Shall we pray?
00:00:20.95\00:00:23.25
Father, as we
open Your holy book,
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we ask for an
open mind and heart.
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We've spoken about
some very solemn things.
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I trust, Lord, that You
will impress hearts to study,
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to see if these things are so.
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I know I've studied them.
00:00:40.90\00:00:42.87
And I'm firmly
convinced that we are living
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in the last remnant of time.
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So remove any obstacles
from human hearts that might
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keep people from
hearing Your voice.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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In this series, we have studied
two abominations of desolation.
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The first was the destruction
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of Jerusalem by the Babylonians
because of the abominations
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that were being committed
by God's own professed people.
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The second was the
destruction of Jerusalem
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by the Roman legions,
because they committed
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the greatest abomination,
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which was to reject
Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
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But as we've seen, there will be
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a third
abomination of desolation,
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when the United States
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imposes a national
Sunday law that will eventually
00:01:38.09\00:01:42.26
lead to national ruin.
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You see,
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what is going to
happen is at the end of time,
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a law will be made that
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is contrary to
divine legislation.
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You see God
legislated in His law
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that the seventh day
Sabbath is the day of rest.
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When man changes
that commandment and says,
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"No, it's not
Sabbath, it's Sunday."
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Human legislation is
replacing divine legislation.
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There could be
no greater apostasy
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and blasphemy than this.
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We noticed that the sun
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and the eagle was involved
in the first abomination
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of desolation in
the Old Testament.
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We noticed that
the second destruction
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of Jerusalem also
involved the eagles
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of the Roman legions,
and the sun god Mithra,
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whom they worshipped.
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We've also noticed
that in the end time,
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once again, the
eagle of the United States
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and the imposition of the
day of the sun will be involved.
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Now, I want us to
return to the Old Testament
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for the next several minutes
to study about the sad apostasy
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of Israel before the
first destruction of Jerusalem.
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God married
Israel at Mount Sinai,
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but Israel was
unfaithful to her wedding vows.
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Before the Babylonian captivity,
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God sent Jeremiah and
Ezekiel to rebuke Israel.
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They were too so to speak,
God's divorce court lawyers.
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God was saying to
Israel want a divorce,
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because you folks
have apostatized for Me.
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Jeremiah 31:32 tells us
that God was going to make
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a new covenant not according
to the covenant that I made
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with their fathers in the
day that I took them by the hand
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to lead them out
of the land of Egypt.
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No, he says, my
covenant which they broke,
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though I was a husband to them,
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says the Lord.
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In his Ezekiel 16:32,
the prophet said to Israel,
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"You are an adulterous wife,
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who takes strangers
instead of her husband."
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Because Israel intermingled
with the apostate practices
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of the surrounding nations.
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Israel, God's unfaithful wife
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was committing abominations.
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We find in Ezekiel 1:1-2,
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a description of the
abominations that were
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being committed.
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It says there,
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"Again the word of the
Lord came to me saying,
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'Son of man,
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cause Jerusalem to
know her abominations."
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These were being
committed in those
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who profess to be
God's true people.
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Ezekiel Chapter 8
presents the abominations
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of Jerusalem in
order of severity.
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And what is at the
very, very top of the list
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of the worst abomination of all
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is the worship of the sun.
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Ezekiel 8:15-16,
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"Then He said to
me, 'Have you seen this,
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O son of man?
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Turn again, you will see
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greater
abominations than these.'
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So he brought me
into the inner court
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of the Lord's house.'"
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This is an in the very temple.
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And there at the door
of the temple of the Lord,
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between the porch and the altar,
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were about twenty-five
men with their backs toward
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the temple of the Lord,
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and their faces toward the east,
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and they were worshipping
the sun toward the east."
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So you have
this unfaithful wife,
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God's professed people that
are committing abominations,
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the worst of which is
the worship of the sun.
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And so God refers
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to His apostate
bride as a harlot.
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Ezekiel 16:15, reads,
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God's speaking to Israel,
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"But you trusted
in your own beauty,
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played the harlot
because of your fame,
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and poured out your harlotry,"
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the King James
says fornications,
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"on everyone passing
by who would have it."
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We find in Ezekiel
16:28-30, that Israel behaved
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as a harlot with the
nations instead of having God
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and her husband as her husband.
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She mingled with the practices
of the nations it says there.
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"You also played the
harlot with the Assyrians,
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because you were insatiable,
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indeed, you played
the harlot with them,
00:06:17.67\00:06:20.38
and still were not satisfied.
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Moreover you
multiplied your acts of harlotry
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as far as the
land of the trader,
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Chaldea, and even then
you were not satisfied.
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How degenerate is your
heart, says the Lord God,
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seeing you do all these things,
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the deeds of a brazen harlot."
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So you have this unfaithful wife
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practicing the
abominations of the nations,
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especially the
worship of the sun.
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God refers to, He refers
to her as an apostate harlot.
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And we're told that
Israel decked herself,
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this is symbolic, of course,
decked herself with all sorts
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of jewels to impress her lovers.
00:07:03.49\00:07:06.82
In Ezekiel 16: 17,
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God rebukes Israel.
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And He says,
"You have also taken
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your beautiful jewelry
from My gold and my silver,
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which I had given you,
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and made for
yourselves male images
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and played the
harlot with them."
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In Ezekiel 23:40, once again,
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we find Israel
symbolically painting her eyes
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and putting on
ornaments to impress her lovers,
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rather than to have
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a strong
relationship with our Lord.
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It says there in Ezekiel 23:40,
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"Furthermore, you sent
for men to come from afar,
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to whom a messenger was
sent, and there they came.
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And you washed
yourself for them,
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painted your eyes,
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and adorned
yourself with ornaments."
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So Israel was covering herself
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with jewelry to
impress her lovers.
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She's been
unfaithful to her husband.
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What were the abominations
that she was committing?
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Yes, she was
trampling on the Sabbath.
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She was also
trampling on the sanctuary
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and shedding innocent blood.
00:08:13.25\00:08:15.29
We're told in Ezekiel 23:28,
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"Moreover, they
have done this to me:
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They have defiled my
sanctuary on the same day
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and profaned My Sabbaths.
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In Ezekiel 16:38.
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This is from the New
International Version,
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we find that
Jerusalem was shedding
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the blood of innocent people.
00:08:36.48\00:08:39.41
It says,
00:08:39.45\00:08:40.78
"I will sentence
you to the punishment
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of women who
commit adultery, God says,
00:08:42.78\00:08:45.49
and who shed blood,
I will bring upon you
00:08:45.52\00:08:48.79
the blood vengeance of
my wrath and jealous anger."
00:08:48.82\00:08:52.09
So they were persecuting
and killing the innocent,
00:08:52.13\00:08:55.40
the faithful in Jerusalem.
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And the sad thing is
that the religious leaders
00:08:58.53\00:09:00.87
were leading them
down the wrong road.
00:09:00.90\00:09:03.71
But the people
were happy with it.
00:09:03.74\00:09:06.51
Jeremiah 5:31, says,
00:09:06.54\00:09:09.64
"The prophets prophesy falsely,
00:09:09.68\00:09:12.45
and the priests
rule by their own power,
00:09:12.48\00:09:15.62
and My people
love to have it so."
00:09:15.65\00:09:19.89
For this reason, God
decided that He would pour out
00:09:19.92\00:09:22.59
the cup of His wrath
upon the city of Jerusalem.
00:09:22.62\00:09:26.63
We find in Ezekiel 23:32,
00:09:26.66\00:09:30.77
God speaking to
His apostate people,
00:09:30.80\00:09:33.57
"You have walked in
the way of your sister,
00:09:33.60\00:09:36.67
therefore, I will
put her cup in your hand.
00:09:36.71\00:09:40.38
Thus says the Lord God,
00:09:40.41\00:09:42.14
'You shall drink
of your sister's cup,
00:09:42.18\00:09:44.85
the deep and wide one,
you shall be laughed to scorn
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and beheld in
derision, it contains much.'"
00:09:48.85\00:09:52.35
So Judah, Israel was
going to drink the cup
00:09:52.39\00:09:56.93
of God's wrath
because of her apostasies.
00:09:56.96\00:10:01.60
God prophesied that
destruction would come
00:10:01.63\00:10:04.93
from the four
corners of the earth.
00:10:04.97\00:10:07.84
We find in Ezekiel 7:1-8,
00:10:07.87\00:10:11.14
a vivid description of
the destruction that would
00:10:11.17\00:10:13.94
come from the four
corners of the earth.
00:10:13.98\00:10:16.75
It says there in Ezekiel 7:1,
00:10:16.78\00:10:19.51
"Moreover the word of
the Lord came to me saying,
00:10:19.55\00:10:22.85
'And you son of man,
00:10:22.88\00:10:24.52
thus says the Lord
God to the land of Israel:
00:10:24.55\00:10:27.52
an end!
00:10:27.56\00:10:28.89
The end has come upon
the four corners of the land.
00:10:28.92\00:10:32.59
Now the end has come upon you,
00:10:32.63\00:10:35.00
and I will send
My anger against you.
00:10:35.03\00:10:37.70
I will judge you
according to your ways,
00:10:37.73\00:10:40.07
and will repay you
for all your abominations.
00:10:40.10\00:10:44.47
My eye will not spare
you, nor will I have pity,
00:10:44.51\00:10:48.01
but I will repay your ways
00:10:48.04\00:10:49.81
and your abominations
in will be in your midst,
00:10:49.84\00:10:53.95
then you shall
know that I am the Lord!
00:10:53.98\00:10:57.32
Thus says the Lord God:
00:10:57.35\00:10:58.85
'A disaster, a
singular disaster, behold,
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.29
it has come!
00:11:01.32\00:11:02.66
An end has come,
the end has come,
00:11:02.69\00:11:05.23
it has dawned for
you, behold, it has come!
00:11:05.26\00:11:08.20
Doom has come to you,
you who dwell in the land,
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.37
the time has come, a
day of trouble is near,
00:11:11.40\00:11:14.54
and not of
rejoicing in the mountains.
00:11:14.57\00:11:17.67
Now upon you, I will
soon pour out My fury
00:11:17.71\00:11:20.88
and spent My anger upon you,
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.28
I will judge you
according to your ways,
00:11:23.31\00:11:25.41
I will repay you for
all your abominations."
00:11:25.45\00:11:28.68
Notice the number of
times that the word abominations
00:11:28.72\00:11:30.92
is used here.
