Welcome again to our program
"Revelation of the Coming King."
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I'm Ranko Stefanovic,
professor of New Testament
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in the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary,
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Andrews University.
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And I'm so excited to be with
this wonderful audience here.
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And we have such a great
help that's making possible
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the good quality of this
program that is broadcasted.
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As you know we are
studying the Book of Revelation.
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This series
covers the entire book,
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starting from chapter 1
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and we will finish if
God permits with chapter 22.
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And we also had
three presentations
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into that
representations to see actually
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how to interpret this book.
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Now we are
coming to very difficult
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and controversial chapter.
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Actually chapter that divided
Christians in Christian history
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more than any other section
of the Book of Revelation.
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So in order to
understand this chapter
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we really need the presence
of the Holy Spirit armies.
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We need God's guidance.
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If we rely on our
human wisdom, woe to us.
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So let's ask Him
that He explains to us
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what the meaning of this chapter
is according to His intention.
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Our Heavenly Father,
please be with us this moment.
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We are seeking Your
presence in our midst.
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We are asking for the
guidance of the Holy Spirit
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because You promised that
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You will teach us
into all the truth.
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So please open our minds.
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And help us that
we can understand
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the meaning of this section
of the Book of Revelation
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according to Your intention
and according to Your will.
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We pray all of this
in the precious name
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of our Savior
Jesus Christ, Amen. Amen.
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Let me tell you once
again that there is so much
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that we can talk about
Revelation 7, hours and hours.
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So we will try to
do our best to see
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that general picture
of Revelation chapter 7
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and to see what is in view here.
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But once again we
will like to encourage you
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that once this
presentation is over that you go
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and to study for yourself.
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And I believe here that
in this book that we titled
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"Revelation of Jesus Christ"
that you have a very fair
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and general
treatment of the subject
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that we are now covering.
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So please--I'd like
to give you the pages
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for your further studies.
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It's from page 250--259.
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So page 259 until
the end of this chapter.
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You have I think
about almost 30 pages.
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So are you ready?
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Please, can you turn
to Revelation chapter 7?
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As you're turning
the pages of your Bible,
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let me remind you one more
time the context of chapter 7.
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Do you remember where we left
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the study of the Book
of Revelation last time?
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We saw that in the six seal
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we have the
second coming of Christ.
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And suddenly all
those who live on the earth
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who are the enemies
of God in the gospel,
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they're going all around
shouting to the mountains
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and to the rocks, "Hide
us, cover us and hide us
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from the face of
the One who is coming.
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For great is His wrath
and who is able to stand."
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And before John the revelator
inspired by the Holy Spirit
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give us a
description of the opening--
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the description of the
opening of the seventh seal,
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we have a chapter 7.
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And the purpose of this chapter,
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it functions as an interlude
and it is an insertion,
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okay, into that flow of
the seven seals is to provide
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the answer to the question that
was asked in chapter 6 verse 17.
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Who is able to stand on
the way of the wrath of God?
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And what is the answer?
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Let's go to chapter 7
and to find the answer.
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So one more time
let us keep in mind
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the purpose of this chapter
because this is very important.
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Many Christians who
are reading chapter 7,
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they miss this point.
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And that's why they
interpret the groups
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that are mentioned
here in different way.
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But you have to understand
that we are dealing with
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which point in history here.
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Second coming of Christ.
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We are dealing with
people who will be alive,
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who will witness the
second coming of Christ.
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We are not
dealing here with people
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who lived in the
Old Testament times.
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We are not
dealing here with people
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who lived during the
time of the early church
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or 100 years ago
or 200 years ago.
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We are dealing
strictly with the people
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who will witness the
second coming of Christ.
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That's the main-- can
you keep this in mind?
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Because this is very important
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for the
interpretation of this chapter.
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So please, let's go.
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Let us go to Revelation 7
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starting with verse 1 and
we will read until verse 3.
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Are you ready? Okay, let's go.
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"After this--"can we
stop here for a while?
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After what? This is very
important to keep in mind.
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After the question that
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the enemies of
God's people are asking,
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"Who is able to
stand on that day?"
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So we see John, the
revelator makes very clear
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that Revelation 7 builds on
the conclusion of the six seals.
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"After this I saw
four angels standing
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at the four
corners of the earth,
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holding back the
four winds of the earth,
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so that no wind
would blow on the earth
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or on the sea or any tree.
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And I saw
another angel ascending
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from the rising of the sun,
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having the seal
of the living God,
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and he cried out with a
loud voice to the four angles
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to whom it was granted to
harm the earth and the sea,
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saying, 'Do not harm the
earth or the sea or the trees
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until we have sealed
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the servants of God
on their foreheads.'"
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Let's stop here for a
moment because we would like
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to understand what
is that they're saying.
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Because the
correct understanding
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what's going on here--
the beginning of chapter 7,
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it's crucial for
the understanding
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of the rest of the chapter.
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So what is that that we have?
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Can we imagine the scene?
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Please allow me
now-- I'm not an actor
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but we have to
understand something.
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There are winds.
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We cannot see the winds
but you have to imagine them.
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The winds. Destructive winds.
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What are the winds?
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By the way, we have
to go now to the Bible
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and the Bible explains to us.
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I just want to tell
you we really would need
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a lot of time to go to all
those Old Testament references
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where the winds
are used symbolically.
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I'm simply
referring to symbolical text.
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The first one is Hosea 13:15.
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He says, "Though he
flourishes among the reeds,
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an east wind will come.
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The wind of the Lord
coming up from the wilderness,
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and his fountain will become dry
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and his spring will be dried up.
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It will plunder his treasury
of every precious article."
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If you go to
Zechariah 6:4, Jeremiah 49:36,
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you can see that the
concept of the four winds
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is well known in
the Old Testament.
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So many times
winds are mentioned
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but they are always
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symbol of God's
judgment against unfaithful.
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Are you with me?
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I would like to invite you
to another text that you see.
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It's the Book of Daniel 7:2, 3.
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In the vision "Daniel said,
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'I was looking in my
vision by night, and behold,
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the four winds of heaven
were stirring up the great sea.
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And four great beasts
were coming up from the sea,
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different from one another.'"
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You can see here that the winds
stirring the--the great sea.
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Actually it refers to that
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stormy condition
of the human society.
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The winds is disturbing them.
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But I'd like now to
move out of the Bible.
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It's very
important that we understand
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how the Jews of the time
of the Book of Revelation
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really understood the winds
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because they based their
beliefs on the Old Testament.
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But there is one Book
called Ecclesiasticus.
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It's not found in the Bible,
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but well read by
the Jewish people.
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By the way,
written by a Pharisee.
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Listen what they say,
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"The winds that have
been created for vengeance
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and in their anger
they scourge heavily.
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In the time of the consummation
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they will pour
out their strength
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and calm the
anger of their Maker."
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Actually it really, this
text summarizes everything
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that is in the Old Testament.
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Because it's
really summary--summary
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what we have here
in the Old Testament.
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So let's keep in mind.
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So now we have
these symbolic winds.
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They are ready to
blow and to destroy
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everything that is on their way.
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But then John
notices something else.
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He sees four angels standing on
the four corners of the earth.
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Actually if the Book of
Revelation is written today,
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John would state,
"I saw four angels
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standing at the four
points of the compass."
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This is the ancient reference,
the four corners of the earth.
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Actually when you have
the four points of the compass
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then you refer
to the universality.
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You have heard
universal meeting--meaning.
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You have the worldwide
significance of this event.
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Are you still with me?
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But what is that that
those four angels are doing?
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Please, I will
like really to show.
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Actually the winds blow and
those four angels are holding,
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you know, you know the picture,
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holding their hands and
keeping those winds not to blow.
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So the winds cannot blow.
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They cannot do
their destructive work.
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At that moment, at that moment
John notices something else.
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He sees another angel.
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Did you notice where
is the angel coming from?
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He's coming from the east.
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By the way, when you go to
the Bible you'll see that east,
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it's always the
place related to God.
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Well, I don't
have the time now to go
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throughout this different text.
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But if you go to Matthew 24,
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Jesus says actually that at
His coming a sign will appear,
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that cloud
appearing there in the east
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where Jesus will
come-- will come from.
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When you come to Revelation 16
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with reference to
the battle of Armageddon
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where the enemies of God's
people try to destroy them,
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the King's coming from the east,
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which is actually
a reference to Christ
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and the host of heaven.
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Jesus is called, in the
Gospel of Luke, the Sunrise
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because the word east
is our modern expression.
00:13:12.55\00:13:17.06
But in the
original text of the Bible
00:13:17.09\00:13:19.16
is from the rising of the sun.
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.92
That expression is
very important in the Bible.
00:13:21.95\00:13:24.20
So when this angel is coming
from the rising of the sun,
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coming from the east,
whatever expression you use,
00:13:26.94\00:13:29.66
it means that that
person is commissioned by God.
