Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000023
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00:24 Welcome again to our program,
00:26 "Revelation of The Coming King." 00:30 I'm Ranko Stefanovic, Professor of New Testament 00:33 at the Seventh-day Adventist 00:35 Theological Seminary, Andrews University. 00:38 And I'm so glad to be with you 00:41 and be active participant in the production of this program. 00:47 There is something special about the Book of Revelation, 00:50 is the Book of Revelation, it points to the future. 00:56 It's telling us what will happen, 00:58 so that we are not surprised. 01:01 But the purpose of the book 01:03 is to make us better Christians today. 01:07 You know, as I travel I find many good Christians. 01:10 They're so much obsessed about the future, 01:13 but the problem with them is you regularly conclude, 01:16 they don't know how to live today. 01:18 So the purpose of the Book of Revelation 01:20 is to point to the future, 01:22 but to make us to be better people today. 01:26 But much more than that, 01:29 the Book of Revelation always points to the past, 01:32 because it is the language of the past used to describe-- 01:37 used to describe the future, 01:40 telling us that history will repeat itself in the future 01:44 and the same God who was with His people in the past 01:48 to protect them is also the-- 01:51 that God will be with His people in the future 01:54 when that future comes to its realization. 01:57 What a wonderful book, 01:59 The Revelation of The Coming-- of The Coming King. 02:04 I'd like to remind you one more time 02:07 that once this program is over, 02:10 I really like to urge you that you go and that you study 02:14 the Book of Revelation for yourself. 02:18 You can do it alone, but it's always better 02:21 to have few people, especially people who disagree with you 02:25 that you study, that you agitate, okay, 02:29 that you struggle it with the text, 02:30 exchange the opinions. 02:32 And, boy, what the message will speak, 02:35 stick to our heart and how you'll be fulfilled 02:39 and filled with that strong desire 02:41 to come much closer to God 02:43 in your relationship with Him. 02:45 So this is the textbook we will use today 02:48 as well as we have done in all the previous programs. 02:53 But you'll always say, "Hey, I need something more. 02:56 I need--I need something that will really help me." 03:00 How to find the key 03:03 to the symbolical language of the Book of Revelation? 03:06 Well, some of you have done it already, 03:09 some of you--of you would like to provide for yourself 03:14 this book titled "Revelation of Jesus Christ," 03:18 which is verse-by-verse commentary. 03:20 And the entire purpose of this commentary 03:22 not to provide interpretation in yourself. 03:25 You are supposed to do it, okay. 03:27 But the purpose of this commentary is to give you 03:31 all these Old Testament and New Testament text 03:34 and many other backgrounds, okay. 03:37 For the symbolic language of the Book of Revelation 03:39 to help you as you're struggling with the text 03:44 to find that interpretation based on all those tools. 03:48 So our presentation today will actually 03:52 follow the pages that are here from 492. 03:57 So from page 492, 04:00 and let's see how far we will go today 04:02 in today's program, okay. 04:06 As every time, so today we want to ask God 04:09 because the final analysis, everything is about Him. 04:13 He inspired the John the Revelator 04:15 to write this book and He promised to us. 04:18 Do you remember Revelation 1:3? 04:20 "Blessed is the one who reads," in this--in this context. 04:24 This is what I'm doing. I'm reading. 04:26 But blessed are those who are listening. 04:29 But who are actually blessed? 04:31 Both you and me. 04:32 If we keep the words of prophecy of this book. 04:35 And it is only the God who can enable us 04:38 and help us, okay, in that. 04:40 So let us--let us ask Him for His presence and His help. 04:44 Our heavenly Father, thank you 04:47 for a promise given to us 04:49 that when we read the messages of the Book of Revelation 04:53 that You will be with us 04:55 and Your Holy Spirit will direct us 04:57 in understanding of these messages, 04:59 that sometimes are not easy to understand. 05:03 So please be with us, Father. 05:05 Give us Your Holy Spirit. 05:06 We'd like to experience Your presence in our midst, 05:09 and we pray all of this 05:10 in the precious name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. 05:15 Lets be reminded what we have been talking so far. 05:19 We saw the time of the end. 05:22 And Satan will make every effort to distract us from God 05:27 and try to pull out the whole world for himself, 05:31 and against God, okay. 05:34 And as a result that the people will receive 05:38 the Mark of the Beast, okay. 05:40 In Chapter 14, we read that God's faithful followers, 05:44 they will be protected. 05:45 At the same time, God is not happy 05:48 that there are people who are faithful to Him. 05:50 He would like to have more of them. 05:52 So God is sending to the inhabitants of this world, 05:55 He is sending His everlasting gospel. 05:58 As the result of that everlasting gospel, 06:02 there are some people who will make a decision 06:06 to side with God, okay. 06:09 So finally, as the preaching of the gospel is concluded. 06:13 There will be two groups of people 06:14 those who are for God and those who are against God. 06:20 This is the conclusion of Chapter 14, 06:23 described in terms of those two harvests, okay. 06:26 Once the decision of every person 06:28 is concluded and made, okay. 06:32 Now there is a something 06:33 because God want to show to the rebellious world 06:36 the consequences of their decision that they made. 06:41 Remember the expressions? 06:43 Knowingly and willingly, it was their decision what they made. 06:47 God wants to show them 06:49 the consequences of their decision 06:51 because at the final judgment, 06:53 God does not want to leave any person in doubt 06:57 about the fairness of His dealing with people. 07:00 Are you still with me? 07:02 By the way, we'll come to Chapter 19 07:04 and you will see how Chapter 19 begins. 07:06 Once the Great Controversy is concluded 07:08 and the end is right there, okay. 07:12 And just before that final judgment, 07:14 you will see the key concept 07:16 over the beginning of the Chapter 19 07:18 is almost an anthem that spreads throughout universe. 