00:11:30.95\00:11:32.35
And God is going to pour
out His wrath upon Jerusalem,
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.59
because of their abominations,
an end will come upon
00:11:35.62\00:11:38.99
the four corners of the earth.
00:11:39.03\00:11:42.10
But before the destruction,
there was a sealing.
00:11:42.13\00:11:45.77
You see, there was
a group in the city
00:11:45.80\00:11:47.14
that was faithful to the Lord,
00:11:47.17\00:11:48.50
they were not
worshiping the sun,
00:11:48.54\00:11:49.87
they were not
practicing the abominations.
00:11:49.90\00:11:52.21
Let's read Ezekiel 9:1-6,
00:11:52.24\00:11:55.14
"Then He called out
00:11:55.18\00:11:56.51
in my hearing with a loud voice,
00:11:56.54\00:11:57.88
saying, 'Let those who have
charge over the city draw near,
00:11:57.91\00:12:01.48
each with a deadly
weapon in his hand.
00:12:01.52\00:12:04.05
And suddenly six men
came from the direction
00:12:04.09\00:12:06.15
of the upper
gate, which faces north,
00:12:06.19\00:12:08.42
each with his
battle-ax in his hand.
00:12:08.46\00:12:11.19
One man among them
was clothed with linen
00:12:11.23\00:12:14.10
and had a writer's
inkhorn at his side.
00:12:14.13\00:12:17.10
They went in and stood
beside the bronze altar.
00:12:17.13\00:12:20.34
Now the glory of
the God of Israel
00:12:20.37\00:12:22.14
had gone up from the cherub,
00:12:22.17\00:12:23.94
where it had been, to
the threshold of the temple.
00:12:23.97\00:12:27.04
And He called to the
man clothed with linen,
00:12:27.08\00:12:29.91
who had the
writer's inkhorn at his side,
00:12:29.94\00:12:32.45
and the Lord said to
him, Go through the midst
00:12:32.48\00:12:35.18
of the city, this
is Jerusalem, folks.
00:12:35.22\00:12:37.49
'Go through the
midst of the city
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.82
through the midst of Jerusalem,
00:12:39.85\00:12:42.02
and put a mark on
the foreheads of the men
00:12:42.06\00:12:45.73
who sigh and cry
00:12:45.76\00:12:47.76
over all the abominations
that are done in it.'"
00:12:47.80\00:12:50.97
So that you have
those who were practicing
00:12:51.00\00:12:52.83
the abominations most.
00:12:52.87\00:12:55.07
And you have those
who were actually sighing
00:12:55.10\00:12:57.64
and crying because
of the abominations.
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.51
Verse 5, "To the
others He said in my hearing,
00:12:59.54\00:13:02.88
'Go after him
through the city and kill,
00:13:02.91\00:13:06.55
do not let your eye
spare, nor have any pity.
00:13:06.58\00:13:10.32
Utterly slay old and young
men, maidens and little children
00:13:10.35\00:13:15.06
and women, but do not
come near anyone on whom
00:13:15.09\00:13:18.23
is the mark, and
begin at My sanctuary.'
00:13:18.26\00:13:21.26
So they began with the elders
who were before the temple.'"
00:13:21.30\00:13:25.00
That is with the
religious leaders,
00:13:25.03\00:13:26.94
so notice that
there is a sealing
00:13:26.97\00:13:29.00
of the faithful before
the destruction of the city,
00:13:29.04\00:13:32.37
and the seal is
placed on the foreheads
00:13:32.41\00:13:35.58
of those who were in the city.
00:13:35.61\00:13:38.11
Now, before the destruction,
00:13:38.15\00:13:39.91
the people were
trampling on God's holy Sabbath.
00:13:39.95\00:13:43.45
Notice Ezekiel 20:12,
00:13:43.49\00:13:45.85
and then we will
read verses 19 to 21.
00:13:45.89\00:13:48.42
Ezekiel 20:12 and
then 19 through 21.
00:13:48.46\00:13:52.76
God said, "Moreover I
also gave them My Sabbaths,
00:13:52.79\00:13:57.07
to be a sign
between them and Me,
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.87
that they might know that
00:13:59.90\00:14:01.27
I am the Lord
who sanctifies them."
00:14:01.30\00:14:04.37
So the Sabbath was God's sign.
00:14:04.41\00:14:06.94
Verses 19-21 read.
00:14:06.98\00:14:09.98
"I am the Lord your God:
00:14:10.01\00:14:11.95
Walk in My statutes,
keep My judgments and do them,
00:14:11.98\00:14:16.99
hallow My Sabbaths,
00:14:17.02\00:14:19.22
and they will be a
sign between Me and you,
00:14:19.25\00:14:22.06
that you may know that
I am the Lord your God.
00:14:22.09\00:14:26.16
Notwithstanding,
00:14:26.19\00:14:27.76
the children
rebelled against Me,
00:14:27.80\00:14:29.90
they did not
walk in My statutes,
00:14:29.93\00:14:32.10
and were not careful
to observe My judgments,
00:14:32.13\00:14:35.00
which if a man does,
he shall live by them,
00:14:35.04\00:14:38.41
but they profaned My Sabbaths.
00:14:38.44\00:14:40.94
Then I said, I would
pour out My fury on them
00:14:40.98\00:14:44.28
and fulfill My anger
00:14:44.31\00:14:46.25
against them in
the wilderness.'"
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.88
So they were
trampling on the Sabbath.
00:14:48.92\00:14:50.79
In fact, the great sin
00:14:50.82\00:14:52.65
that led to the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:14:52.69\00:14:54.56
was not only that
they were worshipping
00:14:54.59\00:14:56.52
the sun, but also that they were
00:14:56.56\00:14:58.89
trampling on the Sabbath.
00:14:58.93\00:15:00.33
Notice Jeremiah 17:27,
00:15:00.36\00:15:02.90
God warned them.
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.43
"But if you will not heed
Me to hallow the Sabbath day,
00:15:04.47\00:15:10.07
such as not carrying a
burden when entering the gates
00:15:10.11\00:15:13.27
of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day,
00:15:13.31\00:15:15.94
I will kindle a
fire in its gates,
00:15:15.98\00:15:18.81
and it shall devour
the palaces of Jerusalem,
00:15:18.85\00:15:21.55
and it shall not be quenched."
00:15:21.58\00:15:23.69
God says, "If you
don't hallow My Sabbaths,
00:15:23.72\00:15:26.22
if you don't
keep the Sabbath holy,
00:15:26.25\00:15:28.22
I will destroy Jerusalem."
00:15:28.26\00:15:31.49
And then God predicted
that the lovers of Israel
00:15:31.53\00:15:35.90
had a relationship
with would turn against her.
00:15:35.93\00:15:40.84
Notice Ezekiel 16:39,
00:15:40.87\00:15:44.51
"I will also give
you into their hand,
00:15:44.54\00:15:48.24
and they shall throw you down,
00:15:48.28\00:15:50.05
they shall throw
down your shrines,
00:15:50.08\00:15:52.38
and break down your high places.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.72
They shall also
strip you of your clothes,
00:15:54.75\00:15:59.22
and take your beautiful jewelry
00:15:59.25\00:16:01.49
and leave you naked and bare.
00:16:01.52\00:16:06.19
So this is a story
from the Old Testament.
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.00
Now we need to take
a look at the history
00:16:09.03\00:16:13.64
of the New Testament Church.
00:16:13.67\00:16:16.54
You see, the New
Testament tells us that Jesus
00:16:16.57\00:16:19.01
is the husband, and
the church is His bride.
00:16:19.04\00:16:23.04
Ephesians 5:25, reads,
00:16:23.08\00:16:26.51
"Husbands, love your wives,
00:16:26.55\00:16:29.68
just as Christ
also loved the church
00:16:29.72\00:16:32.49
and gave Himself for her."
00:16:32.52\00:16:34.32
So husbands love your wives
as Christ loved the church.
00:16:34.36\00:16:38.53
In Revelation 12:1,
00:16:38.56\00:16:41.36
we find the Old Testament Church
00:16:41.40\00:16:43.30
represented by a woman.
00:16:43.33\00:16:46.30
It says there
in Revelation 12:1,
00:16:46.33\00:16:49.10
"Now a great sign
appeared in heaven,
00:16:49.14\00:16:52.01
a woman clothed with the sun,
00:16:52.04\00:16:55.61
with the moon under her
feet and on her head a garland
00:16:55.64\00:17:00.48
of twelve stars."
00:17:00.52\00:17:02.45
And then it speaks about
the birth of the man child,
00:17:02.48\00:17:05.09
which refers to the
birth of Jesus Christ.
00:17:05.12\00:17:08.69
So we find that the true church
00:17:08.72\00:17:11.79
is represented by a pure woman,
00:17:11.83\00:17:15.66
a counterfeit
church, or an apostate church
00:17:15.70\00:17:19.17
is represented
by a harlot woman.
00:17:19.20\00:17:22.14
Now, this woman that we
find in Revelation 12:1,
00:17:22.17\00:17:26.01
at first, this woman was pure.
00:17:26.04\00:17:28.94
In other words, the church
in the apostolic times kept
00:17:28.98\00:17:32.38
the pure doctrines,
it was a pure church,
00:17:32.41\00:17:34.68
it did not mingle
with the practices
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.85
of the surrounding nations.
00:17:36.89\00:17:39.32
It eventually came to the point
where this woman had to flee,
00:17:39.35\00:17:42.56
because the harlot
would persecute her.
00:17:42.59\00:17:44.49
So I want you to notice
that during the 1260 years,
00:17:44.53\00:17:48.16
there were
actually two churches.
00:17:48.20\00:17:51.53
In Jerusalem,
there were those who were
00:17:51.57\00:17:53.84
worshipping the signs and
those who sighed and cried.
00:17:53.87\00:17:56.60
You say, "What do you mean?"
00:17:56.64\00:17:58.51
Well, let's notice
that in Revelation 12:6,
00:17:58.54\00:18:02.71
we're told, "Then the
woman fled into the wilderness,"
00:18:02.74\00:18:06.18
this is the pure
woman of verse 1,
00:18:06.21\00:18:08.38
"where she has a
place prepared by God
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.29
that they should
feed her there 1260 days."
00:18:10.32\00:18:14.52
During this time, the
harlot woman is persecuting
00:18:14.56\00:18:18.43
the woman in Revelation 12:1.
