Welcome again to our program,
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"Revelation of The Coming King."
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I'm Ranko Stefanovic,
Professor of New Testament
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at the Seventh-day Adventist
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Theological
Seminary, Andrews University.
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And I'm so glad to be with you
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and be active participant in
the production of this program.
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There is something special
about the Book of Revelation,
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is the Book of Revelation,
it points to the future.
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It's telling us
what will happen,
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so that we are not surprised.
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But the purpose of the book
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is to make us
better Christians today.
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You know, as I travel I
find many good Christians.
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They're so much
obsessed about the future,
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but the problem with them
is you regularly conclude,
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they don't know
how to live today.
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So the purpose of
the Book of Revelation
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is to point to the future,
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but to make us to
be better people today.
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But much more than that,
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the Book of Revelation
always points to the past,
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because it is the language
of the past used to describe--
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used to describe the future,
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telling us that history
will repeat itself in the future
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and the same God who was
with His people in the past
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to protect them is also the--
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that God will be with
His people in the future
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when that future
comes to its realization.
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What a wonderful book,
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The Revelation of The
Coming-- of The Coming King.
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I'd like to
remind you one more time
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that once this program is over,
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I really like to urge you
that you go and that you study
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the Book of
Revelation for yourself.
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You can do it alone,
but it's always better
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to have few people, especially
people who disagree with you
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that you study,
that you agitate, okay,
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that you
struggle it with the text,
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exchange the opinions.
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And, boy, what the
message will speak,
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stick to our heart and
how you'll be fulfilled
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and filled with
that strong desire
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to come much closer to God
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in your relationship with Him.
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So this is the
textbook we will use today
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as well as we have done
in all the previous programs.
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But you'll always say,
"Hey, I need something more.
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I need--I need something
that will really help me."
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How to find the key
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to the symbolical language
of the Book of Revelation?
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Well, some of you
have done it already,
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some of you--of you would
like to provide for yourself
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this book titled
"Revelation of Jesus Christ,"
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which is
verse-by-verse commentary.
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And the entire
purpose of this commentary
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not to provide
interpretation in yourself.
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You are supposed to do it, okay.
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But the purpose of this
commentary is to give you
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all these Old
Testament and New Testament text
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and many other
backgrounds, okay.
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For the symbolic language
of the Book of Revelation
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to help you as you're
struggling with the text
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to find that interpretation
based on all those tools.
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So our
presentation today will actually
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follow the pages
that are here from 492.
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So from page 492,
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and let's see how
far we will go today
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in today's program, okay.
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As every time, so
today we want to ask God
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because the final analysis,
everything is about Him.
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He inspired the
John the Revelator
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to write this book
and He promised to us.
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Do you remember Revelation 1:3?
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"Blessed is the one who reads,"
in this--in this context.
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This is what I'm
doing. I'm reading.
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But blessed are
those who are listening.
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But who are actually blessed?
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Both you and me.
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If we keep the words
of prophecy of this book.
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And it is only the
God who can enable us
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and help us, okay, in that.
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So let us--let us ask Him
for His presence and His help.
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Our heavenly Father, thank you
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for a promise given to us
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that when we read the messages
of the Book of Revelation
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that You will be with us
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and Your Holy
Spirit will direct us
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in understanding
of these messages,
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that sometimes are
not easy to understand.
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So please be with us, Father.
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Give us Your Holy Spirit.
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We'd like to experience
Your presence in our midst,
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and we pray all of this
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in the precious name of
our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Lets be reminded what we
have been talking so far.
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We saw the time of the end.
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And Satan will make every
effort to distract us from God
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and try to pull out the
whole world for himself,
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and against God, okay.
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And as a result that
the people will receive
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the Mark of the Beast, okay.
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In Chapter 14, we read
that God's faithful followers,
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they will be protected.
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At the same
time, God is not happy
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that there are people
who are faithful to Him.
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He would like to
have more of them.
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So God is sending to the
inhabitants of this world,
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He is sending His
everlasting gospel.
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As the result of
that everlasting gospel,
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there are some people
who will make a decision
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to side with God, okay.
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So finally, as the preaching
of the gospel is concluded.
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There will be
two groups of people
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those who are for God and
those who are against God.
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This is the
conclusion of Chapter 14,
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described in terms of
those two harvests, okay.
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Once the
decision of every person
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is concluded and made, okay.
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Now there is a something
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because God want to
show to the rebellious world
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the consequences of
their decision that they made.
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Remember the expressions?
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Knowingly and willingly, it was
their decision what they made.
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God wants to show them
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the consequences
of their decision
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because at the final judgment,
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God does not want to
leave any person in doubt
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about the fairness of
His dealing with people.
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Are you still with me?
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By the way, we'll
come to Chapter 19
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and you will see
how Chapter 19 begins.
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Once the Great
Controversy is concluded
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and the end is
right there, okay.
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And just before
that final judgment,
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you will see the key concept
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over the
beginning of the Chapter 19
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is almost an anthem that
spreads throughout universe.
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Yes, Lord,
indeed, You are judge.
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Just and You are fair because
Your judgments are right.
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You see, everything, friends,
is about the fairness of God.
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You who know little
bit more about the Bible,
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you know, that
actually the key issue
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at the beginning of
the Great Controversy
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that actually the
Lucifer accused God,
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it was--God was not
fair that God was not just,
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that He did not treat, okay.
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His--His
creation in the right way.
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But actually the
purpose of the Great Controversy
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and the Book of
Revelation is in line
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with the biblical theologies
that God is indeed fair,
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and this is
exactly what the conclusion
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of this world's
history will demonstrate. Okay.
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So the seven last plagues,
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we saw that the purpose
of the seven last plagues,
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their purpose is indeed--
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is indeed to show to the people
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about the
consequences of their action.
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So that at the end
time, the sinners themselves
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will recognize that the
problem was not with God,
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that the problem was with them.
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And you remember?
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The first four
plagues probably are literal.
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Any symbolic meaning
doesn't-- doesn't make sense.
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This is our current
understanding that we have.
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Maybe in the future
we'll have to change our mind.
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But the Revelation 7
suggests it clearly to us.
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But we saw that when we
come to the fifth plague,
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that the literal meaning
does not make too much sense.
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It's a symbolic there.
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And we saw that
in the fifth plague.
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Actually it's the
throne of the beast,
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the very Seat of
Babylon, it's visited there.
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And there is
something that happens
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in the eyes of the
inhabitants of the world
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who trusted Babylon so much,
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they decided to follow the beast
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and receive the
Mark of the Beast.
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This is exactly
where we stopped last time.
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So please, I'd
like one more time
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to invite you to turn
to Revelation Chapter 16
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and it says, "The
sixth angel poured out
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his bowl on the
great river, the Euphrates,
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and its river was dried up,
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so that the way
would be prepared
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for the kings from the east."
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Please let's be
reminded one more time, okay.
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We are dealing here
with the symbolic language.
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The symbolic
language as any other
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in the Book of Revelation is
based on the historical reality.
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Keep in mind that
the end time enemy power
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that will be the key
actor in the final crises.
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It's named Babylon.
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And we have to keep in mind
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that this concept of a Babylon
in the Book of Revelation
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is rooted in the concept
of the historical Babylon
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that is mentioned in
the Old Testament, okay.
00:10:26.98\00:10:31.12
So let's put it here as--
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I'm repeating what
we stated last time.
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Ancient Babylon
was a square, okay,
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in the form of square, okay.
00:10:41.28\00:10:42.98
But there was a River Euphrates
running through the city.
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We mentioned last
time, do you remember that?
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Without the River Euphrates
there would not be Babylon.
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Babylon holds its
own existence, okay,
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to the River
Euphrates for nourishment,
00:11:02.13\00:11:04.39
for the existence and
for the survival, okay.
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The enemy forces could
come and surround Babylon
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and be there month and
years they spent there,
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but Babylon could survive.
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It's because of River Euphrates.
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Now let's go back
here to this text.
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These Old Testament concepts
about historical Babylon
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is very important
for the understanding
00:11:30.22\00:11:32.38
what's going on here
with the end time Babylon.
00:11:32.41\00:11:34.81
And it says,
"That the sixth plague
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hits the River Euphrates."
00:11:37.70\00:11:41.16
In what way?
00:11:41.19\00:11:43.48
It says, "That the waters--
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that the waters of
Euphrates were dried up."
00:11:46.15\00:11:51.58
What does it mean?
00:11:51.61\00:11:53.50
Okay, let's go back to
the historical Babylon.
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What would happen if the waters
00:11:56.73\00:11:59.95
of the River
Euphrates were dried up?
00:11:59.98\00:12:03.82
It would mark the end of Babylon
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to now read the question
how long the Babylon can last?
00:12:06.23\00:12:11.13
And very soon Babylon
would come to its end.
00:12:11.16\00:12:13.46
By the way, but just wait,
very soon we'll come to that.
00:12:13.49\00:12:16.99
We will see that the
drying up of the River Euphrates
00:12:17.02\00:12:19.42
indeed brought the end
of the historical Babylon.
00:12:19.45\00:12:22.59
But we--we want here to
be in the Book of Revelation,
00:12:22.62\00:12:25.54
first to find out if the
River Euphrates is symbolic?
00:12:25.57\00:12:30.73
Are you still
with me? Keep in mind.
