Welcome again to our program,
00:00:23.62\00:00:27.19
"Revelation of the Coming King."
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I'm so much excited, especially
now as we are going through,
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according to many scholars,
the most difficult section
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of the Book of Revelation,
very, very difficult.
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And we are doing our best
with help of the Holy Spirit
00:00:43.34\00:00:47.15
to find what it's about.
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Yeah, some details probably
we still have to do research,
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we still have to make effort,
but what we are trying here
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is that we find
the general picture,
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what the trumpets are all about.
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I believe this is the most
important that we understand
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really the context of
the Book of Revelation
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and what the Book of
Revelation is all about.
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Let me introduce
myself once again.
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I am Ranko Stefanovich,
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professor of the New Testament
in the Seventh-day Advenist
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Theological
Seminary, Andrews University.
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I'm a ordained
Seventh-day Adventist minister
00:01:20.82\00:01:23.65
with 18 years
pastoral experience.
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And when people
ask me, "What are you?"
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I'm a pastor of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And I'm so glad for that
because we have the message,
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we are all pastors,
we all have ministry
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and we have that
message to proclaim.
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And since we are dealing
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with very difficult section
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of the book of
Revelation, trying to understand
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what the seven
trumpets are all about,
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we really have to ask
God for special assistance
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and special help and guidance
in studying this subject.
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So please I'd like to ask you
to bow your heads for prayer.
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Our heavenly
father, here we're again.
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And we are asking for a special
wisdom for a special help
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that we can understand
this difficult, difficult
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section of the
book of Revelation.
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Please open our minds.
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Give us sober thoughts
and give us Your Holy Spirit
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to guide us--investigation,
Father, of this subject,
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understanding of this great
message sent to our hearts.
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Thank You for Your goodness.
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Thank You for the promises.
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And we pray all of
this in the precious name
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of our Savior
Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Let me remind you once again
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that actually the
purpose of this presentations
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is not to give us the
answers to all questions
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that we have or to cover
the entire subject, all details.
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Actually, I just
told my audiences--
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I just mentioned here and there
some Old Testament backgrounds.
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But if you go and
search for yourself,
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you can see just
for one background
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that we refer to here you can
find 10 and more backgrounds.
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So we are not just dealing here
with an accidental reference
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or one just a
text, sporadic text.
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We are dealing such with
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overwhelming
scriptural evidences
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and tools for the understanding
of this difficult text.
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But, you know, sometimes
for us we do not have time.
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We are busy people.
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We have to
provide for our living.
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And we don't have time
to go and to be engaged
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in detailed biblical studies.
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So sometimes we need some tools.
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I need tools.
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I have thousand of
books there in my library.
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I have to consult there.
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But I would like to suggest to
you one tool which is actually
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"Revelation of Jesus Christ."
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It's a commentary written by me.
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And everything what we
are studying here actually
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you can find everything
here and much, much more.
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So I'd like to encourage
you once this presentation
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is over that you
turn to the pages
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that I will always indicate
and that you can continue
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to study and to
study in much deeper sense,
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in much deeper way.
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So our topic today,
our presentation today,
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our study today is
based on the pages from 298
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on until the very
end of the chapter.
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So from page 298 and on, okay.
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Let us one more
time remind ourselves
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what we have
been talking so far.
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We are dealing
with seven trumpets
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of the Book of Revelation.
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And we saw in our
last presentations
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that actually before
the trumpets are blown
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by the angels--
you remember that?
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That in chapter 8
we have an interlude
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inserted between verses 2 and 6.
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Interlude in the Book
of Revelation is usually
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for the purpose to
provide some explanation,
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some additional information
on the vision that follows.
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You'll find it very often.
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Let me remind you that before
we studied the seven seals,
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we saw the
interlude of chapters 4 and 5.
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Finally, we
realize what the seals
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are all about after
understanding chapter 5.
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And as we go through
the Book of Revelation,
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we will always come
in need those interludes.
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So that interlude
that we studied told us
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that actually the seven trumpets
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somehow are associated with
the prayers of God's people.
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On the base of book of
Numbers chapter 10:8-10,
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we saw the Old
Testament background telling us
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that the trumpets in
ancient Israel were associated
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with people to remind
God of His covenant promises
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given to His people.
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So that interlude is telling
us that actually the trumpets,
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okay, are blown and
those events associated
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with the trumpets were
actually God's response
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to the prayers of His
people against the enemies
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those who harm
them, persecuted them,
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and oppress them,
those who are enemies
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of God of His
people and the gospel.
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So one more time let's
keep in mind as we are dealing
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with trumpets, that the
trumpets are God's judgments
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on those who are
rebellious against God.
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And I know, we as
Christians, we are hesitant
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to talk about the judgment.
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But please, let's not forget,
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that the judgment in
the Book of Revelation
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is a part of the gospel.
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In order for God to save
His people from their enemies,
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He first has to deal with
the enemies of His people.
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That was in the Old Testament.
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It was the case
in the New Testament.
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And this is what we have
here in the Book of Revelation.
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So I want to remind you
what we mentioned before,
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that actually
trumpets there run in pairs.
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So the first two trumpets,
we saw that they herald
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the judgment against those
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who crucify Christ
and who were responsible
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for the persecution
of the early church.
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So we're
dealing with the leaders
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of the Jewish nation
and the Roman Empire.
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Now, we're going
to the 3rd trumpet.
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And I'd like to ask
you to open your Bibles
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and let us read the verse
10, actually verses 10 and 11,
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yeah, Revelation 8:10, 11.
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"The third angel sounded.
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And a great star
fell from heaven.
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Burning like a torch.
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And it fell on the
third of the rivers
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and on the springs of waters."
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Can I stop here for a while?
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You'll notice,
starting with the first trumpet
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and second trumpet the
third trumpet going all up
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to the sixth trumpet,
that it always affects
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one-third of the
earth and humanity.
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One-third in the
Book of Revelation,
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it's a part of Satan's kingdom.
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When we come to the end
of the Book of Revelation,
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we will see the end
time power called Babylon.
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Babylon consists of
3 parts of the dragon,
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of the first beast,
and the second beast.
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When they're
united we have a Babylon.
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Then we come to the end
of Revelation chapter 16
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where we have the fall
of Babylon and it says,
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"And the Babylon
split into 3 parts."
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What does it mean?
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Babylon is made of 3 parts,
that's what makes Babylon.
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When Babylon is split
into 3 parts what does it mean?
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There is no Babylon any longer.
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So one-third is always
part of Satan's kingdom.
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And notice that all the
trumpets they affect one-third.
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By the way, when we go
the seals, seals always deal
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with one-fourth
because one-fourth
00:10:01.03\00:10:04.37
is a part
allotted to God's people.
00:10:04.40\00:10:07.02
So we have to keep
in mind that symbolism
00:10:07.05\00:10:09.18
as I told you
there are so many details
00:10:09.21\00:10:11.42
that sometimes skip
from my mind to mention it.
00:10:11.45\00:10:14.82
But I know as you go deeper
into study of the word of God
00:10:14.85\00:10:17.72
with tools available to you,
you'll find all those details.
00:10:17.75\00:10:21.36
But just to mention it. Okay.
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So he said "The third
of the angels sounded.
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And a great star
fell from heaven.
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Burning like a torch.
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And it fell on the
third of the rivers
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and on the springs of waters.
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The name of the
star is called Wormwood.
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And a third of the
waters became Wormwood.
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And many men
died from the waters
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because they were made bitter."
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Oh, boy, we have now
here a very strange symbolism.
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What do we have here in
the scene of the third trumpet?
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We have here a great star. Okay.
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One more time let's--I'm
sorry I skipped. Okay.
00:11:06.37\00:11:11.50
Let's back one
more time to chapter 8.
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We have here a great
star that fell from heaven.
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It's very interesting concept
is because a third of the waters
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becomes bitter
causing people to die.
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By the way, if we go both
to the Old and New Testament,
00:11:31.78\00:11:35.75
and I have here
many references for that.
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We'll find always the
stars they symbolize angels.
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For instance we read in
the book of Job chapter 38:7
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that when God created the earth,
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all the stars of
heaven were rejoicing.
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If you take any
commentators every body agrees
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that it
actually it's a reference
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to the heavenly angels there.
