What does the future hold?
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Where can we find certainty
in a world of uncertainty?
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The book of Revelation provides
hopeful answers for today,
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tomorrow, and forever.
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Join Mark Finley, author
and world renowned speaker,
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on a journey
into the future with
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I'm delighted that
you've joined us again for
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Revelation's
Ancient Discoveries.
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In this series we're
exploring different prophecies
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in the book of Revelation.
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We're unfolding Revelation.
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Many people come to the book of
Revelation and they say it's a
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book of mystic symbols.
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It's a book of cryptic images.
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It's a book of beasts.
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But yet we're
looking beyond simply the
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externals in Revelation.
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We're looking at the
major theme of Revelation.
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We've noted so far that
the theme of Revelation is that
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Jesus Christ
wins and Satan loses.
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Really, if you could
summarize Revelation in one word
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the word would be victory.
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That is victory for Christ,
victory for righteousness,
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victory for the people of God,
victory for the kingdom of God.
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As we explore Revelation
we see a great struggle,
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a great conflict
between good and evil.
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I'd like you to bow your
heads with me wherever you are,
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and we're going to ask the
Lord to come and give us divine
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insight into this
book, the book of Revelation.
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Father in Heaven, thank You for
the opportunity of knowing You.
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Thank You for the prophetic
word that gives us clarity,
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and reveals light
on the road ahead.
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Thank You that Your
word dispels darkness.
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Thank You that
Your word gives hope.
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Thank You that the book of
Revelation speaks with ever
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increasing relevance to the
world that we live in today,
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about the fact that Jesus
has this world in His hands,
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so grant to us that hope as we
study these prophecies tonight.
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In Christ's name, Amen.
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Our topic for
this presentation is
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Now when you look through
the entire Bible, one thing that
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becomes pretty obvious is
that angels are present from the
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first book of the Bible,
Genesis, where an angel with
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flaming sword guarded
Eden after Adam and Eve were
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cast out of the Garden.
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Throughout the entire
book of Genesis we see angels.
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You go to the book of
Exodus; we see angels.
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Throughout the
whole Old Testament there
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is angelic presence.
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David in the Psalms
speaks about the angels.
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He says, The angel of the
Lord protects, stands near those
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that fear God and delivers him.
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When you look at Psalm 91
it talks about a thousand shall
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fall by thy side, ten
thousand at thy right hand,
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but it will not come nigh thee.
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The angels of the Lord,
again become our protectors.
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In the New Testament the angel
brings a message to Mary about
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the birth of the Christ child.
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Angels guide and
protect the Holy family
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in their trip to Egypt.
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So throughout the Old and
New Testament, you go to the
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book of Acts, and you
see angels constantly there.
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The Angel of the Lord delivers
the Apostles from prison.
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In the book of
Revelation angels are present
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in a very marked way.
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Probably more than any
other place in the Bible, we see
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When we look at the message
in Revelation we see angels
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as actively involved in this
conflict between good and evil,
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bringing light to the
mind, dispelling darkness.
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We see angels beating
back the forces of hell.
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But particularly angels
are the messengers of God
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in the book of Revelation.
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In Revelation 1, for
example, the Bible says,
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verse 1, we see an angel.
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This is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
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I'm quoting Revelation 1:1.
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The Revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave unto Him
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to show His servants things
that must shortly come to pass,
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and sent and signified
it by His angel to John.
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So in Revelation 1 the angel
brings the message to John.
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Angels are
messengers from heaven.
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When you look, for example, at
the entire book of Revelation,
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you look at
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You have the seven churches,
and you have the angels of
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these churches, or
messengers to these churches.
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Revelation is a
book of angels; angels
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bringing heavenly messages.
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Angels are holding back
the winds of destruction.
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Holding back the winds of
strife, and conflict to come
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upon planet earth.
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An exciting chapter.
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We'll spend one
presentation later in the
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series on this chapter. But
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The angel has one foot in
the sea, one foot on the land.
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He lifts his hand with a
solemn oath, and he cries out,
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Time will be no longer.
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Angels again bringing heaven's
message to men and women
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on planet earth
in Revelation 10.
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In Revelation 14, you
start there with verse 6.
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I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
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having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those that
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dwell upon the earth.
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And then in Revelation 14
you have three angels bringing
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heaven's message to earth.
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So angels all through
the book of Revelation.
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What are the angels
flying in the middle of heaven?
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They are heavenly
messengers once again. In
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again, an angel pours out
the vial, so the judgments
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of God upon the earth.
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The angel brings the
message of last day judgment,
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and the return of Christ. In
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verse 1, it says that another
angel cries with a loud voice,
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cries Babylon is fallen.
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He calls all of God's people
out of the fallen, confused,
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apostate
religious system of Babylon.
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So, again you have angels,
but notice their purpose,
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notice their function.
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They are representatives of
ministers of, messengers of,
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the eternal,
everlasting God. Now
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And we might call this the great
Star Wars conflict of the ages.
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The Star Wars trilogy captured
the imagination of people around
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the world with a fictitious
drama of Star Wars out in space.
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But that only, in a very faint
way, would mirror the great
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conflict between good and evil,
the great Star Wars conflict.
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Revelation 12 gives us the
focal point of that conflict.
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So let's go there to
Revelation, the 12th chapter.
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We see it in verses 7 to 9.
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Now that's a strange place
for war, isn't it? in heaven?
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The reason there's war on
earth is because there was
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first war in heaven.
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War broke out in heaven.
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Now notice what Scripture says.
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It says that
there's this war in heaven;
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this cosmic
conflict up in heaven.
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That Michael and his
angels fight against the
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dragon and his angels.
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Now the Bible
identifies the dragon as Satan.
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It calls Satan the dragon,
and it calls him a serpent.
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He is the serpent
because he deceives.
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He is the dragon
because he destroys.
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So the Devil deceives those
whom he's going to destroy,
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and destroys those
whom he has deceived.
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So we see this war in heaven.
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But that leads us
to some questions.
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What are the
issues in this controversy
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between good and evil?
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What are the
issues in this controversy
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between Christ and Satan?
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It leads us to
some other questions.
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Why would God ever
allow this controversy to
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take place in heaven?
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We go to the book of
Ezekiel, and Ezekiel helps us
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to find some answers.
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It really helps us to
find an answer to the question,
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Did God create Lucifer?
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Did God create a demon?
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Did God create this evil angel
who battled against the good
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angels up in heaven?
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The prophet Ezekiel
helps us to understand this.
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Now notice, God did
not create a demonic angel.
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It says he was the
seal of perfection.
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In other words, God
created a perfect being
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of dazzling brightness.
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He was full of wisdom.
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He was perfect in beauty.
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There was no flaw
in this angel at all.
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He was created perfect by God.
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He was created as
a shining being of
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iridescent glory by God.
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Now what does this
anointed cherub that covers?
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Cherub, again, is an angel.
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Anointed means he was chosen.
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So Lucifer was chosen.
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Lucifer was anointed
above the other angels
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as a covering cherub.
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If you were an
ancient Israelite,
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you would have understood that.
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Because in the Jewish Sanctuary,
in the Most Holy Place of the
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Sanctuary, there was
the Ark of the Covenant.
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Over that Ark of the Covenant
there were two angels that were
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wrought out in gold.
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So the anointed angel,
or the angel that covered,
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would have been one
of the angels closest
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to the throne of God.
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Truth is stranger than fiction.
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An angel, one of the angels
closest to God betrayed Him.
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One of the angels
closest to God lied about Him.
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One of the angels closest to
God lied about His character,
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claiming that God
was unfair and unjust.
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the Scripture says.
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So God created a perfect angel.
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God created this being
of dazzling brightness,
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full of wisdom, full of glory.
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But yet God created him
with the capacity to choose.
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God did not create a devil.
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God did not create Lucifer
in the sense of creating a being
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with some flaw, something wrong
with the brain that caused him
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to rebel. Not at all.