00:13:29.69\00:13:32.98
He's coming from the
very presence of the God.
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And He comes to those
angles and telling them,
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"Hey, hold little bit longer,
don't let the winds blow."
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For how long?
00:13:44.96\00:13:46.88
Says, "Until the sealing
of God's people is completed."
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Okay. By the way,
let's go there to the text.
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Because in verse 2,
okay, John sees that angel--
00:13:59.58\00:14:05.29
he says, "He was having
the seal of the living God."
00:14:05.32\00:14:11.40
And he says, "I'm going
now to seal God's people."
00:14:11.43\00:14:16.59
So how long?
00:14:16.62\00:14:18.13
I'm sorry we have to
establish here few points
00:14:18.16\00:14:21.06
that are crucial for listening.
00:14:21.09\00:14:22.50
How long are the angels
supposed to hold the winds
00:14:22.53\00:14:28.83
while that
sealing is in process?
00:14:28.86\00:14:32.39
The blowing of the
winds cannot take before.
00:14:32.42\00:14:34.96
So now what happens
when the sealing is done?
00:14:34.99\00:14:39.75
The winds are allowed to
blow. Are you still with me?
00:14:39.78\00:14:42.51
I know, I know, do you wonder
why I'm talking that language?
00:14:42.54\00:14:45.47
But you will see how many
times people miss these points
00:14:45.50\00:14:48.79
and we have to come to that.
00:14:48.82\00:14:50.19
But before we move on, we have
to ask ourselves a question.
00:14:50.22\00:14:55.91
Then what is the
sealing all about?
00:14:55.94\00:15:01.00
And if you go there to the web,
00:15:01.03\00:15:04.74
go to those different websites,
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.04
you will see how people
interpret the seal of God. Okay.
00:15:07.07\00:15:12.36
We have to understand
00:15:12.39\00:15:13.76
when the Bible uses the
expression, the seal of God.
00:15:13.79\00:15:18.24
The concept of
sealing was well known concept
00:15:18.27\00:15:21.32
in the 1st century and
also in the Old Testament times.
00:15:21.35\00:15:25.66
In ancient times sealing
connote different meanings.
00:15:25.69\00:15:28.27
Number one, documents were
sealed for several reasons,
00:15:28.30\00:15:32.94
one of that to
validate the content,
00:15:32.97\00:15:36.42
but also to protect
00:15:36.45\00:15:38.57
the content of the
document from tampering. Okay.
00:15:38.60\00:15:44.04
However, the
fundamental meaning of sealing
00:15:44.07\00:15:46.99
in ancient times--
I saw so many seals.
00:15:47.02\00:15:50.42
And you know what is always--
00:15:50.45\00:15:51.82
when the Jewish
people, so many Jewish seals.
00:15:51.85\00:15:54.72
You have so-called Lemet,
00:15:54.75\00:15:57.08
which we translate
into English as tomb.
00:15:57.11\00:16:01.70
And you have the
name of the person
00:16:01.73\00:16:04.25
who is actually
the owner of the seal.
00:16:04.28\00:16:06.58
So he says "to
Ranko," what does it mean?
00:16:06.61\00:16:09.35
When you put
that seal on this book
00:16:09.38\00:16:11.20
it means this belongs to Ranko.
00:16:11.23\00:16:14.07
So the main purpose of seal
and the sealing is ownership.
00:16:14.10\00:16:21.13
When you put the
seal on something
00:16:21.16\00:16:24.67
it means this belongs
to me, don't touch it.
00:16:24.70\00:16:28.54
By the way, this is
the fundamental concept
00:16:28.57\00:16:31.23
of sealing in the New Testament.
00:16:31.26\00:16:33.20
By the way, I would
really like to ask you
00:16:33.23\00:16:36.53
to open 2 Timothy 2:19,
00:16:36.56\00:16:40.12
because Paul points to
this sealing when he tell us,
00:16:40.15\00:16:45.43
"Nevertheless, the firm
foundation of God stands,
00:16:45.46\00:16:50.71
having this seal, 'The
Lord knows those who are His.'"
00:16:50.74\00:16:55.83
Are you still with
me? Hey, let me ask you.
00:16:55.86\00:16:59.11
You see, my commentary is here
00:16:59.14\00:17:01.16
and each one of
you has a commentary.
00:17:01.19\00:17:02.83
The commentary
looks the same, huh?
00:17:02.86\00:17:05.91
And I put here my
seal, my signature.
00:17:05.94\00:17:07.80
How do I know that
this belongs to me?
00:17:07.83\00:17:11.69
Because of that seal, because
of that signature that is.
00:17:11.72\00:17:14.06
So Paul says that the
main meaning of God's seal is
00:17:14.09\00:17:19.20
"The Lord knows who
are His, who belong to Him.
00:17:19.23\00:17:22.31
And, 'Everyone who
names the name of the Lord
00:17:22.34\00:17:25.51
is to abstain from wickedness.'"
00:17:25.54\00:17:28.02
This is the primary
meaning of the sealing.
00:17:28.05\00:17:34.34
So what does sealing mean?
00:17:34.37\00:17:36.96
Actually according
to the New Testament,
00:17:36.99\00:17:40.17
Apostle Paul
explains that when the person
00:17:40.20\00:17:45.44
who is a sinner
accepts the gospel message
00:17:45.47\00:17:49.32
and to come to God,
00:17:49.35\00:17:50.84
when the person
is accepted by God,
00:17:50.87\00:17:54.46
God seals that person by the
seal of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
00:17:54.49\00:17:59.72
I'd like you to turn
to Ephesians 1:13, 14.
00:17:59.75\00:18:06.83
Paul says--by the
way, the same text,
00:18:06.86\00:18:09.32
identical text is
found in 2 Corinthians 1,
00:18:09.35\00:18:14.07
I think verses, if
I'm correct, 20 to 22.
00:18:14.10\00:18:17.60
You see identical texts,
two times Paul repeats that.
00:18:17.63\00:18:20.25
Paul says, "In Him you also,
00:18:20.28\00:18:22.71
after listening to
the message of truth,
00:18:22.74\00:18:25.98
the gospel of your salvation--
having also believed,
00:18:26.01\00:18:29.39
you were sealed in
Him with the Holy Spirit."
00:18:29.42\00:18:32.11
Who is doing the
sealing? Who is the seal?
00:18:32.14\00:18:36.65
The Holy Spirit is the seal
and He is doing the sealing.
00:18:36.68\00:18:40.13
So when you come
to God, dear viewers,
00:18:40.16\00:18:42.71
when you come to God,
when you're accepted by God,
00:18:42.74\00:18:46.03
God gives you your Holy Spirit
00:18:46.06\00:18:48.11
and you are
sealed for salvation.
00:18:48.14\00:18:51.53
Is that a great news?
00:18:51.56\00:18:52.93
I expected one
amen from all of you
00:18:52.96\00:18:55.66
who are watching this program.
00:18:55.69\00:18:58.09
You see we belong to God
00:18:58.12\00:19:00.00
and Satan cannot
harm us any longer.
00:19:00.03\00:19:03.45
But wait, some of you can
reach maybe a wrong conclusion.
00:19:03.48\00:19:08.71
Praise God. God sealed me.
00:19:08.74\00:19:12.54
Once saved, always saved.
00:19:12.57\00:19:15.09
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
praise God for the Bible.
00:19:15.12\00:19:18.11
Because just the same
book, Ephesians we read in 4:30.
00:19:18.14\00:19:24.84
It says, "Do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
00:19:24.87\00:19:29.99
by whom you were sealed
for the day of redemption."
00:19:30.02\00:19:34.30
Did you see that?
00:19:34.33\00:19:35.71
As we were sealed,
we can also be unsealed.
00:19:35.74\00:19:40.13
We are sealed as
long as we are with God
00:19:40.16\00:19:43.85
and we have the presence of
the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
00:19:43.88\00:19:46.66
Are you with me?
Then we are sealed.
00:19:46.69\00:19:50.45
So now, can I
ask you one question?
00:19:50.48\00:19:55.39
When does the
sealing of God's people--
00:19:55.42\00:20:00.97
actually let me put it--
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.37
when did the sealing
of God's people begin?
00:20:02.40\00:20:07.52
You will see already at
the time of Apostle Paul.
00:20:07.55\00:20:10.65
He wrote it to the
Christians of his own time.
00:20:10.68\00:20:14.84
So the sealing of
God's people actually started
00:20:14.87\00:20:17.85
with the death of
Jesus on the cross.
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.88
When He ascended to
the heavenly places,
00:20:19.91\00:20:22.03
when the Holy Spirit came down,
00:20:22.06\00:20:24.34
then the sealing of
God's people started.
00:20:24.37\00:20:27.08
However, even though
the sealing of God's people
00:20:27.11\00:20:30.91
has been taken since
the time of the cross,
00:20:30.94\00:20:36.67
at the time of the
end, before Jesus come,
00:20:36.70\00:20:41.28
there will be the
climax of that sealing.