00:11:58.77\00:12:00.86
So now the question
is, we're not dealing here
00:12:00.89\00:12:03.59
with ordinary
star, ordinary angel.
00:12:03.62\00:12:08.32
We are dealing here with--let's
go back, a great star.
00:12:08.35\00:12:12.59
So it's telling us that this
is not just an ordinary angel.
00:12:12.62\00:12:17.03
Okay, it's a great
star falling from heaven.
00:12:17.06\00:12:20.02
But may I ask you something,
00:12:20.05\00:12:21.42
when you read about the
great star falling from heaven
00:12:21.45\00:12:26.06
what does
suddenly come to our mind?
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Of course, you cannot miss.
00:12:27.80\00:12:29.99
It's actually,
Isaiah chapter 14.
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Okay, verse 12 to 15.
00:12:35.12\00:12:37.28
By using this
expression John assumed
00:12:37.31\00:12:39.39
that his readers
use the Old Testament.
00:12:39.42\00:12:41.67
And you cannot
skip it from mind.
00:12:41.70\00:12:43.27
Let's read
Isaiah chapter 14:12-15.
00:12:43.30\00:12:48.63
"How you have fallen from
heaven O star of the morning.
00:12:48.66\00:12:52.85
Son of dawn, you have
been cut down to the earth.
00:12:52.88\00:12:56.34
You who have
weakened the nations.
00:12:56.37\00:12:59.68
But you said in your heart.
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.17
'I will ascend to
heaven, I will raise my thrown
00:13:02.20\00:13:05.95
above the stars of God.
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.54
And I will sit on
the mount of Assembly
00:13:08.57\00:13:13.06
in the recesses of the north.
00:13:13.09\00:13:15.72
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds.
00:13:15.75\00:13:19.86
I will make myself
like the most high.'
00:13:19.89\00:13:23.35
Nevertheless, you
will be thrust down
00:13:23.38\00:13:26.15
to sheol to the
recesses of pit."
00:13:26.18\00:13:30.06
So we have evidently
the solution of one symbol
00:13:30.09\00:13:35.50
that some people find
difficult to understand.
00:13:35.53\00:13:37.72
This star is
actually nobody else
00:13:37.75\00:13:41.93
but Satan himself,
okay, this great star.
00:13:41.96\00:13:48.09
But you will notice that
the falling of this star, okay,
00:13:48.12\00:13:55.46
on the rivers and
the springs of water
00:13:55.49\00:13:59.50
makes the waters bitter.
00:13:59.53\00:14:01.37
Did you notice it?
00:14:01.40\00:14:04.02
And because of that
John names these star how?
00:14:04.05\00:14:09.35
Wormwood. "And a
third of the waters
00:14:09.38\00:14:11.96
became Wormwood
and many men died
00:14:11.99\00:14:15.71
from the waters
because they were made bitter."
00:14:15.74\00:14:20.11
So the star is
named as a wormwood,
00:14:20.14\00:14:22.13
a herb notorious
for its bitterness
00:14:22.16\00:14:25.34
and poisonous
qualities in the Old Testament.
00:14:25.37\00:14:27.93
If you want for
your studies you can read
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.06
about that for instance
in Deuteronomy chapter 29:18.
00:14:30.09\00:14:35.42
You see the worm
star-- the wormwood star turns
00:14:35.45\00:14:39.02
the waters bitters
causing many to die.
00:14:39.05\00:14:43.22
At this moment we
have to turn to one text.
00:14:43.25\00:14:46.42
It's in the book of
Jeremiah where Jeremiah
00:14:46.45\00:14:50.77
talks about the
people of Israel.
00:14:50.80\00:14:52.92
It's very important text
00:14:52.95\00:14:54.44
is the background
for the third trumpet.
00:14:54.47\00:14:58.50
When Israel turned away
from God and spun the covenant.
00:14:58.53\00:15:02.94
They were given wormwood to
eat and poison water to drink.
00:15:02.97\00:15:06.91
Let us read this text.
00:15:06.94\00:15:08.31
Let us read this text.
00:15:08.34\00:15:09.71
Jeremiah
9:13-15. "The Lord said,
00:15:09.74\00:15:14.82
'Because they have forsaken
my law which I set before them
00:15:14.85\00:15:19.65
and have not obeyed my voice
nor walked according to it.
00:15:19.68\00:15:25.26
But have walked
after the stubbornness
00:15:25.29\00:15:27.27
of their heart
and after the Baals.
00:15:27.30\00:15:30.60
And their Father, taught them.'
00:15:30.63\00:15:33.99
Therefore thus
save the Lord of hosts.
00:15:34.02\00:15:35.82
The God of Israel.
00:15:35.85\00:15:37.45
'Behold I will
feed them, this people,
00:15:37.48\00:15:40.64
with wormwood and give
them poisoned water to drink.'"
00:15:40.67\00:15:45.86
You can see
strong parallels between
00:15:45.89\00:15:48.86
this prophecy of
Jeremiah and the scene
00:15:48.89\00:15:52.79
of the third trumpets.
00:15:52.82\00:15:55.57
Okay, let's go little further.
00:15:55.60\00:15:58.17
The rivers and
the springs of water
00:15:58.20\00:16:01.58
symbolize spiritual
nourishment, the word of God,
00:16:01.61\00:16:05.97
the salvation for
spiritually thirsty people.
00:16:06.00\00:16:11.40
Both in the Old
and the New Testament
00:16:11.43\00:16:13.16
you will find how
many times water symbolizes
00:16:13.19\00:16:16.85
the spiritual nourishment.
00:16:16.88\00:16:18.51
By the way, Jesus made that call
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.71
in gospel of
John chapter 7, okay,
00:16:20.74\00:16:25.37
"who is thirsty
let him come to me.
00:16:25.40\00:16:28.86
And drinks and who
drinks out the death water out
00:16:28.89\00:16:31.68
of his belly the
water of life will run out."
00:16:31.71\00:16:36.32
In the book of
Revelation, at the very end
00:16:36.35\00:16:38.34
of the book of Revelation,
we get a call come and drink
00:16:38.37\00:16:42.42
from that water of life.
00:16:42.45\00:16:44.86
However, what we have
here is that Satan term
00:16:44.89\00:16:48.98
the spiritual
nourishment of the salvation
00:16:49.01\00:16:52.36
that God gives to
people, he turned into wormwood
00:16:52.39\00:16:56.36
from using false teachings
and the traditions of man.
00:16:56.39\00:17:00.74
The scene of the third
trumpet shows Satan polluting
00:17:00.77\00:17:04.00
the springs of
streams of truth and salvation
00:17:04.03\00:17:07.00
with human teaching causing them
00:17:07.03\00:17:09.81
to have a
poisonous and deadly effect.
00:17:09.84\00:17:14.99
So how can we
apply the third trumpet?
00:17:15.02\00:17:19.22
There is only one way that.
00:17:19.25\00:17:21.89
Evidently the
second trumpet concerned
00:17:21.92\00:17:25.41
the collapse of
the Roman Empire. Okay.
00:17:25.44\00:17:29.50
So the third trumpet
comes after the second trumpet.
00:17:29.53\00:17:33.63
So it has to come after the
collapse of the Roman Empire.
00:17:33.66\00:17:37.53
And the what a better picture
00:17:37.56\00:17:41.52
to describe the dark middle ages
00:17:41.55\00:17:44.88
that followed the
collapse of the Roman Empire
00:17:44.91\00:17:47.57
and what happened
in the Christian church
00:17:47.60\00:17:50.66
when Christianity replaced
those--that running water
00:17:50.69\00:17:55.24
of salvation turn
it into something else,
00:17:55.27\00:18:01.51
polluted that
water with the apostasy,
00:18:01.54\00:18:05.67
false teachers,
perverted gospel,
00:18:05.70\00:18:09.86
introducing the false
teaching in the church?
00:18:09.89\00:18:12.57
By the way, this is
exactly the language that Paul
00:18:12.60\00:18:16.75
used in the Book of Acts chapter
20:26-41 to tell the Ephesians
00:18:16.78\00:18:23.36
how one day in their midst
they will those false teachers
00:18:23.39\00:18:29.16
who will pervert the
clear teaching of the gospel.
00:18:29.19\00:18:32.76
In 2 Timothy 4:3, 4
Paul is using the language--
00:18:32.79\00:18:37.41
the same language there.
