[brooding music]
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- All right. We are
going to continue on page 13
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of our study notes. The
subtitle is, "The Relationship
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Between the Seals and
the Trumpets." We can do
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this pretty quickly.
On the left-hand column,
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you have the seals;
on the right-hand column,
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you have the
trumpets. They follow the same
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basic pattern, and
also time frame. You notice
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on the left-hand
side, the first four horses-
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the right-hand side,
the first four trumpets.
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Then, you have the
fifth and sixth seals on the
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left-hand side, and then
the fifth and sixth trumpets...
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And the fifth and
sixth trumpets-remember this-
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are the first and
second trumpet woes. There are
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three woes. So in other
words, the fifth trumpet
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is the first woe,
the sixth trumpet is the
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second woe, and the
seventh trumpet is the
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third woe. We'll come
back to that a little bit
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later on. And then,
interestingly enough,
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in the seals after
the fifth and sixth seals,
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you have an interlude.
Revelation 7: "the sealing
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of the 144,000." So,
it interrupts the flow.
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And then, after the
fifth and sixth trumpets,
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you also have an interlude.
That interlude is in Revelation
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10 and 11. Revelation 10
has the little book episode,
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which takes place
in 1844, and Revelation
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11 deals with, primarily,
the French Revolution.
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So, you have an interlude
after the fifth and sixth,
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both in the seals
and in the trumpets. And
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then, you have the seventh
seal, which is silence in
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heaven for the space
of about half an hour.
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We dealt with that in
the seals, but I might
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just mention that
the silence in heaven is
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clearly defined by
Ellen White in the book Great
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Controversy. She says,
"As Jesus is descending
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from heaven, the righteous
cry out, 'Who shall be able
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to stand?'" And then
Ellen White says that
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there's a period of terrible
silence in heaven. And then,
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the voice is heard,
"My grace is sufficient
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for you." So, the
silence in heaven is the second
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coming of Christ.
And, the seventh trumpet is
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also what? It's also
the second coming of Christ
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and Jesus' taking over
the kingdoms of the world.
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So, do you see the
parallel? Between the seals and
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the trumpets? Now, let's
notice at the top of page
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14, in the
historical half of Revelation,
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which is Revelation
1 through 11, the sixth
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item in each series
deals with the beginning
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of an
investigative judgment in 1844.
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In other words, churches,
seals, trumpets-when you
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get to #6, it
describes the beginning of the
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judgment in 1844. And
here you have sub points:
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"The sixth
church,"-if you read-"the Church
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of Philadelphia, God
places before the Church
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of Philadelphia an
open door." Where does that
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open door lead to? It
leads to the most holy
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place of the
heavenly sanctuary. The sixth
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seal- you have signs
in the heavens and on
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earth: a great earthquake,
you have signs in the sun,
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moon, and stars...
Those signs are actually an
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announcement that the
judgment is about to begin
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in 1844. You would have
to go to the study notes
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on the seals to get
a full picture of that.
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And then the sixth trumpet
is the little book episode,
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which deals, once
again, with what? With 1844.
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The little book is opened,
and time will be no longer-
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there's no more prophetic
time because 1844 is the
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last date that you have
on God's prophetic calendar.
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So basically, when you
get to #6 in the series
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of the churches,
seals, and trumpets, it always
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deals with the beginning
of the heavenly judgment
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in 1844. Now,
there's a very important link
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between Revelation
chapter 9 verse 14 and 16, which
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is the sixth
trumpet, and Revelation 7:1-3,
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which is a parenthesis
in the sixth seal. You
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say, "Well, what is the
relationship or the link
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between Revelation 9:14 &
16, which is the sixth trumpet,
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and Revelation 7:1-3,
which is a parenthesis in
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the sixth seal?" In
both, there is a binding and
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loosing relating to four
angels. We're gonna study
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this. Just keep this in
mind for now. We're introducing
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these things; we're
gonna come back and study
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them more fully
later on. In both of these
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passages, you have
a binding and loosing
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relating to four angels.