00:20:41.31\00:20:45.75
It's the end time sealing.
00:20:45.78\00:20:47.87
And that kind of
sealing is found actually
00:20:47.90\00:20:51.93
in the Revelation 7
00:20:51.96\00:20:54.31
and also in the
Revelation 16, 17.
00:20:54.34\00:20:59.96
If you go to
Revelation chapter 13:16, 17,
00:20:59.99\00:21:04.72
then we read there that
00:21:04.75\00:21:06.62
just before the
second coming of Christ
00:21:06.65\00:21:08.95
there will be an enemy power
opposing to God in the gospel
00:21:08.98\00:21:14.78
that will actually mark
the followers of the beast.
00:21:14.81\00:21:18.41
We read it.
00:21:18.44\00:21:19.81
"And he causes all,
the small and the great,
00:21:19.84\00:21:22.48
and the rich and the
poor, and the free men
00:21:22.51\00:21:25.38
and the slaves to be
given a mark on their right hand
00:21:25.41\00:21:29.54
or on their forehead,
and he provides that no one
00:21:29.57\00:21:33.38
will be able to buy or to sell,
00:21:33.41\00:21:36.63
except the one who has the mark,
00:21:36.66\00:21:39.34
either the name of the beast
or the number of his name."
00:21:39.37\00:21:45.16
It is in that context
00:21:45.19\00:21:47.08
when Satan and the
beast-- we will come to that.
00:21:47.11\00:21:49.89
We will see that more, we
will see what that marking
00:21:49.92\00:21:52.39
and that sealing is
all about in Revelation 13.
00:21:52.42\00:21:55.14
But the Satan will seal his
worshippers and his followers.
00:21:55.17\00:21:58.90
During that time God will by
this symbolic concept of sealing
00:21:58.93\00:22:04.99
seal those who belong to Him
00:22:05.02\00:22:07.56
as His own possession
as those who belong to God.
00:22:07.59\00:22:14.52
Please I have to
mention here two things.
00:22:14.55\00:22:18.04
We saw that the
sealing of God's people
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.65
has been taken
throughout history.
00:22:19.68\00:22:21.59
And those who were
sealed their faithfulness to God
00:22:21.62\00:22:25.76
has been tested
in different ways.
00:22:25.79\00:22:28.60
It was very
appropriate with any--
00:22:28.63\00:22:30.41
every generation of Christians.
00:22:30.44\00:22:32.16
But at the time of the end,
00:22:32.19\00:22:34.49
in the context of
that mark of the beast,
00:22:34.52\00:22:37.99
the faith and the
loyalty of those who are sealed
00:22:38.02\00:22:41.86
will be tested in a special way.
00:22:41.89\00:22:44.90
In which way?
00:22:44.93\00:22:46.51
By faithfulness to
God and His commandments.
00:22:46.54\00:22:49.91
If you go to Revelation
12:17, Revelation 14:12,
00:22:49.94\00:22:55.29
we will see that
those who are sealed,
00:22:55.32\00:22:57.11
those who belong to God
00:22:57.14\00:22:58.51
are the ones who keep
the commandments of God
00:22:58.54\00:23:01.62
and they have
the faith of Jesus.
00:23:01.65\00:23:04.58
But when you read
carefully the Book of Revelation
00:23:04.61\00:23:07.63
it becomes obvious that
the loyalty of God's people
00:23:07.66\00:23:11.84
will not be just tested
00:23:11.87\00:23:14.12
by the keeping all
the God's commandments.
00:23:14.15\00:23:17.17
There is one particular
commandment of the ten
00:23:17.20\00:23:20.45
that will be the test
of the loyalty to God.
00:23:20.48\00:23:23.72
It is the context
of that final crisis
00:23:23.75\00:23:26.12
and the mark of the beast
that the four commandments,
00:23:26.15\00:23:28.89
the Sabbath will be
the test of the loyalty.
00:23:28.92\00:23:32.19
And it is in that
context that that sealing
00:23:32.22\00:23:35.15
is related to the observance
of the Seventh-day Sabbath
00:23:35.18\00:23:38.45
and the four commandments.
00:23:38.48\00:23:40.59
When you go to the Old
Testament you will see,
00:23:40.62\00:23:42.90
like for instance,
Exodus 31, Ezekiel 20,
00:23:42.93\00:23:47.43
the Sabbath was
always a test of loyalty
00:23:47.46\00:23:50.29
of God's people
in the Old Testament.
00:23:50.32\00:23:52.32
As it was then,
00:23:52.35\00:23:54.63
so the same will be
repeated at the time of the end.
00:23:54.66\00:23:59.49
That when the human institution
imposes one particular day
00:23:59.52\00:24:03.21
on the people as
the sign of the loyalty
00:24:03.24\00:24:06.44
of all those who have
the mark of the beast,
00:24:06.47\00:24:08.57
it is in that
context that the Sabbath,
00:24:08.60\00:24:11.22
the four commandments
will become the main object
00:24:11.25\00:24:15.50
and the focus of
that seal of God,
00:24:15.53\00:24:17.83
when the loyalty of God's people
will be tested in special way.
00:24:17.86\00:24:21.25
But we'll come to that
when we come to Revelation 13.
00:24:21.28\00:24:24.17
Okay? Okay.
00:24:24.20\00:24:25.76
Now let's go back to the winds.
00:24:25.79\00:24:31.32
The winds cannot blow.
00:24:31.35\00:24:33.24
Now when you go to
verse 4, John said--John said,
00:24:33.27\00:24:39.99
"And I heard the number
of those who are sealed.
00:24:40.02\00:24:43.93
144,000 sealed from
every tribe of Israel."
00:24:43.96\00:24:50.60
And now if you go to
verse 5 and you go to verse 8,
00:24:50.63\00:24:57.82
now you can see that
those 12 tribes are mentioned.
00:24:57.85\00:25:02.93
Keep in mind. Keep in mind.
00:25:02.96\00:25:04.68
You see one by one.
00:25:04.71\00:25:06.08
Okay, I will not
read all those tribes now.
00:25:06.11\00:25:09.09
You will notice something
that the winds cannot blow
00:25:09.12\00:25:14.87
as long as the
sealing is in the process.
00:25:14.90\00:25:19.66
So it is in that context.
00:25:19.69\00:25:22.60
I have to mention second things
that I introduced last time.
00:25:22.63\00:25:25.97
Not only that the test--
that the fourth commandment
00:25:26.00\00:25:28.68
will be a test of
loyalty to those who are sealed
00:25:28.71\00:25:30.97
but the sealed at
the same time functions
00:25:31.00\00:25:33.39
not only as a sign of
those who belong to God
00:25:33.42\00:25:36.58
but also is the
sign of the protection.
00:25:36.61\00:25:40.57
You see, all those
who have the seal of God
00:25:40.60\00:25:43.60
will be protected from
the blowing of the winds.
00:25:43.63\00:25:49.07
Praise the Lord.
Are you still with me?
00:25:49.10\00:25:51.82
And here we have a picture
00:25:51.85\00:25:53.22
that comes from the
Book of Ezekiel 9:1-11.
00:25:53.25\00:25:58.78
Please this is very long text.
00:25:58.81\00:26:00.50
I know that we don't
have time, I don't want to go.
00:26:00.53\00:26:02.68
But there the prophet Ezekiel
00:26:02.71\00:26:05.88
saw the wicked
people in Jerusalem,
00:26:05.91\00:26:10.27
rebellious against God.
00:26:10.30\00:26:13.53
And then he saw a
person coming from the east.
00:26:13.56\00:26:17.23
He had writing tools
00:26:17.26\00:26:19.68
and God instructed
that person telling him,
00:26:19.71\00:26:22.31
"Go there through the
city and mark on the forehead
00:26:22.34\00:26:27.19
every person who
is looking there at Me
00:26:27.22\00:26:31.64
and asking when I will bring
00:26:31.67\00:26:33.18
the end of the sin
there in Jerusalem.
00:26:33.21\00:26:34.90
Those who are
faithful to me mark them."
00:26:34.93\00:26:37.38
And then after that the number
of people who are executioners
00:26:37.41\00:26:44.63
with the swords
and God says to them,
00:26:44.66\00:26:47.35
"Follow now this
person and kill everyone
00:26:47.38\00:26:51.34
who does not have the
mark on the forehead."
00:26:51.37\00:26:56.89
Actually, he's telling us
that God's faithful people
00:26:56.92\00:26:59.30
were supposed to be protected
00:26:59.33\00:27:00.73
during destruction of
Jerusalem by Babylonians.
00:27:00.76\00:27:03.29
That's how Daniel and
his friends were protected.
00:27:03.32\00:27:05.64
You remember that.
00:27:05.67\00:27:07.04
Actually, this
text from Ezekiel 9
00:27:07.07\00:27:09.58
stands in the
background of Revelation 7.
