Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000011
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00:20 Welcome again to our program "Revelation of the Coming King."
00:27 I'm Ranko Stefanovic, professor of New Testament 00:30 in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 00:33 Andrews University. 00:35 And I'm so excited to be with this wonderful audience here. 00:39 And we have such a great help that's making possible 00:45 the good quality of this program that is broadcasted. 00:50 As you know we are studying the Book of Revelation. 00:53 This series covers the entire book, 00:56 starting from chapter 1 00:59 and we will finish if God permits with chapter 22. 01:04 And we also had three presentations 01:07 into that representations to see actually 01:10 how to interpret this book. 01:16 Now we are coming to very difficult 01:19 and controversial chapter. 01:21 Actually chapter that divided Christians in Christian history 01:24 more than any other section of the Book of Revelation. 01:28 So in order to understand this chapter 01:31 we really need the presence of the Holy Spirit armies. 01:34 We need God's guidance. 01:36 If we rely on our human wisdom, woe to us. 01:40 So let's ask Him that He explains to us 01:44 what the meaning of this chapter is according to His intention. 01:49 Our Heavenly Father, please be with us this moment. 01:54 We are seeking Your presence in our midst. 01:58 We are asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit 02:00 because You promised that 02:02 You will teach us into all the truth. 02:05 So please open our minds. 02:08 And help us that we can understand 02:11 the meaning of this section of the Book of Revelation 02:15 according to Your intention and according to Your will. 02:18 We pray all of this in the precious name 02:21 of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. Amen. 02:26 Let me tell you once again that there is so much 02:34 that we can talk about Revelation 7, hours and hours. 02:41 So we will try to do our best to see 02:45 that general picture of Revelation chapter 7 02:48 and to see what is in view here. 02:50 But once again we will like to encourage you 02:53 that once this presentation is over that you go 02:55 and to study for yourself. 02:57 And I believe here that in this book that we titled 03:00 "Revelation of Jesus Christ" that you have a very fair 03:07 and general treatment of the subject 03:10 that we are now covering. 03:12 So please--I'd like to give you the pages 03:15 for your further studies. 03:17 It's from page 250--259. 03:21 So page 259 until the end of this chapter. 03:25 You have I think about almost 30 pages. 03:32 So are you ready? 03:34 Please, can you turn to Revelation chapter 7? 03:43 As you're turning the pages of your Bible, 03:47 let me remind you one more time the context of chapter 7. 03:51 Do you remember where we left 03:58 the study of the Book of Revelation last time? 04:00 We saw that in the six seal 04:04 we have the second coming of Christ. 04:07 And suddenly all those who live on the earth 04:12 who are the enemies of God in the gospel, 04:16 they're going all around shouting to the mountains 04:19 and to the rocks, "Hide us, cover us and hide us 04:26 from the face of the One who is coming. 04:28 For great is His wrath and who is able to stand." 04:33 And before John the revelator inspired by the Holy Spirit 04:39 give us a description of the opening-- 04:41 the description of the opening of the seventh seal, 04:46 we have a chapter 7. 04:48 And the purpose of this chapter, 04:50 it functions as an interlude and it is an insertion, 04:53 okay, into that flow of the seven seals is to provide 04:57 the answer to the question that was asked in chapter 6 verse 17. 05:04 Who is able to stand on the way of the wrath of God? 05:08 And what is the answer? 05:11 Let's go to chapter 7 and to find the answer. 05:14 So one more time let us keep in mind 05:16 the purpose of this chapter because this is very important. 05:20 Many Christians who are reading chapter 7, 05:23 they miss this point. 05:25 And that's why they interpret the groups 05:28 that are mentioned here in different way. 05:31 But you have to understand that we are dealing with 05:34 which point in history here. 05:38 Second coming of Christ. 05:40 We are dealing with people who will be alive, 05:43 who will witness the second coming of Christ. 05:45 We are not dealing here with people 05:46 who lived in the Old Testament times. 05:49 We are not dealing here with people 05:50 who lived during the time of the early church 05:53 or 100 years ago or 200 years ago. 05:56 We are dealing strictly with the people 05:58 who will witness the second coming of Christ. 06:01 That's the main-- can you keep this in mind? 06:02 Because this is very important 06:04 for the interpretation of this chapter. 06:06 So please, let's go. 06:08 Let us go to Revelation 7 06:14 starting with verse 1 and we will read until verse 3. 06:19 Are you ready? Okay, let's go. 06:22 "After this--"can we stop here for a while? 06:28 After what? This is very important to keep in mind. 06:32 After the question that 06:35 the enemies of God's people are asking, 06:39 "Who is able to stand on that day?" 06:42 So we see John, the revelator makes very clear 06:45 that Revelation 7 builds on the conclusion of the six seals. 06:51 "After this I saw four angels standing 06:54 at the four corners of the earth, 06:57 holding back the four winds of the earth, 07:01 so that no wind would blow on the earth 07:04 or on the sea or any tree. 07:08 And I saw another angel ascending 07:10 from the rising of the sun, 07:12 having the seal of the living God, 07:14 and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angles 07:19 to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 07:24 saying, 'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees 07:30 until we have sealed 07:33 the servants of God on their foreheads.'" 07:38 Let's stop here for a moment because we would like 07:43 to understand what is that they're saying. 07:46 Because the correct understanding 07:47 what's going on here-- the beginning of chapter 7, 07:51 it's crucial for the understanding 07:52 of the rest of the chapter. 