Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000016
|
00:24 Welcome again to our program
00:27 titled "Revelation of the Coming King." 00:32 As you know that this program 00:33 is a part of a long series 26 programs 00:38 which we try to cover, 00:40 those major themes of the Book of Revelation. 00:45 And we already talked and you could notice 00:49 that sometimes it's frustrating, when you try in a short time 00:53 to cover such a complex book 00:55 and visions and the text of the Book of Revelation, 00:58 such short time. And praise God for that. 01:02 The purpose of this program is simply, 01:04 dear viewers, to stimulate your appetite 01:08 for the word of God. 01:10 Once this program is over, we like to encourage you to go 01:14 and to study the Book of Revelation for yourself. 01:18 And we can provide the good tool for you. 01:20 By the way, this is our text book. 01:23 It's infallible word of God. 01:25 When you follow the instructions of this book, 01:28 you can find here the answers 01:29 to many, many difficult parts of the Book of Revelation. 01:33 But we need also some other tools. 01:36 And all the lectures that we have here follow this book, 01:42 which is actually verse by verse 01:44 commentary on the Book of Revelation titled 01:47 "Revelation of Jesus Christ." 01:51 So as you know, every time I'm giving you 01:55 pages from this commentary that once this program is over, 01:58 you can go and continue to study for yourself. 02:01 So our lecture today is based 02:07 on the pages from 343, 343 02:13 going all up to 02:15 page 364, 364. 02:22 So we would like really to encourage you 02:23 that once this program is over 02:26 that you go and you continue to study for yourself. 02:30 Let me introduce myself, I am Ranko Stefanovic, 02:33 Professor at the Seventh-day Adventist 02:36 Theological Seminary, Andrews University. 02:40 And I am so thrilled to be here. 02:42 I want to express my deep gratitude to 3ABN, 02:46 making possible tape these series. 02:50 So that we can give you today the best insights 02:54 that we as the church have 02:55 and today's very, very important book 02:58 to our nation and to our destiny. 03:01 I am so glad to have the wonderful audience 03:03 and excellent crew here. 03:04 Actually, they are also part of my audience. 03:06 I see they are listening very carefully 03:08 what is presented here. 03:09 But you know above all, 03:11 we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 03:14 We can do all the best, 03:15 but without God's help, we are nothing. 03:19 It is He who inspired John in Patmos there 03:23 giving him these visions. 03:24 It is the Holy Spirit who can help us 03:27 in understanding of this difficult text of the Bible. 03:31 So I would like to ask you to bow your heads for prayer. 03:34 Our heavenly Father, 03:37 thank you so much for your guidance. 03:40 Thank you for your help. 03:42 Thank you for showing your care for us, 03:46 telling us about the things 03:47 that will happen in the last days, 03:50 before the coming of our savior Jesus Christ in power and glory. 03:55 For we are asking this moment, as we are going to understand 04:00 one of the easy chapter of the Book of Revelation, 04:03 please give us your Holy Spirit and open our minds 04:06 that we can get understanding of this text 04:10 which is according to our will. 04:12 We pray all of this in the precious name 04:15 of our savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. 04:20 Last time, we saw in the conclusion of chapter 10, 04:28 a special experience that John had in the vision. 04:34 John is usually a passive observer. 04:38 But there are several times in the Book of Revelation, 04:40 when he is an active participant. 04:45 In the conclusion of Chapter 10 verses 8:11, 04:48 we see John actively participating 04:51 there in the vision. Do you remember that? 04:53 He was given like he was actually requested 04:55 to go there to that angel, 04:57 who was holding that little scroll telling him 04:59 "Take the scroll and eat it." 05:03 I hope that our viewers understand 05:06 that the entire vision is symbolical. 05:09 You don't eat papyrus scroll. It has a symbolical meaning. 05:13 If this is symbolic, also John and his action 05:18 of taking the scroll and eating it, 05:20 it must be symbolic. 05:22 So the entire vision, the setting of which 05:27 is between the sixth and the seventh trumpet 05:31 is actually telling us about the future 05:33 from John's perspective about the time. 05:36 When there will be Christians who like to understand 05:40 those sealed prophecies of the Book of Daniel. 05:45 They will take those prophecies and digest them. 05:50 It'll be so sweet in the mouth as honey. 05:54 But once they digest it, 05:57 they identify themselves with that message 05:59 and they try to share 06:01 that message to the hostile world. 06:03 They will experience the bitter aspect of that message 06:08 because of the persecution 06:09 and what they will experience in the world. 06:12 I hope that we are keeping this mind 06:13 because the vision moves on. 06:17 You know so many times, when we are studying the Bible 06:22 and I see so many times 06:23 the readers of the Bible did not understand 06:26 that when the Bible was originally written, 06:29 the inspired authors did not divide 06:32 into the Bible into chapters and verses. 06:35 And so many times, 06:36 we'll limit our study just one chapter forgetting, 06:39 okay, that the text continues in the following chapter. 06:43 This is exactly what we have here. 06:45 John did not make a line 06:47 dividing the vision into two parts. 06:49 That's what we are doing this because of convenience, 06:53 so that we can much easier handle the biblical text. 06:58 So the vision goes on. 06:59 So please keep in mind 07:01 John is still a participant. Okay. 07:04 I would like you to turn 07:06 your Bibles to Revelation Chapter 11. 07:09 We are moving to the next chapter. 