00:18:37.44\00:18:39.56
In 2 Thessalonians
2:1-12, Paul predicted about
00:18:39.59\00:18:45.02
the great apostasy that will
come into the Christian church,
00:18:45.05\00:18:48.97
that will spread and last throw
00:18:49.00\00:18:51.32
the history of
the Christian Church.
00:18:51.35\00:18:52.93
And actually this apostasy
will be brought to the end
00:18:52.96\00:18:55.72
by the second coming of Christ.
00:18:55.75\00:18:59.27
See after the
collapse of the Roman Empire,
00:18:59.30\00:19:02.91
the world was plunged into the
period of the dark middle ages.
00:19:02.94\00:19:09.35
During this period,
mainstream Christianity departed
00:19:09.38\00:19:13.05
from the apostolic
gospel and perverted
00:19:13.08\00:19:16.23
the teaching of the gospel.
00:19:16.26\00:19:18.63
Let me remind you that
this period is portrayed
00:19:18.66\00:19:21.39
in the messages
of seven churches
00:19:21.42\00:19:22.90
as the period of
the church of that era.
00:19:22.93\00:19:26.05
You remember that?
00:19:26.08\00:19:27.84
Actually, it s also
reflected in the fourth seal.
00:19:27.87\00:19:31.37
You remember that?
00:19:31.40\00:19:32.77
You see how all this visions
they have something in common
00:19:32.80\00:19:37.12
when they are talking
about the same period.
00:19:37.15\00:19:41.74
It was during that time
that corrupted doctrines crept
00:19:41.77\00:19:45.37
into the
Christian church replacing
00:19:45.40\00:19:48.88
the Bible simply with tradition.
00:19:48.91\00:19:52.00
The Bible was not
consulted, simply the tradition
00:19:52.03\00:19:55.14
and also the scholastic
arguments and teachings.
00:19:55.17\00:19:59.58
The gospel truth was
polluted and perverted
00:19:59.61\00:20:03.16
into system of
dogmas, believe me,
00:20:03.19\00:20:06.38
with the devastating effects.
00:20:06.41\00:20:08.88
The institutional church
promoted sinful practices
00:20:08.91\00:20:13.82
that are contrary to the Bible.
00:20:13.85\00:20:16.38
And I just want
to tell you today
00:20:16.41\00:20:18.18
if you want to be
politically correct,
00:20:18.21\00:20:20.62
you're not
supposed to talk about that.
00:20:20.65\00:20:23.35
But I'm sorry, my friends,
I want to tell our viewers
00:20:23.38\00:20:27.06
we cannot cover the
truth what happened.
00:20:27.09\00:20:30.41
We believe that even
during those times God
00:20:30.44\00:20:33.31
God has his people and
some prominent church leaders
00:20:33.34\00:20:38.33
even during the time
they tried to ask the question
00:20:38.36\00:20:41.25
what is going with my church.
00:20:41.28\00:20:44.05
But we cannot cover it in
order to be politically correct.
00:20:44.08\00:20:47.40
Therefore, the third trumpet
00:20:47.43\00:20:49.85
describes the medieval
apostasy and its consequences.
00:20:49.88\00:20:54.78
The spiritual
death of many drank
00:20:54.81\00:20:57.32
from its polluted
and poisonous water.
00:20:57.35\00:21:00.77
You see what people do
there are consequences.
00:21:00.80\00:21:05.09
And this is what the
third trumpet is all about.
00:21:05.12\00:21:11.25
But keep in mind we mentioned
00:21:11.28\00:21:12.74
that the trumpets
they run in pairs.
00:21:12.77\00:21:14.97
So let us go to
the fourth trumpet
00:21:15.00\00:21:17.03
because the fourth
trumpet actually builds
00:21:17.06\00:21:18.91
on the third and says-- verse 12
00:21:18.94\00:21:22.35
and 13 of chapter 8 of
the Book of Revelation.
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.50
"The fourth angel
sounded, and a third of the sun
00:21:25.53\00:21:28.71
and a third of the moon
and a third of the stars
00:21:28.74\00:21:31.54
were struck, so
that a third of them
00:21:31.57\00:21:34.51
would be darkened and day would
not shine for a third of it."
00:21:34.54\00:21:38.67
Do you see one third constantly?
00:21:38.70\00:21:41.94
"And the night in the
same way and then I looked.
00:21:41.97\00:21:44.49
And I heard and
eagle flying in midheaven,
00:21:44.52\00:21:47.33
saying with a loud voice."
00:21:47.36\00:21:49.51
If this is terrible.
00:21:49.54\00:21:50.91
"'Woe. Woe. Woe.
00:21:50.94\00:21:52.31
To those who dwell on the earth
00:21:52.34\00:21:53.71
because of the
remaining blasts of trumpets
00:21:53.74\00:21:56.10
of the three angels
who are about to sound.'"
00:21:56.13\00:21:58.96
The fourth trumpet is not
too much difficult to interpret.
00:21:58.99\00:22:02.05
Because we already
dealt with terminology
00:22:02.08\00:22:06.48
and the symbolism that
is actually found here.
00:22:06.51\00:22:10.03
What do you have
here is the plague
00:22:10.06\00:22:12.53
of the four trumpets strikes
a third of the sun, moon,
00:22:12.56\00:22:16.26
and stars causing darkness
on the third of the earth.
00:22:16.29\00:22:20.71
And of course, this scene
evokes the ninth plague in Egypt
00:22:20.74\00:22:24.80
which brought
darkness up on the land.
00:22:24.83\00:22:28.46
Actually, I would like
to refer to several passages
00:22:28.49\00:22:32.81
that show how actually darkness
00:22:32.84\00:22:35.04
is the symbol of
the divine judgment
00:22:35.07\00:22:37.27
and we read in Isaiah
13:9-12 where it says,
00:22:37.30\00:22:42.64
"Behold the day of
the Lord is coming, cruel,
00:22:42.67\00:22:45.37
with fury and burning anger,
to make the land a desolation.
00:22:45.40\00:22:49.77
And he will
exterminate its sinners from it.
00:22:49.80\00:22:53.31
For the stars of heaven
and their constellations
00:22:53.34\00:22:56.43
will not flash
forth their light.
00:22:56.46\00:22:58.93
The sun will be
dark when it rises
00:22:58.96\00:23:01.38
and the moon will
not shed its light.
00:23:01.41\00:23:03.73
Thus I will punish
the world for its evil
00:23:03.76\00:23:06.36
and the wicked
for their iniquity.
00:23:06.39\00:23:09.28
I will also put an
end to the arrogance
00:23:09.31\00:23:11.88
of the proud and abase the
haughtiness of the ruthless.
00:23:11.91\00:23:15.56
I will make mortal
man scarcer than pure gold
00:23:15.59\00:23:19.73
and mankind than
the gold of Ophir."
00:23:19.76\00:23:23.71
Okay, we see here how actually,
00:23:23.74\00:23:25.90
how the darkness
symbolizes God's judgment
00:23:25.93\00:23:28.78
when people depart from God,
00:23:28.81\00:23:31.01
when they rebel against God,
00:23:31.04\00:23:32.94
when they wanted to
teach God the consequences.
00:23:32.97\00:23:35.52
And this consequences
portrayed in terms of darkness.
00:23:35.55\00:23:40.69
By the way,
darkness is the symbol
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.66
of judgment and
apostasy-- I would like to read
00:23:42.69\00:23:45.43
another text Micah 3:6.
00:23:45.46\00:23:48.65
"Therefore, it will
be the night for you,
00:23:48.68\00:23:50.72
without vision, and darkness
for you without divination.
00:23:50.75\00:23:55.54
The sun will go down on
the prophets and the day
00:23:55.57\00:23:59.47
will become dark over them."
00:23:59.50\00:24:01.18
Do you see that
here how darkness is used
00:24:01.21\00:24:04.22
symbolically for the
shortage of God's revelation,
00:24:04.25\00:24:08.23
for the shortage of the word
of God of God to the people.
00:24:08.26\00:24:13.23
So it's actually
used symbolically.
00:24:13.26\00:24:15.68
In Colossians 1:13,
Paul talks about the light
00:24:15.71\00:24:21.18
because light is
opposite of darkness.
00:24:21.21\00:24:24.10
He said "For he rescued us
from the domain of darkness
00:24:24.13\00:24:27.90
and transferred us to the
kingdom of his beloved son."