00:12:30.76\00:12:32.17
We are dealing
here with the symbol,
00:12:32.20\00:12:33.63
rooted in the
historical reality, okay.
00:12:33.66\00:12:36.73
If the River
Euphrates here mentioned
00:12:37.75\00:12:39.91
that's rooted in
the historical Babylon,
00:12:39.94\00:12:41.74
the question is, what
does the River Euphrates
00:12:41.77\00:12:47.15
signify and stand
for with the reference
00:12:47.18\00:12:50.82
to the end time
Babylon? Praise God.
00:12:50.85\00:12:54.70
This symbol should not
be difficult to interpret
00:12:54.73\00:12:57.43
because the Book of
Revelation explained it to us.
00:12:57.46\00:13:00.40
These are one
of the rare symbols
00:13:00.43\00:13:02.11
that are very clearly identified
00:13:02.14\00:13:05.22
and explained in
the Book of Revelation.
00:13:05.25\00:13:07.03
Please, I'd like to invite you
00:13:07.06\00:13:09.43
to go to the next chapter
of the Book of Revelation,
00:13:09.46\00:13:12.42
where we have the
judgment of their Babylon.
00:13:12.45\00:13:14.91
Let's see how the Book of
Revelation explained to us
00:13:17.71\00:13:21.39
actually what
Babylon is about, okay.
00:13:21.42\00:13:25.87
It says, in the Revelation 17:1,
00:13:25.90\00:13:32.02
"Then one of the seven angels
who had the seven bowls--"
00:13:32.05\00:13:37.90
See the same angel that execute
seven--seven last plagues.
00:13:37.93\00:13:41.61
"Spoke with me,
saying, 'Come here.'
00:13:41.64\00:13:44.87
I will show you the
judgment of the great harlot
00:13:44.90\00:13:49.28
who sits on many waters."
00:13:49.31\00:13:52.67
Please, can you help me now?
00:13:52.70\00:13:55.26
What is the name of
this harlot? It's Babylon.
00:13:55.29\00:13:59.06
By the way, if you go
in the following verses
00:13:59.09\00:14:00.94
we will come to that.
00:14:00.97\00:14:02.34
You will see in verse
5, it's a Babylon, okay.
00:14:02.37\00:14:06.01
So this enemy
power is called Babylon.
00:14:06.04\00:14:08.84
But since the
Babylon sits on many waters--
00:14:08.87\00:14:12.11
I don't want you to be confused.
00:14:12.14\00:14:14.27
If you go--if you
go to Jeremiah 51:13,
00:14:14.30\00:14:18.69
you will see that Jeremiah talks
about that historical Babylon,
00:14:18.72\00:14:23.50
stating that Babylon
was sitting on many waters.
00:14:23.53\00:14:28.33
So the expression
that John the Revelator
00:14:28.36\00:14:31.51
is using in Revelation
17:1, that sits on many waters.
00:14:31.54\00:14:36.03
Actually it's taken
from the Old Testament
00:14:36.06\00:14:37.90
from the Book of Jeremiah 51:13.
00:14:37.93\00:14:41.01
Are you still with me?
00:14:41.04\00:14:42.41
So let me tell you,
if Jeremiah referred
00:14:42.44\00:14:45.57
to Babylon as
sitting on many waters.
00:14:45.60\00:14:48.79
What do the
seven-- the many waters
00:14:48.82\00:14:53.05
actually stands for
in the Book of Jeremiah?
00:14:53.08\00:14:56.21
Is the River Euphrates, okay?
00:14:56.24\00:14:59.55
It's different expression
for the River Euphrates.
00:14:59.58\00:15:02.96
So now there is a question.
We did not get the answer yet.
00:15:02.99\00:15:07.36
If a Babylon according to
17:1, sits on many waters,
00:15:07.39\00:15:11.64
what do many waters or the River
Euphrates actually represent?
00:15:11.67\00:15:17.12
It's in verse 15. The
same chapter verse 15.
00:15:17.15\00:15:20.69
Praise God that
this is the clear--
00:15:20.72\00:15:22.46
The angel explains to John,
00:15:23.71\00:15:25.38
the meaning of many
waters or River Euphrates.
00:15:25.41\00:15:27.96
No, revelation 17:15,
in the same chapter we are.
00:15:28.63\00:15:32.39
It says, "And He said to me,
00:15:32.42\00:15:35.56
'The waters which you
saw where the harlot sits,
00:15:35.59\00:15:40.31
are peoples and multitudes
and nations and tongues.'
00:15:40.34\00:15:45.86
" I expect one
hallelujah and amen.
00:15:47.80\00:15:50.17
We don't need to
wonder about this.
00:15:50.20\00:15:51.98
Please, what does
the symbol of Euphrates
00:15:52.01\00:15:56.51
or many waters stand for
00:15:56.54\00:15:59.24
in the Book of
Revelation? Let me put.
00:15:59.27\00:16:01.91
I don't want
simply to repeat it, boy.
00:16:01.94\00:16:03.88
For secular and
political powers of this world.
00:16:03.91\00:16:09.84
Let--let put it one
more time when we come to
00:16:09.87\00:16:14.23
we will see it. Revelation 17,
00:16:14.26\00:16:19.07
Actually
Babylon-- proceed to Babylon
00:16:19.10\00:16:22.23
does not sits
just on the waters.
00:16:22.26\00:16:24.02
It also sits on the
beast because we will see that
00:16:24.05\00:16:26.49
that waters and the
beast is one--the same reality.
00:16:26.52\00:16:31.36
Two different
symbols for one reality.
00:16:31.39\00:16:34.57
As ancient Babylon were
sitting on the River Euphrates
00:16:34.60\00:16:38.12
and dependant on the River
Euphrates for its existence,
00:16:38.15\00:16:41.66
the end time
Babylon sits on Euphrates
00:16:41.69\00:16:44.57
and what the River Euphrates
or many waters are all about?
00:16:44.60\00:16:48.05
It's a secular and
the political power
00:16:48.08\00:16:51.00
of this world
that supported Babylon.
00:16:51.03\00:16:53.82
You see, Babylon is
a religious reality.
00:16:53.85\00:16:57.67
Euphrates stands
for political reality.
00:16:57.70\00:17:00.89
See, Babylon was
located on the River Euphrates.
00:17:00.92\00:17:04.88
The women-- prostitute women,
00:17:04.91\00:17:07.25
Revelation 17 which is Babylon
were sitting on the beast
00:17:07.28\00:17:10.36
which actually
signified political powers.
00:17:10.39\00:17:12.56
What does it telling us?
00:17:12.59\00:17:13.96
That the time of
the end we will see
00:17:13.99\00:17:16.90
that the religious entities
00:17:16.93\00:17:20.19
that will be actively
involved in the final crises.
00:17:20.22\00:17:23.39
For their survival
and for their existence,
00:17:23.42\00:17:26.29
we'll be
supported by that political
00:17:26.32\00:17:30.40
and secular
powers of this world.
00:17:30.43\00:17:32.61
Are you still with me? Amen.
00:17:32.64\00:17:34.18
Without those
political and the religious,
00:17:35.33\00:17:38.43
and political and
secular powers in the world,
00:17:38.46\00:17:41.74
the end time
Babylon cannot exist.
00:17:41.77\00:17:44.76
Are you still with
me? It's different.
00:17:44.79\00:17:47.80
We will talk about that
during the medieval period.
00:17:47.83\00:17:51.39
One entity, one
beast incorporated
00:17:51.42\00:17:55.63
both religious
and political aspect.
00:17:55.66\00:17:58.30
But at the time of the end,
00:17:58.33\00:18:00.07
we have two
aspects with two realities,
00:18:00.10\00:18:03.92
two entities is that the Babylon
00:18:03.95\00:18:06.80
which is religious entity
depends on the political support
00:18:06.83\00:18:12.62
of religious and political
powers of this world for its--
00:18:12.65\00:18:17.10
for its existence.
00:18:17.13\00:18:19.99
That's why how the Mark of
the Beast is able to be imposed.
00:18:20.02\00:18:24.82
That's why
everybody who does not--
00:18:24.85\00:18:27.32
who does not receive the Mark
of the Beast had to be killed.
00:18:27.35\00:18:30.85
Because we have a
political powers of this world
00:18:30.88\00:18:33.50
are involved--
are involved in that.
00:18:33.53\00:18:36.67
Now let's go back to
our text in Revelation 16.
00:18:36.70\00:18:42.04
Please now I need your help
00:18:42.07\00:18:44.46
and the help of
the viewers there.
00:18:44.49\00:18:47.70
Of course, they
cannot talk to us,
00:18:47.73\00:18:51.07
but try to think.
00:18:51.10\00:18:52.47
It says verse 12,
"That the sixth angel
00:18:52.50\00:18:56.54
poured out his bowl on the
great river, the Euphrates,
00:18:56.57\00:19:00.70
and its water was dried up."
00:19:00.73\00:19:04.34
What does it mean that the
water of Euphrates was dried up?
00:19:04.37\00:19:11.74
It means that there is
something that will happen,
00:19:11.77\00:19:16.14
that the political and the
secular powers of this world
00:19:16.17\00:19:21.10
will withdraw the
popular support to Babylon.
00:19:21.13\00:19:27.38
They'll not support
the Babylon any longer.
00:19:27.41\00:19:30.20
Now there is a question, why?
00:19:30.23\00:19:31.85
Why suddenly the fifth plague?
