Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000001
|
00:21 Welcome to our program
00:24 that we have titled "Revelation of The Coming King." 00:29 Let me first introduce myself. 00:31 I am Ranko Stefanovic, professor at Seventh-Day Adventist 00:35 theological seminary, Andrews University, 00:38 Berrien Springs, Michigan. 00:40 And I'm so excited to be with you here 00:44 and go through the series. 00:46 I'm so excited because for the first time in my life 00:52 I'm taping series of the book of Revelation 00:55 that covers all the chapters of this book. 00:58 It means from chapter 1 to chapter 22. 01:03 So I want to express my deep gratitude 01:06 to 3ABN for inviting me. 01:10 And making this occasion and taping 01:12 of this series possible. 01:15 I'd like to invite our viewers to support this ministry 01:20 because we want to understand the word of God better 01:23 and proclaim God's everlasting gospel to the world. 01:28 Why am I so excited about the book of the Revelation? 01:34 For at least two reason. 01:35 The first one is very serious. 01:37 The second one is little bit informal. 01:42 It was after many years of being a Christian 01:46 when I started to study the book of Revelation, 01:49 I met Jesus Christ. 01:52 He spoke to me through this book. 01:55 And believe me, He changed my life completely upside down. 02:00 And I just want to tell to all of you if God was able, 02:05 through this book, to speak to me and to change me, 02:09 He can do it with every person in the world. Amen. 02:13 Actually my first presentation 02:15 that we'll be just doing just in few minutes, 02:18 I want to share with you how actually the book of Revelation 02:23 changed my perspective with reference to God, 02:25 changed my Christian life, made me better Christian, 02:29 loving Christian and motivated me to meet that King 02:34 who'll very, very soon appear in the clouds. 02:41 Why am I in the book of Revelation 02:43 for the second reason is. 02:46 If you go to the book of Genesis in Chapter 11, 02:51 we read that there was a time in the past 02:54 when all the people in the earth, 02:57 they spoke one language. 03:00 And that language was English. 03:02 Are you excited about that? 03:04 But then there are some technical problems 03:06 there at the tower of Babel and people got accents. 03:09 So please don't blame me. 03:12 Blame the tower of Babel there. 03:14 But they decided not to stay in the book of Genesis. 03:18 I decided to go to the book of Revelation 03:20 because according to this book Chapter 7, 03:23 the time is coming very soon 03:26 when all the people of all nations, all generations, 03:31 all tongues they will be there before the throne of God. 03:35 And once again all the people will use one language 03:41 and that language will be English. 03:44 You know why I'm doing this? 03:47 I want just to tell you, yes, I have a heavy accent. 03:52 But I believe if God used a donkey to speak to Balaam, 03:57 if He was able to use a rooster to convert Peter, 04:01 He can use also a very strange accent, even my accent, 04:06 to speak to people and to present a testimony 04:10 about how God changes human lives. 04:13 So please pray for me. 04:15 Please pray for me that God gives me 04:17 that spiritual gift of speaking tongues. 04:20 And I'll be praying for you that God gives you 04:22 the spiritual gift of understanding the tongues. 04:25 Amen. But we're all together for one purpose. 04:30 So from now on it will be a long series. 04:33 We will go section by section and chapter by chapter. 04:37 We'll go-be going through the book of Revelation. 04:39 But in order to do it-it's impossible to cover 04:43 everything in the time that is allotted to us. 04:47 As I mentioned this is for the first time 04:49 that I'm taping a series that covers 04:52 the entire book of Revelation. 04:53 At Andrews University, usually I have 45 hours 04:58 and I'm able to cover about 10 to 12 chapters with my students. 05:02 And they are constantly complaining how fast 05:05 we're going through the material. 05:08 That's the reason we need a good textbook. 05:12 Are you with me? 05:14 So that after each one of these presentations 05:17 you can go and take that textbook 05:21 and to find much deeper sense of the text 05:24 that we will cover each presentation. 05:28 We need a good textbook. 05:30 And I'm so happy that this moment 05:33 I can present to you the best textbook. 05:39 I really mean that. 05:40 The best textbook for studying the book of Revelation. 05:44 If you use that textbook you cannot miss 05:49 the meaning of the text. 05:51 And I'd like to encourage all of you, our viewers 05:57 that you come and bring that textbook for yourself. 06:01 And believe me, you can buy that textbook even for 25 cents. 06:08 I know you wonder what I am talking about. 06:11 I want to present to you the best textbook 06:15 for studying the Book of Revelation. 06:22 If you follow the instructions from this book 06:25 you cannot miss the understanding 06:29 of the main message of the Book of Revelation. 06:31 Doesn't mean that you-we will get the answer 06:33 to every problem, each detail of this book. 06:38 But this is the unfailable guide to the understanding of this book. 06:42 So I'd like to encourage you, I'd like to encourage 06:44 our viewers to take this book to put in your hands 06:48 because we will refer to this book very, very often 06:51 as we're trying to get much deeper sense and meaning 06:54 of the text of the Book of Revelation. 06:57 But we need also some other tools 07:01 that can help us in order to understand 07:04 the messages of the Book of Revelation. 07:07 In our presentations that I will be making, 07:10 our studies during this series actually will be followed 07:14 by the material that is found in this book 07:17 titled "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." 07:21 And you'll notice the author is Ranko Stefanovic. 