And good evening to each of you.
00:00:21.90\00:00:24.11
We're very glad to
welcome you tonight
00:00:24.41\00:00:26.73
as we continue on in our
study of the book of Revelation.
00:00:27.03\00:00:32.29
And we're looking at
the 12th chapter of the book
00:00:32.59\00:00:37.84
of Revelation this evening.
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We have just finished
talking about the trumpets
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and we have covered -
in this particular series -
00:00:45.30\00:00:48.70
we've covered the seals.
00:00:48.90\00:00:50.44
We've taken a look
now at the trumpets.
00:00:50.74\00:00:53.16
And so we hope that that
has helped you put a section
00:00:53.36\00:00:55.89
of the book of
Revelation together
00:00:56.09\00:00:58.29
and... as we continue. But
tonight we go to Revelation 12:
00:00:58.50\00:01:03.75
the War in Heaven.
00:01:03.95\00:01:06.46
That's what we'll be
looking at as we start.
00:01:06.56\00:01:08.93
And so you find that
the book of Revelation
00:01:09.13\00:01:12.48
has different sections in it
00:01:13.56\00:01:16.01
and we cover those
sections one at a time.
00:01:16.31\00:01:18.92
And we... as you study them
00:01:19.12\00:01:21.18
you'll see how
that God opens things up
00:01:21.48\00:01:24.01
and you'll
understand it more and more.
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Our next series
that we'll be doing
00:01:26.59\00:01:29.31
is entitled The
Three Angels' Messages.
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Three Angels' Messages.
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And we're going to be looking
at Revelation 13 through 16.
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That's what we'll be looking at:
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Revelation 13
through 16 in our next series
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as we talk about The
Three Angels' Messages...
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very, very important messages
that God has for the world.
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And so we look forward to
doing that series with you
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and we hope that it will
continue to help you grow
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in the knowledge of the Lord.
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Thank you very
much for tuning in.
00:02:06.70\00:02:10.61
Those of you that are
watching by television
00:02:10.81\00:02:13.62
or listening on the radio
00:02:13.92\00:02:15.71
or following on the Internet
00:02:15.91\00:02:19.13
we hope that as we are talking
about these different events
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that take place in Revelation
that it's opening up the book
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because God intends
for you to understand it
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because it is the Revelation
- that means the revealing -
00:02:30.29\00:02:34.12
of God's Word. And
He promises to bless you
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if you read it and study it.
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So we hope that
it's helping you do that
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as we've taken a look
at the book of Revelation.
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We're very
pleased... always thankful
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and enjoy having Pam
and Jimmy Rhodes with us.
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They're always a
great, great blessing
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and they just minister to
my heart in a special way.
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Pam's going to sing for
us tonight a song entitled
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Look For Me.
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And I'm sure you'll be
blessed as she sings that.
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Chuck Allgaier is
going to read to you
00:03:08.77\00:03:11.57
the 12th chapter of
the book of Revelation,
00:03:11.77\00:03:14.79
and so follow along
as he reads that to you
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and then Pam will sing for us.
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Good evening.
00:03:21.89\00:03:23.63
If you have your Bibles tonight,
00:03:23.83\00:03:25.20
let's turn to the book
of Revelation chapter 12.
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I'm going to read
verses 1 through 17.
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Revelation chapter
12 verses 1 through 17.
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Let's read together:
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May God add His
blessing to His Word.
00:06:37.29\00:06:39.46
When you finally
make your entrance
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to that city
00:07:02.92\00:07:06.94
With jasper walls
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and bright gold
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avenues.
00:07:15.66\00:07:20.32
As you behold
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all its beauty
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and its splendor
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remember
there's just one request
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I make of you.
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Look for me
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for I will be there too.
00:07:49.95\00:07:55.93
I realize when you arrive
00:07:58.86\00:08:04.84
there'll be so much to view.
00:08:05.34\00:08:10.16
After you've been there
00:08:10.46\00:08:13.84
ten thousand years,
00:08:14.14\00:08:17.11
a million... maybe two,
00:08:17.41\00:08:22.26
look for me
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for I will be there too.
00:08:25.98\00:08:31.95
As you go down
00:08:40.52\00:08:43.60
your list of firsts
00:08:43.90\00:08:46.50
there's no question
00:08:46.80\00:08:50.87
we'll want to see our loved ones
00:08:52.39\00:08:56.77
waiting for you and me.
00:08:56.97\00:09:02.88
When you feel
you've shared your story
00:09:05.17\00:09:11.15
with the last one
00:09:11.48\00:09:15.50
that wants to
hear you tell just how
00:09:16.99\00:09:22.15
you made it through,
00:09:22.65\00:09:28.34
look for me...
00:09:28.64\00:09:32.80
I'd like to hear it too.
00:09:33.10\00:09:39.09
I realize
00:09:41.83\00:09:45.07
when you arrive
00:09:45.37\00:09:48.76
there'll be so much to view.
00:09:49.06\00:09:53.46
After you've been there
00:09:53.76\00:09:57.06
ten thousand years,
00:09:57.36\00:10:00.35
a million... maybe two,
00:10:00.45\00:10:05.05
look for me
00:10:05.30\00:10:08.83
for I will be there too.
00:10:09.23\00:10:15.20
When we've been there
00:10:18.14\00:10:23.94
ten thousand years
00:10:24.27\00:10:29.77
bright shining as
00:10:30.17\00:10:36.03
the sun,
00:10:36.43\00:10:42.24
we've no less days
00:10:42.64\00:10:48.07
to sing God's praise
00:10:48.37\00:10:54.29
than when
00:10:54.59\00:10:57.45
we've first
00:10:57.75\00:11:00.63
begun.
00:11:00.94\00:11:06.30
After you've been there
00:11:06.70\00:11:09.93
ten thousand years,
00:11:10.23\00:11:13.13
a million... maybe two,
00:11:13.33\00:11:18.01
look for me
00:11:18.22\00:11:21.99
for I will be there too.
00:11:22.29\00:11:28.21
I will be there
00:11:31.81\00:11:35.69
too.
00:11:35.99\00:11:41.91
Our heavenly Father,
00:12:02.96\00:12:04.75
As we consider that
You are making provisions
00:12:07.39\00:12:13.36
for each one of us
to be in Your kingdom...
00:12:13.76\00:12:16.95
that we'll have the privilege
00:12:18.44\00:12:20.46
of living throughout eternity,
00:12:21.66\00:12:24.12
we just want to give
You, Lord, our thanks,
00:12:25.22\00:12:30.03
our love. Ask,
Lord, that the Holy Spirit
00:12:30.33\00:12:34.11
will be with us tonight.
00:12:34.42\00:12:37.37
Give us the
understanding that we need.
