This is 3ABN Now with
John and Rosemary Malkiewycz.
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Welcome to our program.
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Have we got a
program for you today?
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What do you think, John?
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I think so. It's
very current, isn't it?
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Yes.
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It's pestilence,
pandemic and prophecy.
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Now you'll want to watch this
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and you'll want to get
other people to watch it.
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Because we have two
special guests here,
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they've been with us
before together and separately,
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Pastor Danny Melenkov
and Pastor Peter Watts.
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Welcome both of you.
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Thank you so
much. And you know what?
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They are special,
they're evangelists.
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They have one
purpose in their mind
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and that's get you the viewer
to know the facts in the Bible
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as pertaining to prophecy.
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It's very important
what's happening right now
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amongst us in the world.
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These are unprecedented
times, but they are telling us
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that the coming of
Jesus is very soon.
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So I'm looking forward
to what they have to say.
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Yes.
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We always have a
power packed program
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when we have
either or both of you.
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And so thank you
for coming today.
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I'm really excited.
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And this program is
part of two programs,
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where we are going to be
talking about current events
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and Bible
prophecy and God's remedy.
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Is that right
during these two programs?
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So stay tuned,
enjoy this program
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because I know
that I'm going to.
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I've had a sneak preview.
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John?
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Well, we have a Bible text
and it's found in John 16:33,
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and the Bible says very clearly,
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"These things,
have I spoken unto you,
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that in Me you might have peace.
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In the world, you
shall have tribulation,
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but be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world."
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Isn't that a wonderful
text, an encouraging text?
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Danny, you chose that.
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Amen.
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Yes, I love that scripture
because it tells us that
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no matter what's
going on around us,
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we can have peace
because Jesus is in control
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and He wants to
be in our hearts.
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And I think that's a
very applicable verse
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for the times that
we're living in right now.
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If Jesus wants to be
part of our everyday life
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that no matter what is happening
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in our lives or
happening around us,
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we can have peace in
the midst of the storm.
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That's right.
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If you have the
Prince of Peace in your life,
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you have
nothing to be afraid of.
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Very good.
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You can see the
world gripped in fear
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with this COVID-19 virus,
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but the Bible is
offering something that I'm sure
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every one of us
wants and that's peace.
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We're going to unpack
that a little bit today.
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Yeah.
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I really love this
verse because it demonstrates
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that God knows the troubles
that we're going to go through.
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It's not that He's
unaware and it's not a,
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that's what I loved
about learning about the Bible
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is that it was about a real God
interacting with real people,
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in a real world.
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A world that we have
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trials and
tribulations and struggles in,
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but God says, I know that,
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but I want you
to have peace in me.
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And that's the
wonderful part of that verse.
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I like that in a real
world, we all have trials.
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We all have troubles
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and a real God
wants to associate with us
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in the midst of all of that.
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Very good.
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And the Bible illustrates that,
you look at the Bible stories
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and people went
through some horrific things.
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They still do.
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And those who trusted
in God got through it.
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Not necessarily unscathed,
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they didn't
necessarily keep their life,
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but they got
through it in peace,
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in trusting God
regardless of the outcome.
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And they have an
eternal life to look forward to.
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So which one of
you is going to lead us
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on this journey today?
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I think Danny is
going to dive in first.
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Okay.
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Well, yeah, as you shared,
there's a lot to unpack today
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and in these two presentations
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that we'll be doing
this week and next week,
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we're simply looking
to provide an overview,
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take a look at the big picture
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of not only what's taking place,
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but more importantly,
where is it all leading to?
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We're going to be taking a
look at some of the prophetic
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significance of the
times that we are living in.
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So that's why we've entitled it,
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"Pestilence,
Pandemic, and Prophecy."
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And so the first
thing... Three Ps.
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Yeah, they're three
Ps, easy to remember.
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So the first
thing I want to really
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tap into is just take
us back a couple of months,
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I guess, toward the
beginning of the year,
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and many of your subscribers
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would know those that
have bumped into me on 3ABN
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will know that I
subscribe to 3ABN,
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I mean,
subscribe to Time Magazine
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and I subscribe to 3ABN as well.
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And so each week I get
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the latest Time
Magazine in my mail.
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And at the
beginning of February,
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this was the front cover
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and we have it up
there on the screen.
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And it was a fascinating
front cover dated February 17
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of this year, 2020,
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and the front cover pointed out
that the Coronavirus, COVID-19
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as we well know it
now began in China.
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And it was wondering
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how would China deal
with this horrible outbreak,
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this horrible disease
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that had come into
its territory yet again,
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preventing the next outbreak,
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the economic threat.
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So we've gone from
what was China's test,
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little did anyone know
back then in early February
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that it would be the world test
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and we don't need
to be reminded of that.
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So it's fascinating how quickly
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things have really
moved with this pandemic?
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Well, that's the thing,
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I've been often
reminded in myself
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that we're told
the last movement
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shall be rapid ones.
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And this has moved so rapidly.
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Times, laws, all sorts of things
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have changed so quickly,
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people's health and
then suddenly dying.
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Yeah, none of us
would have imagined,
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Christmas time that we
would be in this scenario.
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I just, you know,
nobody was predicting
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this scale of event,
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even though we're going
to look at some news articles
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that tell us that
people were concerned
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that there was something
that may be in the future.
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But we sort of never
imagined that this year
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would be like the way it's been.
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Well, we started the year,
we had drought in Australia,
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then we had bushfires,
then we had some floods
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and then we have
pandemic, pestilence.
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And, sort of, it sounds
like a biblical scenario.
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Yeah.
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It's been one
thing after the other,
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like a tsunami it has really
swept through the entire world
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and tipped our world
upside down as we well know.
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Yeah.
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So it keeps going.
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So, since the
Coronavirus crisis has begun,
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ABC have put
together a daily podcast,
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which is called the Coronacast
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and Dr. Norman Swan is
on that on a daily basis.
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And it's just a
short 10 minute thing,
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but it's a daily kind of update
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on where we are
with the Coronavirus,
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the government regulations,
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where the medical profession
is in terms of looking
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for a vaccine and so forth.
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And so, it's an
interesting listen.
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But on the Coronavirus...
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I think the dates on the
quote on the screen here.
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Yeah, 23rd of
April on the Coronacast.
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The host was saying,
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"While scientists
predicted a pandemic
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from a
Coronavirus way back in 2015."
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I was listening to
this as I was driving my car
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and thinking, wow,
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you know, that
they had predicted
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that this could happen.
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And Dr. Norman Swan said,
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"This is a study in
Nature Medicine from 2015.
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The Laboratory of
Special Pathogens and Biosafety
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in the Wuhan
Institute of Virology
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at the Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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And they were part,
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a key part of this
group that did the study.
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And they
probably looked at viruses
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in the horse shoe
bat population, sorry,
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not probably they
particularly, I got that wrong.
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They
particularly looked at viruses
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in the horse
shoe bat population."
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And their final
line in that report said,
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"Our work
suggests a potential risk
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of a SARS COVID
re-emergence from viruses
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currently
circulated in bat populations."
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So that was fascinating
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because that was a research
in Wuhan, China in 2015.
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And that's what they
were concerned about.
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So it's whilst for
most of us, I guess,
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this has come out of the blue
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and we weren't expecting
anything of this nature.
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There have been some concerns
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amongst those in the scientific
and medical profession
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that this could
happen somewhere sometime.
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Mm-hmm.
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It's interesting that,
no, when you read that,
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these are viruses
within the different animals.
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In this particular case,
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within bats
they have this virus.
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And it seems that
somewhere along the line,
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it jumped over
into human beings.
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It's not meant to be a
human disease, a human virus.
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And so these
animals get these viruses
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and we somehow get them,
yeah, we'll discuss that matter.
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We'll be talking about that
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a little bit
later in the program,
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but, yeah, the fact
that it was something
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that they had been looking
at and in particularly in Wuhan,
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China was quite
remarkable that was reported.
00:10:01.96\00:10:06.27
You know, Peter, when I think of
00:10:06.30\00:10:07.64
how civilization has advanced
00:10:07.67\00:10:10.01
and we travel now so
easily all around the world.
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You can understand
where something starts
00:10:14.31\00:10:16.38
in one place can just go
straight across the world.
00:10:16.41\00:10:21.02
And Wuhan was a place
where people were communing,
00:10:21.05\00:10:23.75
you know, going to, because
it's a distribution center
00:10:23.79\00:10:26.09
of all the products
that are produced in China,
00:10:26.12\00:10:29.46
and you can go there
to that place and see
00:10:29.49\00:10:31.79
all the IT equipment
and everything it's there.
00:10:31.83\00:10:35.40
And so people
travel there in and out.
00:10:35.43\00:10:38.77
So you can see how a
pandemic can arise so quickly
00:10:38.80\00:10:42.57
because of how we
travel in the world.
00:10:42.60\00:10:44.61
And we also know
how it could be stopped
00:10:44.64\00:10:46.91
by stopping the travel.
00:10:46.94\00:10:48.28
That's right.
00:10:48.31\00:10:49.64
Well, see, I was
reading that the Spanish flu,
00:10:49.68\00:10:53.01
it's only called Spanish flu
00:10:53.05\00:10:54.38
because that's when it
first really became identified,
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.69
but it was taken
around the world by people
00:10:56.72\00:11:00.62
leaving the First World War
and going back to their homes.
00:11:00.66\00:11:04.29
And so it was taken to
the US and other places
00:11:04.33\00:11:06.80
by these soldiers
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.46
who actually first
caught it in France and places,
00:11:08.50\00:11:12.93
and they took it
to their countries.
00:11:12.97\00:11:16.20
And that's how it
travelled. That's right.
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.31
And you mentioned
earlier, Rosemary,
00:11:18.34\00:11:21.11
that in the last few
months, or in the last,
00:11:21.14\00:11:24.61
I guess several
years in Australia here,
00:11:24.65\00:11:26.51
we've had famines and
followed by bushfires,
00:11:26.55\00:11:30.22
followed by a season of
floods, and now the pandemic.
00:11:30.25\00:11:33.22
And I've been tracking
00:11:33.25\00:11:35.56
what has become known
as the doomsday clock.
00:11:35.59\00:11:39.26
For a number of years
now, since I first came across
00:11:39.29\00:11:42.76
this concept or came
across this scientific agency,
00:11:42.80\00:11:47.24
The Bulletin of
Scientific scientists
00:11:47.27\00:11:50.34
that got together
after World War II
00:11:50.37\00:11:52.47
in order to try and help
the international community
00:11:52.51\00:11:57.05
avoid a nuclear fallout.
00:11:57.08\00:11:59.21
And so they came up
with a doomsday clock.
00:11:59.25\00:12:02.95
This symbol of where humanity
was in the stream of time.