07:11 But keep in mind once again, this is the same vision 07:15 John is still participating there in the vision. Okay. 07:19 Chapter 11, verse 1 07:23 "Then" you see after that experience of eating the scroll 07:27 "there was given me a measuring rod like a staff, 07:33 and someone said, "Get up and measure 07:35 the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship it it." 07:43 Probably, you are now surprised. What is this all about? 07:48 What does it have with the previous experience of John, 07:51 when he pick up that scroll 07:53 and then he ate it and experiencing that sweet, 07:57 bitter affect of that scroll? 07:59 Now John was he given a measuring rod? 08:03 And he was commanded to measure the temple of God, 08:07 the altar and the worshippers. 08:09 Please I would like you to keep in mind, 08:12 the three things, John was supposed to measure. 08:15 What was that? 08:17 The temple of God, the altar and the worshippers. 08:23 There is one Old Testament text 08:27 that really helps us to understand 08:30 what this vision is all about. 08:33 There are more Old Testament texts 08:34 we will point to them little bit later. 08:38 But the prophet Ezekiel, centuries earlier, okay? 08:44 He had a very similar vision in participation like John. 08:50 I'm not read this text, 08:52 but I want to mention this text to encourage you 08:54 that you can go and delve into that text. 08:57 You know after this program is over. 08:59 It's actually the vision of prophet Ezekiel 09:02 and it is recorded it in the Book of Ezekiel 40:3 09:09 to Ezekiel 43:12. 09:14 Ezekiel saw the temple of God 09:19 and he was given a measuring rod to measure the temple. 09:23 Very similar to what we find here in Revelation 11. 09:28 What was the purpose 09:30 of measuring the temple in the book of Ezekiel? 09:33 You see the vision was a strong message 09:36 and assurance to God's people, 09:38 who were about to come out of the exile 09:42 to go back to Palestine, okay. 09:45 That God will restore the temple and the temple services. 09:50 So it was a strong assurance to God's people 09:53 there in the Promised Land. 09:55 So the rebuilding of the temple was God's attempt 10:00 to restore His relationships with the people. 10:05 That was with a purpose in Ezekiel. 10:06 So Ezekiel's vision gave us a clue 10:10 to the meaning of the measuring temple 10:13 in John's vision. 10:16 Let's go into depth to see this in details. 10:19 What is a temple here? 10:22 If you go to the New Testament, 10:24 you can find that the temple can mean several things. 10:28 Sometimes the temple stands as a symbol for the church. 10:32 And I can give you many verses. 10:35 By the way, I was reminded that sometimes 10:39 there are so many biblical evidences 10:42 and references that I should remind you to tell you 10:45 that you can find all those Bible references 10:47 in that commentary that I introduced in the beginning. 10:50 There is much more. 10:51 We don't mention just a few verses 10:53 here during this presentation. 10:54 You can find literally hundred and hundred 10:56 different bible references, okay. 11:00 So the symbol of the church, 11:02 however, the concept of the church 11:04 as the temple does not fit 11:06 into the context of Revelation Chapter 11. 11:09 Why not? 11:11 You will ask your question. 11:12 Keep in mind, that John was supposed to measure the temple, 11:17 what else? 11:18 The altar and those who worship in it. 11:21 Who are those who worship in it? That's the church. 11:24 So the temple cannot mean the church. 11:27 Are you still with me? 11:29 Second thing is, so believers are mentioned there, 11:31 the church is mentioned there. 11:35 Neither the temple in Jerusalem is in view 11:37 because the temple was destroyed about 20 years earlier. 11:43 There is only one understanding 11:46 that really fits the context of the Book of Revelation. 11:49 It's the heavenly temple, 11:50 the temple that is there in heaven. 11:54 By the way, when you study the Book of Revelation, 11:56 you can see that the Book of Revelation 12:00 is saturated with the references to the temple 12:04 and the articles of furniture there in the heavenly temple. 12:08 There is a temple there in heaven. 12:13 According to the New Testament, 12:14 and please we would need now a lot of time 12:17 to go just to some basic text of the New Testament, 12:21 especially, the Book of Hebrews its telling us 12:23 that there is there temple in heaven 12:25 where Jesus is doing His ministry 12:27 and intercession on behalf of His people. 12:31 So this is the temple in heaven there 12:33 that John was commanded to measure. 12:36 But what is the meaning of this measuring? 12:41 Keep in mind, this is related to what? 12:44 To John's eating of the scroll, okay. 12:48 This is section that follows John's previous experience. 12:53 Keep in mind, the three elements 12:55 are specially emphasized here to be measured. 12:58 What is that one more time? 12:59 The temple, the altar and the worshippers. 13:03 Actually, we have a number of excellent studies. 13:08 You can find all the references in the articles here, 13:10 in my commentary there that show that in the Old Testament 13:15 in association with the earthly temple 13:19 that was established in Jerusalem. 13:21 When these three entities are mentioned is the temple, 13:27 the altar and the worshippers. 13:29 These three entities are found only once together 13:34 with reference to the Day of Atonement. 13:40 Only once, okay. 13:44 So the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament 13:47 was the most solemn day of the Jewish sacred calendar. 13:51 It was day of measuring 13:54 or a judgment when God ultimately 13:58 had to deal with the sins of His people. 14:01 So the Old Testament Day of Atonement 14:05 is the backdrop for Revelation 11:1. 14:09 Anyway, you will notice here 14:11 that the keyword that is used here is 14:14 "Get up and measure the temple and the worshippers." 14:19 Keep in mind, the Book of Revelation 14:20 is a symbolic book. 14:24 In the Bible, the word measure can figuratively 14:31 be used and it's used frequently to evaluate or judge. 