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The Scripture teaches
that God creates all of
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these angels perfect.
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One of them called Lucifer;
Lucifer means lightbearer.
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It comes from two Latin
words, lux, meaning light,
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ferre meaning bearer.
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So Lucifer is
the anointed cherub.
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He's the lightbearer.
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But the Bible
tells us what happened.
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How did Lucifer
become this demonic being?
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It says, you
corrupted your wisdom.
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In other words, Lucifer
made a conscious choice.
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God created him with
the capacity to choose.
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God created all His beings
with the capacity to choose.
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You know, let's suppose that
you had a child, and you could,
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every single evening program
that child with a computer.
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Let's suppose the child
had, you know, maybe a couple of
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screws in its head, and you
could just unscrew those screws,
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take them out, flip top of the
head, and place a computer chip
00:13:36.44\00:13:39.75
in so that your child
would always obey you.
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That would be a pretty
good idea some parents say.
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How many would
like a child like that?
00:13:45.12\00:13:46.96
Don't raise your
hand too quickly.
00:13:46.99\00:13:48.76
And let's suppose that every
night you'd program the child,
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and the child would
get up and say, Mother,
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I do like my
oatmeal. I will eat it all.
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Mother, I will do my homework.
00:14:00.17\00:14:03.04
Mother, I will pick
up my room, and not leave
00:14:03.07\00:14:05.81
one dirty sock around.
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.18
How'd you like
a child like that?
00:14:07.21\00:14:09.54
Some of you say,
Oh yeah, that's great!
00:14:09.58\00:14:11.25
I wish I had a child like that.
00:14:11.28\00:14:12.61
And how would you like
that child to shake your hand
00:14:12.65\00:14:16.02
with his iron hand?
00:14:16.05\00:14:18.62
How would you like that
child to kiss you on the cheek
00:14:18.65\00:14:22.09
with their iron cheek?
00:14:22.12\00:14:24.59
You see, the only way you
can have a child like that
00:14:24.63\00:14:26.13
is if you had a robot.
00:14:26.16\00:14:27.50
And you don't want a robot
child, and neither did God.
00:14:27.53\00:14:29.66
You don't want
a... You love your kid.
00:14:29.70\00:14:31.43
When he gets up in the morning;
you're ready to go to work,
00:14:31.50\00:14:34.24
and he jumps on your lap;
this little five year old,
00:14:34.27\00:14:37.44
so happy to see
Daddy, so happy to see Mommy.
00:14:37.47\00:14:40.08
Jumps on your lap, puts his
arms around you, kisses you,
00:14:40.14\00:14:43.51
and at the same time
spills the milk over your
00:14:43.55\00:14:45.65
dress or your pants, you see.
00:14:45.68\00:14:47.02
I mean, you don't have any robot
child, you have a marvelous kid
00:14:47.05\00:14:53.02
that you wouldn't
trade for the world.
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.49
But he has the power of choice.
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.06
You see, if you take away the
power of choice, you take away
00:14:58.09\00:15:02.16
the capacity to love.
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.83
And if you take away the
capacity to love, you take away
00:15:03.87\00:15:06.63
the opportunity to be happy.
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.10
So God in His far seeing wisdom,
God in His amazing knowledge,
00:15:08.14\00:15:14.68
God does not want angelic beings
that serve Him either because
00:15:14.71\00:15:19.41
they're programmed to, because
that's the way He created them,
00:15:19.45\00:15:22.88
or because they're forced to.
00:15:22.92\00:15:25.99
There is no love without choice.
00:15:26.02\00:15:28.89
And there is no
freedom without choice.
00:15:28.92\00:15:31.53
So God created free
beings that could love Him
00:15:31.59\00:15:35.46
based on His character.
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.20
His character of goodness.
00:15:37.27\00:15:38.90
His character of righteousness.
00:15:38.93\00:15:40.67
His character of greatness.
00:15:40.70\00:15:42.40
His character of love.
00:15:42.44\00:15:44.71
And one of these beings,
Lucifer, decided that he wanted
00:15:44.74\00:15:51.71
God's position,
and God's authority.
00:15:51.75\00:15:54.68
And the book of Isaiah
sweeps back the curtain.
00:15:54.72\00:15:58.19
The book of Isaiah helps us
to understand what happened.
00:15:58.22\00:16:02.49
Now notice
Lucifer, the lightbearer,
00:16:11.63\00:16:13.87
the son of the
morning. We continue.
00:16:13.90\00:16:16.10
See, sin always
begins in the heart.
00:16:17.97\00:16:21.04
Before the sinful act,
there is the sinful thought.
00:16:21.08\00:16:26.28
Before the sinful act there
is the corruption of the human
00:16:26.31\00:16:32.02
heart, the degradation of the
human mind. Back to the text.
00:16:32.05\00:16:36.29
The center of pride is I.
00:16:41.10\00:16:44.20
And Lucifer had I problem.
00:16:44.23\00:16:45.97
Wasn't he already in heaven?
00:16:47.00\00:16:48.34
Certainly he was
already in heaven.
00:16:48.37\00:16:50.54
But he wanted a higher position.
00:16:50.57\00:16:52.34
Because notice what he says.
00:16:52.37\00:16:54.11
The throne implies rulership.
00:16:57.41\00:17:00.25
The throne implies
one who is in charge.
00:17:00.28\00:17:04.89
The throne
implies kingly authority.
00:17:04.92\00:17:07.89
So Lucifer says,
he's at the throne.
00:17:07.92\00:17:09.62
He's the anointed
cherub that covers.
00:17:09.66\00:17:12.06
He has a responsible position.
00:17:12.09\00:17:13.70
But he wants something more.
00:17:13.73\00:17:15.23
He's not content
with what he has.
00:17:15.26\00:17:17.57
He wants to
usurp God's authority.
00:17:17.60\00:17:19.83
He wants to knock God
off His throne. He says,
00:17:19.87\00:17:23.77
What's that all about?
00:17:30.11\00:17:31.45
The Mount of the Congregation,
of course, was Mount Sinai.
00:17:31.48\00:17:34.02
And it's from there that
God administered His law.
00:17:34.05\00:17:37.95
So North is a
symbol of the law of God.
00:17:37.99\00:17:43.16
And so it's a symbol
of the throne of God.
00:17:43.19\00:17:46.06
So Lucifer wants to sit on God's
throne, administer God's law.
00:17:46.09\00:17:51.37
The creature wants to have
the authority of the Creator.
00:17:51.40\00:17:55.27
The creature wants to
ascend above his Creator.
00:17:55.30\00:17:59.24
He does not want
to be worshipped.
00:17:59.27\00:18:01.68
He wants to... He
does not want to worship,
00:18:01.71\00:18:05.75
he wants to be worshipped.
00:18:05.78\00:18:07.28
He does not want to be
commanded, he wants to command.
00:18:07.32\00:18:12.89
He does not want to
respect God's authority,
00:18:12.92\00:18:15.69
he wants to exhibit authority.
00:18:15.72\00:18:18.29
And so the Bible
says that Lucifer declares
00:18:18.33\00:18:22.63
So his ambition to be like
God, caused him to begin selling
00:18:28.57\00:18:33.91
lies throughout heaven.
00:18:33.94\00:18:35.88
Lies that might have gone
like this: God doesn't have your
00:18:35.91\00:18:39.61
best interest in view.
00:18:39.65\00:18:41.45
God is not One who loves you.
00:18:41.48\00:18:44.82
God is a God, Lucifer said, of,
a God of vindictive judgment.
00:18:44.85\00:18:50.59
He is a God that commands.
00:18:50.63\00:18:52.19
What has He given to us?
00:18:52.23\00:18:53.76
And as he began
to sow that discord,
00:18:53.80\00:18:56.16
sow that dissatisfaction,
sow that disaffection in heaven,
00:18:56.20\00:19:00.44
some of the angels
began to buy that lie.