00:27:09.61\00:27:13.21
Is it important to
know the Old Testament
00:27:13.24\00:27:15.02
to interpret the
Book of Revelation?
00:27:15.05\00:27:17.20
The question is
now just quickly.
00:27:17.23\00:27:20.44
What is the blowing
of the winds all about?
00:27:20.47\00:27:23.05
By the way, later in the text--
00:27:23.08\00:27:26.12
I skipped that text that I
was supposed to mention earlier
00:27:26.15\00:27:29.72
is that later in the
text the blowing of the winds
00:27:29.75\00:27:34.39
is referred to as the
time of the great tribulation.
00:27:34.42\00:27:39.29
This is the same tribulation
that Daniel spoke in Daniel 12:1
00:27:39.32\00:27:43.52
when he said, "At that time
00:27:43.55\00:27:47.38
Michael, great prince
will come to defend his people
00:27:47.41\00:27:50.51
and there will be such
time as it was not before
00:27:50.54\00:27:53.33
it will be after
in human history."
00:27:53.36\00:27:57.78
By the way, when we go
later to the book of Revelation
00:27:57.81\00:28:01.43
to chapters 15 and 16,
00:28:01.46\00:28:04.40
we have another expression
for the blowing of the winds
00:28:04.43\00:28:07.19
and it's the seven last plagues.
00:28:07.22\00:28:11.05
So you see there are
all different expressions.
00:28:11.08\00:28:13.12
So the blowing of the winds,
00:28:13.15\00:28:14.92
the time of the
great tribulation
00:28:14.95\00:28:16.75
and the seven last
plagues are different terms,
00:28:16.78\00:28:20.18
different expressions
for one and the same things
00:28:20.21\00:28:22.91
in the Book of Revelation
and there is a reason for that.
00:28:22.94\00:28:25.60
Okay, okay. So
let's keep it in mind.
00:28:25.63\00:28:27.94
So now you have to be with me.
00:28:27.97\00:28:30.35
John then said, "And I
heard the number of those
00:28:30.38\00:28:34.99
who were sealed, 144,000"
00:28:35.02\00:28:37.90
and then he lists
the 12 tribes of Israel
00:28:37.93\00:28:41.85
to show how 12,000 people
were sealed from each tribe.
00:28:41.88\00:28:46.01
What does it mean?
00:28:46.04\00:28:47.41
What does it mean?
00:28:49.46\00:28:51.13
Hey, friends, let me tell you,
00:28:51.16\00:28:53.46
if I tell you an
illustration and I say,
00:28:53.49\00:28:57.08
"I cannot do these things
00:28:57.11\00:29:01.98
until everybody comes here."
00:29:02.01\00:29:05.47
And then after that I told you,"
00:29:05.50\00:29:07.22
I heard that 55
people are now here.
00:29:07.25\00:29:11.63
What does it mean?
That everybody is here.
00:29:11.66\00:29:14.80
I never mentioned that number
00:29:14.83\00:29:16.20
because I was waiting
for everybody to come.
00:29:16.23\00:29:19.71
John now hears
that the number of those
00:29:19.74\00:29:22.48
who are sealed is 144,000.
00:29:22.51\00:29:26.04
What does it mean?
That the sealing is done.
00:29:26.07\00:29:29.58
What comes
next? What comes next?
00:29:29.61\00:29:33.45
The winds are now
unleashed to blow.
00:29:33.48\00:29:38.27
Keep in mind,
the winds cannot blow
00:29:38.30\00:29:39.97
as long as the
sealing is in the process.
00:29:40.00\00:29:43.39
And now John hears
the number of those
00:29:43.42\00:29:45.51
who were sealed, 144,000.
00:29:45.54\00:29:47.89
Well, there is a question.
00:29:47.92\00:29:49.91
Is number 144,000, is
it literal or symbolic?
00:29:49.94\00:29:56.30
There are many people,
they think it's literal.
00:29:56.33\00:30:00.01
But what is the problem?
00:30:00.04\00:30:01.90
We have to understand
the Book of Revelation
00:30:01.93\00:30:03.71
is a symbolic book.
00:30:03.74\00:30:06.19
And the numbers in
the Book of Revelation,
00:30:06.22\00:30:11.41
they have a symbolic meaning.
00:30:11.44\00:30:14.64
You see the problem is if
you take 144,000 as literal--
00:30:14.67\00:30:19.59
but it says that
144,000 are sealed
00:30:19.62\00:30:22.28
from the 12 tribes of
Israel, 12,000 from each tribes
00:30:22.31\00:30:26.73
then you must take also the
12 tribes of Israel as literal.
00:30:26.76\00:30:33.29
Are you with me?
But what is the problem?
00:30:33.32\00:30:36.98
What is the
problem that we have here?
00:30:37.01\00:30:40.27
There are no 12
tribes of Israel today.
00:30:43.56\00:30:47.27
That's first thing.
00:30:47.30\00:30:49.02
You know that when the King
of Assyria came against Israel,
00:30:49.05\00:30:53.49
the so-called northern kingdom,
he took the 10 tribes of Israel,
00:30:53.52\00:30:56.85
he lead them there to
the Assyrian captivity
00:30:56.88\00:30:58.91
and he scattered
them among other nations.
00:30:58.94\00:31:00.97
They mixed with those nations
00:31:01.00\00:31:02.37
and that 10 tribes
disappeared completely.
00:31:02.40\00:31:05.69
When the King of
Babylon came he took just
00:31:05.72\00:31:08.25
the tribes of Judah's and
Benjamin there to Jerusalem.
00:31:08.28\00:31:11.79
Those two tribes they came back.
00:31:11.82\00:31:14.25
So at the time of
the Book of Revelation,
00:31:14.28\00:31:16.30
at the time of Jesus, okay,
00:31:16.33\00:31:18.10
earlier there
are only two tribes
00:31:18.13\00:31:20.54
but the New
Testament calls them the Jews.
00:31:20.57\00:31:23.65
It means the
descendants of Judah.
00:31:23.68\00:31:26.06
There are not 10
tribes, 10 other tribes.
00:31:26.09\00:31:28.96
Are you with me?
00:31:28.99\00:31:31.36
Today the Jews, they
never talk about 12 tribes
00:31:31.39\00:31:34.26
because they do not exist.
00:31:34.29\00:31:35.71
And many Jews today,
who are in existence,
00:31:35.74\00:31:39.52
actually they are
converts in Europe there,
00:31:39.55\00:31:42.36
descendants of some
nations there in Europe.
00:31:42.39\00:31:45.79
They never talk about themselves
in terms of the 12 tribes.
00:31:45.82\00:31:49.17
So the 12 tribes they
do not exist, friends.
00:31:49.20\00:31:53.90
But there is something else.
00:31:53.93\00:31:55.68
You will notice something
00:31:55.71\00:31:57.08
when John
mentions these 12 tribes.
00:31:57.11\00:31:59.28
When you compare the list of
the 12 tribes in Revelation 7
00:31:59.31\00:32:03.05
this list is
completely different
00:32:03.08\00:32:05.77
from any list of the
tribes in the Old Testament.
00:32:05.80\00:32:09.39
Let's explain it.
You'll notice something.
00:32:09.42\00:32:12.14
How many sons did Jacob have?
00:32:12.17\00:32:14.20
Thirteen. Thirteen?
00:32:19.67\00:32:21.68
But we have only 12 tribes. Why?
00:32:21.71\00:32:27.31
Because we know
Reuben was the oldest
00:32:27.34\00:32:30.40
but because of his terrible sin,
00:32:30.43\00:32:34.38
he did not get that
rights of the firstborn.
00:32:34.41\00:32:37.94
Actually, Joseph got it.
00:32:37.97\00:32:39.71
That's why we-- in
the list of the tribes
00:32:39.74\00:32:41.73
in the Old Testament, we do
not have the tribe of Joseph.
00:32:41.76\00:32:45.06
If the tribe of
Joseph is mentioned it means
00:32:45.09\00:32:47.81
the tribe of Ephraim
and the tribe of Manasseh
00:32:47.84\00:32:52.23
as his sons, okay.
00:32:52.26\00:32:55.18
We look at it.
00:32:55.21\00:32:56.83
But when you, listen,
read--and also why 13?
00:32:56.86\00:33:01.11
Because the tribe
of Levi was not counted
00:33:01.14\00:33:03.85
among the regular tribes.
00:33:03.88\00:33:07.31
They did not
have that territory.
00:33:07.34\00:33:09.71
But when you read the
list of the tribes of Israel
00:33:09.74\00:33:12.32
in the Revelation 7,
you'll notice something,
00:33:12.35\00:33:15.11
that the tribe of
Levi is included here.
00:33:15.14\00:33:18.45
And there is the tribe
of Joseph included here.
00:33:18.48\00:33:23.08
But the two tribes
that are not mentioned,
00:33:23.11\00:33:25.32
the tribe of Dan and
the tribe of Ephraim.