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.40
When we turned
from darkness to God
00:24:31.43\00:24:34.40
then we pass from
that dark to the light,
00:24:34.43\00:24:38.33
to the light of the gospel.
00:24:38.36\00:24:39.88
John 8:12, "Then Jesus
again spoke to them saying,
00:24:39.91\00:24:45.28
"I'm the light of the world.
00:24:45.31\00:24:47.57
He who follows me will
not walk in the darkness,
00:24:47.60\00:24:51.41
but will have
the light of life."
00:24:51.44\00:24:54.53
And then again John 12:46,
00:24:54.56\00:24:58.26
"I have come as light to
the world so that everyone
00:24:58.29\00:25:02.19
who believes in me will
not remain in darkness."
00:25:02.22\00:25:05.54
I believe I can
stop at this moment.
00:25:05.57\00:25:07.83
What is the
fourth trumpet about?
00:25:07.86\00:25:13.03
We saw in the third
trumpet what people did?
00:25:13.06\00:25:16.45
They rejected those
fresh waters of the gospel.
00:25:16.48\00:25:20.40
What happened?
00:25:20.43\00:25:22.47
They received
wormwood to drink--that bitter.
00:25:22.50\00:25:27.79
The fourth trumpet you remember
00:25:27.82\00:25:29.41
that trumpets run in pairs?
00:25:29.44\00:25:31.57
Actually, it really describes
the deepening condition
00:25:31.60\00:25:35.98
in the Christian
world after the middle ages.
00:25:36.01\00:25:41.73
Okay, when people
reject light, what happens?
00:25:41.76\00:25:45.66
The dark comes.
00:25:45.69\00:25:48.44
It's God's judgment.
00:25:48.47\00:25:49.84
This is exactly what Jesus
states in gospel of John 3:19.
00:25:49.87\00:25:55.42
"This is the judgment that the
light has come into the world.
00:25:55.45\00:26:00.20
And men loved the
darkness rather than the light
00:26:00.23\00:26:03.58
for their deeds where evil."
00:26:03.61\00:26:09.17
So we see actually what the
fourth trumpet is all about.
00:26:09.41\00:26:14.67
So if you talk
about the period history
00:26:14.70\00:26:18.24
that follows the
dark Middle Ages,
00:26:18.27\00:26:21.76
what period of
history are we talking about?
00:26:21.79\00:26:23.92
What is the light
that people rejected
00:26:23.95\00:26:27.97
so the dark embraced them?
00:26:28.00\00:26:30.30
By the way, after
the dark Middle Ages,
00:26:30.33\00:26:32.68
the reformation came.
00:26:32.71\00:26:36.17
The pure gospel
message was discovered.
00:26:36.20\00:26:41.25
The reformation made the
end of the church dominance
00:26:41.28\00:26:46.01
with the tradition and bringing
00:26:46.04\00:26:50.72
the people the
light of the gospel.
00:26:50.75\00:26:55.05
Actually, the
reformation brought to the end
00:26:55.08\00:26:58.53
that dark of the Middle Ages.
00:26:58.56\00:27:03.24
However, very
soon as the reformers
00:27:03.27\00:27:08.39
disappeared from the
scene, their followers
00:27:08.42\00:27:12.59
did not follow into
the light of the gospel.
00:27:12.62\00:27:17.56
Instead of going
deeper study of the gospel,
00:27:17.59\00:27:22.30
what did they do?
00:27:22.33\00:27:24.21
They started being involved
in scholastic arguments,
00:27:24.24\00:27:29.29
into the fighting,
religion became a more matter
00:27:29.32\00:27:34.38
of a membership than
of studying the Bible
00:27:34.41\00:27:39.04
and the everything
resulted into appearance
00:27:39.07\00:27:42.85
of so called the
age of enlightenment
00:27:42.88\00:27:45.94
and the age of reason that
finally ended the dominance
00:27:45.97\00:27:50.64
of the Christian
faith in the western world.
00:27:50.67\00:27:55.22
You see, when
people rejected the gospel,
00:27:55.25\00:27:57.53
did not stay with the gospel,
00:27:57.56\00:28:00.04
suddenly we have a
new trend people decided
00:28:00.07\00:28:02.79
to break up with
the Christian religion.
00:28:02.82\00:28:08.41
In such situation led
to the rise of rationalism,
00:28:08.44\00:28:12.76
skepticism, humanism,
liberalism that ultimately
00:28:12.79\00:28:20.04
gave the birth of secularism.
00:28:20.07\00:28:21.96
Please, I want to
explain something.
00:28:21.99\00:28:24.77
Secularism has
many positive elements.
00:28:24.80\00:28:28.80
Secularism made
impact on science,
00:28:28.83\00:28:32.93
politics,
religious liberty, education.
00:28:32.96\00:28:38.42
And we enjoy here in continent
the result of secularism.
00:28:38.45\00:28:43.55
Are you still with me?
00:28:43.58\00:28:45.51
However, with its
materialistic orientation,
00:28:45.54\00:28:49.67
denial of
everything that is supernatural
00:28:49.70\00:28:53.76
and together
with--in association
00:28:53.79\00:28:57.48
with skepticism
towards faith of any kind,
00:28:57.51\00:29:01.15
Secularism
replaces the authority
00:29:01.18\00:29:03.52
of the Bible and Christian
faith with the human reason.
00:29:03.55\00:29:06.82
So the Bible is
not norm any longer.
00:29:06.85\00:29:09.96
It's the matter of
what I feel that it is good
00:29:09.99\00:29:12.84
and what I think
that it is correct.
00:29:12.87\00:29:15.60
So the negative
aspect of secularism
00:29:15.63\00:29:18.75
gradually
eroded Christian faith.
00:29:18.78\00:29:22.46
The Christian faded and robbed
00:29:22.49\00:29:25.08
millions of people of
the hope of salvation.
00:29:25.11\00:29:28.91
So the fourth trumpet might
as be understood as describing
00:29:28.94\00:29:32.12
the darkening of the spiritual
sources of the true light
00:29:32.15\00:29:36.16
under the prevailing
influence of secularism.
00:29:36.19\00:29:40.43
And this effect of
the fourth trumpet plague
00:29:40.46\00:29:43.15
is only partial in
effect. Praise God.
00:29:43.18\00:29:46.87
It's not universal--because
the salvation is still possible.
00:29:46.90\00:29:51.51
You see, together with all
those isms that we mentioned
00:29:51.54\00:29:55.19
we have the establishment
of the Bible society
00:29:55.22\00:29:57.41
making the Bible
available to everybody
00:29:57.44\00:30:00.55
at a daily wage
that people could buy it.
00:30:00.58\00:30:03.17
So praise God.
00:30:03.20\00:30:04.84
The darkening of
the spiritual sources
00:30:04.87\00:30:06.95
of the fourth
trumpet is just partial.
00:30:06.98\00:30:11.31
So the third
and fourth trumpets,
00:30:11.34\00:30:13.56
they run in pairs.
00:30:13.59\00:30:15.03
Now you're coming
to the fifth trumpet.
00:30:15.06\00:30:18.88
And I would like you now to
turn to Revelation chapter 9.
00:30:18.91\00:30:25.11
And we are going to verse
1. Boy, it's a long passage.
00:30:25.14\00:30:31.28
Okay, I hope that you'll
be able to read this text.
00:30:31.31\00:30:35.73
But keep in mind
the introduction,
00:30:35.76\00:30:38.05
"Woe, woe to the
inhabitants of the world.
00:30:38.08\00:30:41.04
What is now
coming to this earth--
00:30:41.07\00:30:43.30
so the fifth and sixth
trumpets are very frightening?
00:30:43.33\00:30:47.86
So we read, "Then
the fifth angels sounded,
00:30:47.89\00:30:50.23
and I saw a star from heaven
which had fallen to the earth.
00:30:50.26\00:30:54.89
And the key of the bottomless
pit was given to him."
00:30:54.92\00:31:00.78
Can I stop while?
00:31:00.81\00:31:02.87
Again, we've a
star fallen from heaven.
00:31:02.90\00:31:08.38
So we're dealing with the
same star of the third trumpet.
00:31:08.41\00:31:10.83
Are you still with me?
00:31:10.86\00:31:12.23
So we're not far from there--
we're dealing here with Satan.