And also, in both of them,
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there is a numbering
of people. That makes us
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see that there's a link
between Revelation 7:1-3,
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which is a parenthesis
in the sixth seal, and
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Revelation 9:14 & 16,
which is describing the
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sixth trumpet.
Revelation 7:1-3 describes the
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numbering of God's
people, while Revelation 9:14-16
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describes the numbering
of their evil counterparts.
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Revelation 9:16 and
7:4 are the o- this is also
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another link-are the only
places in Revelation where
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you have the expression,
"And I heard the number."
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So, there's a link between
the sealing in Revelation
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7 and the numbering
that we have in the sixth
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trumpet in Revelation
chapter 9. Is that clear?
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Yes? [Yes.] Good. [chuckles]
If the door of probation
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is open during the
period of the sixth trumpet and
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closes when the
seventh is about to sound, then
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the sixth trumpet is the
exact historical counterpart
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of Revelation 7:1-8,
which describes the sealing.
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Now, let's take a look
at the relationship between
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the trumpets and the
plagues. There are seven
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trumpets, and then in
Revelation 16 you have
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seven plagues. What
relationship is there
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between them? Well, when
you look at the seven trumpets
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and the seven plagues,
you'll notice that they
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afflict the same things.
The first trumpet and the
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first plague afflict the
earth. The second trumpet
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and plague afflict the sea.
The third trumpet and plague
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affect the rivers
and fountains of waters.
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The fourth trumpet and
plague afflict heavenly
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bodies. The fifth
trumpet and plague, the heavenly
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bodies, are
darkened. The sixth trumpet and
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plague, there's a
mention of the Euphrates. That's
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very significant. And
the seventh trumpet and
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plague, you have in
both of them a possessing of
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the kingdom. So, is
there a certain relationship
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between the trumpets
and the plagues? Absolutely,
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because they afflict
the identical things.
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Now, let's take a
look more closely at this.
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The evidence seems to
indicate that the trumpets
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represent preliminary
and partial judgments
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that fell upon the oppressors
of God's people beginning
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with the destruction
of Jerusalem. Did the Jews
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oppress the Christians?
Did they condemn Christ
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to the cross?
[Yes.] Absolutely. So, this
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is important. The trumpets
are partial and preliminary
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judgments that fall on
the oppressors of God's
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people, and the
first trumpet would be the
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destruction of Jerusalem,
and the ending with the
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setting up of
Christ's everlasting kingdom
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after God's people
are persecuted in the end
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time. The fact that
the trumpets fall only on
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thirds-and we'll
study this more fully as we
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go along-the fact
that the trumpets only fall
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on thirds, and not on
the totality, indicates that
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the trumpet judgments
are what? Preliminary and
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partial. The trumpet
series indicates that
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repentance during the
blowing of the trumpets
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is possible. Is repentance
possible when the plagues
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are falling? No. The
plagues fall after the
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close of probation. So,
is the door of probation
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open during the trumpets?
Absolutely! We'll see that
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very clearly. We'll
continue here. The plagues, on
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the other hand, describe
final and total judgments
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of God upon end-time
Babylon after the close
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of probation. We
can see the irrevocable
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nature of the plagues by
the use of the expression,
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"In them, the wrath of
God is complete." That's
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in Revelation
chapter 15 and verse 1, by
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the way, that expression.
So, does that sound pretty
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definitive? "In
them, the wrath of God is
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complete"? Or full,
is a better translation.
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Each plague is
God's judgment upon some
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particular sin that Babylon
has committed. The plagues
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are retributive in
character and not remedial.
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Repentance is not
possible once the plagues begin
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to fall. A careful
study of the trumpets and
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the plagues reveals
that the trumpet judgments
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foreshadow the plague
judgments. In other words,
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the trumpets are the
type, and the plagues
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are the antitype-a broader
judgment. In other words,
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the trumpets describe
local judgments, whereas
00:10:00.30\00:10:03.26
the plagues
describe global judgments.