07:54 So what is that that we have? 07:56 Can we imagine the scene? 07:57 Please allow me now-- I'm not an actor 07:59 but we have to understand something. 08:01 There are winds. 08:02 We cannot see the winds but you have to imagine them. 08:05 The winds. Destructive winds. 08:09 What are the winds? 08:10 By the way, we have to go now to the Bible 08:13 and the Bible explains to us. 08:15 I just want to tell you we really would need 08:17 a lot of time to go to all those Old Testament references 08:22 where the winds are used symbolically. 08:25 I'm simply referring to symbolical text. 08:27 The first one is Hosea 13:15. 08:32 He says, "Though he flourishes among the reeds, 08:37 an east wind will come. 08:39 The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness, 08:43 and his fountain will become dry 08:45 and his spring will be dried up. 08:48 It will plunder his treasury of every precious article." 08:54 If you go to Zechariah 6:4, Jeremiah 49:36, 09:01 you can see that the concept of the four winds 09:05 is well known in the Old Testament. 09:10 So many times winds are mentioned 09:12 but they are always 09:13 symbol of God's judgment against unfaithful. 09:16 Are you with me? 09:18 I would like to invite you to another text that you see. 09:20 It's the Book of Daniel 7:2, 3. 09:27 In the vision "Daniel said, 09:30 'I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, 09:32 the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 09:38 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, 09:43 different from one another.'" 09:44 You can see here that the winds stirring the--the great sea. 09:50 Actually it refers to that 09:52 stormy condition of the human society. 09:56 The winds is disturbing them. 09:59 But I'd like now to move out of the Bible. 10:03 It's very important that we understand 10:04 how the Jews of the time of the Book of Revelation 10:08 really understood the winds 10:12 because they based their beliefs on the Old Testament. 10:15 But there is one Book called Ecclesiasticus. 10:20 It's not found in the Bible, 10:21 but well read by the Jewish people. 10:23 By the way, written by a Pharisee. 10:26 Listen what they say, 10:28 "The winds that have been created for vengeance 10:34 and in their anger they scourge heavily. 10:38 In the time of the consummation 10:40 they will pour out their strength 10:43 and calm the anger of their Maker." 10:47 Actually it really, this text summarizes everything 10:52 that is in the Old Testament. 10:53 Because it's really summary--summary 10:56 what we have here in the Old Testament. 10:58 So let's keep in mind. 11:00 So now we have these symbolic winds. 11:04 They are ready to blow and to destroy 11:07 everything that is on their way. 11:09 But then John notices something else. 11:12 He sees four angels standing on the four corners of the earth. 11:19 Actually if the Book of Revelation is written today, 11:25 John would state, "I saw four angels 11:28 standing at the four points of the compass." 11:31 This is the ancient reference, the four corners of the earth. 11:35 Actually when you have the four points of the compass 11:40 then you refer to the universality. 11:43 You have heard universal meeting--meaning. 11:47 You have the worldwide significance of this event. 11:49 Are you still with me? 11:51 But what is that that those four angels are doing? 11:53 Please, I will like really to show. 11:56 Actually the winds blow and those four angels are holding, 11:59 you know, you know the picture, 12:00 holding their hands and keeping those winds not to blow. 12:06 So the winds cannot blow. 12:07 They cannot do their destructive work. 12:10 At that moment, at that moment John notices something else. 12:14 He sees another angel. 12:18 Did you notice where is the angel coming from? 12:22 He's coming from the east. 12:25 By the way, when you go to the Bible you'll see that east, 12:32 it's always the place related to God. 12:37 Well, I don't have the time now to go 12:39 throughout this different text. 12:40 But if you go to Matthew 24, 12:42 Jesus says actually that at His coming a sign will appear, 12:47 that cloud appearing there in the east 12:50 where Jesus will come-- will come from. 12:53 When you come to Revelation 16 12:55 with reference to the battle of Armageddon 12:58 where the enemies of God's people try to destroy them, 13:01 the King's coming from the east, 13:02 which is actually a reference to Christ 13:05 and the host of heaven. 13:07 Jesus is called, in the Gospel of Luke, the Sunrise 13:12 because the word east is our modern expression. 13:17 But in the original text of the Bible 13:19 is from the rising of the sun. 13:21 That expression is very important in the Bible. 13:24 So when this angel is coming from the rising of the sun, 13:26 coming from the east, whatever expression you use, 13:29 it means that that person is commissioned by God. 13:33 He's coming from the very presence of the God. 13:35 And He comes to those angles and telling them, 13:37 "Hey, hold little bit longer, don't let the winds blow." 13:44 For how long? 13:46 Says, "Until the sealing of God's people is completed." 13:54 Okay. By the way, let's go there to the text. 13:59 Because in verse 2, okay, John sees that angel-- 14:05 he says, "He was having the seal of the living God." 14:11 And he says, "I'm going now to seal God's people." 14:16 So how long? 14:18 I'm sorry we have to establish here few points 14:21 that are crucial for listening. 14:22 How long are the angels supposed to hold the winds 14:28 while that sealing is in process? 14:32 The blowing of the winds cannot take before. 14:34 So now what happens when the sealing is done? 14:39 The winds are allowed to blow. Are you still with me? 14:42 I know, I know, do you wonder why I'm talking that language? 14:45 But you will see how many times people miss these points 14:48 and we have to come to that. 14:50 But before we move on, we have to ask ourselves a question. 14:55 Then what is the sealing all about? 15:01 And if you go there to the web, 15:04 go to those different websites, 15:07 you will see how people interpret the seal of God. Okay. 15:12 We have to understand 15:13 when the Bible uses the expression, the seal of God. 15:18 The concept of sealing was well known concept 15:21 in the 1st century and also in the Old Testament times. 