00:12:02.98\00:12:07.62
And I think we have that up
on the screen there for you.
00:12:07.66\00:12:10.46
We have the doomsday
clock and where it is now.
00:12:10.49\00:12:13.96
Midnight is doomsday.
00:12:14.00\00:12:15.76
Midnight is the apocalypse.
00:12:15.80\00:12:18.17
And notice these words,
00:12:18.20\00:12:20.60
"Doomsday clock nears apocalypse
00:12:20.64\00:12:23.07
over climate and nuclear fears.
00:12:23.10\00:12:25.74
The symbolic doomsday
clock, which indicates how close
00:12:25.77\00:12:28.78
our planet is to
complete annihilation
00:12:28.81\00:12:31.38
is now only 100
seconds away from midnight.
00:12:31.41\00:12:35.58
So we've been moving
from minutes to midnight,
00:12:35.62\00:12:40.02
and there's another graph there
where you can take a look at
00:12:40.06\00:12:42.82
and you can see since
it's an inception in 1947,
00:12:42.86\00:12:46.80
you can see the doomsday clock
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.16
has been going
down to begin with.
00:12:48.20\00:12:50.43
And then it went up.
00:12:50.47\00:12:51.80
So things were a little
bit more steady in the world.
00:12:51.83\00:12:54.57
There was a lot
more peace and stability.
00:12:54.60\00:12:57.14
And then you can see,
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.21
we start heading down
as we move down towards
00:12:59.24\00:13:03.24
the early 80s,
00:13:03.28\00:13:05.28
and then the peace
begins to increase in the world.
00:13:05.31\00:13:08.98
And there's more
security it seems up until 1991.
00:13:09.02\00:13:13.22
And then notice, from
1991 it's all downhill.
00:13:13.25\00:13:17.06
So for the last, I
guess, three decades,
00:13:17.09\00:13:19.79
it's been all downhill,
00:13:19.83\00:13:21.86
and now we're no longer
talking minutes to midnight.
00:13:21.90\00:13:24.77
Now the scientists
speaking of seconds to midnight,
00:13:24.80\00:13:28.27
100 seconds to midnight.
00:13:28.30\00:13:30.17
Before this, the
closest to midnight
00:13:30.21\00:13:33.48
that we were was
two minutes to midnight,
00:13:33.51\00:13:36.01
once at the beginning
00:13:36.04\00:13:37.38
of when the clock was
first brought into play.
00:13:37.41\00:13:41.25
And just over the
last couple of years,
00:13:41.28\00:13:43.59
but now we're only a
100 seconds to midnight.
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.05
So we're getting
00:13:46.09\00:13:47.46
where we have warnings
from the scientific community
00:13:47.49\00:13:51.13
and those who are monitoring,
00:13:51.16\00:13:52.86
you know, what's going on
00:13:52.89\00:13:54.23
with climate
change in particular,
00:13:54.26\00:13:55.96
as well as the nuclear
fears and cyber warfare.
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.83
But what's
interesting is that the pandemic
00:13:59.87\00:14:03.24
was not even on the radar.
00:14:03.27\00:14:05.54
At the beginning of
this year in January,
00:14:05.57\00:14:08.01
when the
doomsday clock was moved
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.55
from two minutes to midnight
to 100 seconds to midnight.
00:14:10.58\00:14:14.05
Yeah, and we saw that on a
television newscast ourselves
00:14:14.08\00:14:18.52
where they were changing it,
00:14:18.55\00:14:19.89
but it says to
complete annihilation.
00:14:19.92\00:14:23.09
I mean, that is finality.
00:14:23.12\00:14:25.26
That's serious staff, isn't it?
00:14:25.29\00:14:27.16
I mean, from, I saw
that same news story,
00:14:27.20\00:14:29.83
Danny and I been
following the doomsday clock
00:14:29.86\00:14:31.47
for couple of years, for
a couple of years myself.
00:14:31.50\00:14:33.80
And it's the fact that it's,
this is not a religious body.
00:14:33.84\00:14:38.14
This is a body of scientists.
00:14:38.17\00:14:39.51
They're simply
looking at the data
00:14:39.54\00:14:41.28
in the conditions of the world
and seeing where are we headed,
00:14:41.31\00:14:44.61
you know, where the conditions
of the world deteriorate,
00:14:44.65\00:14:46.85
where are we headed.
00:14:46.88\00:14:48.22
There are some serious risks.
00:14:48.25\00:14:49.58
And as you mentioned
they weren't even commenting
00:14:49.62\00:14:54.49
really on the
droughts, fires and some floods
00:14:54.52\00:14:57.39
that we had had this
summer in Australia anyway,
00:14:57.43\00:14:59.93
but they're really talking
about nuclear proliferation.
00:14:59.96\00:15:02.86
They're talking about
the concerns of the climate
00:15:02.90\00:15:05.60
which do touch a little bit
on the fires and the floods.
00:15:05.63\00:15:08.47
And then they were
also talking about the risks
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.87
through artificial
intelligence and cyber security,
00:15:11.91\00:15:15.64
those kind of things.
00:15:15.68\00:15:17.01
And so, the point of this for me
00:15:17.05\00:15:20.22
is they're saying we're
closer than ever to doomsday,
00:15:20.25\00:15:23.95
but they hadn't even
taken into effect the pandemic,
00:15:23.99\00:15:28.92
the health issues of the crisis,
00:15:28.96\00:15:31.26
the economic issues
00:15:31.29\00:15:32.63
and the social
issues of the crisis.
00:15:32.66\00:15:34.36
So there's something else
that I wanted to pick up here,
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.67
John and Rosemary,
about, it say there,
00:15:37.70\00:15:40.57
you know, 100
seconds to midnight.
00:15:40.60\00:15:42.77
What happens at midnight?
00:15:42.80\00:15:44.41
You know, what
happens at midnight?
00:15:44.44\00:15:46.41
And I'd like to turn
to a passage in the Bible,
00:15:46.44\00:15:48.74
it's Matthew 25
00:15:48.78\00:15:50.65
and the passage is
verses 1 through 13
00:15:50.68\00:15:53.68
and it's a
parable that Jesus taught.
00:15:53.72\00:15:55.92
We're not going to
read all of the verses,
00:15:55.95\00:15:57.85
but I'll basically
outline the parable.
00:15:57.89\00:16:00.12
Now, you need to
understand that this parable
00:16:00.16\00:16:02.56
that Jesus
taught, this, the story,
00:16:02.59\00:16:06.49
it's on the heels of
Chapter 24 of Matthew,
00:16:06.53\00:16:10.00
which talks about a lot
of the signs of the times,
00:16:10.03\00:16:12.27
just prior to
the return of Jesus.
00:16:12.30\00:16:14.50
So this is signs that are,
00:16:14.54\00:16:16.64
you know, the disciples
had come to him saying,
00:16:16.67\00:16:18.47
"Tell us about the
signs of Your coming
00:16:18.51\00:16:20.94
and the end of the world."
00:16:20.98\00:16:22.41
And Jesus is unpacking
those signs in Matthew 24.
00:16:22.44\00:16:25.48
And then in Matthew 25,
towards the end of Matthew 24.
00:16:25.51\00:16:28.58
And in Matthew 25,
00:16:28.62\00:16:30.09
He talks about
personal preparation
00:16:30.12\00:16:32.79
for the second coming of Christ.
00:16:32.82\00:16:34.66
And here in Matthew 25, He
tells the story and He says,
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.83
the kingdom of God
is like these 10 virgins
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.20
who are waiting
for the bridegroom
00:16:41.23\00:16:43.83
to arrive at a wedding.
00:16:43.87\00:16:45.73
And while they're waiting,
00:16:45.77\00:16:50.94
in fact, I'm
going to read verse 5,
00:16:50.97\00:16:53.14
"They're waiting," and it says,
00:16:53.17\00:16:55.18
"but while the
bridegroom was delayed,
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.51
they all slumbered and slept."
00:16:57.55\00:17:00.28
And in this parable, the bride,
00:17:00.32\00:17:02.58
the bridesmaids, the 10 virgins,
00:17:02.62\00:17:04.75
which we might think
of bride or bridesmaids,
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.45
they represent the church
00:17:06.49\00:17:08.22
waiting for the
bridegroom to arrive.
00:17:08.26\00:17:10.76
It says, they all have lamps,
but only half of them have oil,
00:17:10.79\00:17:15.10
and oil is a representation
of the Holy Spirit.
00:17:15.13\00:17:17.33
But here it says,
00:17:17.37\00:17:18.97
while the
bridegroom was delayed,
00:17:19.00\00:17:20.47
they all slumbered and slept.
00:17:20.50\00:17:22.40
And it sort of depicts
the church as being asleep.
00:17:22.44\00:17:26.78
And in some respect,
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.51
there's an element of
that that's encouraging
00:17:28.54\00:17:30.55
because if we ever think
that the church is asleep,
00:17:30.58\00:17:33.25
at least God
knew that it would be,
00:17:33.28\00:17:35.58
at least God
predicted it, right?
00:17:35.62\00:17:37.89
The fact that the
church would be asleep,
00:17:37.92\00:17:39.25
but in verse 6, it says,
00:17:39.29\00:17:41.02
"And at
midnight a cry was heard,
00:17:41.06\00:17:46.49
behold, the bridegroom is
coming, go out to meet him."
00:17:46.53\00:17:50.93
And it's at midnight.
00:17:50.97\00:17:52.30
I just think it's interesting
00:17:52.33\00:17:53.67
where you've got
the doomsday clock.
00:17:53.70\00:17:55.04
It's two minutes to midnight,
it's 100 seconds to midnight.
00:17:55.07\00:17:57.87
And I'm saying, so
what happens at midnight?
00:17:57.91\00:18:01.94
And apparently,
biblically at midnight, behold,
00:18:01.98\00:18:05.41
the bridegroom is coming.
00:18:05.45\00:18:07.28
And so, I just think
that this whole event,
00:18:07.32\00:18:11.75
you know, people will
ask is the COVID-19 crisis.
00:18:11.79\00:18:15.69
Is that the end of the way?
Is this the end of the world?
00:18:15.72\00:18:18.39
You know, it's not
the end of the world
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.20
because there
are some other events
00:18:21.23\00:18:23.10
that occur before
the end of the world,
00:18:23.13\00:18:24.70
but it is a sign of the times.
00:18:24.73\00:18:26.77
And I think
00:18:26.80\00:18:28.14
it is a wake-up call
for the world, for sure.
00:18:28.17\00:18:31.27
And I think...
00:18:31.31\00:18:32.67
that this parable
helps us to realize
00:18:32.71\00:18:36.08
that not only is
the church asleep,
00:18:36.11\00:18:38.58
I think the world's been asleep,
00:18:38.61\00:18:40.28
but the world is being waken up.