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That is to say the
trumpets are the type, and the
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plagues are the
antitype. This is the reason for
00:10:09.37\00:10:12.27
the following statement
by Ellen White. This one
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.61
statement is taken by
individuals to say that
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the trumpets are
future. And Ellen White doesn't
00:10:18.75\00:10:22.22
even mention seven
trumpets; she says,
00:10:22.28\00:10:24.69
"Trumpet after
trumpet will sound, and plague
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after plague will
fall." Notice the statement:
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"The Battle of Armageddon
will be fought, and that
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day must find none of
us sleeping. Wide awake
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we must be, as wise
virgins having oil in
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their vessels with
their lamps. The power of the
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Holy Ghost must be
upon us, and the captain of
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the Lord's host will
stand at the head of the angels
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of heaven to direct
the battle. Solemn events
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before us are yet to
transpire. Trumpet after
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trumpet is to be
sounded. Vial after vial, poured
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out, one after
another upon the inhabitants
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of the earth."
Now, when we get to the
00:11:03.76\00:11:06.90
meaning of blowing the
trumpet, we'll understand
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.73
what Ellen White is
referring to. The blowing
00:11:09.76\00:11:11.53
of the trumpet is
the announcement of a
00:11:11.57\00:11:13.20
judgment. Now, let's
take a look at the meaning
00:11:13.27\00:11:15.60
of the trumpets. Trumpets
are used in many contexts
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in the Old and New
Testaments. They are used in the
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context of worship, in
the context of the sanctuary,
00:11:23.45\00:11:28.15
in the context of judgment-
I would suggest that you
00:11:28.25\00:11:30.75
look up in the concordance
the word 'trumpet'. It'll
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be an eye-opening experience.
There's a lot of information
00:11:33.72\00:11:36.52
on that. In the case
of Revelation's seven
00:11:36.56\00:11:39.63
trumpets, it is
clear as we will see that
00:11:39.69\00:11:44.57
the trumpets bear a
relationship with the
00:11:44.63\00:11:46.84
idea of what?
Judgment. The trumpets are God's
00:11:46.97\00:11:50.91
judgments. The purpose
of the feast of trumpets
00:11:50.97\00:11:54.98
was to announce the
upcoming Day of Atonement.
00:11:55.01\00:11:57.68
The trumpets that the
priests blew-and this is
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a very important context-
as they surrounded Jericho...
00:12:02.52\00:12:05.95
What was the purpose
of the blowing of those
00:12:05.99\00:12:08.79
trumpets? To
announce the doom of what? The
00:12:08.82\00:12:12.89
doom of Jericho!
That God was gonna come
00:12:12.96\00:12:15.26
in judgment to punish
Jericho. Our study will
00:12:15.33\00:12:19.13
reveal that the
blowing of each of the seven
00:12:19.17\00:12:21.20
trumpets brings a
judgment against those who have
00:12:21.27\00:12:25.81
oppressed God's
people. Now, here is the key
00:12:25.84\00:12:28.74
text to interpret what
the blowing of the trumpets
00:12:28.84\00:12:32.21
represents of the
seven trumpets: Numbers 10,
00:12:32.31\00:12:36.15
verses 8 and 9. "The
sons of Aaron, the priests,
00:12:36.22\00:12:42.52
shall blow the
trumpets. And these shall be to
00:12:42.59\00:12:46.63
you as an ordinance
forever throughout your
00:12:46.70\00:12:49.13
generations. When you
go to war, in your land
00:12:49.20\00:12:53.54
against the enemy
who"- what?-"who oppresses
00:12:53.60\00:12:57.54
you, then you shall
sound an alarm with the"-
00:12:57.61\00:13:01.41
what?-"with the
trumpets." And what will happen
00:13:01.48\00:13:04.85
when the trumpet
sounds? Oh! What's gonna happen
00:13:04.91\00:13:09.68
with those who
oppress God's people? It says,
00:13:09.75\00:13:12.79
"And you will be"-what?-
"remembered before the
00:13:12.85\00:13:15.92
Lord your God, and
you will be"-what?-"saved
00:13:15.99\00:13:19.39
from your
enemies." Would that be the
00:13:19.46\00:13:22.03
proper context for
the trumpets? Yes, because
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.70
the trumpets are describing
God's judgments that are
00:13:24.77\00:13:27.34
falling upon those who
have oppressed His people.