15:25 In ancient times sealing connote different meanings. 15:28 Number one, documents were sealed for several reasons, 15:32 one of that to validate the content, 15:36 but also to protect 15:38 the content of the document from tampering. Okay. 15:44 However, the fundamental meaning of sealing 15:47 in ancient times-- I saw so many seals. 15:50 And you know what is always-- 15:51 when the Jewish people, so many Jewish seals. 15:54 You have so-called Lemet, 15:57 which we translate into English as tomb. 16:01 And you have the name of the person 16:04 who is actually the owner of the seal. 16:06 So he says "to Ranko," what does it mean? 16:09 When you put that seal on this book 16:11 it means this belongs to Ranko. 16:14 So the main purpose of seal and the sealing is ownership. 16:21 When you put the seal on something 16:24 it means this belongs to me, don't touch it. 16:28 By the way, this is the fundamental concept 16:31 of sealing in the New Testament. 16:33 By the way, I would really like to ask you 16:36 to open 2 Timothy 2:19, 16:40 because Paul points to this sealing when he tell us, 16:45 "Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, 16:50 having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His.'" 16:55 Are you still with me? Hey, let me ask you. 16:59 You see, my commentary is here 17:01 and each one of you has a commentary. 17:02 The commentary looks the same, huh? 17:05 And I put here my seal, my signature. 17:07 How do I know that this belongs to me? 17:11 Because of that seal, because of that signature that is. 17:14 So Paul says that the main meaning of God's seal is 17:19 "The Lord knows who are His, who belong to Him. 17:22 And, 'Everyone who names the name of the Lord 17:25 is to abstain from wickedness.'" 17:28 This is the primary meaning of the sealing. 17:34 So what does sealing mean? 17:36 Actually according to the New Testament, 17:40 Apostle Paul explains that when the person 17:45 who is a sinner accepts the gospel message 17:49 and to come to God, 17:50 when the person is accepted by God, 17:54 God seals that person by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 17:59 I'd like you to turn to Ephesians 1:13, 14. 18:06 Paul says--by the way, the same text, 18:09 identical text is found in 2 Corinthians 1, 18:14 I think verses, if I'm correct, 20 to 22. 18:17 You see identical texts, two times Paul repeats that. 18:20 Paul says, "In Him you also, 18:22 after listening to the message of truth, 18:26 the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, 18:29 you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit." 18:32 Who is doing the sealing? Who is the seal? 18:36 The Holy Spirit is the seal and He is doing the sealing. 18:40 So when you come to God, dear viewers, 18:42 when you come to God, when you're accepted by God, 18:46 God gives you your Holy Spirit 18:48 and you are sealed for salvation. 18:51 Is that a great news? 18:52 I expected one amen from all of you 18:55 who are watching this program. 18:58 You see we belong to God 19:00 and Satan cannot harm us any longer. 19:03 But wait, some of you can reach maybe a wrong conclusion. 19:08 Praise God. God sealed me. 19:12 Once saved, always saved. 19:15 Oh, oh, oh, oh, praise God for the Bible. 19:18 Because just the same book, Ephesians we read in 4:30. 19:24 It says, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 19:30 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 19:34 Did you see that? 19:35 As we were sealed, we can also be unsealed. 19:40 We are sealed as long as we are with God 19:43 and we have the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. 19:46 Are you with me? Then we are sealed. 19:50 So now, can I ask you one question? 19:55 When does the sealing of God's people-- 20:01 actually let me put it-- 20:02 when did the sealing of God's people begin? 20:07 You will see already at the time of Apostle Paul. 20:10 He wrote it to the Christians of his own time. 20:14 So the sealing of God's people actually started 20:17 with the death of Jesus on the cross. 20:19 When He ascended to the heavenly places, 20:22 when the Holy Spirit came down, 20:24 then the sealing of God's people started. 20:27 However, even though the sealing of God's people 20:30 has been taken since the time of the cross, 20:36 at the time of the end, before Jesus come, 20:41 there will be the climax of that sealing. 20:45 It's the end time sealing. 20:47 And that kind of sealing is found actually 20:51 in the Revelation 7 20:54 and also in the Revelation 16, 17. 20:59 If you go to Revelation chapter 13:16, 17, 21:04 then we read there that 21:06 just before the second coming of Christ 21:08 there will be an enemy power opposing to God in the gospel 21:14 that will actually mark the followers of the beast. 21:18 We read it. 21:19 "And he causes all, the small and the great, 21:22 and the rich and the poor, and the free men 21:25 and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand 21:29 or on their forehead, and he provides that no one 21:33 will be able to buy or to sell, 21:36 except the one who has the mark, 21:39 either the name of the beast or the number of his name." 21:45 It is in that context 21:47 when Satan and the beast-- we will come to that. 21:49 We will see that more, we will see what that marking 21:52 and that sealing is all about in Revelation 13. 21:55 But the Satan will seal his worshippers and his followers. 21:58 During that time God will by this symbolic concept of sealing 22:05 seal those who belong to Him 22:07 as His own possession as those who belong to God. 22:14 Please I have to mention here two things. 22:18 We saw that the sealing of God's people 22:19 has been taken throughout history. 22:21 And those who were sealed their faithfulness to God 22:25 has been tested in different ways. 22:28 It was very appropriate with any-- 22:30 every generation of Christians. 22:32 But at the time of the end, 22:34 in the context of that mark of the beast, 22:38 the faith and the loyalty of those who are sealed 22:41 will be tested in a special way. 22:44 In which way? 22:46 By faithfulness to God and His commandments. 