Good evening.
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Welcome.
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This evening, we're
going to take one of
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my favorite journeys.
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It may even
well be one of yours.
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We're going to go
to the city of Rome,
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but more particularly,
inside the Vatican.
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So fasten your
seatbelts, now, as we begin.
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The Vatican is
unique in the world.
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It is 111 acres
inside the city of Rome.
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It's a city within a
city, but really more than that,
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it's a nation within a
nation, a state within a state,
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these 111 acres.
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There are some here
tonight for the very first time.
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And for your sakes,
and I may repeat this
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at the beginning of the
lecture, I must say again,
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God has His children in
all the churches and here we
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never sit in judgment
upon anyone's relationship
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with Jesus whether they're
Catholic or Protestant or
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something other than that.
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At the same time, we do
look at teachings and practices
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and the prophecies of
the Bible and then compare
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them with history.
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We're required by God to do that
especially in the last days.
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So, I've been praying
today that nothing said tonight
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during the travel log or
the lecture would be offensive.
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It's certainly not
intended to be that.
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Now let's talk
then about the Vatican.
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From an aerial view,
we're looking down into
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St. Peter's Square.
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And some of you folks will
remember when several years ago
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Pope John Paul II was
shot in his open jeepney.
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You remember that?
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He was shot by an angry Arab.
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Well, that happened
right over in that area
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down toward the bottom
right hand side of the screen.
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And from that point ever after,
the popes, when they're outside
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and out in parade,
have been inside that little
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bullet proof bubble.
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Now this, ladies and gentlemen,
is the largest cathedral
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in all of the world.
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The foundation of the church
alone covers almost 6 acres.
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The original church was
built here in the middle part
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of the 4th century.
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But by the 16th
century, it was decrepit,
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it was not safe
even to go inside.
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And so it was torn down and
this one was built in its place.
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The corner stone for
this cathedral was placed
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about 1505, and about 120 years
later they had the dedication.
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120 years to build, but
when you think of the size
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and remember the crude
tools with which they worked
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you're caused to wonder
how they could complete it
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so quickly after all.
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I'd like to point out to
you the dome, particularly.
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The dome that sits atop
the cathedral was designed by
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Michelangelo Buonarroti.
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He wasn't here to build
it but he designed the dome.
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Now way up atop the dome, I
want you to take your attention,
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there is a cross and
beneath that cross, there is a
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big golden orb.
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And history says, that
golden orb symbolizes the sun.
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And again we see the cross with
the sun, proof; definite proof,
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geological proof, archaeological
proof, historical proof,
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of the blending together
of some elements of paganism
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with Christianity, particularly
during the Dark Ages.
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Down in the very
center of St. Peter's Square,
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you see an Egyptian obelisk.
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That came of Heliopolis which
was the center of sun worship
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on the north of
the African continent.
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Now I want to tell you a little
bit about the raising of the
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funds for this cathedral.
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Even back then it was going
to cost, by our comparison,
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millions and millions
and millions of dollars.
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And the church was just
coming out of the Dark Ages
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and there were not a
lot of wealthy folks.
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And so some leaders
talked together and decided
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that they would begin to
raise money by selling the
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forgiveness of sin.
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And those, of course,
historically are known
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as indulgences.
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And the church then commissioned
salesmen to go throughout
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the western part of Europe, and
through some of the Middle East
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as well, selling
the forgiveness of sin.
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Forgiveness of sins past,
forgiveness of sins present,
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and if your
contribution was large enough,
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forgiveness of
sins of the future.
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There was a man by the name
of Tetzel who went from here
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over into Germany and
began to sell these indulgences
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in the diocese of a man
who was a theology professor.
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His name was Dr. Martin Luther.
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And when Martin Luther heard
what was going on, he confronted
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Tetzel and he said, "Not in
my area, over my dead body. "
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And really, the raising of...
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My point is this, ladies
and gentlemen, again not to be
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critical, but for
your information sake.
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The raising of money for
this lovely, lovely cathedral
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had a large part in lighting
the fire that would soon become
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the reformation blaze.
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Luther and Calvin and
Huss and a number of others
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beside all of that.
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Well, we want to go down
for some close-up, you and I,
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and so we're going to
enter by the main street,
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also known as the
street of reconciliation.
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And I'll tell you
why it is so named.
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In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte
sent his general, Berthier, here
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and they took the pope captive
and took him back over to Paris
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and held him there for a
while, and then out to the
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Palace of Fontainebleau, where
we visited on another evening.
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And Napoleon said there
shall never be another pope.
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And for three years,
there was no pope in Rome.
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He stripped the church of
Rome of its earthly power,
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its political
power, its powers of state.
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Not religious power,
but the powers of state.
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In 1928, a man by the
name of Mussolini gave
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back those powers.
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And at that time this
street, then, was renamed
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the street of reconciliation.
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We come up to the facade of
the church and we're going to
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notice several things.
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Now at the very top of
the screen, you can see that
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golden ball a little closer up.
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I'll tell you this about it.
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You cannot get
inside, but if you could,
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if it was possible, we could put
18 of these chairs side by side,
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we could seat 18 people side
by side inside that golden ball.
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That gives you just a
little bit of a feeling for
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how large it is.
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It's up there 500 feet high.
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It's massive.
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There are five major doors
of entry to this cathedral.
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And four of those doors are
open, pretty much, year round
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and always, but one is
opened only on special occasions
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and we shall
talk about that later.
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Now there you can see
the golden ball even better.
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And right at the roof line of
the facade, right across here,
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you see Jesus Christ.
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Right above the main door
of entry, there is Jesus Christ
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and He has His cross with Him.
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And then we see the six
disciples on His right hand side
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and six on His left
there, the twelve disciples.
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And they are massive.
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It doesn't look
like it from here.
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They're proportional, certainly,
but when you stand beside them
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you have to lean way back like
this to see the heads of them.
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They are massive.
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And it causes you to wonder,
how did they get them up there
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long before these
huge sky cranes and all of
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that sort of thing.
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It's quite remarkable.
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Well, the uniform...
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And by the way, these are
the guards of the Vatican.
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They are Swiss and have been
practically since the beginning
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of the Vatican.
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The uniforms that they wear
for dress parade is designed by
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Michelangelo Buonarroti.
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And there you see it.
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The pope speaks to those
that are gathered down in
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St. Peter's Square
on special occasions.
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One such will be Easter,
and that will be the next one.
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And in St. Peter's Square
where we're standing with a
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telephoto lens to make
this shot, there will be
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200,000 to 450,000
people waiting and listening
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over the loud speakers.
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Now this, ladies and
gentlemen, is the special door.
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We said that there are
five doors and four are
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almost always open.
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This one is called
Porta Sancta, the "Holy Door,"
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and it opened only
once every 25 years.
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And when it is opened,
it's left open for one year.
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And it's during this year,
often called the Year of Jubilee
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or the Holy Year, that the
faithful Catholic Christians
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make the pilgrimage here
to walk through that door
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because above the door it says
that those who enter or exit
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are granted plenary indulgence,
total forgiveness for sin.
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And the last time it was
opened was the year 2000.
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And I remember the closing
of it on New Year's Eve 2001.
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And it is scheduled to be
opened again, unless something
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very special
happens, and that may happen.
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It has on other
occasions in the past.
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But unless something very
special and unique happens,
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the next time that door
shall be opened is on the
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New Years Eve of 2025.
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And so we'll just
wait and see, I suppose.
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Porta Sancta, the Holy Door.
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Now we have stepped into
the nave, ladies and gentlemen,
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of the largest
cathedral in all of the world
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and I want to tell you
two or three things about it.
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Firstly, it is one of
the most beautiful places
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I have ever seen.
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I've been in palaces
all around the world,
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I have seen
beautiful, beautiful things,
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but nothing, I think was more
awe inspiring than the interior
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of St. Peter's Basilica.
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Much of the marble that
makes beautiful this cathedral
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once beautified the
temples in the old part of Rome.
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You remember about
our 4th night together
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we walked the streets of
ancient Rome and talked about
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some of the things in
the old palaces down there?
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Well, much of that marble
was brought here to beautify
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this beautiful sanctuary.
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And then next, I want
to tell you about its size.
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A true cathedral is
made, as we've said before,
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of three sections.
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The nave, that's
what we're looking down.
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That's where the
people sit to worship.
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And then at the high
altar, there is a wing that
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goes out like this and
this, the transept, to symbolize
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the arms of the cross.
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And then behind that, an alcove
called the apse to symbolize
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the head of the cross.
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And we shall see
all three tonight.
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But this nave is so big, it
is so large that you could put
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two football fields end to
end and have 100 feet left over.
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It is 700 feet long from
the entry door to the transept.
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The arms of the
transept are 425 feet wide.
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And from the floor to
the interior of the dome
00:12:12.62\00:12:16.13
of the cupola,
it is 450 feet high.
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It was so easy for me
to appreciate the awe,
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the reverence, of my
Catholic Christian friends
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when I came here.
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We're now looking
at the high altar.
00:12:29.26\00:12:31.39
And above the high altar, there
again you see the golden ball
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and the cross.
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And by the way, that high
altar was designed by a sculptor
00:12:35.35\00:12:39.00
and an artist, name of Bernini.
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Now we're standing right beside
one of those serpentine pillars
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looking up into the interior
of the dome way up there
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450 feet high.
00:12:48.23\00:12:49.90
And by the way, that interior
was hand painted by men who
00:12:49.93\00:12:54.64
climbed way up on a
rickety old scaffold.
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I'm glad they didn't
ask me to get up there.
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It just wouldn't have worked.
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But it is
beautiful, you must admit that.
00:13:01.71\00:13:03.95
Now, we've walked inside the
church at the point where the
00:13:03.98\00:13:08.04
dome sits on the walls
and we're looking down on the
00:13:08.07\00:13:11.53
high altar and we're
looking into the little alcove
00:13:11.56\00:13:13.58
called the apse, back behind.
00:13:13.61\00:13:15.78
And we're going to have
some close-up, but first
00:13:15.81\00:13:17.81
I want you to notice at
the very bottom of the screen
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there is a darkened area.
00:13:20.28\00:13:22.10
That is a stairway
down to the burial vault
00:13:22.13\00:13:24.94
right beneath the high altar.