14:35 For instance, you can go to 2 Corinthians 10:12 14:40 where Paul is using that word to show 14:43 that actually to measure, it means to judge somebody. 14:48 In the Old Testament, the word is used 14:52 as a manner of deciding who will live and who will die. 14:56 Like in the case of David 15:01 or in the Book of Isaiah 65:7, 15:06 God measures His people it means 15:08 that He judges the sins of His people. 15:12 But I would like to invite you 15:15 that you turn with me to the gospel of Matthew 7:2, 15:20 gospel of Matthew 7:2. 15:23 And this is probably the classical text 15:26 that Jesus used, okay. 15:32 The word measure in order to show 15:34 that it really means judgment, okay. 15:37 Chapter 7 verse 2, 15:39 for in the--let's actually start with verse 1. 15:43 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged." 15:47 Keep in mind. What is in verse 1? 15:49 Don't judge so you will not be judged. 15:54 Did you see that? But let's go now to verse 2. 15:57 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged." 16:01 Repetition, but watch out. 16:04 "By your standard of measure" and as in Greek stated 16:11 "As the way you measure others, it will be measured to you." 16:17 Did you see that? 16:18 The way you judge, you will be judged. 16:21 The way you measure, you will be measured. 16:25 Actually, Jesus is using the word measure 16:28 or to measure as a synonym for to judge. 16:33 So what are you talking here about? 16:35 What is this measuring of the temple? 16:39 Of the altar and the worshippers all about? 16:45 It deals with the concept of judgment. 16:49 In the concept of judgment, 16:53 I would like to suggest to you, to the, readers. 16:55 We don't have time now to go into details of that. 16:58 According to the Bible and in the Book of Revelation, 17:00 this concept is so well emphasized 17:05 that prior to the second coming of Christ, 17:07 there is the so-called pre-advent judgment. 17:12 When people will be measured and on base of that measuring, 17:17 they will be decided who will enter the God's kingdom 17:22 and who will be left out. 17:26 Anyway, I would like to suggest to you 17:29 that this measuring that we have here 17:31 in the Revelation Chapter 11 parallels to Revelation 7:1, 3 17:38 which actually is equivalence for sealing. 17:41 You see those who are measured, okay, 17:45 at the same time sealed. 17:50 They belong to God's people 17:53 and that's why the great emphasis 17:56 is given as the central point 17:59 of the preaching of that everlasting gospel, 18:02 the first angel message, "Fear God and give Him glory 18:07 for the hour of His judgment has come." 18:14 Dear viewers, I just want to encourage you, 18:16 I'm here touching the surface. Please take all these tools. 18:20 There are many other commentaries. 18:21 They can help you that you study this topic more for self. 18:24 Believe me we can spend now several hours 18:26 just talking about this subject. 18:27 And I'm tempted to go into that, 18:29 but I see there that clock is running, 18:31 running too fast there. 18:33 But the main point of the entire vision is what? 18:37 Let's go back. 18:40 John ate the scroll, okay. 18:46 It was so sweet in his mouth, but it became bitter. 18:51 It is after eating the scroll 18:53 and experiencing that sweet bitter taste of that, 18:57 now, John was commanded, do you remember that? 18:59 What was he commanded? 19:01 In the last verse of chapter 10, 19:03 you still have to go to prophesy. 19:05 Prophesy, it's equivalent to preaching. 19:08 You still have to go to preach. 19:10 When you proclaim to the people about the future events, 19:13 you are prophesying. 19:15 But you see that proclamation of the gospel, 19:17 that prophesying, according to Revelation 11:1, 2 19:23 is given in the context 19:25 of the heavenly sanctuary of Christ's ministry. 19:29 What Jesus is doing there in the heavenly places 19:32 on behalf of human beings? 19:34 Actually, this verse is telling us 19:38 that the heavenly sanctuary and what is going there 19:43 has a great significance for God sovereignty. 19:48 During the history of sin on earth, 19:50 God's character as well as His governance 19:53 has been challenged by Satan. 19:56 However, the heavenly sanctuary 19:59 is the message to vindicate God's character 20:02 before the entire universe 20:04 and restore his rightful rule over universe. 20:08 And such it give us a new dimension 20:10 to the meaning of the gospel. 20:12 And the gospel message, that everlasting gospel 20:15 is supposed to be preached at the time of the end. 20:19 It gets a full significance and the meaning 20:21 in light of what Jesus Christ 20:24 is doing there in the heavenly places 20:28 on behalf of His people, 20:30 or supposed one day to enter His. 20:32 And I just want to tell you, viewers, 20:35 here there I have some people, 20:37 they question if the doctrine sanctuary? 20:40 It's really biblical. Believe me, it's biblical. 20:43 There are so many texts that we cannot mention it 20:46 and he's telling us that any gospel proclamation 20:50 done at the time of the end 20:52 must be done within the framework 20:54 of what Jesus is doing there on behalf of us 20:59 and ministering on behalf of us. 21:01 That work of intercession there in the heavenly sanctuary. 21:04 That's a beautiful message. 21:06 But you see the text goes on 21:09 and we read it and it says verse 2. 21:12 "Leave out the court 21:15 which is outside the temple and do not measure it." 21:19 Keep in mind, what was supposed to be measured? 21:23 The temple, the altar and the worshippers. 21:28 But suddenly John hears don't measure the court, 21:32 why not? 21:33 "For it has been given to the" my Bible says "To the nations." 21:40 Maybe, you, viewers, some of you have the text 21:43 that says it was given to the Gentiles. 21:45 I'll explain it just in few minutes. 21:48 "And they nations or Gentiles, they will tread under foot 21:55 the holy city for forty-two months." 