07:23 It means that this book is the product 07:26 of many years of research, 07:28 my own research of the Book of Revelation. 07:32 Actually, we'll find in this book the product of my research, 07:36 the product of many other scholars, their research. 07:40 And you'll find also what our church today officially teaches 07:45 and believes about the Book of Revelation. 07:49 So I'd like to invite the viewers and each one of you, 07:53 if you can provide a copy of this commentary for yourself 07:57 and I'd like to do something if we can make an agreement. 08:01 Every time at the end of one segment of my presentation, 08:07 before we conclude, I will give you the pages 08:12 from this commentary that will tell you that you can go 08:16 and follow and continue to study that topic for yourself. 08:20 I'd like to invite you if you have some 08:24 very good friends of yours, some other church members 08:29 that are with you in your congregations, 08:31 make a small group. 08:33 Take that portion of the Book of Revelation, 08:35 study together and dig much, much deeper and what riches, 08:41 what wealth of information you'll get 08:45 from the text of this last book of the Bible. 08:50 So please pray for me as we're going through this series. 08:55 I'm a trained scholar. 08:59 I'm trained how to think critically, 09:02 not to take anything for granted, 09:04 try to find really what the text says. 09:07 I read the Book of Revelation in original languages. 09:14 But I want to remind you I'm simply human. 09:20 When sometimes people refer to me 09:23 as an expert in the Book of Revelation, 09:25 I feel very uncomfortable because there is only one expert 09:28 and he knows everything, believe me. 09:30 Unfortunately, he's not here with us. 09:33 However, he gives some people opportunity and time to study 09:39 the Book of Revelation much deeper way 09:41 and to share it with others. 09:42 So I'm not here to teach you. 09:44 I'm not here to even to preach to you. 09:47 I'm not here to instruct you. 09:48 I am here simply to share with you 09:52 what I have learned from this book. 09:55 At the same time to share with you what my church 09:58 they believes and understanding that my church today 10:02 has with regard to different parts 10:05 and portions with this book. 10:08 So please pray for me. 10:09 We're simply human beings. 10:11 And I pray to God that I'll be praying for you. 10:13 You know, we're all tempted with something. 10:16 When we come to the Book of Revelation sometimes 10:18 we hold our favorite view. 10:20 And we think that the view that I hold is the Bible. 10:25 Everybody who disagrees with me is contrary to the Bible. 10:29 But we're simply humans. 10:32 We need the mercies of God. 10:34 We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 10:37 So please pray for me. 10:39 I will pray for you because it's my prayer to God 10:43 that this series for all of us becomes a journey, 10:47 that the last book of the Bible, that the end we all can say, 10:52 "yes, I found Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation 11:00 and He transformed and He changed my life completely." 11:05 That's actually the reason 11:06 that we're going here for this book. 11:10 That's why we'd like to spend this time by studying 11:13 the Book of Revelation in much deeper way. 11:17 So I promise I will be praying for you. 11:19 You pray for me. 11:21 So before we go to the first text 11:23 of the Book of Revelation to share with you how God 11:26 changed the Book of Revelation to transform my personal life, 11:30 I'd like just that we ask God for guidance 11:33 as we're going through this book. 11:36 Our heavenly Father, thank you for giving us 11:41 this opportunity so that we can go and take this book 11:46 'Revelation of The Coming King.' 11:49 And we would like to hear Your voice speaking to us. 11:53 Father, we are aware that there are many difficult 11:57 passages in this book. 11:59 And many things we'd like to understand better 12:02 and we feel how people are struggling to make so many times 12:06 a sense of some difficult portions 12:08 of the Book of Revelation. 12:09 But please help us that we can understand the central message, 12:13 the message that will really change 12:16 and transform our personal lives. 12:18 Thank you, Father for our guidance. 12:21 Thank you for being with us. 12:22 And we pray all of this in the precious 12:25 name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 12:31 As I promised to you that we will follow this textbook. 12:39 So please I'd like to ask you that we open 12:44 the first text and the first statement 12:47 of the Book of Revelation, namely, Revelation 1:1. 12:52 Are you ready for this? Yes. Okay. 12:56 So Revelation 1:1. 13:02 I'd just like to read the first line, 13:05 "The revelation of Jesus Christ 13:11 which God gave him to show to his servants 13:16 the things which must soon take place." 13:24 We would like, during the time that is allotted to us now, 13:31 to understand something from this opening 13:33 statement of the book. 13:37 And that's about two central themes 13:41 that this opening statement introduces to us 13:44 that's very crucial, very important for the understanding 13:47 of the rest of the book. 13:50 Two central themes. 13:52 The first one, it's introduced in the opening statement. 13:59 The revelation of Jesus Christ. 14:02 I want to do something. 14:05 The word "revelation" that we have actually comes 14:10 from the Greek word "Apocalypses'." 14:14 Just to see how it's little bit complicated to read Greek. 14:21 But already you guessed what it means. 14:24 The Greek word "Apocalypses'," actually renders the meaning 14:27 what we have today the word "Apocalypse." 14:32 The Greek word "Apocalypses'," actually consist of two words. 14:37 "Apo" which means from or of and the word "calypsis" 14:43 which simply means covering. 14:47 So any guess what is the meaning of the word "Apocalypses'?" 