comfort one another
00:57:52.80\00:57:58.31
with these words. What a
glorious day the coming of Jesus
00:57:58.34\00:58:03.75
will be!
00:58:03.78\00:58:06.61
¤ ¤
00:58:06.65\00:58:21.93