00:31:12.26\00:31:15.47
And it says "The
Satan was given the key
00:31:15.50\00:31:19.63
of the abyss or
the bottomless pit.
00:31:19.66\00:31:23.65
And smoke went up out of the pit
00:31:23.68\00:31:26.35
like the smoke
of a great furnace.
00:31:26.38\00:31:29.26
And the sun and
the air where darkened
00:31:29.29\00:31:32.10
by the smoke of the pit.
00:31:32.13\00:31:34.42
Then out of the smoke
came locusts up on the earth
00:31:34.45\00:31:37.81
and the power was
given them as a scorpions
00:31:37.84\00:31:40.68
of the earth that
they have a power.
00:31:40.71\00:31:43.24
They were told not to
hurt the grass of the earth
00:31:43.27\00:31:48.12
nor any green
thing nor any tree,
00:31:48.15\00:31:51.86
but only the men who do not have
00:31:51.89\00:31:55.48
the seal of God
up on the foreheads."
00:31:55.51\00:32:00.02
Let me stop here at this point.
00:32:00.05\00:32:04.06
We saw already who and
what the star is all about.
00:32:04.09\00:32:10.42
It's evidently Satan.
00:32:10.45\00:32:12.63
And here in the
symbolic presentation,
00:32:12.66\00:32:14.23
Satan was given the key.
00:32:14.26\00:32:17.15
Okay, when I came here
to 3ABN, I was given a key.
00:32:17.18\00:32:21.63
It means that I have
right to unlock that room
00:32:21.66\00:32:24.97
when I want to enter
there and lock when I want.
00:32:25.00\00:32:28.64
So it symbolizes actually
00:32:28.67\00:32:30.77
I am authorized
to enter the room.
00:32:30.80\00:32:33.21
So with that key we
have a symbolic reference
00:32:33.24\00:32:36.13
that Satan is now
authorized to unlock
00:32:36.16\00:32:39.32
the abyss or the bottomless pit.
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.87
What are we talking here about?
00:32:41.90\00:32:45.97
Both in the Bible and
the Jewish tradition, okay,
00:32:46.00\00:32:50.83
the abyss or the bottomless pit
is the abode, the dwelling place
00:32:50.86\00:32:56.89
or the prison
place of the demons,
00:32:56.92\00:32:59.50
those fallen angels who
rebelled with Satan against God.
00:32:59.53\00:33:05.07
By the way, I would like
you if you can turn with me
00:33:05.10\00:33:08.57
to Luke 10:17-21.
00:33:08.60\00:33:16.40
You know this event
that "The seventy disciples
00:33:16.43\00:33:18.88
returned with joy to Jesus
saying, 'Lord even the demons
00:33:18.91\00:33:23.43
are subject to us in your
name.' And He said to them.
00:33:23.46\00:33:27.47
'I was watching Satan,
00:33:27.50\00:33:29.40
fall from
heaven like lightening.
00:33:29.43\00:33:31.88
Behold I have
given you authority
00:33:31.91\00:33:34.71
to tread on
serpents and scorpions
00:33:34.74\00:33:37.74
and over all the
power of the enemy.
00:33:37.77\00:33:40.41
And nothing will injure you.'"
00:33:40.44\00:33:43.55
You will notice here
that the falling Satan
00:33:43.58\00:33:46.75
from heaven is connected
with the snake and scorpions
00:33:46.78\00:33:51.40
that are actually
mentioned here in the text.
00:33:51.43\00:33:54.39
Please I would
like to invite you
00:33:54.42\00:33:56.32
that we read
further here in this text
00:33:56.35\00:34:00.27
that we just stopped the
description of this trumpet.
00:34:00.30\00:34:04.70
And it says, in
verse 4-- in verse 5.
00:34:04.73\00:34:09.36
"And they were not
permitted to kill anyone
00:34:09.39\00:34:12.90
but to torment for five months.
00:34:12.93\00:34:14.81
And the torment was like
the torment of a scorpion
00:34:14.84\00:34:17.99
when it stings a man.
00:34:18.02\00:34:19.80
In those days
men will seek death
00:34:19.83\00:34:22.95
and will not find it.
They will long to die.
00:34:22.98\00:34:25.76
And death will flee from them.
00:34:25.79\00:34:28.95
The appearance of the locusts
00:34:28.98\00:34:30.53
was like horses
prepared for that battle.
00:34:30.56\00:34:33.37
And on their heads
appear to be crowns like gold
00:34:33.40\00:34:37.14
and the faces were
like the faces of men.
00:34:37.17\00:34:40.72
They had hair the hair of woman
00:34:40.75\00:34:44.22
and teeth were
like the teeth of lions.
00:34:44.25\00:34:47.68
They had breastplates
the breastplates of iron
00:34:47.71\00:34:51.31
and the sound of the wings
was like the sound of chariots
00:34:51.34\00:34:55.37
of many horses
rushing to battle.
00:34:55.40\00:34:58.61
They have tails
like scorpion and stings
00:34:58.64\00:35:01.93
and the tails is the power
to hurt man for five months.
00:35:01.96\00:35:06.76
They have a skin over them.
00:35:06.79\00:35:08.89
The angel of the abyss
his name in Hebrew is Abaddon.
00:35:08.92\00:35:13.87
And then in the greek
he has the name Apollyon.
00:35:13.90\00:35:17.31
The first woe is past.
00:35:17.34\00:35:19.98
Behold two woes are still
coming after this things."
00:35:20.01\00:35:24.06
Boy, this is terrifying scene.
00:35:24.09\00:35:26.81
So what are you
talking here about?
00:35:26.84\00:35:30.28
What do we have here?
00:35:30.31\00:35:33.93
Satan unlocks the abyss.
00:35:33.96\00:35:40.52
When he unlocks the
abyss, what's the going on?
00:35:40.55\00:35:44.14
Suddenly a huge
smoke-- did you notice--
00:35:44.17\00:35:47.54
a huge smoke is
coming out of the abyss.
00:35:47.57\00:35:51.63
But as John
looks little bit closer
00:35:51.66\00:35:54.37
this is not really smoke.
00:35:54.40\00:35:57.14
This smoke is made of
locusts coming out of the abyss.
00:35:57.17\00:36:04.23
What are you talking about?
00:36:04.26\00:36:06.18
Friends, this is
not ordinary locusts.
00:36:06.21\00:36:09.29
We have here the demonic
force that are unleashed.
00:36:09.32\00:36:12.92
How do you know that?
00:36:12.95\00:36:14.32
If you look to Luke
8:31-- you remember this event
00:36:14.35\00:36:20.04
when Jesus healed that
demon possessed person.
00:36:20.07\00:36:24.14
"And Jesus asked that
demon 'What is your name?'
00:36:24.17\00:36:27.85
And he said 'Legion.' For
many demons had entered him.
00:36:27.88\00:36:33.37
And those demons
were imploring Jesus
00:36:33.40\00:36:38.00
not to command to go
away into the abyss."
00:36:38.03\00:36:43.52
Who is in the abyss? The demons.
00:36:46.25\00:36:48.72
In 2 Peter 2:4
00:36:48.75\00:36:51.67
we read "For if God
did not spare angels
00:36:51.70\00:36:56.46
when they sinned.
00:36:56.49\00:36:58.12
But cast them into
hell and committed them
00:36:58.15\00:37:01.30
to pits of darkness
reserved for judgment."
00:37:01.33\00:37:06.15
We can see here actually,
that those, fallen angels
00:37:06.18\00:37:09.64
who rebelled with God
00:37:09.67\00:37:11.68
they were cast
down here to the earth
00:37:11.71\00:37:14.49
and the abyss the place
00:37:14.52\00:37:17.05
where those
angels are imprisoned.
00:37:17.08\00:37:19.03
It means they cannot
leave the planet earth
00:37:19.06\00:37:22.10
anymore to go there
into the heavenly places.
00:37:22.13\00:37:27.52
So there is
something here the same.
00:37:27.55\00:37:30.66
That Satan is
given the authority
00:37:30.69\00:37:34.03
to unlock-- open the abyss
00:37:34.06\00:37:37.20
and to let those demonic horse
the demonic forces to come out
00:37:37.23\00:37:44.13
and to harm the human beings.