22:49 If you go to Revelation 12:17, Revelation 14:12, 22:55 we will see that those who are sealed, 22:57 those who belong to God 22:58 are the ones who keep the commandments of God 23:01 and they have the faith of Jesus. 23:04 But when you read carefully the Book of Revelation 23:07 it becomes obvious that the loyalty of God's people 23:11 will not be just tested 23:14 by the keeping all the God's commandments. 23:17 There is one particular commandment of the ten 23:20 that will be the test of the loyalty to God. 23:23 It is the context of that final crisis 23:26 and the mark of the beast that the four commandments, 23:28 the Sabbath will be the test of the loyalty. 23:32 And it is in that context that that sealing 23:35 is related to the observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath 23:38 and the four commandments. 23:40 When you go to the Old Testament you will see, 23:42 like for instance, Exodus 31, Ezekiel 20, 23:47 the Sabbath was always a test of loyalty 23:50 of God's people in the Old Testament. 23:52 As it was then, 23:54 so the same will be repeated at the time of the end. 23:59 That when the human institution imposes one particular day 24:03 on the people as the sign of the loyalty 24:06 of all those who have the mark of the beast, 24:08 it is in that context that the Sabbath, 24:11 the four commandments will become the main object 24:15 and the focus of that seal of God, 24:17 when the loyalty of God's people will be tested in special way. 24:21 But we'll come to that when we come to Revelation 13. 24:24 Okay? Okay. 24:25 Now let's go back to the winds. 24:31 The winds cannot blow. 24:33 Now when you go to verse 4, John said--John said, 24:40 "And I heard the number of those who are sealed. 24:43 144,000 sealed from every tribe of Israel." 24:50 And now if you go to verse 5 and you go to verse 8, 24:57 now you can see that those 12 tribes are mentioned. 25:02 Keep in mind. Keep in mind. 25:04 You see one by one. 25:06 Okay, I will not read all those tribes now. 25:09 You will notice something that the winds cannot blow 25:14 as long as the sealing is in the process. 25:19 So it is in that context. 25:22 I have to mention second things that I introduced last time. 25:26 Not only that the test-- that the fourth commandment 25:28 will be a test of loyalty to those who are sealed 25:31 but the sealed at the same time functions 25:33 not only as a sign of those who belong to God 25:36 but also is the sign of the protection. 25:40 You see, all those who have the seal of God 25:43 will be protected from the blowing of the winds. 25:49 Praise the Lord. Are you still with me? 25:51 And here we have a picture 25:53 that comes from the Book of Ezekiel 9:1-11. 25:58 Please this is very long text. 26:00 I know that we don't have time, I don't want to go. 26:02 But there the prophet Ezekiel 26:05 saw the wicked people in Jerusalem, 26:10 rebellious against God. 26:13 And then he saw a person coming from the east. 26:17 He had writing tools 26:19 and God instructed that person telling him, 26:22 "Go there through the city and mark on the forehead 26:27 every person who is looking there at Me 26:31 and asking when I will bring 26:33 the end of the sin there in Jerusalem. 26:34 Those who are faithful to me mark them." 26:37 And then after that the number of people who are executioners 26:44 with the swords and God says to them, 26:47 "Follow now this person and kill everyone 26:51 who does not have the mark on the forehead." 26:56 Actually, he's telling us that God's faithful people 26:59 were supposed to be protected 27:00 during destruction of Jerusalem by Babylonians. 27:03 That's how Daniel and his friends were protected. 27:05 You remember that. 27:07 Actually, this text from Ezekiel 9 27:09 stands in the background of Revelation 7. 27:13 Is it important to know the Old Testament 27:15 to interpret the Book of Revelation? 27:17 The question is now just quickly. 27:20 What is the blowing of the winds all about? 27:23 By the way, later in the text-- 27:26 I skipped that text that I was supposed to mention earlier 27:29 is that later in the text the blowing of the winds 27:34 is referred to as the time of the great tribulation. 27:39 This is the same tribulation that Daniel spoke in Daniel 12:1 27:43 when he said, "At that time 27:47 Michael, great prince will come to defend his people 27:50 and there will be such time as it was not before 27:53 it will be after in human history." 27:57 By the way, when we go later to the book of Revelation 28:01 to chapters 15 and 16, 28:04 we have another expression for the blowing of the winds 28:07 and it's the seven last plagues. 28:11 So you see there are all different expressions. 28:13 So the blowing of the winds, 28:14 the time of the great tribulation 28:16 and the seven last plagues are different terms, 28:20 different expressions for one and the same things 28:22 in the Book of Revelation and there is a reason for that. 28:25 Okay, okay. So let's keep it in mind. 28:27 So now you have to be with me. 28:30 John then said, "And I heard the number of those 28:35 who were sealed, 144,000" 28:37 and then he lists the 12 tribes of Israel 28:41 to show how 12,000 people were sealed from each tribe. 28:46 What does it mean? 28:49 What does it mean? 28:51 Hey, friends, let me tell you, 28:53 if I tell you an illustration and I say, 28:57 "I cannot do these things 29:02 until everybody comes here." 29:05 And then after that I told you," 29:07 I heard that 55 people are now here. 29:11 What does it mean? That everybody is here. 29:14 I never mentioned that number 29:16 because I was waiting for everybody to come. 29:19 John now hears that the number of those 29:22 who are sealed is 144,000. 29:26 What does it mean? That the sealing is done. 29:29 What comes next? What comes next? 29:33 The winds are now unleashed to blow. 29:38 Keep in mind, the winds cannot blow 29:40 as long as the sealing is in the process. 29:43 And now John hears the number of those 29:45 who were sealed, 144,000. 29:47 Well, there is a question. 29:49 Is number 144,000, is it literal or symbolic? 29:56 There are many people, they think it's literal. 30:00 But what is the problem? 