22:00 Again, we have a difficult text that really seeks 22:03 a lot, lot attention that we haven't seen. 22:06 John was told what to measure 22:09 but he was told what not to measure 22:14 and it was the court. 22:16 Actually, in Jerusalem temple, 22:29 the outside court was in front there of the temple. 22:36 You know, it was in that court 22:38 that there was the altar of sacrifice. 22:40 By the way, in the first century, 22:43 while the Jerusalem temple still stood 22:45 and John knew it very, very well 22:46 that was the only place, Jerusalem temple, 22:50 where the Gentiles could come 22:54 if anybody would like to go to the next court 22:58 which was called the court of the Israelite. 23:00 There was a huge inscription there 23:02 that any Gentile who would dare to go to pass through his gate 23:07 will be responsible for his own death. 23:09 So the Gentiles were allowed to be 23:11 only in the outer court. 23:14 By the way, we'll come to Revelation Chapter 22. 23:18 Once the sin is abolished, 23:21 finally the Gentiles will have free access to God, okay. 23:25 But we have here some very interesting prophesy. 23:29 By the way, let me mention here that the word, 23:32 the keyword here that is used 23:38 is the word ethne. 23:43 What does come to your mind? The word ethic, okay. 23:49 Actually the word simply means nations. 23:53 It's a plural. 23:54 If you replace this with s, 23:57 you have ethnos which means a nation, okay. 24:02 You know, the entire concept comes from the Old Testament. 24:04 You have Israel and you have the nations. 24:09 You have Israel and then you have the nations. 24:13 And in the New Testament times, 24:15 the word for nations actually is understood 24:18 today in English as the Gentiles. 24:20 It means all those who are not God's people, okay. 24:26 So God's people and everybody and everybody else. 24:31 You will notice here that the text says 24:34 that that outer court where Gentiles were present, 24:37 the nations were present. 24:38 It was not supposed to be measured. 24:40 Why not? 24:41 Because it was given to the Gentiles. 24:44 For how long? For how long? 24:46 If you go to verse 2, it says, "It was given for 42 months." 24:50 Do you remember, we just-- 24:51 we mentioned in our last presentations 24:53 that 42 months is one of the several time designations 24:58 in the prophecies of Daniel revelation 25:00 which is 1,260 days? 25:03 Time, two times and half a time and similar, okay. 25:09 Sometimes, they all mean the same period. 25:13 The period of the middle Ages 25:15 that His wrath rightly counted from the year 538 AD 25:19 until the events of French Revolution 1798. 25:23 You see, it says that the court 25:25 which actually stands as a symbol for the earth. 25:29 Keep in mind, the earth was not supposed to be measured 25:32 only the heavenly temple 25:34 and the altar and the worshippers 25:35 because God's people are the ones, 25:38 who are worshipping there in the heavenly temple. 25:40 They are present there as Jesus ministers 25:42 on behalf of them, but the earth during that period 25:45 was not supposed to be measured. 25:47 Why not? 25:49 Because it says the holy city 25:51 and the court will be given to the nations Nations, 25:57 who are those nations? 25:58 By the way, in the Book of Revelation 26:01 nations are always those who are not God's people. 26:06 They are usually hostile to God and his people. 26:10 By the way, there is another expression 26:12 in the Book of Revelation that refers to them. 26:15 I just want to mention some text 26:16 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8 26:20 and 14, 17:2, etcetera, etcetera. 26:24 The expression that is used the inhabitant of the earth 26:28 or those who dwell on the earth. 26:31 You see God's people in the Book of Revelation 26:34 are always in the heavenly places. 26:36 They live here, but the existence is there, 26:41 with Jesus there in the heavenly sanctuary. 26:44 While everybody else is here on this earth, 26:48 but Jesus said don't measure the earth, why? 26:52 Because the holy city will be given to the nations 26:57 and they will trample over the city for 42 months. 27:02 The prophetic 1,260 days. 27:04 What is this all about? 27:06 Are you confused? 27:07 Of course. We're dealing very difficult text of the Bible, 27:10 but there is one text. 27:13 Why there is something that during these lectures, 27:16 we can understand is how much is important 27:19 to let the Bible interpret itself 27:21 rather than to use allegorical imagination 27:24 and find our ideas and read in the text. 27:28 Let's go to that text which is actually 27:31 the gospel of Luke Chapter 21. 27:34 The gospel of Luke 21:24. 27:41 You will notice that in chapter 21 there, 27:46 Jesus is about to die on the cross. 27:50 And He's dealing with rejection of Jerusalem 27:53 and the people who lived there. 27:56 Despite the fact, that Jesus did everything 27:59 to bring them back to God, okay. 28:01 And now Jesus is making that prophesy, okay, 28:06 with reference to Jerusalem which is evidently 28:08 the key to the understanding 28:11 what's going on in Revelation 11:2. 28:13 So the gospel of Luke 21:22, 28:17 Jesus said talking about destruction of Jerusalem, okay. 28:20 It says "And they will fall by the edge of the sword 28:23 and they will be led captive into all the nations." 28:27 Ethne, all nations, okay. 28:30 "And Jerusalem will be trampled under the foot by the Gentiles." 28:38 It's the same expression that is found in Revelation 11:2. 28:42 The Jerusalem will be trampled under the foot of the ethne, 28:48 under foot by the Gentiles. 28:51 Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 28:55 So Jesus talks about destruction of Jerusalem 28:58 and this destruction of Jerusalem would follow what? 29:02 Will follow one period. 29:05 Jesus talks about the times which must be fulfilled, 29:09 when the holy city Jerusalem would be trampled 29:12 under the foot of the Gentiles. 29:13 By the way, Jesus does not specifies 29:16 the length of this period. 