07:22 Yes, Lord, indeed, You are judge. 07:28 Just and You are fair because Your judgments are right. 07:34 You see, everything, friends, is about the fairness of God. 07:37 You who know little bit more about the Bible, 07:40 you know, that actually the key issue 07:44 at the beginning of the Great Controversy 07:47 that actually the Lucifer accused God, 07:51 it was--God was not fair that God was not just, 07:54 that He did not treat, okay. 07:56 His--His creation in the right way. 08:01 But actually the purpose of the Great Controversy 08:03 and the Book of Revelation is in line 08:06 with the biblical theologies that God is indeed fair, 08:09 and this is exactly what the conclusion 08:11 of this world's history will demonstrate. Okay. 08:15 So the seven last plagues, 08:18 we saw that the purpose of the seven last plagues, 08:21 their purpose is indeed-- 08:23 is indeed to show to the people 08:26 about the consequences of their action. 08:28 So that at the end time, the sinners themselves 08:30 will recognize that the problem was not with God, 08:33 that the problem was with them. 08:34 And you remember? 08:36 The first four plagues probably are literal. 08:43 Any symbolic meaning doesn't-- doesn't make sense. 08:47 This is our current understanding that we have. 08:49 Maybe in the future we'll have to change our mind. 08:51 But the Revelation 7 suggests it clearly to us. 08:56 But we saw that when we come to the fifth plague, 09:01 that the literal meaning does not make too much sense. 09:05 It's a symbolic there. 09:06 And we saw that in the fifth plague. 09:11 Actually it's the throne of the beast, 09:15 the very Seat of Babylon, it's visited there. 09:20 And there is something that happens 09:23 in the eyes of the inhabitants of the world 09:26 who trusted Babylon so much, 09:28 they decided to follow the beast 09:30 and receive the Mark of the Beast. 09:33 This is exactly where we stopped last time. 09:35 So please, I'd like one more time 09:37 to invite you to turn to Revelation Chapter 16 09:42 and it says, "The sixth angel poured out 09:46 his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates, 09:48 and its river was dried up, 09:51 so that the way would be prepared 09:53 for the kings from the east." 09:54 Please let's be reminded one more time, okay. 09:59 We are dealing here with the symbolic language. 10:02 The symbolic language as any other 10:05 in the Book of Revelation is based on the historical reality. 10:08 Keep in mind that the end time enemy power 10:12 that will be the key actor in the final crises. 10:15 It's named Babylon. 10:17 And we have to keep in mind 10:19 that this concept of a Babylon in the Book of Revelation 10:22 is rooted in the concept of the historical Babylon 10:26 that is mentioned in the Old Testament, okay. 10:31 So let's put it here as-- 10:33 I'm repeating what we stated last time. 10:37 Ancient Babylon was a square, okay, 10:41 in the form of square, okay. 10:44 But there was a River Euphrates running through the city. 10:51 We mentioned last time, do you remember that? 10:53 Without the River Euphrates there would not be Babylon. 10:57 Babylon holds its own existence, okay, 11:02 to the River Euphrates for nourishment, 11:04 for the existence and for the survival, okay. 11:09 The enemy forces could come and surround Babylon 11:13 and be there month and years they spent there, 11:18 but Babylon could survive. 11:20 It's because of River Euphrates. 11:23 Now let's go back here to this text. 11:26 These Old Testament concepts about historical Babylon 11:30 is very important for the understanding 11:32 what's going on here with the end time Babylon. 11:34 And it says, "That the sixth plague 11:37 hits the River Euphrates." 11:41 In what way? 11:43 It says, "That the waters-- 11:46 that the waters of Euphrates were dried up." 11:51 What does it mean? 11:53 Okay, let's go back to the historical Babylon. 11:56 What would happen if the waters 11:59 of the River Euphrates were dried up? 12:03 It would mark the end of Babylon 12:06 to now read the question how long the Babylon can last? 12:11 And very soon Babylon would come to its end. 12:13 By the way, but just wait, very soon we'll come to that. 12:17 We will see that the drying up of the River Euphrates 12:19 indeed brought the end of the historical Babylon. 12:22 But we--we want here to be in the Book of Revelation, 12:25 first to find out if the River Euphrates is symbolic? 12:30 Are you still with me? Keep in mind. 12:32 We are dealing here with the symbol, 12:33 rooted in the historical reality, okay. 12:37 If the River Euphrates here mentioned 12:39 that's rooted in the historical Babylon, 12:41 the question is, what does the River Euphrates 12:47 signify and stand for with the reference 12:50 to the end time Babylon? Praise God. 12:54 This symbol should not be difficult to interpret 12:57 because the Book of Revelation explained it to us. 13:00 These are one of the rare symbols 13:02 that are very clearly identified 13:05 and explained in the Book of Revelation. 13:07 Please, I'd like to invite you 13:09 to go to the next chapter of the Book of Revelation, 13:12 where we have the judgment of their Babylon. 13:17 Let's see how the Book of Revelation explained to us 13:21 actually what Babylon is about, okay. 13:25 It says, in the Revelation 17:1, 13:32 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls--" 13:37 See the same angel that execute seven--seven last plagues. 13:41 "Spoke with me, saying, 'Come here.' 13:44 I will show you the judgment of the great harlot 13:49 who sits on many waters." 13:52 Please, can you help me now? 13:55 What is the name of this harlot? It's Babylon. 13:59 By the way, if you go in the following verses 14:00 we will come to that. 14:02 You will see in verse 5, it's a Babylon, okay. 14:06 So this enemy power is called Babylon. 14:08 But since the Babylon sits on many waters-- 14:12 I don't want you to be confused. 14:14 If you go--if you go to Jeremiah 51:13, 14:18 you will see that Jeremiah talks about that historical Babylon, 14:23 stating that Babylon was sitting on many waters. 14:28 So the expression that John the Revelator 14:31 is using in Revelation 17:1, that sits on many waters. 14:36 Actually it's taken from the Old Testament 14:37 from the Book of Jeremiah 51:13. 14:41 Are you still with me? 14:42 So let me tell you, if Jeremiah referred 14:45 to Babylon as sitting on many waters. 14:48 What do the seven-- the many waters 14:53 actually stands for in the Book of Jeremiah? 