00:12:37.67\00:12:40.78
May we grasp the
conflict that's taking place
00:12:41.08\00:12:46.61
and may we place
ourselves squarely upon the side
00:12:46.91\00:12:52.66
of Jesus Christ
00:12:52.86\00:12:54.76
and reach out, Lord,
and take hold of Your hand
00:12:55.06\00:12:57.82
and walk with You by faith
00:12:58.12\00:13:00.44
all the way into
the kingdom of heaven.
00:13:00.74\00:13:02.85
This we pray in
Christ's name, Amen.
00:13:03.15\00:13:08.05
Revelation the 12th
chapter: War in Heaven.
00:13:13.64\00:13:17.57
We come to this 12th chapter...
this begins kind of a new
00:13:17.87\00:13:23.64
sequence. We have looked at the
00:13:23.84\00:13:28.44
seven churches taking
us from the early church
00:13:28.64\00:13:31.82
clear to the
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:13:32.12\00:13:34.98
Then we picked up
with the 4th chapter
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.92
and it started talking
about the throne of God.
00:13:39.22\00:13:44.22
And then it picks up
with the seven seals...
00:13:44.52\00:13:47.17
starting again
with the early church.
00:13:47.37\00:13:50.16
And this whole
series that we've looked at
00:13:50.36\00:13:52.82
has taken us clear up to
the coming of Jesus Christ.
00:13:53.02\00:13:56.25
That's what it's talking about.
00:13:56.45\00:13:57.82
Now here with this chapter
00:13:58.10\00:14:00.73
we start a new series that will
focus on the end-time events
00:14:01.03\00:14:06.90
and then will take us to the
coming of Jesus Christ again.
00:14:07.10\00:14:10.79
So this is what we're beginning
00:14:11.10\00:14:12.77
with this
chapter 12 of Revelation.
00:14:12.80\00:14:16.84
The 12th chapter of
Revelation basically is divided
00:14:17.14\00:14:20.92
into three parts.
00:14:21.12\00:14:23.71
So as you read that
chapter and study it,
00:14:24.01\00:14:26.45
you need to make
notes and put it down
00:14:26.76\00:14:28.70
that it's
divided into three parts.
00:14:28.90\00:14:31.06
The three parts are simply this:
00:14:31.26\00:14:32.91
verses 1 to 6 is one part.
00:14:33.21\00:14:36.12
And then verses 7
through 12 is another part.
00:14:36.42\00:14:41.62
And verses 13
through 17 is another part.
00:14:41.92\00:14:45.66
And we'll look at that tonight.
00:14:45.76\00:14:47.32
That's the way the
12th chapter is divided up,
00:14:47.52\00:14:50.19
and we'll take a look and
see what it tells us about it.
00:14:50.49\00:14:53.81
But we hope that it
will give you an overall view
00:14:54.11\00:14:57.49
because that's
what he's trying to do
00:14:57.69\00:14:59.60
is give you an
overall view of the conflict
00:14:59.90\00:15:02.39
that is taking place
between Christ and Satan.
00:15:02.59\00:15:06.54
So let's start and take a
look at verses 1 through 6.
00:15:06.85\00:15:11.78
So here he's
describing the woman.
00:16:12.51\00:16:15.38
Now what we're
having happen here, folks,
00:16:15.68\00:16:18.45
is he is just using the woman
here to represent the church
00:16:18.75\00:16:24.10
and carrying God's
people into this next section.
00:16:24.40\00:16:28.79
That's what's
happened for in Bible prophecy
00:16:29.09\00:16:31.35
a woman represents a church.
00:16:31.55\00:16:34.09
This is His church.
Goes on and says here:
00:16:44.54\00:16:47.79
The woman
represents God's church.
00:16:53.67\00:16:57.43
And so he's
talking about this woman
00:16:57.53\00:16:59.48
and he's talking about the
conflict that's going to go on
00:16:59.68\00:17:02.92
between her and
a great red dragon.
00:17:03.22\00:17:06.63
So here you have the
church represented as a woman.
00:17:13.10\00:17:17.41
This woman is
clothed with the sun.
00:17:17.71\00:17:22.03
The moon is under her feet.
00:17:22.33\00:17:25.07
On her head is a
garland of twelve stars.
00:17:25.37\00:17:29.14
OK? And it says that this woman
00:17:29.44\00:17:33.04
there... she is blessed
by God in a special way.
00:17:33.24\00:17:37.36
The moon under her feet
00:17:37.66\00:17:40.01
represents the Old Testament
time that she's coming out of.
00:17:40.11\00:17:45.19
Being clothed with the
sun represents the gospel
00:17:45.50\00:17:49.71
of Jesus Christ
in all of its beauty
00:17:50.01\00:17:52.24
and basically
dims... fades out...
00:17:52.54\00:17:57.02
the Old... or the moon...
00:17:57.22\00:17:59.01
because of the
brightness of the sun.
00:17:59.21\00:18:01.32
And then it says she has
a garland of twelve stars
00:18:01.63\00:18:05.10
on her head. That represents
the 12 tribes that we're
00:18:05.31\00:18:09.66
talking about and
also the 12 apostles.
00:18:09.86\00:18:12.87
And so you have that
transfer the scripture is making
00:18:13.17\00:18:16.44
from the Old Testament period
00:18:16.64\00:18:18.48
into the New Testament period
is what is happening here.
00:18:18.68\00:18:22.86
But she's not the
only character here...
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.97
for all of a sudden he tells us
00:18:26.27\00:18:28.57
that there is a
great red dragon.
00:18:28.77\00:18:32.30
This great red dragon is
in conflict with the woman.
00:18:33.82\00:18:39.66
Doesn't like the woman...
00:18:39.97\00:18:42.16
basically wants
to do away with her.
00:18:42.46\00:18:46.40
And so the scripture says:
00:18:46.61\00:18:48.77
Please notice that it
refers to the devil as what?
00:19:03.47\00:19:08.54
As the what?
00:19:09.04\00:19:11.53
As the dragon.
00:19:11.83\00:19:13.28
Put that down...
because from this point on
00:19:13.48\00:19:17.19
through the 20th
chapter of Revelation
00:19:17.39\00:19:21.19
it will refer to the dragon
over and over and over again.
00:19:21.49\00:19:26.01
So you need to be aware
that the dragon is the devil...
00:19:26.21\00:19:29.45
Satan. And he... like I said...
00:19:29.65\00:19:34.66
isn't happy with the woman.
00:19:34.96\00:19:36.71
This dragon has seven heads
00:19:37.01\00:19:42.46
and ten horns on it.
00:19:42.76\00:19:45.56
Those ten horns you will find
mentioned time and time again
00:19:45.86\00:19:51.20
in scripture. They're mentioned
in Daniel the 7th chapter.
00:19:51.41\00:19:54.16
The beast there had ten horns.
00:19:54.46\00:19:55.95
You'll find this
beast has ten horns.