00:18:18.46\00:18:21.40
So you have the
faithful church that flees,
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.30
represented by this pure woman,
and you have the harlot woman
00:18:24.33\00:18:28.14
who is persecuting God's
people during that same period.
00:18:28.17\00:18:33.58
But unfortunately,
the apostolic church,
00:18:33.61\00:18:36.78
in the fourth
century, became a harlot
00:18:36.81\00:18:40.82
by forsaking her
legitimate husband,
00:18:40.85\00:18:43.22
Jesus Christ, and falling
in love with the civil power,
00:18:43.25\00:18:48.76
and the pagan customs
of the surrounding nations.
00:18:48.79\00:18:53.16
Revelation Chapter 17
describes the characteristics
00:18:53.19\00:18:56.06
of this unfaithful woman.
00:18:56.10\00:18:57.57
Let's read the verses.
00:18:57.60\00:18:59.33
"Then one of the seven
angels who had the seven bowls,
00:18:59.37\00:19:02.57
came and talk with
me saying to me, 'Come,
00:19:02.60\00:19:05.67
I will show you the
judgment of the great harlot
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.81
who sits on many waters,
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.84
with whom the kings
00:19:09.88\00:19:11.65
of the earth
committed fornication,
00:19:11.68\00:19:13.75
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk
00:19:13.78\00:19:16.28
with the wine
of her fornication.
00:19:16.32\00:19:18.52
The woman was arrayed
in purple and scarlet,
00:19:18.55\00:19:21.22
and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls,
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.73
having in her
hand, a golden cup,
00:19:24.76\00:19:26.86
full of abominations
00:19:26.90\00:19:28.40
and the filthiness
of her fornication.
00:19:28.43\00:19:31.63
And on her
forehead a name was written:
00:19:31.67\00:19:33.57
Mystery, Babylon the
Great, the Mother of Harlots
00:19:33.60\00:19:37.31
and of the
Abominations of the Earth.
00:19:37.34\00:19:40.31
And then, John says,
00:19:40.34\00:19:42.48
I saw the woman drunk
with the blood of the saints,
00:19:42.51\00:19:46.25
and with the blood
of the martyrs of Jesus.
00:19:46.28\00:19:48.25
And when I saw her, I
marveled with great amazement."
00:19:48.28\00:19:51.95
Now, that entire Chapter
17 revolves around this woman.
00:19:51.99\00:19:56.29
She is the main
actor of the story.
00:19:56.32\00:19:59.63
Let's summarize
what this passage says.
00:19:59.66\00:20:02.86
A harlot woman represents
00:20:02.90\00:20:05.10
a church that has
apostatized from the truth.
00:20:05.13\00:20:08.97
She sits on multitudes, nations,
00:20:09.00\00:20:11.54
tongues and peoples would mean
that she rules over the earth.
00:20:11.57\00:20:16.41
She carries an adulterous affair
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.91
with the kings of the world,
00:20:18.95\00:20:20.48
with the political
powers of the world,
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.38
thus forsaking her wedding vows
00:20:22.42\00:20:25.55
with Jesus Christ.
00:20:25.59\00:20:27.39
She has a golden cup in her hand
00:20:27.42\00:20:29.89
with fermented wine,
00:20:29.92\00:20:31.36
and the fermented
wine is her abominations,
00:20:31.39\00:20:35.73
and she forces
all nations to drink
00:20:35.76\00:20:39.30
the wine of her fornication,
00:20:39.33\00:20:42.54
and the nations
become drunk with her wine.
00:20:42.57\00:20:46.24
When the nations drink the wine,
00:20:46.27\00:20:48.24
they become angry
because it's called the wine
00:20:48.28\00:20:50.78
of the wrath of her fornication.
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.52
The harlot clothes
herself in certain colors,
00:20:53.55\00:20:56.82
purple and scarlet.
00:20:56.85\00:20:58.75
She decks herself with gold,
00:20:58.79\00:21:00.89
precious stones and
pearls to impress her lovers.
00:21:00.92\00:21:05.03
The harlot has
daughters that were
00:21:05.06\00:21:07.23
born from her at some
point, because she is called
00:21:07.26\00:21:10.07
the mother of harlots.
00:21:10.10\00:21:12.53
The vile woman is
drunk with the blood
00:21:12.57\00:21:15.40
of the saints and
the martyrs of Jesus.
00:21:15.44\00:21:18.34
This, besides being a church
is also a political power.
00:21:18.37\00:21:23.18
You say, "How do we know this?"
00:21:23.21\00:21:24.91
Because Revelation 17:18,
00:21:24.95\00:21:27.65
tells us that she reigns
over the kings of the earth.
00:21:27.68\00:21:32.25
And we're told
in Revelation 17:16,
00:21:32.29\00:21:35.99
that the kings
will hate this harlot
00:21:36.02\00:21:39.59
and they will leave
her naked, eat her flesh,
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.70
and burn her with fire.
00:21:42.73\00:21:44.87
That's a way of saying
that they're going to be very
00:21:44.90\00:21:47.07
angry at her in the end.
00:21:47.10\00:21:50.77
Now let's unpack the
details that we've noticed here
00:21:50.81\00:21:54.24
regarding this harlot woman,
00:21:54.28\00:21:56.34
the main
protagonist of this passage.
00:21:56.38\00:22:00.35
A woman in
prophecy, as I've mentioned,
00:22:00.38\00:22:02.25
represents a church
00:22:02.28\00:22:05.05
and a harlot woman represents
a harlot or apostate church.
00:22:05.09\00:22:10.93
Revelation 17:1 is talking
about that harlot church.
00:22:10.96\00:22:14.96
"Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls came
00:22:15.00\00:22:18.03
and talked with
me, saying to me,
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.70
'Come, I will
show you the judgment
00:22:19.73\00:22:21.87
of the great harlot
who sits on many waters.'"
00:22:21.90\00:22:26.51
What do the many
waters represent?
00:22:26.54\00:22:29.14
Well, let's read verse 15.
00:22:29.18\00:22:32.48
Revelation 17:15, we
already read verse 1.
00:22:32.51\00:22:36.65
It says in verse
15, "Then he said to me,
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.85
'The waters which you
saw, where the harlot sits,
00:22:39.89\00:22:43.76
are peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues."
00:22:43.79\00:22:47.50
And the act of sinning
means that she rules over them.
00:22:47.53\00:22:51.27
So you have this apostate church
00:22:51.30\00:22:53.03
represented by the harlot.
00:22:53.07\00:22:54.84
She's sitting on many waters,
00:22:54.87\00:22:56.24
which means that she rules over
00:22:56.27\00:22:58.77
the political
powers of the world.
00:22:58.81\00:23:00.81
In fact, this brings us
to our next characteristic.
00:23:00.84\00:23:04.21
She actually has an
illegitimate love affair,
00:23:04.25\00:23:08.42
spiritually speaking,
00:23:08.45\00:23:09.95
with the political
powers of the world.
00:23:09.98\00:23:11.99
You say, "How do we know that?"
00:23:12.02\00:23:13.82
Because of
Revelation 17:2, it says there,
00:23:13.86\00:23:18.33
"With whom the
kings of the earth
00:23:18.36\00:23:21.10
committed fornication,
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.23
and the inhabitants of
the earth were made drunk
00:23:23.26\00:23:26.10
with the wine of
her fornication."
00:23:26.13\00:23:28.07
In other words, she entertains
an illegitimate relationship
00:23:28.10\00:23:31.71
with the kings of the
earth instead of having
00:23:31.74\00:23:34.68
a relationship with her
only husband, Jesus Christ.
00:23:34.71\00:23:39.91
She's also clothed in a
special manner to attract
00:23:39.95\00:23:42.98
the attention of the kings.
00:23:43.02\00:23:45.22
We find in Revelation 17:4,
00:23:45.25\00:23:47.89
"The woman was arrayed
in purple and scarlet."
00:23:47.92\00:23:50.99
Those are the colors of
the Roman Catholic papacy,
00:23:51.03\00:23:53.29
the main colors by the way.
00:23:53.33\00:23:55.23
"And adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls,
00:23:55.26\00:23:59.40
just like the
Old Testament Israel,
00:23:59.43\00:24:01.50
having in her hand a
golden cup full of abominations
00:24:01.54\00:24:04.67
and the filthiness
of her fornication."
00:24:04.71\00:24:09.18
So she's clothed
in a certain way,
00:24:09.21\00:24:11.25
and she's filled
with gold and silver
00:24:11.28\00:24:14.08
and precious jewels.
00:24:14.12\00:24:16.28
She's also a mother,
00:24:16.32\00:24:18.95
which means that at
some point in her history,
00:24:18.99\00:24:21.92
daughters must
have been born from her.
00:24:21.96\00:24:24.66
Protestantism,
apostate Protestantism
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.36
as it exists today
was born from the mother,
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.90
never forsake all of
the teachings of the mother.
00:24:29.93\00:24:33.47
You see, the mother
teaches that the immortality
00:24:33.50\00:24:35.70
of the soul, we're
going to notice this.
00:24:35.74\00:24:37.31
The mother teaches that
Sunday is the day of rest.
00:24:37.34\00:24:39.57
Protestants inherited
00:24:39.61\00:24:40.94
these practices from the mother.
00:24:40.98\00:24:43.48
It says in Revelation 17:5,
00:24:43.51\00:24:45.85
"On her forehead
was name written:
00:24:45.88\00:24:48.95
Mystery Babylon the
Great, the Mother of Harlots
00:24:48.98\00:24:52.35
and of the
Abominations of the Earth."
00:24:52.39\00:24:55.46
She also has a
golden cup in her hand
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.13
with fermented wine.
00:24:58.16\00:25:00.10
The fermented wine
are her abominations.
00:25:00.13\00:25:03.23
It says in Revelation 17:2,
00:25:03.26\00:25:07.04
"With whom the
kings of the earth
00:25:07.07\00:25:08.40
committed
fornication, and the inhabitants
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.01
of the earth were
made drunk with the wine
00:25:11.04\00:25:14.28
of her fornication."
00:25:14.31\00:25:16.75
And she is
filled with abominations
00:25:16.78\00:25:19.11
just like Old Testament Israel.