00:19:31.88\00:19:33.52
Those who supported Babylon,
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.52
those political and
secular powers of this world,
00:19:37.55\00:19:39.94
why they do not support
Babylon any longer? Why not?
00:19:39.97\00:19:45.18
The answer was
in the fifth plaque.
00:19:48.54\00:19:50.18
Do you remember that?
00:19:50.21\00:19:52.46
When the people of this world,
00:19:52.49\00:19:55.02
they noticed that
actually Babylon itself
00:19:55.05\00:19:58.72
is hit by the
seven last plagues.
00:19:58.75\00:20:01.30
And the Babylon cannot
rescue and save itself.
00:20:01.33\00:20:04.90
Then how can Babylon
help the people in the world?
00:20:04.93\00:20:08.26
Are you still with me?
00:20:08.29\00:20:09.75
And they'll make people to think
about decision that they made.
00:20:09.78\00:20:14.71
Keep in mind.
00:20:14.74\00:20:16.32
They decide not to side
with Babylon any longer,
00:20:16.35\00:20:20.09
but it doesn't make
them to side with God.
00:20:20.12\00:20:22.10
Are you still with me?
00:20:22.13\00:20:23.50
Actually they become even
more rebellious against God.
00:20:23.53\00:20:27.60
Read the seven last plagues.
00:20:27.63\00:20:30.04
The more severe
seven plagues are,
00:20:30.07\00:20:33.35
make them to
regret and to suffer,
00:20:33.38\00:20:36.22
but doesn't make
them to come back to God.
00:20:36.25\00:20:38.42
Actually makes them to
blasphemy more against God.
00:20:38.45\00:20:40.49
It's very interesting is when
Satan messes up in this world,
00:20:40.52\00:20:44.91
people do not blame
Satan. People blame always God.
00:20:44.94\00:20:50.00
But we have to
understand something
00:20:50.03\00:20:51.40
about this drying up
of the River Euphrates.
00:20:51.43\00:20:55.16
It says, "To prepare the way
for the kings from the east."
00:20:55.19\00:21:00.49
Oh, friends, we can have here
a very, very long discussion now
00:21:00.52\00:21:04.99
there so many
elements here, please.
00:21:05.02\00:21:07.10
I would like to encourage
you that as I mentioned
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.17
once this
program is over to study
00:21:10.20\00:21:12.18
because you'll have
all informations here,
00:21:12.21\00:21:15.01
but let me just provide
here to you the framework
00:21:15.04\00:21:18.28
because the first
century Christians
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.79
do not have a problem to
understand what was going on
00:21:20.82\00:21:24.17
in the Book of
Revelation in the light
00:21:24.20\00:21:26.42
of what happened to
the historical Babylon.
00:21:26.45\00:21:29.87
By the way, Babylon was
on the peak of its power.
00:21:29.90\00:21:34.38
The King Nebuchadnezzar who
repented, you remember that?
00:21:35.86\00:21:38.29
Repented, and finally he
was accepted by God. He died.
00:21:38.32\00:21:41.66
After him there
are three other kings
00:21:41.69\00:21:44.24
and there was
finally the fourth king,
00:21:44.27\00:21:46.25
but he decided to leave Babylon.
00:21:46.28\00:21:49.72
And he left his son, Belshazzar
00:21:49.75\00:21:54.16
there in Babylon to
rule instead of him.
00:21:54.19\00:21:57.12
You're now familiar.
00:21:57.15\00:21:58.52
We are referring to
the-- to the Book of Daniel.
00:21:58.55\00:22:01.39
However, the time
Medo-Persians, they came,
00:22:01.42\00:22:04.31
they surrounded the city.
00:22:04.34\00:22:07.33
Holding the city under
the siege for a long time,
00:22:07.36\00:22:10.29
but why would Babylon surrender?
00:22:10.32\00:22:11.85
Babylon is
surrounded by the triple wall.
00:22:14.26\00:22:16.23
There is River Euphrates
providing so much water there.
00:22:16.26\00:22:18.82
They can live there for many,
many years without any fear.
00:22:18.85\00:22:22.25
Nobody can harm them.
00:22:22.28\00:22:24.87
And now there is something--
00:22:24.90\00:22:26.27
there is something
that that happened.
00:22:26.30\00:22:29.43
I'd like to invite you to turn
00:22:29.46\00:22:32.15
to the Book of
Isaiah 50--41. Isaiah 41.
00:22:32.18\00:22:39.60
There is one name that
is-- that is very prominent here
00:22:39.63\00:22:47.46
with regard to ancient Babylon
00:22:47.49\00:22:53.38
in the prophecies of
Isaiah about Babylon.
00:22:53.41\00:22:56.42
It's Chapter
45:1, where it says,
00:22:56.45\00:23:00.16
"Thus says the Lord
to Cyrus His anointed,
00:23:00.19\00:23:05.96
whom I have taken
by the right hand,
00:23:05.99\00:23:09.02
to subdue nations before him and
to loose the loins of the king."
00:23:09.05\00:23:16.24
Verse 4, "For the
sake of Jacob My servant,
00:23:16.27\00:23:20.22
and Israel My chosen one,
I have also called you name
00:23:20.25\00:23:24.95
I have given
you a title of honor
00:23:24.98\00:23:27.71
though you have not known Me."
00:23:27.74\00:23:30.66
Verse 5, "I am the
Lord, there is no other,
00:23:30.69\00:23:33.70
besides Me,
there is no other God."
00:23:33.73\00:23:36.88
What is the king name
here mentioned by Isaiah?
00:23:36.91\00:23:40.14
It's the King Cyrus.
00:23:40.17\00:23:42.07
The King Cyrus was
actually the commander of chief
00:23:42.10\00:23:46.25
of the Medo-Persian
army that, that surrender--
00:23:46.28\00:23:49.77
surrender Babylon. Okay.
00:23:49.80\00:23:52.83
Actually this
ancient king, pagan king,
00:23:52.86\00:23:56.36
he had nothing to
do with God, okay.
00:23:56.39\00:23:59.51
Actually it's called in the Book
of Isaiah, "My anointed one."
00:23:59.54\00:24:05.06
Do you know what Hebrew word
00:24:05.09\00:24:07.67
stands here for
'my anointed one?'
00:24:07.70\00:24:09.34
Is the word of Messiah.
00:24:09.37\00:24:11.84
Actually the
King Cyrus, he stands
00:24:11.87\00:24:14.15
as the prototype of the
messiah, pagan king. Why?
00:24:14.18\00:24:18.03
Because he was the one according
to the prophecy of Isaiah.
00:24:18.06\00:24:23.62
The one who was
supposed to destroy Babylon.
00:24:23.65\00:24:27.78
And somehow he functions here
00:24:27.81\00:24:29.31
as the prototype of the real
messiah who will one day come
00:24:29.34\00:24:33.14
and to destroy
the end time Babylon.
00:24:33.17\00:24:34.67
Are you still with me?
00:24:34.70\00:24:36.48
But you'll need to understand
00:24:36.51\00:24:37.88
how the end time
Babylon will be destroyed.
00:24:37.91\00:24:40.41
We have to understand
00:24:40.44\00:24:41.81
how ancient Babylon
was destroyed by Cyrus.
00:24:41.84\00:24:44.58
In the same way,
because Cyrus stands
00:24:44.61\00:24:46.58
as a prototype for the messiah.
00:24:46.61\00:24:48.05
How he will destroy it?
00:24:48.08\00:24:49.45
I'd like you just to
look in the two texts
00:24:49.48\00:24:52.22
that come before Chapter 25.
00:24:52.25\00:24:54.74
It's verse 27 and 28.
00:24:54.77\00:24:57.84
Chapter 44 of the
Book of Isaiah, okay.
00:24:57.87\00:25:00.09
Chapter 44 of Book of
Isaiah, verses 27 and 28.
00:25:00.12\00:25:03.85
"It is I who say to the
depth of the sea, 'Be dried up.'
00:25:03.88\00:25:08.04
And I will make
your rivers dry."
00:25:08.07\00:25:10.85
Are you still with me?
00:25:10.88\00:25:12.27
I will make your river dry.
00:25:12.30\00:25:15.06
"It is I who say to
Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd.
00:25:15.09\00:25:18.38
And he will
perform all My desire.'
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.86
And he declares to Jerusalem,
00:25:20.89\00:25:22.64
'She will be
built,' and of the temple,
00:25:22.67\00:25:25.15
'Your foundation will be laid.'"
00:25:25.18\00:25:26.80
The Book of Isaiah points here
that Cyrus will destroy Babylon.
00:25:26.83\00:25:31.07
How will he destroy
Babylon? By drying up the river?
00:25:31.10\00:25:34.40
By the way, we don't have
the historical records too much
00:25:35.69\00:25:38.95
about what happened
to the ancient Babylon.
00:25:38.98\00:25:41.54
The only record that
we find in the Bible,
00:25:41.57\00:25:43.62
it's in the Book of
Daniel. Do you remember that?
00:25:43.65\00:25:46.91
It's in Chapter 5,
telling us that that night
00:25:46.94\00:25:50.34
when the King
Belshazzar was celebrating--
00:25:50.37\00:25:54.05
probably the
anniversary of Babylon,
00:25:54.08\00:25:56.41
but at the same time blaspheming
against the God of Israel.