00:13:24.97\00:13:27.18
And looking again right back
into the alcove called the apse.
00:13:28.16\00:13:31.41
And there you see an alabaster
window, there with the dove
00:13:31.44\00:13:34.56
to symbolize the Holy Spirit.
00:13:34.59\00:13:36.23
And we'll see more of
that in close-up, but first
00:13:36.26\00:13:38.94
we walk down that staircase
to the burial chamber beneath
00:13:38.97\00:13:42.88
and we notice over on
the left, the back of a
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marble carved figure.
00:13:46.22\00:13:48.20
That is the pope, a figure
of the pope who was taken into
00:13:48.23\00:13:51.75
captivity by Napoleon Bonaparte.
00:13:51.78\00:13:53.80
And he's considered by the
church to be a martyr because
00:13:53.83\00:13:56.45
he died in that captivity.
00:13:56.48\00:13:59.29
And so he's given the second
most honored place of burial.
00:13:59.32\00:14:02.94
The pope's, for hundreds
and hundreds of years back,
00:14:02.97\00:14:05.70
are buried in burial vaults
beneath the floor in what we
00:14:05.73\00:14:09.65
would call the basement area
with a couple of exceptions.
00:14:09.68\00:14:12.88
They say firstly,
Peter is buried inside.
00:14:12.91\00:14:15.60
Well, I think that's doubtful.
00:14:15.63\00:14:18.20
We talked on another evening
about how over at another
00:14:18.23\00:14:21.56
cathedral, the Cathedral
of St. Peter in Chains,
00:14:21.59\00:14:24.90
they said Peter
was buried there.
00:14:24.93\00:14:26.77
And even over at
St. John Lateran,
00:14:26.80\00:14:29.24
there is some suggestion that
he might have been buried there.
00:14:29.27\00:14:31.66
But we do, with good historical
background, believe that
00:14:31.69\00:14:37.57
this pope is buried right
through those ornate doors
00:14:37.60\00:14:40.98
and right
beneath the high altar.
00:14:41.01\00:14:42.91
And there's a side
view of that marble carving
00:14:42.94\00:14:47.10
of the pope of the captivity.
00:14:47.13\00:14:48.69
Now we look up into
the interior of the dome
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.67
and we see that it is hand
carved of hardwood and marble
00:14:50.70\00:14:53.80
and then covered
over with gold leaf.
00:14:53.83\00:14:55.64
And we see the insignia of
the pope who was reigning at the
00:14:55.67\00:14:59.79
time of the dedication.
00:14:59.82\00:15:01.77
And that happens to be
Pius XII, Pontifex Maximus.
00:15:01.80\00:15:07.88
Now we're looking down the
nave when worshippers are here.
00:15:08.72\00:15:11.81
They can easily,
without adding for any overflow,
00:15:11.84\00:15:15.37
they can easily seat
25,000 people in the main nave.
00:15:15.40\00:15:20.46
It's just so massive.
00:15:20.49\00:15:22.25
Now we've moved behind
the high altar into the little
00:15:22.28\00:15:25.36
alcove called the apse, and we
have come here to see something
00:15:25.39\00:15:29.12
that I find
interesting and you may as well.
00:15:29.15\00:15:31.52
The word "cathedral" is
from the Latin word "cathedra"
00:15:32.38\00:15:36.00
which mean, "the
throne, the seat of authority. "
00:15:36.03\00:15:39.21
The cathedral, then, was
the depository of the throne
00:15:39.24\00:15:44.82
of the church or
the seat of authority.
00:15:44.85\00:15:47.26
And back in here, we see some
artwork, done again by that man
00:15:48.44\00:15:52.22
by the name of
Bernini, a great huge chair,
00:15:52.25\00:15:55.52
the legs of which are held up
by bishops with the high hats,
00:15:55.55\00:15:59.14
as you see them.
00:15:59.17\00:16:00.14
Each of the four
legs held up by a bishop.
00:16:00.15\00:16:02.48
And when I saw this chair and
studied the background of it all
00:16:03.15\00:16:09.36
and knew about cathedrals,
then a verse from Revelation
00:16:09.39\00:16:12.46
chapter 13, which we're
going to read after a bit
00:16:12.49\00:16:15.64
during our
lecture, came into my mind.
00:16:15.67\00:16:17.67
And again without
prejudice, I'll just remind
00:16:17.70\00:16:20.19
your minds of it.
00:16:20.22\00:16:21.44
It says about this power that
every reformer believed to be
00:16:21.47\00:16:25.18
the fulfillment of the
prophecy of Revelation 13,
00:16:25.21\00:16:28.21
"The dragon gave him
his seat, throne, his power
00:16:28.81\00:16:34.86
and his great authority
throughout the world. "
00:16:34.89\00:16:38.98
And for 1260 years, the church
of Rome was, without question,
00:16:39.01\00:16:45.10
the greatest power in
the western world and through
00:16:45.13\00:16:49.26
the Middle East as well.
00:16:49.29\00:16:50.87
And we've talked about those
things also on other evenings.
00:16:50.90\00:16:55.24
Now we're going to come toward
a conclusion for this evening.
00:16:55.27\00:16:58.12
And this is the statue, as you
are looking from the high altar
00:16:58.15\00:17:01.18
back toward the door of
entry, this is over on our left.
00:17:01.21\00:17:03.59
This is the statue of Peter and
this is the one that folks have
00:17:03.62\00:17:08.64
come by to touch and to
kiss because over the edge of
00:17:08.67\00:17:13.70
the mantle, and down at
the bottom of the screen
00:17:13.73\00:17:15.48
you'll notice it, there is
a foot that extends over the
00:17:15.51\00:17:20.49
edge of the mantle.
00:17:20.52\00:17:21.91
And the toes of that foot have
been almost completely worn away
00:17:23.16\00:17:27.89
by the folks
who've come to kiss it.
00:17:27.92\00:17:31.50
And when I got back from my
first trip here, I was asked,
00:17:31.53\00:17:34.83
"Did you kiss the toe of Peter?"
00:17:34.86\00:17:36.89
And I said, "No. "
00:17:36.92\00:17:38.40
And it was not because of
any superiority, certainly, but
00:17:38.43\00:17:41.80
to put it in a phrase, I guess,
it was my American sense of
00:17:41.83\00:17:44.68
sanity that wouldn't allow
me to line up behind 300 folks
00:17:44.71\00:17:48.74
and kiss the toe.
00:17:48.77\00:17:50.30
But I did touch it.
00:17:50.33\00:17:51.57
And I understand that since
there's so many diseases now
00:17:51.60\00:17:55.80
that are so easily passed
on that not all that many folks
00:17:55.83\00:17:59.49
are kissing it these days.
00:17:59.52\00:18:01.20
But even when they dress
Peter up, they leave that toe
00:18:01.23\00:18:05.12
overhanging the
mantle, as they've done here.
00:18:05.15\00:18:07.75
They put the triple crown upon
him and the fisherman's ring
00:18:07.78\00:18:10.07
upon his finger, but
the toe of that one foot
00:18:10.10\00:18:13.54
is left out there so the
folks can come by and touch
00:18:13.57\00:18:17.94
or whatever
else they might like.
00:18:17.97\00:18:19.36
Thank you for traveling with me.
00:18:19.39\00:18:20.67
And now, ladies and
gentlemen, would you please open
00:18:23.14\00:18:24.94
your Bibles with me
to Revelation chapter 13.
00:18:24.97\00:18:28.54
The last book in the Bible for
those who live in the last days
00:18:29.18\00:18:31.93
just before Jesus returns.
00:18:31.96\00:18:33.75
And while we're opening
to Revelation chapter 13,
00:18:34.25\00:18:37.33
I'll give you just a
little bit of introduction.
00:18:38.94\00:18:41.33
As we've studied
together, largely from the book
00:18:44.55\00:18:46.88
of Revelation, we have
found so many wonderful things.
00:18:46.91\00:18:49.95
Chief among them, of
course, is that Jesus Christ
00:18:49.98\00:18:53.32
is Lord and Savior.
00:18:53.35\00:18:54.80
And that salvation is
only by trusting in what
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.83
He's done for us.
00:18:57.86\00:18:58.92
No other name under
heaven whereby we may be saved
00:19:00.05\00:19:02.74
except the name of Jesus.
00:19:02.77\00:19:04.25
We've also learned that
Jesus' coming is imminent.
00:19:06.07\00:19:09.31
That means the next great
event to happen on planet earth
00:19:09.34\00:19:12.31
is not nuclear
winter, but when Jesus comes.
00:19:12.34\00:19:15.02
This time, not a lamb to
the slaughter, but King of kings
00:19:15.05\00:19:17.98
and Lord of lords.
00:19:18.01\00:19:19.01
He comes riding down the
skies on a rescue mission.
00:19:19.04\00:19:21.90
We've learned
that from Revelation.
00:19:21.93\00:19:23.88
Further, we have learned that
those that are alive and ready
00:19:23.91\00:19:26.66
to meet Jesus are going
to be because of their love
00:19:26.69\00:19:28.52
for keeping all
of His commandments.
00:19:28.55\00:19:30.60
Three places in the
Revelation; chapter 12 verse 17,
00:19:30.63\00:19:33.93
chapter 14 verse
12, chapter 22 verse 14,
00:19:33.96\00:19:37.85
describe the generation
alive and ready to meet Jesus
00:19:37.88\00:19:41.37
as keeping all
of the commandments.
00:19:41.40\00:19:43.45
"Here are they that keep
the commandments and have the
00:19:43.48\00:19:45.70
testimony of Jesus. "
00:19:45.73\00:19:47.21
And we read that
again and again and again.
00:19:47.24\00:19:49.91
I think most all
who've come quite regularly
00:19:49.94\00:19:52.33
are now pretty well
convinced that in the Bible,
00:19:52.36\00:19:54.34
both Old and New Testaments,
the Lord's Day is Saturday.
00:19:54.37\00:19:57.28
But at the same time,
I'm also convinced that
00:19:57.31\00:20:00.00
there are some still who
wonder about its importance.
00:20:00.03\00:20:04.06
Maybe there are those who
think that, as Shakespeare said,
00:20:04.47\00:20:08.16
"We're making
much ado of nothing. "
00:20:08.19\00:20:10.54
Or the "tempest in the
teapot," sort of a syndrome.