14:56 Is the River Euphrates, okay? 14:59 It's different expression for the River Euphrates. 15:02 So now there is a question. We did not get the answer yet. 15:07 If a Babylon according to 17:1, sits on many waters, 15:11 what do many waters or the River Euphrates actually represent? 15:17 It's in verse 15. The same chapter verse 15. 15:20 Praise God that this is the clear-- 15:23 The angel explains to John, 15:25 the meaning of many waters or River Euphrates. 15:28 No, revelation 17:15, in the same chapter we are. 15:32 It says, "And He said to me, 15:35 'The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, 15:40 are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.' 15:47 " I expect one hallelujah and amen. 15:50 We don't need to wonder about this. 15:52 Please, what does the symbol of Euphrates 15:56 or many waters stand for 15:59 in the Book of Revelation? Let me put. 16:01 I don't want simply to repeat it, boy. 16:03 For secular and political powers of this world. 16:09 Let--let put it one more time when we come to 16:14 we will see it. Revelation 17, 16:19 Actually Babylon-- proceed to Babylon 16:22 does not sits just on the waters. 16:24 It also sits on the beast because we will see that 16:26 that waters and the beast is one--the same reality. 16:31 Two different symbols for one reality. 16:34 As ancient Babylon were sitting on the River Euphrates 16:38 and dependant on the River Euphrates for its existence, 16:41 the end time Babylon sits on Euphrates 16:44 and what the River Euphrates or many waters are all about? 16:48 It's a secular and the political power 16:51 of this world that supported Babylon. 16:53 You see, Babylon is a religious reality. 16:57 Euphrates stands for political reality. 17:00 See, Babylon was located on the River Euphrates. 17:04 The women-- prostitute women, 17:07 Revelation 17 which is Babylon were sitting on the beast 17:10 which actually signified political powers. 17:12 What does it telling us? 17:13 That the time of the end we will see 17:16 that the religious entities 17:20 that will be actively involved in the final crises. 17:23 For their survival and for their existence, 17:26 we'll be supported by that political 17:30 and secular powers of this world. 17:32 Are you still with me? Amen. 17:35 Without those political and the religious, 17:38 and political and secular powers in the world, 17:41 the end time Babylon cannot exist. 17:44 Are you still with me? It's different. 17:47 We will talk about that during the medieval period. 17:51 One entity, one beast incorporated 17:55 both religious and political aspect. 17:58 But at the time of the end, 18:00 we have two aspects with two realities, 18:03 two entities is that the Babylon 18:06 which is religious entity depends on the political support 18:12 of religious and political powers of this world for its-- 18:17 for its existence. 18:20 That's why how the Mark of the Beast is able to be imposed. 18:24 That's why everybody who does not-- 18:27 who does not receive the Mark of the Beast had to be killed. 18:30 Because we have a political powers of this world 18:33 are involved-- are involved in that. 18:36 Now let's go back to our text in Revelation 16. 18:42 Please now I need your help 18:44 and the help of the viewers there. 18:47 Of course, they cannot talk to us, 18:51 but try to think. 18:52 It says verse 12, "That the sixth angel 18:56 poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates, 19:00 and its water was dried up." 19:04 What does it mean that the water of Euphrates was dried up? 19:11 It means that there is something that will happen, 19:16 that the political and the secular powers of this world 19:21 will withdraw the popular support to Babylon. 19:27 They'll not support the Babylon any longer. 19:30 Now there is a question, why? 19:31 Why suddenly the fifth plague? 19:35 Those who supported Babylon, 19:37 those political and secular powers of this world, 19:39 why they do not support Babylon any longer? Why not? 19:48 The answer was in the fifth plaque. 19:50 Do you remember that? 19:52 When the people of this world, 19:55 they noticed that actually Babylon itself 19:58 is hit by the seven last plagues. 20:01 And the Babylon cannot rescue and save itself. 20:04 Then how can Babylon help the people in the world? 20:08 Are you still with me? 20:09 And they'll make people to think about decision that they made. 20:14 Keep in mind. 20:16 They decide not to side with Babylon any longer, 20:20 but it doesn't make them to side with God. 20:22 Are you still with me? 20:23 Actually they become even more rebellious against God. 20:27 Read the seven last plagues. 20:30 The more severe seven plagues are, 20:33 make them to regret and to suffer, 20:36 but doesn't make them to come back to God. 20:38 Actually makes them to blasphemy more against God. 20:40 It's very interesting is when Satan messes up in this world, 20:44 people do not blame Satan. People blame always God. 20:50 But we have to understand something 20:51 about this drying up of the River Euphrates. 20:55 It says, "To prepare the way for the kings from the east." 21:00 Oh, friends, we can have here a very, very long discussion now 21:05 there so many elements here, please. 21:07 I would like to encourage you that as I mentioned 21:10 once this program is over to study 21:12 because you'll have all informations here, 21:15 but let me just provide here to you the framework 21:18 because the first century Christians 21:20 do not have a problem to understand what was going on 21:24 in the Book of Revelation in the light 21:26 of what happened to the historical Babylon. 21:29 By the way, Babylon was on the peak of its power. 21:35 The King Nebuchadnezzar who repented, you remember that? 21:38 Repented, and finally he was accepted by God. He died. 21:41 After him there are three other kings 21:44 and there was finally the fourth king, 21:46 but he decided to leave Babylon. 21:49 And he left his son, Belshazzar 21:54 there in Babylon to rule instead of him. 21:57 You're now familiar. 21:58 We are referring to the-- to the Book of Daniel. 22:01 However, the time Medo-Persians, they came, 22:04 they surrounded the city. 22:07 Holding the city under the siege for a long time, 22:10 but why would Babylon surrender? 22:14 Babylon is surrounded by the triple wall. 22:16 There is River Euphrates providing so much water there. 