29:19 He only says until the times are fulfilled. 29:23 Time given to the Gentiles are fulfilled. 29:25 But the Book of Revelation 11:2 specifies clearly that the time 29:30 allotted to those ethne is actually 42 months. 29:35 The prophetic period of 1,260 days. 29:41 Luke version is that actually Jesus 29:47 as He does in Matthew 24, are you still with me? 29:52 As Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem 29:57 at the same time, He takes Jerusalem as a foreshadow, 30:02 as a foretaste of the entire world will experience 30:07 in the future prior to the second coming of Christ. 30:09 That's why it's so difficult to read Matthew 24, 30:11 you don't know if Jesus talking about the Jerusalem 30:14 or He's talking about the entire world. 30:16 And the answer is yes. 30:19 Jesus talks primarily about Jerusalem, 30:22 but at the same time He uses Jerusalem as a symbol, 30:26 okay, of the entire world. 30:28 That's why it's so difficult to read Matthew 24. 30:31 The same happens here because this is the same speech 30:34 that Jesus made, but this detail Matthew does not record. 30:38 And Jesus says the Jerusalem will be destroyed 30:42 and after that it will be trampled 30:45 under the foot of the Gentiles for a certain period of time 30:50 which the Revelation has specified as 42 months. 30:53 So Jesus is moving from the literal city of Jerusalem 30:59 to its symbolic meaning with reference to the entire world. 31:05 Actually or specifically with reference 31:09 to God's faithful people, Luke questioned that actually. 31:12 This text from Luke 21 give us a clue 31:18 of what we read in the Revelation 11:2. 31:23 By the way, if you go to the Book of Daniel Chapter 7 31:28 and then we go to Book of Revelation Chapter 13, 31:31 whenever this period of 42 months, 31:35 1,260 days or time, two times and a half a time are mentioned. 31:41 There always one common dominator 31:44 and what is that? 31:45 It's the power of the anti-Christ. 31:47 That will be involved in the persecution of God's people, 31:51 so the holy city here in particular 31:54 is reference to God's people 31:56 who will be persecuted during certain period. 32:00 God says don't measure the earth. 32:04 It's given to the Gentiles. 32:05 They are already under the judgment of God. 32:08 They don't need to be measured in the pre-advent judgment 32:11 that is found in chapter 11 verse 2. 32:15 But here we have actually the explanation 32:19 about that bitter taste of that little scroll 32:25 and what God's people will experience 32:27 in this world that belong to God. 32:29 They are measured. 32:31 They are ready for God's kingdom, 32:33 but we have here an announcement 32:35 that is actually elaborated in detail in chapter 13 32:38 is that God's people will have to go 32:41 through a long period of the dark middle Ages. 32:45 Some of them will have to suffer martyrdom. 32:48 And not just for some. 32:50 Many, many of them. 32:53 But these texts give us the assurance 32:55 that nothing happens in this world without knowledge of God. 33:00 He is still in control. 33:02 Yes, God's people, they have to go through 33:06 certain period of trials. 33:09 Some of them, they really have to pay 33:10 their testimony witness to the gospel by martyrdom, 33:14 but God is still in control, God's people are provided 33:17 with assurance that their names are written there in heaven. 33:21 You remember what Jesus said don't be afraid 33:23 of those who just kill your body. 33:26 Be afraid of the one who can take your soul, 33:30 who can take you as whole as a person 33:33 and throw you there in hell. Praise God. 33:37 The Book of Revelation is not the book 33:38 about those rustic and bizarre events. 33:42 It's about God who cares about His people. 33:45 Yes, we have all those things that so many times, 33:48 they don't sound nice. 33:50 They are recorded in the Book of Revelation, 33:52 but not to make us afraid, to make us clear. 33:54 It just for a simply reason to produce assurance 33:58 that God is still with His people. 34:00 He'll always be present with them. 34:02 And whatever happens to God's people, 34:04 He's still in control. 34:06 We can trust our God. 34:08 And that's why, we will come more to this concept, 34:12 when we come to Revelation Chapter 13 34:14 because the trampling of the holy city 34:16 during the period of 42 months or 1,260 days. 34:20 It's really explained in more details in Revelation 13:1-10. 34:25 And we will deal with that 34:27 when we come to Revelation Chapter 13. 34:30 Now the text moves on and it says, verse 3, 34:37 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses. 34:42 And they will prophesy 34:44 for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth." 34:48 Let me ask you something. 34:50 Did you notice something, a common expression 34:54 that ties the two verses, verse 2 and verse 3? 34:59 What is that that ties the two verses together? 35:05 It's the same time period. 35:08 Did you notice it? 35:09 In verse 2, we have the holy city 35:13 will be trampled under the foot 35:18 of the Gentiles for 42 months. 35:21 But during the same period, we have two witnesses 35:28 that will carry the testimony on behalf of the gospel, 35:32 during the period or 1,260 days they are clothed in sackcloth. 35:36 Do you see that? We are dealing with the same period. 35:41 Friends, did you notice something? 35:44 This is what amazes me about the Book of Revelation. 35:45 How so many times we are eager to focus 35:48 on something that the Book of Revelation 35:50 shows an insignificant to be distracted 35:55 from something that is very significant. 35:57 You see, we have just one verse, 35:59 it's telling us during this prophetic period 36:03 there'll be severe persecution of God's people. 36:05 That's what Gentiles will be doing. 36:07 This is what Satan will be doing during this period. 36:10 But go all from verse 3 until the end of chapter, 36:15 actually, to verse 14, its talks about 36:18 what God is doing during this period. 