00:25:19.15\00:25:20.92
Revelation 17:15,
tell us, tells us,
00:25:20.95\00:25:23.95
"And on her head,
a name was written:
00:25:23.99\00:25:26.19
Mystery Babylon the
Great, the Mother of Harlots
00:25:26.22\00:25:29.76
and of the
Abominations of the Earth."
00:25:29.79\00:25:33.56
Now, do you know why this church
00:25:33.60\00:25:35.90
which is called
Babylon by the way, you notice?
00:25:35.93\00:25:38.33
Why this church
failed and became Babylon?
00:25:38.37\00:25:41.77
It's because she gave her
wine to all of the nations.
00:25:41.80\00:25:46.61
Let's read the
second angel's message
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.91
in Revelation Chapter 14.
00:25:48.94\00:25:50.78
Revelation Chapter 14,
and we will read verse 8.
00:25:50.81\00:25:55.05
Revelation 14:8,
00:25:55.08\00:25:56.99
"And another angel followed,
saying, 'Babylon is fallen,
00:25:57.02\00:26:00.42
is fallen, that great
city," and now comes the reason,
00:26:00.46\00:26:04.03
"because she has
made," this means force,
00:26:04.06\00:26:08.30
"she has made all
nations drink of the wine
00:26:08.33\00:26:12.07
of the wrath of
her fornication."
00:26:12.10\00:26:14.60
So the wine in her
cup are her abominations,
00:26:14.64\00:26:18.07
and she gives it to the nations
00:26:18.11\00:26:19.67
and whoever
doesn't want to drink,
00:26:19.71\00:26:21.88
the wrath of the
woman is against them.
00:26:21.91\00:26:24.68
Now the question is,
what are her abominations?
00:26:24.71\00:26:28.58
Well, we need to go back
to the Old Testament to see
00:26:28.62\00:26:31.69
what the abominations were.
00:26:31.72\00:26:34.12
The first
abomination is making idols
00:26:34.16\00:26:36.62
and bowing before them.
00:26:36.66\00:26:39.06
Let's read several
verses, Exodus 20:4-6.
00:26:39.09\00:26:43.40
Exodus 20:4-6,
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.43
"You shall not make for
yourself a carved image,
00:26:45.47\00:26:48.20
any likeness of anything
that is in heaven above,
00:26:48.24\00:26:51.57
or that is in the earth beneath,
00:26:51.61\00:26:53.48
or that is in the
water under the earth,
00:26:53.51\00:26:55.61
you shall not bow down
to them, nor serve them."
00:26:55.64\00:26:58.25
Not only making images
but bowing down to them.
00:26:58.28\00:27:01.15
"For I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God,
00:27:01.18\00:27:04.49
visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon
00:27:04.52\00:27:06.32
the children to the
third and fourth generations
00:27:06.35\00:27:08.99
of those who hate Me,
00:27:09.02\00:27:10.36
but showing mercy to
thousands to those who love Me
00:27:10.39\00:27:13.19
and keep My commandments."
00:27:13.23\00:27:14.56
This is the second
commandments of God's holy law.
00:27:14.60\00:27:18.83
Who would dare make
images and bow down before them,
00:27:18.87\00:27:21.84
like the papacy
does in violation
00:27:21.87\00:27:24.01
of this commandment?
00:27:24.04\00:27:25.54
Deuteronomy 7:25-26.
00:27:25.57\00:27:29.01
God told Israel as they
entered the Promised Land.
00:27:29.04\00:27:32.58
"You shall burn the carved
images of their gods with fire,
00:27:32.61\00:27:36.89
you shall not covet the
silver or gold that is on them,
00:27:36.92\00:27:40.32
nor take it for yourselves,
lest you be snared by it,
00:27:40.36\00:27:44.56
for it is an abomination."
00:27:44.59\00:27:46.33
So notice,
"Bowing down before images
00:27:46.36\00:27:48.40
is an abomination
to the Lord your God,
00:27:48.43\00:27:51.27
nor shall you
bring an abomination,
00:27:51.30\00:27:53.34
that is an
idol, into your house,
00:27:53.37\00:27:55.60
lest you be doomed
to destruction like it.
00:27:55.64\00:27:58.17
You shall utterly detest it
00:27:58.21\00:28:00.04
and utterly abhor it,
for it is an accursed thing."
00:28:00.08\00:28:04.41
Notice Deuteronomy 27:14-15,
00:28:04.45\00:28:09.08
"And the Levites shall
speak with a loud voice
00:28:09.12\00:28:11.59
and say to all
the men of Israel,
00:28:11.62\00:28:13.66
'Cursed is the one
who makes a carved image,
00:28:13.69\00:28:16.93
or molded image, an
abomination to the Lord,
00:28:16.96\00:28:20.80
the work of the
hands of the craftsman,
00:28:20.83\00:28:22.73
and sets it up in secret.
00:28:22.76\00:28:24.93
And all the people
shall answer and say, 'Amen!'"
00:28:24.97\00:28:27.84
So making images and bowing
before them is an abomination.
00:28:27.87\00:28:31.97
It's part of the wine
that the harlot has in her cup.
00:28:32.01\00:28:35.81
Delving into the occult,
00:28:35.84\00:28:38.61
and saying that
00:28:38.65\00:28:39.98
you can
communicate with the dead
00:28:40.02\00:28:42.32
is an abomination,
all occultic practices.
00:28:42.35\00:28:45.09
By the way,
00:28:45.12\00:28:46.45
all occultic practices are
based on the false theology
00:28:46.49\00:28:50.83
of the immortality of the soul.
00:28:50.86\00:28:53.40
Notice Deuteronomy 18:9-12.
00:28:53.43\00:28:56.97
God told Israel "When
you come into the land,
00:28:57.00\00:28:59.43
which the Lord
your God has given you,
00:28:59.47\00:29:01.20
you shall not learn to
follow the abominations,"
00:29:01.24\00:29:03.94
there's the word
abominations again.
00:29:03.97\00:29:05.97
When we dealt with
idolatry, it's abominations.
00:29:06.01\00:29:08.68
Here it says,
00:29:08.71\00:29:10.11
"You shall not learn
to follow the abominations
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.95
of those nations.
00:29:12.98\00:29:14.32
There shall not
be found among you,
00:29:14.35\00:29:16.08
anyone who makes his
son or his daughter pass
00:29:16.12\00:29:18.05
through the fire, or one
who practices witchcraft,"
00:29:18.09\00:29:22.02
that includes
Santeria, that includes all
00:29:22.06\00:29:24.46
of these occultic
practices, Voodoo etc,
00:29:24.49\00:29:27.73
"or a soothsayer, or
one who interprets omens,
00:29:27.76\00:29:31.70
or a sorcerer, or
one who conjures spells,
00:29:31.73\00:29:35.97
or a medium or a spiritist,
or one who calls up the dead.
00:29:36.00\00:29:41.44
For all who do these things
are an abomination to the Lord.
00:29:41.48\00:29:46.05
And because of
these abominations,
00:29:46.08\00:29:48.12
the Lord your
God drives them out
00:29:48.15\00:29:50.62
from before you."
00:29:50.65\00:29:51.99
The Roman Catholic
Church teaches that you can
00:29:52.02\00:29:53.76
pray to the
saints who passed away.
00:29:53.79\00:29:56.32
Well, if you can
pray to the saints,
00:29:56.36\00:29:57.69
that must mean that
00:29:57.73\00:29:59.26
their soul
departed from the body
00:29:59.29\00:30:01.10
and went to heaven,
you can pray to them.
00:30:01.13\00:30:03.40
But here it says, you
shall not call up the dead,
00:30:03.43\00:30:06.80
which is based
on a false theology
00:30:06.84\00:30:09.24
of the immortality of the soul.
00:30:09.27\00:30:11.41
Another abomination
00:30:11.44\00:30:12.77
is the idea that you can
be saved in your sins that you
00:30:12.81\00:30:18.58
don't need to turn
away from your sins.
00:30:18.61\00:30:22.12
Notice Proverbs 28:9,
00:30:22.15\00:30:25.89
"One who turns his
ear from hearing the law,
00:30:25.92\00:30:30.16
even his prayer
is an abomination."
00:30:30.19\00:30:33.13
So in other words,
turning away from the law,
00:30:33.16\00:30:35.76
and saying that sin
00:30:35.80\00:30:37.13
is not
consequential because we're weak
00:30:37.17\00:30:39.63
human beings.
00:30:39.67\00:30:41.37
That is an
abomination in the sight of God.
00:30:41.40\00:30:43.71
But the other extreme
is also an abomination,
00:30:43.74\00:30:46.27
the idea that you can
be saved by your works.
00:30:46.31\00:30:49.08
So one extreme is the idea
00:30:49.11\00:30:50.65
that you can be
saved in your sins.
00:30:50.68\00:30:52.25
The other one is that you can be
00:30:52.28\00:30:53.62
saved by your works.
00:30:53.65\00:30:55.38
Notice Luke 16:15,
00:30:55.42\00:30:58.39
Jesus is speaking,
"And He said to them,
00:30:58.42\00:31:00.72
'You are those who
justify yourselves, before men,
00:31:00.76\00:31:05.26
but God knows
your hearts for what
00:31:05.29\00:31:07.66
is highly esteemed among men
00:31:07.70\00:31:10.30
is an abomination
in the sight of God."
00:31:10.33\00:31:12.93
So whether you believe that
you can be saved in your sins,
00:31:12.97\00:31:15.60
or you can be
saved by your works,
00:31:15.64\00:31:17.17
it's an abomination.
00:31:17.21\00:31:18.87
The Roman
Catholic papacy teaches,
00:31:18.91\00:31:20.71
well, you know, we're weak,
00:31:20.74\00:31:23.51
if you commit a sin, just go
and confess it to the priest,
00:31:23.55\00:31:26.28
and the priest will absolve you.
00:31:26.31\00:31:27.98
On the other end, it
says, you know, by pilgrimages,
00:31:28.02\00:31:30.19
and by penance
and things like that,
00:31:30.22\00:31:32.69
you can actually
work your way to heaven.
00:31:32.72\00:31:34.82
Ellen White wrote this very
00:31:34.86\00:31:36.19
interesting
statement in Great Controversy,
00:31:36.22\00:31:38.13
page 572 about the papacy.
00:31:38.16\00:31:42.13
This is speaking to Protestants.
00:31:42.16\00:31:44.10
"A prayerful study of the
Bible would show Protestants
00:31:44.13\00:31:47.17
the real
character of the papacy."