00:19:56.15\00:19:57.91
You'll find that the one
we're going to be studying
00:19:58.11\00:20:00.02
in Revelation 13 has ten horns.
00:20:00.22\00:20:02.70
The one in
Revelation 17 has ten horns.
00:20:02.90\00:20:05.34
Those ten horns have meaning
particularly in the last days.
00:20:05.45\00:20:10.82
And we're going to be looking
at that in one of our studies
00:20:11.02\00:20:13.74
about these ten
kings. Very important.
00:20:13.84\00:20:16.88
The seven heads on this dragon
00:20:17.11\00:20:20.47
represents the different
nations down through time
00:20:20.77\00:20:23.98
that have been in
opposition to God's people.
00:20:24.18\00:20:27.07
That's who they represent.
00:20:27.37\00:20:29.29
We'll talk more about
those as we take a look at it.
00:20:29.49\00:20:32.58
But this is the dragon,
and here in Daniel 7 it says:
00:20:32.78\00:20:36.56
These ten horns are the same...
identical all the way through.
00:20:39.87\00:20:43.94
OK?
00:20:50.33\00:20:51.70
His tail did what?
00:20:51.73\00:20:53.29
"Drew a third of
the stars of heaven. "
00:20:53.59\00:20:56.46
And in our study of the trumpets
00:20:56.76\00:21:00.37
it talks about that
their... tail did what?
00:21:00.57\00:21:03.71
Had strings in it and so forth.
00:21:04.01\00:21:06.03
You see the tail here in
scripture is used representing
00:21:06.34\00:21:09.98
power which he had. And it
says with that he drew a third
00:21:10.18\00:21:13.66
of them to the earth.
00:21:13.86\00:21:15.85
She's pregnant.
00:21:26.29\00:21:27.95
About ready to give birth.
00:21:28.25\00:21:30.30
And the dragon is there
ready to devour the Child
00:21:30.60\00:21:35.86
as soon as it is born.
00:21:36.06\00:21:37.64
So it tells us that she
gave birth to a male Child.
00:21:47.15\00:21:51.91
And then it gives the
characteristics of that Child.
00:21:52.32\00:21:55.52
It says, one, He
was to rule all nations
00:21:55.72\00:21:58.97
with a rod of iron
00:21:59.27\00:22:01.00
and He was caught up
to God and to His throne.
00:22:01.30\00:22:04.92
And we know very
clearly from the Christmas story
00:22:05.23\00:22:09.05
exactly what that's about
00:22:09.25\00:22:10.62
because you remember the
wise men who made their way
00:22:10.65\00:22:14.19
to Jerusalem. You
remember they got there...
00:22:14.39\00:22:19.29
They inquired
of the Christ Child
00:22:19.49\00:22:22.89
but couldn't find anything out.
00:22:23.09\00:22:26.42
They inquired all over the city.
00:22:26.72\00:22:28.63
In fact, it says it
upset the whole city.
00:22:28.83\00:22:30.84
So much so that Herod
called them in and asked them
00:22:31.14\00:22:34.58
who they were looking for.
00:22:34.78\00:22:36.15
And they said: "Well,
we're looking for this Child
00:22:36.19\00:22:37.78
that's to be born a King. "
00:22:37.98\00:22:39.37
Well, of course that was
very interesting to Herod
00:22:39.67\00:22:42.54
because he didn't
want any competition.
00:22:42.57\00:22:44.65
And so he told them...
He called in the scribes
00:22:44.95\00:22:47.94
and said: "Where's
this Child to be born? "
00:22:48.14\00:22:50.18
And they said: "Oh, He's to
be born down in Bethlehem. "
00:22:50.48\00:22:52.52
Always amazing to me...
00:22:52.82\00:22:54.85
Stop and think about it.
Here these are the scribes.
00:22:55.05\00:22:57.25
These are the
students of God's Word
00:22:57.45\00:22:59.84
and they knew exactly
where He was to be born
00:23:00.14\00:23:02.59
but they didn't
bother to go take a look.
00:23:02.79\00:23:04.51
You know, I've never quite
been able to put that together.
00:23:04.81\00:23:08.14
But anyhow, those
wise men followed that star
00:23:08.44\00:23:11.57
on down to Bethlehem and
there they found the Child.
00:23:11.77\00:23:15.26
And they worshiped Him.
00:23:15.56\00:23:17.84
They gave Him their
gold and their myrrh
00:23:18.04\00:23:20.34
and their frankincense
and they worshiped the Child.
00:23:20.44\00:23:24.45
And then it says that this Child
00:23:24.85\00:23:28.28
was to be caught up
to God and to His throne.
00:23:28.58\00:23:33.37
You remember Herod told
them to come back and tell him
00:23:33.67\00:23:39.04
when they had found the Child.
00:23:39.25\00:23:40.69
And it says that an
angel told those wise men
00:23:40.99\00:23:45.05
to go back home a different way.
00:23:45.25\00:23:47.38
And they went back
home a different way.
00:23:47.68\00:23:49.44
And when Herod found
out he had not been told
00:23:49.64\00:23:52.62
he had all the children
two years of age and under -
00:23:52.82\00:23:56.60
male children -
in Bethlehem killed.
00:23:56.80\00:23:59.51
But this child... and there's
only been one Child that's ever
00:24:00.59\00:24:04.17
been born that was to rule
all nations with a rod of iron
00:24:04.37\00:24:07.62
and was caught up to
God and to His throne...
00:24:07.82\00:24:09.77
and that Child was Jesus Christ.
00:24:09.97\00:24:12.07
The only one that's ever been
born to fulfill that prophecy.
00:24:12.37\00:24:15.30
But watch carefully:
00:24:15.60\00:24:17.22
So this woman who
the dragon is persecuting
00:24:28.17\00:24:31.82
has fled into the wilderness.
00:24:32.02\00:24:34.03
And it says that she
would be there for 1,260 days.
00:24:34.43\00:24:40.34
Now that's not
something you haven't seen
00:24:40.64\00:24:43.07
because we have looked at
that time sequence several times
00:24:43.38\00:24:47.35
in our study together.
00:24:47.56\00:24:48.93
We found out in Ezekiel 4:6
00:24:49.13\00:24:51.33
that a day represents what?
00:24:51.53\00:24:53.97
One year in Bible prophecy.
00:24:54.27\00:24:56.20
A day represents a year.
00:24:56.50\00:24:58.45
So we have here that
she was going to flee
00:24:58.55\00:25:01.35
into the wilderness for a time,
times, and a half a time...
00:25:01.55\00:25:05.10
which comes out as 1,260 years.
00:25:05.40\00:25:09.69
And so she was to
be in the wilderness
00:25:09.99\00:25:12.78
for 1,260 years.
00:25:12.98\00:25:16.02
This woman... this is
the time that she was to be
00:25:16.33\00:25:19.52
in the
wilderness. This is what the
00:25:19.73\00:25:21.65
first six verses of
Revelation 12 talks about,
00:25:21.85\00:25:25.74
folks, and all.