00:33:25.35\00:33:30.45
You see this not
regular list of the tribes.
00:33:30.48\00:33:33.46
Why Dan is not included?
00:33:33.49\00:33:36.12
Because if you go
to the Book of Judges
00:33:36.15\00:33:38.25
according to the
Jewish tradition,
00:33:38.28\00:33:39.69
they are very strong about that.
00:33:39.72\00:33:41.46
They say the tribe of Dan
00:33:41.49\00:33:43.14
was the first one to go
to apostasy, to idolatry.
00:33:43.17\00:33:48.96
If you go to
later in Israel history,
00:33:48.99\00:33:51.17
it is in the tribe of
John-- in the tribe of Dan
00:33:51.20\00:33:57.50
that actually one of
those two alters was situated
00:33:57.53\00:34:01.39
to distract people
not to go to Jerusalem
00:34:01.42\00:34:03.39
to worship the true God.
00:34:03.42\00:34:06.19
So the Jewish people
based on that developed
00:34:06.22\00:34:08.26
a tradition at time
of the Book of Revelation
00:34:08.29\00:34:10.41
that out of the tribe of Dan
00:34:10.44\00:34:13.72
the Antichrist will
come to fight against people.
00:34:13.75\00:34:17.29
And early Christian
they pick up that idea.
00:34:17.32\00:34:21.81
And you see the tribe of
Ephraim is not mentioned,
00:34:21.84\00:34:24.03
because together with
Dan, the tribe of Ephraim
00:34:25.61\00:34:28.88
is the symbol of apostasy.
00:34:28.91\00:34:30.43
If you go to the Book of Hosea,
00:34:30.46\00:34:32.62
you will see instead of
Israel, Ephraim is mentioned.
00:34:32.65\00:34:35.84
It's the symbol
of general apostasy
00:34:35.87\00:34:38.01
of the people of Israel.
00:34:38.04\00:34:40.30
Now everything becomes clear.
00:34:40.33\00:34:42.64
When John mentions
the 12 tribes of Israel,
00:34:42.67\00:34:46.86
he did not refer to the
historical list of the tribes.
00:34:46.89\00:34:51.79
He had in mind the
theological list of the tribes.
00:34:51.82\00:34:54.99
Are you with me? Why?
00:34:55.02\00:34:58.33
Because God's end time
people, those who'll be ready
00:34:58.36\00:35:03.93
to go through the time
of the great tribulation
00:35:03.96\00:35:06.40
and seven last
plagues are the ones
00:35:06.43\00:35:09.56
who are
completely faithful to God.
00:35:09.59\00:35:12.27
When you go to chapter 14,
00:35:12.30\00:35:13.93
they followed the Lamb
wherever the Lamb goes.
00:35:13.96\00:35:17.11
They don't mix
themselves with the women,
00:35:17.14\00:35:19.63
the symbol of
spiritual immorality,
00:35:19.66\00:35:23.06
unfaithfulness to God,
00:35:23.09\00:35:24.46
because they
follow only the Lamb.
00:35:24.49\00:35:26.18
That's why the unfaithful,
00:35:26.21\00:35:28.22
they do not have
a place in the list.
00:35:28.25\00:35:31.09
Dan and Ephraim,
that are unfaithful,
00:35:31.12\00:35:33.65
they are not listed there.
00:35:33.68\00:35:35.05
Keep in mind
the symbolic meaning
00:35:35.08\00:35:36.88
of the Book of Revelation
00:35:36.91\00:35:38.28
telling us something
about this last generation.
00:35:38.31\00:35:41.16
They're so faithful to God
00:35:41.19\00:35:43.76
and they're
faithful only to God.
00:35:43.79\00:35:45.95
And they follow only
God because they are sealed,
00:35:45.98\00:35:50.44
because they belong to God.
00:35:50.47\00:35:51.84
Are you still with me?
00:35:51.87\00:35:53.53
So the list of the
tribes, it's the symbolic,
00:35:53.56\00:35:57.14
so the number.
00:35:57.17\00:35:59.27
How is the number mentioned?
00:35:59.30\00:36:01.72
How do we get 144,000?
00:36:01.75\00:36:04.01
It's simple. It's simple.
00:36:04.04\00:36:08.08
How many tribes? 12.
00:36:08.11\00:36:12.30
Times? 12?
00:36:12.33\00:36:14.83
By?
00:36:17.75\00:36:19.12
You have 12,000 from 12 tribes.
00:36:22.40\00:36:27.41
Now everything becomes
evidently much clear to us.
00:36:27.44\00:36:33.56
Because number 12 in the
Bible is symbol of God's people.
00:36:33.59\00:36:39.08
We already mentioned
the reference to 24 elders.
00:36:39.11\00:36:43.03
God's people of the Old
Testament, number 12, 12 tribes.
00:36:43.06\00:36:47.25
God's people of the
New Testament, 12 apostles.
00:36:47.28\00:36:51.15
Now it becomes
clear what we have here.
00:36:51.18\00:36:53.96
Do you remember the names
of that 12 tribes of Israel
00:36:53.99\00:36:59.03
on the gates of New Jerusalem?
00:36:59.06\00:37:01.47
12 apostles, they're there
00:37:01.50\00:37:03.72
in the foundation
stones of New Jerusalem.
00:37:03.75\00:37:07.67
So what we have here is,
00:37:07.70\00:37:09.72
we have that this
group that is sealed
00:37:09.75\00:37:13.35
and to go through the
time of great tribulation
00:37:13.38\00:37:15.50
actually represent
of all God's people
00:37:15.53\00:37:17.88
of Old and the New Testament
00:37:17.91\00:37:19.39
but they themselves
are the last generation.
00:37:19.42\00:37:21.69
Are you with me? Yes.
00:37:21.72\00:37:23.09
But they represent God's people
because through their experience
00:37:23.12\00:37:26.16
all God's people
go through experience.
00:37:26.19\00:37:28.23
This group is not
the first one to suffer.
00:37:28.26\00:37:32.68
They are not the
first one to be sealed.
00:37:32.71\00:37:35.18
They are not the first
one who are faithful to God.
00:37:35.21\00:37:38.75
But you see this group
represents the last generation.
00:37:38.78\00:37:42.66
And in them all God's
people are represented.
00:37:42.69\00:37:45.78
But the problem is this number.
00:37:45.81\00:37:48.43
And please now allow me.
00:37:52.41\00:37:54.19
We'll go to some text, please.
00:37:54.22\00:37:57.24
If you go to the
Book of James 1:1,
00:37:57.27\00:38:00.92
we will see that
the New Testament
00:38:00.95\00:38:02.54
there is no literal Israel.
00:38:02.57\00:38:05.38
It's the people of God.
00:38:05.41\00:38:06.83
James writes
his letter, he said,
00:38:06.86\00:38:08.70
"James, a servant of God
and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:38:08.73\00:38:12.62
to the twelve tribes who are
dispersed abroad, Greetings."
00:38:12.65\00:38:16.48
When James
writes to the 12 tribes,
00:38:16.51\00:38:19.33
who are those 12 tribes?
00:38:19.36\00:38:21.61
The Christians
to whom he writes.
00:38:21.64\00:38:24.41
You see he uses the 12 tribes
00:38:24.44\00:38:26.00
as the symbol for
the Christian church.
00:38:26.03\00:38:28.62
And if you go to
Galatians 3:26, 27
00:38:29.11\00:38:33.79
then we read, "For
you are all sons of God
00:38:33.82\00:38:36.57
through faith in Christ Jesus.
00:38:36.60\00:38:39.37
For all of you who were
baptized in Christ Jesus
00:38:39.40\00:38:42.11
have clothed
yourselves with Christ.
00:38:42.14\00:38:45.70
There is neither Jew
nor Greek." Do you see that?
00:38:45.73\00:38:49.92
In the New Testament,
the difference between
00:38:49.95\00:38:51.60
the Jews and
Greeks, it's removed.
00:38:51.63\00:38:55.56
"There is neither
slave nor free man,
00:38:55.59\00:38:57.83
there is
neither male nor female,
00:38:57.86\00:38:59.71
for you are all
one in Christ Jesus.
00:38:59.74\00:39:02.13
And if you belong to Christ,
00:39:02.16\00:39:03.94
then you are
Abraham's descendants
00:39:03.97\00:39:06.08
and heirs according to promise."
00:39:06.11\00:39:07.94
You see that, friends?
00:39:07.97\00:39:10.02
When John uses the 12,
00:39:10.05\00:39:11.70
and he referred to
the 12 tribes of Israel,
00:39:11.73\00:39:14.33
he refers to the
church, the Christian church,
00:39:14.36\00:39:16.78
God's people who live before
the second coming of Christ,
00:39:16.81\00:39:19.66
not the literal Jews.
00:39:19.69\00:39:21.06
But then why 1,000?