00:19:00.47\00:19:03.51
Some of the angels began
to think that the law of God
00:19:03.54\00:19:06.27
indeed restricted them.
00:19:06.31\00:19:07.94
Lucifer desired to be like God.
00:19:20.62\00:19:24.39
Now God has only one weapon.
00:19:24.43\00:19:28.13
And the weapon
that God has is love.
00:19:28.16\00:19:30.40
1 John 4:8. What does it say?
00:19:30.43\00:19:32.93
See, Lucifer can use lies.
00:19:35.00\00:19:37.17
Lucifer can use deception.
00:19:37.21\00:19:39.27
Lucifer can use force.
00:19:39.31\00:19:41.28
Lucifer can use coercion.
00:19:41.31\00:19:43.24
But the only thing that
God has, the only weapon
00:19:43.28\00:19:46.98
that God has is love.
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.58
Now God could have
stamped out Lucifer.
00:19:48.65\00:19:52.09
God could have
destroyed Lucifer.
00:19:52.12\00:19:54.02
But if God would have done that
the Universe would have served
00:19:54.06\00:19:57.03
Him from fear, and they wouldn't
have served Him from love. So
00:19:57.06\00:20:01.13
If you do away with God's love,
and you give God all power,
00:20:05.80\00:20:10.07
then He becomes a
tyrant with power.
00:20:10.11\00:20:12.57
If you take away, of course,
His power, and you only say that
00:20:12.61\00:20:16.14
God is merciful, then He
has no ability to control evil.
00:20:16.18\00:20:19.18
So God is love. Part of that
aspect of God's love is mercy.
00:20:19.21\00:20:24.69
The other aspect of
that love is justice.
00:20:24.72\00:20:27.06
So there's a
conflict in the Universe.
00:20:27.09\00:20:29.36
For the first time
there's rebellion in heaven.
00:20:29.39\00:20:32.69
For the first time
there is dissatisfaction.
00:20:32.73\00:20:36.00
Millennia's have gone by.
00:20:36.06\00:20:37.80
There's only been harmony, only
joy, only gladness in heaven.
00:20:37.83\00:20:42.27
But now in a Star Wars conflict
greater than any Star Wars
00:20:42.30\00:20:46.68
conflict,
Lucifer rebels in heaven.
00:20:46.71\00:20:49.04
The whole Universe
is thrown into disarray.
00:20:49.08\00:20:53.15
Lucifer wants rulership,
and he's battling God over the
00:20:53.18\00:20:58.39
kingship of the world.
00:20:58.42\00:20:59.95
So what is at stake is
the rulership of the Universe.
00:20:59.99\00:21:04.06
Well it's a battle for
the throne of the Universe.
00:21:04.09\00:21:08.16
And notice what
Ezekiel 28:6 says:
00:21:08.20\00:21:11.77
Lucifer wanted
to be ruler and God.
00:21:16.50\00:21:20.91
As he shared his disaffection
and evil with the angels,
00:21:20.98\00:21:25.65
and the other angels,
they rebelled against God.
00:21:25.68\00:21:28.38
Every angel had
to make a decision.
00:21:28.42\00:21:32.62
Every being in heaven
had to make a decision.
00:21:32.65\00:21:36.02
Will we accept the lies of
Lucifer, or will we accept the
00:21:36.06\00:21:42.66
truth that God is love, and
has our best interest in view?
00:21:42.70\00:21:45.73
And you know the decision
that those angels had to make
00:21:45.77\00:21:49.44
in heaven, that decision
is one that every single one
00:21:49.47\00:21:53.11
of us have to make.
00:21:53.14\00:21:54.48
Because there's not only
a battle in the Universe,
00:21:54.51\00:21:56.75
there's a battle in our hearts.
00:21:56.78\00:21:58.21
It's the battle
between good and evil.
00:21:58.25\00:22:00.38
It's the battle
between truth and error.
00:22:00.42\00:22:02.75
It's the battle
between right and wrong.
00:22:02.78\00:22:05.05
It's the battle between what
we want to do, asserting our own
00:22:05.09\00:22:09.86
authority, and accepting
the authority of Jesus Christ.
00:22:09.89\00:22:14.46
You see, in every
heart there is a throne.
00:22:14.50\00:22:17.57
In every heart there is a cross.
00:22:17.63\00:22:19.93
And if self is on the throne,
then Jesus is on the cross.
00:22:19.97\00:22:26.01
If Jesus is on the
throne of your heart,
00:22:26.04\00:22:29.34
then self is on the cross.
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.51
Lucifer did not want to go
through that point in his life
00:22:31.58\00:22:37.89
where when these thoughts
began to rise, that he denied
00:22:37.92\00:22:42.32
the selfish ambition,
rather that was indulged.
00:22:42.36\00:22:47.00
What would God do?
00:22:50.20\00:22:51.80
I mean why not just take
Lucifer, like a little mosquito
00:22:56.54\00:23:00.18
here, slap him, do away
with him, destroy him, kill him?
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.81
That's over; it's it.
00:23:03.85\00:23:05.41
Why doesn't He
just annihilate him?
00:23:05.45\00:23:07.32
Why doesn't He not
just speak the word?
00:23:07.35\00:23:09.22
Why doesn't He
by His brightness,
00:23:09.25\00:23:10.75
by God's brightness and light
just zap him, and he's gone?
00:23:10.79\00:23:14.76
If God would have done that,
the whole Universe would have
00:23:14.79\00:23:19.89
served God from
fear and not from love.
00:23:19.93\00:23:24.53
The whole Universe would have
felt that if they stepped out of
00:23:24.57\00:23:29.97
line at all that the
sword of God would come,
00:23:30.01\00:23:33.34
and totally annihilate them.
00:23:33.38\00:23:34.71
How would you like to live
in an eternal Universe of fear?
00:23:34.74\00:23:40.22
How would you like to live with
a God that you perceived to be
00:23:40.25\00:23:44.02
all powerful, but not loving?
00:23:44.05\00:23:47.06
God knew that a challenge
had come to His government.
00:23:47.09\00:23:51.66
God knew that Lucifer had raised
questions about His character,
00:23:51.69\00:23:57.17
and so God made a decision.
00:23:57.20\00:23:59.03
Let evil play out
before the whole Universe.
00:23:59.10\00:24:02.97
And if God allowed evil to play
out before the whole Universe,
00:24:03.00\00:24:06.41
then the Universe could see
the terrible effects of evil,
00:24:06.44\00:24:10.41
and as the result of that, they
would serve Him forever as they
00:24:10.45\00:24:14.95
contrasted the results of evil,
as they contrasted the effects
00:24:14.98\00:24:20.76
of evil with the
marvelous gracious love of God.
00:24:20.79\00:24:25.93
And so, God
allowed evil to play out.
00:24:25.96\00:24:29.53
God chose a course
that would take time.
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.91
God chose a course
that would require patience.
00:24:36.97\00:24:41.91
God would demonstrate His love
to the whole Universe. Because
00:24:41.94\00:24:46.55
Love never can be coerced.
00:24:49.98\00:24:52.99
What if husband and wife
were married, and he then said,
00:24:53.02\00:24:58.29
I will make you love me!
00:24:58.36\00:25:00.60
I will force you to love me!
00:25:00.63\00:25:02.83
Not at all! Husbands win
the affections of their wives,
00:25:02.86\00:25:07.54
not by force, not by
coercion, but by the marvelous
00:25:07.57\00:25:12.21
love to that woman.
00:25:12.24\00:25:13.91
And when she sees his love,
and sees his unselfish kindness,
00:25:13.98\00:25:20.38
his graciousness, his
goodness, her heart is
00:25:20.42\00:25:23.28
touched, and she loves.
00:25:23.32\00:25:24.65
Just like a husband and wife
are brought together by love;
00:25:24.69\00:25:28.19
his love for her,
and her love for him,
00:25:28.22\00:25:30.36
and just like love depends on
free choice, and it can never be
00:25:30.39\00:25:34.06
coerced, never can be forced,
so likewise our love to God
00:25:34.10\00:25:39.73
can never be coerced.