00:20:10.57\00:20:13.97
Our message
tonight is designed by God
00:20:14.00\00:20:16.72
to set aside those questions.
00:20:16.75\00:20:19.22
And I think none will
leave tonight without clearly
00:20:19.25\00:20:21.88
seeing the final issues.
00:20:21.91\00:20:23.55
Let me, then, again say
as the cameras are rolling,
00:20:23.58\00:20:27.97
Lyle has never, never
sat in judgment upon anyone's
00:20:28.80\00:20:33.52
relationship with Jesus.
00:20:33.55\00:20:34.93
Lyle believes that God has
His children in all the churches
00:20:34.96\00:20:38.38
proportionally as many in
the Catholic as in the Baptist
00:20:38.41\00:20:41.10
or the Adventist or
Nazarene or any other.
00:20:41.13\00:20:43.77
At the same time, we
here, must look at teachings
00:20:46.50\00:20:51.18
and at prophecy, and at the
mirror reflection of prophecy
00:20:51.21\00:20:55.89
which is history.
00:20:55.92\00:20:57.12
And so having said that,
let us then begin to read
00:20:57.80\00:21:02.33
from chapter 13
at the 15th verse.
00:21:02.36\00:21:05.93
Revelation chapter 13
beginning with the 15 verse.
00:21:07.07\00:21:11.21
John is in vision
and this is what he sees.
00:21:11.24\00:21:14.95
A certain power,
a certain authority;
00:21:16.32\00:21:19.92
"He had power to give life
to the image of the beast that
00:21:19.95\00:21:22.98
this image of the beast should
both speak and cause as many
00:21:23.02\00:21:25.75
as would not worship the image
that they should be killed.
00:21:25.78\00:21:28.58
And he causes all, small
and great, rich and poor,
00:21:28.98\00:21:31.39
free and bond, to receive a
mark either in their right hand
00:21:31.42\00:21:34.74
or in their forehead, and
that no man could buy or sell
00:21:34.77\00:21:39.75
unless he have the mark
or the name of the beast
00:21:39.78\00:21:42.12
or the number of his name. "
00:21:42.15\00:21:43.70
And then the final
verse of that chapter 13.
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.80
"Here is wisdom.
00:21:46.83\00:21:47.89
Let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast,
00:21:47.92\00:21:51.03
for it is the number of a
man, and that number is 666."
00:21:51.06\00:21:58.57
We need to remind ourselves
again that this is symbolism.
00:22:05.44\00:22:08.67
We don't want to take this
literally, this is symbolic.
00:22:08.70\00:22:11.99
And in the symbolism
here, we read about a power
00:22:13.02\00:22:16.21
that in the end time,
comes and brings with it force.
00:22:16.24\00:22:20.18
The Bible, by the way, is
abundantly clear that it is
00:22:21.11\00:22:24.03
the devil who forces.
00:22:24.06\00:22:25.50
It is the devil that tries
to push people into his mold.
00:22:25.53\00:22:29.11
Jesus never
operated in that way, did he.
00:22:29.14\00:22:31.42
Christianity was never
meant to operate in that way.
00:22:31.45\00:22:34.48
Jesus said, "Whomsoever
will, let him come. "
00:22:34.51\00:22:39.20
"You choose,"
said the old prophet.
00:22:39.64\00:22:41.55
"Choose you this day. "
00:22:41.58\00:22:42.91
But this power comes, and
it comes with great force.
00:22:42.94\00:22:46.59
And it says, if you
don't go along with us
00:22:46.62\00:22:49.65
then there's going
to be economic sanction,
00:22:49.68\00:22:51.80
you can't buy or sell.
00:22:51.83\00:22:52.93
And if that doesn't bring
quickly the desired result,
00:22:52.96\00:22:55.10
then there is a death penalty.
00:22:55.13\00:22:56.99
It finds, then,
everyone in trouble.
00:22:57.85\00:23:00.50
Now we're going to turn from
here to the following chapter,
00:23:02.12\00:23:05.24
chapter 14 and
we're gong to read just
00:23:05.27\00:23:08.98
a couple of verses, 9 and 10.
00:23:09.01\00:23:11.18
Revelation chapter
14 verses 9 and 10.
00:23:11.21\00:23:14.27
Here's the other side of
the coin, if you'll allow me.
00:23:14.30\00:23:16.41
It says, "The third
angel followed the other two
00:23:16.44\00:23:18.69
and he said with a loud voice,
'If anyone worships the beast
00:23:18.72\00:23:21.04
or his image, or receives
the mark either in the forehead
00:23:21.07\00:23:23.36
or the hand, the same
shall drink of the wine of the
00:23:23.39\00:23:25.72
wrath of God poured out
without mixture or dilution
00:23:25.75\00:23:28.81
into the cup of His indignation.
00:23:28.84\00:23:30.31
He'll be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence
00:23:30.34\00:23:32.90
of the holy angels and in
the presence of the Lamb. '
00:23:32.93\00:23:35.25
And the smoke of that torment
ascends forever and ever.
00:23:35.28\00:23:38.03
They have no rest, day or
night, those who have worshipped
00:23:38.06\00:23:41.27
the beast or his image,
or whosoever has received
00:23:41.30\00:23:45.39
the mark of his name. "
00:23:45.42\00:23:46.79
So at this juncture, then,
we're easily able to make a
00:23:46.82\00:23:51.05
summarization
that goes like this.
00:23:51.08\00:23:53.08
The terminal
generation is found in trouble,
00:23:53.73\00:23:56.81
everyone is in trouble.
00:23:56.84\00:23:58.48
Either on the one hand, you have
refused the beast and its mark
00:23:58.51\00:24:03.11
and you're in trouble
with men and with the authority
00:24:03.14\00:24:06.19
in the world, or on the
other hand, you have accepted
00:24:06.22\00:24:09.15
the beast and its mark and
now you're in trouble with God.
00:24:09.18\00:24:12.53
But everyone is in trouble.
00:24:12.56\00:24:14.06
Now I don't know about you
folk, but a good while back
00:24:14.09\00:24:16.25
I decided I'd rather be in
trouble with men than with God.
00:24:16.28\00:24:19.48
And I think that's only
just common sense, isn't it.
00:24:20.14\00:24:22.63
Now, I can almost hear you
asking, "Lyle, who and what
00:24:23.67\00:24:28.90
is this beast power?
00:24:28.93\00:24:30.04
Come on, get on with it.
00:24:30.07\00:24:31.21
What is it's mark,
rather, more particularly?
00:24:31.24\00:24:34.19
What is the mark
of the best then?"
00:24:34.22\00:24:36.10
But before we can understand
and appreciate, I think fully,
00:24:36.13\00:24:39.93
the mark of the beast, we have
to have a basic understanding.
00:24:39.96\00:24:44.12
For most, this will be just
a review but there's some here
00:24:44.15\00:24:46.46
tonight for the very first time.
00:24:46.49\00:24:48.01
We have to look back at
the first verses of chapter 13
00:24:48.04\00:24:52.62
to have some information
about the beast power itself,
00:24:52.65\00:24:55.46
the power that
inflicts this requirement upon
00:24:55.49\00:25:01.63
the terminal generation.
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.13
Chapter 13, the first verse.
00:25:03.16\00:25:04.99
John in vision says, "I
stood upon the sands of the sea
00:25:05.02\00:25:08.62
and I saw a beast
come up out of the sea.
00:25:08.65\00:25:11.26
And this beast had
seven heads and ten horns,
00:25:11.29\00:25:13.60
and upon his horns there
were crowns, and upon his heads
00:25:13.83\00:25:16.03
the name of blasphemy.
00:25:16.06\00:25:17.40
This beast that I
saw was like a leopard,
00:25:18.25\00:25:20.50
but he had the feet of a
bear and the mouth of a lion.
00:25:20.53\00:25:23.89
The dragon had given him
his power and his seat or throne
00:25:24.29\00:25:28.41
and his great authority.
00:25:28.44\00:25:29.80
And then I saw one of the heads
as if it were wounded unto death
00:25:30.55\00:25:33.50
but the deadly wound was healed.
00:25:33.53\00:25:35.04
And the whole world
followed after the beast.
00:25:35.07\00:25:37.03
And they worshipped also
the dragon that had given
00:25:37.06\00:25:38.91
power to the beast.
00:25:38.94\00:25:40.00
And they worshipped the beast,
saying, 'Who is like unto him
00:25:40.03\00:25:43.14
and who is able
to war against him?'
00:25:43.17\00:25:45.15
And there was given
unto him, a mouth that spoke
00:25:45.18\00:25:47.19
great things and blasphemies.
00:25:47.22\00:25:48.98
And power was given
unto him to continue this way
00:25:49.01\00:25:51.68
for forty and two months. "
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.68
And in the day for a year
principle, ladies and gentlemen,
00:25:54.18\00:25:56.95
I remind you, that figures
out to 1260 literal years.
00:25:56.98\00:26:00.89
And on many prior occasions,
we have said that in 538
00:26:00.92\00:26:04.91
the church destroyed its last
earthly enemy, the last holdout
00:26:04.94\00:26:08.77
against its teachings and
reigned supreme until 1798 when
00:26:08.80\00:26:14.52
Napoleon took the pope captive.
00:26:14.55\00:26:17.04
1260 years; called time,
times, and dividing of time
00:26:17.07\00:26:21.23
in both Daniel and Revelation.
00:26:21.26\00:26:22.43
Called the 3.5
years in Revelation.
00:26:22.46\00:26:25.23
And also referred to as the
42 months, as we find it here.
00:26:25.26\00:26:29.52
And it says about this
power that it had a great mouth
00:26:29.55\00:26:32.33
that spoke blasphemies.
00:26:32.36\00:26:33.72
And I want to dovetail a thought
here for you for just a moment.
00:26:33.75\00:26:37.71
You remember, our Lord Jesus was
accused of being a blasphemer.
00:26:38.68\00:26:41.84
And Jesus asked the folks
who wanted to take His life
00:26:41.87\00:26:44.77
with stones, "On what
basis do you accuse Me of
00:26:44.80\00:26:47.58
being a blasphemer?"