OK... notice verse 7:
00:25:25.94\00:25:29.75
Now the scene is
completely changed...
00:25:32.70\00:25:34.91
it's changed from
that... Now all of a sudden
00:25:35.11\00:25:37.22
we're looking at a
different scene. And it says:
00:25:37.42\00:25:39.04
There is a very real
conflict going on here
00:25:46.92\00:25:50.26
between the Lord and His angels
00:25:50.56\00:25:53.42
and the devil and his angels.
00:25:53.62\00:25:56.69
They didn't
prevail; they were cast out.
00:26:03.27\00:26:05.72
No place was found for them.
00:26:05.92\00:26:07.56
That tells you clearly
that that third of the stars
00:26:22.72\00:26:25.99
that he took with
him were what? Angels.
00:26:26.20\00:26:29.04
They were cast out
with him to this earth.
00:26:29.34\00:26:33.43
Now that ought to
tell you something.
00:26:33.93\00:26:36.57
The next time you're
faced with something and you
00:26:36.87\00:26:40.12
don't understand why there
seems to be the opposition there
00:26:40.32\00:26:45.07
you ought to understand
that the devil and his angels
00:26:45.37\00:26:47.94
are very, very real.
00:26:48.14\00:26:49.83
You know, and they
oppose anything that is of God.
00:26:50.13\00:26:54.06
They oppose that strongly.
00:26:54.36\00:26:55.92
This has happened... it's come.
00:27:07.05\00:27:09.87
The devil and his
angels cast out of heaven.
00:27:19.36\00:27:22.56
The accuser of
the brethren cast out.
00:27:22.86\00:27:26.05
And they said: "Now
salvation has come. "
00:27:26.25\00:27:29.67
These people that now
on earth - you and I -
00:27:40.23\00:27:45.77
it says the devil
is there. He IS upset.
00:27:46.07\00:27:50.64
He has been cast
out to the earth.
00:27:50.94\00:27:54.42
He knows that
he's lost the battle.
00:27:54.72\00:27:57.62
OK?
00:27:57.92\00:27:59.77
Now up until the time
00:28:17.77\00:28:21.79
of the death of Christ,
00:28:21.89\00:28:25.46
the devil had
access to other worlds.
00:28:26.66\00:28:30.80
He had access to the angels,
00:28:31.10\00:28:34.04
and you can read
about it in the book of Job
00:28:34.34\00:28:37.08
where you find that the
sons of God came before the Lord
00:28:37.38\00:28:41.17
and the devil came
representing this earth.
00:28:41.37\00:28:44.63
OK. But with the
death of Jesus Christ -
00:28:44.93\00:28:49.46
and that's what
this is talking about -
00:28:49.76\00:28:52.06
then his access to other worlds
and to the angels stopped.
00:28:52.26\00:28:57.88
Right there... ended.
And when that took place
00:28:58.18\00:29:01.37
he had great, great
wrath because he knew
00:29:01.77\00:29:05.50
without question of a doubt
when Christ died on the cross
00:29:05.70\00:29:09.49
that the victory was
won and that he had lost.
00:29:09.79\00:29:14.10
And he knew that was
over. And let me tell you,
00:29:14.33\00:29:17.03
when he did that it
said he came to this earth
00:29:17.23\00:29:19.95
with great wrath because he
knows he has but a short time.
00:29:20.15\00:29:24.08
And basically what he's
saying is "take no prisoners. "
00:29:24.28\00:29:28.59
In other words, he's
after any individual he can get.
00:29:29.19\00:29:33.65
And if he can kill
them, how much better he is...
00:29:33.85\00:29:36.74
happier he is because he
wants to take no prisoners
00:29:36.94\00:29:40.67
because he's lost the battle.
00:29:40.87\00:29:42.44
And that's what this is
talking about when it says that
00:29:42.74\00:29:45.80
he has great
wrath because he knows
00:29:46.00\00:29:48.62
he has but a short time.
00:29:48.82\00:29:50.19
You see, the war in
heaven that took place there
00:29:50.43\00:29:54.30
is not so
physical as it is verbal.
00:29:54.50\00:30:00.29
And you'll find that over and
over in the book of Revelation.
00:30:00.59\00:30:03.78
It's out of the
mouth... it's by persuasion.
00:30:22.06\00:30:26.26
You know, if you
can persuade somebody...
00:30:26.56\00:30:29.87
you've gained a great
victory if you can persuade them
00:30:30.07\00:30:34.42
to do something. And that's
where the battle is fought
00:30:34.62\00:30:37.82
is by the words - persuasion -
to get them to go... drift away.
00:30:38.02\00:30:43.32
If the devil can do anything
00:30:43.56\00:30:45.96
to persuade you to follow him
00:30:46.26\00:30:50.10
not to follow the
Lord, he's won the battle.
00:30:50.30\00:30:52.80
I don't care... I don't care
if you go to church, friend,
00:30:53.10\00:30:56.91
and you go to church every day,
00:30:57.21\00:31:00.21
if the devil can persuade
you not to commit your life
00:31:01.39\00:31:06.66
to the Lord Jesus Christ
and not surrender to Him,
00:31:06.86\00:31:09.60
he's won the battle.
00:31:09.90\00:31:11.28
See, it's that that counts.
00:31:11.78\00:31:15.75
I have to be willing to
listen to what the Lord says
00:31:16.05\00:31:21.40
and to follow it and to
follow His counsel and His Word.
00:31:21.70\00:31:26.28
To be persuaded by this book...
00:31:26.48\00:31:29.09
that what it says is
truth and that I'll walk in it
00:31:29.19\00:31:33.54
and follow it and obey
it. That's what it takes
00:31:33.74\00:31:36.40
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
00:31:36.60\00:31:38.72
Christ speaking of the devil:
00:31:39.22\00:31:42.93
He was cast out... cast
out to this earth. Fell here
00:31:48.19\00:31:51.93
and he is unhappy over that.
00:31:52.23\00:31:56.10
Now that's talking
about God's people.
00:32:05.56\00:32:08.53
Basically that
has to be your story.
00:32:09.23\00:32:14.27
That you overcame
him... you overcame the dragon,
00:32:16.10\00:32:19.39
you overcame the devil. How?
00:32:19.59\00:32:21.99
"By the blood of the Lamb
and the word of their testimony.
00:32:22.59\00:32:28.52
And they did not love
their lives to the death. "
00:32:28.72\00:32:32.79
I have to be fully
committed to Jesus Christ.
00:32:32.99\00:32:37.00
Fully committed. I
can't permit anything
00:32:37.30\00:32:41.50
to come between me and Him.