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.10
It can never be forced.
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.47
So a battle
takes place in heaven.
00:25:42.50\00:25:43.84
And the Bible says in
00:25:43.87\00:25:45.21
So the dragon, the all powerful
Satan, the deceiver who deceives
00:25:55.68\00:26:00.42
one third of the
angels, there is war in heaven,
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.86
and God cast
Satan out of heaven.
00:26:02.89\00:26:07.23
Now that leads us to
another incredible question.
00:26:12.27\00:26:15.97
Did God create earth just as
a dumping off place for Satan?
00:26:23.31\00:26:30.52
Did God have a problem?
00:26:30.55\00:26:31.95
And He said, You know what,
I've got to solve My problem.
00:26:31.99\00:26:34.19
And so I'm going to cast
Satan out of heaven into earth,
00:26:34.22\00:26:37.16
and I'm going to get rid of him.
00:26:37.19\00:26:38.53
Not at all. God had
created a variety of worlds.
00:26:38.56\00:26:43.57
The Bible says 1 Corinthians,
it says that we're a spectacle
00:26:43.60\00:26:49.77
unto the world, to
angels, and to men.
00:26:49.80\00:26:53.38
In other words the Universal
world, angels the heavenly
00:26:53.41\00:26:56.75
world, and men on planet earth.
00:26:56.78\00:26:59.11
Hebrews 1:1 talks
about the God who created
00:26:59.15\00:27:03.82
the worlds, plural.
00:27:03.85\00:27:05.35
And so God creates
these various worlds,
00:27:05.39\00:27:08.39
worlds that are
not involved in sin.
00:27:08.42\00:27:11.33
And as God creates them,
every one of these planets,
00:27:11.36\00:27:14.16
or worlds, have a choice.
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.53
God wouldn't force them to serve
Him, any more than He would
00:27:15.56\00:27:19.73
force angels in
heaven to serve Him.
00:27:19.80\00:27:21.44
And so God gave
planet earth a choice.
00:27:21.47\00:27:25.47
God gave Adam and Eve a choice.
00:27:25.51\00:27:28.28
He warned them, of
course, I'm certain,
00:27:28.34\00:27:31.48
of this conflict
between good and evil.
00:27:31.51\00:27:33.82
He warned them of
this Titanic struggle
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.15
between Christ and Satan.
00:27:36.18\00:27:37.69
He warned them of
what the evil one had said.
00:27:37.72\00:27:42.66
And He told them, You can wander
freely through this garden,
00:27:42.69\00:27:47.10
but there is one
place that will be a test,
00:27:47.13\00:27:49.70
one place that will make...
that is a choice for you.
00:27:49.73\00:27:53.13
Just like all, the
whole Universe had a choice,
00:27:53.17\00:27:56.54
I'm going to give
you a choice as well.
00:27:56.57\00:27:59.47
You, Adam and Eve, will
have the freedom to choose.
00:27:59.51\00:28:02.94
But if you exercise that wrong
choice, sickness and suffering,
00:28:02.98\00:28:09.08
and heartache and death
are going to come upon you.
00:28:09.12\00:28:12.62
So God gave Adam and
Eve that capacity to choose.
00:28:12.65\00:28:16.12
Eve wandered from her husband.
00:28:16.16\00:28:19.56
And there as she came to
the tree, the voice of Lucifer
00:28:19.59\00:28:25.83
began to speak to her,
and he began to sow that lie.
00:28:25.87\00:28:31.37
And God said to Adam and
to Eve, You can eat of every
00:28:31.41\00:28:35.24
tree of the garden.
00:28:35.28\00:28:36.61
In other words, He gave them
the easiest possible choice.
00:28:36.64\00:28:39.45
He didn't say you
can eat of one tree,
00:28:39.51\00:28:40.85
and don't eat of all the rest.
00:28:40.88\00:28:42.22
He said, You can eat of
every tree but this one tree.
00:28:42.25\00:28:45.15
This one tree is the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil,
00:28:45.19\00:28:49.92
and if you eat of it,
your nature's will be changed.
00:28:49.96\00:28:54.56
If you eat of it
you'll open a door for evil to
00:28:54.60\00:28:57.83
come into the Universe.
00:28:57.90\00:28:59.23
Adam, Eve, listen to Me.
00:28:59.27\00:29:00.94
I love you! I want you
to enjoy the garden forever.
00:29:00.97\00:29:05.07
Do not eat of that tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
00:29:05.11\00:29:09.18
Eve, in her curiosity, wandered
from the side of her husband.
00:29:09.21\00:29:14.42
And she came to that tree
of knowledge of good and evil.
00:29:14.45\00:29:18.29
And she was surprised because
there in the form of a beautiful
00:29:18.32\00:29:23.79
serpent... Now we don't think
serpents are too beautiful.
00:29:23.83\00:29:26.19
We see a serpent
we run the other way.
00:29:26.23\00:29:27.63
But evidentially in the garden
serpents were created just
00:29:27.66\00:29:31.67
magnificently, beautifully.
00:29:31.70\00:29:33.03
We can't imagine that,
but in fact it is true.
00:29:33.07\00:29:35.04
And in Genesis 3:4, 5,
you know, Scripture says the
00:29:35.07\00:29:39.01
Devil begins to speak to her.
00:29:39.07\00:29:40.41
Has God said
you will surely die?
00:29:40.44\00:29:43.18
You won't surely die
if you eat of the tree.
00:29:43.21\00:29:46.11
Eve speaks, But, but,
yes, that's what God said.
00:29:46.15\00:29:48.72
And the Devil says,
You're not going to surely die.
00:29:48.75\00:29:51.29
Eat of it! Take it Eve, take it!
00:29:51.32\00:29:54.46
You'll enter into a
higher sphere of existence.
00:29:54.49\00:29:56.99
Look at me, look at me.
00:29:57.03\00:29:59.36
Take this fruit. You'll
enter into joy, and ecstasy,
00:29:59.39\00:30:03.43
and happiness that
you've never known.
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.73
That was the first lie, but the
Devil's been telling that lie
00:30:05.77\00:30:10.31
down through the centuries.
00:30:10.34\00:30:11.77
The Devil has been telling
people that the way of Christ
00:30:11.81\00:30:15.64
is the way of narrow
restriction that takes
00:30:15.68\00:30:18.15
away your happiness.
00:30:18.18\00:30:19.51
He's been telling people down
through the centuries that the
00:30:19.55\00:30:22.58
way of sin is the way of
joy, the way of pleasure.
00:30:22.62\00:30:27.16
And so people are
involved in alcohol,
00:30:27.19\00:30:29.56
they're involved in tobacco.
00:30:29.59\00:30:31.23
They're involved in the
stimulating pleasure that they
00:30:31.26\00:30:34.60
think is bringing them
joy, when they're killing
00:30:34.66\00:30:36.23
themselves; the party life.
00:30:36.26\00:30:38.20
And then you have to go to
one party, after another party,
00:30:38.23\00:30:41.20
after another party.
00:30:41.24\00:30:42.57
It has to be go greater,
and greater, and greater.
00:30:42.60\00:30:44.14
Now there's nothing wrong with
joy and fun, but when you get
00:30:44.17\00:30:48.18
your stimulation from the things
of the world rather than the
00:30:48.21\00:30:54.18
things of eternity, it
leaves you with a barrenness,
00:30:54.22\00:30:57.39
and emptiness of soul.
00:30:57.42\00:30:58.89
Some people think
that sexual immorality,
00:30:58.92\00:31:02.62
and multiple partners will bring
them joy, when they only end up
00:31:02.66\00:31:06.36
broken, and bruised,
and barren, and empty.
00:31:06.39\00:31:12.13
At the tree Satan speaks and he
says, You will not surely die.
00:31:12.17\00:31:17.07
And look at his argument.