00:25:56.44\00:25:59.72
He brought those
vessels from the temple,
00:25:59.75\00:26:01.67
do you remember
that? What are they doing?
00:26:01.70\00:26:03.27
They're drinking
from those vessels,
00:26:03.30\00:26:04.73
shouting to the
Jews. "Who is your God?
00:26:04.76\00:26:06.87
You see, your
holy vessels are here.
00:26:06.90\00:26:09.09
We are drinking from them
wine and celebrating our gods
00:26:09.12\00:26:12.06
because they're more powerful."
00:26:12.09\00:26:13.46
And the Bible
said, "That that night,
00:26:13.49\00:26:15.83
Belshazzar was killed
00:26:15.86\00:26:17.43
and Medo-Persians
took over the city.
00:26:17.46\00:26:20.20
Are you still with me?
00:26:20.23\00:26:21.60
We don't know what happened.
00:26:21.63\00:26:23.58
But in the first century,
the people in the Roman Empire,
00:26:23.61\00:26:30.07
they understood only one
way how Babylon was destroyed
00:26:30.10\00:26:33.17
because the two
Greek historians,
00:26:33.20\00:26:36.81
I have documentations
there-- there in my commentary.
00:26:36.84\00:26:39.68
You can read for them.
00:26:39.71\00:26:41.08
One was Herodotus
another one was Xenophon.
00:26:41.11\00:26:44.02
Two of them, they're
providing more information
00:26:44.05\00:26:47.39
and they're saying us
00:26:47.42\00:26:49.25
that the Cyrus with
the Medo-Persian army,
00:26:49.28\00:26:52.05
he realized that he
couldn't conquer Babylon.
00:26:52.08\00:26:55.17
And he took his counselors.
They were talking together.
00:26:55.20\00:26:58.12
How? What shall we do?
00:26:58.15\00:26:59.75
Shall we give up? And
finally the idea came.
00:26:59.78\00:27:03.38
There was here a huge valley.
00:27:03.41\00:27:06.28
They say, "Why
don't we dig a canal here,
00:27:06.31\00:27:08.44
and divert the river bed
00:27:12.09\00:27:17.54
and the flow of the
water into this valley?"
00:27:17.57\00:27:20.28
And according to
those historians,
00:27:20.31\00:27:22.11
this is indeed
what had happened.
00:27:22.14\00:27:24.03
And the night,
when the King Belshazzar
00:27:24.06\00:27:25.48
was celebrating his victory,
00:27:25.51\00:27:27.67
they prevented the
flow of the river here,
00:27:29.30\00:27:32.86
diverted the
water into this valley
00:27:32.89\00:27:36.94
and that night they went.
00:27:36.97\00:27:39.12
This way they
marched here into city.
00:27:43.05\00:27:45.16
Of course, the walls here
00:27:45.19\00:27:47.53
and they were able to
bribe the gatekeepers there.
00:27:47.56\00:27:52.00
And that night when Belshazzar,
00:27:52.03\00:27:53.74
who was not loved by the
people in Babylon at all.
00:27:53.77\00:27:55.68
That's why they opened
the door to the Medo-Persians
00:27:55.71\00:27:58.25
enter there King Belshazzar
and they occupied Babylon.
00:27:58.28\00:28:01.96
For a long
time, I even see today
00:28:01.99\00:28:04.74
that some scholars are
laughing in this report.
00:28:04.77\00:28:07.03
They say, it's just
the product of imagination.
00:28:07.06\00:28:10.37
But those number of years ago
00:28:10.40\00:28:12.30
in ancient Babylon,
territory ancient Babylon,
00:28:12.33\00:28:15.73
Cyrus so called Cyrus
Cylinder was discovered.
00:28:15.76\00:28:20.59
In which Cyrus celebrates
00:28:20.62\00:28:23.57
and praises all the
victory that he has done.
00:28:23.60\00:28:27.03
And there is one
sentence he said,
00:28:27.06\00:28:29.02
"And my forces--
Actually it's "With my forces,
00:28:29.05\00:28:31.94
it's so much ego in
those people," he said.
00:28:31.97\00:28:34.10
And I conquered Babylon without
loosing a single soldier.
00:28:34.13\00:28:41.01
It fits very nicely,
whether these are true or not,
00:28:41.04\00:28:44.59
but because of these
two Greek historians.
00:28:44.62\00:28:49.74
This is what people
knew in the first century
00:28:49.77\00:28:51.78
about the fall of Babylon.
00:28:51.81\00:28:55.25
So, when the
Revelator, John the Revelator
00:28:55.28\00:28:58.94
saw in the vision that
the River Euphrates dried up.
00:28:58.97\00:29:02.21
And when he put it in
the Book of Revelation,
00:29:05.10\00:29:07.31
people did not have any
difficulty to understand
00:29:07.34\00:29:10.16
what was actually going on.
00:29:10.19\00:29:11.56
As the ancient Babylon fell
00:29:13.31\00:29:16.24
because of the drying
up of the River Euphrates,
00:29:16.27\00:29:19.26
the prophecy of the
Book of Revelation is
00:29:19.29\00:29:21.78
that the same will happened
to the end time Babylon.
00:29:21.81\00:29:25.26
But keep in mind that this time
we are dealing with the symbol
00:29:25.29\00:29:30.88
because River
Euphrates, many waters,
00:29:30.91\00:29:33.81
they stand for political
and secular powers of this world
00:29:33.84\00:29:37.64
who will somehow withdraw
their popular support to Babylon
00:29:37.67\00:29:42.08
and it will cause
the fall of Babylon.
00:29:42.11\00:29:44.16
Are you still with me?
00:29:44.19\00:29:47.08
For which purpose?
It says, "To prepare--
00:29:47.11\00:29:52.03
So that the way
would be prepare."
00:29:54.31\00:29:56.26
Verse 12, "For the
kings from the east."
00:29:56.29\00:30:00.25
Let's go back
to ancient Babylon.
00:30:00.28\00:30:02.73
You see, you have
to locate the map.
00:30:02.76\00:30:07.04
This is Babylon.
Where is the east?
00:30:07.07\00:30:09.48
It's here.
Medo-Persia is in the east.
00:30:09.51\00:30:12.87
So who are the
kings from the east?
00:30:12.90\00:30:14.78
Keep in mind we are
dealing with Media and Persia,
00:30:14.81\00:30:18.58
different kings there. Okay.
00:30:18.61\00:30:21.75
This specially has
taken from ancient Babylon,
00:30:21.78\00:30:24.37
but who are those, who
are the kings from the east
00:30:24.40\00:30:28.24
in the New Testament here
in the Book of Revelation?
00:30:28.27\00:30:30.37
Of course, number one,
Jesus Christ is the King.
00:30:30.40\00:30:33.72
When you read in the
Gospel of Matthew 24,
00:30:33.75\00:30:37.67
"Jesus will come from the east."
00:30:37.70\00:30:40.65
He will come from the sunrise
00:30:40.68\00:30:43.38
because the east in
the Bible is always--
00:30:43.41\00:30:47.18
is always the point
from which Jesus will come,
00:30:47.21\00:30:50.71
it's the place where
God-- where God dwells.
00:30:50.74\00:30:53.21
Do you remember Revelation 7,
00:30:53.24\00:30:55.12
"The sealing of God's
people is done by the angel
00:30:55.15\00:30:57.14
who came from the east."
00:30:57.17\00:30:59.14
It's always the east
there. But why the plural kings?
00:30:59.17\00:31:02.26
Friends, there is
only one explanation is
00:31:03.71\00:31:05.65
because at the time of the end,
00:31:05.68\00:31:08.33
we have two military sides.
00:31:08.36\00:31:12.02
Those who belong to Satan,
those are in with the beast,
00:31:12.05\00:31:18.68
those religious, political
00:31:18.71\00:31:21.61
and secular
powers of this world.
00:31:21.64\00:31:23.97
On another side,
we have Jesus Christ
00:31:24.00\00:31:27.81
and we have His faithful people.
00:31:27.84\00:31:30.38
Please let me remind
you Revelation 1:6, 5:10,
00:31:30.41\00:31:34.78
God's people in
the Book of Revelation
00:31:34.81\00:31:36.62
are mentioned as
the 'Royal priesthood,'
00:31:36.65\00:31:39.65
as the kings who are
sitting on the throne
00:31:39.68\00:31:41.93
and Jesus
Christ promised to them
00:31:41.96\00:31:43.61
everybody who overcomes
will sit with Me on My throne.
00:31:43.64\00:31:48.04
How do you call people
who are sitting on the throne?
00:31:48.07\00:31:50.69
You call them the kings.
00:31:50.72\00:31:52.40
By the way, I'd like
you to turn with me--
00:31:52.43\00:31:55.31
with me, okay, the Revelation--
00:31:55.34\00:31:59.40
the Revelation
17, it's verse 14.
00:31:59.43\00:32:05.71
Please keep in
mind all these chapters
00:32:07.24\00:32:08.61
are talking about
the battle of Armageddon.
00:32:08.64\00:32:10.33
So we have somehow to
jump to some of those verses.
00:32:10.36\00:32:12.96
It says, "These will
wage war against the Lamb,
00:32:12.99\00:32:16.93
and the Lamb will overcome them,
00:32:16.96\00:32:18.93
because He is the Lord
of lords and King of kings."
00:32:18.96\00:32:22.32
If Jesus is the King of
king, who are those kings?