00:18:40.32\00:18:43.18
And I think it's important
that God is seeking to wake up
00:18:43.22\00:18:45.82
His people in particular.
00:18:45.85\00:18:47.66
And we've got another
scripture now that I think,
00:18:47.69\00:18:50.29
John, you're going to read
from 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5.
00:18:50.33\00:18:52.66
Yes, and the Bible says,
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.73
"But of the times and
the seasons, brethren,
00:18:54.76\00:18:57.33
you have no need that I write
unto you for yourselves know
00:18:57.37\00:19:01.20
perfectly that
the day of the Lord,
00:19:01.24\00:19:03.44
so cometh as a
thief in the night.
00:19:03.47\00:19:06.54
For when they shall
say peace and safety,
00:19:06.57\00:19:09.41
then sudden
destruction cometh upon them
00:19:09.44\00:19:12.11
as travail upon a
woman with a child.
00:19:12.15\00:19:14.82
And they shall not escape.
00:19:14.85\00:19:19.35
But ye, brethren,
are not in darkness that,
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.02
that day should come
overtake you as a thief.
00:19:23.06\00:19:26.53
Ye are all the children of light
00:19:26.56\00:19:28.76
and the children of the day.
00:19:28.80\00:19:30.33
Ye are not of the
night, nor of the darkness."
00:19:30.37\00:19:34.27
That's a very clear indication
that those who are looking
00:19:34.30\00:19:39.37
and are aware of
what the scripture says
00:19:39.41\00:19:42.04
will know, we
are not in darkness
00:19:42.08\00:19:44.55
and we want others
to be in the light also.
00:19:44.58\00:19:48.32
There is one extra verse
there, I'm just going to read,
00:19:48.35\00:19:50.15
John, which is the next verse.
00:19:50.19\00:19:51.52
Verse 6, it says, "Therefore,
let us not sleep as others do,
00:19:51.55\00:19:56.02
but let us watch and be sober."
00:19:56.06\00:19:58.19
And that sort of
links in with the idea
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.20
that the church is
asleep and He's saying
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.96
let's not sleep
because it's time to be awake.
00:20:02.00\00:20:06.57
Bridegroom cometh.
00:20:06.60\00:20:09.14
Yeah.
00:20:09.17\00:20:10.51
It's really a
wake-up call, isn't it?
00:20:10.54\00:20:11.87
Yes, it is. What's
taking place right now.
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.04
It's a wake-up call and,
00:20:14.08\00:20:15.58
Peter, you bumped into an
interesting magazine cover.
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.41
Yeah.
00:20:18.45\00:20:19.78
Well, that's right,
back in February 2020,
00:20:19.81\00:20:23.62
when the crisis
was just emerging,
00:20:23.65\00:20:25.19
News Week Magazine
had on the front cover.
00:20:25.22\00:20:28.52
This virus is a wake-up call.
00:20:28.56\00:20:31.03
Sorry, it said, "This
outbreak is a wake-up call."
00:20:31.06\00:20:34.13
And you know, in other words,
00:20:34.16\00:20:37.10
the news media are
seeing this that way,
00:20:37.13\00:20:40.87
certainly we as Christians
should see it that way.
00:20:40.90\00:20:44.41
And, you know, we have
talked for a long time about
00:20:44.44\00:20:48.61
the need and the
importance of getting ready
00:20:48.64\00:20:50.68
for the coming of Christ.
00:20:50.71\00:20:52.15
And I think in a way, to me,
00:20:52.18\00:20:54.72
it shows the
graciousness of God in a way
00:20:54.75\00:20:57.09
He is, there is a lot of
things have been put on hold.
00:20:57.12\00:21:01.12
A lot of things
have been put on pause.
00:21:01.16\00:21:04.13
A lot of the
normal events of life,
00:21:04.16\00:21:07.13
you know, just different.
00:21:07.16\00:21:08.76
And I think God is
giving us an opportunity
00:21:08.80\00:21:11.83
to rethink the
priorities of life
00:21:11.87\00:21:13.84
and rethink
where we are with Him,
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.47
and with relation
to the second coming.
00:21:15.50\00:21:18.67
And Jesus actually spent time
speaking on this very subject.
00:21:18.71\00:21:24.21
Peter mentioned earlier that
the parable of the 10 virgins
00:21:24.25\00:21:30.09
is on the back of
the signs that Jesus gave
00:21:30.12\00:21:33.96
that would precede the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.59
in 70 AD as well as the
destruction of the world
00:21:36.62\00:21:40.60
at the very end of time,
00:21:40.63\00:21:41.96
that would bring about
the second coming of Jesus.
00:21:42.00\00:21:45.07
And we want to go
to those words of Jesus
00:21:45.10\00:21:46.84
in Matthew 24,
00:21:46.87\00:21:48.27
where Jesus
specifically highlights
00:21:48.30\00:21:51.71
what we are experiencing
right now in these verses.
00:21:51.74\00:21:56.04
We won't take the time to read
00:21:56.08\00:21:58.51
the beginning of
Matthew 24 there,
00:21:58.55\00:22:01.78
but we're just going to
skip down to verses 7 and 8.
00:22:01.82\00:22:04.65
Jesus has spoken
of false christs,
00:22:04.69\00:22:08.26
He's spoken of
wars and rumors of wars
00:22:08.29\00:22:10.36
and kingdom rising against
kingdom, nation against nation.
00:22:10.39\00:22:14.03
We want to pick
it up in verse 7.
00:22:14.06\00:22:15.83
Do you want to read verse 7
and 8 for us please, Rosemary?
00:22:15.86\00:22:20.44
Yes.
00:22:20.47\00:22:21.80
Matthew 24:7-8,
00:22:21.84\00:22:23.54
"For nation shall
rise against nation
00:22:23.57\00:22:25.84
and kingdom against kingdom.
00:22:25.87\00:22:27.84
And there shall be
famines and pestilences
00:22:27.88\00:22:30.25
and earthquakes
in diverse places.
00:22:30.28\00:22:33.11
All these are the
beginning of sorrows."
00:22:33.15\00:22:35.98
Yeah.
00:22:36.02\00:22:37.35
It's really fascinating
what Jesus here shares.
00:22:37.39\00:22:39.89
He shares these three,
00:22:39.92\00:22:42.72
these three horrible experiences
00:22:42.76\00:22:46.66
of humans on planet earth
that we are well familiar with,
00:22:46.70\00:22:50.93
famines,
pestilences and earthquakes.
00:22:50.97\00:22:54.57
Of all the natural disasters
00:22:54.60\00:22:57.47
and of all the things
that happen in the world
00:22:57.51\00:22:59.84
that bring about
death and destruction,
00:22:59.87\00:23:01.28
these are the big
three, the big three.
00:23:01.31\00:23:04.15
And pestilence here is
in relation to disease.
00:23:04.18\00:23:07.68
That's what that word means.
00:23:07.72\00:23:09.05
It means disease.
00:23:09.08\00:23:10.42
And Jesus said
that a sign of the end
00:23:10.45\00:23:13.59
will be an
increase in pestilences,
00:23:13.62\00:23:17.26
famines and earthquakes.
00:23:17.29\00:23:18.63
And we know that
there would be an increase
00:23:18.66\00:23:20.56
because of the analogy
that Jesus uses in verse 8.
00:23:20.60\00:23:23.93
In verse 8, Jesus says
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.30
"These are all the
beginning of sorrows."
00:23:25.33\00:23:28.47
That word there sorrows
literally means labor pains.
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.64
Well, that's plural.
00:23:31.67\00:23:33.01
That's right. Labor pains.
00:23:33.04\00:23:34.38
So what Jesus is saying is
we have always had pestilences,
00:23:34.41\00:23:38.25
famines and earthquakes.
00:23:38.28\00:23:39.61
There always been
wars and rumors of wars
00:23:39.65\00:23:41.55
and false christs
and false messiahs
00:23:41.58\00:23:43.28
and so on and so forth.
00:23:43.32\00:23:44.65
But as My coming draws nearer,
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.72
that will increase in
intensity and frequency,
00:23:47.76\00:23:50.39
just like labor pains.
00:23:50.43\00:23:52.13
And that is
exactly what we're seeing.
00:23:52.16\00:23:54.16
And Jesus also spoke
of this in Luke 21:11.
00:23:54.20\00:23:57.77
I think you have that
scripture for us, John, to read.
00:23:57.80\00:24:01.30
The Bible says,
00:24:01.34\00:24:02.67
"And great earthquake
shall be in diverse places
00:24:02.70\00:24:06.17
and famines and
pestilences and fearful sights
00:24:06.21\00:24:09.81
and great signs
shall they be from heaven,
00:24:09.84\00:24:13.25
but before these,
00:24:13.28\00:24:14.88
they shall lay their
hands on you and persecute you,
00:24:14.92\00:24:17.62
delivering you
up to the synagogue
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.65
and on to the prisons
00:24:19.69\00:24:21.02
bringing both
before kings and rulers
00:24:21.06\00:24:22.82
for My name's sake."
00:24:22.86\00:24:24.89
I read one extra verse there,
00:24:24.93\00:24:26.29
but that's what's we
are told is going to happen.
00:24:26.33\00:24:29.06
That's right.
00:24:29.10\00:24:30.43
And so
pestilence, disease, pandemics
00:24:30.47\00:24:34.50
are very much part of preparing
for the coming of Jesus.
00:24:34.54\00:24:37.64
I came across
this very interesting
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.21
Time Magazine article,
00:24:39.24\00:24:40.61
and you'll see it
up there on your screen
00:24:40.64\00:24:42.34
from May 15, 2017.
00:24:42.38\00:24:46.65
And the headline
really caught my attention.
00:24:46.68\00:24:49.18
This is some three
years ago now, warning,
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.95
we are not ready
for the next pandemic.
00:24:51.99\00:24:55.66
There was a lot in this article,
00:24:55.69\00:24:58.49
Peter has already pointed out
00:24:58.53\00:25:01.00
that scientists and
the medical professionals
00:25:01.03\00:25:03.90
were already
preparing themselves
00:25:03.93\00:25:06.13
for what we have seen
00:25:06.17\00:25:07.50
that is broken
out upon this world.
00:25:07.54\00:25:09.44
There were some very
interesting statistics.
00:25:09.47\00:25:11.51
I shared earlier
how that doomsday clock
00:25:11.54\00:25:13.48
has been going downhill
very quickly since 1991.
00:25:13.51\00:25:17.08
You remember that, since 1991.
00:25:17.11\00:25:19.31
Notice there's this
very interesting graph
00:25:19.35\00:25:21.32
and I've scanned
it and I've placed it
00:25:21.35\00:25:23.32
for our viewers to see.