00:31:17.11\00:31:18.47
If you eat of this tree you
are going to be like God, Eve.
00:31:31.25\00:31:36.52
Take and eat it. Eve, listening
to the voice of the evil one,
00:31:36.56\00:31:41.80
rather than
listening to voice of God,
00:31:41.83\00:31:44.00
took of the tree and ate.
00:31:44.03\00:31:46.37
And when she did she opened
a door, a door of suffering,
00:31:46.40\00:31:51.77
a door of heartache, a door of
death on a planet called Earth.
00:31:51.81\00:31:57.78
Adam took of the
fruit and he ate it.
00:31:57.81\00:32:01.02
And immediately
their natures changed.
00:32:01.08\00:32:04.19
Immediately they sensed
that something was different.
00:32:04.25\00:32:08.52
They had never had an
experience like this before.
00:32:14.63\00:32:19.63
Never before in their
lives had they felt so unclean.
00:32:19.67\00:32:24.17
Never before in their
lives had they felt so guilty.
00:32:24.21\00:32:28.64
Never before in their lives
had they felt this separation,
00:32:28.68\00:32:32.81
this abandonment from God.
00:32:32.85\00:32:34.88
Isaiah 59:1, 2 says, Your sins
have separated you from God.
00:32:34.92\00:32:41.96
Sin separates us from God.
00:32:41.99\00:32:45.79
Adam and Eve, for the
first time in their existence,
00:32:45.83\00:32:49.60
for the first time in their
lives, had that sense that now
00:32:49.63\00:32:53.64
they were separated from God.
00:32:53.70\00:32:56.34
How come there's so
much suffering in our world?
00:32:56.37\00:32:59.61
How come there's so
much sickness in our world?
00:32:59.64\00:33:02.48
How come there's so
much heartache in our world?
00:33:02.51\00:33:05.01
How come there's so
much sorrow in our world?
00:33:05.05\00:33:07.75
Because we live in
a planet in rebellion.
00:33:07.78\00:33:10.42
Not only did Adam and Eve
sin, but all of us have partaken
00:33:10.45\00:33:14.59
of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
00:33:14.62\00:33:16.56
Every single one
of us have sinned.
00:33:16.59\00:33:18.83
The Bible says, in Romans 3:23,
All have sinned and come short
00:33:18.86\00:33:23.30
of the glory of God.
00:33:23.33\00:33:24.67
Romans 6:23 says, The
wages of sin are death.
00:33:24.70\00:33:28.34
So put this together: Adam and
Eve partake of the tree of the
00:33:28.37\00:33:32.41
knowledge of good and evil.
00:33:32.44\00:33:33.78
They separate from
God by their own choice.
00:33:33.81\00:33:37.05
The seeds of death
enter into their body.
00:33:37.08\00:33:40.22
Every single one of us are born
with a nature that is fallen.
00:33:40.28\00:33:44.85
Jeremiah 17:9 says, The heart
is deceitful above all things,
00:33:44.89\00:33:49.46
and desperately
wicked. Who can know it?
00:33:49.49\00:33:51.99
Isaiah 64:6 says, All of our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:33:52.03\00:33:57.23
In other words, even at times
without Christ our righteous
00:33:57.27\00:33:59.93
deeds are tainted
with selfish motives.
00:33:59.97\00:34:02.40
When Adam and Eve sinned they
opened the door of sickness,
00:34:02.47\00:34:06.17
and suffering, and death.
00:34:06.21\00:34:07.61
And what does sin produce?
00:34:07.64\00:34:09.01
And right there in that
garden Adam and Eve begin to
00:34:16.75\00:34:20.76
argue the first time, and
they begin to blame one another.
00:34:20.79\00:34:24.89
Adam blames Eve,
Eve blames the serpent.
00:34:24.93\00:34:28.36
So they begin to
play that blame game.
00:34:28.43\00:34:31.80
This earth is
plunged into rebellion.
00:34:31.83\00:34:35.17
This earth is plunged into
that sickness, sickness of sin.
00:34:35.20\00:34:40.88
It's plunged into anxiety, and
fear, and suffering and death.
00:34:40.91\00:34:44.48
Disease now takes
the place of health.
00:34:44.51\00:34:47.52
Anger takes the
place of kindness.
00:34:47.55\00:34:50.49
Impurity takes
the place of purity.
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.39
And we live in that planet.
00:34:53.42\00:34:55.52
What was God going to do?
00:34:55.56\00:34:57.56
Is God responsible for
the suffering, the heartache,
00:34:57.59\00:35:02.06
the sorrow in our world?
00:35:02.10\00:35:03.87
Is God responsible for
the war, the conflict and
00:35:03.90\00:35:07.64
strife in our
world? Certainly not!
00:35:07.67\00:35:10.94
You remember Jesus
told the parable about this.
00:35:10.97\00:35:13.84
Matthew 13:28, Jesus
told the parable about the
00:35:13.88\00:35:19.58
wheat and the tares.
00:35:19.61\00:35:20.95
And He told the parable about
a field, and there was only
00:35:20.98\00:35:24.49
good seed sown in it.
00:35:24.52\00:35:25.92
But then when it came
harvest time there were weeds.
00:35:25.95\00:35:28.92
And the farmer says,
Where did they come from?
00:35:28.96\00:35:31.63
What does Jesus say?
00:35:31.66\00:35:32.99
An enemy. So there's
an enemy of God and man.
00:35:37.37\00:35:41.17
That enemy is Lucifer.
00:35:41.20\00:35:42.74
He led Adam and Eve into
sin, and he has led every human
00:35:42.77\00:35:47.48
being into sin as well.
00:35:47.51\00:35:49.18
Why is it that there's so much
natural disaster in our world?
00:35:49.21\00:35:53.15
Because we live in a
planet separated from God.
00:35:53.18\00:35:57.02
So all of nature
is out of control.
00:35:57.05\00:35:59.49
Why is it so much war?
00:35:59.55\00:36:02.06
Because selfishness
reigns in the heart.
00:36:02.09\00:36:04.96
Why is it there
is so much divorce?
00:36:04.99\00:36:06.63
Because rather than forgiveness,
and kindness, and compassion
00:36:07.86\00:36:10.93
in a marriage, very
often egotism reigns.
00:36:10.97\00:36:14.27
You can trace the conflict
of this world back, back to that
00:36:14.30\00:36:20.01
rebellion in heaven with
Satan, back to the fall of Adam
00:36:20.04\00:36:23.21
and Eve, back to fact that every
single one of us have partaken
00:36:23.24\00:36:27.78
of that forbidden fruit.
00:36:27.82\00:36:29.68
There is an
enemy of God and man.
00:36:29.72\00:36:32.12
He's called Satan.
He's called the accuser.
00:36:32.15\00:36:35.02
He is called the Devil.
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.62
The Bible describes him
with a variety of names.
00:36:36.66\00:36:41.53
You ask the question though,
I thought the Devil was a little
00:36:41.56\00:36:46.70
imp with wings and a
pitchfork with the red suit.
00:36:46.74\00:36:49.64
Not at all! That's not the
picture that the Bible gives.
00:36:49.70\00:36:54.08
The Devil is a brilliant fallen
angel that is bent on destroying
00:36:54.11\00:37:01.45
God's authority
over the Universe.
00:37:01.48\00:37:04.79
The Devil has ushered in
the sickness, the sorrow,
00:37:04.82\00:37:09.19
the heartache that we see,
and he's done that by prompting
00:37:09.22\00:37:13.60
people to make selfish choices.
00:37:13.63\00:37:15.73
He's done that by
polluting the entire environment
00:37:15.76\00:37:19.40
in a variety of ways.
00:37:19.43\00:37:21.00
And so we see a world, we see a
conflict between good and evil.
00:37:21.04\00:37:25.84
We see a conflict
between Christ and Satan.
00:37:25.87\00:37:28.98
We see a Star Wars epic odyssey
that is far beyond what anything
00:37:29.04\00:37:35.58
we could possibly imagine.