00:39:21.09\00:39:23.29
Oh, boy, now we are
coming something to fun.
00:39:23.32\00:39:25.32
You see the-- the
Hebrew word, Aleph,
00:39:25.35\00:39:28.27
Aleph can mean two things.
00:39:28.30\00:39:34.27
At the time of peace when
people are there in the land
00:39:34.30\00:39:37.13
it simply means a
clan, a huge family.
00:39:37.16\00:39:41.62
But when people of
Israel go to the war,
00:39:41.65\00:39:45.52
the same word Aleph
actually means 1,000.
00:39:45.55\00:39:48.54
The word can
mean 1,000 generally.
00:39:48.57\00:39:50.94
But the way how the word
was used at the time of peace,
00:39:50.97\00:39:54.17
it referred to the huge family,
to the clan, to the dynasty.
00:39:54.20\00:39:58.50
But when people go to the war
00:39:58.53\00:40:01.18
then the word Aleph
strictly means 1,000.
00:40:01.21\00:40:04.93
And what is 1,000?
It's a basic military unit.
00:40:04.96\00:40:10.18
In Israel when
they go to war--please,
00:40:10.21\00:40:12.26
I would like to turn to
00:40:12.29\00:40:14.47
the Book of Numbers 31:4-6.
00:40:14.50\00:40:21.71
Let's see when
Israel went to war--
00:40:21.74\00:40:23.18
you remember
during the time of Balaam,
00:40:23.21\00:40:25.79
you remember that?
00:40:25.82\00:40:27.19
When they had to fight against
the Moabites and Ammonites.
00:40:27.22\00:40:30.69
It says, "A
thousand from each tribe
00:40:30.72\00:40:33.11
of all the tribes of Israel
you shall send to the war.
00:40:33.14\00:40:36.31
So there were furnished
from the thousands of Israel,
00:40:36.34\00:40:38.99
a thousand from each tribe,
twelve thousand armed for war.
00:40:39.02\00:40:42.85
Moses sent them, a thousand
from each tribe, to the war,
00:40:42.88\00:40:45.70
and Phinehas the son
of Eleazar the priest,
00:40:45.73\00:40:48.80
to the war with them,
00:40:48.83\00:40:50.20
and the holy
vessels and the trumpets
00:40:50.23\00:40:52.21
for the alarm in his hand."
00:40:52.24\00:40:54.60
By the way, I
must read this text.
00:40:54.63\00:40:59.52
"When people
wanted to have a king,
00:40:59.55\00:41:02.83
someone told them that the
king will appoint for himself
00:41:02.86\00:41:06.30
commanders of one thousand."
00:41:06.33\00:41:08.19
Do you see that?
00:41:08.22\00:41:10.34
"And fifties and some to
do his plowing etcetera."
00:41:10.37\00:41:13.62
By the way, there
are many more texts
00:41:13.65\00:41:15.09
you will find there
in my commentary there.
00:41:15.12\00:41:18.69
You'll see that--
there are so many texts
00:41:18.72\00:41:20.97
that we now
mentioned that Aleph,
00:41:21.00\00:41:23.88
1,000 is a basic military unit.
00:41:23.91\00:41:26.98
So please now
you have to help me.
00:41:27.01\00:41:29.64
When John refers to
144,000 who are sealed
00:41:29.67\00:41:35.56
and ready now to go through the
time of the great tribulation--
00:41:35.59\00:41:38.92
please can you help me?
00:41:38.95\00:41:40.55
What does he talk about?
00:41:40.58\00:41:41.95
He's talking about
144,000 military units,
00:41:41.98\00:41:46.91
because he is portraying God's
people as the church militant,
00:41:46.94\00:41:50.92
ready to enter into
that final tribulation,
00:41:50.95\00:41:54.33
to go through that war
of the seven last plagues
00:41:54.36\00:41:56.87
and through the battle
called the battle of Armageddon.
00:41:56.90\00:42:00.33
And that's why they are
here portrayed as an army
00:42:00.36\00:42:03.35
after ancient Israel
when they went to war.
00:42:03.38\00:42:06.37
They're organized into
military unit of 1,000.
00:42:06.40\00:42:09.41
Are you still with me? Yes.
00:42:09.44\00:42:11.51
At that point John is
not telling us any longer,
00:42:11.54\00:42:13.78
he's not talking
about tribulation.
00:42:13.81\00:42:15.51
He portrays the
tribulation little bit later
00:42:15.54\00:42:17.69
in the Book of Revelation
in chapters 15 and 16.
00:42:17.72\00:42:20.41
That's not the point.
00:42:20.44\00:42:21.81
The point of chapter 7 is
who will be able to stand.
00:42:21.84\00:42:26.50
What is the answer?
00:42:26.53\00:42:27.90
Those who are sealed
they will be able to go
00:42:27.93\00:42:32.09
through the time of
the great tribulation,
00:42:32.12\00:42:33.98
not anything else.
00:42:34.01\00:42:35.78
But the text--
the text now goes on.
00:42:35.81\00:42:39.00
Please I want--we
don't have too much time.
00:42:39.03\00:42:41.34
Let's go-- let's go there.
00:42:41.37\00:42:42.93
It says, verse 9,
"After these things I looked,
00:42:42.96\00:42:46.66
and behold, a great multitude
which no one could count,
00:42:46.69\00:42:50.30
from every nation and all
tribes and peoples and tongues,
00:42:50.33\00:42:53.94
standing before the
throne and before the Lamb,
00:42:53.97\00:42:56.54
clothed in white robes,
00:42:56.57\00:42:58.20
and palm branches
were in their hands.
00:42:58.23\00:43:01.09
And they cry out
with a loud voice saying,
00:43:01.12\00:43:04.01
salvation to our God
who sits on the throne,
00:43:04.04\00:43:07.00
and to the Lamb.'
00:43:07.03\00:43:08.40
And all the angels were
standing around the throne
00:43:08.43\00:43:10.64
and around the elders and
the four living creatures,
00:43:10.67\00:43:13.28
and they fell on their
faces before the throne
00:43:13.31\00:43:15.28
and worshipped God."
00:43:15.31\00:43:16.68
And they're worshiping
God. Let's go to verse 13.
00:43:16.71\00:43:19.74
"Then one of the elders,
he answered saying to me,
00:43:19.77\00:43:23.21
'These who are clothed in
white robes, who are they?
00:43:23.24\00:43:26.71
And where they have come from?'
00:43:26.74\00:43:28.31
"Keep in mind,
what is the question?
00:43:28.34\00:43:30.55
Where have they come from?
00:43:30.58\00:43:32.70
"I said to him,
'My Lord, you know.'
00:43:32.73\00:43:35.40
And he said to me,
'These are the ones
00:43:35.43\00:43:37.84
who come out of
the great tribulation,
00:43:37.87\00:43:40.26
and they have washed their robes
00:43:40.29\00:43:41.77
and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb.
00:43:41.80\00:43:44.44
For this reason, they
are before the throne of God,
00:43:44.47\00:43:47.31
they serve Him day
and night in His temple,
00:43:47.34\00:43:49.75
and He who sits on the throne
00:43:49.78\00:43:51.34
will spread His
tabernacle over them.
00:43:51.37\00:43:54.11
They will hunger no
longer, nor thirst anymore,
00:43:54.14\00:43:57.73
nor will the sun
beat down on them,
00:43:57.76\00:44:00.28
nor any heat, for the Lamb
in the center of the throne
00:44:00.31\00:44:03.59
will be their
shepherd, and will guide them
00:44:03.62\00:44:05.70
to the springs of
the water of life,
00:44:05.73\00:44:07.79
and God will wipe
every tear from their eyes.'"
00:44:07.82\00:44:10.86
Please now you
have to be with me.
00:44:10.89\00:44:13.98
What do we have here?
00:44:14.01\00:44:15.55
We have now another group
that John sees in the vision
00:44:15.58\00:44:18.46
and they're referred
to as the great multitude.
00:44:18.49\00:44:22.57
Unfortunately, many Christians
when they read this text,
00:44:22.60\00:44:25.40
they reach the
conclusions that 144,000
00:44:25.43\00:44:29.53
is the last
generation of God's people.
00:44:29.56\00:44:32.02
I agree with that. That's true.
00:44:32.05\00:44:35.65
They are the ones who are sealed
00:44:35.68\00:44:38.15
and they go through the
time of the great tribulation.
00:44:38.18\00:44:40.87
But what is the problem
that the same Christians,
00:44:40.90\00:44:42.62
they say, they see
the great multitude
00:44:42.65\00:44:46.05
is another group of God's people
00:44:46.08\00:44:48.92
that will one day go
there into the kingdom of God.
00:44:48.95\00:44:52.53
So one day they're in heaven.
00:44:52.56\00:44:54.75
We will have two
groups of people.