14:51 It simply means unveiling, revealing, and uncovering. 14:59 So we have already here something very interesting 15:02 at the-at the very beginning. 15:04 And what is that that actually we are learn? 15:08 That the opening line of this book is telling us 15:13 that this is the unveiling, uncovering, 15:17 revealing of Jesus Christ. 15:20 Now you already guess that from this 15:23 we have the word "Apocalypse." 15:27 And this opening line actually gives us the title 15:32 of the last book of the Bible. 15:33 We call it, the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ. 15:38 Unfortunately, many people do not call it the Apocalypse 15:45 or Revelation of Jesus Christ. 15:47 They simply call it the "Apocalypse." 15:49 Now there is a question, the apocalypse of what? 15:53 And I meet many very good Christians 15:55 but when they come to the Book of Revelation 15:57 they are telling me, "this book does not make any sense to me." 16:01 Because for some people, this is the Revelation 16:03 of those final events that are terrifying, 16:06 that are very, very, very, very, very scary. 16:10 That's why many people are discouraged actually 16:12 to go and to study this book. 16:18 As I mentioned that this opening statement actually 16:22 provides the title of the book. 16:25 What is the purpose of a title? 16:30 Have you ever thought? 16:31 You have a book seven, eight hundred pages, thick book. 16:37 And you just have a three, four words that appear on the cover. 16:40 Actually those three, four words, they provide 16:44 in a nut shell the content of the entire book. 16:50 As you read the title you know exactly 16:53 what the book is all about. 16:54 Am I correct? 16:56 If I want to learn something about 16:59 history of United States, I go to the bookstore. 17:02 What is the title that I am looking for? 17:05 The answer is clear. 17:07 Let me ask you one question. 17:10 When Christians, they call the last book of the Bible, 17:14 "the Revelation of Jesus Christ," 17:21 what do they expect to find in this book? 17:26 Even today there is a movie and you'll see 17:31 a flood of young people going and running to watch that movie. 17:34 And you ask them, what is the title of the movie? 17:36 They say, "it's the Apocalypse." 17:39 And when young people are going to watch that movie, 17:42 what do they expect? 17:43 To watch Jesus Christ, His life? 17:48 You know what young people they say, 17:50 they expect to see, to watch action. 17:54 Bloodshed, persecution, torture, final events 17:59 and everything that is associated that. 18:01 And my question is, who invented such a meaning of the content 18:07 of the last book of the Bible or the meaning 18:09 of the word "Apocalypse?" 18:11 Christians. Actually, it's telling us about the way 18:16 how the Christians understand the Book of Revelation. 18:19 So please allow me now. 18:20 It is understanding of this phrase 18:24 that actually changed my perspectives. 18:29 Please I would like that we point to something. 18:32 The very title of the last book of the New Testament 18:36 is telling us what we are supposed to find in this book. 18:40 It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 18:43 But, you know, many Christians are debating. 18:47 And English so many times doesn't look problematic. 18:53 But in Greek it's a big problem. 18:55 When you say the Revelation of Jesus Christ, 18:57 Apocalypses' to Jesucristo, 18:59 it can be understood in two different ways. 19:01 Is it so called-no, 19:03 boy, it's just to make a little bit problematic. 19:05 Is it subjective or objective genitive? 19:08 Which means, is this the book that came from Jesus Christ? 19:13 That He is the source of that Revelation? 19:16 Or is this book about Jesus Christ? 19:21 You see, usually when we read, 19:23 just a casual reader does not see the difference. 19:27 That could be understood in two different ways. 19:29 And the scholars are debating. 19:31 I just want to suggest to you that both 19:34 meanings are implied here. 19:35 If you see verse 1 it says, "the Revelation of Jesus Christ 19:40 which God gave Him to show to His servants the things 19:43 which must soon take place and He," Jesus, "He sent 19:47 and He communicated it by His angel to His servant John." 19:51 He's telling us that it is from Jesus Christ. 19:54 Are you with me? 19:55 It came from Him. 19:57 He's the one who sent that Revelation. 19:58 But please, let's go to verse 7, 20:01 "behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye 20:08 will see Him, even those who pierced Him, 20:11 and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him, 20:14 so it is to be. Amen." 20:16 Suddenly, He's not only just the source. 20:20 He, the Book of Revelation is about Him. 20:23 He is the main object of the Book of Revelation. 20:26 By the way is that what our Christian doctrine is all about? 20:31 It came from Jesus Christ but it's about Jesus Christ. Amen. 20:37 The entire Bible is about that. 20:39 The entire Bible came from God, came from Jesus Christ. 20:43 But Jesus said, read it, study it 20:45 because it testifies about me. 20:47 So the Book of Revelation is in line 20:50 with the basic premise of Christianity. 20:54 It came from Jesus but it's about Him. 20:58 By the way, if you go from chapter 1 all up to chapter 22, 21:05 you will see that Jesus Christ is the main focus of this book. 21:11 The very beginning, He's introduced 21:14 the alpha and the omega. 21:17 He's the beginning of the end. 21:20 What I'm trying to say, this phrase is found 21:23 in chapter 1, is found in chapter 22. 21:26 The book begins with that. 21:28 And the book concludes with that. 21:31 The entire book is about this. 21:34 So I just want to tell you the Book of Revelation 21:37 is not intended to be kind of Hollywood Apocalypse 21:42 littered with bizarre and horrible events to come 21:46 on the world that causes fear and concern to all of us 21:52 by naming it "Revelation of Jesus Christ." 