00:37:35.62\00:37:38.22
Lucifer deceived
Adam and Eve on earth.
00:37:45.46\00:37:48.96
And Lucifer is deceiving
scores of people today.
00:37:49.00\00:37:52.60
You see, in this battle
there's only one or two sides:
00:37:52.63\00:37:55.80
righteousness
or unrighteousness.
00:37:55.84\00:37:58.47
Only one of two sides in this
battle between good and evil:
00:37:58.51\00:38:03.41
sin or error, and truthfulness.
00:38:03.45\00:38:06.61
Sin on one side,
truth on the other side.
00:38:06.65\00:38:08.85
Only one or two sides.
00:38:08.88\00:38:11.12
The side of Christ,
or the side of Satan.
00:38:11.15\00:38:13.36
The side of Jesus, or the side
of the dragon, and the evil one.
00:38:13.39\00:38:17.46
And every single
one of us, every day are
00:38:17.49\00:38:20.63
making those choices.
00:38:20.66\00:38:22.66
Adam and Eve made that choice,
and as the result of that
00:38:22.70\00:38:26.94
left the Garden of Eden.
00:38:26.97\00:38:28.30
They left filled
with sorrow and grief.
00:38:28.34\00:38:30.84
They left filled with heartache.
00:38:30.87\00:38:32.67
But they turned
again to their Redeemer.
00:38:32.71\00:38:35.51
Now you say, Why
doesn't God do something about
00:38:35.54\00:38:37.98
the evil in the world?
00:38:38.01\00:38:39.35
If God is loving,
why doesn't He step in?
00:38:39.38\00:38:41.35
If God is loving why
does He not intervene?
00:38:42.72\00:38:47.46
Three things: 1.
God has done something.
00:38:47.49\00:38:52.16
When Adam and Eve sinned,
God didn't push this Universe
00:38:52.19\00:38:56.00
out into the far
reaches of space.
00:38:56.03\00:38:59.10
When Adam and Eve sinned,
God didn't say, You've sinned,
00:38:59.13\00:39:02.44
therefore I'm going
to annihilate the race,
00:39:02.47\00:39:04.81
and I'm going to
start all over again.
00:39:04.84\00:39:06.68
God came to the garden
when Adam and Eve sinned.
00:39:06.71\00:39:10.51
And He said, in Genesis 3:15...
00:39:10.55\00:39:13.11
Here you have the
first promise of the Messiah.
00:39:13.15\00:39:15.12
In other words,
Jesus Christ would come.
00:39:28.43\00:39:31.17
He would pay the
ransom price for Adam and Eve.
00:39:31.20\00:39:35.80
He would live the life
that they should have lived.
00:39:35.84\00:39:38.07
Jesus would come as the second
Adam, and there He would live
00:39:38.11\00:39:41.94
a perfect righteous life.
00:39:41.98\00:39:43.38
He would face all of
the temptations of Satan,
00:39:43.41\00:39:46.05
and He would live and dwell
in the flesh, trusting in the
00:39:46.08\00:39:50.95
Father's power and grace.
00:39:50.99\00:39:53.32
He would overcome
Satan for you and me.
00:39:53.36\00:39:55.99
And He would go to that cross,
and He would die the death
00:39:56.02\00:39:59.39
that we should have died.
00:39:59.43\00:40:00.76
Why hasn't God done something?
00:40:00.80\00:40:02.36
He has done something.
00:40:02.40\00:40:03.73
In the garden, when Adam
and Eve sinned, He gave them the
00:40:03.77\00:40:07.27
promise of hope, the
promise that He would come,
00:40:07.30\00:40:10.81
the promise that He would die
on Calvary's cross, the promise
00:40:10.84\00:40:14.94
that He would send the
death blow to Satan's head,
00:40:14.98\00:40:18.41
that He would
crush Satan forever.
00:40:18.45\00:40:21.68
Jesus came and He hung on that
cross, and He died the death
00:40:21.72\00:40:27.06
that we should have died.
00:40:27.12\00:40:28.62
Every drop of blood was for you.
00:40:28.66\00:40:31.53
And He rose from the dead,
alive again to ascend to heaven.
00:40:31.56\00:40:38.00
The cross reveals the
enormity of God's love.
00:40:38.03\00:40:42.74
You know, sometimes we
talk about the cross of Calvary,
00:40:42.80\00:40:46.94
and sometimes I hear Christians
talk about it quite flippantly.
00:40:46.98\00:40:51.65
A cross around their neck, a
picture of Christ on the cross,
00:40:51.71\00:40:56.65
cross in churches, but what does
that cross really represent?
00:40:56.69\00:41:01.62
The cross represents all
of the sin of the Universe
00:41:01.66\00:41:09.00
heaped upon Christ.
00:41:09.03\00:41:11.50
All of the sin of this
world heaped upon Christ.
00:41:11.53\00:41:16.04
It represents all of
the guilt, all of the shame,
00:41:16.07\00:41:20.51
all of the
condemnation upon Christ.
00:41:20.54\00:41:23.75
He who knew no sin,
II Corinthians 5:21,
00:41:23.78\00:41:34.92
deserve, so we can live
the life that He deserves.
00:41:34.96\00:41:38.29
Why doesn't God
do something? He has!
00:41:38.33\00:41:41.03
He sent His Son Jesus Christ.
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.10
He has sent Christ to live
the life we should have lived,
00:41:43.16\00:41:46.84
and die the death
that we should have died.
00:41:46.90\00:41:50.44
The Bible teaches
the most amazing love
00:41:50.47\00:41:53.98
story in all the world.
00:41:54.01\00:41:55.64
Jesus does not coerce.
00:42:02.65\00:42:04.82
He does not force. But before
the whole Universe He reveals
00:42:04.85\00:42:09.79
His love on a cross of Calvary.
00:42:09.82\00:42:12.73
Christ came. He was born as
a babe in Bethlehem's manger.
00:42:12.76\00:42:16.63
From the time He was born
Satan wanted to destroy Him.
00:42:16.67\00:42:20.27
All through His childhood
Satan wanted to get Him to sin.
00:42:20.30\00:42:23.87
He, Jesus fasted forty
days in the wilderness,
00:42:23.91\00:42:27.21
and Satan threw his
fiercest temptations at Jesus.
00:42:27.24\00:42:30.25
And on that cross the
Devil was screaming in His ears,
00:42:30.28\00:42:34.88
Why don't You give up?
00:42:34.92\00:42:36.25
Why don't you go back to heaven?
00:42:36.28\00:42:38.29
He wanted hu... The Devil
wanted humanity to be lost.
00:42:38.32\00:42:42.89
Why doesn't God
do something? He has!
00:42:42.92\00:42:49.60
He has sent
Jesus Christ to come.
00:42:49.63\00:42:54.37
He sent Jesus to this world.
00:42:54.40\00:42:56.97
When Adam and Eve
sinned, He promised that the
00:42:57.01\00:43:00.28
Messiah would come.
00:43:00.31\00:43:01.64
And faithful to that promise,
Jesus came, born as a babe
00:43:01.68\00:43:06.38
in Bethlehem's manger.
00:43:06.41\00:43:07.75
Faithful to that promise,
Christ hung on that cross.
00:43:07.78\00:43:11.59
Ephesians 3:9 tells the larger
reason for Christ's death.
00:43:11.65\00:43:16.59
What is the mystery?
00:43:20.86\00:43:22.20
It's the mystery
of Christ's love,
00:43:22.23\00:43:23.77
the mystery of
Christ's redeeming grace,
00:43:23.80\00:43:26.07
the mystery of
Christ's goodness,
00:43:26.10\00:43:27.94
the mystery of
Christ's desire to save us.
00:43:28.00\00:43:30.77
It is the mystery revealed.
00:43:30.81\00:43:32.51
That mystery of His love is
revealed on Calvary's cross,
00:43:37.51\00:43:41.68
who created all
things through Jesus Christ.