22:18 They can live there for many, many years without any fear. 22:22 Nobody can harm them. 22:24 And now there is something-- 22:26 there is something that that happened. 22:29 I'd like to invite you to turn 22:32 to the Book of Isaiah 50--41. Isaiah 41. 22:39 There is one name that is-- that is very prominent here 22:47 with regard to ancient Babylon 22:53 in the prophecies of Isaiah about Babylon. 22:56 It's Chapter 45:1, where it says, 23:00 "Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, 23:05 whom I have taken by the right hand, 23:09 to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of the king." 23:16 Verse 4, "For the sake of Jacob My servant, 23:20 and Israel My chosen one, I have also called you name 23:24 I have given you a title of honor 23:27 though you have not known Me." 23:30 Verse 5, "I am the Lord, there is no other, 23:33 besides Me, there is no other God." 23:36 What is the king name here mentioned by Isaiah? 23:40 It's the King Cyrus. 23:42 The King Cyrus was actually the commander of chief 23:46 of the Medo-Persian army that, that surrender-- 23:49 surrender Babylon. Okay. 23:52 Actually this ancient king, pagan king, 23:56 he had nothing to do with God, okay. 23:59 Actually it's called in the Book of Isaiah, "My anointed one." 24:05 Do you know what Hebrew word 24:07 stands here for 'my anointed one?' 24:09 Is the word of Messiah. 24:11 Actually the King Cyrus, he stands 24:14 as the prototype of the messiah, pagan king. Why? 24:18 Because he was the one according to the prophecy of Isaiah. 24:23 The one who was supposed to destroy Babylon. 24:27 And somehow he functions here 24:29 as the prototype of the real messiah who will one day come 24:33 and to destroy the end time Babylon. 24:34 Are you still with me? 24:36 But you'll need to understand 24:37 how the end time Babylon will be destroyed. 24:40 We have to understand 24:41 how ancient Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus. 24:44 In the same way, because Cyrus stands 24:46 as a prototype for the messiah. 24:48 How he will destroy it? 24:49 I'd like you just to look in the two texts 24:52 that come before Chapter 25. 24:54 It's verse 27 and 28. 24:57 Chapter 44 of the Book of Isaiah, okay. 25:00 Chapter 44 of Book of Isaiah, verses 27 and 28. 25:03 "It is I who say to the depth of the sea, 'Be dried up.' 25:08 And I will make your rivers dry." 25:10 Are you still with me? 25:12 I will make your river dry. 25:15 "It is I who say to Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd. 25:18 And he will perform all My desire.' 25:20 And he declares to Jerusalem, 25:22 'She will be built,' and of the temple, 25:25 'Your foundation will be laid.'" 25:26 The Book of Isaiah points here that Cyrus will destroy Babylon. 25:31 How will he destroy Babylon? By drying up the river? 25:35 By the way, we don't have the historical records too much 25:38 about what happened to the ancient Babylon. 25:41 The only record that we find in the Bible, 25:43 it's in the Book of Daniel. Do you remember that? 25:46 It's in Chapter 5, telling us that that night 25:50 when the King Belshazzar was celebrating-- 25:54 probably the anniversary of Babylon, 25:56 but at the same time blaspheming against the God of Israel. 25:59 He brought those vessels from the temple, 26:01 do you remember that? What are they doing? 26:03 They're drinking from those vessels, 26:04 shouting to the Jews. "Who is your God? 26:06 You see, your holy vessels are here. 26:09 We are drinking from them wine and celebrating our gods 26:12 because they're more powerful." 26:13 And the Bible said, "That that night, 26:15 Belshazzar was killed 26:17 and Medo-Persians took over the city. 26:20 Are you still with me? 26:21 We don't know what happened. 26:23 But in the first century, the people in the Roman Empire, 26:30 they understood only one way how Babylon was destroyed 26:33 because the two Greek historians, 26:36 I have documentations there-- there in my commentary. 26:39 You can read for them. 26:41 One was Herodotus another one was Xenophon. 26:44 Two of them, they're providing more information 26:47 and they're saying us 26:49 that the Cyrus with the Medo-Persian army, 26:52 he realized that he couldn't conquer Babylon. 26:55 And he took his counselors. They were talking together. 26:58 How? What shall we do? 26:59 Shall we give up? And finally the idea came. 27:03 There was here a huge valley. 27:06 They say, "Why don't we dig a canal here, 27:12 and divert the river bed 27:17 and the flow of the water into this valley?" 27:20 And according to those historians, 27:22 this is indeed what had happened. 27:24 And the night, when the King Belshazzar 27:25 was celebrating his victory, 27:29 they prevented the flow of the river here, 27:32 diverted the water into this valley 27:36 and that night they went. 27:43 This way they marched here into city. 27:45 Of course, the walls here 27:47 and they were able to bribe the gatekeepers there. 27:52 And that night when Belshazzar, 27:53 who was not loved by the people in Babylon at all. 27:55 That's why they opened the door to the Medo-Persians 27:58 enter there King Belshazzar and they occupied Babylon. 28:01 For a long time, I even see today 28:04 that some scholars are laughing in this report. 28:07 They say, it's just the product of imagination. 28:10 But those number of years ago 28:12 in ancient Babylon, territory ancient Babylon, 28:15 Cyrus so called Cyrus Cylinder was discovered. 28:20 In which Cyrus celebrates 28:23 and praises all the victory that he has done. 28:27 And there is one sentence he said, 28:29 "And my forces-- Actually it's "With my forces, 28:31 it's so much ego in those people," he said. 28:34 And I conquered Babylon without loosing a single soldier. 28:41 It fits very nicely, whether these are true or not, 28:44 but because of these two Greek historians. 28:49 This is what people knew in the first century 28:51 about the fall of Babylon. 28:55 So, when the Revelator, John the Revelator 28:58 saw in the vision that the River Euphrates dried up. 29:05 And when he put it in the Book of Revelation, 29:07 people did not have any difficulty to understand 29:10 what was actually going on. 29:13 As the ancient Babylon fell 29:16 because of the drying up of the River Euphrates, 29:19 the prophecy of the Book of Revelation is 29:21 that the same will happened to the end time Babylon. 29:25 But keep in mind that this time we are dealing with the symbol 29:30 because River Euphrates, many waters, 29:33 they stand for political and secular powers of this world 29:37 who will somehow withdraw their popular support to Babylon 29:42 and it will cause the fall of Babylon. 