00:32:41.70\00:32:44.33
Nothing! Says: "He that loveth
father and mother more than Me
00:32:44.93\00:32:49.44
is not worthy of Me. "
00:32:49.64\00:32:51.01
"He who loves brother or
husband or wife more than Me
00:32:51.04\00:32:55.23
is not worthy of Me. "
00:32:55.43\00:32:56.80
I have to commit my life
totally and completely to Him
00:32:56.83\00:32:59.97
and I overcome
00:33:01.71\00:33:04.15
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:33:04.46\00:33:08.16
Have you ever considered
00:33:08.46\00:33:11.03
what the blood of
Christ does for you?
00:33:11.23\00:33:13.16
Have you ever just stopped
to consider what it does?
00:33:18.63\00:33:24.28
You see it's
through the blood of Christ
00:33:36.26\00:33:38.29
that I have redemption.
00:33:38.49\00:33:40.72
I don't have
redemption through my efforts.
00:33:41.02\00:33:45.36
I don't have
redemption from anybody else.
00:33:46.65\00:33:49.74
And by the way,
there's no one else
00:33:50.04\00:33:53.20
that offers you redemption
- how should I put it? -
00:33:53.40\00:33:58.60
through them. I mean,
Buddha doesn't offer it.
00:33:58.80\00:34:03.71
Confucius doesn't offer it.
00:34:04.01\00:34:05.38
Mohammad doesn't offer it.
00:34:05.60\00:34:06.97
They don't offer
to you redemption
00:34:07.25\00:34:09.71
because they died for you.
00:34:09.91\00:34:12.16
They don't offer that.
00:34:12.46\00:34:14.78
Jesus Christ died for you.
00:34:15.08\00:34:18.84
And I have
redemption... I am redeemed
00:34:19.15\00:34:21.51
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:34:21.71\00:34:23.95
That's how I'm redeemed.
00:34:24.15\00:34:25.77
And I need to
ever be aware of that.
00:34:26.07\00:34:28.18
So one, it gives you redemption.
00:34:28.48\00:34:31.40
Two:
00:34:31.50\00:34:32.87
People say: "Oh, Brother Cox,
00:34:39.42\00:34:41.62
I've done too many bad things. "
00:34:41.92\00:34:44.86
Let me tell you, the
blood of Jesus Christ
00:34:45.16\00:34:50.00
can cleanse anything.
00:34:50.30\00:34:53.36
Cleanse anything.
00:34:53.66\00:34:56.62
There's nothing
that it can't cleanse.
00:34:56.92\00:35:00.20
I don't care how
dark the sin may be,
00:35:00.51\00:35:04.57
it can be washed and made
white in the blood of the Lamb.
00:35:04.87\00:35:09.42
And you and I need to
come to Him and let Him
00:35:09.72\00:35:13.94
wash us from our
sins in His own blood.
00:35:14.14\00:35:17.42
Make us white; make
us pure; make us clean
00:35:17.72\00:35:20.94
in the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:35:21.24\00:35:23.35
Now it doesn't
say "from some sins. "
00:35:34.69\00:35:37.60
It says He
cleanses us from "all sin. "
00:35:37.90\00:35:41.89
In other words, there's just
not any sin that Christ can't
00:35:42.19\00:35:45.58
cleanse you. I'm
thankful for that.
00:35:45.78\00:35:49.19
Thankful that I can
be cleansed in His blood.
00:35:49.49\00:35:53.67
That He died...
He paid the price
00:35:53.97\00:35:57.15
for my sins and He
cleanses us. You see,
00:35:57.35\00:36:00.73
that's different
than anybody else offers.
00:36:01.03\00:36:04.15
All of the others say "if
you do this and this and this
00:36:05.93\00:36:08.83
you might make it
into the kingdom. "
00:36:09.03\00:36:10.57
You know, if you
go out here and... and
00:36:12.17\00:36:17.03
blow yourself up for Mohammad
00:36:17.43\00:36:23.22
well he'll give you a
special place in his kingdom.
00:36:23.52\00:36:26.27
Christ doesn't say that.
00:36:26.57\00:36:28.53
Christ says: "Come to
Me. I'll cleanse you...
00:36:28.83\00:36:33.01
I'll cleanse you of all sin. "
00:36:33.31\00:36:35.96
This is the blood of Christ
offered for you and for me.
00:36:36.26\00:36:41.09
Look at this:
00:36:41.39\00:36:42.76
Now if you don't
understand what that's saying
00:36:53.59\00:36:56.16
it's saying that God has entered
into a covenant with you.
00:36:56.66\00:37:02.65
And the covenant God's
entered into with you, He says:
00:37:02.95\00:37:06.54
"I'll be your God
and you be My people. "
00:37:06.74\00:37:10.29
That's His covenant with you.
00:37:10.39\00:37:12.82
And He said: "If you enter
into that covenant with Me,
00:37:13.12\00:37:15.86
through the blood of
Jesus Christ I will make you
00:37:16.16\00:37:20.80
complete. " OK? "I
will make you complete
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.72
in every good
work to do His will. "
00:37:24.92\00:37:28.61
You see, change
in the human heart
00:37:30.17\00:37:33.99
does not take place by
your strength and your power.
00:37:34.19\00:37:38.70
Change in the human heart
takes place by the work of the
00:37:40.11\00:37:43.91
Holy Spirit in our lives.
00:37:44.11\00:37:46.25
It has to work in us and
change us and make us different.
00:37:46.55\00:37:50.14
That takes the
work of the Holy Spirit.
00:37:50.44\00:37:52.51
You can't change your nature.
00:37:52.81\00:37:56.47
You can't change what you are.
00:37:56.77\00:37:58.92
Only the Holy
Spirit can do that.
00:37:59.22\00:38:02.47
And so I have to come to
Him and give myself to Him
00:38:02.77\00:38:07.74
and let Him do
His work in my life.
00:38:08.04\00:38:10.47
That simply means
00:38:24.51\00:38:28.14
that I need every day
00:38:28.44\00:38:32.32
to take time... to take time
00:38:32.62\00:38:36.10
that I have come to Him and
let Him do His work of cleansing
00:38:36.40\00:38:42.25
on my soul to
keep my robe white.
00:38:42.45\00:38:48.42
To keep it clean, I must
let Him do His work in my life.
00:38:48.72\00:38:53.69
This is what the blood of
Jesus Christ will do for you
00:38:53.99\00:38:58.74
and do for me. And dear friend,
00:38:58.95\00:39:01.84
if you have never
surrendered your life to Christ,
00:39:02.04\00:39:04.24
if you've never
given your heart to Him,
00:39:04.44\00:39:06.33
then I would plead with
you: turn your life over to Him.
00:39:06.53\00:39:10.49
Let Him take you and
wash you and make you clean.
00:39:10.79\00:39:14.55
He loves you. Now don't
misunderstand what I'm saying.
00:39:14.85\00:39:18.77
He does not love you
based on your actions.
00:39:19.07\00:39:23.90
He loves you just
exactly the way you are.