00:31:47.20\00:31:50.31
So what would
they have to do to know
00:31:50.34\00:31:52.01
the real
character of the papacy?
00:31:52.04\00:31:54.01
Study the Bible.
00:31:54.04\00:31:55.44
She continues, "A
prayerful study of the Bible
00:31:55.48\00:31:58.28
would show Protestants
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.65
the real character of the papacy
00:31:59.68\00:32:01.02
and would cause them
to abhor and shun it,
00:32:01.05\00:32:04.05
but many are so wise
in their own conceit,
00:32:04.09\00:32:07.12
that they feel no need of humbly
00:32:07.16\00:32:08.96
asking God that they may be led
00:32:08.99\00:32:10.66
into the truth.
00:32:10.69\00:32:12.09
Although priding themselves
on their enlightenment,
00:32:12.13\00:32:15.03
they are ignorant
both of the Scriptures
00:32:15.06\00:32:17.03
and of the power of God.
00:32:17.07\00:32:19.00
They must have some means
of quieting their consciences,
00:32:19.03\00:32:24.01
and they seek that
which is least spiritual
00:32:24.04\00:32:26.64
and humiliating.
00:32:26.68\00:32:28.31
What they desire is a method
00:32:28.34\00:32:29.84
of forgetting God
that shall pass as a method
00:32:29.88\00:32:33.48
of remembering Him.
00:32:33.52\00:32:35.65
The papacy is well adapted
to meet the wants of all these,
00:32:35.68\00:32:39.09
not the needs, but
the wants of all these.
00:32:39.12\00:32:42.72
It is prepared, the papacy
is prepared for two classes
00:32:42.76\00:32:45.46
of mankind, embracing
nearly the whole world,
00:32:45.49\00:32:49.56
those who would be
saved by their merits,
00:32:49.60\00:32:52.93
and those who would
be saved in their sins.
00:32:52.97\00:32:56.50
Here is the secret of its power.
00:32:56.54\00:33:01.18
Another abomination is adultery,
00:33:01.21\00:33:04.48
fornication, spiritual adultery,
00:33:04.51\00:33:06.58
in the case of the papacy
because she fornicates with
00:33:06.61\00:33:08.78
the kings of the earth,
00:33:08.82\00:33:10.15
the churches to be
allied only for Jesus.
00:33:10.19\00:33:12.79
It should not get the state
to do what the church wants.
00:33:12.82\00:33:15.79
Jeremiah 13:26-27,
00:33:15.82\00:33:18.59
"Therefore, I will
uncover your skirts, God says,
00:33:18.63\00:33:20.96
over your face, that
your shame may appear.
00:33:21.00\00:33:24.33
I have seen your adulteries
and your lustful neighings,
00:33:24.37\00:33:28.77
the lewdness of your harlotry,
00:33:28.80\00:33:31.01
your abominations on
the hills and in the fields,
00:33:31.04\00:33:34.74
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
00:33:34.78\00:33:36.81
Will you still
not be made clean?"
00:33:36.85\00:33:40.25
Another abomination is
shedding innocent blood,
00:33:40.28\00:33:43.28
which the papacy did
through the inquisition,
00:33:43.32\00:33:46.19
all throughout the
1260 years of her dominion.
00:33:46.22\00:33:50.19
Notice Ezekiel 22:2,
00:33:50.23\00:33:53.09
"Moreover the word of
the Lord came to me saying,
00:33:53.13\00:33:56.36
'Now son of man, will you judge,
00:33:56.40\00:33:59.03
will you judge the bloody city?
00:33:59.07\00:34:01.40
Yes, show her all
her abominations!'"
00:34:01.44\00:34:05.51
Proverbs 17:15 tells us,
00:34:05.54\00:34:08.81
"He who justifies the wicked,
and he who condemns the just,
00:34:08.84\00:34:13.35
both of them alike
00:34:13.38\00:34:14.92
are an abomination to the Lord."
00:34:14.95\00:34:17.65
Proverbs 6:16-19,
00:34:17.69\00:34:21.46
"These six things
the Lord hates, yes,
00:34:21.49\00:34:24.89
seven are an abomination to Him.
00:34:24.93\00:34:27.70
A proud look, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
00:34:27.73\00:34:32.83
a heart that
devises wicked plans,
00:34:32.87\00:34:35.27
feet that are
swift in running to evil,
00:34:35.30\00:34:37.77
a false witness who speak lies,
00:34:37.81\00:34:40.11
and one who sows
discord among brethren."
00:34:40.14\00:34:45.05
Another one of those
elements of abominations
00:34:45.08\00:34:48.58
or the wine of the
apostate churches' abomination
00:34:48.62\00:34:52.39
is homosexuality.
00:34:52.42\00:34:55.09
You know what has
happened among the priesthood
00:34:55.12\00:34:57.23
of the Roman Catholic Church.
00:34:57.26\00:34:59.13
Leviticus 18:2 says,
00:34:59.16\00:35:01.13
"You shall not lie
with a male as with a woman.
00:35:01.16\00:35:04.27
It is an abomination."
00:35:04.30\00:35:07.77
But the greatest
abomination of all,
00:35:07.80\00:35:09.80
as we noticed in Ezekiel,
was worshipping the sun.
00:35:09.84\00:35:15.34
The Roman Catholic
Church is obsessed with the sun.
00:35:15.38\00:35:19.28
There are sunbursts everywhere
if you look carefully.
00:35:19.31\00:35:23.72
One of the reasons
why the papacy adopted
00:35:23.75\00:35:25.89
Sunday as the day
of rest was to make it
00:35:25.92\00:35:28.56
comfortable for the
pagans to become Christians.
00:35:28.59\00:35:32.13
As we noticed
in Ezekiel 8:16-17,
00:35:32.16\00:35:36.53
one of the great
sins that was being
00:35:36.56\00:35:38.50
committed in the Old Testament.
00:35:38.53\00:35:39.87
In fact, the
greatest sin of all,
00:35:39.90\00:35:41.60
it was at the top of
the list of abominations
00:35:41.64\00:35:44.51
was that the religious leaders
00:35:44.54\00:35:47.08
had their backs to the temple,
00:35:47.11\00:35:48.91
and they were
worshipping the sun.
00:35:48.94\00:35:51.05
We're not going to
read that passage again.
00:35:51.08\00:35:53.58
It's long, it's Ezekiel 8:16-17.
00:35:53.62\00:35:58.55
And somebody might
say, "Well, Pastor Bohr,
00:35:58.59\00:36:00.56
but it's not the
same to worship the sun,
00:36:00.59\00:36:02.62
as it is to worship
on the day of the sun."
00:36:02.66\00:36:04.53
I've covered this before,
but I want to do it again.
00:36:04.56\00:36:07.10
Because there might be people
00:36:07.13\00:36:08.53
watching this
presentation that did not see
00:36:08.56\00:36:10.40
the previous ones.
00:36:10.43\00:36:11.87
Isn't the same
to worship the sun
00:36:11.90\00:36:13.70
as it is to worship
on the day of the sun?
00:36:13.74\00:36:16.10
I say in principle, yes.
00:36:16.14\00:36:18.87
You say, "Why is that?"
00:36:18.91\00:36:20.64
Let me ask you
who created the sun?
00:36:20.68\00:36:22.88
God did?
00:36:22.91\00:36:24.25
Did He create
the sun for worship?
00:36:24.28\00:36:27.02
As an object of worship?
00:36:27.05\00:36:28.55
No.
00:36:28.58\00:36:29.92
It's a secular
object to give us light.
00:36:29.95\00:36:31.89
So what happens if you make
the sun an object of worship?
00:36:31.92\00:36:35.52
That's called idolatry.
00:36:35.56\00:36:37.79
Now, let me ask you
who created the first day
00:36:37.83\00:36:39.33
of the week?
00:36:39.36\00:36:40.80
God.
00:36:40.83\00:36:42.16
Did He create the first
day of the week for worship?
00:36:42.20\00:36:45.50
No, it's a work day,
six days you shall labor.
00:36:45.53\00:36:48.84
So what happens if you
make the first day of the week,
00:36:48.87\00:36:52.44
a day of worship?
00:36:52.47\00:36:53.91
It's idolatry.
00:36:53.94\00:36:55.28
It doesn't matter if
you make an object an object
00:36:55.31\00:36:58.35
of worship, or a
day a day of worship.
00:36:58.38\00:37:00.62
Anything that man makes
for worship is idolatry.
00:37:00.65\00:37:05.72
Ellen White wrote in
Great Controversy, page 389.
00:37:05.75\00:37:09.72
"When faithful teachers
expound the Word of God,
00:37:09.76\00:37:13.29
there arise men of learning,
00:37:13.33\00:37:15.66
ministers professing to
understand the Scriptures,
00:37:15.70\00:37:20.07
who denounce sound
doctrine as heresy,
00:37:20.10\00:37:23.61
and thus turn away
inquirers after truth."
00:37:23.64\00:37:27.04
What a tremendous responsibility
00:37:27.08\00:37:29.41
will fall upon ministers
00:37:29.44\00:37:31.01
who lead people astray.
00:37:31.05\00:37:32.38
She continues, "Were
it not that the world
00:37:32.41\00:37:35.68
is hopelessly intoxicated
with the wine of Babylon,
00:37:35.72\00:37:39.75
multitudes would be convicted
and converted by the plain,
00:37:39.79\00:37:43.93
cutting truths
of the Word of God.
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.23
However, religious
faith appears so confused,
00:37:46.26\00:37:50.07
which is the
meaning of the word Babylon,
00:37:50.10\00:37:52.40
and discordant
that the people know not
00:37:52.43\00:37:55.97
what to believe as truth.
00:37:56.00\00:37:58.17
The sin of the world's
impenitence lies at the door
00:37:58.21\00:38:03.01
of the church."
00:38:03.04\00:38:04.38
You see, the papacy supports
00:38:04.41\00:38:05.98
and teaches a
plethora of beliefs
00:38:06.01\00:38:08.78
and practices that either
are contrary to the Bible,
00:38:08.82\00:38:12.75
or they're
absent from the Bible.
00:38:12.79\00:38:16.02
Here are some of them.
00:38:16.06\00:38:17.46
None of these are in the Bible,
00:38:17.49\00:38:18.83
and many are
contrary to the Bible.