00:26:47.61\00:26:48.89
And they said, "Because
You, being only just a man,
00:26:48.92\00:26:52.24
claim to be... "
00:26:52.27\00:26:53.91
Whom, now?
00:26:53.94\00:26:54.91
"You being a man
claim to be God. "
00:26:55.47\00:26:57.09
So, there is a New Testament
definition of blasphemy;
00:26:57.12\00:27:00.56
a man claiming to be God.
00:27:00.59\00:27:02.83
I studied Roman
Catholic theology at
00:27:02.86\00:27:04.80
Notre Dame University.
00:27:04.83\00:27:06.33
I audited a course there.
00:27:06.36\00:27:08.02
And I could read to you
tonight, if time allowed,
00:27:08.05\00:27:10.33
page after page after
page, document after document
00:27:10.36\00:27:13.37
after document, that
says that the pope of Rome
00:27:13.40\00:27:16.62
takes the place of God on earth.
00:27:16.65\00:27:18.11
He is the vicar of the Son
of God, he sits in the place
00:27:18.14\00:27:21.21
of God on earth.
00:27:21.24\00:27:22.68
And when he speaks ex cathedra,
when he speaks with the
00:27:22.71\00:27:25.69
authority of the throne,
that is God speaking on earth.
00:27:25.72\00:27:29.63
And it's in light of that,
that the church of Rome says,
00:27:29.66\00:27:32.11
"We have the power and
the authority to transfer the
00:27:32.14\00:27:35.25
solemnity of the day of worship
from Saturday to Sunday. "
00:27:35.28\00:27:38.73
And this is not new to
those of you who have been
00:27:38.76\00:27:40.59
coming here quite regularly.
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.12
And so, it says about
this power that he had a mouth
00:27:42.15\00:27:44.94
that spoke blasphemies and
he continued for 1260 years.
00:27:44.97\00:27:49.09
And then he went out and
made war against the saints.
00:27:49.12\00:27:52.60
We mentioned, about
our second night together,
00:27:53.36\00:27:55.57
when we talked about the
problems out in Iran and Iraq
00:27:55.60\00:27:58.55
and about their hatred toward
many in the western world,
00:27:58.58\00:28:01.29
about the church wars and
about the crusades against
00:28:01.32\00:28:06.16
Muhammad and his
people by the church.
00:28:06.19\00:28:08.38
And we've talked also, when we
visited the Waldensian Valley,
00:28:08.41\00:28:11.67
about how church leadership
went after the people of God,
00:28:11.70\00:28:15.30
the Christian people who
didn't want to go along with the
00:28:15.33\00:28:18.03
traditions of men and drove
them way up into the mountaintop
00:28:18.06\00:28:20.98
and into the rocky
fissures of the caves.
00:28:21.01\00:28:23.80
And so it all begins to plug in.
00:28:23.83\00:28:25.81
Now,
00:28:26.80\00:28:27.77
it is not Lyle's idea, nor has
it been some Adventist notion
00:28:30.32\00:28:36.54
that the church of Rome
is the beast power spoken of
00:28:36.57\00:28:40.74
in Revelation chapter 13.
00:28:40.77\00:28:43.42
This was the initial position
of every single reformer
00:28:43.82\00:28:47.10
without any exception.
00:28:47.13\00:28:48.81
While Luther and Calvin
were miles apart in their
00:28:48.84\00:28:51.77
understanding of the Lord's
supper and the Lord's table,
00:28:51.80\00:28:54.85
when it came to who and
what the beast power was
00:28:54.88\00:28:56.86
they were together as
close as a hand inside a glove.
00:28:56.89\00:29:00.66
And I want to read you very
quickly just one statement from
00:29:00.69\00:29:04.23
a man by the name
of Dr. Grattan Guinness
00:29:04.33\00:29:06.18
whom most scholars
believe to be the finest mind,
00:29:06.21\00:29:08.51
the best authority
on the reformation era.
00:29:08.54\00:29:11.30
This is from his book,
"Rome and the Reformation"
00:29:11.33\00:29:13.58
pages 153 and 154.
00:29:13.61\00:29:16.71
I'm quoting, "Martin Luther
never felt free and strong
00:29:16.74\00:29:19.81
to war against papal apostasy
until finally he recognized
00:29:19.84\00:29:22.64
the papacy was the anti-christ.
00:29:22.67\00:29:24.40
It was then that he
burned the papal bull.
00:29:24.43\00:29:26.50
John Knox, a Presbyterian,
preached his first sermon,
00:29:26.53\00:29:28.95
the one that launched him on
the road to becoming a reformer,
00:29:28.98\00:29:31.50
on the prophecies
concerning the papacy.
00:29:31.53\00:29:33.49
And all the reformers were
unanimous in this matter. "
00:29:33.52\00:29:36.33
And that's true, they were.
00:29:36.36\00:29:38.11
Without exception, they were.
00:29:38.14\00:29:39.72
We must never fall
to the mistaken notion,
00:29:39.75\00:29:41.60
ladies and gentlemen, that
the reformation was a simple
00:29:41.63\00:29:44.61
quibble over semantics.
00:29:44.64\00:29:46.88
Now we've heard a lot of
that idea coming out of churches
00:29:46.91\00:29:50.23
and denominations of late
because there has been this
00:29:50.26\00:29:53.35
healing of the deadly wound
and this reuniting that we're
00:29:53.38\00:29:56.02
going to talk more
about in just a little bit.
00:29:56.05\00:29:58.11
"Well, the reformation was
simply a question of semantics,
00:29:58.14\00:30:01.38
just a
misunderstanding of words. "
00:30:01.41\00:30:03.44
It was not that,
ladies and gentlemen.
00:30:03.47\00:30:06.06
The thing that brought on the
reformation was the preaching
00:30:06.09\00:30:09.05
of the books of Daniel and
Revelation exactly as you've
00:30:09.08\00:30:11.39
been hearing them here.
00:30:11.42\00:30:12.56
And if what I have been
sharing with you sounds strange,
00:30:13.07\00:30:15.68
if what I've put out to
you from the Bible and from
00:30:15.71\00:30:19.28
Bible prophecy sounds weird
and it's the first time you've
00:30:19.31\00:30:22.00
ever heard anything like
it, it's only further proof
00:30:22.03\00:30:24.38
that the teachings of the
reformers are no longer heard
00:30:24.41\00:30:27.16
in the churches that claim
to carry on the reformation.
00:30:27.19\00:30:29.88
To the large degree,
the reformation is dead.
00:30:30.84\00:30:33.29
But it lives on here.
00:30:33.32\00:30:34.52
I take for my preaching,
the notes of Luther and Calvin
00:30:34.55\00:30:37.05
and Knox and Huss, and
the Wesley brothers as well.
00:30:37.08\00:30:39.97
Particularly in these areas
of end time Bible prophecies.
00:30:40.00\00:30:44.05
Now, we want to transition.
00:30:44.48\00:30:47.81
And as we do this, I
want to make abundantly clear
00:30:47.84\00:30:50.83
that the beast power mentioned
here is not mentioned in such
00:30:50.86\00:30:55.65
terms to be naughty,
denigrative, or disrespectful.
00:30:55.68\00:30:59.81
"A beast, oh that
terribly, horribly... "
00:31:02.18\00:31:03.92
No, God never intended
that idea nor that connotation.
00:31:03.95\00:31:08.99
He only uses "beast", and He
does it in Daniel as well as in
00:31:09.42\00:31:12.88
the Revelation, to
symbolize nations and powers;
00:31:12.91\00:31:17.44
political
powers, religious powers,
00:31:17.47\00:31:20.51
or a combination thereof.
00:31:20.54\00:31:22.58
Now we continue to do the
very same thing still today.
00:31:22.61\00:31:26.46
If, politically speaking,
I mention the bear power,
00:31:26.49\00:31:30.43
what power is that?
00:31:30.46\00:31:31.43
Of whom am I speaking?
00:31:31.44\00:31:32.93
Russia, of course.
00:31:32.96\00:31:34.14
If I mention the
lion, of whom am I speaking?
00:31:34.17\00:31:37.04
Of whom? Great Britain.
00:31:37.44\00:31:38.67
How about the
rooster? Anybody remember?
00:31:38.70\00:31:41.09
France, of course.
Give that lady a gold star.
00:31:41.71\00:31:44.15
The rooster of France.
00:31:44.18\00:31:45.15
Here in the United States,
we've had two such symbols.
00:31:45.16\00:31:48.00
We've had the great
American bald eagle.
00:31:48.03\00:31:50.25
And by the way,
he's not really bald.
00:31:50.28\00:31:51.74
He just has white hair like
some old people that I know.
00:31:51.77\00:31:55.39
And because he's indigenous
to our country, we've also
00:31:57.31\00:32:00.02
used as out symbol
the bison, or the buffalo.
00:32:00.05\00:32:02.90
So we continue to
do the same thing today
00:32:02.93\00:32:04.63
and we mean no disrespect
whatsoever, nor does God.
00:32:04.66\00:32:08.47
Now, we're going to search for
this beast power this evening
00:32:08.50\00:32:13.46
in Bible prophecy, and we're
going to use several clues.
00:32:13.49\00:32:17.28
Clue number 1, for
you "A" students, is the
00:32:17.31\00:32:19.52
clue of location.
00:32:19.55\00:32:20.90
And I'm going to refer
back now to Revelation 13
00:32:20.93\00:32:23.95
and the second verse.
00:32:23.98\00:32:25.30
Revelation 13 verse 2,
as we use our first clue,
00:32:25.33\00:32:29.25
our clue of discovery of who
and what this beast power is.
00:32:29.28\00:32:32.35
This is the clue of location.
00:32:32.73\00:32:34.64
Chapter 13 verse 2.
00:32:34.67\00:32:36.53
"The beast that I saw was like
a leopard, but he had the feet
00:32:36.56\00:32:39.10
of a bear and
the mouth of a lion.
00:32:39.13\00:32:41.13
And the dragon gave him
his power and his throne seat
00:32:41.16\00:32:45.64
and his great authority. "
00:32:45.67\00:32:47.91
Now who is the dragon?
00:32:49.33\00:32:50.92
Now that's easy, you
say. That's the devil.
00:32:50.95\00:32:52.97
And that's right.
That's basically correct.
00:32:53.00\00:32:55.65
But the devil works through
institutions, doesn't he now.