21:56 The inspired author wanted to tell us that we understand 22:01 that the book He wrote under the inspiration 22:05 of the Holy Spirit offered a new portrayal of Christ 22:09 that could be found nowhere else. 22:12 That's why this book is so much important. 22:16 And please allow me to share two things with you. 22:20 Number one, I promise to you that I'll explain to you 22:24 how God changed my life by studying this book. 22:28 What I discovered that the Book of Revelation 22:33 is as much the gospel as the four gospels are. 22:39 And I really mean that. Amen. 22:41 Let me explain this. 22:45 You know four gospels. 22:46 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 22:50 When you read those four gospels, what do you find there? 22:54 You know, let me just put it in simple way. 22:56 About God who took human form, 23:01 He came down to the earth to save the falling humanity. 23:06 So after His ministry, He died on the cross. 23:11 He was buried. 23:14 He resurrected and He ascended there to the heavenly places. 23:18 You know that. 23:20 What is He doing over there? 23:23 You know that. 23:25 He intercedes on behalf of us. 23:28 Please can you open any of the four gospels 23:33 to learn about that? 23:35 What is He doing there in the heavenly places? No. 23:38 Because the four gospels, they end with His ascension. 23:44 But there are two books of the New Testament 23:47 that are very important. 23:49 And those two books they begin at the point 23:54 where the four gospels end. 23:56 Are you still with me? 23:57 So the four gospels they end with the ascension of Jesus. 24:00 And the book of Hebrews and the Book of Revelation 24:04 begin with that point of Jesus' existence. 24:09 They describe Jesus who's there in the heavenly places. 24:12 When you read the book of Hebrews, 24:14 Jesus is there the priest and the high priest 24:17 intercedes on behalf of us. 24:20 But you'll find in the book of Hebrews 24:23 that Jesus is also our King. 24:25 Hebrews 8:1 says, "we have a such High Priest 24:30 who sat there on the heavenly throne at the right hand 24:35 of the great that is there in the heavenly places." 24:38 But when you go to the Book of Revelation, 24:41 the emphasis is on Jesus as our King. 24:45 That's why we titled this series in such a way. 24:49 And in the Book of Revelation he's still our priest. 24:52 And you will see very soon in our further four presentation 24:55 we'll see Him as a priest there. 24:58 But the emphasis of the book 25:00 is on His royal and kingly ministry. 25:04 So now you see, both four gospels 25:08 and the Book of Revelation they deal with the same Jesus. 25:11 Are you still with me? Amen. 25:13 The only difference is that the four gospels 25:16 they're dealing with the earthly Jesus, man of Galilee 25:20 who's in the human flesh. 25:22 But the Book of Revelation portrays the glorified Christ 25:26 who's there in the heavenly places 25:29 working on behalf of us and our salvation. 25:32 But let me explain little bit more. 25:33 This is the second point what I wanted to introduce here. Yes. 25:38 You know, when we read the four gospels and before Jesus left, 25:43 He left to His disciples and to all of us two promises. 25:50 In these two promises all other promises are incorporated. 25:54 The first promise is-I will refer to Matthew 28:20. 26:00 "And I will be with you," how long? 26:07 "Always." How long always? 26:09 "Until the very end of the age." 26:11 This is the first promise that Jesus left. 26:14 And the second one is-probably the best representative text 26:17 is the gospel John 14:1-3. 26:23 "I will come again when I prepare the place for you. 26:27 When I prepare the place I will come again 26:30 and you will be there where I am. 26:31 So I will be with you always until the very end. 26:35 But when the end comes then I will come again to take you 26:39 so you will be there where I am." 26:41 See, these two promises incorporate all other promises. 26:45 And the purpose of the Book of Revelation 26:49 is to tell us how actually Jesus 26:51 is fulfilling these two promises. 26:57 The first 19 chapters of the book describing 27:01 how actually Jesus while He's there in heaven. 27:04 He's supporting His church. 27:06 He's supporting you and me in our struggles to overcome sins 27:10 and to prepare ourselves for that great-the moment 27:15 that we are waiting so much, to meet Him 27:18 one day when He comes to the cloud. 27:20 So He's telling us actually 27:22 how He is with His people until the very end. 27:26 Are you still with me? 27:27 And then the last three, four chapters of the book- 27:32 it's very hard to draw the line, okay? 27:34 Are telling us how He will come again 27:38 and take us there where He is. 27:41 And we will with Me. 27:45 So now you understand why for me 27:49 the Book of Revelation is a truly the gospel. 27:56 Revealing Jesus Christ and telling me 28:00 how great a Savior he is to me. 28:03 There is no difference between 28:05 the Book of Revelation and four gospels. 28:09 So I really, they are to say that Revelation- 28:11 that the last book of the New Testament 28:13 is titled the "Apocalypses'." 28:15 The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ is actually 28:18 the fifth gospel of the New Testament. 28:22 But please whenever I present this topic, 28:25 people become excited. 28:27 They say, "oh, boy, I always thought that the book Revelation 28:31 is telling us about the future. 28:33 From now on I want to think about the future." 28:36 There is no prophecies in the Book of Revelation. 28:38 It's just about Jesus Christ. Just wait. 28:43 Remember, we mentioned that the very introduction 28:47 to the Book of Revelation give us two central themes. 28:50 This is just the first theme. 28:52 So please can you go back to the text? 28:55 He tell us revelation of Jesus Christ 28:59 which God gave him to show to his servants the things 29:04 which must soon take place. 