00:25:23.35\00:25:24.69
If you want to take
a look at that graph,
00:25:24.72\00:25:26.45
notice from the year
1980, the three decades, 1980,
00:25:26.49\00:25:32.63
all the way through to 2010,
00:25:32.66\00:25:35.06
you have a statistic
there and you can clearly see
00:25:35.10\00:25:38.60
that there's
been a huge increase.
00:25:38.63\00:25:41.27
It's almost a doubling
each decade of the transmission
00:25:41.30\00:25:45.94
from animal to human,
00:25:45.97\00:25:47.31
as well as from
human to human disease.
00:25:47.34\00:25:49.74
Outbreaks are on the rise,
00:25:49.78\00:25:51.91
and so we can clearly
see that what Jesus said
00:25:51.95\00:25:55.28
those labor pains, that
they would be intensifying.
00:25:55.32\00:25:58.09
We can clearly see that
00:25:58.12\00:25:59.45
it's right there
in Time Magazine.
00:25:59.49\00:26:01.29
And once again, this is
not a religious magazine
00:26:01.32\00:26:03.93
by any stretch,
00:26:03.96\00:26:05.29
it's just simply giving
us the facts and the figures
00:26:05.33\00:26:09.36
of what's been taking
place for the last 30 years.
00:26:09.40\00:26:11.43
I've got no idea what's happened
00:26:11.47\00:26:12.80
in the last decade.
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.04
I don't think, I don't think
the graph would have gone down,
00:26:15.07\00:26:17.61
if anything, it
would have increased.
00:26:17.64\00:26:19.87
And so, yes,
that's quite interesting.
00:26:19.91\00:26:22.21
Now when it comes to pestilence,
00:26:22.24\00:26:24.25
I probably just want
to share really quickly.
00:26:24.28\00:26:26.31
We don't have a lot of time,
00:26:26.35\00:26:28.02
but I did a little
bit of investigation
00:26:28.05\00:26:30.12
as far as the
Bible and pestilence,
00:26:30.15\00:26:32.15
and the scriptures have quite
a bit to say regarding that.
00:26:32.19\00:26:35.46
Firstly, the first
thing we want to know
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.73
is and make clear
that the devil is behind
00:26:37.76\00:26:41.23
disease and pestilence.
00:26:41.26\00:26:42.73
He is the author of all sin.
00:26:42.76\00:26:45.13
Secondly, we know that
00:26:45.17\00:26:46.50
he is able to bring about
disease upon human beings.
00:26:46.53\00:26:50.41
We have the story of Job
that clearly illustrates that.
00:26:50.44\00:26:53.91
We also have disease and
pestilence as part of God's
00:26:53.94\00:26:58.78
righteous judgments.
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.15
You can find that in
what took place in Egypt
00:27:00.18\00:27:02.92
and one of the,
and the first plague
00:27:02.95\00:27:04.85
that'll take this world by storm
00:27:04.89\00:27:07.82
at the very end of time.
00:27:07.86\00:27:09.36
We also have the
signs of Jesus coming
00:27:09.39\00:27:12.13
and the pestilence
associated with that.
00:27:12.16\00:27:14.13
But, John and Rosemary,
there is one other and that is,
00:27:14.16\00:27:16.77
pestilences are often
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.40
the result of
rebellion against God.
00:27:19.43\00:27:22.84
Rebellion against God, and God
00:27:22.87\00:27:24.71
in a number of
scriptures in the Old Testament.
00:27:24.74\00:27:26.51
We don't have time to
look at those scriptures,
00:27:26.54\00:27:29.04
but God says to His people,
if you turn your back on Me,
00:27:29.08\00:27:32.38
if you rebel
against Me and My ways,
00:27:32.41\00:27:35.02
I will have to pull
away My protection from you.
00:27:35.05\00:27:38.25
And you will
experience not only pestilence,
00:27:38.29\00:27:41.52
but He also says war and famine.
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.59
These three key items
that we find in Matthew 24,
00:27:44.63\00:27:48.53
war, famine and pestilence.
00:27:48.56\00:27:50.77
And so that is
probably the main reason
00:27:50.80\00:27:54.37
why pestilence comes
00:27:54.40\00:27:55.94
is because we
turn our backs on God,
00:27:55.97\00:27:57.87
and we're going to
explore that as we move along.
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.18
And I think it's a
very important point
00:28:00.21\00:28:01.81
that you said that God
doesn't, He doesn't say, "Oh,
00:28:01.84\00:28:07.52
I'm going to get you back."
00:28:07.55\00:28:09.62
God just says, "You
don't want me involved.
00:28:09.65\00:28:12.15
I'll just sit back and you will
have to reap the consequences,
00:28:12.19\00:28:16.42
the natural consequences
of Me not protecting you.
00:28:16.46\00:28:20.03
And hopefully you will realize
00:28:20.06\00:28:22.06
what you're doing
and you will turn around
00:28:22.10\00:28:24.73
and come back and let
Me protect you again."
00:28:24.77\00:28:27.57
One of those other consequences
that Danny talks about
00:28:27.60\00:28:32.44
there is Matthew 24:7,
we've already read this.
00:28:32.47\00:28:35.41
There will be famines,
pestilences and earthquakes.
00:28:35.44\00:28:38.05
And sadly that at a time
of pestilence and particularly
00:28:38.08\00:28:41.65
in this particular crisis,
00:28:41.68\00:28:43.49
famines are going to be
increasing because of that.
00:28:43.52\00:28:48.02
There's been
obviously many great famines
00:28:48.06\00:28:51.33
in the world in the past.
00:28:51.36\00:28:52.93
And there's still
areas of the world
00:28:52.96\00:28:54.40
that were affected by famine
00:28:54.43\00:28:56.00
even before the
Coronavirus crisis.
00:28:56.03\00:28:58.50
But what the Coronavirus
crisis is going to do,
00:28:58.53\00:29:01.07
it's going to make a big impact
in the area of famine as well.
00:29:01.10\00:29:04.81
There's another news
headline from BBC News
00:29:04.84\00:29:08.64
where it says Coronavirus,
this was back in April 2020,
00:29:08.68\00:29:12.85
Coronavirus: World...
00:29:12.88\00:29:14.88
It says world risks, 'biblical'
famines due to pandemic,
00:29:14.92\00:29:18.89
and that was a UN report
that they're saying this,
00:29:18.92\00:29:22.62
that that's what the
effect of this Coronavirus
00:29:22.66\00:29:25.43
is going to have
on the area of famine.
00:29:25.46\00:29:27.73
And I just found it fascinating
00:29:27.76\00:29:29.46
that they used the
word biblical in there.
00:29:29.50\00:29:31.60
You know what I mean?
00:29:31.63\00:29:32.97
That this is a
secular news headline,
00:29:33.00\00:29:34.94
that's using that
word to describe the effect
00:29:34.97\00:29:38.07
it's going to have
on famine in the world.
00:29:38.11\00:29:40.58
That's right.
00:29:40.61\00:29:43.04
And what's the next part
you're going to unpack to us?
00:29:43.08\00:29:45.65
Well, the next part
is regarding earthquakes
00:29:45.68\00:29:48.62
and we're not going to
spend much time on this,
00:29:48.65\00:29:50.45
but just one very interesting
statistic on earthquakes,
00:29:50.49\00:29:54.39
and this time we have, and
we have the headline there.
00:29:54.42\00:30:00.06
It's from NBC News some back
on the 25th of October, 2014.
00:30:00.10\00:30:06.60
And this was the title,
"Worldwide surge, notice,
00:30:06.63\00:30:10.81
in 'Great' Earthquake
seen in past 10 years."
00:30:10.84\00:30:13.84
And Luke 21:11,
00:30:13.88\00:30:16.08
Jesus said there
would be great earthquakes.
00:30:16.11\00:30:17.91
Jesus used that very word great.
00:30:17.95\00:30:20.58
And, notice what we have
under the headline there.
00:30:20.62\00:30:23.99
"The annual number
of great earthquakes
00:30:24.02\00:30:26.52
nearly tripled
over the last decade
00:30:26.55\00:30:29.12
between 2004 and 2014,
00:30:29.16\00:30:31.59
18 earthquakes with magnitudes
of 8.0 or more rattled,
00:30:31.63\00:30:36.80
subduc..."
00:30:36.83\00:30:38.87
Subduction. Subduction zones.
00:30:38.90\00:30:40.60
Thank you Peter.
00:30:40.64\00:30:41.97
"Subduction zones
around the globe."
00:30:42.00\00:30:43.81
That's an increase of 265%
00:30:43.84\00:30:47.04
over the average rate
of the previous century.
00:30:47.08\00:30:50.18
So once again,
00:30:50.21\00:30:51.55
those labor
pains have intensified.
00:30:51.58\00:30:53.11
So whether it's famine
00:30:53.15\00:30:54.68
and we know that over
800 million people today
00:30:54.72\00:30:59.49
are experiencing starvation,
00:30:59.52\00:31:01.66
almost 10 million
people are dying every year,
00:31:01.69\00:31:03.86
not to mention 2 billion people
00:31:03.89\00:31:05.93
that are
suffering from hidden hunger
00:31:05.96\00:31:08.56
and there's projections
that some 500 million people
00:31:08.60\00:31:11.33
may be placed into poverty
during this horrible pandemic
00:31:11.37\00:31:15.54
that we are
experiencing right now.
00:31:15.57\00:31:16.91
It's hard to imagine
those numbers as an Australian,
00:31:16.94\00:31:19.37
when we only have 24,
00:31:19.41\00:31:20.74
25 million people
in the whole country.
00:31:20.78\00:31:23.55
That more than
that dying each day
00:31:23.58\00:31:26.38
from defects of
famine and things.
00:31:26.41\00:31:29.08
It's just hard to
understand the figures.
00:31:29.12\00:31:31.35
It's heartbreaking because
every one of those is a life,
00:31:31.39\00:31:33.92
every one of those is a family.
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.52
And just as people are being
affected by the Coronavirus,
00:31:36.56\00:31:39.96
people involved in,
00:31:40.00\00:31:41.40
you know, being
affected by famine
00:31:41.43\00:31:43.16
is just bringing
a lot of tragedy.
00:31:43.20\00:31:44.87
Yeah.
00:31:44.90\00:31:46.23
There's another area, of course,
00:31:46.27\00:31:48.17
that has been in the news.
00:31:48.20\00:31:50.14
And when this Coronavirus
first, the news first broke,
00:31:50.17\00:31:53.98
they were
focusing on Wuhan in China,
00:31:54.01\00:31:55.88
they were focusing on
those wet markets there.