00:32:56.39\00:32:59.03
He works through organizations.
00:32:59.06\00:33:00.73
He still does that
till this very day.
00:33:00.76\00:33:03.07
We have said on more
than one one occasion that the
00:33:05.03\00:33:09.09
book of Revelation,
chapters 12 through 18,
00:33:09.12\00:33:14.62
go together as a unit.
00:33:14.65\00:33:16.72
We studied from chapter 12 about
the great red dragon and the
00:33:19.19\00:33:22.36
origin of sin and about
the war that was in heaven.
00:33:22.39\00:33:25.06
And it says the
dragon was kicked out.
00:33:25.09\00:33:27.40
And he went to work
through organizations
00:33:27.43\00:33:30.35
and through systems.
00:33:30.38\00:33:31.55
It says in chapter 12, just
the prior chapter to this 13th,
00:33:31.58\00:33:35.47
that he was there to destroy the
child as soon as it was born.
00:33:35.50\00:33:41.35
Alright, who sent soldiers,
who dispatched soldiers
00:33:41.38\00:33:44.60
over to Bethlehem
to kill the babies?
00:33:44.63\00:33:46.36
Under who's command?
00:33:46.39\00:33:47.53
Herod, Herod the Great.
00:33:48.01\00:33:49.57
Whom did he
represent, whom did he work for?
00:33:49.60\00:33:51.54
Ancient pagan Rome.
00:33:52.23\00:33:54.41
Who drove the nails in
the hands and feet of Jesus?
00:33:54.44\00:33:56.92
Who put him on a cross?
00:33:56.95\00:33:57.92
Roman soldiers did that.
00:33:57.95\00:34:00.32
Now watch, ladies and gentlemen.
00:34:00.35\00:34:01.91
Obviously, the devil was largely
working through the pagan
00:34:01.94\00:34:05.89
Roman power at the time
that John has his vision of
00:34:05.92\00:34:10.07
Revelation
chapters 12 through 18.
00:34:10.10\00:34:12.56
The pagan Roman power,
the devil, the dragon power.
00:34:12.59\00:34:16.91
Now watch.
00:34:16.94\00:34:18.05
It says that this power
that the devil was using
00:34:18.08\00:34:21.52
would give to this beast of
Revelation 13, the first verses,
00:34:21.55\00:34:24.98
his seat and his authority.
00:34:25.01\00:34:27.32
In the 4th century, the
empirical seat of the Caesars
00:34:29.77\00:34:33.79
was moved from the city of
Rome out to Constantinople.
00:34:33.82\00:34:37.16
Today known as Istanbul, Turkey.
00:34:37.19\00:34:39.73
And before the emperor
left, he called in the pastor
00:34:39.76\00:34:43.04
of the local church.
00:34:43.07\00:34:44.16
He said, "You're now
in charge of the affairs
00:34:44.19\00:34:46.55
of the western world. "
00:34:46.58\00:34:48.57
And over the years,
the pope of Rome became the
00:34:48.60\00:34:52.02
most powerful man.
00:34:52.05\00:34:53.19
There was first
the holy Roman empire,
00:34:53.22\00:34:55.49
and then the papal Roman empire.
00:34:55.52\00:34:58.22
A progression.
00:34:58.25\00:34:59.56
It becomes quite obvious, when
we use the clue of location,
00:34:59.59\00:35:03.59
that the pagan Roman
power gives to this new power
00:35:03.62\00:35:07.82
his seat and his great
authority throughout the world.
00:35:07.85\00:35:11.69
And by 1798, it would be
the power that dictated to kings
00:35:11.72\00:35:16.39
and queens and everybody
involved in the western world,
00:35:16.42\00:35:19.69
and throughout the Middle
East as we have also said.
00:35:19.72\00:35:21.92
So the clue of
location certainly seems to fit,
00:35:21.95\00:35:24.63
for, ladies and gentlemen, there
has only been one power that
00:35:24.66\00:35:27.36
has continuously sat upon
the seat of the dragon power
00:35:27.46\00:35:30.90
before it since the fall of the
Roman empire in the 5th century.
00:35:30.93\00:35:34.55
And that is the power
of the church of Rome.
00:35:34.58\00:35:37.38
Now, "Lyle, if this is a
symbol, then what does it mean
00:35:38.09\00:35:45.33
to be marked in the mind?
00:35:45.36\00:35:46.82
For I read a book the other day,
I saw the movie where they put a
00:35:47.44\00:35:51.82
laser chip, some kind
of a computer chip, rather,
00:35:51.85\00:35:55.70
in the mind or maybe a
laser beam tattoo in the hand. "
00:35:55.73\00:35:59.07
I'm not suggesting, ladies
and gentlemen, that these kinds
00:36:01.84\00:36:04.55
of things may not happen.
00:36:04.58\00:36:06.11
It would not surprise me if
the devil tried to bring about
00:36:06.14\00:36:10.44
some of these things to try
to throw folks off the trail,
00:36:10.47\00:36:13.55
sort of a red herring as
they use to say politically.
00:36:13.58\00:36:16.41
To kind of guide the dogs
off in the wrong direction.
00:36:16.44\00:36:19.09
It wouldn't surprise me if
the devil used some of these.
00:36:19.12\00:36:21.15
But this is not
God's original intention.
00:36:21.18\00:36:24.14
For as we said at the
outset, this is symbolic,
00:36:24.17\00:36:27.81
this is not literal.
00:36:27.84\00:36:29.17
Now the theologian has a
tool case with which he works
00:36:29.20\00:36:33.17
assuredly as the
carpenter or the plumber.
00:36:33.20\00:36:35.69
And one of the tools in
the theologians tool case
00:36:35.72\00:36:38.66
is called Biblical hermeneutic.
00:36:38.69\00:36:40.90
That is a big name
with a very simple meaning.
00:36:40.93\00:36:43.46
What it means is that we
must be, as we study our Bibles,
00:36:43.49\00:36:46.91
consistent, particularly
when we're looking at symbols.
00:36:46.94\00:36:51.30
Now it's quite obvious then
that in Revelation chapter 13,
00:36:51.33\00:36:55.20
it is speaking symbolically.
00:36:55.23\00:36:57.06
A beast that was like a leopard,
but he had the feet of a bear
00:36:57.09\00:36:59.31
and the mouth of a lion.
00:36:59.34\00:37:00.34
Was there ever
an animal like that?
00:37:00.37\00:37:01.64
Of course not, that is a symbol.
00:37:01.67\00:37:04.16
Now we can't say, "Well alright,
the beast, that's a symbol.
00:37:04.70\00:37:08.53
I agree with that, but
the mark, that's literal.
00:37:08.56\00:37:11.03
That's a laser beam tattoo. "
00:37:11.06\00:37:12.61
No, the beast is a symbol,
and of necessity, also the mark
00:37:12.64\00:37:16.90
must be a symbol.
00:37:16.93\00:37:18.78
The next question
then is, if it is a symbol,
00:37:18.81\00:37:21.86
what does it mean to
be marked in the mind?
00:37:21.89\00:37:23.91
I want you to leave a bookmark
at Revelation chapter 13
00:37:23.94\00:37:26.85
and go back with
me, if you will please,
00:37:26.88\00:37:28.77
to the Hebrews chapter 10.
00:37:28.80\00:37:30.75
Hebrews chapter 10.
00:37:31.90\00:37:33.31
And we're going to
notice at verse 16.
00:37:34.37\00:37:37.82
We could find the very
same verse, by the way,
00:37:37.85\00:37:39.53
the very same words
in chapter 8 verse 10.
00:37:39.56\00:37:42.56
But we shall notice at
chapter 10 and verse 16.
00:37:42.59\00:37:46.66
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 16.
00:37:46.95\00:37:49.87
I'm going to give you a moment
to be there because I want
00:37:50.58\00:37:52.39
you to see this,
it's so very important.
00:37:52.42\00:37:54.45
I don't want anyone to go home
and say, "I heard Lyle say. "
00:37:54.48\00:37:56.97
I want you to be
able to go home and say,
00:37:57.00\00:37:58.66
"I saw in my own Bible. "
00:37:58.69\00:38:00.86
Alright.
00:38:00.89\00:38:01.86
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 16.
00:38:01.87\00:38:04.43
"This is the
covenant that I will... "
00:38:04.46\00:38:06.48
Oh by the way, I have
folks say, "Well look,
00:38:06.51\00:38:09.99
we're under the new covenant
and there's no law, no Sabbath.
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.40
We're under the new covenant. "
00:38:12.43\00:38:13.58
No, that's a ridiculous idea.
00:38:13.61\00:38:16.71
The word covenant is
synonymous with contract,
00:38:16.74\00:38:19.62
as we've said on
other occasions here.
00:38:19.65\00:38:21.54
And you cannot have any
binding kind of a situation,
00:38:21.57\00:38:26.81
you can't have a
binding contract without law.
00:38:26.84\00:38:29.51
That's the way
to say it, isn't it.
00:38:29.54\00:38:30.97
You can't have a covenant
without a law to enforce it
00:38:31.37\00:38:33.97
and to back it up.
00:38:34.00\00:38:35.03
And so, sometimes
when folks say, "Well we're
00:38:35.06\00:38:36.87
under the new covenant. "
00:38:36.90\00:38:37.87
I'll ask them, "Well, could
you open and read that to me?"
00:38:37.88\00:38:40.67
"Well, it's here
or it's... Well... "
00:38:40.70\00:38:42.39
Well, we found it
tonight. Here it is, alright.
00:38:42.42\00:38:45.47
Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 16.
00:38:45.50\00:38:47.87
"'This is the covenant
that I will make with them
00:38:47.90\00:38:50.09
after those
days,' saith the Lord.
00:38:50.12\00:38:51.77
'I will put My laws in
their hearts and in their... '"
00:38:51.80\00:38:55.84
"... foreheads"
say some translations.
00:38:56.55\00:38:58.32
"In their minds I
will write them. "
00:38:58.35\00:39:00.89
God says, "I'll put My 10
commandments in your hearts
00:39:00.92\00:39:04.37
where you'll love them. "
00:39:04.40\00:39:05.69
Jesus said, "If you
love Me," John 14:15,
00:39:05.72\00:39:08.02
"then keep My commandments. "
00:39:08.05\00:39:09.99
"I'll put them in your
hearts and I will write them
00:39:10.02\00:39:13.42
also in your minds. "
00:39:13.45\00:39:16.05
So God's children also have
something in their foreheads.