00:38:18.86\00:38:20.86
The sanctity of Sunday,
the union of church and state,
00:38:20.90\00:38:23.77
the sacrifice of the
mass, infant baptism, lent,
00:38:23.80\00:38:27.87
canonizing the saints,
praying to and for the saints,
00:38:27.90\00:38:31.37
lighting
candles, burning incense,
00:38:31.41\00:38:33.61
sprinkling holy
water, crafting idols
00:38:33.64\00:38:36.04
and bowing before them.
00:38:36.08\00:38:37.45
The use of holy vestments,
00:38:37.48\00:38:38.95
the Easter
cross on the forehead,
00:38:38.98\00:38:40.85
our regular confession
of sins to a mere man,
00:38:40.88\00:38:43.79
praying the rosary,
the sign of the cross,
00:38:43.82\00:38:46.22
celibacy, purgatory,
convents, monasteries,
00:38:46.25\00:38:50.53
I could continue the list.
00:38:50.56\00:38:52.06
It's endless.
00:38:52.09\00:38:53.43
None of these things
are condoned by the Bible,
00:38:53.46\00:38:56.13
and many of them
contradict the Bible.
00:38:56.16\00:38:59.97
You see the cup with the wine
00:39:00.00\00:39:01.50
not only
intoxicates those who drink it,
00:39:01.54\00:39:05.11
but it also calls it,
00:39:05.14\00:39:06.61
causes them to get angry
at those who don't drink.
00:39:06.64\00:39:10.55
Jeremiah 51:7
00:39:10.58\00:39:12.08
speaks about ancient Babylon.
00:39:12.11\00:39:14.68
And it says there,
00:39:14.72\00:39:16.35
Babylon was a golden cup
in the Lord's hand that made
00:39:16.38\00:39:20.36
all the earth drunk.
00:39:20.39\00:39:22.89
The nations drank her
wine that is the nations drank
00:39:22.92\00:39:25.99
the wine of Babylon,
and what was the result?
00:39:26.03\00:39:28.93
Therefore, the
nations are deranged.
00:39:28.96\00:39:33.44
I want to read another statement
00:39:33.47\00:39:34.80
that we find in
the book Testimonies
00:39:34.84\00:39:36.20
to Ministers, pages 61 and 62.
00:39:36.24\00:39:39.11
This is a powerful statement.
00:39:39.14\00:39:41.68
The fallen denominational
churches are Babylon.
00:39:41.71\00:39:45.21
Babylon has been
fostering poisonous doctrines,
00:39:45.25\00:39:48.72
the wine of error.
00:39:48.75\00:39:51.25
So the wine of error
is poisonous doctrines.
00:39:51.29\00:39:54.02
This wine of error is composed
of false doctrines such as
00:39:54.06\00:39:57.53
and now she's
going to give a sampling,
00:39:57.56\00:39:59.46
such as the natural
immortality of the soul,
00:39:59.49\00:40:02.40
the eternal torment of
the wicked that is a false
00:40:02.43\00:40:05.23
view of hell, the
denial of the preexistence
00:40:05.27\00:40:08.14
of Christ prior to
His birth in Bethlehem,
00:40:08.17\00:40:11.17
and advocating and exalting
the first day of the week
00:40:11.21\00:40:14.74
above God's holy
and sanctified day.
00:40:14.78\00:40:17.91
These and kindred errors,
00:40:17.95\00:40:20.18
see this is only a partial list,
00:40:20.22\00:40:21.95
are presented to the
world by the various churches,
00:40:21.98\00:40:25.19
and thus the Scriptures
are fulfilled that say,
00:40:25.22\00:40:28.32
for all nations
have drunk of the wine
00:40:28.36\00:40:30.79
of the wrath of her fornication.
00:40:30.83\00:40:33.13
It is a wrath that is
created by false doctrines.
00:40:33.16\00:40:36.83
And when kings and
presidents drink the wine
00:40:36.87\00:40:39.53
of the wrath of her fornication,
00:40:39.57\00:40:41.67
they are stirred with anger
00:40:41.70\00:40:43.57
against those who
will not come into harmony
00:40:43.61\00:40:46.74
with the false
and satanic heresies
00:40:46.78\00:40:49.28
which exalt the false Sabbath
00:40:49.31\00:40:51.51
and lead men to
trample underfoot
00:40:51.55\00:40:53.75
God's memorial.
00:40:53.78\00:40:56.69
The harlot and her daughters
00:40:56.72\00:40:58.75
have made the
multitudes spiritual alcoholics,
00:40:58.79\00:41:03.32
and they are so
addicted and intoxicated,
00:41:03.36\00:41:06.73
that it is virtually impossible
for people to think rationally,
00:41:06.76\00:41:11.27
and to grasp the truth.
00:41:11.30\00:41:13.34
The harlot spiritual
alcohol controls them.
00:41:13.37\00:41:17.14
It is impossible to
reason with a drunkard.
00:41:17.17\00:41:20.01
Drunkards are quite sure
that they know everything,
00:41:20.04\00:41:23.01
and will argue with you
until they are blue in the face.
00:41:23.04\00:41:26.95
Ellen White wrote in
the book Counsels to Writers
00:41:26.98\00:41:29.18
and Editors, page 47,
"Error is never harmless.
00:41:29.22\00:41:33.62
It never sanctifies,
but always brings confusion
00:41:33.66\00:41:37.49
and dissension.
00:41:37.53\00:41:39.13
Error is always dangerous.
00:41:39.16\00:41:41.43
The enemy has great
power over minds that are not
00:41:41.46\00:41:44.57
thoroughly fortified by prayer
00:41:44.60\00:41:46.63
and established in Bible truth."
00:41:46.67\00:41:50.11
So spiritual wine
does to people spiritually
00:41:50.14\00:41:54.34
what literal wine
does to people literally.
00:41:54.38\00:41:57.61
The alcohol clouds the mind,
00:41:57.65\00:42:00.38
makes it
impossible to think straight,
00:42:00.42\00:42:02.65
to make right decisions,
to distinguish between right
00:42:02.68\00:42:05.75
and wrong, the
holy and the common.
00:42:05.79\00:42:08.79
That's why God warned kings
and rulers not to drink wine,
00:42:08.82\00:42:12.43
because they wouldn't
be able to grasp the truth.
00:42:12.46\00:42:15.00
Proverbs 31:4-5 says, "It
is not for kings, O Lemuel,
00:42:15.03\00:42:20.04
it is not for
kings to drink wine,
00:42:20.07\00:42:22.70
nor for princess
intoxicating drink,
00:42:22.74\00:42:25.74
lest they drink,"
notice what result is,
00:42:25.77\00:42:28.58
"lest they drink
and forget the law,
00:42:28.61\00:42:31.21
and pervert the
justice of all the afflicted."
00:42:31.25\00:42:34.65
Wow!
00:42:34.68\00:42:36.15
Leviticus 10:8-11 describes
the story of Nadab and Abihu
00:42:36.18\00:42:40.62
who offered common
fire as if it were holy.
00:42:40.66\00:42:45.13
Let's read those verses.
00:42:45.16\00:42:46.70
"Then the Lord
spoke to Aaron saying,
00:42:46.73\00:42:49.20
'Do not drink wine
or intoxicating drink,
00:42:49.23\00:42:52.30
you nor your sons with you,
when you go into the tabernacle
00:42:52.33\00:42:55.60
of meeting, lest you die."
00:42:55.64\00:42:57.31
This is after Nadab and
Abihu who were consumed by fire.
00:42:57.34\00:43:00.04
God says don't drink
wine or intoxicating drink.
00:43:00.08\00:43:03.58
"It shall be a statute forever
throughout your generations."
00:43:03.61\00:43:06.88
Why weren't the
priests to drink wine?
00:43:06.92\00:43:09.18
Because it says in verse 10,
00:43:09.22\00:43:11.02
"That you may
distinguish between the holy
00:43:11.05\00:43:15.26
and the unholy, and
between the unclean and clean,
00:43:15.29\00:43:19.79
and also that you
may teach the children
00:43:19.83\00:43:22.73
of Israel all the statutes
00:43:22.76\00:43:24.77
which the Lord has spoken
to them by the hand of Moses."
00:43:24.80\00:43:29.87
We have the story
in Daniel Chapter 5
00:43:29.90\00:43:32.57
of King Belshazzar, who knew
the story of Nebuchadnezzar's
00:43:32.61\00:43:36.34
insanity for seven years.
00:43:36.38\00:43:38.38
He knew that Nebuchadnezzar
had become boastful.
00:43:38.41\00:43:41.25
And God humbled him and
then returned his reason to him.
00:43:41.28\00:43:45.35
And yet, in spite of the
fact that Belshazzar knew
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.59
all of this, we
are told in Daniel 5,
00:43:47.62\00:43:50.46
that he brought the
holy vessel from the temple
00:43:50.49\00:43:53.29
to drink wine out of them.
00:43:53.33\00:43:55.43
Let's read it in Daniel 5:1-4.
00:43:55.46\00:43:58.70
"Belshazzar the king made
a great feast for a thousand
00:43:58.73\00:44:02.24
of his lords, and
drank wine in the presence
00:44:02.27\00:44:05.57
of the thousand."
00:44:05.61\00:44:07.01
And now notice,
what's the result?
00:44:07.04\00:44:08.88
"While he tasted the
wine, Belshazzar gave
00:44:08.91\00:44:12.45
the command to bring the gold
00:44:12.48\00:44:13.88
and silver vessels that
his father Nebuchadnezzar
00:44:13.92\00:44:16.22
had taken from the temple
that had been in Jerusalem,
00:44:16.25\00:44:19.32
that the king and his lords,
his wives, and its concubines
00:44:19.35\00:44:22.36
might drink from them,
taking holy vessels to drink
00:44:22.39\00:44:25.93
wine from."
00:44:25.96\00:44:27.46
Verse 3, "Then they brought
the gold vessels that had been
00:44:27.50\00:44:30.53
taken from the
temple of the house of God,
00:44:30.57\00:44:33.03
which that had
been in Jerusalem,
00:44:33.07\00:44:36.10
and the king and
his lords, his wife
00:44:36.14\00:44:37.97
and his
concubines drank from them,
00:44:38.01\00:44:40.21
they drank wine,
and what is the result?
00:44:40.24\00:44:43.41
Idolatry.
00:44:43.45\00:44:44.78
They praise the gods of
gold and silver, bronze,
00:44:44.81\00:44:48.58
iron, wood and stone.