00:43:41.72\00:43:43.62
On the cross of Calvary God
reveals how much He loves us.
00:43:43.69\00:43:48.12
Why doesn't God
do something? He did!
00:43:48.16\00:43:50.89
He sent Jesus Christ to pay
the ransom price for our sins,
00:43:50.93\00:43:55.26
to redeem us from the guilt
and shame of sin. He sent Jesus.
00:43:55.30\00:43:59.60
And the answer to that
challenge is Jesus Himself.
00:44:03.81\00:44:07.81
We find Jesus on
every page of Scripture:
00:44:07.84\00:44:10.88
Jesus revealing God's goodness,
Jesus revealing God's love,
00:44:10.91\00:44:14.25
Jesus touches the eyes of
the blind and they're opened.
00:44:14.28\00:44:17.62
And that shouts, God loves you!
00:44:17.65\00:44:20.72
Jesus touches the arm of the
withered man and it's healed.
00:44:20.76\00:44:24.43
That shouts, God loves you!
00:44:24.46\00:44:25.86
Jesus takes
children in His arms.
00:44:25.89\00:44:28.96
That shouts, God loves you!
00:44:29.00\00:44:30.40
Jesus raises the dead,
like Lazarus from the dead.
00:44:30.43\00:44:33.23
That shouts, God loves you!
00:44:33.27\00:44:35.00
God is not a vindictive judge.
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.77
God is not a wrathful tyrant.
00:44:36.81\00:44:38.51
The cross and the life of Christ
reveals how much Jesus cares.
00:44:38.54\00:44:44.41
It was dark, dark Friday.
00:44:44.45\00:44:46.72
The birds stopped singing.
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.55
The sun stopped shining.
00:44:48.58\00:44:50.35
They put Him in
the tomb that Friday.
00:44:50.39\00:44:52.85
But, Hallelujah, Sunday morning
came, and Jesus came out alive,
00:44:52.89\00:44:58.09
resurrected from the dead.
00:44:58.13\00:45:00.13
Why doesn't God do something?
00:45:00.16\00:45:02.10
He not only has done something,
He is doing something now.
00:45:02.13\00:45:05.73
Christ is alive!
00:45:05.77\00:45:07.44
What are you
struggling with today?
00:45:20.05\00:45:22.38
Are you in the battle
between good and evil?
00:45:22.45\00:45:24.69
Does darkness at
times engulf your soul?
00:45:24.72\00:45:28.59
Do you feel that the journey is
long, and the mountain is high?
00:45:28.62\00:45:31.96
The incredible good news is
not only has God done something,
00:45:31.99\00:45:35.30
but the incredible good
news is Christ is alive.
00:45:35.33\00:45:37.90
And He knows our
weakness, He knows our frailty,
00:45:37.93\00:45:42.04
He knows what we
are going through,
00:45:42.17\00:45:44.77
and He is there to strengthen,
He is there to encourage,
00:45:44.81\00:45:47.94
He is there to give hope.
00:45:47.98\00:45:49.68
Jesus never lost a battle with
Satan yet, and He's not going
00:45:49.71\00:45:53.62
to lose the battle in your life.
00:45:53.65\00:45:54.98
Look up! Let new
joy fill your heart.
00:45:55.02\00:45:57.55
Let new courage fill your life.
00:45:57.59\00:45:58.92
The Bible says,
Hebrews 4:15, 16.
00:45:58.95\00:46:02.62
Let us do what everybody?
00:46:04.29\00:46:05.63
Let us do what? Let us come.
00:46:05.66\00:46:07.00
I don't know what
your time of need is.
00:46:13.13\00:46:15.60
Are you going through
a time of need right now?
00:46:15.64\00:46:18.24
The brokenness of heart,
your spirit's been crushed,
00:46:18.27\00:46:23.48
problems have
overflown your life.
00:46:23.51\00:46:26.31
It seems like
you're in a dark cave.
00:46:26.35\00:46:29.12
Do you have a
time of need right now?
00:46:39.66\00:46:41.76
Come, come to this Christ.
00:46:41.80\00:46:44.07
See, God has done
something. He sent Jesus.
00:46:44.10\00:46:47.07
God is doing something.
00:46:47.14\00:46:48.90
Christ is alive.
His power is yours.
00:46:48.94\00:46:51.54
His strength is
yours. His hope is yours.
00:46:51.57\00:46:55.18
He will lighten up your
darkness, and put a new spring
00:46:55.21\00:46:58.58
in your step, and a
sparkle in your eyes,
00:46:58.61\00:47:00.92
and a smile on your face.
00:47:00.95\00:47:02.78
Jesus never lost a battle with
Satan, and He's not going to
00:47:02.82\00:47:06.96
lose the battle
in your life either.
00:47:06.99\00:47:10.33
God has done
something. He sent Jesus.
00:47:10.39\00:47:13.66
God is doing something now,
and He will yet do something.
00:47:13.70\00:47:18.97
What does the Bible say?
00:47:34.38\00:47:36.79
God will yet do something.
00:47:36.82\00:47:39.19
Eventually Satan
will be destroyed.
00:47:39.22\00:47:43.63
Eventually the evil angel
that rebelled against God,
00:47:43.66\00:47:48.26
as the whole Universe sees God's
love, as the whole Universe sees
00:47:48.30\00:47:51.87
God's graciousness and goodness
Satan will be destroyed.
00:47:51.93\00:47:57.04
The Scripture says,
00:47:57.07\00:47:58.41
Evil will not have the
last word, Jesus Christ will.
00:48:08.68\00:48:13.19
Wickedness will not have the
last word, Jesus Christ will.
00:48:13.22\00:48:17.73
Sin will not have the
last word, Jesus Christ will.
00:48:17.79\00:48:22.80
Jesus Christ, the One who came,
the One who faced the wrath of
00:48:22.86\00:48:28.60
Satan, the One who faced
all of the accumulated results
00:48:28.64\00:48:32.34
of evil, the One who
took every temptation
00:48:32.37\00:48:34.94
and was victorious, the One who
went to Calvary's cross for you
00:48:34.98\00:48:39.18
and me, the One who bore
our sin and guilt and shame,
00:48:39.21\00:48:43.02
and took of sin to the cross,
the One who in that most hideous
00:48:43.05\00:48:47.76
moment of the cross
was victorious over Satan.
00:48:47.79\00:48:50.53
This One, Jesus Christ,
this Christ who was resurrected
00:48:50.56\00:48:54.16
from the dead, this Christ who
came out of the tomb in glory,
00:48:54.20\00:48:57.87
this Christ who rose to heaven,
this Christ who is there for you
00:48:57.93\00:49:01.50
and me now to give us hope, and
encouragement, and confidence,
00:49:01.54\00:49:05.11
and joy, this
Christ is coming again.
00:49:05.14\00:49:08.21
This Christ, according to the
book of Revelation, will put an
00:49:08.24\00:49:11.75
end of Satan forever,
and ever, and ever, and ever.
00:49:11.81\00:49:15.85
One day the
Universe will be clean.
00:49:15.88\00:49:17.82
One day one pulse of harmony
and joy will beat throughout
00:49:17.85\00:49:22.79
the entire Universe.
00:49:22.82\00:49:24.16
And all things animate and
inanimate will say, God is love!
00:49:24.19\00:49:28.53
One day Satan will
be defeated forever.
00:49:28.56\00:49:31.47
One day Satan will
be destroyed forever.
00:49:31.50\00:49:34.34
One day Satan will be burned up
and consumed like ashes forever.
00:49:34.40\00:49:38.57
Right now Jesus Christ says to
you my child, Whatever you are
00:49:39.61\00:49:46.51
going through grasp the reality
of the fact that I love you.
00:49:46.55\00:49:50.92
Don't buy into Satan's lie.
00:49:50.95\00:49:53.96
Grasp the reality of
the fact that I am there,
00:49:53.99\00:49:56.73
that I will never
ever, ever, let you go.