29:44 Are you still with me? 29:47 For which purpose? It says, "To prepare-- 29:54 So that the way would be prepare." 29:56 Verse 12, "For the kings from the east." 30:00 Let's go back to ancient Babylon. 30:02 You see, you have to locate the map. 30:07 This is Babylon. Where is the east? 30:09 It's here. Medo-Persia is in the east. 30:12 So who are the kings from the east? 30:14 Keep in mind we are dealing with Media and Persia, 30:18 different kings there. Okay. 30:21 This specially has taken from ancient Babylon, 30:24 but who are those, who are the kings from the east 30:28 in the New Testament here in the Book of Revelation? 30:30 Of course, number one, Jesus Christ is the King. 30:33 When you read in the Gospel of Matthew 24, 30:37 "Jesus will come from the east." 30:40 He will come from the sunrise 30:43 because the east in the Bible is always-- 30:47 is always the point from which Jesus will come, 30:50 it's the place where God-- where God dwells. 30:53 Do you remember Revelation 7, 30:55 "The sealing of God's people is done by the angel 30:57 who came from the east." 30:59 It's always the east there. But why the plural kings? 31:03 Friends, there is only one explanation is 31:05 because at the time of the end, 31:08 we have two military sides. 31:12 Those who belong to Satan, those are in with the beast, 31:18 those religious, political 31:21 and secular powers of this world. 31:24 On another side, we have Jesus Christ 31:27 and we have His faithful people. 31:30 Please let me remind you Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 31:34 God's people in the Book of Revelation 31:36 are mentioned as the 'Royal priesthood,' 31:39 as the kings who are sitting on the throne 31:41 and Jesus Christ promised to them 31:43 everybody who overcomes will sit with Me on My throne. 31:48 How do you call people who are sitting on the throne? 31:50 You call them the kings. 31:52 By the way, I'd like you to turn with me-- 31:55 with me, okay, the Revelation-- 31:59 the Revelation 17, it's verse 14. 32:07 Please keep in mind all these chapters 32:08 are talking about the battle of Armageddon. 32:10 So we have somehow to jump to some of those verses. 32:12 It says, "These will wage war against the Lamb, 32:16 and the Lamb will overcome them, 32:18 because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings." 32:22 If Jesus is the King of king, who are those kings? 32:25 It says, "And those who are with Him 32:28 are called and chosen and faithful." 32:32 When you're having the Book of Revelation, 32:35 those who are called chosen and faithful, who are they? 32:38 They're not angels. 32:40 Angels are not chosen, they are there. 32:41 It's the faithful people of God. 32:44 Amen. Okay. 32:45 So we are dealing here with two parties. 32:48 Let me now ask you. Why the destruction of Babylon? 32:53 You see, usually people are just talking about the judgment, 32:55 but judgment always has the purpose. 32:57 The destruction of ancient Babylon happened, 33:00 so to make possible for the people of Israel 33:03 to go back to their land there and to rebuild Jerusalem. 33:07 Why the fall of the end time Babylon? 33:10 In order to provide 33:12 the redemption salvation for God's people? 33:15 This is actually-- this is actually 33:17 what we are-- what we are talking about. 33:19 Now the flow of the Book of Revelation is very unclear, 33:23 but I'd like to suggest all of you and our viewers, 33:28 for more detailed description of these events, 33:30 I'd like to suggest to you to go to the last three chapters 33:34 of the book written by Ellen White, 33:36 titled "The Great Controversy." 33:39 It's one of the best description that interpreted these texts 33:45 that is found here in the Book of Revelation. 33:47 But please, I simply want to follow here the text is. 33:52 So the people will become disillusioned. 33:54 They don't want to support Babylon any longer. 33:57 At that moment, there is something 33:59 one of the greatest deception 34:01 that ever happens in the history of this world 34:03 that will happen at the time of the end. 34:05 Let's keep on reading from verse 13. 34:10 It says, "And I saw--and I saw 34:13 coming out of the mouth of the dragon 34:18 and out of the mouth of the beast 34:21 and out of the mouth of the false prophet." 34:23 How do we call them? 34:25 The counterfeit trinity, you remember that? 34:28 What is another name for them? Babylon, okay. 34:31 So you see, Babylon does not surrender. 34:35 There is no River Euphrates to support Babylon any longer, 34:40 but Babylon wants to survive. 34:42 "So now we have out of the mouth of the dragon 34:44 and out of the mouth of the beast, 34:46 out of the mouth of false prophet, 34:48 three unclean spirits like frogs. 34:52 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, 34:56 which go out to the kings of the whole world, 34:59 to gather them together for the war 35:01 of the great day of God, the Almighty." 35:04 Let's skip verse 15, "And they gathered them together 35:07 to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon." 35:13 Are you confused here? 35:15 And I know wherever I go 35:16 people like to know something about these three frogs. 35:20 And, boy, and I hear so many different interpretations. 35:22 Some are very, very interesting. 35:25 And if you ask me, 35:27 I'm struggling with understanding of these frogs. 35:30 But if go to the Old Testament, 35:32 it seems some of the things become much, much clear. 35:35 In order to try to explain every detail of the symbol, 35:38 we want to find out what is the general picture of that. 35:41 And there is something is that at that moment 35:43 when the River Euphrates 35:47 does not support Babylon any longer. 35:50 Out of Babylon comes the greatest deception. 35:53 And what is deception? 35:55 This deception is portrayed here 35:57 in terms of the three unclean spirit like frogs. 36:03 And it says, "That these actually spirit, 36:06 these frogs are the spirit of demons." 36:10 Keep in mind, what else? "Performing signs." 36:13 What are the signs? "Miracles." 36:15 Keep in mind, we're dealing with great deception. 36:17 Do you remember we talked about the miracles 36:19 that will happen at the time of the end? 36:20 There is greater deception that perception is so persuasive, 36:26 inviting the kings of the whole world 36:29 to gather them together for the war 36:31 of the great day of God, Almighty. 