30:01 We have to understand the Book of Revelation 30:03 is a symbolic book. 30:06 And the numbers in the Book of Revelation, 30:11 they have a symbolic meaning. 30:14 You see the problem is if you take 144,000 as literal-- 30:19 but it says that 144,000 are sealed 30:22 from the 12 tribes of Israel, 12,000 from each tribes 30:26 then you must take also the 12 tribes of Israel as literal. 30:33 Are you with me? But what is the problem? 30:37 What is the problem that we have here? 30:43 There are no 12 tribes of Israel today. 30:47 That's first thing. 30:49 You know that when the King of Assyria came against Israel, 30:53 the so-called northern kingdom, he took the 10 tribes of Israel, 30:56 he lead them there to the Assyrian captivity 30:58 and he scattered them among other nations. 31:01 They mixed with those nations 31:02 and that 10 tribes disappeared completely. 31:05 When the King of Babylon came he took just 31:08 the tribes of Judah's and Benjamin there to Jerusalem. 31:11 Those two tribes they came back. 31:14 So at the time of the Book of Revelation, 31:16 at the time of Jesus, okay, 31:18 earlier there are only two tribes 31:20 but the New Testament calls them the Jews. 31:23 It means the descendants of Judah. 31:26 There are not 10 tribes, 10 other tribes. 31:28 Are you with me? 31:31 Today the Jews, they never talk about 12 tribes 31:34 because they do not exist. 31:35 And many Jews today, who are in existence, 31:39 actually they are converts in Europe there, 31:42 descendants of some nations there in Europe. 31:45 They never talk about themselves in terms of the 12 tribes. 31:49 So the 12 tribes they do not exist, friends. 31:53 But there is something else. 31:55 You will notice something 31:57 when John mentions these 12 tribes. 31:59 When you compare the list of the 12 tribes in Revelation 7 32:03 this list is completely different 32:05 from any list of the tribes in the Old Testament. 32:09 Let's explain it. You'll notice something. 32:12 How many sons did Jacob have? 32:19 Thirteen. Thirteen? 32:21 But we have only 12 tribes. Why? 32:27 Because we know Reuben was the oldest 32:30 but because of his terrible sin, 32:34 he did not get that rights of the firstborn. 32:37 Actually, Joseph got it. 32:39 That's why we-- in the list of the tribes 32:41 in the Old Testament, we do not have the tribe of Joseph. 32:45 If the tribe of Joseph is mentioned it means 32:47 the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh 32:52 as his sons, okay. 32:55 We look at it. 32:56 But when you, listen, read--and also why 13? 33:01 Because the tribe of Levi was not counted 33:03 among the regular tribes. 33:07 They did not have that territory. 33:09 But when you read the list of the tribes of Israel 33:12 in the Revelation 7, you'll notice something, 33:15 that the tribe of Levi is included here. 33:18 And there is the tribe of Joseph included here. 33:23 But the two tribes that are not mentioned, 33:25 the tribe of Dan and the tribe of Ephraim. 33:30 You see this not regular list of the tribes. 33:33 Why Dan is not included? 33:36 Because if you go to the Book of Judges 33:38 according to the Jewish tradition, 33:39 they are very strong about that. 33:41 They say the tribe of Dan 33:43 was the first one to go to apostasy, to idolatry. 33:48 If you go to later in Israel history, 33:51 it is in the tribe of John-- in the tribe of Dan 33:57 that actually one of those two alters was situated 34:01 to distract people not to go to Jerusalem 34:03 to worship the true God. 34:06 So the Jewish people based on that developed 34:08 a tradition at time of the Book of Revelation 34:10 that out of the tribe of Dan 34:13 the Antichrist will come to fight against people. 34:17 And early Christian they pick up that idea. 34:21 And you see the tribe of Ephraim is not mentioned, 34:25 because together with Dan, the tribe of Ephraim 34:28 is the symbol of apostasy. 34:30 If you go to the Book of Hosea, 34:32 you will see instead of Israel, Ephraim is mentioned. 34:35 It's the symbol of general apostasy 34:38 of the people of Israel. 34:40 Now everything becomes clear. 34:42 When John mentions the 12 tribes of Israel, 34:46 he did not refer to the historical list of the tribes. 34:51 He had in mind the theological list of the tribes. 34:55 Are you with me? Why? 34:58 Because God's end time people, those who'll be ready 35:03 to go through the time of the great tribulation 35:06 and seven last plagues are the ones 35:09 who are completely faithful to God. 35:12 When you go to chapter 14, 35:13 they followed the Lamb wherever the Lamb goes. 35:17 They don't mix themselves with the women, 35:19 the symbol of spiritual immorality, 35:23 unfaithfulness to God, 35:24 because they follow only the Lamb. 35:26 That's why the unfaithful, 35:28 they do not have a place in the list. 35:31 Dan and Ephraim, that are unfaithful, 35:33 they are not listed there. 35:35 Keep in mind the symbolic meaning 35:36 of the Book of Revelation 35:38 telling us something about this last generation. 35:41 They're so faithful to God 35:43 and they're faithful only to God. 35:45 And they follow only God because they are sealed, 35:50 because they belong to God. 35:51 Are you still with me? 35:53 So the list of the tribes, it's the symbolic, 35:57 so the number. 35:59 How is the number mentioned? 36:01 How do we get 144,000? 36:04 It's simple. It's simple. 36:08 How many tribes? 12. 36:12 Times? 12? 36:17 By? 36:22 You have 12,000 from 12 tribes. 36:27 Now everything becomes evidently much clear to us. 36:33 Because number 12 in the Bible is symbol of God's people. 36:39 We already mentioned the reference to 24 elders. 36:43 God's people of the Old Testament, number 12, 12 tribes. 36:47 God's people of the New Testament, 12 apostles. 36:51 Now it becomes clear what we have here. 36:53 Do you remember the names of that 12 tribes of Israel 36:59 on the gates of New Jerusalem? 37:01 12 apostles, they're there 37:03 in the foundation stones of New Jerusalem. 37:07 So what we have here is, 37:09 we have that this group that is sealed 37:13 and to go through the time of great tribulation 37:15 actually represent of all God's people 37:17 of Old and the New Testament 37:19 but they themselves are the last generation. 