00:13:27.40\00:13:30.81
These verses indicate that
the priests blew the trumpets
00:13:31.87\00:13:35.51
so that God would
remember His covenant and save
00:13:36.04\00:13:39.71
Israel from their
enemies. The trumpets answer the
00:13:39.78\00:13:43.52
pleas of God's people
that God's people utter
00:13:43.59\00:13:47.72
in the seals. You
remember the sixth seal that the
00:13:47.79\00:13:50.23
martyrs are crying out
onto the altar as they-
00:13:50.29\00:13:52.26
"Until when, O
Lord, do you not judge and
00:13:52.33\00:13:54.50
avenge our blood upon
those who are shedding
00:13:54.56\00:13:57.60
our blood on the
earth?" Remember that? So,
00:13:57.63\00:13:59.67
the trumpets are
God's answer to the pleas
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.00
of His people, because
they are being oppressed.
00:14:02.10\00:14:04.97
When the wicked oppress
God's people, their pleas
00:14:05.47\00:14:08.51
ascend to God-and what
does God do? He remembers
00:14:08.58\00:14:12.98
His covenant and
sends judgments upon their
00:14:13.05\00:14:16.35
oppressors. In a
moment, we're gonna take a look
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.42
at Exodus. The
trumpets are God's response to
00:14:18.49\00:14:21.86
the powers that have
oppressed and persecuted
00:14:21.92\00:14:25.13
His people. God hears
their pleas and answers
00:14:25.23\00:14:28.63
them. Now, we have a very
important point in the next
00:14:28.66\00:14:32.97
paragraph. We can
better understand the pleas of
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.37
God's people in the
context of the Imprecatory
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.74
Psalms. Do you
remember that David, many times,
00:14:38.81\00:14:41.58
says, "Destroy my
enemies!" He's speaking about
00:14:41.64\00:14:44.71
God intervening to
deal with his enemies. Those
00:14:44.78\00:14:48.45
are the Imprecatory
Psalms! In these Psalms,
00:14:48.52\00:14:50.65
God's people cry out
to God to be faithful
00:14:50.72\00:14:53.76
to His covenant and to
deliver them from their
00:14:53.86\00:14:57.39
enemies. In parallel
fashion, the seven last
00:14:57.49\00:15:00.63
plagues will have
the same moral reason.
00:15:00.70\00:15:04.47
Why does God pour out
the seven last plagues?
00:15:04.93\00:15:07.70
Each one has a moral
reason. You know why?
00:15:07.77\00:15:11.31
Why does the sun scorch
all of the vegetation of the
00:15:11.37\00:15:14.48
earth? Well, because
people have worshiped
00:15:14.54\00:15:16.38
on the day of the
sun. Why do the waters
00:15:16.44\00:15:19.35
become like blood-the
drinking waters? Well,
00:15:19.41\00:15:21.55
Revelation explains
this: because they've shed
00:15:21.65\00:15:23.75
your blood, God is
giving them blood to drink.
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.05
Serious! Why do the
waters of the Euphrates dry up?
00:15:27.16\00:15:32.73
The Euphrates
represents multitudes, nations,
00:15:32.79\00:15:34.73
tongues, and peoples,
upon which Babylon sits!
00:15:34.80\00:15:37.93
The harlot sits. What
has she used her peoples
00:15:38.00\00:15:40.67
for? To persecute
God's people! But the waters
00:15:40.74\00:15:43.97
are gonna dry up.
What does that mean? That
00:15:44.04\00:15:46.21
God is gonna judge
Babylon, he's gonna lead these
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.98
people to withdraw
their support from Babylon.
00:15:49.04\00:15:51.51
Are you with me or
not? So in other words,
00:15:51.61\00:15:53.65
each plague is a response
of God to the oppression
00:15:53.72\00:15:57.59
of His people. So,
in parallel fashion, the
00:15:57.65\00:16:02.29
seven last plagues
will have the same moral
00:16:02.32\00:16:03.79
reason. God will punish
the wicked for oppressing
00:16:03.86\00:16:06.96
His people. Each of the
plagues will be a punishment
00:16:07.03\00:16:09.93
of God upon Babylon for
some particular sin that
00:16:10.00\00:16:13.27
Babylon has committed
against God and His people.