00:39:17.51\00:39:21.66
They're marked.
00:39:21.69\00:39:23.01
Now we're ready to
take a step even further.
00:39:23.04\00:39:26.20
What is the purpose of a mark?
00:39:27.46\00:39:29.73
It shows identity, doesn't it.
00:39:31.48\00:39:33.14
It shows loyalty.
00:39:33.17\00:39:34.63
It shows to whom
we look for authority.
00:39:34.66\00:39:38.10
Peggy's daddy, as I
may have mentioned before,
00:39:38.50\00:39:41.03
was a logging contractor.
00:39:41.06\00:39:42.65
He logged only so
he could afford to run
00:39:42.68\00:39:45.46
a cattle operation.
00:39:45.49\00:39:46.74
His great love was a rancher
and wearing his Stetson hat.
00:39:46.77\00:39:50.33
But he had to, often, subsidize
the ranch operation by logging.
00:39:50.36\00:39:56.47
And it reminds me a little bit,
I may have mentioned it to you
00:39:56.50\00:39:58.79
on another evening, the man
who back, I believe in Iowa,
00:39:58.82\00:40:01.46
won the lottery
several million dollars.
00:40:01.49\00:40:03.27
And the television reporters
went to him and asked him,
00:40:03.30\00:40:05.22
"What are you going to
do with all that money?"
00:40:05.32\00:40:06.89
And the farmer said, "I
guess I'll just keep farming
00:40:06.92\00:40:08.90
until it's all gone. "
00:40:08.93\00:40:10.20
Alright.
00:40:14.43\00:40:15.62
My point was that the
farmers and the ranchers and all
00:40:16.42\00:40:19.88
who raise cattle
bring them in to a pen,
00:40:19.91\00:40:23.13
generally in the
spring of the year.
00:40:23.16\00:40:24.72
And with a red hot iron,
they put a brand on their hip
00:40:24.75\00:40:28.04
to show identity.
00:40:28.07\00:40:29.73
For out here in the west,
particularly, so many ranchers
00:40:29.76\00:40:32.40
got their start with a
fast horse and a long rope.
00:40:32.43\00:40:35.79
And over in places of the
world, they will put little
00:40:35.82\00:40:40.53
tattoos on the forehead.
00:40:40.56\00:40:41.53
You've seen them.
00:40:41.55\00:40:42.52
Yea, little markings on
the skin to show identity.
00:40:42.53\00:40:45.70
I remember asking
one group one time,
00:40:45.73\00:40:48.08
"Why do you," and we
had become friends and I
00:40:48.11\00:40:50.48
could ask personal questions,
"what does that mean?"
00:40:50.51\00:40:52.37
And they said, "It
shows the family or the tribe
00:40:52.40\00:40:55.11
that we belong to.
00:40:55.14\00:40:56.14
If ever some are
kidnapped or we get separated,
00:40:56.17\00:40:58.78
when once we're together
again we'll know one another. "
00:40:58.81\00:41:01.78
And so the mark shows to
whom we give our loyalties
00:41:01.81\00:41:05.73
and it identifies to whom
we, in a spiritual way, belong.
00:41:05.76\00:41:10.37
Now, that brings me then to this
sentence that I've used before.
00:41:10.40\00:41:15.68
Check everybody out,
ladies and gentlemen.
00:41:15.71\00:41:18.21
It does matter what's in
your forehead, it does matter
00:41:18.61\00:41:21.56
what you believe.
00:41:21.59\00:41:22.56
It can be a
matter of life and death.
00:41:22.59\00:41:24.40
And so, you check
every preacher out, including
00:41:24.43\00:41:27.59
of course, this one.
00:41:27.62\00:41:29.35
Check them out by the Bible.
00:41:29.38\00:41:30.98
And if it's not according
to God's word, then forget it.
00:41:31.01\00:41:33.85
Let it run off your back
like water off the duck's back.
00:41:33.88\00:41:36.79
If, on the other hand,
it is taught in God's word,
00:41:36.82\00:41:39.43
you better do
something about it.
00:41:39.46\00:41:41.17
We've got to do something
about it if it's there.
00:41:41.90\00:41:44.51
Now, we're ready to
take a further step.
00:41:44.54\00:41:47.61
Clue number one, as we
search for this beast power,
00:41:51.45\00:41:54.45
was the clue of location.
00:41:54.48\00:41:55.71
He sits on the seat of the
dragon power that was there
00:41:55.74\00:41:57.84
before him, which was
the pagan Roman government.
00:41:57.87\00:42:00.05
And you follow it down
historically and theologically,
00:42:00.08\00:42:02.67
it'd be none other
than the church of Rome.
00:42:02.70\00:42:04.36
Clue number two is that
this power brings about a
00:42:04.39\00:42:09.90
counterfeit of God's law.
00:42:09.93\00:42:11.60
A counterfeit that
the majority in the world
00:42:11.63\00:42:14.78
believe and practice.
00:42:14.81\00:42:16.81
It's a counterfeit of God's law.
00:42:17.56\00:42:19.41
And clue number three, then,
is that whatever this law is,
00:42:20.45\00:42:27.73
it controls buying and selling.
00:42:27.76\00:42:30.72
That no man could buy
or sell unless he goes
00:42:30.75\00:42:34.55
along with the system.
00:42:34.58\00:42:35.77
Now, we could, at this point,
ask some rhetorical questions.
00:42:36.63\00:42:41.69
That means, questions
with answers so simple
00:42:41.72\00:42:45.17
we really don't even
have to ask the question.
00:42:45.20\00:42:47.57
What could this be?
00:42:48.86\00:42:51.03
It comes out of the seat
of the dragon power before it,
00:42:51.06\00:42:53.88
this mark of the beast.
00:42:53.91\00:42:55.42
It is a counterfeit of
God's law and it controls
00:42:56.19\00:42:58.96
buying and selling, in
the last days particularly.
00:42:58.99\00:43:02.63
Is it Mariolatry?
00:43:02.66\00:43:04.81
It doesn't fit.
No it's doesn't fit.
00:43:04.84\00:43:06.34
Is it the doctrine of purgatory?
00:43:06.37\00:43:08.56
No, it doesn't fit.
00:43:08.59\00:43:10.07
Invocation of saints?
00:43:10.10\00:43:11.26
No, it doesn't fit.
00:43:11.29\00:43:12.84
There's only one such law
and teaching that has come
00:43:12.87\00:43:15.98
out of Rome, out of the
seat of the dragon power,
00:43:16.01\00:43:18.30
that fulfills all of the
demands of Revelation 13.
00:43:18.33\00:43:21.58
And that is the idea
and the law and the teaching
00:43:21.61\00:43:24.79
of Sunday
observance and Sunday closing
00:43:24.82\00:43:28.36
and Sunday going to church.
00:43:28.39\00:43:30.48
I read you, on prior evenings,
several quotations from the
00:43:30.51\00:43:34.21
church of Rome where they state
very plainly and succinctly,
00:43:34.24\00:43:38.04
"Yes, we changed the
day from Saturday to Sunday.
00:43:38.07\00:43:42.38
And we have the authority to
do it, given by God to Peter,
00:43:42.41\00:43:45.97
the first of the popes. "
00:43:46.00\00:43:47.29
You remember, we've
gone over those things
00:43:47.32\00:43:49.06
on several prior evenings.
00:43:49.09\00:43:51.21
Now we say, "Well look,
you'd expect Sunday closing here
00:43:52.69\00:43:55.88
in the United States because
we are a Christian nation.
00:43:55.91\00:43:58.48
And if we're going to
close on any day of the week,
00:43:58.51\00:44:00.37
it's going to be on Sunday. "
00:44:00.40\00:44:01.92
We've said on many
prior occasions as well
00:44:01.95\00:44:04.63
that the Bible isn't
only just for Americans.
00:44:04.66\00:44:06.62
It's for everybody who lives all
around the circle of the globe.
00:44:06.65\00:44:10.64
And so I have a
suggestion tonight.
00:44:10.67\00:44:12.71
My suggestion is that
we take a mental journey.
00:44:12.74\00:44:15.98
We're going to stop in two or
three other places in the world
00:44:18.64\00:44:22.24
that are not Christian.
00:44:22.27\00:44:24.84
And so we get in our
jet over here in Seattle
00:44:24.87\00:44:27.75
and we fly across the
polar ice caps and we go east
00:44:27.78\00:44:32.46
and north, and we
go to Istanbul, Turkey
00:44:32.49\00:44:35.91
for our first stop.
00:44:35.94\00:44:37.26
And out in Istanbul, we discover
that almost 100% of the people
00:44:37.29\00:44:42.70
are followers of Islam.
00:44:42.73\00:44:45.09
Which day is the
holy day in Islam?
00:44:45.12\00:44:47.75
Which day?
00:44:47.78\00:44:48.78
Friday.
00:44:48.94\00:44:49.93
But we can go to the
shops and the boutiques
00:44:49.96\00:44:53.19
on Friday and with, perhaps, the
exception of a couple of hours
00:44:53.22\00:44:56.57
mid afternoon, we'll
find those shops open.
00:44:56.60\00:44:58.87
But, you go to the same shops
on Sunday and you find often
00:44:58.90\00:45:03.46
and that the
majority of them are closed.
00:45:03.49\00:45:06.58
And we say, how strange in
this non-Christian environment.
00:45:06.61\00:45:09.97
And we re-board our jet
and we fly next to India.
00:45:10.90\00:45:14.64
And out in Bombay, we stop
to discover that the folks here
00:45:14.67\00:45:20.22
are, with very few
exceptions, not Christian.
00:45:20.25\00:45:23.07
They're Hindu or something
else, or a combination.
00:45:23.10\00:45:26.20
And we go shopping
on Monday and we buy,
00:45:27.36\00:45:30.67
and on Wednesday we may buy.
00:45:30.70\00:45:32.72
And then we discover
that on Sunday, most things
00:45:32.75\00:45:37.16
are locked up.
00:45:37.19\00:45:38.41
Now I know some of this is
changing, the world is changing.