00:31:55.91\00:31:58.75
And for a time they were closed,
00:31:58.78\00:32:00.82
but they'd been
reopened and some concern
00:32:00.85\00:32:03.42
about the reopening
of those wet markets
00:32:03.45\00:32:05.85
and where this
virus may have come from
00:32:05.89\00:32:08.19
and the wildlife that was
being sold in those wet markets
00:32:08.22\00:32:12.13
and that this
Coronavirus is something
00:32:12.16\00:32:15.90
that was in the animals
and that was being transferred
00:32:15.93\00:32:19.60
to the humans.
00:32:19.63\00:32:20.97
There's a BBC
report recently that said,
00:32:21.00\00:32:25.07
that asked this question,
00:32:25.11\00:32:26.44
"Coronavirus:
Why are we catching
00:32:26.47\00:32:29.08
more diseases from animals?"
00:32:29.11\00:32:31.68
It says, "Outbreaks of
new infectious diseases
00:32:31.71\00:32:34.18
are typically
seen, as a 'one-off',
00:32:34.22\00:32:36.69
but the new virus
00:32:36.72\00:32:38.55
thought to have
stemmed from wildlife
00:32:38.59\00:32:41.72
highlights our risk
from animal-borne disease."
00:32:41.76\00:32:45.99
And it's interesting
because where they believe
00:32:46.03\00:32:50.67
the Coronavirus is
coming from is they believed
00:32:50.70\00:32:54.07
that it was an
infection that started in bats.
00:32:54.10\00:32:57.31
And then they
passed to other creatures
00:32:57.34\00:32:59.91
that were eaten by
humans from that wet market.
00:32:59.94\00:33:03.51
And it's, what's
interesting is in the Bible,
00:33:03.55\00:33:06.55
God has given guidance
00:33:06.58\00:33:08.65
in regard to what we can
eat or what we should eat.
00:33:08.68\00:33:13.92
I found this remarkable
00:33:13.96\00:33:15.29
when I first became
a Christian believer
00:33:15.32\00:33:17.63
in the Bible that,
00:33:17.66\00:33:18.99
you know, the Bible
even talks about things
00:33:19.03\00:33:21.06
such as that, but
that's perhaps not surprising
00:33:21.10\00:33:24.13
because God is the creator.
00:33:24.17\00:33:25.50
He's the creator of the
world, He's the creator of us.
00:33:25.53\00:33:28.40
And He knows how
we function best.
00:33:28.44\00:33:30.11
And, the original diet is,
is placed there in Genesis.
00:33:30.14\00:33:34.11
But after the flood,
God gave us permission
00:33:34.14\00:33:36.81
to eat animals,
but then He stipulated
00:33:36.85\00:33:40.28
what those kinds
of animals should be.
00:33:40.32\00:33:42.42
And there were clean animals
and there were unclean animals,
00:33:42.45\00:33:45.95
and it is interesting to note
00:33:45.99\00:33:48.69
some of the major
pestilence if you like
00:33:48.72\00:33:51.16
that we've been dealing
within the last 40 years
00:33:51.19\00:33:53.70
on planet earth and
the origin of those.
00:33:53.73\00:33:55.83
So for instance in the 1980s,
00:33:55.86\00:34:00.00
of course, we had HIV AIDS
00:34:00.04\00:34:04.07
that they now
believe was traced.
00:34:04.11\00:34:06.91
Probable causes it
believed was traced to eating
00:34:06.94\00:34:10.55
infected chimpanzee in Africa.
00:34:10.58\00:34:12.48
That's where
originally that crossed over
00:34:12.51\00:34:14.92
from the animal population
into the human population.
00:34:14.95\00:34:18.65
Then we have 2003, the SARS,
00:34:18.69\00:34:21.66
which was a COVID virus
00:34:21.69\00:34:24.66
that they believe
came from eating civet cats
00:34:24.69\00:34:27.43
who had been eating bat dung.
00:34:27.46\00:34:29.80
Again, bats were involved
which is very interesting.
00:34:29.83\00:34:33.03
And then you can
have a look at that list,
00:34:33.07\00:34:35.27
and, there it's predominantly
looking at when we're eating,
00:34:35.30\00:34:41.64
whether it's coming from animals
00:34:41.68\00:34:43.08
that the Bible said are unclean.
00:34:43.11\00:34:44.91
And so if you look in,
for instance, in Leviticus 11,
00:34:44.95\00:34:48.32
we're not going to
read this whole list out,
00:34:48.35\00:34:49.68
but God outlines
there what clean animals are
00:34:49.72\00:34:53.46
and what unclean animals are.
00:34:53.49\00:34:55.49
And He provides certain rules.
00:34:55.52\00:34:56.96
So if for the
beasts of the field,
00:34:56.99\00:35:00.13
they would be an
animal that has a split hoof
00:35:00.16\00:35:03.50
and that chews the
cud, basically grazers,
00:35:03.53\00:35:08.20
you know, things
like sheep and goats
00:35:08.24\00:35:11.27
and cow would be clean animals.
00:35:11.31\00:35:14.01
And then you come to
the fish and they have,
00:35:14.04\00:35:15.44
should have fins and
scales if they are clean,
00:35:15.48\00:35:18.18
everything else will be unclean.
00:35:18.21\00:35:19.75
And when it comes to
the birds he basically,
00:35:19.78\00:35:23.18
the Bible just lists those birds
00:35:23.22\00:35:24.99
that are regarded as unclean.
00:35:25.02\00:35:27.99
And it says in verse 19
of those that are uncleaned,
00:35:28.02\00:35:31.13
the stork, the
heron after its kind,
00:35:31.16\00:35:33.60
the hoopoe and the bat.
00:35:33.63\00:35:35.56
And it's interesting to me
00:35:35.60\00:35:36.93
that it
actually mentions by name
00:35:36.97\00:35:39.03
that the bats are
uncleaned for eating.
00:35:39.07\00:35:41.70
And this is where some of those
pestilences are coming from.
00:35:41.74\00:35:46.21
And not only that, but
the clean and unclean animals
00:35:46.24\00:35:49.28
were known by Noah
00:35:49.31\00:35:51.05
because he was told to
take two by two of the animals,
00:35:51.08\00:35:54.68
but there were supposed
to be two of the unclean
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.52
and seven of the
clean animals, seven pairs,
00:35:56.55\00:36:00.29
because they were
being used for sacrifice,
00:36:00.32\00:36:02.96
not for eating at that stage.
00:36:02.99\00:36:05.59
And so he had to take
more of the clean animals
00:36:05.63\00:36:08.16
so that there
were enough animals
00:36:08.20\00:36:09.83
for their sacrifices,
00:36:09.86\00:36:11.23
because you were not allowed
00:36:11.27\00:36:12.60
to sacrifice an unclean animal
to God, it was an abomination.
00:36:12.63\00:36:17.37
And, they were
the street cleaners.
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.71
And they're the
ones that eat the refuse.
00:36:19.74\00:36:21.88
And so even back then, it was
00:36:21.91\00:36:23.71
a differentiation between
clean and unclean animals.
00:36:23.75\00:36:26.72
God's always been interested
00:36:26.75\00:36:29.55
in the health of
His human creatures,
00:36:29.58\00:36:33.82
children that He
created in His own image.
00:36:33.86\00:36:36.32
Right at the very
beginning of time,
00:36:36.36\00:36:38.43
God gave us a
diet that would ensure
00:36:38.46\00:36:41.33
we would have the
strongest possible
00:36:41.36\00:36:43.60
immune system and today
that's being talked about.
00:36:43.63\00:36:46.57
A strong immune system
00:36:46.60\00:36:48.14
we all know helps fight
those bugs that come our way
00:36:48.17\00:36:52.04
and the stronger
your immune system,
00:36:52.07\00:36:54.54
the better you are able
to defend yourself against
00:36:54.58\00:36:58.58
those unwanted viruses
and bugs that are just here,
00:36:58.61\00:37:01.05
there, and everywhere
00:37:01.08\00:37:02.42
and very, very
prevalent in sin sick world.
00:37:02.45\00:37:03.79
Including cancer and things.
00:37:03.82\00:37:05.15
Exactly right.
00:37:05.19\00:37:06.52
And it's interesting
the diet that God gave
00:37:06.55\00:37:08.69
to Adam and Eve that He
gave to the human family
00:37:08.72\00:37:10.83
at the very beginning of time.
00:37:10.86\00:37:12.26
And you may want to
read Genesis Chapter 1,
00:37:12.29\00:37:16.83
right at the very beginning
of time, Genesis 1:28-29.
00:37:16.87\00:37:21.90
We're gonna talk a little
bit about the immune system here
00:37:21.94\00:37:24.84
and how we can
00:37:24.87\00:37:26.21
have the strongest
possible immune system.
00:37:26.24\00:37:28.64
Genesis 1:28-29.
Would you like to read that?
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.81
This is part of,
00:37:31.85\00:37:33.42
part of that
scripture that deals with
00:37:33.45\00:37:34.78
God's original
diet for the human race.
00:37:34.82\00:37:36.65
Okay, I'll read that.
00:37:36.69\00:37:38.02
And it says, "And
God blessed them,"
00:37:38.05\00:37:39.75
this is Adam and Eve,
"and God said unto them,
00:37:39.79\00:37:42.19
'Be fruitful and
multiply and replenish the earth
00:37:42.22\00:37:45.33
and subdue it,
00:37:45.36\00:37:46.73
and have dominion
over the fish of the sea
00:37:46.76\00:37:48.86
and over the fowl of the
air and over every living thing
00:37:48.90\00:37:51.77
that moveth upon the earth.'
00:37:51.80\00:37:53.57
And God said, 'Behold,
00:37:53.60\00:37:55.67
I have given you
every herb bearing seed,
00:37:55.70\00:37:58.54
which is upon
the face of the earth
00:37:58.57\00:38:00.81
and every tree in which,
00:38:00.84\00:38:02.88
in the which is the fruit
of a tree yielding seed it,
00:38:02.91\00:38:06.48
shall it, sorry, to you it
shall be for meat, for food.'"
00:38:06.51\00:38:10.39
Okay.
00:38:10.42\00:38:11.85
So here at the
very beginning of time,
00:38:11.89\00:38:13.32
before sin entered the world,
00:38:13.36\00:38:14.92
God gave Adam and Eve
00:38:14.96\00:38:16.73
three things to enjoy,
fruits, nuts, and grains.
00:38:16.76\00:38:20.63
And then in Genesis Chapter 3,
after the fall, the Bible says,
00:38:20.66\00:38:24.87
God knew that they would need
00:38:24.90\00:38:27.20
something extra to
supplement their diet.
00:38:27.24\00:38:29.54
And so God gave vegetables.
00:38:29.57\00:38:31.17
So the very first diet
00:38:31.21\00:38:32.54
that God gave to the
human race was a vegetable diet.