29:06 Please can you help me? 29:07 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ 29:10 but what is the purpose of the book? 29:12 To tell us what will happen in the future. 29:17 And you will notice how Christians are jumping 29:20 from one to another extreme. 29:21 For some Christians this is simply 29:24 the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 29:25 And that's what they like to hear. 29:27 Some of other Christians everything 29:29 that they find in the Book of Revelation 29:31 is about the future. 29:35 And please, I tried to use different expressions. 29:39 I hope that you will understand me. 29:41 For some Christians, the Book of Revelation 29:43 is a kind of a crystal ball, a kind of a horoscope, 29:47 another Nostradamus book, 29:53 a fortuneteller book. 29:57 However, we have to keep in mind 29:59 that this is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 30:02 But the purpose of the book is to tell us 30:07 what will happen in the future. 30:08 So how can we reconcile these two opening statements? 30:14 Is it revelation of Jesus Christ or is it a book 30:17 that is telling us about the future? 30:18 And my answer is, "yes." And yes. 30:24 Please let me explain it. 30:29 Any person who is confronted with the content 30:33 of the Book of Revelation we realize. 30:35 The Book of Revelation has 22 chapters. 30:38 But most of those 22 chapters are about the future. 30:45 We cannot deny it. 30:47 And that's what leads some Christians really just to see 30:50 in the Book of Revelation the future events. 30:55 But let me suggest something to you. 30:59 That the primary purpose of the Book of Revelation, 31:03 one more time the primary purpose 31:05 or exclusive purpose of the Book of Revelation, 31:08 is not simply to inform us about the future. 31:12 But the purpose of the revelation 31:14 of the future is to move us 31:16 to the right Christian living, to make us 31:20 to be a better Christians, and also to impress 31:24 and to seal on our of mind the promise that Jesus 31:29 made to all of us that He will be with us 31:34 always until the very end of the age and finally 31:37 that He will come at the end and to take us to ourselves. 31:42 So please you now allow me 31:46 to explain it little bit in my own way. 31:54 In the book 31:57 of "Testimonies to Ministers," 32:00 page 180, there is a statement that really 32:06 made this presentation possible. 32:08 The statement really to move them 32:10 to go into the direction, to find about that first 32:13 and central theme of the Book of Revelation. 32:16 Listen to the statement. 32:18 "Advance new principles. 32:21 And crowd in the clear cut truth. 32:25 But be not too ready to take a controversial attitude. 32:30 There will be times when we must stand still 32:33 and see the salvation of God. 32:36 Let Daniel speak, let the Revelation speak, 32:39 and tell what is truth. 32:42 But whatever phase of the subject is presented, 32:45 uplift Jesus as the center of all hope, 32:50 'The root and the offspring of David, 32:53 and the bright and the morning star.'" 32:55 What the statement. Amen. 32:57 So now let me explain how the book that is titled, 33:02 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," 33:06 but its purpose is to tell us 33:09 about what will happen in the future. 33:11 How that book can change somebody's life? 33:15 How those two statements really, they fit nicely together? 33:20 Actually it is because of the needs 33:23 of my students at Andrews University. 33:26 I invented, keep in mind, I invented these illustration. 33:31 This is just illustration that I usually use 33:34 and I'd like to explain really how this opening sentence 33:38 of the Book of Revelation synchronizes 33:41 the title with the main purpose of the book. 33:43 Are you still with me? Yes. 33:45 So let me use this illustration. 33:46 Can you just imagine that there is a family, 33:51 a husband and a wife? 33:53 And they have a boy. 33:54 They have problem with him. 33:56 The boy does not know anything what he will do in his life. 34:01 Of course, the parents they worry about that. 34:03 But one day, he comes to his parents telling them, 34:09 "I decided to do something with my life. 34:11 I decided to go and to study at that university." 34:15 Oh, boy, the parents are excited. 34:18 But at the same time they are sad 34:20 because the son is flying 34:24 to very distant place, 2, 3 hours by airplane. 34:28 He's going to study there at the Andrews University. 34:31 They will miss him. 34:32 But they're happy that he decided 34:34 to do something in his life. 34:35 One more time, I invented this illustration. 34:37 That's not something real. 34:43 The long awaited day has come. 34:47 Everything is packed. 34:49 They're ready to take all those luggage to put in the car 34:53 and the father is ready to take his son to the airport. 34:57 But surprisingly, the father looks to his son and said, 35:02 "Son," he pulls the chairs and puts there two chairs. 35:05 He said, "Son, please would you sit here on this chair? 35:10 You and me, we have first to talk." 35:13 know what happened with Kids? 35:16 They can stay in the bed until 10:00 in the morning. 35:19 As soon as you want to talk to them suddenly 35:21 they are in a rush to go somewhere. 35:23 And the boy said, "Dad, we have to run to the airport." 35:26 But the father is very serious. 35:28 "Son, please sit there. 35:30 I want to talk to you." 35:32 "It's okay, Dad." 35:33 And the father looks into his face. 35:36 He said, "Son, let me just ask you one question. 35:40 Have you ever thought about the life 35:46 that you will have there in that city and in that university?" 35:51 You know, the boy. 35:53 "Dad." No, no, the father is very serious. 35:55 "Son, this is very serious question." 