00:32:22.35\00:32:25.58
It says, "And
those who are with Him
00:32:25.61\00:32:28.17
are called and
chosen and faithful."
00:32:28.20\00:32:32.46
When you're having
the Book of Revelation,
00:32:32.49\00:32:35.06
those who are called chosen
and faithful, who are they?
00:32:35.09\00:32:38.07
They're not angels.
00:32:38.10\00:32:40.08
Angels are not
chosen, they are there.
00:32:40.11\00:32:41.92
It's the faithful people of God.
00:32:41.95\00:32:44.51
Amen. Okay.
00:32:44.54\00:32:45.91
So we are dealing
here with two parties.
00:32:45.94\00:32:48.11
Let me now ask you. Why
the destruction of Babylon?
00:32:48.14\00:32:53.03
You see, usually people are
just talking about the judgment,
00:32:53.06\00:32:55.75
but judgment
always has the purpose.
00:32:55.78\00:32:57.60
The destruction of
ancient Babylon happened,
00:32:57.64\00:33:00.13
so to make possible
for the people of Israel
00:33:00.16\00:33:03.15
to go back to their land
there and to rebuild Jerusalem.
00:33:03.18\00:33:07.83
Why the fall of
the end time Babylon?
00:33:07.86\00:33:10.59
In order to provide
00:33:10.62\00:33:11.99
the redemption
salvation for God's people?
00:33:12.02\00:33:14.37
This is
actually-- this is actually
00:33:15.43\00:33:17.24
what we are-- what
we are talking about.
00:33:17.27\00:33:19.37
Now the flow of the Book
of Revelation is very unclear,
00:33:19.40\00:33:23.60
but I'd like to suggest
all of you and our viewers,
00:33:23.63\00:33:28.28
for more detailed
description of these events,
00:33:28.31\00:33:30.91
I'd like to suggest to you
to go to the last three chapters
00:33:30.94\00:33:34.06
of the book
written by Ellen White,
00:33:34.09\00:33:36.58
titled "The Great Controversy."
00:33:36.61\00:33:38.48
It's one of the best description
that interpreted these texts
00:33:39.94\00:33:45.28
that is found here in
the Book of Revelation.
00:33:45.31\00:33:47.34
But please, I simply want
to follow here the text is.
00:33:47.37\00:33:52.10
So the people will
become disillusioned.
00:33:52.13\00:33:53.71
They don't want to
support Babylon any longer.
00:33:54.82\00:33:57.24
At that moment,
there is something
00:33:57.27\00:33:59.07
one of the greatest deception
00:33:59.10\00:34:01.15
that ever happens in
the history of this world
00:34:01.18\00:34:03.81
that will happen at
the time of the end.
00:34:03.84\00:34:05.86
Let's keep on
reading from verse 13.
00:34:05.89\00:34:10.02
It says, "And I saw--and I saw
00:34:10.05\00:34:13.57
coming out of the
mouth of the dragon
00:34:13.60\00:34:18.44
and out of the
mouth of the beast
00:34:18.47\00:34:21.26
and out of the mouth
of the false prophet."
00:34:21.29\00:34:23.55
How do we call them?
00:34:23.58\00:34:25.75
The counterfeit
trinity, you remember that?
00:34:25.78\00:34:28.16
What is another name
for them? Babylon, okay.
00:34:28.19\00:34:31.77
So you see,
Babylon does not surrender.
00:34:31.80\00:34:35.54
There is no River Euphrates
to support Babylon any longer,
00:34:35.57\00:34:40.56
but Babylon wants to survive.
00:34:40.59\00:34:42.37
"So now we have out of
the mouth of the dragon
00:34:42.40\00:34:44.79
and out of the
mouth of the beast,
00:34:44.83\00:34:46.28
out of the mouth
of false prophet,
00:34:46.31\00:34:48.69
three unclean
spirits like frogs.
00:34:48.72\00:34:52.64
For they are spirits of
demons, performing signs,
00:34:52.67\00:34:56.20
which go out to the
kings of the whole world,
00:34:56.23\00:34:59.20
to gather them
together for the war
00:34:59.23\00:35:01.49
of the great day
of God, the Almighty."
00:35:01.52\00:35:04.90
Let's skip verse 15, "And
they gathered them together
00:35:04.93\00:35:07.85
to the place which in
Hebrew is called Har-Magedon."
00:35:07.88\00:35:12.19
Are you confused here?
00:35:13.38\00:35:15.31
And I know wherever I go
00:35:15.34\00:35:16.81
people like to know something
about these three frogs.
00:35:16.84\00:35:20.00
And, boy, and I hear so
many different interpretations.
00:35:20.03\00:35:22.61
Some are very, very interesting.
00:35:22.64\00:35:25.84
And if you ask me,
00:35:25.87\00:35:27.77
I'm struggling with
understanding of these frogs.
00:35:27.80\00:35:30.23
But if go to the Old Testament,
00:35:30.26\00:35:32.68
it seems some of the
things become much, much clear.
00:35:32.71\00:35:35.32
In order to try to explain
every detail of the symbol,
00:35:35.35\00:35:38.57
we want to find out what is
the general picture of that.
00:35:38.60\00:35:41.48
And there is
something is that at that moment
00:35:41.51\00:35:43.70
when the River Euphrates
00:35:43.73\00:35:47.69
does not support
Babylon any longer.
00:35:47.72\00:35:50.09
Out of Babylon comes
the greatest deception.
00:35:50.12\00:35:53.57
And what is deception?
00:35:53.60\00:35:54.97
This deception is portrayed here
00:35:55.00\00:35:57.33
in terms of the three
unclean spirit like frogs.
00:35:57.36\00:36:03.02
And it says, "That
these actually spirit,
00:36:03.05\00:36:06.53
these frogs are
the spirit of demons."
00:36:06.56\00:36:10.00
Keep in mind, what
else? "Performing signs."
00:36:10.03\00:36:13.48
What are the signs? "Miracles."
00:36:13.51\00:36:15.25
Keep in mind, we're
dealing with great deception.
00:36:15.28\00:36:17.53
Do you remember we
talked about the miracles
00:36:17.56\00:36:19.07
that will happen at
the time of the end?
00:36:19.10\00:36:20.77
There is greater deception that
perception is so persuasive,
00:36:20.80\00:36:26.14
inviting the
kings of the whole world
00:36:26.17\00:36:29.12
to gather them
together for the war
00:36:29.15\00:36:31.35
of the great day
of God, Almighty.
00:36:31.38\00:36:33.58
What is the name of this war?
00:36:33.61\00:36:35.49
Because of the
place of that war,
00:36:35.52\00:36:37.15
Har-Magedon, we
call this battle,
00:36:37.18\00:36:39.78
the battle of Armageddon.
Are you still with me?
00:36:39.81\00:36:42.52
But we did not
get the answer yet.
00:36:42.55\00:36:45.78
What is this
deception all about?
00:36:45.81\00:36:47.35
What are these frogs?
00:36:47.38\00:36:49.20
End with these three
frogs is the symbolic expression
00:36:49.23\00:36:53.14
for these there demons.
00:36:53.17\00:36:54.55
Are you still with me?
00:36:54.58\00:36:56.20
But does it come
a surprise to you?
00:36:56.23\00:37:00.64
Every time in the
Book of Revelation,
00:37:00.67\00:37:02.72
when demons are
mentioned they're always demons.
00:37:02.75\00:37:05.70
Never symbolic
language is used for them.
00:37:08.08\00:37:09.96
Are you still with me? Yes.
00:37:09.99\00:37:12.08
This is the only exception
in the Book of Revelation
00:37:12.11\00:37:15.52
where they're not just demons,
00:37:15.55\00:37:18.21
they're symbolized
by frogs. Why frogs?
00:37:18.24\00:37:21.00
Oh, boy, when they go to
different Bible commentaries,
00:37:21.03\00:37:24.27
people have such great
imagination to describe.
00:37:24.30\00:37:28.95
You know frogs and ox?
Friends, that's not the issue.
00:37:28.98\00:37:33.12
When we find the symbol
of the Book of Revelation,
00:37:33.15\00:37:36.12
what is the first step
that we're supposed to make?
00:37:36.15\00:37:39.29
Let's go to the Old Testament.
00:37:39.32\00:37:40.69
So now I want that
you see that you can make,
00:37:40.72\00:37:44.09
you can study the Book
of Revelation for yourself.
00:37:44.12\00:37:46.65
Where in the
Bible we have plagues?
00:37:46.68\00:37:51.47
Where water turns into blood,
00:37:51.50\00:37:54.90
when people become hungry,
00:37:54.93\00:37:56.88
when the sun
scorches the people,
00:37:56.91\00:37:59.37
when there is such
dense dark--darkness
00:37:59.40\00:38:02.13
and also a part of
those plagues are frogs.
00:38:02.16\00:38:05.35
What do you have
it? You see that.
00:38:05.38\00:38:07.39
Friends, you
don't need to have a PhD
00:38:07.42\00:38:10.73
to understand the
Book of Revelation.
00:38:10.76\00:38:12.28
Just go to the Old Testament.
00:38:12.31\00:38:14.63
Actually, yeah, you
are completely right.
00:38:14.66\00:38:17.40
We're talking about
the plagues of Egypt
00:38:17.43\00:38:20.06
that happened at the
exodus of the people of Israel.