00:38:32.57\00:38:36.54
It was a plant-based diet,
00:38:36.58\00:38:39.18
and we know how important
00:38:39.21\00:38:41.18
good food and good nutrition is.
00:38:41.22\00:38:43.65
In fact, there
are eight principles
00:38:43.69\00:38:46.09
that come to us straight
out of the Garden of Eden
00:38:46.12\00:38:48.56
that are very helpful
00:38:48.59\00:38:50.16
in building up
the immune system.
00:38:50.19\00:38:52.19
And it's known by
the acronym of NEWSTART.
00:38:52.23\00:38:55.60
It's an acronym that came to be
00:38:55.63\00:38:59.53
from a place
there in California,
00:38:59.57\00:39:03.84
a medical health
institute lifestyle center
00:39:03.87\00:39:07.38
by the name of Weimar Institute.
00:39:07.41\00:39:09.71
And they came up
with this acronym,
00:39:09.74\00:39:12.18
and that really comes
out of the Garden of Eden.
00:39:12.21\00:39:13.82
So God came up with
it some 6,000 years ago,
00:39:13.85\00:39:17.39
nutrition, exercise,
water, sunlight, temperance,
00:39:17.42\00:39:21.39
air, rest, and
trust in the Lord.
00:39:21.42\00:39:23.83
These eight principles,
00:39:23.86\00:39:25.19
you can find them all
in the Garden of Eden.
00:39:25.23\00:39:26.70
You can find
them all in Genesis 1
00:39:26.73\00:39:28.26
and Genesis Chapter 2.
00:39:28.30\00:39:29.63
We don't have
time to unpack them,
00:39:29.66\00:39:31.00
but they're all there.
00:39:31.03\00:39:32.37
And that is one way for
us to build up a very strong
00:39:32.40\00:39:35.24
and healthy immune system.
00:39:35.27\00:39:37.34
What I love about the
NEWSTART principles is that,
00:39:37.37\00:39:41.71
you know, they are simple,
00:39:41.74\00:39:45.28
they are
practical and they're free,
00:39:45.31\00:39:48.52
you know and this is...
00:39:48.55\00:39:49.88
And anybody can do them.
00:39:49.92\00:39:51.25
Anybody can do them, and
that's what I mean by practical
00:39:51.29\00:39:53.39
is this that you
don't need gym equipment
00:39:53.42\00:39:55.79
or all that kind of stuff.
00:39:55.82\00:39:57.63
These are principles
that you can practice.
00:39:57.66\00:40:01.36
And I know for myself
when I encountered these things
00:40:01.40\00:40:05.43
and it changed my
life for the better,
00:40:05.47\00:40:08.40
because I encountered
these health principles
00:40:08.44\00:40:10.81
and I've certainly been,
00:40:10.84\00:40:12.97
you know, the
beneficiary of all of that.
00:40:13.01\00:40:16.18
There are other
interesting principles
00:40:16.21\00:40:17.78
as God put in the Old Testament.
00:40:17.81\00:40:19.78
You know, the parts
of the Old Testament
00:40:19.81\00:40:22.22
we're reading
from here in Genesis.
00:40:22.25\00:40:24.49
And now I'm going to
reference Leviticus again.
00:40:24.52\00:40:28.19
This is three and a
half thousand years ago
00:40:28.22\00:40:29.76
when these were written
and God has put principles,
00:40:29.79\00:40:33.33
health helpful principles
there for us to live by.
00:40:33.36\00:40:37.87
And we've got to think about
00:40:37.90\00:40:39.80
this from the perspective
of God had called His people
00:40:39.83\00:40:43.20
out of Egypt under
the leadership of Moses.
00:40:43.24\00:40:45.67
And they were going to
wander around in the wilderness
00:40:45.71\00:40:47.28
and they're going to
be there for 40 years,
00:40:47.31\00:40:49.38
and God provided them
00:40:49.41\00:40:51.28
with principles
on healthful living
00:40:51.31\00:40:53.95
for them to live
in that situation.
00:40:53.98\00:40:56.89
And He provided,
00:40:56.92\00:40:58.82
there are this material
in the Book of Leviticus
00:40:58.85\00:41:03.16
about how to deal with disease.
00:41:03.19\00:41:04.63
And it talks about quarantine,
00:41:04.66\00:41:06.70
you know, it talks about
people being in quarantine.
00:41:06.73\00:41:08.80
If they've got an
infectious disease,
00:41:08.83\00:41:10.17
you keep them
away from other people.
00:41:10.20\00:41:12.13
And, of course,
we've been talking about
00:41:12.17\00:41:13.50
that in Coronavirus with
the whole lockdown thing,
00:41:13.54\00:41:15.87
you know, and that
kind of thing, but also...
00:41:15.90\00:41:19.07
So social distancing.
00:41:19.11\00:41:20.44
They are social
distanced, right.
00:41:20.48\00:41:21.88
Exactly right. That's right.
00:41:21.91\00:41:23.24
It's isolating.
00:41:23.28\00:41:24.61
But also just a
simple thing like
00:41:24.65\00:41:26.51
washing our hands
under running water,
00:41:26.55\00:41:28.28
you know, the
government has been
00:41:28.32\00:41:30.25
putting that
message out loud and clear
00:41:30.29\00:41:32.22
throughout the Coronavirus,
00:41:32.25\00:41:33.59
made sure that you
wash your hands and...
00:41:33.62\00:41:35.96
Regularly.
00:41:35.99\00:41:37.43
Sorry? Regularly.
00:41:37.46\00:41:38.79
Regularly, that's right.
00:41:38.83\00:41:40.16
And it wasn't that long ago
00:41:40.20\00:41:43.03
when even people in
the medical profession
00:41:43.06\00:41:45.53
were not washing their
hands when examining people
00:41:45.57\00:41:48.60
who were sick and it's
hard for us to fathom in this,
00:41:48.64\00:41:51.11
you know, where we
live now, but this,
00:41:51.14\00:41:53.38
you know, back in 1845,
00:41:53.41\00:41:54.84
there was a young
Hungarian physician
00:41:54.88\00:41:57.75
called Ignaz Semmelweis.
00:41:57.78\00:42:00.68
And he was from Hungary,
00:42:00.72\00:42:02.92
but he was working in
Vienna in Austria there.
00:42:02.95\00:42:05.75
And he noticed that doctors
who would be treating women
00:42:05.79\00:42:11.36
who were about to deliver
00:42:11.39\00:42:13.90
and women who
were delivering babies.
00:42:13.93\00:42:17.27
He would notice that
the doctors were moving
00:42:17.30\00:42:20.10
from one patient to the other
00:42:20.14\00:42:21.50
and they weren't
washing their hands.
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.11
And what was
happening was the women
00:42:24.14\00:42:27.24
who, after giving birth,
00:42:27.28\00:42:28.94
many of the women
were developing infections.
00:42:28.98\00:42:31.88
And up to 30% of the women
00:42:31.91\00:42:34.68
giving birth in hospitals
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.35
were dying from
infections after giving birth.
00:42:36.38\00:42:40.02
And Semmelweis noticed
that the doctor would examine
00:42:40.06\00:42:43.16
a woman who just died.
00:42:43.19\00:42:44.56
And then he would move
on to a woman who was living
00:42:44.59\00:42:47.93
without washing their hands.
00:42:47.96\00:42:49.30
And so he
00:42:49.33\00:42:50.93
bought in this
practice of washing hands
00:42:50.97\00:42:53.44
between patients
and the death rate
00:42:53.47\00:42:56.50
moved from up to 30% down to 2%
00:42:56.54\00:43:00.01
because of that simple
practice of washing hands.
00:43:00.04\00:43:02.11
And they would do it
with a bowl of water.
00:43:02.14\00:43:03.68
These days we
wouldn't even suggest that.
00:43:03.71\00:43:05.61
We'd say, well, the
germs are still in that water.
00:43:05.65\00:43:07.82
We would want running water.
00:43:07.85\00:43:09.18
And so your
interest in Leviticus.
00:43:09.22\00:43:10.55
And soap. And
soap, that's right.
00:43:10.59\00:43:12.49
But in Leviticus 15:13,
it says, it talks about this.
00:43:12.52\00:43:16.09
It says, "When he
who has a discharge
00:43:16.12\00:43:18.59
is cleansed from his discharge,
00:43:18.63\00:43:20.13
then he shall camp for himself
seven days for his cleansing,
00:43:20.16\00:43:24.07
wash his clothes and
bathe his body in running water.
00:43:24.10\00:43:29.00
Then he shall be clean."
00:43:29.04\00:43:30.54
And it's interesting
00:43:30.57\00:43:32.64
that those kinds of
things are in the scriptures
00:43:32.67\00:43:35.98
long before modern times.
00:43:36.01\00:43:38.15
Running water.
00:43:38.18\00:43:40.08
Excellent.
00:43:40.12\00:43:41.45
It's fascinating that
the children of Israel
00:43:41.48\00:43:43.59
wandered in the
wilderness for 40 years,
00:43:43.62\00:43:45.72
2 million people
without a hospital.
00:43:45.75\00:43:48.82
And so God gave them
all these different laws,
00:43:48.86\00:43:51.99
as we have pointed out
to help them stay healthy
00:43:52.03\00:43:56.26
and to safely make
their way to the Promised Land
00:43:56.30\00:43:59.57
that God had promised them.
00:43:59.60\00:44:00.94
Hmm.
00:44:00.97\00:44:02.30
So what are some of
the mental health issues
00:44:02.34\00:44:03.94
that we're facing
with these situations?
00:44:03.97\00:44:05.87
So obviously
00:44:05.91\00:44:07.64
most people are
focusing on the physical health,
00:44:07.68\00:44:10.85
the effects of Coronavirus,
00:44:10.88\00:44:12.21
but now people are
concerned because we're in,
00:44:12.25\00:44:16.15
have been in lockdown.
00:44:16.18\00:44:18.75
There are concerns
about people's mental health,
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.09
of the fear of the virus.
00:44:22.12\00:44:24.36
They're concerned about
the interpersonal relationships
00:44:24.39\00:44:27.93
during a
lockdown, a situation where,
00:44:27.96\00:44:31.83
you know, you're
living in the home with people
00:44:31.87\00:44:36.60
that you're used to living with,
00:44:36.64\00:44:37.97
but you're not used to spending
that much time with them.
00:44:38.01\00:44:40.48
And, in fact, they've been
saying that that there's been
00:44:40.51\00:44:42.61
a doubling of
domestic violence reports.
00:44:42.64\00:44:45.78
We actually
don't know, of course,
00:44:45.81\00:44:47.15
what the real situation
00:44:47.18\00:44:49.72
is because we're talking
about what the reports are.