00:39:25.49\00:39:29.45
He does not say: "I'll
wash you and then love you. "
00:39:29.65\00:39:32.67
The scripture doesn't say
that. It says "He loves us
00:39:32.87\00:39:34.80
and then washes us. "
00:39:35.10\00:39:36.47
That's very, very
important that He loves us
00:39:36.77\00:39:39.65
just exactly like we are.
00:39:39.68\00:39:41.50
So if you come to Him, He
will take you and wash you
00:39:41.70\00:39:45.37
and make you clean.
00:39:45.57\00:39:47.95
No matter what you've
done... no matter who you are...
00:39:48.25\00:39:51.43
you have that promise that
God gives to you and to me.
00:39:51.63\00:39:56.71
I'm so thankful for that text
00:40:07.44\00:40:11.71
because I don't
know how you feel
00:40:11.91\00:40:14.11
but sometimes,
folks, I feel so unworthy.
00:40:14.31\00:40:18.23
So unworthy to
come before the Lord.
00:40:18.54\00:40:22.56
I feel like I'd really rather
go hide somewhere and all.
00:40:23.06\00:40:28.89
And I wouldn't even attempt it
00:40:29.13\00:40:31.15
to come before God and
speak to Him and pray to Him
00:40:31.35\00:40:36.31
if it wasn't because it says
by the blood of Jesus Christ
00:40:36.51\00:40:40.00
I have been brought near to God.
00:40:40.30\00:40:43.45
That I can come before Him
because of what Jesus Christ
00:40:43.65\00:40:48.08
did for me and all.
When I stop and consider
00:40:48.28\00:40:51.69
the majesty of God,
00:40:51.89\00:40:55.21
the greatness of God,
00:40:55.41\00:40:57.45
the Ruler of the Universe...
00:40:57.75\00:40:59.12
One who spoke and the
world came into existence...
00:40:59.20\00:41:01.99
to even think of
approaching His throne
00:41:02.29\00:41:06.96
I wouldn't dream of it
if it wasn't for the blood
00:41:07.16\00:41:12.19
of Jesus Christ.
That He has made the way
00:41:12.39\00:41:17.13
and has brought us near
to God through His blood.
00:41:17.34\00:41:21.88
Those are wonderful promises
that He gives to you and to me.
00:41:22.18\00:41:25.61
You see, the dragon
was cast out of heaven
00:41:39.20\00:41:42.01
and now that he's cast out
of heaven and he can't go back
00:41:42.22\00:41:45.96
and accuse them over and over,
00:41:46.16\00:41:49.59
that he's
confined to this earth,
00:41:49.79\00:41:51.90
it says he "turned
his wrath on the woman. "
00:41:52.10\00:41:56.67
That's the church.
00:41:56.98\00:41:59.07
So if you think that
the devil isn't real,
00:41:59.37\00:42:03.47
you just ought to
try preaching the gospel
00:42:03.77\00:42:07.04
and it will tell you real
quick the devil is very very
00:42:08.44\00:42:12.12
very real. OK.
00:42:12.32\00:42:14.97
He persecuted the woman.
00:42:15.27\00:42:17.58
Tried to do away with her.
00:42:17.88\00:42:20.90
You read in history
that the pagan Roman Empire
00:42:23.71\00:42:28.07
turned its
wrath upon the church.
00:42:28.17\00:42:32.43
I mean, you've got to understand
00:42:32.73\00:42:37.34
up until this
time Rome had ruled.
00:42:37.64\00:42:40.80
It had contained
the Jewish nation.
00:42:41.10\00:42:44.66
It didn't let them go anywhere;
it kept them contained,
00:42:44.96\00:42:47.74
confined. They
couldn't do anything.
00:42:48.04\00:42:49.71
But now Jesus came and He died,
00:42:50.02\00:42:53.45
and all of a sudden
salvation was not contained
00:42:53.65\00:42:57.37
within the Jewish nation
but was free to every man,
00:42:57.57\00:43:01.35
woman and child no matter
whether you were Jew or Greek.
00:43:01.55\00:43:05.12
It was open to the slave
or to anyone who wanted to
00:43:05.42\00:43:08.92
accept it, and it spread like
wildfire across the Roman Empire
00:43:09.12\00:43:13.75
and all of a sudden
paganism became threatened.
00:43:13.95\00:43:17.76
And they decided the
best thing they could do was
00:43:18.06\00:43:23.12
to wipe it out.
00:43:23.32\00:43:24.69
And so they set
out to get rid of it.
00:43:24.72\00:43:27.98
The old devil turned
his wrath upon the church.
00:43:28.28\00:43:34.22
Rome? Oh, Rome didn't
care who you worshiped.
00:43:34.52\00:43:38.77
They didn't care who
you worshiped at all.
00:43:39.07\00:43:42.02
They were polytheistic.
00:43:42.32\00:43:44.44
They had lots and lots of gods.
00:43:44.74\00:43:46.64
You could worship
any god you wanted.
00:43:46.84\00:43:48.64
They didn't care if
you worshiped Jesus Christ.
00:43:48.94\00:43:52.00
What they cared about
is that in your worship
00:43:54.69\00:43:59.43
you worshiped Rome.
00:43:59.63\00:44:01.77
They had their own goddess.
00:44:02.07\00:44:05.40
And to make sure
that your allegiance
00:44:05.70\00:44:09.33
was given to Rome, once a year
00:44:09.53\00:44:13.62
you were required to
come in before the magistrate
00:44:13.83\00:44:18.13
to take a little incense and
just simply drop that incense
00:44:18.73\00:44:24.51
in the fire
before this pagan goddess
00:44:24.71\00:44:27.30
and say "Dia Roma"
00:44:27.50\00:44:32.50
as an act of
worship to that god.
00:44:32.70\00:44:36.50
They gave you a certificate
00:44:36.70\00:44:38.07
and you could go
worship anybody you pleased.
00:44:38.10\00:44:40.17
But the
Christians would not do that.
00:44:40.67\00:44:44.22
You see, their allegiance
was to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:44:44.63\00:44:49.95
"And they did not love
their lives unto the death. "
00:44:50.35\00:44:56.31
See. Willing to make
the supreme sacrifice
00:44:56.61\00:45:00.57
that they might have the
right to worship the Lord.
00:45:00.87\00:45:04.80
And so these
Christians were gathered up
00:45:05.10\00:45:08.97
and they were taken in before
arenas filled with people.
00:45:09.17\00:45:14.64
And the people stood
there in those arenas
00:45:14.84\00:45:18.50
and they turned
thumbs down on them.
00:45:18.70\00:45:21.74
And lions who hadn't eaten
00:45:23.92\00:45:29.77
probably in weeks were
turned into those arenas
00:45:30.07\00:45:34.67
and there children
and mothers and fathers
00:45:35.80\00:45:41.62
became food for lions.