00:38:20.09\00:38:24.14
Please, I'd like
you now to be with me
00:38:24.17\00:38:27.76
because there is something
very interesting is that
00:38:27.79\00:38:29.96
you can observe as we're
studying all these plagues.
00:38:29.99\00:38:34.12
Are you with me? Amen.
00:38:34.15\00:38:35.81
Do you remember
Mosses comes before Pharaoh,
00:38:35.84\00:38:40.13
and says to him,
"If you don't obey God,
00:38:40.16\00:38:44.11
this is the plague
that will come up on Egypt?"
00:38:44.14\00:38:47.56
And Pharaoh
said, "No, I don't want
00:38:47.59\00:38:49.77
to obey God. That's okay."
00:38:49.80\00:38:52.55
Moses lifts up his stick
there, you remember that?
00:38:52.58\00:38:55.33
And the plague
came, but at the same time
00:38:55.36\00:38:58.83
there is
something that happened.
00:38:58.86\00:39:02.12
The Egyptian magicians,
they counterfeit the same thing,
00:39:02.15\00:39:07.54
the same plague
and pharaoh said,
00:39:07.57\00:39:09.77
"Yeah, good trick, Moses,
00:39:09.80\00:39:13.35
but you're nothing better than
my magicians." People suffer.
00:39:13.38\00:39:16.98
And then Pharaoh realizes,
these are the fingers of God.
00:39:17.01\00:39:20.98
So he just prayed to God, okay.
00:39:21.01\00:39:23.51
Of course, the
plague is removed.
00:39:23.54\00:39:26.84
Pharaoh is again unbeliever.
00:39:26.87\00:39:30.87
And Mosses said,
"Another plague will come."
00:39:30.90\00:39:35.63
And Pharaoh does not believe it.
00:39:35.66\00:39:38.20
Another plague hits
the land. What happens?
00:39:38.23\00:39:42.74
The magicians,
they do the same thing.
00:39:42.77\00:39:45.69
And Pharaoh says,
"Another good trick."
00:39:45.72\00:39:48.98
And it happened how many times?
00:39:49.01\00:39:50.38
Several times,
okay. I'm not sure now.
00:39:52.17\00:39:54.67
Is it three or
four times it happens?
00:39:54.70\00:39:57.17
And then finally
Moses said before Pharaoh,
00:39:57.20\00:40:01.78
and he said, "There
will be another plague."
00:40:01.81\00:40:03.61
What plagues?
"There will be frogs."
00:40:03.64\00:40:07.07
Pharaoh said,
"Oh, good attempt."
00:40:07.10\00:40:08.83
Where do you--
where can you find?
00:40:08.86\00:40:10.48
Of course, locust
they can come, okay.
00:40:10.51\00:40:12.87
But frogs--and frogs
they filled the earth
00:40:12.90\00:40:16.13
but the problem was that
magicians they did the same
00:40:16.16\00:40:19.86
and Pharaoh said I don't
understand how it happened,
00:40:19.89\00:40:22.67
so many frogs.
00:40:22.70\00:40:24.07
But you see it's another trick
that my magicians they can do.
00:40:24.10\00:40:27.66
Friends, magician plagues,
00:40:27.69\00:40:30.18
the frogs were
the last deception
00:40:30.21\00:40:34.93
and last counterfeit
00:40:34.96\00:40:36.67
that Pharaoh's
magicians were able to do.
00:40:36.70\00:40:40.17
Because after that
another plague come
00:40:40.20\00:40:43.13
and Pharaoh look
into his magicians
00:40:43.16\00:40:44.83
they--they tried to do all
those things nothing happened
00:40:44.86\00:40:48.87
finally those
magicians they came to Pharaoh
00:40:48.90\00:40:51.23
and says we cannot do anything,
this is the finger of God.
00:40:51.26\00:40:57.40
Our best
understanding that we can reach
00:40:57.43\00:40:59.54
with regard to these
frogs at this moment is
00:40:59.57\00:41:03.68
that actually the
inspiration wants to tell us
00:41:03.71\00:41:07.48
that with this deception
of these three unclean spirit
00:41:07.51\00:41:11.99
symbolized by frogs,
00:41:12.02\00:41:14.43
this is the last
greatest deception
00:41:14.46\00:41:18.34
that Satan will be able to do,
00:41:18.37\00:41:20.36
that Babylon will
be able to perform
00:41:20.39\00:41:22.96
before the
second coming of Christ.
00:41:22.99\00:41:26.74
How successful
will be this deception?
00:41:26.77\00:41:31.54
Please read in verse 16
00:41:31.57\00:41:34.45
say "They gathered
them together to the place
00:41:34.48\00:41:38.34
which in Hebrew is
called Har-Magedon."
00:41:38.37\00:41:42.48
Evidently the entire world
falls in to that deception.
00:41:42.51\00:41:47.94
By the way in a
Great Controversy
00:41:47.97\00:41:51.17
I like what Ellen White
saw there in the vision is.
00:41:51.20\00:41:54.98
She says at that time
00:41:55.01\00:41:57.07
when people will not
trust Babylon any longer,
00:41:57.10\00:42:00.14
it is Satan himself
who'll step on the scene
00:42:00.17\00:42:03.60
imitating the
second coming of Christ,
00:42:03.63\00:42:06.51
performing
different miracles around
00:42:06.54\00:42:09.14
and people will come
to him pleading for help
00:42:09.17\00:42:13.51
and he will tell
them, he will tell them,
00:42:13.54\00:42:15.72
yeah, you suffer
because of these plagues,
00:42:15.75\00:42:18.59
but these
plagues are not because
00:42:18.62\00:42:20.66
I wanted them to put you,
00:42:20.69\00:42:22.31
it's-they're
caused by the people
00:42:22.34\00:42:24.38
who did not want to side with
us and to support this system.
00:42:24.41\00:42:28.50
Friends, this is what the battle
of Armageddon is all about.
00:42:28.53\00:42:33.18
I would like now to invite you
to turn here to this verse 16
00:42:33.21\00:42:39.31
because among the Christians,
00:42:39.34\00:42:41.42
the concept of the
battle of Armageddon
00:42:41.45\00:42:44.59
One more time I want to remind
you here in my commentary,
00:42:47.26\00:42:50.34
if you go from page 493
to page going all to 497
00:42:50.37\00:42:57.23
in that small
print you have in detail,
00:42:57.26\00:42:59.85
you have so many information
that you really need a lot,
00:42:59.88\00:43:02.62
a lot of time to go through
each one of these details,
00:43:02.65\00:43:05.86
but I want to give to
you broad picture of that
00:43:05.89\00:43:09.53
what you can study for ourself
00:43:09.56\00:43:11.30
and try to find--
to find in the details.
00:43:11.33\00:43:14.92
Because many, many
good Christians today,
00:43:14.95\00:43:17.46
they believe that there is some
hidden place known Har-Mageddon.
00:43:17.49\00:43:21.70
And they tried to establish
where that place is built.
00:43:21.73\00:43:24.32
So most Christians they believe
00:43:24.35\00:43:25.97
that Har-Mageddon
is actually Palestine.
00:43:26.00\00:43:28.12
When political
leaders of these world
00:43:28.15\00:43:30.53
will meet
between a south or north
00:43:30.56\00:43:33.46
or east and the west
based on the Book of Daniel
00:43:33.49\00:43:36.30
people have
different interpretations,
00:43:36.33\00:43:38.39
where actually we'll have
the military conflict there
00:43:38.42\00:43:41.56
in Middle East because of
the situation in Jerusalem.
00:43:41.59\00:43:44.98
Friends, you have to understand
that the Book of Revelation
00:43:45.01\00:43:47.81
never supports such idea.
00:43:47.84\00:43:50.04
You see friends,
the Book of Revelation
00:43:50.07\00:43:52.36
is not about the
military invasion in Palestine.
00:43:52.39\00:43:55.90
It's not the
battle because of oil.
00:43:55.93\00:44:00.26
God does not care about oil.
00:44:00.29\00:44:02.75
Yeah, He cares, He'll like
us that we can drive a car,
00:44:02.78\00:44:05.18
without that oil I
would not be able to come here
00:44:05.21\00:44:07.76
to have this seminar.
00:44:07.79\00:44:09.38
But keep in mind
that the primary concern
00:44:09.41\00:44:11.28
of the Book of Revelation
00:44:11.31\00:44:12.68
is the conclusion of
the plan of salvation
00:44:12.71\00:44:14.50
and salvation
people to have them
00:44:14.53\00:44:16.02
one day in God's kingdom. Amen.
00:44:16.05\00:44:18.98
Now that there is a question,
then what is Har-Mageddon?
00:44:19.01\00:44:23.14
By the way the word Har-Mageddon
00:44:23.17\00:44:26.22
that we have
here which is rightly.
00:44:26.25\00:44:29.12
In King James
Bible we have Armageddon
00:44:29.15\00:44:31.57
because of the
Septuagint that drops that sign
00:44:31.60\00:44:34.65
so instead of Har we
have Ar, okay, doesn't matter.
00:44:34.68\00:44:38.50
The concept is a-- the
question is what is it?
00:44:38.53\00:44:43.41
By the way you will notice here
00:44:43.44\00:44:46.13
that the John the
Revelator makes very clear.