00:45:39.24\00:45:41.93
But for hundreds of
years, it has been just the way
00:45:41.96\00:45:45.46
that I'm telling
it to you tonight.
00:45:45.49\00:45:47.72
We re-board our jet and
we fly on around the world
00:45:47.75\00:45:50.36
and our final stop is
out in Tokyo in Japan.
00:45:50.39\00:45:54.24
And we go down to the Ginza.
00:45:54.27\00:45:56.55
And for years and years and
years, during the war years,
00:45:56.58\00:45:59.96
and up until just very recently,
everything on Sunday was
00:45:59.99\00:46:03.56
locked up out in Tokyo.
00:46:03.59\00:46:05.23
And we say, how strange because
the folks out here are not
00:46:05.26\00:46:08.49
Christian, with
a few exceptions.
00:46:08.52\00:46:10.08
They're Buddhist or Shintoist,
or a combination thereof.
00:46:10.11\00:46:13.11
And by the way, even
as recent as last week
00:46:13.14\00:46:16.88
the government offices out in
Japan are locked up on Sunday.
00:46:16.91\00:46:23.24
How strange.
00:46:23.44\00:46:24.51
And so we see this
law that came out of Rome,
00:46:24.54\00:46:26.75
out of the seat of the
dragon power before it,
00:46:26.78\00:46:28.42
is controlling the
buying and the selling of
00:46:28.45\00:46:30.53
the world right now.
00:46:30.56\00:46:32.26
And if we don't go along
with the worship of Sunday,
00:46:32.29\00:46:35.84
before Jesus comes back there
is going to be a requirement
00:46:35.87\00:46:40.59
that you can't buy or
sell on any day of the week
00:46:40.62\00:46:43.01
unless you accept the authority
of the power that is described.
00:46:43.04\00:46:48.10
It becomes abundantly clear
then that the 4th commandment
00:46:48.13\00:46:52.30
of God is the one that separates
the terminal generation.
00:46:52.33\00:46:56.78
It controls the
buying and the selling.
00:46:56.81\00:46:58.74
There is no other
command, no other law that has
00:46:58.77\00:47:01.79
anything at all to do
with buying and selling
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.25
except the 4th
commandment where God says,
00:47:04.28\00:47:08.22
"Don't do it on
My Sabbath day. "
00:47:08.25\00:47:10.51
Now,
00:47:12.03\00:47:13.12
a clear quotation
from the church of Rome.
00:47:15.60\00:47:18.37
I'm quoting, "Of course the
Catholic claims that the change
00:47:18.40\00:47:21.05
from Sabbath to
Sunday was her doing.
00:47:21.08\00:47:22.58
It couldn't have been otherwise,
as none in those days would have
00:47:22.61\00:47:25.29
dreamed of doing anything in
matters spiritual, ecclesiastic,
00:47:25.32\00:47:28.14
or religious without her.
00:47:28.17\00:47:29.54
And this act is a mark
of ecclesiastical power and
00:47:29.57\00:47:33.21
authority in
religious matters. "
00:47:33.24\00:47:34.84
And that is from
Cardinal Gibbons of whom I think
00:47:34.87\00:47:38.32
we've quoted before.
00:47:38.35\00:47:40.39
Daniel chapter 7 verse 25,
speaking again under different
00:47:40.42\00:47:44.81
symbolism of the same
power said that it would change
00:47:44.84\00:47:48.83
time and law.
00:47:48.86\00:47:51.78
And there's only one of God's
laws that has to do with time,
00:47:51.81\00:47:54.88
and that is
command number 4 that says,
00:47:54.91\00:47:56.84
"Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. "
00:47:56.87\00:48:00.00
I'm hoping, ladies and
gentlemen, that we're beginning
00:48:03.91\00:48:06.83
to see that this is not
a nitpicking side issue,
00:48:06.86\00:48:10.30
this Saturday Sunday business.
00:48:10.33\00:48:12.26
It's not a tempest in an
teapot or much ado over nothing.
00:48:12.29\00:48:15.80
But it boils down to
the question of authorities
00:48:15.83\00:48:19.53
for the terminal generation.
00:48:19.56\00:48:21.09
To whom will we
look for authority?
00:48:21.12\00:48:23.48
Will we look to the church
or to the head of a church?
00:48:23.88\00:48:27.40
Or will we look to Jesus Christ,
the originator of the church?
00:48:27.43\00:48:30.56
Who's word are we going
to take for final authority?
00:48:30.59\00:48:33.75
That is the bottom
line. That is the question.
00:48:33.78\00:48:36.72
Now, Martin Luther
took a position initially
00:48:36.75\00:48:42.38
that he would go by the
Bible and the Bible only.
00:48:42.41\00:48:45.10
He stood before the
largest of church counsels,
00:48:46.03\00:48:48.50
to that time nearly.
00:48:48.53\00:48:49.65
And he said, "My conscience
is captive to the word of God.
00:48:49.68\00:48:52.79
Unless you can convince me
by scripture and clear reason,
00:48:52.82\00:48:55.45
on God's word alone I stand.
00:48:55.48\00:48:57.39
I can do no
other, may He help me. "
00:48:57.42\00:48:59.62
And he nailed the
theses to the door.
00:48:59.65\00:49:01.73
Shortly thereafter, he
was challenged by the church.
00:49:02.51\00:49:05.21
They said, "You claim
that you go by the Bible
00:49:05.24\00:49:07.73
and the Bible only.
00:49:07.76\00:49:08.73
Why then do you continue to go
to church and encourage others
00:49:08.74\00:49:12.66
to go to church on Sunday?
00:49:12.69\00:49:14.41
If you go by the Bible only, why
do you go to church on Sunday?"
00:49:14.82\00:49:17.40
And Martin Luther
admitted his embarrassment.
00:49:17.43\00:49:19.68
And I'll read to you
exactly what he said.
00:49:19.71\00:49:22.91
"They, the Catholics, alleged
to have changed the Sabbath
00:49:22.94\00:49:26.46
into Sunday, the
Lord's Day they call it,
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.14
contrary to the
ten commandments.
00:49:28.17\00:49:29.92
Nor is there any
example more boasted of than the
00:49:30.32\00:49:33.14
change of the Sabbath day.
00:49:33.17\00:49:34.23
Great, they say, is the
power and the authority of the
00:49:34.26\00:49:36.75
church of Rome since it
has dispensed with one of
00:49:36.78\00:49:39.41
God's ten commandments. "
00:49:39.44\00:49:41.19
Now the contrast here
is that God derives His
00:49:41.22\00:49:44.66
authority from creation.
00:49:44.69\00:49:46.42
He said, "I made the place.
00:49:46.45\00:49:48.23
In 6 days, I
created heaven and earth.
00:49:48.26\00:49:50.82
And then on the
Sabbath day, or the Saturday,
00:49:50.85\00:49:52.81
I rested and I
made those hours holy.
00:49:52.84\00:49:55.92
I set them aside for holy use,
for families to come together
00:49:55.95\00:49:59.89
to My house and
worship Me with one voice. "
00:49:59.92\00:50:02.89
The church, on the other hand,
the Sunday rather, of the church
00:50:03.98\00:50:08.30
stands totally and completely
and only upon the authority
00:50:08.33\00:50:11.65
of the church of
Rome, and there alone.
00:50:11.68\00:50:14.37
Now, I want to talk to you
about Sunday and the desire
00:50:14.40\00:50:20.64
for Sunday enforcement.
00:50:20.67\00:50:22.45
Sometimes folks will say,
"Well Lyle, if I see this coming
00:50:22.96\00:50:25.42
together, if I see folks trying
to force Sunday observance
00:50:25.45\00:50:28.64
and laws and that
sort of thing being made,
00:50:28.67\00:50:30.54
why then I'll do
something about it. "
00:50:30.57\00:50:32.92
I use to say at this juncture,
I'm going to tell you what's
00:50:33.54\00:50:37.63
going to happen
in the near future.
00:50:37.66\00:50:39.06
But now I say,
this is a prophecy also
00:50:39.09\00:50:42.73
that has been fulfilled.
00:50:42.76\00:50:43.73
This is history.
00:50:43.74\00:50:45.64
Here are just a few examples.
00:50:45.67\00:50:47.42
"Evangelicals and Catholics
Proclaim a Corporate Church"
00:50:47.45\00:50:52.15
And it goes on to talk
about how Protestants...
00:50:52.18\00:50:55.23
And I going to put
on my reading glasses.
00:50:55.26\00:50:56.84
Will you forgive me if
I find my glasses here?
00:50:56.87\00:50:59.25
Because the print
here is so very small.
00:50:59.28\00:51:01.72
I don't really need
glasses unless I want
00:51:01.75\00:51:03.64
to read, folks, or see.
00:51:03.67\00:51:05.12
But I want to get
this right for you.
00:51:07.87\00:51:09.73
And so I'm going to just put on
these glasses so I can do that.
00:51:09.76\00:51:13.73
"The resulting document,"
and this is by the way,
00:51:13.76\00:51:16.52
'Evangelicals and Catholics
Proclaim a Corporate Church,'"
00:51:16.55\00:51:19.47
"The resulting
document is called,
00:51:19.50\00:51:21.55
'Evangelicals and
Catholics Together,
00:51:21.58\00:51:23.77
The Christian Mission
for the Third Millennium'"
00:51:23.80\00:51:26.18
And that means, when we
transition from, you know,
00:51:26.21\00:51:29.70
1999 to the year 2000.
00:51:29.73\00:51:32.78
You've got
that, now haven't you.
00:51:32.81\00:51:34.31
Alright.
00:51:34.34\00:51:35.31
The third century.
00:51:35.77\00:51:37.27
The third millennium, I'm sorry,
I should have better said.
00:51:37.30\00:51:40.23
"Forty
signatories of this document,
00:51:40.74\00:51:43.30
Evangelicals and
Catholics Together,
00:51:43.33\00:51:44.98
have celebrated a union.
00:51:45.01\00:51:46.81
They are referred to now
as 'the corporate church'
00:51:46.84\00:51:49.81
and they now accept the
responsibility for ordering
00:51:49.84\00:51:53.35
the civility of society.