00:45:41.92\00:45:44.39
They gave their lives
for what they believed,
00:45:45.50\00:45:50.05
for where they stood.
00:45:50.25\00:45:51.62
And you can still
go to Rome this day
00:45:51.65\00:45:54.69
and you can visit the catacombs.
00:45:54.99\00:45:57.14
And you can walk in those
catacombs below the city of Rome
00:45:57.44\00:46:01.35
and you can see where they
died there by the thousands.
00:46:01.55\00:46:05.70
I had stood in there.
00:46:05.80\00:46:07.17
You see those
rooms on the side there?
00:46:07.20\00:46:08.99
There's rooms, folks,
that size in there that are
00:46:09.29\00:46:12.21
totally full of skulls
00:46:12.41\00:46:14.90
of the people that
died - lost their lives -
00:46:15.20\00:46:19.75
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:19.95\00:46:22.66
They paid the supreme sacrifice
00:46:23.06\00:46:26.25
because their
commitment was to Jesus Christ
00:46:26.55\00:46:30.64
and they did not love
their lives unto the death.
00:46:30.94\00:46:34.13
Now this period of time here
00:46:48.77\00:46:51.05
and the one in the 6th
verse is both the same.
00:46:51.35\00:46:55.12
It's talking about the
very same period of time.
00:46:55.32\00:46:57.93
And it says that
she - the woman -
00:46:58.23\00:47:00.64
fled into the wilderness.
00:47:00.84\00:47:02.59
He cast out of his
mouth a flood of persecution
00:47:13.20\00:47:17.83
hoping that the church
would be carried away by it.
00:47:18.13\00:47:22.11
Well she fled
into the wilderness.
00:47:22.31\00:47:23.87
Was there in the
wilderness from 538 AD
00:47:24.17\00:47:28.40
to 1798 AD, and he
cast out of his mouth
00:47:28.60\00:47:32.33
through pagan
Rome and papal Rome
00:47:32.53\00:47:35.34
such a flood of persecution
that he thought the woman
00:47:35.54\00:47:38.92
would be wiped out.
00:47:38.95\00:47:40.50
Wiped off the face of the earth.
00:47:40.80\00:47:43.58
Carried away by the flood.
00:47:43.88\00:47:47.24
Those people had to flee...
00:47:49.38\00:47:51.60
they had to move
out into the mountains
00:47:51.91\00:47:55.52
in order to be able to worship
00:47:55.77\00:47:58.55
as they believed
that they should.
00:47:58.75\00:48:01.33
In order to have
the freedom to worship.
00:48:01.64\00:48:03.91
The Bible was
taken away from them.
00:48:04.11\00:48:06.11
Says "the earth
helped the woman. "
00:48:15.38\00:48:19.67
"Swallowed up the flood. "
00:48:19.97\00:48:22.19
Certain events
began to take place.
00:48:22.49\00:48:25.11
Individuals began
to stand up and say
00:48:25.41\00:48:30.32
"This is not right. "
00:48:30.62\00:48:33.04
Papal Rome... the abuse
that she placed upon them...
00:48:33.64\00:48:39.56
They said: "No!
This is not right. "
00:48:39.76\00:48:41.33
And they stood...
people like Hus and Jerome,
00:48:41.53\00:48:44.39
Wycliffe... who gave their
00:48:44.69\00:48:49.80
lives. Burned at the stake
00:48:50.10\00:48:54.36
for the word of their testimony.
00:48:54.66\00:48:57.36
But they said:
"This is what we'll do:
00:48:57.66\00:49:00.63
we will follow the
Lord. " Out of that movement
00:49:00.93\00:49:03.20
that started across the
country and across Europe
00:49:03.40\00:49:06.89
came other individuals
like Martin Luther, 1517 AD.
00:49:07.09\00:49:12.02
Gave the people a chance
00:49:15.32\00:49:17.03
to read the Bible
in their own language
00:49:17.24\00:49:20.06
and to understand what
it says. Can you sense?
00:49:20.36\00:49:22.79
I mean, here are people,
folks, for a thousand years
00:49:23.09\00:49:27.00
that have not had
access to the Word of God.
00:49:27.20\00:49:30.24
Have not been able to
read it. And all of a sudden,
00:49:30.54\00:49:34.53
here it's made available
to them in their own language.
00:49:34.83\00:49:38.89
They grabbed it
and they read it.
00:49:40.41\00:49:42.42
They poured over the scripture.
00:49:42.62\00:49:44.33
They became so
efficient in the Word of God
00:49:44.63\00:49:48.66
that priests could not put them
down in what they had to say.
00:49:48.86\00:49:53.77
They knew the Word of
God better than they did.
00:49:53.97\00:49:57.33
Out of that rose other
people like John Knox...
00:49:57.63\00:50:01.51
great reformer.
Through John Knox
00:50:01.71\00:50:06.18
and John Calvin,
you got your Bible.
00:50:06.58\00:50:12.51
You may not realize that,
00:50:12.71\00:50:14.12
but these are the men who
gave much of what you have
00:50:14.42\00:50:18.50
in your Bible.
00:50:18.70\00:50:20.07
You see, they're the
ones who translated it.
00:50:20.20\00:50:23.69
Put it into the
language of the people.
00:50:23.99\00:50:27.06
That became eventually
known as the Geneva Bible.
00:50:27.36\00:50:31.41
It was the Bible
of the Reformers.
00:50:31.71\00:50:34.07
That's the Bible
that they preached from -
00:50:34.27\00:50:36.36
the Word of God - and
they held it out to the people
00:50:36.56\00:50:38.81
as something. Out from
that Geneva Bible much of the
00:50:39.01\00:50:42.81
King James Version came.
00:50:43.02\00:50:44.94
That's how it came about.
00:50:45.24\00:50:48.03
They were great, great
preachers of righteousness.
00:50:48.23\00:50:53.31
That's one way the
earth helped the woman.
00:50:54.51\00:50:57.01
The other way the
earth helped the woman
00:50:57.31\00:50:59.97
was the discovery
of the United States.
00:51:00.27\00:51:03.84
You see, the pilgrims...
00:51:04.15\00:51:06.80
You know why they
were coming over here?
00:51:07.00\00:51:09.06
Because they were trying
to get away from persecution.
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.28
They wanted to go someplace
where they could worship God
00:51:12.58\00:51:15.61
according to the dictates
of their own conscience,
00:51:15.81\00:51:17.92
according to what
the Word of God says.
00:51:18.12\00:51:19.61
They said: "We want a place
where we can worship God. "
00:51:19.91\00:51:23.10
And so they came
over to this country.
00:51:23.30\00:51:25.48
I wish today that Christians
would do the same thing
00:51:25.78\00:51:31.46
that was done then.