36:20 He's sending His witnesses who will have to carry the witness, 36:26 carry the witness to the gospel is. 36:32 Really, the Book of Revelation is something else 36:35 than when we try, from that that we try 36:39 to find there in the text is. 36:41 Yeah, Satan will be doing his work, 36:46 but this is what God will be doing. 36:48 God always has His people and through them 36:51 He try to win the world, of their situation calling them 36:55 back to God and telling them to worship 36:58 the only true God and to have that future with God 37:02 because He is the one who holds the future. 37:06 So the two witnesses, okay. 37:08 There are few things here that are very interesting. 37:14 Two witnesses here are mentioned, 37:16 says they will prophesy, okay, for 1,260 days. 37:23 They are clothed in sackcloth. 37:26 Now John tried to provide the identification 37:29 of these two witnesses telling us, 37:31 these are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands 37:35 that stand before the Lord of the earth. 37:38 And if anyone wants to harm them, 37:40 fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies. 37:45 So if anyone wants to harm them, 37:48 he must be killed in this way. 37:51 This have the power to shut up the sky, 37:53 so that the rain will not fall during the days 37:56 of their prophesying and they have a power over the waters 38:00 to turn them into blood and to strike the earth 38:05 with every plague as often as they desire. 38:08 Please allow me to stay for a few minutes 38:11 because in 3, these--how many? 38:13 3, 4 verses we have the identification 38:18 of these two witnesses. 38:20 I'll just point few things, two witnesses. 38:24 What does come to your mind 38:26 when the word two witnesses is read there in the Bible? 38:33 If you go to the Old Testament, 38:38 for instance the Book of Deuteronomy 19:15 38:41 will read that the ancient Israel, 38:45 the judicial system always functioned 38:48 on the testimony of two witnesses. 38:51 Two or three witnesses. 38:53 By the way, Jesus repeats 38:54 that rule in the gospel of John 8:17. 38:58 And you will find in the gospel of Matthew Chapter 18, 39:01 Jesus talks when the church is dealing with ailing brother 39:05 in the church, you have to look 39:07 for two or three witnesses to help you 39:10 in working with that brother. 39:13 By the way, when Jesus sent His disciples 39:15 to preach the gospel, how did He do it? 39:18 He sent them two by two. Why? 39:21 Because the preaching is credible 39:23 when you have two witnesses to that gospel 39:26 and that's why when you read in the Book of Acts, 39:29 Apostle Paul never went alone to preach the gospel. 39:31 Peter never alone, they are always 39:33 two by two to preach the gospel. 39:35 You have to understand why? 39:36 Because in Jewish mind 39:38 when you have two people giving testimony 39:40 to the same thing, it has credibility. 39:44 So here you are dealing here with the two witnesses. 39:47 It says that they are dressed in the sackcloth. 39:51 In the Old Testament, the sackcloth 39:55 is a regular dress of the Israel prophets. 40:01 Notice that in verse 10, if you read it, 40:06 these two witnesses are called the prophets. 40:10 Furthermore, the sackcloth is also the garment of mourning. 40:15 So the portrayal of the two witnesses, 40:18 okay, is giving the testimony, 40:21 okay and prophesying is sackcloth 40:25 during the prophetic period of 1,260 days. 40:29 He's talking about the special situation in which they are. 40:33 They are going through the period of persecution, okay. 40:37 Difficult time for God's people, as they are trying 40:42 to uphold the standard of the Bible and to proclaim 40:45 the gospel message to the world. 40:47 Friends, it is here the sackcloth give us 40:51 another aspect of that bitter taste of that scroll 40:55 that john tasted in Revelation Chapter 10. 40:59 Now John is giving us the clue 41:05 who actually these two witnesses are. 41:07 And he is referring 41:10 to the Book of Zechariah 4:2 41:17 because the expression that is found here in verse 4, 41:20 these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands. 41:24 It goes back to Zechariah, where Zechariah saw 41:28 two olive trees and the two lampstands 41:31 standing before the Lord of the earth. 41:35 John is using this language from the Zechariah. 41:38 Pointing to the book of Zechariah 41:41 because in Zechariah the two olive trees, 41:45 they represented the two anointed ones 41:48 in verse 14, Zechariah 4:14. 41:51 Standing by the Lord of the earth 41:53 and who are those two anointed ones? 41:56 This Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel 41:59 the governor of Judea. 42:01 They were two anointed ones, okay. 42:04 So the activities of these two witnesses resembles 42:11 the roles of Joshua and Zerubbabel 42:13 in the Old Testament because these two witnesses 42:17 are portrayed in priestly and royal terms. 42:20 But there is something more you cannot desert. 42:23 Please now you can be with me in verses 6 and 7, 42:26 they said, actually 5 and 6 sorry. 42:30 And if anyone wants to harm them, 42:32 fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies 42:38 and so if anyone wants to harm them 42:40 he must be killed in this way. 42:45 What does suddenly come to your mind as you read this text? 42:49 By the way, if you gone to the Old Testament, 42:56 you'll probably remember in 2 Kings 1:9-14, 43:02 when Elijah was supposed to be arrested 43:06 by the evil king Ahab and suddenly 43:10 a fire fell from heaven, upon the soldiers 43:13 who came to arrest him. 43:14 So this is solution to Elijah. 43:16 But there is much more in verse 6. 43:19 This have the power to shut up the sky. 43:22 What does come to your mind? 43:24 Okay, let's go there. 43:26 So the terrain will not fall 43:27 during the days of their prophesying. 43:29 Please what were the days of their prophesying? 43:33 1, 260 days. How long was the famine 43:37 in Israel during the prophet Elijah? 