36:33 What is the name of this war? 36:35 Because of the place of that war, 36:37 Har-Magedon, we call this battle, 36:39 the battle of Armageddon. Are you still with me? 36:42 But we did not get the answer yet. 36:45 What is this deception all about? 36:47 What are these frogs? 36:49 End with these three frogs is the symbolic expression 36:53 for these there demons. 36:54 Are you still with me? 36:56 But does it come a surprise to you? 37:00 Every time in the Book of Revelation, 37:02 when demons are mentioned they're always demons. 37:08 Never symbolic language is used for them. 37:09 Are you still with me? Yes. 37:12 This is the only exception in the Book of Revelation 37:15 where they're not just demons, 37:18 they're symbolized by frogs. Why frogs? 37:21 Oh, boy, when they go to different Bible commentaries, 37:24 people have such great imagination to describe. 37:28 You know frogs and ox? Friends, that's not the issue. 37:33 When we find the symbol of the Book of Revelation, 37:36 what is the first step that we're supposed to make? 37:39 Let's go to the Old Testament. 37:40 So now I want that you see that you can make, 37:44 you can study the Book of Revelation for yourself. 37:46 Where in the Bible we have plagues? 37:51 Where water turns into blood, 37:54 when people become hungry, 37:56 when the sun scorches the people, 37:59 when there is such dense dark--darkness 38:02 and also a part of those plagues are frogs. 38:05 What do you have it? You see that. 38:07 Friends, you don't need to have a PhD 38:10 to understand the Book of Revelation. 38:12 Just go to the Old Testament. 38:14 Actually, yeah, you are completely right. 38:17 We're talking about the plagues of Egypt 38:20 that happened at the exodus of the people of Israel. 38:24 Please, I'd like you now to be with me 38:27 because there is something very interesting is that 38:29 you can observe as we're studying all these plagues. 38:34 Are you with me? Amen. 38:35 Do you remember Mosses comes before Pharaoh, 38:40 and says to him, "If you don't obey God, 38:44 this is the plague that will come up on Egypt?" 38:47 And Pharaoh said, "No, I don't want 38:49 to obey God. That's okay." 38:52 Moses lifts up his stick there, you remember that? 38:55 And the plague came, but at the same time 38:58 there is something that happened. 39:02 The Egyptian magicians, they counterfeit the same thing, 39:07 the same plague and pharaoh said, 39:09 "Yeah, good trick, Moses, 39:13 but you're nothing better than my magicians." People suffer. 39:17 And then Pharaoh realizes, these are the fingers of God. 39:21 So he just prayed to God, okay. 39:23 Of course, the plague is removed. 39:26 Pharaoh is again unbeliever. 39:30 And Mosses said, "Another plague will come." 39:35 And Pharaoh does not believe it. 39:38 Another plague hits the land. What happens? 39:42 The magicians, they do the same thing. 39:45 And Pharaoh says, "Another good trick." 39:49 And it happened how many times? 39:52 Several times, okay. I'm not sure now. 39:54 Is it three or four times it happens? 39:57 And then finally Moses said before Pharaoh, 40:01 and he said, "There will be another plague." 40:03 What plagues? "There will be frogs." 40:07 Pharaoh said, "Oh, good attempt." 40:08 Where do you-- where can you find? 40:10 Of course, locust they can come, okay. 40:12 But frogs--and frogs they filled the earth 40:16 but the problem was that magicians they did the same 40:19 and Pharaoh said I don't understand how it happened, 40:22 so many frogs. 40:24 But you see it's another trick that my magicians they can do. 40:27 Friends, magician plagues, 40:30 the frogs were the last deception 40:34 and last counterfeit 40:36 that Pharaoh's magicians were able to do. 40:40 Because after that another plague come 40:43 and Pharaoh look into his magicians 40:44 they--they tried to do all those things nothing happened 40:48 finally those magicians they came to Pharaoh 40:51 and says we cannot do anything, this is the finger of God. 40:57 Our best understanding that we can reach 40:59 with regard to these frogs at this moment is 41:03 that actually the inspiration wants to tell us 41:07 that with this deception of these three unclean spirit 41:12 symbolized by frogs, 41:14 this is the last greatest deception 41:18 that Satan will be able to do, 41:20 that Babylon will be able to perform 41:22 before the second coming of Christ. 41:26 How successful will be this deception? 41:31 Please read in verse 16 41:34 say "They gathered them together to the place 41:38 which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon." 41:42 Evidently the entire world falls in to that deception. 41:47 By the way in a Great Controversy 41:51 I like what Ellen White saw there in the vision is. 41:55 She says at that time 41:57 when people will not trust Babylon any longer, 42:00 it is Satan himself who'll step on the scene 42:03 imitating the second coming of Christ, 42:06 performing different miracles around 42:09 and people will come to him pleading for help 42:13 and he will tell them, he will tell them, 42:15 yeah, you suffer because of these plagues, 42:18 but these plagues are not because 42:20 I wanted them to put you, 42:22 it's-they're caused by the people 42:24 who did not want to side with us and to support this system. 42:28 Friends, this is what the battle of Armageddon is all about. 42:33 I would like now to invite you to turn here to this verse 16 42:39 because among the Christians, 42:41 the concept of the battle of Armageddon 42:47 One more time I want to remind you here in my commentary, 42:50 if you go from page 493 to page going all to 497 42:57 in that small print you have in detail, 42:59 you have so many information that you really need a lot, 43:02 a lot of time to go through each one of these details, 43:05 but I want to give to you broad picture of that 43:09 what you can study for ourself 43:11 and try to find-- to find in the details. 43:14 Because many, many good Christians today, 43:17 they believe that there is some hidden place known Har-Mageddon. 43:21 And they tried to establish where that place is built. 43:24 So most Christians they believe 43:26 that Har-Mageddon is actually Palestine. 43:28 When political leaders of these world 43:30 will meet between a south or north 43:33 or east and the west based on the Book of Daniel 43:36 people have different interpretations, 43:38 where actually we'll have the military conflict there 43:41 in Middle East because of the situation in Jerusalem. 