00:44:46.16\00:44:48.53
He said that all the
people will be gather together
00:44:48.56\00:44:51.91
in to the place
of the final battle,
00:44:51.94\00:44:54.32
is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.
00:44:54.35\00:44:57.13
Did you notice it?
00:44:57.16\00:45:00.58
So he wants to tell us
don't look for a literal place,
00:45:00.61\00:45:04.19
you have to understand Hebrew
00:45:04.22\00:45:05.85
in order to
understand what this name means.
00:45:05.88\00:45:08.09
And in Hebrew Har
or Hor means a mountain
00:45:08.12\00:45:14.06
and Magedon occurs
in the Old Testament
00:45:16.82\00:45:23.64
a number, number of times.
00:45:23.67\00:45:26.96
Actually which is
one of the variant names
00:45:26.99\00:45:31.72
for the ancient city Megiddo.
00:45:31.75\00:45:35.75
Let me explain to
you-- to you here something.
00:45:35.78\00:45:41.49
If you have any study Bible.
00:45:41.52\00:45:44.27
At the end of the
Bible you have the map,
00:45:44.30\00:45:45.98
you can go there
and see for our self.
00:45:46.01\00:45:48.25
I just want to remind you
how Palestine looks like, okay.
00:45:48.28\00:45:51.65
You have the shore here
is the Mediterranean sea,
00:45:51.68\00:45:53.72
okay, or the great sea
according to the Bible.
00:45:53.75\00:45:57.04
So Palestine, this is the
territory River Jordan, okay.
00:45:57.07\00:46:01.39
River Jordan.
00:46:01.42\00:46:02.81
Where are the
Babylonians and the Persians
00:46:02.84\00:46:05.69
and the Syrians of all nations?
00:46:05.72\00:46:07.63
You see, they are here.
00:46:07.66\00:46:10.72
They are here.
00:46:10.75\00:46:12.12
But you'll notice that
00:46:12.15\00:46:13.52
in the Bible
that the enemy powers
00:46:13.55\00:46:15.65
who come against Israel
they never come from the east
00:46:15.68\00:46:20.12
to invade Palestine,
they always go around
00:46:20.15\00:46:24.67
and invasion is
done from the north.
00:46:24.70\00:46:28.88
Now there is a question, why?
00:46:28.91\00:46:30.96
Because we have here
that huge Arabic wilderness
00:46:30.99\00:46:37.02
and any attempt for a huge
army to travel this territory
00:46:37.05\00:46:44.87
would mean really a suicide.
00:46:44.90\00:46:46.71
No water, not food and anything.
00:46:46.74\00:46:50.10
So all the
enemies of God's people
00:46:50.13\00:46:51.84
who invade Palestine
00:46:51.87\00:46:53.32
they would go here
and invade from the north.
00:46:53.35\00:46:56.89
But then there is something
that you have to understand.
00:46:56.92\00:46:59.85
This is the mountain area.
00:46:59.88\00:47:04.37
It's almost impossible to
enter here, this territory.
00:47:04.40\00:47:08.82
There're only two places
that you can invade Palestine,
00:47:08.85\00:47:12.32
to go here down the River Jordan
00:47:12.35\00:47:14.34
which was very, very
hard for military to enter,
00:47:14.37\00:47:17.42
but there was here
through this mountain ridge
00:47:17.45\00:47:20.49
there was a safe pass to go here
00:47:20.52\00:47:23.72
and usually there're roads
here made for--for merchants
00:47:23.75\00:47:28.72
who-- and travelers here--
and the army would go this pass
00:47:28.75\00:47:33.28
therefore even before
Israelites came to Palestine
00:47:33.31\00:47:38.50
there was here a
fortress that was located.
00:47:38.53\00:47:43.32
If you go to the
Bible this is known
00:47:43.35\00:47:45.08
as the Jezreel
Valley, this is Galilee, okay.
00:47:45.11\00:47:47.98
Jezreel valley here, it is.
00:47:48.01\00:47:50.30
They established a fortress.
00:47:50.33\00:47:51.88
The name of that
fortress was Megiddo
00:47:51.91\00:47:54.64
from ancient time,
ancient Canaanites.
00:47:54.67\00:47:57.38
When the people of
Israel occupied Palestine,
00:47:57.41\00:48:01.74
they fortified this fortress.
00:48:01.77\00:48:05.23
And they have at
the time of Solomon,
00:48:05.26\00:48:07.04
the Solomon
here had many horses.
00:48:07.07\00:48:10.75
He put many soldiers here, why?
00:48:10.78\00:48:13.59
When the enemies
attack Palestine,
00:48:13.62\00:48:17.44
if you're able to
prevent them here,
00:48:17.47\00:48:20.59
then Palestine is free.
00:48:20.62\00:48:23.23
Are you still with me?
00:48:23.26\00:48:24.63
If those enemy forces are
able to defeat Israelites here,
00:48:24.66\00:48:27.92
what happens?
00:48:27.95\00:48:29.33
The way is open to
occupy-- to occupy Palestine.
00:48:29.36\00:48:32.67
By the way in the
history of the Jewish people
00:48:32.70\00:48:36.77
Megiddo was the
place of the most famous
00:48:36.80\00:48:40.53
and even notorious battles
00:48:40.56\00:48:43.34
that God's people ever
waged against their enemies.
00:48:43.37\00:48:46.75
Let me just remind you that
was the place where the Barak
00:48:46.78\00:48:51.09
and the Bora, Do you remember
fought against their enemies.
00:48:51.12\00:48:55.49
I can say more because of
the time I try to shorten it.
00:48:55.52\00:48:58.82
Actually this is the place
00:48:58.85\00:49:00.22
where the young
king Josiah was killed.
00:49:00.25\00:49:04.20
And by the way if
you read chapter 12
00:49:04.23\00:49:07.68
of the Book of
Zechariah, the Book of Zechariah
00:49:07.71\00:49:10.04
because what happened to the
king of Josiah here at Megiddo.
00:49:10.07\00:49:14.62
Actually Megiddo became
the prophecies of Zechariah
00:49:14.65\00:49:17.76
in other prophetic
books as symbol of the place
00:49:17.79\00:49:20.98
of the final battle between God
and his people and the enemies.
00:49:21.01\00:49:26.43
So in the history-- in
the history of Israel people,
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.41
Megiddo was the place--
00:49:29.44\00:49:31.39
was the place of
those famous battles
00:49:31.42\00:49:33.57
and became a symbol of the
final eschatological battle
00:49:33.60\00:49:39.17
that God will lead
in behalf of his people.
00:49:39.20\00:49:41.52
But let me tell
you something else.
00:49:41.55\00:49:43.28
Megiddo was not just a
place of those great battles,
00:49:43.31\00:49:46.82
it was actually the place
known where God so many times
00:49:46.85\00:49:50.72
intervened in the miraculous
way on behalf of His people.
00:49:50.75\00:49:55.82
But now there is one problem is,
00:49:55.85\00:49:59.27
and I struggle with that
problem about 15 years ago.
00:49:59.30\00:50:03.19
As I was student of
the Book of Revelation,
00:50:03.22\00:50:06.61
people asked me to lecture
on the Book of Revelation,
00:50:06.64\00:50:09.42
but there was one
problem that I confronted,
00:50:09.45\00:50:11.35
I heard from
other people the answer,
00:50:11.38\00:50:13.07
I do not believe
it, The problem is,
00:50:13.10\00:50:15.34
when you come here to
Megiddo this is the plain,
00:50:15.37\00:50:19.62
Jezreel plain,
00:50:19.65\00:50:21.02
here so many people
would have killed in battles.
00:50:21.05\00:50:23.05
Are you still with me?
00:50:23.08\00:50:24.87
But there is no mountain.
00:50:24.90\00:50:27.49
But here you talk
about the Mount of Megiddo.
00:50:27.52\00:50:32.10
And I will never forget.
00:50:32.13\00:50:34.33
It was exactly 17 years
ago I was with Dr. Jon Pauline
00:50:34.36\00:50:40.39
and with 30 students,
00:50:40.42\00:50:41.79
MD students for the
theological seminary
00:50:41.82\00:50:43.70
we were there at Megiddo.
00:50:43.73\00:50:46.04
And students
came to me they said
00:50:46.07\00:50:47.44
because I lectured to
them the Book of Revelation,
00:50:47.47\00:50:49.28
they said where is
the Mount of Megiddo?
00:50:49.31\00:50:52.64
This was for the
first time I was in Israel,
00:50:52.67\00:50:54.39
I was completely lost.
00:50:54.42\00:50:55.79
I said I don't know.
00:50:55.82\00:50:57.57
The problem is Megiddo is
on the elevated position, why?
00:50:57.60\00:51:01.90
Because Megiddo was
so many times destroyed
00:51:01.93\00:51:04.63
and on the ruins
of the previous city,
00:51:04.66\00:51:06.38
a new city was build.
Are you still with me?
00:51:06.41\00:51:08.39
And always, always so--
but this is not mountain.
00:51:08.42\00:51:12.88
And I will never
forget a tourist guy,
00:51:12.91\00:51:16.00
lady she came, she
actually was working her PhD
00:51:16.03\00:51:20.18
in ancient antiquity.
00:51:20.21\00:51:21.75
She was very much
familiar with history
00:51:21.78\00:51:24.33
and she came to me
and she did like this
00:51:24.36\00:51:27.45
and she started laughing
00:51:27.48\00:51:29.02
and said I know what
you are talking about?