35:59 And the father said, "my son, let me explain to you 36:02 how your life will look there at that city." 36:05 He says, "every morning you will get up, 36:11 have a quick breakfast and go to your class. 36:16 Another class, another class, another class. 36:20 In the lunch time, in the late afternoon you'll come. 36:23 You'll take that lunch and you have to run to be on time 36:26 in your work because you have to work 36:27 in order to survive in that university. 36:30 And after your work in the evening, 36:32 you run to your room there to study and to prepare 36:37 your assignments for tomorrow class. 36:41 And in the morning you'll get up. 36:43 You know already the story. 36:45 You'll run to the class. 36:47 After the class, in the afternoon, work. 36:50 After the work, back to your room to study, 36:54 to prepare for next day class. 36:56 Then next day and you know already the story." 37:00 And the father notices, as the son was cynical, 37:06 etcetera that his hand is going down and he is carefully 37:12 listening to what his father is telling him. 37:14 And then the father says, "and my son, the exam will come. 37:19 You will work, then you will run back to your room to study, 37:24 to prepare yourself for the exam. 37:26 And you'll be studying the whole night. 37:29 And in the morning, you will come to take the exam. 37:32 After that exam going to work. 37:34 In the evening go back to your room 37:35 to study for the next exam." 37:37 I invented this story, okay. 37:41 Let me ask you, as the father is portraying 37:45 that future to his son which is very realistic, 37:50 what are the thoughts that they come to his son's mind? 37:57 I'm making a mistake. 37:59 I am leaving. 38:03 Is that the purpose that the father 38:05 wants to have the conversion with his son? 38:07 Okay, you have to hear the rest of my story. 38:12 The father sees that his son is completely confused. 38:16 And he's thinking whether to go or to stay. 38:21 Now the father makes the following statement 38:23 with just few sentences. 38:25 Before that the conversations were about 15, 20 minutes, 38:28 very long conversation but just few sentences. 38:30 He said, "my son, this is the kind of your future 38:35 that is awaiting to you there in that city. 38:37 But the reason why I want to have this conversation 38:42 is just for a simpler reason to assure you that you will finish 38:47 your studies at that university. 38:49 And you will graduate because your mother and your father 38:55 will be walking with you to support you. 38:59 The time, sometimes will come, you will be discouraged. 39:04 You will not know what to do. 39:06 You will give us a phone call. 39:08 We will encourage you. 39:10 Sometimes when the situation becomes so critical 39:14 we will, we will buy a flight ticket and come to spend 39:19 some short time with you. 39:22 But because maybe of your many exams 39:26 and overwhelming assignments that will be on you, 39:30 you'll have to quit some hours of your work 39:32 and you'll come into the financial crisis. 39:35 You just give us a phone call. 39:37 We will go and borrow money and to send to you. 39:40 Son, yes, the life at that university will not be easy. 39:47 It will be challenging. 39:50 But we just want to assure you, you will graduate 39:54 because we will be beside to you, 39:58 to support you and to help you 40:01 and you will finish your studies." 40:04 Please now you have to help me. 40:07 What-I invented his illustration, 40:09 one more time to make very clear. 40:11 What was the purpose of that conversation 40:14 that the father wanted to have with his son. 40:17 But did you notice something? 40:20 Let's say, that the conversation lasted for 25 minutes. 40:24 When the father started talking to his son, he was very nervous. 40:28 He even did not want to listen like many people 40:30 who don't want to listen 40:33 to the prophecies of the Book of Revelation. 40:36 We don't want to know that scary things. Okay. 40:40 Of those 25 minutes that the father 40:42 had that conversation with his son, how much of those 40:47 25 minutes were about the future? 40:52 Okay, let's be very modest. 40:54 Let's say, at least 20 minutes. 40:58 80% of the father's talk was about the future 41:03 and everything bad things that actually provoke 41:07 the concern in the mind of that young man. 41:11 Creating negative feelings in his mind and actually 41:15 making him to think to change his decision not to go there. 41:19 How much of that talk was about the encouragement 41:24 and the promise that they will be with him? 41:27 Just maybe 3, 4 minutes. 41:29 But you see, it's not about the content. 41:33 It's about the purpose. Okay. 41:37 I want to ask another question. 41:39 Maybe some of you will think, then why did the father 41:43 just spend those 2, 3 minutes and put son in front of him 41:47 and say, "Son, we just want to tell you 41:50 when you go to that university, your mother and your father 41:54 will be with you to support you and to finish?" 41:58 How seriously would the son take that promise? 42:04 You know, you have kids. 42:06 "That's okay, Dad. That's okay. 42:08 Let's go to the airport." 42:09 He would not even hear that promise. 42:12 But you see after about 20 minutes 42:14 and maybe even longer as the father was explaining 42:17 all that dark, bizarre and terrifying future 42:21 that was very realistic, very realistic and then finally 42:27 the father made that promise to the son. 42:31 That promise was sealed in the mind of that boy. 42:36 So let me ask you a question. 42:39 And son-that boy is at that university there. 42:43 And he became so stressed. 42:48 And he cannot move any longer. 42:49 What is the first thing that will come to his mind? 42:53 When he's in the financial situation, 42:55 what will come-you know what. 42:57 Nobody has to teach him. 42:59 He will move there to the phone. 43:00 Pick up the phone there to call his parents. 43:04 I just told you this is just an illustration. 