00:16:13.34\00:16:17.14
Now, frequently, God's
voice is depicted as the
00:16:17.74\00:16:22.14
sound of a what? As
the sound of a trumpet.
00:16:22.21\00:16:25.75
In other words, God
is speaking through the
00:16:25.85\00:16:28.28
trumpets, isn't He?
Now, we have as examples
00:16:28.35\00:16:31.32
Hebrews chapter 12 verse
19, 1 Corinthians 15:51 & 52,
00:16:31.39\00:16:38.33
"The trumpet will sound
and the dead will be raised
00:16:38.43\00:16:40.23
incorruptible," 1 Thessalonians
4:16 & 17, where it says
00:16:40.36\00:16:45.00
the Lord will
descend with a shout, with a
00:16:45.07\00:16:46.97
voice of the
archangel and with the what?
00:16:47.04\00:16:49.64
With the trumpet of God.
And then you have Revelation
00:16:49.70\00:16:52.31
1 verse 10 where it
says that when Jesus speaks
00:16:52.37\00:16:54.94
in Revelation 1 verse
10, it sounds like a what?
00:16:55.01\00:16:57.68
It sounds like a trumpet.
So, what are the trumpets?
00:16:57.71\00:17:00.98
The trumpets are God's
response, God's audible
00:17:01.05\00:17:05.59
response upon the wicked,
for oppressing His people.
00:17:05.65\00:17:10.93
Now, Revelation
8-we're at the top of page 17-
00:17:10.99\00:17:14.20
Revelation 8 verses
2-5 seems to refer to two
00:17:14.30\00:17:18.93
distinct altars. The
first altar is the Altar of
00:17:19.00\00:17:23.10
Sacrifice. That's
where- remember the martyrs?
00:17:23.17\00:17:25.54
They're "crying out
until when, Lord; don't you
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.91
judge and avenge
our blood upon those who
00:17:27.98\00:17:30.28
are shedding our
blood and mistreating us?"
00:17:30.35\00:17:33.08
So, they're actually
praying on earth from
00:17:33.18\00:17:36.99
the Altar of
Sacrifice. But let's notice the
00:17:37.05\00:17:40.32
next point. That is,
the pleas of God's people
00:17:40.39\00:17:43.73
at the Altar of
Sacrifice ascend to heaven where
00:17:43.79\00:17:47.70
Jesus ministers
where? He ministers at the
00:17:47.76\00:17:52.00
Altar of Incense,
right? He receives the prayers
00:17:52.10\00:17:55.07
of His saints at
the Altar of Incense. He
00:17:55.17\00:17:57.21
mingles the prayers of
His people with the merits
00:17:57.31\00:18:00.28
of His blood-that's
the incense. It is in this
00:18:00.38\00:18:03.51
context that we must
understand the Imprecatory
00:18:03.61\00:18:06.18
Psalms, which are
the Psalms where David
00:18:06.35\00:18:09.12
cries out for justice
and God utters His voice
00:18:09.22\00:18:12.69
and provides the justice
that David cries out for.
00:18:12.79\00:18:16.76
Four illustrations
will help us understand the
00:18:16.93\00:18:19.73
relationship between
the oppression of God's
00:18:19.83\00:18:23.70
people by the
wicked and God's response.
00:18:23.77\00:18:27.34
What would happen if
God didn't respond? It would
00:18:27.47\00:18:30.77
make God look pretty
bad, wouldn't it? What are the
00:18:30.87\00:18:33.71
four illustrations?
Jesus is the head,
00:18:33.81\00:18:37.28
and what is the
church? His body. So let me ask
00:18:37.35\00:18:40.88
you: whoever touches
the body, touches what?
00:18:40.92\00:18:42.58
The head!
Actually, it's the head that
00:18:42.65\00:18:45.65
feels it. Somebody
pricks you with a needle, it's
00:18:45.69\00:18:48.72
your head that feels
it. [chuckles] Right? Yeah!
00:18:48.79\00:18:55.23
So, whoever touches
your wife is touching whom?