00:49:56.76\00:49:59.46
A number of years ago, when I
was a speaker for It Is Written
00:49:59.49\00:50:05.07
television program,
International television
00:50:05.10\00:50:08.10
program often aired here
on Three Angels Broadcasting.
00:50:08.14\00:50:11.41
Many, many years
ago I received a letter.
00:50:11.44\00:50:14.84
It was probably the saddest
letter that I ever received.
00:50:14.91\00:50:18.38
We used to get about
200,000 responses every year,
00:50:18.41\00:50:21.18
and my secretary, and
Administrative Assistants would
00:50:21.22\00:50:23.95
read those letters.
00:50:23.99\00:50:25.32
But one day my Administrative
Assistant came in to me and she
00:50:25.35\00:50:28.56
said, Pastor Mark, you
need to see this letter.
00:50:28.59\00:50:31.83
And as I read this letter
it went something like this:
00:50:31.86\00:50:35.53
Dear Pastor Mark, I've
been watching you on television,
00:50:35.56\00:50:39.23
and I need to share with
you an experience that I had.
00:50:39.27\00:50:42.90
It was a summer
day, and I was cooking my
00:50:42.94\00:50:47.74
lunch for my children.
00:50:47.78\00:50:49.54
I had two children, five
years old, and three years old.
00:50:49.58\00:50:53.82
Pastor Mark, I didn't hear the
screen door open in the back.
00:50:53.85\00:50:57.79
And my little three year old
crawled out onto the back deck,
00:50:57.82\00:51:01.69
and we had an in
ground sunken swimming pool.
00:51:01.72\00:51:04.99
My little three year
old tumbled into the pool.
00:51:05.03\00:51:08.23
My five year old
went out to try to help,
00:51:08.26\00:51:11.80
and tumbled into the pool.
00:51:11.83\00:51:14.30
And, Pastor Mark, both
of my children drowned.
00:51:14.34\00:51:18.87
I went through
darkness and despair.
00:51:18.94\00:51:21.91
I cried out, God, where are you?
00:51:21.94\00:51:24.85
Where's a God that
would let my kids drown?
00:51:24.88\00:51:27.92
I blamed myself. I felt guilt.
00:51:27.95\00:51:32.59
I felt so condemned.
00:51:32.65\00:51:34.69
Why did I ever do that?
00:51:34.72\00:51:36.69
Why wasn't I more attentive?
00:51:36.73\00:51:38.36
Why didn't I listen?
00:51:38.39\00:51:39.73
Through all of that I
began to read the word of God.
00:51:39.76\00:51:44.63
I found that Christ never
promises that we won't suffer.
00:51:44.67\00:51:49.77
We're in a world of evil.
00:51:49.80\00:51:52.04
We're in a world of wickedness.
00:51:52.07\00:51:54.64
We're in a world of sorrow.
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.75
We're in a world of tears.
00:51:56.81\00:51:58.78
He doesn't promise
that we'll never suffer.
00:51:58.81\00:52:02.05
But He does promise
that He'll never leave us.
00:52:03.85\00:52:07.29
He does promise that
He'll never forsake us.
00:52:07.32\00:52:11.53
He does promise,
Low, I am with you always,
00:52:11.56\00:52:15.73
even to the end of the world.
00:52:15.76\00:52:17.83
Pastor Mark, I
found Christ in Scripture.
00:52:17.90\00:52:23.47
I now know what it's like to
let Jesus hold me in His arms.
00:52:23.51\00:52:28.08
I now know what it's like to
lean my head upon His breast.
00:52:28.14\00:52:32.68
I now know what it's
like for Him to say, My child,
00:52:32.71\00:52:36.95
one day your tears will be gone.
00:52:36.99\00:52:41.49
Listen as Tim sings, Only
Trust Him, Only Trust Him.
00:52:41.52\00:52:48.40
Only Trust Him Now.
00:52:48.43\00:52:50.47
Come every soul
by sin oppressed.
00:52:55.00\00:53:00.11
There's mercy with the Lord.
00:53:00.14\00:53:05.28
And He will surely give you
rest by trusting in His word.
00:53:05.31\00:53:19.19
Only trust Him, only
trust Him, only trust Him now.
00:53:19.23\00:53:31.34
He will save you, He will
save you, He will save you now.
00:53:31.37\00:53:43.75
For Jesus shed His precious
blood, rich blessings to bestow.
00:53:43.79\00:53:55.73
Plunge now into the crimson
flood that washes white as snow.
00:53:55.76\00:54:07.11
Oh Jesus is the truth, the
way, that leads you into rest.
00:54:07.14\00:54:19.15
Believe in Him without
delay and you are fully blessed.
00:54:19.19\00:54:31.17
Only trust Him, only
trust Him, only trust Him now.
00:54:31.23\00:54:42.08
He will save you, He will
save you, He will save you now.
00:54:42.11\00:54:54.92
So only trust Him now.
00:54:54.99\00:55:06.33
I don't know
where you are friend,
00:55:06.37\00:55:08.70
in your spiritual journey.
00:55:08.77\00:55:11.27
You may be going through
something that is extremely
00:55:11.31\00:55:15.31
difficult for you now.
00:55:15.34\00:55:16.78
The road that you're
traveling on may be a road with
00:55:16.81\00:55:22.42
a lot of deep caverns,
a lot of high mountains.
00:55:22.48\00:55:26.55
And you may feel engulfed with
hurt, with pain, with sorrow,
00:55:26.59\00:55:34.00
with tears, with darkness.
00:55:34.03\00:55:36.46
But there is One who
hung on a cross for you.
00:55:36.53\00:55:42.87
He wants you in heaven
more than you can ever imagine.
00:55:42.90\00:55:45.94
He loves you more than
you can possibly conceive.
00:55:45.97\00:55:50.61
There is One who's
living for you right now.
00:55:50.65\00:55:54.35
He will give you
strength, and courage, and hope.
00:55:54.38\00:55:58.42
And there is One that is coming
again to destroy all of evil,
00:55:58.45\00:56:04.63
and all of sin,
and all of wickedness.
00:56:04.69\00:56:09.40
You can trust Him, only
trust Him, only trust Him,
00:56:09.43\00:56:14.17
only trust Him now.
00:56:14.24\00:56:16.47
As we pray give Him
your burdens, give Him your
00:56:16.50\00:56:21.18
heartaches, and
trust Jesus just now.
00:56:21.21\00:56:24.88
Let's pray. Father in Heaven,
sometimes life kicks us in the
00:56:24.91\00:56:30.69
stomach, and
knocks out our breath.
00:56:30.72\00:56:32.52
Sometimes life gives us
a sword through our heart.
00:56:32.55\00:56:40.20
But we're thankful
that Jesus is there.
00:56:40.23\00:56:44.07
We're thankful that
we can trust Him today,
00:56:44.10\00:56:47.94
tomorrow, and forever.
00:56:47.97\00:56:49.30
We're thankful that
He's there to strengthen us,
00:56:49.34\00:56:51.97
that He's there to empower us.
00:56:52.04\00:56:53.88
That when we're ready
to fall, He'll hold us up.
00:56:53.91\00:56:56.48
When we stumble and
fall, He picks us up.
00:56:56.54\00:56:59.71
We're thankful that
one day evil will be over,
00:56:59.75\00:57:04.22
and that Satan
will be destroyed,
00:57:04.25\00:57:06.12
and we can live
with You forever.
00:57:06.15\00:57:08.12
Keep us trusting
You until that day.
00:57:08.16\00:57:10.06
In Christ's name, Amen.
00:57:10.09\00:57:12.49
Thank you for joining
us for this journey in
00:57:13.50\00:57:16.87
Revelation's
Ancient Discoveries.
00:57:16.90\00:57:19.20
Continue with us on the
journey as we unfold the book of
00:57:19.23\00:57:23.71
Revelation and reveal
hope in God's End time plan.
00:57:23.74\00:57:27.98