00:44:49.75\00:44:52.95
But again, in the news that
they've talked about this fear,
00:44:52.99\00:44:57.23
the fear of Coronavirus
is changing our psychology.
00:44:57.26\00:45:02.53
That was
another BBC News report.
00:45:02.56\00:45:06.37
And it says, "The
threat of contagion
00:45:06.40\00:45:09.17
can twist our
psychological responses
00:45:09.20\00:45:11.74
to ordinary interactions,
00:45:11.77\00:45:13.71
leading us to
behave in unexpected ways.
00:45:13.74\00:45:16.95
And, we're finding this up.
00:45:16.98\00:45:19.58
You know, we've said before,
00:45:19.61\00:45:21.32
this was a great surprise to us
00:45:21.35\00:45:23.69
as well as to the
rest of the world,
00:45:23.72\00:45:25.22
in terms of the extent
00:45:25.25\00:45:27.52
and the nature of the
way this virus has spread.
00:45:27.56\00:45:32.03
And we've all been
thrown into situations
00:45:32.06\00:45:35.46
that are unusual.
00:45:35.50\00:45:37.60
Our way of life has changed.
00:45:37.63\00:45:39.63
And this fear that people have
00:45:39.67\00:45:45.47
not only simply
about the Coronavirus,
00:45:45.51\00:45:47.31
but where is the world headed?
00:45:47.34\00:45:49.44
You know, this to me
is the great advantage
00:45:49.48\00:45:51.95
of the Christian faith
00:45:51.98\00:45:53.31
is because God has revealed
these things in Scripture
00:45:53.35\00:45:56.35
that, yes, there's
going to be a time of trouble
00:45:56.38\00:45:58.55
as we read in
that opening verse,
00:45:58.59\00:46:00.22
"In this world, you
will have tribulation,
00:46:00.26\00:46:02.36
but be of good cheer.
00:46:02.39\00:46:03.73
I have overcome the
world." There is a plan.
00:46:03.76\00:46:05.86
God is still in
charge of the universe.
00:46:05.89\00:46:08.10
He has a happy ending in mind.
00:46:08.13\00:46:10.37
Yes, we're going to go
through some tribulation.
00:46:10.40\00:46:12.60
We're going through some
now, but God has a plan in mind.
00:46:12.63\00:46:15.50
Jesus will return.
00:46:15.54\00:46:17.27
And He will bring an
end to all of this struggle.
00:46:17.31\00:46:20.58
When are you
looking at the problems
00:46:20.61\00:46:22.34
with isolation or isolating
and families being together,
00:46:22.38\00:46:26.95
thrown together so
for such a period of time.
00:46:26.98\00:46:30.62
There's also the
problem of the people
00:46:30.65\00:46:32.29
who can't go and
spend time with other people
00:46:32.32\00:46:35.76
and the mental issues
00:46:35.79\00:46:37.33
that they will
have of having been
00:46:37.36\00:46:40.23
in solitary
confinement, basically.
00:46:40.26\00:46:43.00
I just want to make a
point about that, you're right.
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.53
Rosemary, and then I
want to throw to Danny,
00:46:45.57\00:46:46.90
cause I'm sure he's had
something to say as well
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.40
about that, but I really
feel for those who are alone
00:46:49.44\00:46:53.07
in this situation
00:46:53.11\00:46:54.58
where you have
been in a situation
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.61
when you're not
allowed to visit others,
00:46:57.65\00:46:58.98
others aren't
allowed to visit you.
00:46:59.01\00:47:01.28
And I think, again,
the Christian faith in one,
00:47:01.32\00:47:04.59
in times like this, the
Bible tells us with God,
00:47:04.62\00:47:07.86
we are never alone.
00:47:07.89\00:47:09.56
And whilst it is
far more difficult
00:47:09.59\00:47:12.49
for those who are living alone.
00:47:12.53\00:47:14.26
When you have God, at least,
00:47:14.30\00:47:15.96
you know, He can,
you can talk to Him,
00:47:16.00\00:47:18.63
He can talk to you
through the scriptures.
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.40
There is somebody to cry out to.
00:47:20.44\00:47:22.74
And, you know, I
think that's something
00:47:22.77\00:47:25.21
I appreciate about
our Christian faith.
00:47:25.24\00:47:27.18
And I think it's
interesting that Jesus,
00:47:27.21\00:47:28.91
once again, in the context
00:47:28.94\00:47:30.78
of the second
coming spoke of our time.
00:47:30.81\00:47:32.98
He spoke of, of
this mental angst
00:47:33.01\00:47:35.82
that would be present.
00:47:35.85\00:47:37.19
And you might want
to read Luke 21:25-26.
00:47:37.22\00:47:40.96
Yep.
00:47:40.99\00:47:42.32
And the Bible says,
00:47:42.36\00:47:43.69
"And there shall be signs
in the sun and in the moon
00:47:43.73\00:47:45.29
and the stars and upon the earth
00:47:45.33\00:47:46.93
distress of
nations with perplexity,
00:47:46.96\00:47:50.43
the sea and the waves roaring,
00:47:50.47\00:47:52.80
men's hearts
failing them for fear.
00:47:52.83\00:47:55.27
And for looking
after those things,
00:47:55.30\00:47:56.94
which are coming on the earth,
00:47:56.97\00:47:58.34
for the powers of
heaven shall be shaken."
00:47:58.37\00:48:00.54
So you can see there's
going to be fear and distress.
00:48:00.58\00:48:02.28
That's right.
00:48:02.31\00:48:03.65
And, just quickly, I'm
going to put up those words,
00:48:03.68\00:48:07.12
distress and perplexity,
notice what these words mean,
00:48:07.15\00:48:11.85
"Great mental or
physical suffering,
00:48:11.89\00:48:13.89
distress, such
as extreme anxiety,
00:48:13.92\00:48:15.96
sadness, or pain,
00:48:15.99\00:48:17.46
or the state of being
in danger or urgent need."
00:48:17.49\00:48:20.50
Let's go to our next
word, perplexity, notice,
00:48:20.53\00:48:23.47
"A state of
confusion or a complicated
00:48:23.50\00:48:26.07
and difficult
situation or thing."
00:48:26.10\00:48:27.80
And finally, fear,
00:48:27.84\00:48:29.84
"An unpleasant emotion
or thought that you have
00:48:29.87\00:48:32.37
when you are frightened
00:48:32.41\00:48:33.74
or worried by
something dangerous, painful,
00:48:33.78\00:48:35.81
or bad that is
happening or might happen."
00:48:35.84\00:48:38.65
And that is what
we have been saying.
00:48:38.68\00:48:40.52
But as Peter
pointed out, the good news
00:48:40.55\00:48:42.22
is that if we have Christ
in our hearts and in our lives,
00:48:42.25\00:48:45.02
we don't need to be afraid
because He is in our vessel
00:48:45.05\00:48:48.36
and we can have confidence
no matter what comes our way.
00:48:48.39\00:48:52.46
And that's the real
blessing of the gospel.
00:48:52.49\00:48:55.33
That's right.
00:48:55.36\00:48:56.70
One last scripture
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.07
that I wanted to turn
to in this presentation,
00:48:58.10\00:49:00.70
and it's actually
in Malachi Chapter 4,
00:49:00.74\00:49:04.31
which is the last
page of the Old Testament.
00:49:04.34\00:49:07.81
Malachi 4:5-6.
00:49:07.84\00:49:10.95
And I want to read that
too, because it says, "Behold,
00:49:10.98\00:49:15.72
I will send you
Elijah the prophet
00:49:15.75\00:49:17.55
before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord.
00:49:17.59\00:49:21.09
And he will turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children,
00:49:21.12\00:49:24.69
and the hearts of the
children to their fathers,
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.66
lest I come and strike
the earth with a curse."
00:49:27.70\00:49:31.03
And it tells us here that...
00:49:31.07\00:49:34.00
God is gonna send the
message of the Prophet Elijah
00:49:34.04\00:49:37.47
in the last days to
turn people's hearts
00:49:37.51\00:49:39.67
back to the father,
00:49:39.71\00:49:41.04
turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children.
00:49:41.08\00:49:43.04
That's certainly
talking in a familial sense,
00:49:43.08\00:49:46.45
but I think this is
where the gospel is too,
00:49:46.48\00:49:48.55
because really
00:49:48.58\00:49:49.92
God's intention is to be
trying to turn his children
00:49:49.95\00:49:53.56
back to the
father, and the father's,
00:49:53.59\00:49:56.62
the father's
attention back to his children.
00:49:56.66\00:49:59.23
You know, in Matthew 24:12
00:49:59.26\00:50:01.46
and those signs
that Jesus talked about,
00:50:01.50\00:50:03.13
it says because of lawlessness,
00:50:03.16\00:50:04.83
the love of many will grow cold,
00:50:04.87\00:50:07.04
but here God is
trying to reignite that love
00:50:07.07\00:50:10.24
that we should...
00:50:10.27\00:50:13.71
turn our hearts
back to the children
00:50:13.74\00:50:16.38
and have the
children turn their hearts
00:50:16.41\00:50:17.98
back to the fathers.
00:50:18.01\00:50:19.95
This is something that was true.
00:50:19.98\00:50:23.02
When John the Baptist came,
00:50:23.05\00:50:24.99
he had the spirit
and power of Elijah.
00:50:25.02\00:50:28.09
And it's true in the last days
00:50:28.12\00:50:29.79
where God is pouring
out His Spirit once more.
00:50:29.82\00:50:33.53
And it's wonderful
that this is in the context,
00:50:33.56\00:50:37.27
these words that
we've just read from Malachi
00:50:37.30\00:50:38.93
is in the context
of preparing a people
00:50:38.97\00:50:41.10
for the coming of the Lord,
00:50:41.14\00:50:42.64
and we have the
pandemics, we have pestilence,
00:50:42.67\00:50:46.07
we've got famines, we've
got suffering and sorrow.
00:50:46.11\00:50:49.04
There is just so much of that,
00:50:49.08\00:50:50.45
death and
destruction and disease,
00:50:50.48\00:50:52.91
but the good news is
00:50:52.95\00:50:54.28
the Bible doesn't
end with pandemics.
00:50:54.32\00:50:57.42
The Bible doesn't
end with pestilence,
00:50:57.45\00:51:00.29
but the Bible ends
with the glorious event
00:51:00.32\00:51:03.96
of the coming of Jesus.
00:51:03.99\00:51:05.69
And those that will inherit
a world where there is no sin,
00:51:05.73\00:51:09.36
suffering and sorrow.
00:51:09.40\00:51:10.80
And so we want to
conclude with a final scripture
00:51:10.83\00:51:13.84
before we give an invitation
00:51:13.87\00:51:16.30
for folk to
continue on this journey.
00:51:16.34\00:51:18.41
And that's from Revelation 21.