43:41 It is 3 and 1/2 years, which is 1, 260 days. 43:46 Okay, what are we talking about. 43:48 There is much more. Go to verse 6. 43:51 They have power over the waters 43:53 to turn them into the blood. 43:55 What does suddenly come to your mind? 43:57 Moses in Exodus what happened there in Egypt 44:01 and to strike the earth with every plaque 44:05 as often as they desire. 44:07 What place are we talking here about? 44:08 The place of Eqypt. 44:11 You see friends, what we have here is, 44:13 that these two witnesses are portrayed 44:17 after the images of Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament. 44:24 What Moses and Elijah were doing 44:26 there in the spirit of God? 44:28 Trying to bring unfaithful Israel back to God? 44:32 So these two witnesses 44:33 have the same characteristics in the same spirit. 44:37 They're carrying the witness through their gospel 44:39 during this period of 1, 260 days. 44:43 That means to resemblance to the role of Joshua 44:46 and Zerubbabel in the rebuilding of the temple. 44:49 You remember we talked about the temple in verse 1? 44:52 So now there is a question. 44:54 Who are the two witnesses? 44:57 And if you take different commentators, 44:59 you will see how the Bible commentators are divided. 45:03 What are the two possibilities? 45:06 There are really two possibilities. 45:08 One is the two witnesses represent God's people. 45:14 In the two-fold role as priest and kings in the Old Testament. 45:21 The ones who carried the gospel. 45:24 However, there is another possibility. 45:28 This is the history of Seventh day Adventist Church 45:31 is that actually these two witnesses 45:34 they stand a symbol for the Bible. 45:38 Now the question is which one of the two views are correct? 45:43 The answer is yes. 45:46 I believe that the both views are-- 45:49 By the way, if you go later to the text, 45:52 you will see there that actually 45:56 it talks in verse 8, 46:00 "And their bodies" keep in mind in my Bible says, 46:05 "And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city." 46:08 By the way in Greek, it says "And the body," 46:11 keep in mind, you are dealing with two entities 46:13 which actually makes one entity. 46:16 So now you ask the question, how these two witnesses 46:19 can be both symbol of God's people in the Bible. 46:22 Tell me what is the Bible with the God's people. 46:25 The Bible itself will not proclaim the gospel. 46:29 So I believe here, we have a powerful testimony 46:31 of God's people with the Bible in their hands. 46:35 Proclaiming the gospel, okay, 46:38 to the world and preaching the gospel God wants 46:42 to reach people for Himself. 46:45 We're talking about that powerful testimony 46:47 of the Bible being preached during the dark middle Ages. 46:52 But then we move on. 46:54 In verses 8, no, verse 7 and 8, 47:01 we read, when those two witnesses 47:03 have finished their testimony, "The beast that comes up 47:06 out of the abyss will make war with them 47:09 and overcome them and kill them 47:13 and their body will lie in the street of the great city, 47:18 which mystically is called Sodom in Egypt. 47:21 When also the Lord was crucified and those from their peoples, 47:26 and tribes, and tongues and nations 47:28 will look at their dead body for 3 and 1/2 days. 47:32 And they will not permit their dead body to be let in the tomb 47:36 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them 47:41 and celebrate and they will send gifts to another 47:44 because these two prophets tormented 47:47 those who dwell on the earth. 47:51 What will happen at the end of these prophetic period 47:55 of prophesying of two witnesses? 47:58 It talks here about the beast that will come out of the abyss. 48:04 You remember we already mentioned in reference 48:07 to the fifth trumpet that abyss is the place 48:10 where Satan and the demons are locked up there, 48:14 after being cast out from heaven. 48:18 So talking about the beast, 48:20 actually commissioned by Satan 48:23 and wages the war against the witnesses. 48:27 And actually kills the two witnesses. 48:32 And since that the body of these two witnesses, 48:34 one body of the witnesses is on the street of the great city, 48:41 exposed there and that city mystically, 48:44 symbolically called Sodom in Egypt. 48:47 When also their Lord was crucified. 48:51 Let's first talk about the great city in the Book of revelation. 48:54 There is one great city, which is actually Babylon. 48:58 But if you go to the Old Testament, 48:59 there are many great cities. 49:04 I will not list them now. 49:05 There are many of them, but those great cities. 49:08 There is one thing that characterizes 49:11 all those great cities. 49:13 And what is that? 49:14 They are always evolved in persecuting God's people. 49:18 By the way, you'll notice that a great city is mentioned here. 49:22 Hence the characteristic of similar cities, 49:24 Sodom, okay, did you notice it? 49:29 So we are dealing with city that really 49:32 is characterized by the wickedness 49:34 and the moral degradation of Sodom. 49:37 But also he said it's called how else Egypt. 49:41 What was the characteristic of Egypt? 49:43 Do you remember Pharaoh? 49:44 It's atheism. 49:46 Atheistic arrogance of Egypt. 49:48 Who is God that I should obey him? 49:52 But there is also the third characteristic of the city says, 49:55 then also their Lord was crucified. 49:58 I am referring to verse 8. 50:00 Okay, so also the rebellious condition of Jerusalem. 50:05 You see, you are dealing 50:06 here with political entity because 50:08 in the Book of Revelation the 'b' stands for political power. 50:10 They means political power that is wicked, okay. 50:17 That has atheistic characteristics 50:22 and it's rebellious against God and his system 50:24 like what happened to Jerusalem. 50:27 Now there is a question that who is this entity? 50:30 And what is this entity? 50:32 Friends, there is only one political entity 50:36 that fits the history. 