37:21 Are you with me? Yes. 37:23 But they represent God's people because through their experience 37:26 all God's people go through experience. 37:28 This group is not the first one to suffer. 37:32 They are not the first one to be sealed. 37:35 They are not the first one who are faithful to God. 37:38 But you see this group represents the last generation. 37:42 And in them all God's people are represented. 37:45 But the problem is this number. 37:52 And please now allow me. 37:54 We'll go to some text, please. 37:57 If you go to the Book of James 1:1, 38:00 we will see that the New Testament 38:02 there is no literal Israel. 38:05 It's the people of God. 38:06 James writes his letter, he said, 38:08 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, 38:12 to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, Greetings." 38:16 When James writes to the 12 tribes, 38:19 who are those 12 tribes? 38:21 The Christians to whom he writes. 38:24 You see he uses the 12 tribes 38:26 as the symbol for the Christian church. 38:29 And if you go to Galatians 3:26, 27 38:33 then we read, "For you are all sons of God 38:36 through faith in Christ Jesus. 38:39 For all of you who were baptized in Christ Jesus 38:42 have clothed yourselves with Christ. 38:45 There is neither Jew nor Greek." Do you see that? 38:49 In the New Testament, the difference between 38:51 the Jews and Greeks, it's removed. 38:55 "There is neither slave nor free man, 38:57 there is neither male nor female, 38:59 for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 39:02 And if you belong to Christ, 39:03 then you are Abraham's descendants 39:06 and heirs according to promise." 39:07 You see that, friends? 39:10 When John uses the 12, 39:11 and he referred to the 12 tribes of Israel, 39:14 he refers to the church, the Christian church, 39:16 God's people who live before the second coming of Christ, 39:19 not the literal Jews. 39:21 But then why 1,000? 39:23 Oh, boy, now we are coming something to fun. 39:25 You see the-- the Hebrew word, Aleph, 39:28 Aleph can mean two things. 39:34 At the time of peace when people are there in the land 39:37 it simply means a clan, a huge family. 39:41 But when people of Israel go to the war, 39:45 the same word Aleph actually means 1,000. 39:48 The word can mean 1,000 generally. 39:50 But the way how the word was used at the time of peace, 39:54 it referred to the huge family, to the clan, to the dynasty. 39:58 But when people go to the war 40:01 then the word Aleph strictly means 1,000. 40:04 And what is 1,000? It's a basic military unit. 40:10 In Israel when they go to war--please, 40:12 I would like to turn to 40:14 the Book of Numbers 31:4-6. 40:21 Let's see when Israel went to war-- 40:23 you remember during the time of Balaam, 40:25 you remember that? 40:27 When they had to fight against the Moabites and Ammonites. 40:30 It says, "A thousand from each tribe 40:33 of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war. 40:36 So there were furnished from the thousands of Israel, 40:39 a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 40:42 Moses sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war, 40:45 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 40:48 to the war with them, 40:50 and the holy vessels and the trumpets 40:52 for the alarm in his hand." 40:54 By the way, I must read this text. 40:59 "When people wanted to have a king, 41:02 someone told them that the king will appoint for himself 41:06 commanders of one thousand." 41:08 Do you see that? 41:10 "And fifties and some to do his plowing etcetera." 41:13 By the way, there are many more texts 41:15 you will find there in my commentary there. 41:18 You'll see that-- there are so many texts 41:21 that we now mentioned that Aleph, 41:23 1,000 is a basic military unit. 41:27 So please now you have to help me. 41:29 When John refers to 144,000 who are sealed 41:35 and ready now to go through the time of the great tribulation-- 41:38 please can you help me? 41:40 What does he talk about? 41:41 He's talking about 144,000 military units, 41:46 because he is portraying God's people as the church militant, 41:50 ready to enter into that final tribulation, 41:54 to go through that war of the seven last plagues 41:56 and through the battle called the battle of Armageddon. 42:00 And that's why they are here portrayed as an army 42:03 after ancient Israel when they went to war. 42:06 They're organized into military unit of 1,000. 42:09 Are you still with me? Yes. 42:11 At that point John is not telling us any longer, 42:13 he's not talking about tribulation. 42:15 He portrays the tribulation little bit later 42:17 in the Book of Revelation in chapters 15 and 16. 42:20 That's not the point. 42:21 The point of chapter 7 is who will be able to stand. 42:26 What is the answer? 42:27 Those who are sealed they will be able to go 42:32 through the time of the great tribulation, 42:34 not anything else. 42:35 But the text-- the text now goes on. 42:39 Please I want--we don't have too much time. 42:41 Let's go-- let's go there. 42:42 It says, verse 9, "After these things I looked, 42:46 and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, 42:50 from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, 42:53 standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 42:56 clothed in white robes, 42:58 and palm branches were in their hands. 43:01 And they cry out with a loud voice saying, 43:04 salvation to our God who sits on the throne, 43:07 and to the Lamb.' 43:08 And all the angels were standing around the throne 43:10 and around the elders and the four living creatures, 43:13 and they fell on their faces before the throne 43:15 and worshipped God." 43:16 And they're worshiping God. Let's go to verse 13. 43:19 "Then one of the elders, he answered saying to me, 43:23 'These who are clothed in white robes, who are they? 43:26 And where they have come from?' 43:28 "Keep in mind, what is the question? 