00:44:54.78\00:44:57.66
The first one 144,000,
00:44:57.69\00:45:00.05
they will have a
special privilege
00:45:00.08\00:45:01.48
or status in God's kingdom.
00:45:01.51\00:45:06.62
The rest somehow
they will be there.
00:45:06.65\00:45:11.04
I just want to tell you, friends
00:45:11.07\00:45:13.70
that usually Protestants
they separate themselves
00:45:13.73\00:45:16.15
from the mainstream Christianity
00:45:16.18\00:45:18.16
because the
mainstream Christianity
00:45:18.19\00:45:19.77
coming from the Middle
Ages they believe God's kingdom,
00:45:19.80\00:45:22.47
they are saints and they
are those who are not saints.
00:45:22.50\00:45:25.66
Unfortunately, that concept
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.13
has been retained
by many Protestants.
00:45:27.16\00:45:30.36
Keep in mind something.
What is the case here?
00:45:30.39\00:45:33.60
Please you have to be with me.
00:45:33.63\00:45:35.30
I'm looking at the time, okay.
00:45:35.33\00:45:38.86
You see there in verse 14.
00:45:38.89\00:45:44.50
We say and it says--
by the way, verse 13.
00:45:44.53\00:45:48.94
"The elder asked John
00:45:48.97\00:45:50.40
'These who are clothed in
the white robes, who are they?'
00:45:50.43\00:45:54.20
"Who are those
people that are white--
00:45:54.23\00:45:55.86
that are dressed in white robes?
00:45:55.89\00:45:58.57
If you go to verse 9,
it's the great multitude
00:45:58.60\00:46:01.79
that is dressed in white robes.
00:46:01.82\00:46:03.19
Do you see that? Verse 9.
00:46:03.22\00:46:07.21
They are standing
before the throne of God
00:46:07.24\00:46:09.09
and he said in verse 15,
00:46:09.12\00:46:10.83
"Therefore they are standing
before the throne of God."
00:46:10.86\00:46:14.80
So who is
portrayed here in this text?
00:46:14.83\00:46:16.64
Who are those coming out
of the great tribulation?
00:46:16.67\00:46:19.44
The great
multitude. Are you with me?
00:46:19.47\00:46:24.46
The great
multitude. Not 144,000.
00:46:24.49\00:46:30.25
But please it
appears that 144,000
00:46:30.28\00:46:36.72
and the great multitude
is one and the same group.
00:46:36.75\00:46:40.22
They're not two
groups in God's kingdom.
00:46:40.25\00:46:41.88
Please let me now explain.
00:46:41.91\00:46:44.12
Please, I know
how much time I have.
00:46:44.15\00:46:46.46
So we ought to use
this time effectively.
00:46:46.49\00:46:49.65
John sees the
angels holding the wind,
00:46:49.68\00:46:53.17
the sealing of God's
people is in the process
00:46:53.20\00:46:56.34
and then he hears
that the sealing is done.
00:46:56.37\00:46:59.81
From that moment on,
we are done with 144,000.
00:46:59.84\00:47:05.27
If the sealing is
done, what is now going on?
00:47:05.30\00:47:09.65
The time of the
great tribulation.
00:47:09.68\00:47:11.53
So John hears that
the number of God's people
00:47:11.56\00:47:15.89
who are sealed is 144,000
but he does not describe them
00:47:15.92\00:47:21.00
that they are going now to the
time of the great tribulation,
00:47:21.03\00:47:23.43
they're ready to enter
the time of great tribulation.
00:47:23.46\00:47:26.02
They're organized
as 144 military units,
00:47:26.05\00:47:31.29
church militant ready to
enter into that final war.
00:47:31.32\00:47:35.00
Are you still with me?
00:47:35.03\00:47:38.38
Always when John
is in the vision,
00:47:38.41\00:47:40.66
regularly he hears something.
00:47:40.69\00:47:44.88
But when he turns
to see what he heard,
00:47:44.91\00:47:47.87
he sees something else
00:47:47.90\00:47:49.78
but the something else is
the same thing that he heard.
00:47:49.81\00:47:52.74
Do you remember in
Revelation Chapter 5
00:47:52.77\00:47:54.96
he hears that the lion from
the tribe of Judah overcame?
00:47:54.99\00:47:59.11
Then he turns to see the lion.
00:47:59.14\00:48:01.94
He does not see the
lion, he sees the Lamb.
00:48:01.97\00:48:05.32
If you go to Revelation 17,
00:48:05.35\00:48:07.52
John hears that
the great prostitute
00:48:07.55\00:48:09.87
sits on many waters.
00:48:09.90\00:48:12.29
When John turns
around and he's taken there
00:48:12.32\00:48:15.06
to the wilderness
to see that prostitute,
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.33
she's not
sitting on many waters.
00:48:17.36\00:48:19.67
She's sitting on the
beast because the waters
00:48:19.70\00:48:22.76
and the beast is
one and the same thing,
00:48:22.79\00:48:24.82
refer to one another thing.
00:48:24.85\00:48:26.52
The same is here what
we have in Revelation 7.
00:48:26.55\00:48:29.53
John hears that the
number of God's people
00:48:29.56\00:48:33.83
who are about to enter
the time of great tribulation
00:48:33.86\00:48:36.58
is 144,000 church militant.
00:48:36.61\00:48:39.53
Now are you with me?
00:48:39.56\00:48:40.93
Now the time of
tribulation is...
00:48:40.96\00:48:44.90
when John
actually sees that group,
00:48:44.93\00:48:49.86
watch in verse
14, the elder says,
00:48:49.89\00:48:53.10
"These are the
ones"-- in Greek says,
00:48:53.13\00:48:55.30
"coming out of the
great tribulation."
00:48:55.33\00:48:57.56
He see them coming out
of the great tribulation.
00:48:57.59\00:49:00.99
He does not see
144 military units.
00:49:01.02\00:49:05.33
What does he see?
00:49:05.36\00:49:06.86
A great crowd
coming out of the war,
00:49:06.89\00:49:11.09
coming out of
the great tribulation
00:49:11.12\00:49:13.72
and you cannot count them.
00:49:13.75\00:49:15.47
Are you with me?
You cannot count them.
00:49:15.50\00:49:20.87
Why can't you count them?
00:49:20.90\00:49:25.03
I'm a soccer player.
00:49:25.06\00:49:26.64
When we are on the field,
we want to make the teams,
00:49:26.67\00:49:29.90
I tell everybody, make
groups, 11 people be there.
00:49:29.93\00:49:34.21
And just one, two, three,
00:49:34.24\00:49:35.61
we know how many teams we have.
00:49:35.64\00:49:37.47
But when everybody
is around together,
00:49:37.50\00:49:40.64
you cannot count them.
00:49:40.67\00:49:42.77
It's not that
these people are so many
00:49:42.80\00:49:44.95
that you cannot count them.
00:49:44.98\00:49:46.35
Of course, it's a huge number
00:49:46.38\00:49:48.60
but it means they are
not any more organized
00:49:48.63\00:49:50.80
in those military units,
so you count them 144 units.
00:49:50.83\00:49:54.48
It means they're
coming out of the war.
00:49:54.51\00:49:56.47
Have you watched
movies about the war?
00:49:56.50\00:49:59.40
When soldiers
are going to the war,
00:49:59.43\00:50:02.57
they're all organized under
the banners into those units.
00:50:02.60\00:50:07.30
You know exactly how many are
00:50:07.33\00:50:09.11
but when they are
coming out of the war,
00:50:09.14\00:50:10.99
there are no military units.
00:50:11.02\00:50:13.69
They are all hugging each other.
00:50:13.72\00:50:15.51
You have just the huge
crowd coming out of the war,
00:50:15.54\00:50:19.10
celebrating the victory
and you cannot count them.
00:50:19.13\00:50:22.12
This is exactly
what is going on here.
00:50:22.15\00:50:25.83
So keep you in--let
me repeat one more time.
00:50:25.86\00:50:28.64
John sees the church militant
00:50:28.67\00:50:32.04
organized into
the military units.
00:50:32.07\00:50:33.82
We are dealing
with symbol of an army
00:50:33.85\00:50:37.98
after Israel's army
in the Old Testament,
00:50:38.01\00:50:40.27
organized into military
units, divisions of 1,000.
00:50:40.30\00:50:43.81
They are entering the final war.
00:50:43.84\00:50:46.30
John just hears their number.
00:50:46.33\00:50:48.61
He does not see them.
00:50:48.64\00:50:50.17
But when finally John sees them,
00:50:50.20\00:50:53.37
he sees the same group
00:50:53.40\00:50:55.94
coming out of the
time of the tribulation.
00:50:55.97\00:50:59.06
This time they are
not the church militant.
00:50:59.09\00:51:03.11
They are the
church triumphant. Amen.
00:51:03.14\00:51:06.65
Coming out of the war,
00:51:06.68\00:51:08.77
they're dressed
in the white robes.
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.98
Why in the white robes?