00:37:44.16\00:37:48.44
And I want now to show to you
00:37:48.47\00:37:50.96
how in describing
these demonic locusts
00:37:50.99\00:37:55.62
actually John
utilizes the language
00:37:55.65\00:37:57.90
from the Old Testament,
in particular, the prophecy
00:37:57.93\00:38:02.26
from the Book of Joel 2:2. 11.
00:38:02.29\00:38:07.70
You'll see this is
a very long passage.
00:38:07.73\00:38:10.01
So please we will not
read the entire passage
00:38:10.04\00:38:12.28
I hope you will
read for yourself.
00:38:12.31\00:38:13.68
But let me just take
few details from this texts
00:38:13.71\00:38:17.68
that you see how actually
00:38:17.71\00:38:20.14
the portrayal of
this demonic locusts
00:38:20.17\00:38:22.42
is done after this
prophecy from Joel.
00:38:22.45\00:38:25.61
First one,
first aspect of death.
00:38:25.64\00:38:28.75
Joel says, "A day
of darkness and gloom."
00:38:28.78\00:38:31.89
Keep in mind that the
locusts invading Pastestine,
00:38:31.92\00:38:35.38
they created darkness there.
00:38:35.41\00:38:37.10
You see the same
here in the fifth trumpet.
00:38:37.13\00:38:39.59
Say that "A day of
clouds and thick darkness
00:38:39.62\00:38:43.16
as the dawn is
spread over the mountains.
00:38:43.19\00:38:45.91
So there is
great and mighty people
00:38:45.94\00:38:48.80
there has never
been anything like it
00:38:48.83\00:38:50.99
nor will there be again after it
00:38:51.02\00:38:53.46
to the years of
many generations.
00:38:53.49\00:38:55.77
A fire consumed before them.
And behind them a flame burns.
00:38:55.80\00:39:00.31
The lamb is like the
Garden of Eden before them.
00:39:00.34\00:39:03.70
But desolate
wilderness behind them.
00:39:03.73\00:39:06.30
And nothing at
all is escapes them."
00:39:06.33\00:39:09.65
Now look at this.
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.05
"The appearance is like
the appearance of horses.
00:39:11.08\00:39:14.30
And like war
horses, so they run.
00:39:14.33\00:39:17.07
With noise of chariots they leap
on the top of the mountains."
00:39:17.10\00:39:21.00
Verse 6, "Before them
then people are in anguish
00:39:21.03\00:39:24.21
or faces firm pale.
00:39:24.24\00:39:26.12
They run like a mighty man
00:39:26.15\00:39:27.67
they climb the
wall like soldiers.
00:39:27.70\00:39:30.46
And they each march in line
00:39:30.49\00:39:32.89
nor do they
deviate from their path."
00:39:32.92\00:39:35.49
Verse 9, "They rush on the
city, they run on the walls."
00:39:35.52\00:39:39.43
Verse 10, "Before
them the earth quakes.
00:39:39.46\00:39:42.68
The heavens tremble.
00:39:42.71\00:39:44.26
The sun and moon grow dark
and stars loose the brightness."
00:39:44.29\00:39:48.96
You can see just in this text.
00:39:48.99\00:39:51.25
What the Joel
does here he portrays
00:39:51.28\00:39:54.25
God's judgment of the
land in terms of locusts.
00:39:54.28\00:39:58.75
Joel refers to
the literal locusts
00:39:58.78\00:40:02.11
but he portrays them
as people, as horses,
00:40:02.14\00:40:05.25
as an army
destroying the land completely.
00:40:05.28\00:40:09.65
So John, the revelator
00:40:09.68\00:40:11.61
and the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
00:40:11.64\00:40:14.17
he takes this portrayal of
locusts in the Book of Joel
00:40:14.20\00:40:18.01
to describe
this demonic locusts,
00:40:18.04\00:40:21.20
okay, in the scene of
the fifth trumpet here
00:40:21.23\00:40:25.82
what we have there.
00:40:26.90\00:40:28.44
You will notice here that
John is telling us something,
00:40:28.47\00:40:33.08
few things just to
pay to pay attention.
00:40:33.11\00:40:35.89
That actually this
locusts they harm people.
00:40:35.92\00:40:40.28
How do they inflict people?
00:40:40.31\00:40:42.38
It says with the tails because
the tail is like of scorpion.
00:40:42.41\00:40:50.33
It's very interesting.
00:40:50.36\00:40:51.73
They're harming
people with tails.
00:40:51.76\00:40:53.96
Keep in mind that
00:40:53.99\00:40:55.36
the Book of
Revelation is the symbolic book.
00:40:55.39\00:40:57.40
And I would like to ask you
00:40:57.43\00:40:58.80
that you turn to the
Book of Isaiah 9:14, 15
00:40:58.83\00:41:06.17
and they read something
very interesting there.
00:41:06.20\00:41:09.00
So Isaiah 9:14, 15.
00:41:09.03\00:41:13.40
"So the lords cuts off
head and tails from Israel.
00:41:13.43\00:41:17.62
Both palm branch and
bulrush in single day.
00:41:17.65\00:41:23.55
The head is the
elder and honorable man
00:41:23.58\00:41:27.80
and the prophet could
teach us falsehood is the tail."
00:41:27.83\00:41:34.32
We have here the key
00:41:34.35\00:41:35.77
for the
understanding of these tails.
00:41:35.80\00:41:37.78
It's associated
with false prophets,
00:41:37.81\00:41:40.60
and their false teachings.
00:41:40.63\00:41:42.65
So what do these
demonic locusts are doing?
00:41:42.68\00:41:49.15
What are they
doing with the people?
00:41:49.18\00:41:51.27
You see we are dealing
here with false teachings.
00:41:51.30\00:41:55.27
We are dealing something
00:41:55.30\00:41:56.67
that is contrary to the
preaching of the gospel.
00:41:56.70\00:42:02.52
These demonic
locusts of the fifth trumpet
00:42:02.55\00:42:05.70
they obliterate the
light of the gospel.
00:42:05.73\00:42:08.78
They're replacing it with
rationalism, human philosophies
00:42:08.81\00:42:13.01
that can become the
ultimate stand of the truth.
00:42:13.04\00:42:15.54
We saw it in the fourth trumpet.
00:42:15.57\00:42:18.11
So with the fifth trumpet,
00:42:18.14\00:42:19.51
we actually have he deepening
of the spiritual crisis
00:42:19.54\00:42:23.24
that came into the world
00:42:23.27\00:42:26.66
in the aftermath
of the reformation
00:42:26.69\00:42:30.70
with the appearance of
rationalism, secularism,
00:42:30.73\00:42:34.09
and all those human
philosophies is here.
00:42:34.12\00:42:37.91
So now we have the
consequences of that.
00:42:37.94\00:42:41.66
And the suffering of the
people by this demonic locusts,
00:42:41.69\00:42:46.57
okay, in the
western world some how
00:42:46.60\00:42:50.39
in the period of the
17, 18 and 19 centuries.
00:42:50.42\00:42:57.25
Okay, the period allotted
to these demonic locusts
00:42:57.28\00:43:01.31
to torment people is
five months, 150 days.
00:43:01.34\00:43:06.58
Unfortunately, the
biblical interpreters,
00:43:06.61\00:43:09.83
they have hard time
with these time elements.
00:43:09.86\00:43:13.89
And now I will leave
this time element very open.
00:43:13.92\00:43:19.43
But I would
like us one more time
00:43:19.46\00:43:22.59
that we go to the Old Testament.
00:43:22.62\00:43:25.13
And you will something
notice that five months period
00:43:25.16\00:43:29.55
is found in the
Book of Genesis 7:24,
00:43:29.58\00:43:35.50
telling us that this
was the period of the flood
00:43:35.53\00:43:38.36
during which Noah and his family
00:43:38.39\00:43:41.16
were under the divine protection
00:43:41.19\00:43:43.25
and that flood
waters could not harm them.
00:43:43.28\00:43:47.85
"As with Noah and his family
00:43:47.88\00:43:50.33
so will be with God's people
00:43:50.36\00:43:51.98
who will be
protected during this period."
00:43:52.01\00:43:54.76
Did you notice here?
00:43:54.79\00:43:56.16
I would like you to
pay special attention
00:43:56.19\00:43:58.70
to something that
is very important.
00:43:58.73\00:44:01.30
It's verse 4, verse
4 is very significant.