43:30 Where have they come from? 43:32 "I said to him, 'My Lord, you know.' 43:35 And he said to me, 'These are the ones 43:37 who come out of the great tribulation, 43:40 and they have washed their robes 43:41 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 43:44 For this reason, they are before the throne of God, 43:47 they serve Him day and night in His temple, 43:49 and He who sits on the throne 43:51 will spread His tabernacle over them. 43:54 They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore, 43:57 nor will the sun beat down on them, 44:00 nor any heat, for the Lamb in the center of the throne 44:03 will be their shepherd, and will guide them 44:05 to the springs of the water of life, 44:07 and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.'" 44:10 Please now you have to be with me. 44:14 What do we have here? 44:15 We have now another group that John sees in the vision 44:18 and they're referred to as the great multitude. 44:22 Unfortunately, many Christians when they read this text, 44:25 they reach the conclusions that 144,000 44:29 is the last generation of God's people. 44:32 I agree with that. That's true. 44:35 They are the ones who are sealed 44:38 and they go through the time of the great tribulation. 44:40 But what is the problem that the same Christians, 44:42 they say, they see the great multitude 44:46 is another group of God's people 44:48 that will one day go there into the kingdom of God. 44:52 So one day they're in heaven. 44:54 We will have two groups of people. 44:57 The first one 144,000, 45:00 they will have a special privilege 45:01 or status in God's kingdom. 45:06 The rest somehow they will be there. 45:11 I just want to tell you, friends 45:13 that usually Protestants they separate themselves 45:16 from the mainstream Christianity 45:18 because the mainstream Christianity 45:19 coming from the Middle Ages they believe God's kingdom, 45:22 they are saints and they are those who are not saints. 45:25 Unfortunately, that concept 45:27 has been retained by many Protestants. 45:30 Keep in mind something. What is the case here? 45:33 Please you have to be with me. 45:35 I'm looking at the time, okay. 45:38 You see there in verse 14. 45:44 We say and it says-- by the way, verse 13. 45:48 "The elder asked John 45:50 'These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they?' 45:54 "Who are those people that are white-- 45:55 that are dressed in white robes? 45:58 If you go to verse 9, it's the great multitude 46:01 that is dressed in white robes. 46:03 Do you see that? Verse 9. 46:07 They are standing before the throne of God 46:09 and he said in verse 15, 46:10 "Therefore they are standing before the throne of God." 46:14 So who is portrayed here in this text? 46:16 Who are those coming out of the great tribulation? 46:19 The great multitude. Are you with me? 46:24 The great multitude. Not 144,000. 46:30 But please it appears that 144,000 46:36 and the great multitude is one and the same group. 46:40 They're not two groups in God's kingdom. 46:41 Please let me now explain. 46:44 Please, I know how much time I have. 46:46 So we ought to use this time effectively. 46:49 John sees the angels holding the wind, 46:53 the sealing of God's people is in the process 46:56 and then he hears that the sealing is done. 46:59 From that moment on, we are done with 144,000. 47:05 If the sealing is done, what is now going on? 47:09 The time of the great tribulation. 47:11 So John hears that the number of God's people 47:15 who are sealed is 144,000 but he does not describe them 47:21 that they are going now to the time of the great tribulation, 47:23 they're ready to enter the time of great tribulation. 47:26 They're organized as 144 military units, 47:31 church militant ready to enter into that final war. 47:35 Are you still with me? 47:38 Always when John is in the vision, 47:40 regularly he hears something. 47:44 But when he turns to see what he heard, 47:47 he sees something else 47:49 but the something else is the same thing that he heard. 47:52 Do you remember in Revelation Chapter 5 47:54 he hears that the lion from the tribe of Judah overcame? 47:59 Then he turns to see the lion. 48:01 He does not see the lion, he sees the Lamb. 48:05 If you go to Revelation 17, 48:07 John hears that the great prostitute 48:09 sits on many waters. 48:12 When John turns around and he's taken there 48:15 to the wilderness to see that prostitute, 48:17 she's not sitting on many waters. 48:19 She's sitting on the beast because the waters 48:22 and the beast is one and the same thing, 48:24 refer to one another thing. 48:26 The same is here what we have in Revelation 7. 48:29 John hears that the number of God's people 48:33 who are about to enter the time of great tribulation 48:36 is 144,000 church militant. 48:39 Now are you with me? 48:40 Now the time of tribulation is... 48:44 when John actually sees that group, 48:49 watch in verse 14, the elder says, 48:53 "These are the ones"-- in Greek says, 48:55 "coming out of the great tribulation." 48:57 He see them coming out of the great tribulation. 49:01 He does not see 144 military units. 49:05 What does he see? 49:06 A great crowd coming out of the war, 49:11 coming out of the great tribulation 49:13 and you cannot count them. 49:15 Are you with me? You cannot count them. 49:20 Why can't you count them? 49:25 I'm a soccer player. 49:26 When we are on the field, we want to make the teams, 49:29 I tell everybody, make groups, 11 people be there. 49:34 And just one, two, three, 49:35 we know how many teams we have. 49:37 But when everybody is around together, 49:40 you cannot count them. 49:42 It's not that these people are so many 49:44 that you cannot count them. 49:46 Of course, it's a huge number 49:48 but it means they are not any more organized 49:50 in those military units, so you count them 144 units. 49:54 It means they're coming out of the war. 49:56 Have you watched movies about the war? 49:59 When soldiers are going to the war, 50:02 they're all organized under the banners into those units. 50:07 You know exactly how many are 50:09 but when they are coming out of the war, 50:11 there are no military units. 50:13 They are all hugging each other. 50:15 You have just the huge crowd coming out of the war, 50:19 celebrating the victory and you cannot count them. 50:22 This is exactly what is going on here. 50:25 So keep you in--let me repeat one more time. 50:28 John sees the church militant 50:32 organized into the military units. 