43:07 But I know that illustration change and changed the life 43:11 of many, many of my students and also camp meeting audience, 43:16 of so many, many pastors, it helped them. 43:20 How much of the Book of Revelation 43:22 is about the future? 43:26 But you see it's not about the content. 43:30 It's about the purpose of this book. 43:34 You see the Book of Revelation could be just 15 verses. 43:38 God could tell us everything. 43:40 He's coming in the clouds but before that He will be with us. 43:44 He will support us. 43:46 He will guide us and lead us. 43:48 We can always rely on Him. 43:51 But you see, Jesus Christ, He knew that the full impact 43:57 of His promise to be with us and the full meaning 44:01 of that promise that He will be with us to help us 44:04 to take the future seriously- are you still with me? 44:07 To take that future seriously that we can prepare ourselves 44:10 for that future would not be effective if He does not tell us 44:16 about what the future will bring to us. 44:20 Actually, if you open your Bibles, 44:25 we read in the Gospel of John 16:4, Jesus said, 44:33 "these things I have spoken to you 44:39 so that when the hour comes, 44:42 you may remember that I told you of them." 44:47 What is the purpose of the biblical prophecies? 44:51 Of course, the purpose is to move us, 44:58 down to our knees, to take the future seriously 45:03 but about all not to make us the concern, 45:07 afraid and terrified of that future. 45:09 It simply to telling us that we are not left 45:13 alone on this earth. 45:15 That Jesus Christ is presented in the four gospels has given us 45:20 that promise that He will with us 45:24 always until the very end of the age. 45:27 And the purpose of the Book of Revelation 45:29 is telling us how He's fulfilling that promise. 45:32 So when we know that He is with us, 45:34 we will take our Christianity seriously. 45:36 We will take our spiritual life seriously. 45:39 It will make us to be better Christians to treat other people 45:42 the way how Jesus treats people. 45:47 And also to make us more serious about the future 45:51 will bring so that we know Jesus said, 45:55 "when those things that start taking place you can lift up 45:58 your heads and know that your salvation is coming on." 46:03 Friends, the correct understanding 46:05 of the Book of Revelation will help us not to think 46:09 too much about this life. 46:12 Yeah, we live here. 46:13 We have to use our life to spread the gospel message, 46:17 to make the life of people around us better. 46:20 To have that Christ like character to present 46:23 to the people that are around us. 46:25 But this life is not all what we have. 46:29 We have that future. 46:30 But that future makes sense only if we understand 46:35 that that future is intended to be the revelation of God's love 46:41 for us and His strong desire to support us in our lives. 46:48 Once we understand the message of that book, 46:52 it change our perspective of this world, 46:55 changes the perspective of ourselves, 46:59 changes the perspective of the future. 47:03 So please allow me the time that is now left 47:08 to challenge you with something. 47:11 Yes, the purpose of the last book of the New Testament 47:16 is to show to God's people the things 47:18 that will take place in the future. 47:23 And praise God for that. 47:25 As the student of the Book of Revelation, 47:28 I'm so grateful to God for revealing this to us. 47:35 We know what the future will bring. 47:38 There's nothing better in this world. 47:41 The history of this world is going down, down and one day 47:44 they'll come to its end. 47:46 So keep in mind that the Book of Revelation 47:51 is telling us clearly what will happen in the future. 47:55 Are you still with me? 47:56 So we are not left alone. 47:58 Not as a kind of horoscope 48:00 or fortune telling book or a crystal bowl. 48:04 No, that's not that. 48:05 But it's telling us where the history is moving to. 48:12 So we know what will happen. 48:14 And according to the Book of Revelation- 48:15 I want just to tell the viewers what we learn 48:18 from the Book of Revelation is that the time is coming 48:21 as the situation in this world is getting worse 48:24 and worse and worse and worse, that the secular 48:28 and political leaders of this world will invite religion 48:31 and try to solve the problems in this world. 48:33 Unfortunately, they will not be able to do it. 48:37 Finally, they try to find the scapegoat for that. 48:40 And according to the Bible 48:42 there will be union of religion and politic. 48:45 And there will be distinction between those 48:48 who will be faithful to God until the very point of death. 48:51 And the Bible is telling us, "At that drastic moment, 48:55 decisive moment in human history, 48:57 then Jesus Christ will come." 48:59 This is just in a nutshell what we learn 49:01 from the Book of Revelation. 49:03 But what is the problem with regard to those things 49:06 that will take place in the future? 49:07 There are two things that we do not know. Okay. 49:12 What is that? The first thing, 49:15 we don't know when those things will take place. 49:20 We don't know when. 49:23 And, friends, this is exactly what we'd like to know. 49:30 Unfortunately, many people take the Book of Revelation, 49:34 they try to set the dates for the second coming of Christ. 49:40 And so many times what they know that the text is clearly 49:43 about they try to take different directions only for own purpose, 49:49 to establish if not the exact date but the approximate date 49:52 when Jesus will come. 49:55 Unfortunately, I have to remind you, oh, 49:58 the Bible makes very clear in Deuteronomy 29:29, 50:04 that that secrets, that they belong only to God. Amen. 50:12 But to us belong only things that God has revealed to us. 50:18 And please we do not have a time. 50:21 Maybe some other occasion here when we do at 3ABN, 50:24 I can show you, how New Testament is replete 50:30 with the statements that human beings will never know 50:37 when the end of time will come. 50:40 Jesus reminds us in Matthew 24:36, 50:44 "But of that day and hour actually nobody, nobody knows." 