00:51:18.44\00:51:20.78
This would have to be
one of my favorite passages
00:51:20.81\00:51:22.98
in all the Bible.
00:51:23.01\00:51:24.35
Revelation Chapter 21,
sin, and suffering, and sorrow,
00:51:24.38\00:51:27.85
and Satan have been
destroyed forever more.
00:51:27.88\00:51:30.99
And this is what
John the Revelator writes
00:51:31.02\00:51:33.92
in Revelation 21:4-5,
00:51:33.96\00:51:36.36
"And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes.
00:51:36.39\00:51:40.30
There shall be no more
death, no sorrow, nor crying.
00:51:40.33\00:51:44.23
There shall be no more pain,
00:51:44.27\00:51:46.37
for the former
things have passed away.
00:51:46.40\00:51:48.84
Then he who sat
on the throne said,
00:51:48.87\00:51:51.41
'Behold, I make all things new.'
00:51:51.44\00:51:54.28
And he said to me,
00:51:54.31\00:51:55.64
'Write for these words
are true and faithful.'"
00:51:55.68\00:51:59.21
And so the Bible ends with
no more pain, no more suffering,
00:51:59.25\00:52:04.15
no more COVID-19
or anything like that.
00:52:04.19\00:52:08.89
The Bible ends with a world
that is in harmony and unity,
00:52:08.92\00:52:15.33
living in the love of God,
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.30
living under the
principles of God's government
00:52:17.33\00:52:20.14
forever more.
00:52:20.17\00:52:21.50
And God says, you can
take these words to the bank,
00:52:21.54\00:52:24.51
write He says to John, write,
00:52:24.54\00:52:26.84
for these words
are true and faithful.
00:52:26.88\00:52:29.28
We can put our faith
and trust in God's Word.
00:52:29.31\00:52:31.41
And he needs promises
that there's a new day coming,
00:52:31.45\00:52:34.15
that there is a light
at the end of the tunnel.
00:52:34.18\00:52:36.15
And that light is
the coming of Jesus.
00:52:36.18\00:52:38.29
So let's remember that.
00:52:38.32\00:52:39.92
It said, though we
have some anxiety, fears,
00:52:39.95\00:52:45.86
some difficult situations
happening at the moment
00:52:45.89\00:52:48.50
in this world that the
Bible gives us the hope
00:52:48.53\00:52:52.13
that God is faithful
and true in his words
00:52:52.17\00:52:54.47
that Jesus will come.
00:52:54.50\00:52:55.84
Absolutely.
00:52:55.87\00:52:57.21
And as we go to that point,
00:52:57.24\00:52:59.17
I'll just want to introduce
to you our address role
00:52:59.21\00:53:03.01
so that you can contact us.
00:53:03.04\00:53:04.78
If you want more information,
00:53:04.81\00:53:06.72
if you want to get in touch
00:53:06.75\00:53:08.08
with Pastor
Danny or Pastor Peter
00:53:08.12\00:53:09.55
even, and ask
them more questions,
00:53:09.58\00:53:11.15
you can do so at this address.
00:53:11.19\00:53:13.12
If you would like to
contact 3ABN Australia,
00:53:17.53\00:53:19.76
you may do so in
the following ways.
00:53:19.79\00:53:21.80
You may write to 3ABN
Australia, PO Box 752,
00:53:21.83\00:53:26.00
Morisset, New South
Wales 2264, Australia.
00:53:26.03\00:53:30.14
That's PO Box 752, Morisset,
00:53:30.17\00:53:33.78
New South Wales 2264, Australia,
00:53:33.81\00:53:37.05
or you may call 02- 4973-3456.
00:53:37.08\00:53:41.78
That's 02-4973-3456
from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM,
00:53:41.82\00:53:48.42
Monday to Thursday
or 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM,
00:53:48.46\00:53:52.26
Fridays New South Wales time.
00:53:52.29\00:53:54.86
You may also email us at
mail@3abnaustralia.org.au.
00:53:54.90\00:54:00.67
That's mail at the
number 3ABN Australia,
00:54:00.70\00:54:04.57
all one word.org.edu.
00:54:04.61\00:54:08.01
Thank you for all you do
to help us light the world
00:54:08.04\00:54:10.65
with the glory of God's truth.
00:54:10.68\00:54:12.31
I hope you've
got all those details
00:54:15.62\00:54:17.92
and we'd like to hear from you.
00:54:17.95\00:54:19.29
And I'm sure Peter
and Danny would also,
00:54:19.32\00:54:21.66
but you know, just in
closing off the program, Peter,
00:54:21.69\00:54:24.49
I know that when we talk
about things of this nature,
00:54:24.53\00:54:28.33
there's something that
always comes up in our mind.
00:54:28.36\00:54:30.90
And I'd like you to share
that with our viewers, Peter.
00:54:30.93\00:54:33.50
Yeah.
00:54:33.54\00:54:34.87
John, I think that we've
been talking about pestilence,
00:54:34.90\00:54:37.07
pandemic and prophecy.
00:54:37.11\00:54:38.47
And for me,
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.68
I think what
God wants us to know
00:54:40.71\00:54:44.21
is that there, that
He still loves people.
00:54:44.25\00:54:47.22
In spite of all the
trouble we see here,
00:54:47.25\00:54:49.15
there is a solution
00:54:49.18\00:54:50.92
and God will
ultimately bring about that,
00:54:50.95\00:54:53.15
that solution
when Jesus returns.
00:54:53.19\00:54:55.96
But the events that
we see happening now
00:54:55.99\00:55:00.00
most of the trends that we
see, whether it's a pestilence,
00:55:00.03\00:55:04.40
famine, earthquakes,
wars, whatever it may be,
00:55:04.43\00:55:07.47
these trends have been
going on for a while now.
00:55:07.50\00:55:09.84
And they're building to a point.
00:55:09.87\00:55:11.77
And that point is the
second coming of Christ.
00:55:11.81\00:55:13.88
And God wants us
to be ready for that.
00:55:13.91\00:55:16.51
These things are occurring,
if you like as a wake-up call.
00:55:16.54\00:55:19.58
We've seen that in the headlines
00:55:19.61\00:55:21.65
that God wants us
to take Him seriously.
00:55:21.68\00:55:24.49
He wants us to say, He
wants us to understand.
00:55:24.52\00:55:27.26
We live in a troubled world.
00:55:27.29\00:55:28.62
We live in a
troubled world because of sin.
00:55:28.66\00:55:30.59
God wants to
bring an end to that.
00:55:30.63\00:55:32.36
He wants to bring
an end to the trouble
00:55:32.39\00:55:34.60
and the sin in our world.
00:55:34.63\00:55:36.23
And He wants us to take
us to a place that is safe,
00:55:36.26\00:55:39.33
and He wants to save our lives
literally in a literal sense,
00:55:39.37\00:55:43.37
in a spiritual sense.
00:55:43.41\00:55:44.74
And so, God is asking us
00:55:44.77\00:55:46.27
to put our faith
and trust in Christ,
00:55:46.31\00:55:49.18
so that when He comes,
we'll greet Him and run to Him
00:55:49.21\00:55:53.35
when He comes,
00:55:53.38\00:55:54.72
People are out there everywhere,
00:55:54.75\00:55:56.32
wondering what's
going to happen Danny.
00:55:56.35\00:55:58.15
And there's some, you
know, they want peace.
00:55:58.19\00:56:00.22
I think we all want peace.
00:56:00.26\00:56:01.59
I know you would want
peace as I want peace.
00:56:01.62\00:56:03.83
The Bible does
give us that assurance.
00:56:03.86\00:56:06.39
So just share with
us, Danny, on your heart,
00:56:06.43\00:56:09.23
the peace that we hear about,
00:56:09.26\00:56:10.60
and we've been
talking about today?
00:56:10.63\00:56:12.80
Well, Jesus is
the Prince of Peace.
00:56:12.83\00:56:14.97
The Bible says, He
is the Prince of Peace.
00:56:15.00\00:56:18.47
I want to reflect on the
words of our government leaders
00:56:18.51\00:56:22.94
stressing over and over again,
00:56:22.98\00:56:24.48
encouraging the
Australian population
00:56:24.51\00:56:26.55
that we're going to
get to the other side,
00:56:26.58\00:56:28.58
you hear those,
you hear those words,
00:56:28.62\00:56:30.39
we're going to
get to the other side.
00:56:30.42\00:56:31.82
And so it's a message of hope.
00:56:31.85\00:56:33.86
It's interesting
that I came across
00:56:33.89\00:56:35.36
this Time Magazine article
00:56:35.39\00:56:38.26
and the front cover was
finding hope, finding hope.
00:56:38.29\00:56:43.06
And the whole
magazine, the entire focus,
00:56:43.10\00:56:47.14
the theme was, as you
can see there from the front
00:56:47.17\00:56:49.74
and that artist's depiction
on the pavement in a Paris,
00:56:49.77\00:56:53.74
straight finding
hope, where do we find hope?
00:56:53.78\00:56:56.44
And the truth is,
we cannot find hope
00:56:56.48\00:56:59.45
in the
governments of this world.
00:56:59.48\00:57:00.92
We need to pray for them
00:57:00.95\00:57:02.28
and we need to
continue to do that.
00:57:02.32\00:57:03.65
But the hope, the only hope
we can find is in Jesus Christ.
00:57:03.69\00:57:06.89
And the second coming
in the Bible is referred
00:57:06.92\00:57:09.29
to as the blessed hope.
00:57:09.32\00:57:10.66
So I want to give the
viewers an opportunity
00:57:10.69\00:57:13.76
to go a little bit further.
00:57:13.80\00:57:15.13
There's a couple of books,
and they're up on the screen
00:57:15.16\00:57:16.97
there that I want
to encourage you with,
00:57:17.00\00:57:19.20
one, Steps to Christ,
00:57:19.23\00:57:20.64
a beautiful book that will lead
you closer and closer to Jesus
00:57:20.67\00:57:23.54
and the other
one, The Great Hope
00:57:23.57\00:57:25.14
that will unpack more
00:57:25.17\00:57:26.51
of what we have
been looking at today.
00:57:26.54\00:57:28.38
Very good.
00:57:28.41\00:57:29.74
And those books
are worth getting,
00:57:29.78\00:57:31.11
I tell you, get hold of them.
00:57:31.15\00:57:32.95
But one of the
things we've got to remember
00:57:32.98\00:57:34.32
is that this is only part one.
00:57:34.35\00:57:36.58
We have part two to come.
00:57:36.62\00:57:38.35
So turn again to this
channel, to this program,
00:57:38.39\00:57:42.06
and we'll see you
next time for part two.
00:57:42.09\00:57:44.53
God bless you.
00:57:44.56\00:57:45.89