50:38 Literally, made the war with the religion, 50:41 with the church, and with the Bible, 50:44 that fits the historical context 50:46 and that's French and the French revolution. 50:51 That made the great effort of the abolishment of the Bible. 50:56 And to replace the traditional religion and the gospel message 51:01 with humanism, atheistic stand, okay. 51:08 And making war to the Bible and everything what is religion. 51:14 This prophecy of Revelation Chapter 11 51:17 was actually, accurately fulfilled 51:20 in the events of French revolution. 51:23 And everything what happened during the time 51:26 when really the Bible was then done away 51:31 with that system and the temple was made, 51:34 really to do away with the Bible and the entire world rejoiced. 51:38 Unfortunately, this is what happens 51:41 when people try to get rid off 51:44 of the religious intolerance of the middle ages. 51:47 People step on the wrong ground 51:49 and then don't doing with that problem. 51:52 They'll initially blame God. 51:54 They blame the Bible 51:56 and they blame the gospel message. 51:58 And actually this is indeed 51:59 what happened with events of French revolution 52:02 and causing the events of the fifth 52:06 and the sixth trumpets, actually that we've talked 52:08 in our two previous lesson there. 52:11 And now it says, the conscious of the people was calm now. 52:15 Because please pay attention here something, 52:20 verse 9, no, actually verse 10, it says 52:24 "And those could dwell on the earth will rejoice over them 52:27 and celebrate and they will send gifts to one another 52:31 because these two prophets tormented 52:33 those who dwell on the earth." 52:35 Boy, in the Bible, last people are very, very offended, 52:41 blamed for many bad situations, when people find themselves. 52:48 And people think when rid off with God's people, 52:53 they will rest with their conscious 52:56 and they'll find the peace. 52:58 By the way, you will remember when that famine was in Israel. 53:03 Remember Ahab when he said to Elijah are you the one, 53:08 who is bringing trouble to Israel. 53:10 It's very interesting that people get into trouble 53:14 because they do away with the gospel. 53:18 They turn away from God and when they find themselves 53:22 into the trouble, who are those to be blamed? 53:25 Those who are with the God, it is always in history. 53:28 But very soon, people have realized 53:31 they cannot do away with God. 53:34 You can kick out God from your life. 53:38 You can put the Bible into the flame. 53:40 You can try to destroy everything 53:43 that even comes close to religion, 53:45 but very soon, human beings 53:48 they must understand that they cannot do away with God. 53:54 Actually this is what exactly what happens here. 53:56 Because this celebration and what happens 53:59 with events of the French revolution, 54:01 did not last for too long. 54:03 Let's keep on, verse 11, I like the first word, 54:06 do you have the first word it says 'but,' I like the 'but.' 54:11 By the way, my famous sermon that I preached, 54:14 favorite sermon that I preached is titled 'but.' 54:18 We're sinners, but we're lost, but, we suffer, 54:25 but people try to do away with the Bible, 54:28 the religion, but, let's read, 54:29 "But after the three and half days, 54:32 the breath of life from God came into them 54:35 and they stood on their feet and great fear fell upon those 54:39 who were watching them and they heard a loud voice 54:42 from heaven saying to the come up here. 54:45 And they went up into heaven in the cloud 54:48 and their enemies watched them. 54:50 In that hour there was a great earthquake, 54:53 and a tenth of the city fell, seven thousand people 54:56 were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified 55:00 and gave glory to the God of heaven." 55:03 The second war is passed. 55:05 Behold, the third war, is coming soon. 55:11 After three-and half days, God breathes life 55:15 into the witnesses and resurrects them. 55:18 Of course, this is strong illusion to Genesis 2:7, 55:23 when God created Adam. 55:25 And the whole scene reminds that valley 55:28 with the dry bones in the vision of Book of Ezekiel Chapter 37. 55:34 People thought, they have done away 55:37 with those two witnesses. 55:39 They have done away with the Bible 55:41 and silenced the witness that tormented their conscious. 55:45 How were the word of God always shines? 55:49 And then the sight of their enemies 55:51 the resurrected witnesses are miraculously 55:54 taken to heaven on the cloud. 55:56 This is the dissertation of the two witnesses, okay. 56:00 From the humiliated previous humiliated situation, 56:04 adds to the terror experience by the earth dwellers. 56:08 Friends, historically one of the outcomes 56:11 of French revolution was a great revival interest of the Bible. 56:15 It's very interesting. 56:17 This is what Satan tried to do, but God always triumphs. 56:24 And the great interest resulted in that 56:28 that we have the establishment 56:30 of the great Bible societies 56:33 led to two different missionary movements. 56:37 Organized simply for one and the same purpose 56:41 to take the Bible and the gospel message 56:44 and to proclaim it to the world. 56:46 All of these we have the following 56:47 the dark middle ages 56:49 and the events of French revolution. 56:51 The two witnesses thus came back to life. 56:54 The stage was set for the wide spread preaching of the gospel. 56:58 It's talking about 7000 people who were killed, 57:02 but says, but there are other people who really repented. 57:07 We are dealing here with a small part of that great city 57:11 that we came to recognize God. 57:13 By the way, this leaves to the conclusion 57:17 is that the time of the end, even though Satan wanted 57:20 to prevent the preaching of the gospel. 57:22 At the time of the end, God will triumph 57:24 because according to Revelation 14: 7, 57:28 there'll be one more time that the great proclamation 57:30 of the gospel message out to the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17