50:49 In the Book of Acts 1:7, "the disciples came to Jesus 50:56 and asking, 'are you going out to establish your kingdom?'" 50:59 Jesus told them, "It's not given to you to know about 51:04 the time and seasons which the Father 51:07 has kept only for Himself by His own authority." 51:11 But then Jesus said, "This is not given to you." 51:14 But Jesus says, "But what is given to you 51:17 is to be my witnesses." 51:22 Friends, I find people everywhere. 51:25 They spend their entire life to make prophetic charts, 51:31 calculate different dates. 51:34 They're spending the entire, 51:35 their entire lives in doing that. 51:38 But Jesus says that the time that we are using 51:40 to make those prophetic charts, to calculate days 51:43 for the second coming of Christ can be used 51:46 more effectively to be Christ witnesses. 51:49 It's-I'd like to suggest to you viewers instead of spending time 51:54 reading those charts or making them, 51:56 try to make a map of the street, the city in which you live. 52:00 To go and to proclaim the gospel message and to reach those 52:05 who need to be reached for Christ. Amen. 52:07 Actually in the book "Selected Messages" 52:09 Chapter 2, page 113, we read. 52:14 "Again and again have I been warned 52:16 in regard to time setting. 52:19 There will never again be a message for the people 52:22 of God that will be based on time. 52:26 We are not to know the definite time either 52:29 for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 52:32 or for the coming of Christ." 52:34 Having said that, I'd like you to keep in mind, 52:38 based on the Book of Revelation we will know 52:41 that the time is very close. 52:45 How close? 52:47 Sometimes could be close few months or few years. 52:50 But we will know that it is close. How close? 52:52 Only God knows. 52:53 But we will be moved to readiness for that moment. 52:58 Keep in mind, we know what will happen. 53:00 We don't know when. 53:02 But there is another thing that we do not know 53:04 about those future events that are prophesied 53:09 in the Book of Revelation. 53:10 Any guess what is that? 53:11 We don't know how exactly 53:14 those things will take place. 53:20 Maybe you are confused. 53:22 I just want to encourage you. 53:24 Take for instance the mark of the beast, 53:26 well known concept in the Book of Revelation. 53:28 Go to internet, to Google and type it. 53:34 You will find that there are about 12 to 15 million 53:39 websites just written the topic. 53:43 This shows how much people are confused. 53:47 And it means people are struggling to know because 53:49 we do not know what exact-how exactly the mark of the beast 53:54 will be realized in this world. 53:55 And I can present here many different topics. 53:59 But please I'd like to remind you of the statement 54:01 that I found is "Selected Messages" Chapter 2, page 35. 54:07 "We are not now able to describe with accuracy the scenes 54:12 to be enacted in our world in the future 54:15 but this we do know that this is a time 54:19 when we must watch unto prayer, 54:22 for the great day of the Lord is at hand." 54:27 So I'd like to invite us as we are studying 54:29 from the Book of Revelation, it's so easy to speculate. 54:32 Yeah, we have our curiosity. 54:34 We would like really to learn what the future will bring, 54:39 how the things will happen and when. 54:42 Unfortunately, God in His wisdom has not revealed to us. 54:47 The Book of Revelation is not given to us 54:50 to satisfy our curiosity about the future. 54:56 It's given for us to-it's given to us to move us to readiness. 55:02 See, the graphic portrayal of those events 55:05 that are found in the Book of Revelation 55:07 are not always nice to read about. 55:09 They have their goal to impress upon us the seriousness 55:14 of the final crisis and our dependency 55:17 on God during that time. 55:22 The time of crisis when it comes will be a reminder 55:26 to God's people of Christ's promise, to be with them 55:30 so that He can sustain them 55:32 during this difficult, difficult times. 55:36 Now I hope that I shared with you of this last 55:42 book of the Bible that is very often misunderstood 55:45 and, I must say, misused by different Christian groups. 55:51 Actually this book is truly the revelation of Jesus Christ. 55:57 Everything what is there is intended really to point 56:02 to the seriousness of the future. 56:05 And to tell us that when that future takes place, 56:10 when we get to there God will 56:14 never, never forget His people. 56:19 Such understanding actually changes a human life. 56:24 You see, when understood properly the prophesies 56:28 of revelation simply have that practical purposes to teach us 56:32 how to live today and to move us 56:36 to be better Christians tomorrow. 56:40 This sentence is very, very important. 56:42 There are some people who study the Book of Revelation they say, 56:45 "I don't want to think about the future. 56:47 It's just about today." 56:48 There are some Christians they don't think about today. 56:51 They just think about tomorrow 56:53 but they don't know how to live today. 56:57 See the purpose of the Book of Revelation 56:59 is to teach us how to live as Christians today 57:04 but to be ready for tomorrow. 57:07 So I'd like to invite all of you, 57:09 I'd like to invite our viewers 57:12 to take the word of God seriously. 57:16 We will follow this textbook and I'd like to ask you 57:19 that you make a copy for yourself, to go through 57:22 that material because every time I will tell you 57:25 about material that we will cover from 57:27 that "Revelation of the Coming King." 57:30 May God bless you all. |
Revised 2015-03-09