00:51:31.66\00:51:33.03
Because as those
pilgrims got on the boat
00:51:33.06\00:51:36.25
and ready to cross the ocean,
00:51:36.45\00:51:39.01
come here to the United States,
00:51:39.21\00:51:40.62
their pastor, John
Robinson, met with them
00:51:40.82\00:51:44.29
as they were ready to
leave and they took a commitment
00:51:44.49\00:51:48.13
from him. And they said:
00:51:48.54\00:51:51.65
Before they left
that pastor said to them
00:52:05.54\00:52:07.82
"Before you go I want
you to commit your life
00:52:08.02\00:52:10.55
that you'll
follow the Word of God.
00:52:10.75\00:52:12.69
That whatever you learn that's
truth that you'll follow it. "
00:52:12.79\00:52:15.99
Oh that people
would do that today! Amen!
00:52:16.29\00:52:19.07
They would say: "Yes,
I'll follow God's Word,
00:52:19.27\00:52:22.00
keep it. " This was
the promise that they made.
00:52:22.40\00:52:26.68
And that's why the gospel
spread in the United States.
00:52:26.88\00:52:29.83
Right down at
the end... TODAY...
00:52:44.14\00:52:47.37
the last part, the
remnant of God's people
00:52:47.67\00:52:51.35
represented here as a remnant...
00:52:51.56\00:52:54.53
Dear friend, God's looking
for people who are willing
00:52:59.29\00:53:02.67
to keep His commandments.
Jesus said: "If you love Me, "
00:53:02.87\00:53:04.90
what?
00:53:05.10\00:53:06.47
Marvelous promise.
00:53:21.94\00:53:23.71
You see, you and I can't
do anything to add something
00:53:24.01\00:53:27.73
to salvation. We can't do that.
00:53:27.93\00:53:29.36
That's all done through
the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:53:29.56\00:53:31.79
Your responsibility
and my responsibility
00:53:32.09\00:53:35.74
is simply to obey.
00:53:35.94\00:53:37.45
That's what God calls us to do.
00:53:37.75\00:53:40.29
But it says here
that they followed Him...
00:53:40.59\00:53:44.56
"Keep His commandments and
have the testimony of Jesus. "
00:53:44.76\00:53:48.58
His testimony was
there that he was a follower
00:54:02.19\00:54:05.58
of Jesus Christ and
he stood solidly for Him.
00:54:05.78\00:54:08.55
And so tonight I say to you:
00:54:25.73\00:54:29.22
how is your testimony?
00:54:29.52\00:54:32.01
Is your testimony that you
love the Lord Jesus Christ?
00:54:34.32\00:54:37.43
That you stand firm for Him?
00:54:38.57\00:54:41.61
That you're not
going to be moved?
00:54:41.81\00:54:44.48
That you're going to
follow Him, worship Him?
00:54:44.78\00:54:47.74
Others? Do other
people see Jesus in you?
00:54:48.04\00:54:51.61
Oh, dear friends, our testimony
should be sure for the Lord.
00:54:52.92\00:54:57.67
That we're going to
stand with Him all the way
00:54:57.97\00:55:01.70
till He comes back. Be faithful.
00:55:02.00\00:55:06.02
As we take a look in the next
series at a particular message -
00:55:06.32\00:55:12.29
Three Angels' Messages -
00:55:12.49\00:55:14.05
that's to be
proclaimed to all the world,
00:55:14.35\00:55:17.25
that you and I are to
have part in that message
00:55:17.55\00:55:22.05
in preparing for Jesus to come.
00:55:22.25\00:55:24.35
Be faithful; God bless
you. Look forward to His coming.
00:55:24.65\00:55:28.40
Every day thousands risk
their lives to protect and serve
00:55:34.51\00:55:38.67
their fellow man.
00:55:38.70\00:55:40.07
They have a deep commitment
to excellency in teamwork
00:55:40.33\00:55:43.32
and when others run from
danger, they run to it...
00:55:43.52\00:55:47.06
even if it means
personal sacrifice.
00:55:47.26\00:55:49.93
Even if it means making the
supreme sacrifice for another.
00:55:50.23\00:55:54.26
They're always on call,
ready to serve no matter what.
00:55:54.56\00:55:58.70
Friends, you and I can
learn a lot from firefighters.
00:55:59.00\00:56:02.35
In the United States, the
majority of them are volunteers.
00:56:02.65\00:56:05.61
That's right... volunteers.
00:56:05.91\00:56:08.07
But even for those who are
paid it's more than a job...
00:56:08.37\00:56:11.70
it's a calling.
00:56:11.90\00:56:13.27
Jesus said in John
15 verses 12 and 13:
00:56:13.53\00:56:17.33
"This is My commandment:
00:56:17.63\00:56:19.24
that you love one
another as I have loved you.
00:56:19.44\00:56:21.99
Greater love has
no one than this:
00:56:22.29\00:56:24.80
than to lay down one's
life for his friends. "
00:56:25.00\00:56:27.76
Those who follow the
words of Jesus are His friends.
00:56:28.06\00:56:31.20
But Romans 5:8 says that
"God demonstrated His own love
00:56:31.50\00:56:34.88
towards us in that
while we were still sinners
00:56:35.08\00:56:37.88
Christ died for us. "
00:56:38.18\00:56:39.85
What an amazing thought!
00:56:40.15\00:56:41.98
Christ laid down His life for us
00:56:42.28\00:56:44.26
even though we
were not His friends.
00:56:44.46\00:56:47.54
A firefighter is
willing to do the same.
00:56:47.84\00:56:50.64
He's constantly
preparing for his next mission
00:56:50.84\00:56:53.42
because his own life
and the life of others
00:56:53.62\00:56:56.26
depends on his
training and qualifications.
00:56:56.46\00:56:59.30
My friends, that's
what we're doing right now
00:56:59.60\00:57:02.80
with this series:
we are preparing you
00:57:03.00\00:57:06.24
for what is to come.
00:57:06.34\00:57:07.71
Our goal is to make
you skilled in the Word
00:57:07.74\00:57:10.07
so that by the power of God
you can bring others to safety -
00:57:10.27\00:57:14.02
the safety that
can be found only
00:57:14.22\00:57:16.42
in the arms of a loving Savior.
00:57:16.62\00:57:18.62
Won't you help us to
train and prepare others
00:57:18.92\00:57:21.53
to fulfill this mission?
00:57:21.73\00:57:23.28
Please consider what
you can for those who
00:57:23.48\00:57:25.86
still don't know about Jesus.
00:57:26.06\00:57:27.89
As the Holy Spirit impresses,
00:57:28.09\00:57:29.52
please send your
tax-deductible gifts to:
00:57:29.72\00:57:32.00
Thank you for helping us
spread the light of God's Word
00:57:44.99\00:57:47.84
through television. Your
gifts bring the blessed hope
00:57:48.04\00:57:50.77
of salvation to
millions around the world.
00:57:50.87\00:57:54.16