00:44:48.62\00:44:51.72
Ellen White wrote a
very interesting statement
00:44:51.75\00:44:54.39
about the danger of
replacing the Sabbath
00:44:54.42\00:44:59.56
and putting Sunday in its place.
00:44:59.59\00:45:01.93
She wrote this, but
this day that is Sunday,
00:45:01.96\00:45:05.30
so universally
exalted is a spurious Sabbath,
00:45:05.33\00:45:10.07
a common working day.
00:45:10.11\00:45:12.57
It is accepted in the
place of the day that the Lord
00:45:12.61\00:45:16.24
has blessed and sanctified.
00:45:16.28\00:45:18.21
But the sure
result of this course
00:45:18.25\00:45:20.38
may be seen in the punishment
that fell upon Nadab and Abihu,
00:45:20.42\00:45:24.19
the sons of Aaron.
00:45:24.22\00:45:25.65
As priests of God, these
men had been commanded to offer
00:45:25.69\00:45:28.89
always the fire of
God's own kindling,
00:45:28.92\00:45:31.79
which was kept burning
before God day and night.
00:45:31.83\00:45:35.10
This was ever to
be strictly observed,
00:45:35.13\00:45:38.53
but Nadab and Abihu
drank wine too freely.
00:45:38.57\00:45:42.10
And because of this,
their minds were not keen,
00:45:42.14\00:45:45.34
but confused, and they
were unable to distinguish
00:45:45.37\00:45:49.28
between the
sacred and the common.
00:45:49.31\00:45:53.08
Are you catching the picture?
00:45:53.11\00:45:55.02
How do you suppose
God feels when people say,
00:45:55.05\00:45:58.05
"Well, I know that the
Bible says that the seventh day
00:45:58.09\00:46:01.82
is holy, but I'm going to
keep the first day instead.
00:46:01.86\00:46:05.89
God is going to have
to then apologize to Nadab
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.83
and Abihu, because
they took something common
00:46:08.86\00:46:11.27
and they made it holy.
00:46:11.30\00:46:13.34
How do you suppose God feels
about human beings changing
00:46:13.37\00:46:16.57
His divine legislation?
00:46:16.60\00:46:18.51
Puny, weak human beings,
00:46:18.54\00:46:21.98
very important.
00:46:22.01\00:46:24.81
The harlot sheds the
blood of God's faithful people.
00:46:24.85\00:46:29.02
Revelation 17:6 says,
00:46:29.05\00:46:30.75
"I saw the woman drunk
with the blood of the saints,
00:46:30.79\00:46:33.05
with the blood of
the martyrs of Jesus.
00:46:33.09\00:46:34.92
And when I saw her,
00:46:34.96\00:46:36.29
I marveled with
great amazement."
00:46:36.32\00:46:37.66
Shedding of blood was
an abomination as well.
00:46:37.69\00:46:39.83
I hope you're understanding
all of these abominations.
00:46:39.86\00:46:42.03
Every single one of them
00:46:42.06\00:46:43.43
is practiced by the
Roman Catholic papacy.
00:46:43.47\00:46:45.97
And Protestants practice
00:46:46.00\00:46:47.57
many of these characteristics
because they are the daughter
00:46:47.60\00:46:51.11
of a harlot.
00:46:51.14\00:46:53.58
What is going to come as
a result of this apostasy?
00:46:53.61\00:46:56.44
Destruction.
00:46:56.48\00:46:58.01
Revelation 6:14-17,
00:46:58.05\00:47:00.92
describe what is
going to take place.
00:47:00.95\00:47:03.39
The sky receded as a
scroll when it is rolled up,
00:47:03.42\00:47:07.62
and every mountain and island
was moved out of its place.
00:47:07.66\00:47:10.36
And the kings of the earth,
the great men, the rich men,
00:47:10.39\00:47:13.03
the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave,
00:47:13.06\00:47:15.16
and every free man,
hid themselves in the caves
00:47:15.20\00:47:17.83
and in the rocks
of the mountains,
00:47:17.87\00:47:19.53
and said to the
mountains and rocks,
00:47:19.57\00:47:21.67
'Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:47:21.70\00:47:24.14
who sits on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb!
00:47:24.17\00:47:26.81
For the great day
of His wrath has come
00:47:26.84\00:47:28.54
and who is able to stand?'"
00:47:28.58\00:47:31.51
However, just like
in the Old Testament,
00:47:31.55\00:47:34.08
before the destruction comes,
there is going to be a sealing
00:47:34.12\00:47:39.15
process, a seal is going
to be placed on the foreheads
00:47:39.19\00:47:43.93
of those who sigh and cry
because of the abominations
00:47:43.96\00:47:47.93
that are being committed
in the religious world.
00:47:47.96\00:47:51.10
Revelation 7:1-3
describes that sealing.
00:47:51.13\00:47:54.84
It says, "After these things,
00:47:54.87\00:47:56.54
I saw four angels
standing at the four corners
00:47:56.57\00:47:58.87
of the earth."
00:47:58.91\00:48:00.24
Remember, the four
corners in the Old Testament,
00:48:00.28\00:48:01.61
you know, when
the angels released
00:48:01.64\00:48:03.01
the winds from the four corners,
00:48:03.04\00:48:05.68
the entire world, the
four corners of the world
00:48:05.71\00:48:08.82
will have the worst tribulation
in the history of this planet.
00:48:08.85\00:48:13.09
So it says, "After these things,
00:48:13.12\00:48:14.46
I saw four angels standing at
the four corners of the earth,
00:48:14.49\00:48:17.53
holding the four
winds of the earth,
00:48:17.56\00:48:19.56
that the wind should
not blow on the earth,
00:48:19.59\00:48:21.46
on the sea, or on any tree.
00:48:21.50\00:48:23.60
Then I saw another
angel ascending from the east,
00:48:23.63\00:48:26.30
having the seal of a living God,
00:48:26.33\00:48:29.00
and he cried with a loud
voice to the four angels to whom
00:48:29.04\00:48:31.71
it was granted to harm
the earth and the sea."
00:48:31.74\00:48:33.84
Remember the man clothed
in linen in the Old Testament.
00:48:33.88\00:48:37.48
Verse 3, "Saying,
'Do not harm the earth,
00:48:37.51\00:48:40.45
the sea, or the
trees till we have sealed
00:48:40.48\00:48:43.65
the servants of our
God on their foreheads."
00:48:43.69\00:48:47.22
But the opposite
of the seal of God
00:48:47.26\00:48:48.96
is the mark of the beast.
00:48:48.99\00:48:50.53
Revelation 13:16,
00:48:50.56\00:48:53.06
speaking about this beast
that rises from the earth,
00:48:53.09\00:48:55.56
apostate
Protestantism doing the biddings
00:48:55.60\00:48:58.13
of the mother from
which they were born.
00:48:58.17\00:49:00.87
It says, "He causes
all, both small and great,
00:49:00.90\00:49:04.54
rich and poor, free
and slave, to receive
00:49:04.57\00:49:07.61
a mark on their right
hand or on their foreheads."
00:49:07.64\00:49:11.35
So the wicked receive a
mark on their foreheads,
00:49:11.38\00:49:13.92
the righteous receive
a mark on their foreheads
00:49:13.95\00:49:16.05
before the destruction.
00:49:16.08\00:49:18.19
describes the seal of God.
00:49:18.22\00:49:21.22
"Then I looked, and behold,
a Lamb standing on Mount Zion,
00:49:21.26\00:49:24.79
and with him 144,000
00:49:24.83\00:49:27.13
having His Father's name
written on their foreheads."
00:49:27.16\00:49:32.07
You see the reason
why God calls His people,
00:49:32.10\00:49:34.90
His faithful people
to worship the Creator,
00:49:34.94\00:49:38.34
and to keep His holy
Sabbath is because at the end,
00:49:38.37\00:49:41.24
virtually the entire
world is going to be observing
00:49:41.28\00:49:44.81
the day of the sun.
00:49:44.85\00:49:46.28
That's why Revelation 14:7,
00:49:46.31\00:49:48.08
the first angel's
message says, the following,
00:49:48.12\00:49:51.05
"Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:49:51.09\00:49:53.89
for the hour of
His judgment has come
00:49:53.92\00:49:57.03
and worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:49:57.06\00:49:59.93
the sea and springs of water."
00:49:59.96\00:50:01.30
And, of course,
Genesis tells us the sign
00:50:01.33\00:50:04.00
of the Creator
is the holy Sabbath.
00:50:04.03\00:50:08.50
Those who have the
mark of the beast will drink
00:50:08.54\00:50:10.84
the wine of God's
wrath, just like we saw
00:50:10.87\00:50:13.78
with Old Testament Israel.
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.38
We're told in the
third angel's message,
00:50:15.41\00:50:17.38
Revelation 14:9,
00:50:17.41\00:50:19.51
"Then a third
angel followed them
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.02
saying with a loud voice,
00:50:21.05\00:50:22.55
'If anyone worships
the beast and his image
00:50:22.58\00:50:24.99
and receives his mark on
his forehead or on his hand,
00:50:25.02\00:50:28.02
he himself shall
also drink of the wine
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.69
of the wrath of God,
00:50:30.73\00:50:32.16
which is poured out
full strength into the cup
00:50:32.19\00:50:35.20
of His indignation.
00:50:35.23\00:50:38.67
Incidentally, at the very end,
00:50:38.70\00:50:42.34
the kings of the earth,
00:50:42.37\00:50:44.51
and even the multitudes
are going to hate this harlot,
00:50:44.54\00:50:49.81
who deceived them.
00:50:49.84\00:50:52.01
You find this in
Revelation 17:16.
00:50:52.05\00:50:57.15
You see, it says there,
00:50:57.19\00:50:59.45
"And the ten horns
which you saw on the beast,
00:50:59.49\00:51:02.42
these will hate the
harlot, make her desolate
00:51:02.46\00:51:06.70
and naked, eat her
flesh and burn her with fire."
00:51:06.73\00:51:11.90
But as with the destruction
of Jerusalem, the first time,
00:51:11.93\00:51:14.74
there will be a
faithful remnant who sighs
00:51:14.77\00:51:16.77
and cries and do not
practice these abominations.