00:51:53.38\00:51:55.83
The principle figures behind the
preparation of this publication
00:51:55.86\00:51:59.84
of Evangelicals
and Catholics Together
00:51:59.87\00:52:01.71
are these among them; Richard
John Neuhaus, Lutheran Clergyman
00:52:01.74\00:52:06.02
turned a Roman
Catholic priest and advocate,
00:52:06.05\00:52:08.21
religion in the public square.
00:52:08.24\00:52:10.05
Furthermore, Charles
Colson, political trick master
00:52:10.08\00:52:12.78
of the Watergate era who
had found conversion while in
00:52:12.81\00:52:17.33
federal confinement.
00:52:17.36\00:52:18.39
And still another, Pat Robertson
of the 700 club, along with
00:52:18.42\00:52:22.66
New York's archbishop,
John Cardinal O'Conner.
00:52:22.69\00:52:26.23
Promoting that Catholics
and Protestants get together,
00:52:26.26\00:52:29.57
recognizing the papacy as
the overall head of the church.
00:52:29.60\00:52:34.06
Here's still another.
00:52:34.09\00:52:35.22
"Anglicans Eye a Partnership
Headed by the Pope. "
00:52:35.25\00:52:37.63
And that has to do
with some 60 plus million
00:52:37.66\00:52:40.63
Lutherans and Episcopalians.
00:52:40.66\00:52:43.73
Here's still a third.
00:52:43.76\00:52:44.74
Lutherans and Catholics
getting together in agreement
00:52:44.77\00:52:47.13
upon the pope as the
overall head of the church.
00:52:47.16\00:52:49.88
Here's one.
00:52:49.91\00:52:50.88
"Southern Baptist Convention"
00:52:50.89\00:52:52.07
I'm quoting now,
"Southern Baptist Convention
00:52:52.10\00:52:54.60
speaking to the exhilarated
secularization of Sunday,
00:52:55.14\00:52:58.74
particularly in the
United States, Southern Baptists
00:52:58.77\00:53:01.17
have voted to keep Sunday
as the day of rest and worship,
00:53:01.20\00:53:04.62
spiritual
renewal and family life.
00:53:04.65\00:53:07.07
Moreover, we have
decided to urge all governments
00:53:07.10\00:53:10.87
to take a primary responsibility
in preserving the unique
00:53:10.90\00:53:15.98
character of Sunday observance
as a day rest, worship,
00:53:16.01\00:53:20.34
and human welfare. "
00:53:20.37\00:53:21.83
What is says is, we're going to
vote into office, folks who will
00:53:21.86\00:53:25.48
enforce Sunday observance.
00:53:25.51\00:53:27.43
Here's one that's
very much like it.
00:53:27.46\00:53:29.22
It says, pretty much,
the very same thing about
00:53:29.25\00:53:32.02
the Southern Baptist.
00:53:32.05\00:53:33.22
And now here's
one from the Papacy.
00:53:33.25\00:53:35.64
And this is more
recent, by the way.
00:53:35.67\00:53:37.17
"The pope has
endorsed Sunday laws. "
00:53:37.20\00:53:39.51
And this is from a magazine
published down in the south.
00:53:39.54\00:53:42.27
A religious publication
from down in the south.
00:53:42.30\00:53:44.86
And then from Billy Graham's
magazine, "Christianity Today. "
00:53:45.79\00:53:49.58
An editorial
regarding this very subject that
00:53:51.24\00:53:54.54
we're sharing tonight.
00:53:54.57\00:53:55.65
And I want to read to
you what the editor says.
00:53:55.68\00:53:58.69
"The only way Sunday observance
will ever be accomplished is
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.69
by force of legislative
fiat through the duly elected
00:54:01.72\00:54:04.61
officials of the people.
00:54:04.64\00:54:06.16
The proper use of the
Lord's Day, or Sunday,
00:54:10.58\00:54:12.56
will never be
known in another way. "
00:54:12.59\00:54:14.73
And again, what he's saying
is, we must vote into office
00:54:14.76\00:54:18.80
senators, congressmen,
judges who'll enforce
00:54:18.83\00:54:22.99
Sunday observance.
00:54:23.02\00:54:25.08
We begin to see,
ladies and gentlemen, finally
00:54:25.11\00:54:28.21
that it is not a
question of days.
00:54:28.24\00:54:30.48
It is a question of authorities.
00:54:30.51\00:54:32.29
And as we've said on
prior occasions, in the garden
00:54:32.32\00:54:35.86
there were all kinds of
trees and lots of fruit.
00:54:35.89\00:54:38.36
And Eve might well
have said, "Well, so what.
00:54:38.39\00:54:40.63
What difference does it make?
00:54:40.66\00:54:42.16
And apple, an orange. So what.
00:54:42.19\00:54:44.20
Fruit is fruit,
trees are trees. "
00:54:44.23\00:54:45.33
God says,
"There is a difference.
00:54:45.36\00:54:46.66
The one that I've
separated by its location is a
00:54:46.69\00:54:48.89
test of My authority.
00:54:48.92\00:54:50.20
Don't go to that
one, don't eat from it. "
00:54:50.23\00:54:52.67
To me, one day may
look like any other.
00:54:52.70\00:54:54.88
So what.
00:54:54.91\00:54:55.88
I can get as much rest on
Wednesday as I can on Saturday.
00:54:55.89\00:54:58.41
God says, "There's a difference.
00:54:58.44\00:55:00.60
The day that I
separated by its location,
00:55:00.63\00:55:02.75
the 7th day of the week,
is a test of My authority. "
00:55:02.78\00:55:06.70
Someone says, "Well Lyle,
you've mentioned being marked
00:55:12.72\00:55:15.49
in the mind where you
believe, and all of the rest.
00:55:15.52\00:55:18.32
But what about the hand?
00:55:18.35\00:55:20.12
How does that fit in?"
00:55:20.15\00:55:21.78
How many folks
I've had say to me,
00:55:23.36\00:55:25.55
"Well Lyle, I've never believed
that Sunday was the day.
00:55:25.58\00:55:28.31
I mean, grandfather
told us years and years ago
00:55:28.34\00:55:30.66
that the Lord's Day
was Saturday, but... "
00:55:30.69\00:55:32.75
"But, I have to
work on Saturday.
00:55:33.35\00:55:36.47
I have a job. I
have kids in college.
00:55:36.50\00:55:38.20
I have a big
mortgage that I have to keep.
00:55:38.23\00:55:41.20
I have... So I go along with it.
00:55:41.23\00:55:43.45
You've got to work
along with society. "
00:55:43.48\00:55:44.88
I've heard that
a thousand times.
00:55:44.91\00:55:47.82
"I'll lose my home. "
00:55:48.99\00:55:50.41
And I know that fear.
00:55:50.44\00:55:51.65
I recognize it when
I made my own decision.
00:55:51.68\00:55:53.91
I'm going to tell you my
story in a couple of evenings.
00:55:53.94\00:55:56.03
But that ought not to be
our fear because, my dears,
00:55:56.06\00:55:59.00
that is not our problem.
00:55:59.03\00:56:00.89
Our job is to do
exactly what God says.
00:56:01.28\00:56:04.08
He's waiting for us to
put our feet on His soil
00:56:04.11\00:56:06.83
so He can give us His blessing.
00:56:06.86\00:56:08.59
The Red Sea did not part
until the children put their toe
00:56:09.86\00:56:13.22
in the water and
then the waves separated.
00:56:13.25\00:56:15.87
And God is waiting for us
to do what He says so He can
00:56:15.90\00:56:19.47
open the windows of heaven
and pour out the blessings
00:56:19.50\00:56:21.75
so we'll not have room
enough to take it all in.
00:56:21.78\00:56:24.35
If God wants you to
have the job you have,
00:56:25.26\00:56:27.26
all the powers of earth and
hell can't take it from you.
00:56:27.29\00:56:29.90
And if He doesn't
want you to have that job,
00:56:29.93\00:56:31.53
you ought not to want it because
somewhere He has a far better
00:56:31.56\00:56:34.78
one waiting for you.
00:56:34.81\00:56:35.92
Why don't you do what God says?
00:56:35.95\00:56:37.84
Put Him to the test.
00:56:37.87\00:56:39.19
Folks, we can't think for
a minute that we're going to
00:56:40.16\00:56:45.03
wait until these laws are
enforced and the teeth are
00:56:45.06\00:56:48.06
put in them and then
we're going to do what's right.
00:56:48.09\00:56:50.45
For spiritual strength is gained
in the same way as is physical.
00:56:50.48\00:56:54.68
A man doesn't lay down on the
bench and the first day press
00:56:54.71\00:56:57.87
300 pounds, but he begins with
25 and then 50 and works up.
00:56:57.90\00:57:02.18
You better start practicing the
truth you understand right now
00:57:02.21\00:57:06.26
if you're going to
practice it and follow it when
00:57:06.29\00:57:08.59
the final tests come.
00:57:08.62\00:57:10.00
Do it now.
00:57:10.03\00:57:11.85
We look finally, as we always
much, at the cross of Jesus.
00:57:13.86\00:57:16.83
He hangs there with nails in His
hands and thorns upon His head.
00:57:16.86\00:57:20.39
He didn't have to go there.
00:57:20.42\00:57:22.07
His holy love would not
allow Him to do any less.
00:57:22.10\00:57:26.07
It's not Lyle, then, who calls.
00:57:28.33\00:57:30.04
But Jesus, the same Jesus
who had the nails in His hands
00:57:31.20\00:57:35.20
and the thorns on His head.
00:57:35.70\00:57:36.72
It is that Jesus who
says, "If you love Me,
00:57:36.75\00:57:40.20
please keep My commandments. "
00:57:40.80\00:57:42.29
Let's pray.
00:57:42.32\00:57:43.33
Thank You, Lord,
for Your example.
00:57:43.70\00:57:46.32
Thank You for Your
authority from creation.
00:57:48.40\00:57:50.94
You made the Sabbath day.
00:57:50.97\00:57:52.67
You kept is when You
were here as our example.
00:57:53.17\00:57:55.07
We're going to keep
it the earth made new.
00:57:55.10\00:57:56.73
Help us to
practice Your truths now
00:57:56.76\00:58:01.35
so we'll be able to do it
when the difficult days arrive.
00:58:02.03\00:58:05.03
In Jesus' name we ask our favors
and return our thanks, amen.
00:58:05.06\00:58:10.71