00:51:29.05\00:51:30.74
I said what are
we talking about?
00:51:30.77\00:51:32.14
She said like every
Christian who comes here.
00:51:32.17\00:51:34.10
I said what?
00:51:34.13\00:51:35.50
Everybody asking where is--
where is the Mount of Megiddo?
00:51:35.53\00:51:40.51
I said do you have the answer.
00:51:40.54\00:51:42.12
She said you see there?
00:51:42.15\00:51:44.07
I said yes.
00:51:44.10\00:51:45.81
It's so clear you can see it.
00:51:45.84\00:51:47.21
She said this is
the Mount of Megiddo.
00:51:47.24\00:51:49.44
And something
clicked to me, oh, yeah.
00:51:49.47\00:51:51.49
I grew up in a
small town in Bosnia,
00:51:51.52\00:51:54.26
in former Yugoslavia there.
00:51:54.29\00:51:56.53
And we have a mountain about
20 miles far away from our town
00:51:56.56\00:52:00.60
and everybody knows that that
mountain belong to our city.
00:52:00.63\00:52:04.08
The problem is you
just look at the mountain
00:52:04.11\00:52:05.62
that is in the city no, friends.
00:52:05.65\00:52:07.62
So it was about 15, 20
miles far away that mountain
00:52:07.65\00:52:10.94
it's clear, it's huge mountain.
00:52:10.97\00:52:12.83
I said so-- she said do you
know the name of that mountain,
00:52:12.86\00:52:17.90
which is Mount of
Megiddo. I said no.
00:52:17.93\00:52:20.19
She said this is
the Mount of Carmel.
00:52:20.22\00:52:25.77
And then suddenly
everything becomes clear.
00:52:25.80\00:52:30.59
It was actually that
event changed my preaching.
00:52:30.62\00:52:32.60
I was last year there, I will
be in few months again there.
00:52:32.63\00:52:35.86
And I showed to the students,
00:52:35.89\00:52:37.26
by the way last
year when we were there
00:52:37.29\00:52:39.89
I lectured my
students about Megiddo there
00:52:39.92\00:52:41.95
on the side to the Megiddo,
showed them Mount Carmel
00:52:41.98\00:52:44.39
and the tourist
guy, lady came again
00:52:44.42\00:52:46.50
she has PhD in the Old Testament
00:52:46.53\00:52:49.52
and she said
yeah, you are right,
00:52:49.55\00:52:50.98
this is the Mount of
Megiddo, the Mount of Carmel.
00:52:51.01\00:52:54.15
Now everything
becomes now clear.
00:52:54.18\00:52:56.27
What the battle of
Armageddon is all about? Amen.
00:52:56.30\00:53:00.56
The battle of Armageddon
is very similar to the event
00:53:00.59\00:53:04.97
that had happened somewhere in
the past in the Old Testament.
00:53:05.00\00:53:08.88
When the Prophet
Elijah, you remember that.
00:53:08.91\00:53:11.42
According to the 1 Kings 17
and 18 when the king of Elijah--
00:53:11.45\00:53:16.77
when the prophet Elijah had
to confront the king of Ahab
00:53:16.80\00:53:21.28
and all those Baal's prophets.
00:53:21.31\00:53:23.56
When he stood in
front of the old people
00:53:23.59\00:53:27.07
and confronted
them with one question.
00:53:27.10\00:53:30.80
Would you want
this children? Yes.
00:53:30.83\00:53:33.68
If God is God then follow Him,
00:53:33.71\00:53:37.60
if a Baal is
God then follow him.
00:53:37.63\00:53:42.95
It was at that time
that God manifested his power
00:53:42.98\00:53:47.16
in front of all
the people of Israel
00:53:47.19\00:53:49.83
and show his
glory, you remember that.
00:53:49.86\00:53:51.89
And the fire
came down from heaven
00:53:51.92\00:53:54.98
and devoured those sacrifices.
00:53:55.01\00:53:57.45
That is
something very interesting
00:53:57.48\00:53:58.85
if you remember that we talked
00:53:58.88\00:54:00.29
that one of the
greatest deception
00:54:00.32\00:54:01.82
that the
counterfeit trinity will do,
00:54:01.85\00:54:03.58
bring the fire down from heaven
00:54:03.61\00:54:05.32
actually to imitate the Elijah
event on the Mount of Carmel.
00:54:05.35\00:54:10.09
Satan is always trying
to prevent the plan of God.
00:54:10.12\00:54:13.43
And friends this is just
to stimulate your appetite
00:54:13.46\00:54:17.51
for studying of this subject.
00:54:17.54\00:54:19.38
Just to show to you
00:54:19.41\00:54:20.94
that actually the
battle of Armageddon
00:54:20.97\00:54:23.23
is not the political event,
it's not a military action,
00:54:23.26\00:54:28.04
it's not a
military war because of oil
00:54:28.07\00:54:30.70
or Palestine or confrontation
between the Jews and Palestine.
00:54:30.73\00:54:36.03
Actually the battle
of Armageddon is battle
00:54:36.06\00:54:38.82
for the mind of
the people when God,
00:54:38.85\00:54:42.22
whom the world
rejected completely
00:54:42.25\00:54:45.19
at certain point of history
he will have to manifest himself
00:54:45.22\00:54:49.52
and to show the
people about decision
00:54:49.55\00:54:53.42
that they failed to
make and that a crucial
00:54:53.45\00:54:58.78
and that crucial decision
actually that they made actually
00:54:58.81\00:55:03.06
is by rejecting God and
siding with the wrong side.
00:55:03.09\00:55:09.34
This is actually what the battle
of Armageddon is all about.
00:55:09.37\00:55:14.60
By the way in our next session
00:55:14.63\00:55:17.27
we will see a little bit
00:55:17.30\00:55:18.98
the outcome of this
battle of Armageddon.
00:55:19.01\00:55:21.49
But you don't need to go too far
00:55:21.52\00:55:23.84
because this is exactly what
the seventh plague is all about.
00:55:23.87\00:55:29.69
Do you have the
text there, etcetera?
00:55:29.72\00:55:31.83
You will see the outcome
of the battle of Armageddon.
00:55:31.86\00:55:34.38
It says then the seventh
angle poured out his bowl
00:55:34.41\00:55:37.63
up on the air and a loud
voice came out of the temple
00:55:37.66\00:55:41.57
from the throne
saying it is done
00:55:41.60\00:55:44.88
and there are flashes
and lightening and sounds
00:55:44.91\00:55:47.12
and peals of thunder
00:55:47.15\00:55:48.58
and there was a great earthquake
00:55:48.61\00:55:50.33
such as there had not been since
man came to be up on the earth,
00:55:50.36\00:55:54.09
so great an
earthquake it was and so mighty.
00:55:54.12\00:55:57.60
And the great city
was split into three parts
00:55:57.63\00:56:01.48
and the cities
of the nations fell
00:56:01.51\00:56:03.42
and Babylon great was remembered
00:56:03.45\00:56:05.42
before God to give her the cup
00:56:05.45\00:56:08.33
of the wine of his fierce wrath.
00:56:08.36\00:56:10.37
Please, can you now help me?
00:56:10.40\00:56:12.70
What is the
significance of this wrath.
00:56:16.21\00:56:19.14
that outcome of the
battle of Armageddon
00:56:19.17\00:56:21.03
refers to the fall of Babylon
00:56:21.06\00:56:22.63
but says that Babylon
was split into three parts.
00:56:22.66\00:56:28.87
Why the fall of
Babylon is portrayed
00:56:28.90\00:56:30.75
in terms of
splitting to three parts, why?
00:56:30.78\00:56:33.45
Because, remember
Babylon is made of three parts.
00:56:33.48\00:56:37.92
It means that the outcome
of the battle of Armageddon
00:56:37.95\00:56:40.95
will be total destruction of
the counterfeit trinity. Amen.
00:56:40.98\00:56:45.37
We'll see it in Chapter 19
00:56:45.40\00:56:47.10
where we have the conclusion
to battle of Armageddon
00:56:47.13\00:56:49.48
that the first
beast and the second beast
00:56:49.51\00:56:51.66
will be destroyed
in that lake of fire
00:56:51.69\00:56:53.40
before the
second coming of Christ.
00:56:53.43\00:56:55.99
But there is only one entity
that will be left is the dragon,
00:56:56.02\00:56:59.72
is the Satan himself
00:56:59.75\00:57:01.54
actually who will
receive the right to judgment,
00:57:01.57\00:57:04.66
after the
second coming of Christ
00:57:04.69\00:57:06.88
and after the millennium.
00:57:06.91\00:57:09.55
Friends, there is
one beautiful message
00:57:09.58\00:57:12.50
that is given
here and inserted here
00:57:12.53\00:57:15.53
in the midst of the
description of the preparation
00:57:15.56\00:57:17.81
for the battle of Armageddon.
00:57:17.84\00:57:19.90
I don't want to tell you
what that message is all about.
00:57:19.93\00:57:22.33
I will like with that message
to begin our next presentations,
00:57:22.36\00:57:25.74
so I hope
you'll come and join us
00:57:25.77\00:57:27.74
for our next study of the Bible,
00:57:27.77\00:57:29.65
because God
wants to reveal to us
00:57:29.68\00:57:32.46
what will happen in the future.
00:57:32.49\00:57:35.59