00:51:16.81\00:51:20.61
In the second
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:51:20.64\00:51:22.51
before that, you
find God's people fleeing,
00:51:22.54\00:51:26.51
the apostate people staying,
and those who fled were spared,
00:51:26.55\00:51:31.02
because they sighed and cried,
00:51:31.05\00:51:32.99
because the
Messiah had been rejected
00:51:33.02\00:51:36.76
by the people.
00:51:36.79\00:51:39.63
So God gives a special
call to His faithful people
00:51:39.66\00:51:44.57
who are in Babylon,
who have drunk this wine.
00:51:44.60\00:51:48.34
He wants them to sober up.
00:51:48.37\00:51:50.97
He wants them to
be on the right side.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.74
He wants them to
receive the seal of God,
00:51:52.77\00:51:54.84
not the mark of the beast.
00:51:54.88\00:51:56.21
So he's gonna give one
last warning to the world,
00:51:56.24\00:52:00.42
making a call to them.
00:52:00.45\00:52:02.52
Let's notice that
in Revelation 18:1,
00:52:02.55\00:52:08.36
"After these things,
00:52:08.39\00:52:10.23
I saw another angel
coming down from heaven,
00:52:10.26\00:52:13.19
having great authority,
00:52:13.23\00:52:15.36
and the earth was
illuminated with his glory."
00:52:15.40\00:52:19.43
In other words, this
is not a literal angel.
00:52:19.47\00:52:22.60
This is a message that
is imparted to the world
00:52:22.64\00:52:26.31
by a group of people on earth.
00:52:26.34\00:52:28.54
It's just like the
three angels' messages.
00:52:28.58\00:52:30.55
You don't see an angel
whizzed through heavens,
00:52:30.58\00:52:32.68
preaching the everlasting
gospel, another, whizzing
00:52:32.71\00:52:34.98
through heaven preaching
about the fall of Babylon,
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.29
another one
whizzing across the sky,
00:52:37.32\00:52:40.12
preaching against the mark
of the beast and his image.
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.39
No, this is
referring to an angelic
00:52:42.42\00:52:45.43
message that is
imparted to the human race,
00:52:45.46\00:52:48.16
by human beings who
sigh and cry because
00:52:48.20\00:52:51.60
of the abominations
that are taking place.
00:52:51.63\00:52:53.97
That glory of this angel is
going to fill the entire world.
00:52:54.00\00:52:57.51
Now let me ask you.
00:52:57.54\00:52:58.91
What will be the condition
00:52:58.94\00:53:00.31
of the spiritual
world at that time Babylon?
00:53:00.34\00:53:03.28
Babylon is
composed of three parts,
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.18
the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet.
00:53:05.21\00:53:07.42
The dragon represents the
civil powers of the world,
00:53:07.45\00:53:10.55
of course, influenced by Satan.
00:53:10.59\00:53:12.85
The beast represents the papacy,
00:53:12.89\00:53:14.89
and the false prophet,
00:53:14.92\00:53:16.26
or the beast that
rises from the earth
00:53:16.29\00:53:18.49
represents apostate
Protestantism, the daughters
00:53:18.53\00:53:21.56
who were born from the mother.
00:53:21.60\00:53:25.03
So what condition is
Babylon going to be in
00:53:25.07\00:53:28.00
when this message is imparted?
00:53:28.04\00:53:30.34
It says there
in Revelation 18:2,
00:53:30.37\00:53:34.48
"And he cried mightily
with a loud voice, saying,
00:53:34.51\00:53:38.35
'Babylon the great,
is fallen, is fallen,
00:53:38.38\00:53:42.28
and has become a
dwelling place of demons,
00:53:42.32\00:53:45.85
a prison for every false spirit,
00:53:45.89\00:53:48.39
and a cage for every
unclean and hated third!"
00:53:48.42\00:53:52.39
That's a terrible denunciation
00:53:52.43\00:53:54.73
of what the condition
of the religious world
00:53:54.76\00:53:57.40
is going to be
at the end of time.
00:53:57.43\00:54:00.70
Notice verse 3, for all nations.
00:54:00.74\00:54:04.61
Why? Why did Babylon fall?
00:54:04.64\00:54:07.28
"For all nations
have drunk of the wine
00:54:07.31\00:54:10.78
of the wrath of her fornication,
00:54:10.81\00:54:13.15
the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her,
00:54:13.18\00:54:17.72
and the merchants of
the earth have become rich
00:54:17.75\00:54:20.89
through the
abundance of her luxury."
00:54:20.92\00:54:22.46
It even speaks about
the economies of the world.
00:54:22.49\00:54:27.03
And then I want you to notice
the last point that we find
00:54:27.06\00:54:30.73
here in this
passage in Revelation 18:4.
00:54:30.77\00:54:36.04
You see, most of
God's true people
00:54:36.07\00:54:38.67
now are in Babylon.
00:54:38.71\00:54:41.18
You say, "Now wait a minute,
00:54:41.21\00:54:42.54
are they Babylonian?"
00:54:42.58\00:54:43.91
No, they're not Babylonian.
00:54:43.95\00:54:45.28
They're in Babylon.
00:54:45.31\00:54:46.65
It's just like Lot was in Sodom,
00:54:46.68\00:54:48.88
but Lot was not of Sodom.
00:54:48.92\00:54:51.32
On the other hand,
Lot's wife was in Sodom,
00:54:51.35\00:54:55.02
and she was of Sodom.
00:54:55.06\00:54:57.13
And that's why
she was destroyed.
00:54:57.16\00:54:59.23
There will be a faithful
group in all of the churches.
00:54:59.26\00:55:03.40
Don't get me
wrong, I'm not saying
00:55:03.43\00:55:04.83
Seventh-day
Adventists are the only,
00:55:04.87\00:55:06.47
the only people in the world
that are going to be saved.
00:55:06.50\00:55:08.40
No, there are
multitudes of people in all
00:55:08.44\00:55:10.91
of the current
churches, Catholic, Protestant,
00:55:10.94\00:55:13.64
you name it, who are sincere.
00:55:13.68\00:55:15.88
They love Jesus,
they serve Him to the best
00:55:15.91\00:55:18.88
of their knowledge and ability.
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.42
They don't know these things.
00:55:20.45\00:55:22.52
And when they know these things,
00:55:22.55\00:55:24.45
they are going to
respond to a special call
00:55:24.49\00:55:27.56
that we find in verse 4
of Revelation Chapter 18.
00:55:27.59\00:55:32.49
"And I heard another
voice from heaven saying,
00:55:32.53\00:55:36.77
'Come out of her,"
that is come out of Babylon,
00:55:36.80\00:55:40.57
my people, so God has
the people in Babylon.
00:55:40.60\00:55:42.87
"Come out of her, my people."
00:55:42.90\00:55:45.27
Why?
00:55:45.31\00:55:46.64
"Lest you share in her sins,
00:55:46.68\00:55:49.48
and lest you receive
00:55:49.51\00:55:52.38
her plagues."
00:55:52.41\00:55:55.55
So you'll notice here,
that God gives a final call
00:55:55.58\00:55:58.75
to come out of apostasy
00:55:58.79\00:56:00.12
and embrace the
fullness of truth,
00:56:00.16\00:56:03.02
as we find it in God's Word.
00:56:03.06\00:56:06.63
So some people say,
00:56:06.66\00:56:08.00
so you're saying
that the final conflict
00:56:08.03\00:56:09.36
is going to be
whether we keep Sabbath
00:56:09.40\00:56:10.73
or keep Sunday?
00:56:10.77\00:56:12.27
Yes, absolutely.
00:56:12.30\00:56:14.47
But I want you to understand
that the final conflict
00:56:14.50\00:56:16.91
is not primarily a
conflict over days,
00:56:16.94\00:56:19.84
but over the authority
that stands behind the days.
00:56:19.87\00:56:23.78
You see, if you keep Sunday,
00:56:23.81\00:56:26.11
you're saying I
accept the authority
00:56:26.15\00:56:28.02
of the power that
claims to establish the Sunday
00:56:28.05\00:56:30.95
as the day of worship.
00:56:30.99\00:56:32.72
If you keep the Sabbath,
00:56:32.75\00:56:34.09
you're saying I'm
accepting the authority
00:56:34.12\00:56:36.59
of the divine law giver
00:56:36.62\00:56:38.23
who said that you're
supposed to keep the Sabbath.
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.13
So behind the issue
of the days is authority.
00:56:41.16\00:56:45.77
God is testing
whose authority we accept.
00:56:45.80\00:56:49.74
Do we accept God's authority
00:56:49.77\00:56:51.84
who says that
we're supposed to keep
00:56:51.87\00:56:53.21
the Sabbath in honor
of our wonderful Creator?
00:56:53.24\00:56:56.71
Or do we accept and
follow the observance of Sunday,
00:56:56.75\00:57:01.18
as the Pope says
we're supposed to do,
00:57:01.22\00:57:04.09
and accept the authority
00:57:04.12\00:57:05.92
of the papacy in
the day that we worship?
00:57:05.95\00:57:09.09
So behind the days
is the issue of worship.
00:57:09.12\00:57:13.16
Just like behind the
tree in the Garden of Eden,
00:57:13.19\00:57:15.36
the issue was,
would Adam and Eve
00:57:15.40\00:57:17.30
live by God's authority,
00:57:17.33\00:57:18.87
or would they live
by Satan's authority?
00:57:18.90\00:57:21.94
So the issue is not only days,
00:57:21.97\00:57:25.07
the days are only
the way in which God
00:57:25.11\00:57:27.81
tests us to see which
authority we will accept.
00:57:27.84\00:57:33.28
And there are
people who are saying,
00:57:33.31\00:57:34.65
"Pastor Bohr, you're crazy.
00:57:34.68\00:57:36.02
There's never going
to be a Sunday law."
00:57:36.05\00:57:37.55
Believe me, there will be.
00:57:37.59\00:57:40.02
Listen to the next lectures
that we're going to study.
00:57:40.06\00:57:42.69
We're going to find
that in the United States,
00:57:42.72\00:57:44.56
there was an
attempt in the 1860s, 1870s,
00:57:44.59\00:57:48.46
and 1880s to have a Sunday law.
00:57:48.50\00:57:51.27
And there are rumblings
today in the United States
00:57:51.30\00:57:54.64
and in the world, clamoring
for a Sunday day of rest.
00:57:54.67\00:57:58.64
So don't miss
00:57:58.67\00:58:00.31
the next exciting study
in this series on Matthew 24.
00:58:00.34\00:58:04.31