43:45 Friends, you have to understand that the Book of Revelation 43:47 never supports such idea. 43:50 You see friends, the Book of Revelation 43:52 is not about the military invasion in Palestine. 43:55 It's not the battle because of oil. 44:00 God does not care about oil. 44:02 Yeah, He cares, He'll like us that we can drive a car, 44:05 without that oil I would not be able to come here 44:07 to have this seminar. 44:09 But keep in mind that the primary concern 44:11 of the Book of Revelation 44:12 is the conclusion of the plan of salvation 44:14 and salvation people to have them 44:16 one day in God's kingdom. Amen. 44:19 Now that there is a question, then what is Har-Mageddon? 44:23 By the way the word Har-Mageddon 44:26 that we have here which is rightly. 44:29 In King James Bible we have Armageddon 44:31 because of the Septuagint that drops that sign 44:34 so instead of Har we have Ar, okay, doesn't matter. 44:38 The concept is a-- the question is what is it? 44:43 By the way you will notice here 44:46 that the John the Revelator makes very clear. 44:48 He said that all the people will be gather together 44:51 in to the place of the final battle, 44:54 is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon. 44:57 Did you notice it? 45:00 So he wants to tell us don't look for a literal place, 45:04 you have to understand Hebrew 45:05 in order to understand what this name means. 45:08 And in Hebrew Har or Hor means a mountain 45:16 and Magedon occurs in the Old Testament 45:23 a number, number of times. 45:26 Actually which is one of the variant names 45:31 for the ancient city Megiddo. 45:35 Let me explain to you-- to you here something. 45:41 If you have any study Bible. 45:44 At the end of the Bible you have the map, 45:46 you can go there and see for our self. 45:48 I just want to remind you how Palestine looks like, okay. 45:51 You have the shore here is the Mediterranean sea, 45:53 okay, or the great sea according to the Bible. 45:57 So Palestine, this is the territory River Jordan, okay. 46:01 River Jordan. 46:02 Where are the Babylonians and the Persians 46:05 and the Syrians of all nations? 46:07 You see, they are here. 46:10 They are here. 46:12 But you'll notice that 46:13 in the Bible that the enemy powers 46:15 who come against Israel they never come from the east 46:20 to invade Palestine, they always go around 46:24 and invasion is done from the north. 46:28 Now there is a question, why? 46:30 Because we have here that huge Arabic wilderness 46:37 and any attempt for a huge army to travel this territory 46:44 would mean really a suicide. 46:46 No water, not food and anything. 46:50 So all the enemies of God's people 46:51 who invade Palestine 46:53 they would go here and invade from the north. 46:56 But then there is something that you have to understand. 46:59 This is the mountain area. 47:04 It's almost impossible to enter here, this territory. 47:08 There're only two places that you can invade Palestine, 47:12 to go here down the River Jordan 47:14 which was very, very hard for military to enter, 47:17 but there was here through this mountain ridge 47:20 there was a safe pass to go here 47:23 and usually there're roads here made for--for merchants 47:28 who-- and travelers here-- and the army would go this pass 47:33 therefore even before Israelites came to Palestine 47:38 there was here a fortress that was located. 47:43 If you go to the Bible this is known 47:45 as the Jezreel Valley, this is Galilee, okay. 47:48 Jezreel valley here, it is. 47:50 They established a fortress. 47:51 The name of that fortress was Megiddo 47:54 from ancient time, ancient Canaanites. 47:57 When the people of Israel occupied Palestine, 48:01 they fortified this fortress. 48:05 And they have at the time of Solomon, 48:07 the Solomon here had many horses. 48:10 He put many soldiers here, why? 48:13 When the enemies attack Palestine, 48:17 if you're able to prevent them here, 48:20 then Palestine is free. 48:23 Are you still with me? 48:24 If those enemy forces are able to defeat Israelites here, 48:27 what happens? 48:29 The way is open to occupy-- to occupy Palestine. 48:32 By the way in the history of the Jewish people 48:36 Megiddo was the place of the most famous 48:40 and even notorious battles 48:43 that God's people ever waged against their enemies. 48:46 Let me just remind you that was the place where the Barak 48:51 and the Bora, Do you remember fought against their enemies. 48:55 I can say more because of the time I try to shorten it. 48:58 Actually this is the place 49:00 where the young king Josiah was killed. 49:04 And by the way if you read chapter 12 49:07 of the Book of Zechariah, the Book of Zechariah 49:10 because what happened to the king of Josiah here at Megiddo. 49:14 Actually Megiddo became the prophecies of Zechariah 49:17 in other prophetic books as symbol of the place 49:21 of the final battle between God and his people and the enemies. 49:26 So in the history-- in the history of Israel people, 49:29 Megiddo was the place-- 49:31 was the place of those famous battles 49:33 and became a symbol of the final eschatological battle 49:39 that God will lead in behalf of his people. 49:41 But let me tell you something else. 49:43 Megiddo was not just a place of those great battles, 49:46 it was actually the place known where God so many times 49:50 intervened in the miraculous way on behalf of His people. 49:55 But now there is one problem is, 49:59 and I struggle with that problem about 15 years ago. 50:03 As I was student of the Book of Revelation, 50:06 people asked me to lecture on the Book of Revelation, 50:09 but there was one problem that I confronted, 50:11 I heard from other people the answer, 50:13 I do not believe it, The problem is, 50:15 when you come here to Megiddo this is the plain, 50:19 Jezreel plain, 50:21 here so many people would have killed in battles. 50:23 Are you still with me? 50:24 But there is no mountain. 50:27 But here you talk about the Mount of Megiddo. 50:32 And I will never forget. 50:34 It was exactly 17 years ago I was with Dr. Jon Pauline 50:40 and with 30 students, 50:41 MD students for the theological seminary 50:43 we were there at Megiddo. 50:46 And students came to me they said 50:47 because I lectured to them the Book of Revelation, 50:49 they said where is the Mount of Megiddo? 