50:33 We are dealing with symbol of an army 50:38 after Israel's army in the Old Testament, 50:40 organized into military units, divisions of 1,000. 50:43 They are entering the final war. 50:46 John just hears their number. 50:48 He does not see them. 50:50 But when finally John sees them, 50:53 he sees the same group 50:55 coming out of the time of the tribulation. 50:59 This time they are not the church militant. 51:03 They are the church triumphant. Amen. 51:06 Coming out of the war, 51:08 they're dressed in the white robes. 51:11 Why in the white robes? 51:12 Do you remember the Christians in Sardis? 51:15 Those who remain faithful to me, 51:17 he will be dressed in white. 51:18 It means that the war is over. 51:22 Like any soldier in Roman Empire after the war, 51:25 after the conquest, after the victory, 51:28 they come before the emperor. 51:30 And the emperor says, "Yeah, you are my brave soldiers. 51:32 You are victors. 51:34 Now you have--you deserve to have a good retirement." 51:39 And that's exactly is that 144,000, 51:42 now they find their homeland on that peaceful place 51:46 of the new earth beside those waters, 51:48 because the Lamb will be with them through all eternity. 51:53 Friends, 144,000 and the great multitude is one 51:58 and the same group. 51:59 When you read, friends, the Bible, 52:03 when you read the Bible, the Bible never teaches 52:07 that one day in God's kingdom, 52:10 there'll be saved people of God 52:14 but there'll be special elite 52:17 who will receive a special status 52:20 because they accomplished something 52:23 that nobody else was able to accomplish. 52:27 Unfortunately, there are Christians 52:29 who interpret 144,000 that way, 52:33 advocating the idea that 144,000 will be people 52:38 who'll be so capable to become sinless in this life. 52:43 And because of that sinlessness 52:44 what they accomplished in their lives 52:46 God will tell them, "Oh, My child, 52:50 you did something that other people could not do. 52:53 Therefore, I don't have any way 52:56 but to give you a special status because what you did." 52:59 Let's go back to the text. 53:01 Are you going to read with me? 53:02 Let's go, Revelation 7. Let's go one time verse 9. 53:09 "After these things I looked, and behold, 53:11 a great multitude which no one could count 53:15 from every nations and all tribes, 53:21 and the peoples, and tongues, 53:24 standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 53:27 clothed in white robes." 53:29 Who gives the white robes to the saved people of God? 53:35 It's not what we make for ourselves. 53:39 If you go and read the Bible-- 53:40 remember the message to the church in Sardis, 53:44 "Those who walk with me I will give them the white robes 53:47 they will walk with me." 53:49 But there's something else. 53:51 "And palm branches were in their hands, 53:53 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, 53:57 Salvation to us because we were able to be sinless and perfect. 54:01 Is that what he said? 54:02 "Salvation to our God 54:05 who sits on the throne and to the Lamb." 54:09 Why are they in God's kingdom? 54:11 Because of the blood of the Lamb. 54:13 But there is another text. 54:15 Please would you go with me in verse 14? 54:19 "I said to him"--by the way, let's read one time verse 13. 54:24 "Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, 54:27 'These who are clothed in white robes, 54:29 who are they and where they come from?' 54:31 I said to him, 'My Lord, you know. 54:33 And he said to me'"-- look now, 54:35 "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, 54:40 and they have washed their robes and made them white 54:46 in the blood of the Lamb." 54:48 Why are their robes white? 54:53 Because what Jesus Christ did for me--for them. 54:59 Friends, I cannot talk more 55:03 because we'll come to Revelation 14 55:07 and we have a further description of 144,000. 55:10 But in order to understand their characteristics 55:13 we have first to understand Revelation 13. 55:15 So we will leave that description for that occasion 55:18 but you can see that the Bible never teaches 55:22 that actually God has clans in His kingdom, special elite. 55:26 We will be all there because of the blood of the Lamb. 55:31 And I know--I'm addressing now our viewers. 55:34 They are always bothered with the questions. 55:36 Who are actually those who'll be among 144,000? 55:40 I selected that question and there is one person 55:43 to help me that actually even if I get the answer 55:46 to that question I'll not be better Christian. 55:49 In "Selected Messages" page 1--actually volume 1, 55:54 page 174, we read, 55:56 "Christ says that there will be those in the church 55:59 who will present fables and suppositions, 56:06 when God has given grand, elevating, ennobling truths 56:10 which should ever be kept in the treasure house of the mind. 56:14 When men pick up this theory and that theory, 56:17 when they are curious to know something 56:19 it is not necessary for them to know, 56:21 God is not leading them. 56:23 It is not His plan that His people 56:25 shall present something which they have to suppose, 56:28 which is not taught in the Word. 56:30 It is not His will that they shall get 56:33 into controversy over the questions 56:35 which will not help them spiritually," this was written. 56:38 It says--and what is one of those questions 56:41 that will not help us spiritually? 56:42 "Who is to compose 144,000? 56:46 This those who are the elect of God 56:49 will in short time known without question." 56:52 Dear viewers, are 144,000 great multitudes 56:58 simply the last generation, I don't know. 57:02 Revelation 7 talks about the last generation. 57:06 Who included that there? 57:08 We don't know. We have to wait for that. 57:11 We have the clear explanation in the Book of Revelation 57:14 that this is the last generation of God's people. 57:17 But we are encouraged with the following statement 57:20 from the same author 57:21 in "Review and Herald," March 9, 1009, 57:24 "Let us strive with all the power of God 57:27 that has given to us to be among 144,000." 57:32 And amen. Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17