00:44:01.33\00:44:05.59
Actually, let's read 3 and 4.
00:44:05.62\00:44:08.09
" Then out of the smoke
came locusts up on the earth
00:44:08.12\00:44:11.31
and the power was given
them as a scorpions of the earth
00:44:11.34\00:44:15.43
that they have a power.
00:44:15.46\00:44:17.18
They were told not to hurt
00:44:17.21\00:44:19.40
the grass of the
earth nor any green thing."
00:44:19.43\00:44:23.17
Do you remember
the grass green thing?
00:44:23.20\00:44:26.25
It's symbol of God's people.
00:44:26.28\00:44:27.78
But here in this texts John
even explains to us telling us
00:44:27.81\00:44:33.08
what the symbol of the
grass and thing--green thing is.
00:44:33.11\00:44:37.17
Verse 4 one more time.
00:44:37.20\00:44:39.33
"They were told not to
hurt the grass of the earth
00:44:39.36\00:44:43.75
nor any green thing not any tree
00:44:43.78\00:44:47.29
but only the man who do not have
00:44:47.32\00:44:50.48
the seal of God
on their foreheads."
00:44:50.51\00:44:54.55
Here we have the clue.
00:44:54.58\00:44:57.08
If they are harming the people
00:44:57.11\00:44:59.09
who do not have the
seal of God on the foreheads,
00:44:59.12\00:45:02.84
but they cannot harm the grass
00:45:02.87\00:45:06.82
the tree and green things.
00:45:06.85\00:45:10.45
So this is the symbol of those
00:45:10.48\00:45:12.89
who have the seal of
God up on their foreheads.
00:45:12.92\00:45:16.48
You can see here
that God's people
00:45:16.51\00:45:18.87
during this time are protected,
00:45:18.90\00:45:21.37
protected from
these demonic forces.
00:45:21.40\00:45:24.79
They cannot actually harm them.
00:45:24.82\00:45:27.51
Verse 5, "They were not
permitted to kill any one
00:45:27.54\00:45:35.41
but only to torment them."
00:45:35.44\00:45:39.09
Friends, we are not dealing
here with some military invasion
00:45:39.12\00:45:44.93
that some Christians
they try to interpret this.
00:45:44.96\00:45:48.46
Some people try
to apply it to Turkey
00:45:48.49\00:45:50.97
and to Arabic tribes
who were killing Christians.
00:45:51.00\00:45:55.05
There is no killing here.
00:45:55.08\00:45:56.72
We are dealing
about demonic forces.
00:45:56.75\00:46:00.29
They do not kill
anybody. What are they doing?
00:46:00.32\00:46:03.82
They are simply
tormenting people,
00:46:03.85\00:46:08.22
those who do not
have the seal of God
00:46:08.25\00:46:12.32
because God's people are
protected during those times.
00:46:12.35\00:46:17.03
So what better description
00:46:17.06\00:46:19.51
of the period in human history
00:46:22.61\00:46:25.52
following the
age of enlightenment
00:46:25.55\00:46:29.19
which was characterized
by the rise of rationalism,
00:46:29.22\00:46:33.68
skepticism, humanism,
00:46:33.71\00:46:37.75
relativism and liberalism.
00:46:37.78\00:46:41.79
This ultimately
gave rise to secularism
00:46:41.82\00:46:45.27
and its negative
effects on Christianity.
00:46:45.30\00:46:49.37
You see God-centered theology
was replaced by atheistic
00:46:49.40\00:46:54.80
human-centered philosophy
00:46:54.83\00:46:57.43
which does not
have any room for God.
00:46:57.46\00:47:00.35
This atheistic philosophy
has alienated people from God
00:47:00.38\00:47:05.01
and alienated
people from each other.
00:47:05.04\00:47:08.64
Okay, thus creating in them
00:47:08.67\00:47:10.83
the agony of
emptiness and meaningless.
00:47:10.86\00:47:16.08
So keep in mind
that according to Jesus--
00:47:16.11\00:47:18.48
you remember, when
demon leaves the human heart
00:47:18.51\00:47:22.17
if that heart is empty
the demon will come back.
00:47:22.20\00:47:25.08
Keep in mind that human
life's they cannot be empty.
00:47:25.11\00:47:28.27
The human beings are looking for
something to fill that emptiness
00:47:28.30\00:47:33.57
and this gives
the occasion to Satan
00:47:33.60\00:47:36.36
and to his demonic
forces to fill that emptiness.
00:47:36.39\00:47:41.61
People do not
believe into supernaturalism
00:47:41.64\00:47:45.60
but they turn to superstition.
00:47:45.63\00:47:49.13
Okay, even though
people separated from God
00:47:49.16\00:47:52.44
they have a
longing for the values
00:47:52.47\00:47:55.77
to fill that
emptiness in their lives.
00:47:55.80\00:48:00.00
It will be the
good occasion for Satan
00:48:00.03\00:48:03.45
for the demonic forces to come
to try to fill that emptiness
00:48:03.48\00:48:09.18
that was created by
the absence of the gospel.
00:48:09.21\00:48:14.02
At this point
I'll just stop here
00:48:14.05\00:48:18.81
and go to one text
in the Old Testament
00:48:18.84\00:48:21.64
to the Book of Amos.
00:48:21.67\00:48:23.16
Because if you
really want to understand
00:48:23.19\00:48:25.75
the full effect
of the fifth seal,
00:48:25.78\00:48:28.76
we have to go the sixth seal
00:48:28.79\00:48:30.60
because the sixth
seal it's in continuation
00:48:30.63\00:48:33.85
and the deepening of
that condition in the world
00:48:33.88\00:48:37.69
harmed by those demonic forces.
00:48:37.72\00:48:39.97
By the way, if we go
to the Book of Amos 6:12,
00:48:40.00\00:48:45.51
you will see now how we
have a great illustration
00:48:45.54\00:48:48.66
what is going on.
00:48:48.69\00:48:50.24
Amos, said, "When Israel
turned justice into poison
00:48:50.27\00:48:57.37
and the fruit of
righteousness into wormwood,
00:48:57.40\00:49:01.27
God brought swarms of
locusts upon their land."
00:49:01.30\00:49:05.72
Are you still with me?
00:49:05.75\00:49:07.12
We saw in the fourth trumpet
00:49:07.15\00:49:10.31
that people rejected the truth
turning it into wormwood into--
00:49:10.34\00:49:16.47
those sweet water of the gospel
they turn into the bitterness.
00:49:16.50\00:49:22.47
And now we have
in the fifth trumpet
00:49:22.50\00:49:25.28
the demonic locusts are now
coming to harm the humanity.
00:49:25.31\00:49:31.70
The only
security for the humanity
00:49:31.73\00:49:34.31
is found in
Christ and the gospel.
00:49:34.34\00:49:37.52
Any religion apart from Christ
00:49:37.55\00:49:39.51
including one that is
based simply on the emotions
00:49:39.54\00:49:43.23
does not supply
the needs of the world.
00:49:43.26\00:49:46.52
What secular people need today
00:49:46.55\00:49:49.91
is the clear
understanding of the gospel
00:49:49.94\00:49:52.99
which alone can fill
the emptiness in the lives
00:49:53.02\00:49:56.41
and protect
them from the torment
00:49:56.44\00:49:58.13
caused by the
supernatural forces.
00:49:58.16\00:50:01.11
But now John ends this
scene. One war is over.
00:50:01.14\00:50:05.88
And if you think
that it is terrible,
00:50:05.91\00:50:08.32
just wait to see what
the next war will bring.
00:50:08.35\00:50:12.97
At this point we are now
turning to the sixth trumpet,
00:50:13.00\00:50:17.52
okay, to the sixth trumpet.
00:50:17.55\00:50:19.79
And we read
about this in verse 13.
00:50:19.82\00:50:23.72
So please I hope
you will now join me
00:50:23.75\00:50:27.11
and to find out what is here.
00:50:27.14\00:50:30.91
John watches further.
00:50:30.94\00:50:32.53
Keep in mind the trumpets
00:50:32.56\00:50:34.67
they run in pairs
you remember that?
00:50:34.70\00:50:38.65
Always the next one
explains the previous one.
00:50:38.68\00:50:43.06
And it says, "Then
the sixth angels sounded.