50:52 This was for the first time I was in Israel, 50:54 I was completely lost. 50:55 I said I don't know. 50:57 The problem is Megiddo is on the elevated position, why? 51:01 Because Megiddo was so many times destroyed 51:04 and on the ruins of the previous city, 51:06 a new city was build. Are you still with me? 51:08 And always, always so-- but this is not mountain. 51:12 And I will never forget a tourist guy, 51:16 lady she came, she actually was working her PhD 51:20 in ancient antiquity. 51:21 She was very much familiar with history 51:24 and she came to me and she did like this 51:27 and she started laughing 51:29 and said I know what you are talking about? 51:30 I said what are we talking about? 51:32 She said like every Christian who comes here. 51:34 I said what? 51:35 Everybody asking where is-- where is the Mount of Megiddo? 51:40 I said do you have the answer. 51:42 She said you see there? 51:44 I said yes. 51:45 It's so clear you can see it. 51:47 She said this is the Mount of Megiddo. 51:49 And something clicked to me, oh, yeah. 51:51 I grew up in a small town in Bosnia, 51:54 in former Yugoslavia there. 51:56 And we have a mountain about 20 miles far away from our town 52:00 and everybody knows that that mountain belong to our city. 52:04 The problem is you just look at the mountain 52:05 that is in the city no, friends. 52:07 So it was about 15, 20 miles far away that mountain 52:10 it's clear, it's huge mountain. 52:12 I said so-- she said do you know the name of that mountain, 52:17 which is Mount of Megiddo. I said no. 52:20 She said this is the Mount of Carmel. 52:25 And then suddenly everything becomes clear. 52:30 It was actually that event changed my preaching. 52:32 I was last year there, I will be in few months again there. 52:35 And I showed to the students, 52:37 by the way last year when we were there 52:39 I lectured my students about Megiddo there 52:41 on the side to the Megiddo, showed them Mount Carmel 52:44 and the tourist guy, lady came again 52:46 she has PhD in the Old Testament 52:49 and she said yeah, you are right, 52:51 this is the Mount of Megiddo, the Mount of Carmel. 52:54 Now everything becomes now clear. 52:56 What the battle of Armageddon is all about? Amen. 53:00 The battle of Armageddon is very similar to the event 53:05 that had happened somewhere in the past in the Old Testament. 53:08 When the Prophet Elijah, you remember that. 53:11 According to the 1 Kings 17 and 18 when the king of Elijah-- 53:16 when the prophet Elijah had to confront the king of Ahab 53:21 and all those Baal's prophets. 53:23 When he stood in front of the old people 53:27 and confronted them with one question. 53:30 Would you want this children? Yes. 53:33 If God is God then follow Him, 53:37 if a Baal is God then follow him. 53:42 It was at that time that God manifested his power 53:47 in front of all the people of Israel 53:49 and show his glory, you remember that. 53:51 And the fire came down from heaven 53:55 and devoured those sacrifices. 53:57 That is something very interesting 53:58 if you remember that we talked 54:00 that one of the greatest deception 54:01 that the counterfeit trinity will do, 54:03 bring the fire down from heaven 54:05 actually to imitate the Elijah event on the Mount of Carmel. 54:10 Satan is always trying to prevent the plan of God. 54:13 And friends this is just to stimulate your appetite 54:17 for studying of this subject. 54:19 Just to show to you 54:20 that actually the battle of Armageddon 54:23 is not the political event, it's not a military action, 54:28 it's not a military war because of oil 54:30 or Palestine or confrontation between the Jews and Palestine. 54:36 Actually the battle of Armageddon is battle 54:38 for the mind of the people when God, 54:42 whom the world rejected completely 54:45 at certain point of history he will have to manifest himself 54:49 and to show the people about decision 54:53 that they failed to make and that a crucial 54:58 and that crucial decision actually that they made actually 55:03 is by rejecting God and siding with the wrong side. 55:09 This is actually what the battle of Armageddon is all about. 55:14 By the way in our next session 55:17 we will see a little bit 55:19 the outcome of this battle of Armageddon. 55:21 But you don't need to go too far 55:23 because this is exactly what the seventh plague is all about. 55:29 Do you have the text there, etcetera? 55:31 You will see the outcome of the battle of Armageddon. 55:34 It says then the seventh angle poured out his bowl 55:37 up on the air and a loud voice came out of the temple 55:41 from the throne saying it is done 55:44 and there are flashes and lightening and sounds 55:47 and peals of thunder 55:48 and there was a great earthquake 55:50 such as there had not been since man came to be up on the earth, 55:54 so great an earthquake it was and so mighty. 55:57 And the great city was split into three parts 56:01 and the cities of the nations fell 56:03 and Babylon great was remembered 56:05 before God to give her the cup 56:08 of the wine of his fierce wrath. 56:10 Please, can you now help me? 56:16 What is the significance of this wrath. 56:19 that outcome of the battle of Armageddon 56:21 refers to the fall of Babylon 56:22 but says that Babylon was split into three parts. 56:28 Why the fall of Babylon is portrayed 56:30 in terms of splitting to three parts, why? 56:33 Because, remember Babylon is made of three parts. 56:37 It means that the outcome of the battle of Armageddon 56:40 will be total destruction of the counterfeit trinity. Amen. 56:45 We'll see it in Chapter 19 56:47 where we have the conclusion to battle of Armageddon 56:49 that the first beast and the second beast 56:51 will be destroyed in that lake of fire 56:53 before the second coming of Christ. 56:56 But there is only one entity that will be left is the dragon, 56:59 is the Satan himself 57:01 actually who will receive the right to judgment, 57:04 after the second coming of Christ 57:06 and after the millennium. 57:09 Friends, there is one beautiful message 57:12 that is given here and inserted here 57:15 in the midst of the description of the preparation 57:17 for the battle of Armageddon. 57:19 I don't want to tell you what that message is all about. 57:22 I will like with that message to begin our next presentations, 57:25 so I hope you'll come and join us 57:27 for our next study of the Bible, 57:29 because God wants to reveal to us 57:32 what will happen in the future. |
Revised 2014-12-17