00:51:11.01\00:51:12.38
Do you remember the
Christians in Sardis?
00:51:12.41\00:51:15.24
Those who remain faithful to me,
00:51:15.27\00:51:17.12
he will be dressed in white.
00:51:17.15\00:51:18.96
It means that the war is over.
00:51:18.99\00:51:22.29
Like any soldier in
Roman Empire after the war,
00:51:22.32\00:51:25.52
after the
conquest, after the victory,
00:51:25.55\00:51:28.13
they come before the emperor.
00:51:28.16\00:51:30.01
And the emperor says, "Yeah,
you are my brave soldiers.
00:51:30.04\00:51:32.93
You are victors.
00:51:32.96\00:51:34.33
Now you have--you deserve
to have a good retirement."
00:51:34.36\00:51:39.06
And that's
exactly is that 144,000,
00:51:39.09\00:51:42.52
now they find their
homeland on that peaceful place
00:51:42.55\00:51:46.34
of the new earth
beside those waters,
00:51:46.37\00:51:48.96
because the Lamb will be
with them through all eternity.
00:51:48.99\00:51:53.20
Friends, 144,000 and
the great multitude is one
00:51:53.23\00:51:58.08
and the same group.
00:51:58.11\00:51:59.81
When you read,
friends, the Bible,
00:51:59.84\00:52:03.76
when you read the
Bible, the Bible never teaches
00:52:03.79\00:52:07.29
that one day in God's kingdom,
00:52:07.32\00:52:10.33
there'll be saved people of God
00:52:10.36\00:52:14.51
but there'll be special elite
00:52:14.54\00:52:17.37
who will
receive a special status
00:52:17.40\00:52:20.19
because they
accomplished something
00:52:20.22\00:52:23.30
that nobody else
was able to accomplish.
00:52:23.33\00:52:27.21
Unfortunately,
there are Christians
00:52:27.24\00:52:29.74
who interpret 144,000 that way,
00:52:29.77\00:52:33.52
advocating the idea
that 144,000 will be people
00:52:33.55\00:52:38.18
who'll be so capable to
become sinless in this life.
00:52:38.21\00:52:42.98
And because of that sinlessness
00:52:43.01\00:52:44.66
what they
accomplished in their lives
00:52:44.69\00:52:46.81
God will tell
them, "Oh, My child,
00:52:46.84\00:52:50.48
you did something that
other people could not do.
00:52:50.51\00:52:53.60
Therefore, I don't have any way
00:52:53.63\00:52:56.68
but to give you a special
status because what you did."
00:52:56.71\00:52:59.63
Let's go back to the text.
00:52:59.66\00:53:01.37
Are you going to read with me?
00:53:01.40\00:53:02.86
Let's go, Revelation 7.
Let's go one time verse 9.
00:53:02.89\00:53:09.58
"After these things
I looked, and behold,
00:53:09.61\00:53:11.96
a great multitude
which no one could count
00:53:11.99\00:53:15.92
from every
nations and all tribes,
00:53:15.95\00:53:21.75
and the peoples, and tongues,
00:53:21.78\00:53:24.00
standing before the
throne and before the Lamb,
00:53:24.03\00:53:27.15
clothed in white robes."
00:53:27.18\00:53:29.43
Who gives the white robes
to the saved people of God?
00:53:29.46\00:53:35.70
It's not what we
make for ourselves.
00:53:35.73\00:53:39.18
If you go and read the Bible--
00:53:39.21\00:53:40.75
remember the message
to the church in Sardis,
00:53:40.78\00:53:44.03
"Those who walk with me I
will give them the white robes
00:53:44.06\00:53:47.70
they will walk with me."
00:53:47.73\00:53:49.38
But there's something else.
00:53:49.41\00:53:51.42
"And palm branches
were in their hands,
00:53:51.45\00:53:53.54
and they cry out
with a loud voice, saying,
00:53:53.57\00:53:57.37
Salvation to us because we were
able to be sinless and perfect.
00:53:57.40\00:54:01.54
Is that what he said?
00:54:01.57\00:54:02.94
"Salvation to our God
00:54:02.97\00:54:05.80
who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb."
00:54:05.83\00:54:09.07
Why are they in God's kingdom?
00:54:09.10\00:54:11.85
Because of the
blood of the Lamb.
00:54:11.88\00:54:13.91
But there is another text.
00:54:13.94\00:54:15.31
Please would you go
with me in verse 14?
00:54:15.34\00:54:19.31
"I said to him"--by the way,
let's read one time verse 13.
00:54:19.34\00:54:24.06
"Then one of the
elders answered, saying to me,
00:54:24.09\00:54:27.28
'These who are
clothed in white robes,
00:54:27.31\00:54:29.35
who are they and
where they come from?'
00:54:29.38\00:54:31.84
I said to him,
'My Lord, you know.
00:54:31.87\00:54:33.38
And he said to me'"-- look now,
00:54:33.41\00:54:35.41
"These are the ones who come
out of the great tribulation,
00:54:35.44\00:54:40.37
and they have washed
their robes and made them white
00:54:40.40\00:54:46.43
in the blood of the Lamb."
00:54:46.46\00:54:48.12
Why are their robes white?
00:54:48.15\00:54:53.35
Because what Jesus
Christ did for me--for them.
00:54:53.38\00:54:59.11
Friends, I cannot talk more
00:54:59.14\00:55:03.65
because we'll
come to Revelation 14
00:55:03.68\00:55:07.05
and we have a further
description of 144,000.
00:55:07.08\00:55:10.47
But in order to
understand their characteristics
00:55:10.50\00:55:13.16
we have first to
understand Revelation 13.
00:55:13.19\00:55:15.49
So we will leave that
description for that occasion
00:55:15.52\00:55:18.81
but you can see that
the Bible never teaches
00:55:18.84\00:55:22.12
that actually God has clans
in His kingdom, special elite.
00:55:22.15\00:55:26.96
We will be all there because
of the blood of the Lamb.
00:55:26.99\00:55:31.37
And I know--I'm
addressing now our viewers.
00:55:31.40\00:55:34.55
They are always
bothered with the questions.
00:55:34.58\00:55:36.84
Who are actually those
who'll be among 144,000?
00:55:36.87\00:55:40.56
I selected that
question and there is one person
00:55:40.59\00:55:43.39
to help me that actually
even if I get the answer
00:55:43.42\00:55:46.53
to that question I'll
not be better Christian.
00:55:46.56\00:55:49.29
In "Selected Messages"
page 1--actually volume 1,
00:55:49.32\00:55:54.86
page 174, we read,
00:55:54.89\00:55:56.90
"Christ says that there
will be those in the church
00:55:56.93\00:55:59.68
who will present
fables and suppositions,
00:55:59.71\00:56:06.88
when God has given grand,
elevating, ennobling truths
00:56:06.91\00:56:10.51
which should ever be kept in
the treasure house of the mind.
00:56:10.54\00:56:14.58
When men pick up this
theory and that theory,
00:56:14.61\00:56:17.40
when they are
curious to know something
00:56:17.43\00:56:19.47
it is not
necessary for them to know,
00:56:19.50\00:56:21.87
God is not leading them.
00:56:21.90\00:56:23.48
It is not His
plan that His people
00:56:23.51\00:56:25.19
shall present something
which they have to suppose,
00:56:25.22\00:56:28.09
which is not taught in the Word.
00:56:28.12\00:56:30.64
It is not His will
that they shall get
00:56:30.67\00:56:32.99
into controversy
over the questions
00:56:33.02\00:56:35.05
which will not help them
spiritually," this was written.
00:56:35.08\00:56:38.77
It says--and what is
one of those questions
00:56:38.80\00:56:41.17
that will not
help us spiritually?
00:56:41.20\00:56:42.90
"Who is to compose 144,000?
00:56:42.93\00:56:46.81
This those who
are the elect of God
00:56:46.84\00:56:49.11
will in short time
known without question."
00:56:49.14\00:56:52.20
Dear viewers, are
144,000 great multitudes
00:56:52.23\00:56:58.85
simply the last
generation, I don't know.
00:56:58.88\00:57:02.87
Revelation 7 talks
about the last generation.
00:57:02.90\00:57:06.12
Who included that there?
00:57:06.15\00:57:08.04
We don't know. We
have to wait for that.
00:57:08.07\00:57:11.05
We have the clear explanation
in the Book of Revelation
00:57:11.08\00:57:14.30
that this is the last
generation of God's people.
00:57:14.33\00:57:17.62
But we are encouraged
with the following statement
00:57:17.65\00:57:20.42
from the same author
00:57:20.45\00:57:21.82
in "Review and
Herald," March 9, 1009,
00:57:21.85\00:57:24.82
"Let us strive with
all the power of God
00:57:24.85\00:57:27.32
that has given to us
to be among 144,000."
00:57:27.35\00:57:32.84
And amen. Amen.
00:57:32.87\00:57:35.25