00:50:43.09\00:50:46.51
And I heard a voice
00:50:46.54\00:50:48.68
from the four
horns of the golden altar
00:50:48.71\00:50:51.95
which is before God.
00:50:51.98\00:50:54.30
One saying to the sixth
angel who has the trumpet.
00:50:54.33\00:50:57.96
'Release the four angels
00:50:57.99\00:51:00.17
who are bound at the
great river Euphrates.'
00:51:00.20\00:51:04.18
And the four angels
who have been prepared
00:51:04.21\00:51:06.69
for the hour and day and
month and year were released
00:51:06.72\00:51:11.29
so that they would
kill a third of mankind.
00:51:11.32\00:51:15.10
The number of the armies
00:51:15.13\00:51:16.50
of the horsemen was
two hundred million.
00:51:16.53\00:51:20.13
And I heard the number."
00:51:20.16\00:51:22.45
I would like to
stop here for a moment.
00:51:22.48\00:51:25.03
Please can you
help me something?
00:51:25.06\00:51:27.70
The four angels,
they're restraining
00:51:27.73\00:51:33.29
the forces to harm people.
00:51:33.32\00:51:37.07
Now they're given the order
00:51:37.10\00:51:40.30
release and go
and harm the people.
00:51:40.33\00:51:44.82
And then suddenly John hears
00:51:44.85\00:51:49.25
the army that
will go to harm people
00:51:49.28\00:51:52.08
and their number
is-- how many are there?
00:51:52.11\00:51:56.44
Two hundred million.
00:51:56.47\00:51:57.97
And now there is an expression,
00:51:58.00\00:51:59.78
I heard their number.
00:51:59.81\00:52:02.19
Is there another text
in the Book of Revelation
00:52:02.22\00:52:04.66
that suddenly come to
your mind as we read this?
00:52:04.69\00:52:09.67
It's Revelation Chapter 7.
00:52:09.70\00:52:12.41
that's the reason we
suggest that this sixth trumpets
00:52:12.44\00:52:19.30
and the Revelation 7 describes
the same time period in history
00:52:19.33\00:52:27.08
because these
angels here are related
00:52:27.11\00:52:29.84
to those four
angels of chapter 7.
00:52:29.87\00:52:32.81
And keep in mind
that only in Revelation 7
00:52:32.84\00:52:37.68
and here in Revelation 10:16,
00:52:37.71\00:52:41.83
John uses the expression
and "I heard their number."
00:52:41.86\00:52:47.99
So while in Revelation Chapter 7
00:52:48.02\00:52:50.92
we have God's sealed
people who are protected
00:52:50.95\00:52:57.46
as the church militant are ready
to enter into that final war,
00:52:57.49\00:53:04.77
here Satan is marking
and sealing his own army
00:53:04.80\00:53:10.75
and their number is great
here, two hundred millions.
00:53:10.78\00:53:17.13
So we are dealing here
really with the preparation
00:53:17.16\00:53:21.36
for the battle of Armageddon.
00:53:21.39\00:53:24.40
I would like to point here
00:53:24.43\00:53:25.80
something that
is very significant.
00:53:25.83\00:53:28.46
You will notice
here that these angels
00:53:28.49\00:53:30.96
are seen at the river Euphrates.
00:53:30.99\00:53:34.69
Do you see it? Do you see that?
00:53:34.72\00:53:36.26
By the way, we will come later
in the Book of Revelation 16
00:53:36.29\00:53:44.25
and we will see
that the river Euphrates
00:53:44.28\00:53:46.70
is associated there with
the battle of Armageddon.
00:53:46.73\00:53:50.53
So when you
study this text here,
00:53:50.56\00:53:54.44
and when you see those
connections in chapter 7
00:53:54.47\00:53:58.61
and now when you see
00:53:58.64\00:54:00.01
the connections
with Revelations 16
00:54:00.04\00:54:03.01
then we get much clear
picture what this is all about?
00:54:03.04\00:54:08.70
The sixth trumpet actually
builds on the fifth trumpet.
00:54:08.73\00:54:13.95
So we have the extensive
00:54:13.98\00:54:17.00
and intensive activities
of the demonic forces.
00:54:17.03\00:54:21.60
Human beings are unhappy.
00:54:21.63\00:54:24.00
They are lost.
There is a vacuum.
00:54:24.03\00:54:25.51
There is emptiness in
their hearts. You can read.
00:54:25.54\00:54:30.87
You can watch
many religious programs
00:54:30.90\00:54:35.58
and they say, you know,
00:54:35.61\00:54:37.98
that the modern
man and the woman
00:54:38.01\00:54:42.34
does not
believe in supernatural.
00:54:42.37\00:54:44.76
These are the consequences
of age of enlightenment.
00:54:44.79\00:54:47.62
But they say the time is coming.
00:54:47.65\00:54:49.65
I listen some of the programs,
00:54:49.68\00:54:51.07
the time is coming that one day
00:54:51.10\00:54:54.03
there will be in the world
supernatural things to happen.
00:54:54.06\00:54:58.50
And this is how those people
who deny supernatural things
00:54:58.53\00:55:03.08
finally will be
brought to the conclusion
00:55:03.11\00:55:10.35
that there are
supernatural things
00:55:10.38\00:55:12.62
to take place in the world.
00:55:12.65\00:55:14.34
And according to
the Book of Revelation
00:55:14.37\00:55:16.37
these will indeed
lead to that final battle
00:55:16.40\00:55:19.97
in the history of the humanity
00:55:20.00\00:55:22.14
known as the
battle of Armageddon.
00:55:22.17\00:55:24.42
By the way, when we
go to the Old Testament,
00:55:24.45\00:55:29.46
we can see that
the river Euphrates
00:55:29.49\00:55:33.32
is actually a symbol
that marked the division
00:55:33.35\00:55:38.88
between God's people of
Israel and their enemies.
00:55:38.91\00:55:42.21
Actually, probably,
the best text is Isaiah 8:7
00:55:42.24\00:55:46.91
and the many other
texts I can mention here is.
00:55:46.94\00:55:50.15
We read in Isaiah 8:7-8.
00:55:50.18\00:55:53.76
"Now therefore, behold,
00:55:53.79\00:55:55.37
the Lord is
about to bring on them
00:55:55.40\00:55:58.15
the strong and abundant
waters of the Euphrates.
00:55:58.18\00:56:01.49
Even the king of
Assyria and all his glory.
00:56:01.52\00:56:04.82
And it will rise up
over all its channels
00:56:04.85\00:56:08.01
and go over all its banks.
00:56:08.04\00:56:10.16
Then it will
sweep on into Judah.
00:56:10.19\00:56:12.52
It will overflow
and pass through,
00:56:12.55\00:56:14.86
it will reach even to the
neck and spread of its wings
00:56:14.89\00:56:18.62
will fill the breadth
of your land, O Immanuel."
00:56:18.65\00:56:23.82
Actually, friends,
what we're dealing here
00:56:23.85\00:56:26.82
is that the sixth
trumpet actually brings us
00:56:26.85\00:56:30.01
to the very time of the end
00:56:30.04\00:56:32.53
before the
second coming of Christ.
00:56:32.56\00:56:36.08
The human beings
have rejected God
00:56:36.11\00:56:39.36
and now there are
consequences of that.
00:56:39.39\00:56:43.12
By bringing us to
the very time of the end
00:56:43.15\00:56:46.45
before the
second coming of Christ,
00:56:46.48\00:56:48.00
the Bible is telling
us that the whole world
00:56:48.03\00:56:51.18
finally will be
included and involved
00:56:51.21\00:56:53.82
in that final war
against God and the gospel.
00:56:53.85\00:56:58.99
But praise God the
sealed people of God
00:56:59.02\00:57:03.49
will not be harmed
by the demonic forces.
00:57:03.52\00:57:06.86
We don't have time now
to finish the sixth trumpet
00:57:06.89\00:57:10.77
but please, I'd like to
encourage you to join us
00:57:10.80\00:57:13.41
in the next presentation
00:57:13.44\00:57:14.98
because there is much more to
be said about the sixth trumpet.
00:57:15.01\00:57:20.36
We would like to see
what are the consequences
00:57:20.39\00:57:23.01
of that in which promise
God gives to God's people.
00:57:23.04\00:57:27.31
So please come
back and let us study
00:57:27.34\00:57:32.09
the word of God together.
00:57:32.12\00:57:34.67