00:18:56.26\00:18:59.90
Is touching the
husband; you better believe it.
00:19:02.10\00:19:04.01
So, what does the husband
do? If somebody's mistreating
00:19:04.07\00:19:06.88
the wife and she's crying
out, what does the husband do?
00:19:06.91\00:19:09.28
"Well, take care of yourself;
I'm outta here." [laughter]
00:19:10.31\00:19:13.31
No! The husband
says, "Hey, wait a minute!"
00:19:13.42\00:19:15.72
[laughter continues]
"Don't you mess with my wife!"
00:19:15.82\00:19:18.49
See? You mess with
the head, the head says,
00:19:18.55\00:19:21.69
"Hey, don't mess
with my body." Messes with
00:19:21.76\00:19:25.59
the wife, which is
the church, Jesus says,
00:19:25.73\00:19:29.00
"Hey! Don't mess with
my wife!" Whoever touches
00:19:29.06\00:19:33.44
the sheep touches
what? You have David as an
00:19:33.54\00:19:36.84
example. What
happened when a bear and a lion
00:19:36.94\00:19:38.74
came against a sheep
in David's flock? David
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.18
said, "Hoo, I'm outta
here!" Are you kidding?
00:19:42.28\00:19:44.88
He would get up and he
would tear the lion and
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.55
the bear apart! Because
whoever touched his sheep
00:19:47.65\00:19:50.95
touched him. Are
you understanding this a
00:19:51.05\00:19:53.05
little better
through these illustrations?
00:19:53.12\00:19:55.32
And in antiquity,
lesser kings made covenants
00:19:55.46\00:19:58.53
with greater kings-vassals
with sovereigns. The
00:19:58.63\00:20:04.73
trade-off was that if
the lesser king promised
00:20:04.83\00:20:08.24
loyalty to the
greater king, the greater king
00:20:08.40\00:20:11.34
promised to protect the
lesser king. In other words,
00:20:11.41\00:20:15.21
the sovereign would
actually protect the
00:20:15.28\00:20:18.25
vassal. Who is the
King of Kings? Jesus! And
00:20:18.31\00:20:22.72
what are we? We
are vassals of Jesus!
00:20:22.78\00:20:25.75
So, what happens when the
wicked come against Christ's
00:20:25.82\00:20:28.29
people? He says, "Hey!
They've made a covenant
00:20:28.32\00:20:30.63
with Me!" And so He
intervenes to deliver them.
00:20:30.69\00:20:34.50
The Exodus pattern in
Scripture illustrates the
00:20:35.10\00:20:40.94
relationship
between God and His people.
00:20:41.00\00:20:43.20
The Egyptians oppressed
Israel. And what did they
00:20:44.37\00:20:47.48
do when the
Egyptians oppressed His people?
00:20:47.58\00:20:50.78
They cried out for
God to be what? Faithful!
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.78
To His covenant with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:20:55.45\00:20:58.09
What did God do in answer?
God, in answer, remembered
00:20:58.72\00:21:02.62
His covenant. And
what did He do? He poured
00:21:02.72\00:21:04.86
out plagues upon
Egypt. Are you seeing the
00:21:04.96\00:21:08.13
connection with the trumpets
here? Let's read Exodus 2:23-25.
00:21:08.20\00:21:13.00
Exodus 2:23-25. "Now,
it happened in the process
00:21:13.07\00:21:18.71
of time that the
king of Egypt died. Then,
00:21:18.81\00:21:21.78
the children of
Israel"- what?-"groaned because
00:21:21.88\00:21:25.45
of the bondage, and
they"- what?-"cried out! And
00:21:25.55\00:21:29.28
their cry came up to
God because of the bondage."
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.45
So what did God do?
"God heard their groaning."
00:21:33.56\00:21:38.09
And what did He do?
He remembered His what?
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.30
Ah, God remembered
His covenant with Abraham,
00:21:41.83\00:21:45.53
with Isaac, and with
Jacob. "And God looked
00:21:45.57\00:21:48.10
upon the children of
Israel, and God acknowledged
00:21:48.17\00:21:51.07
them." And so, what does
God do with the oppressors
00:21:51.17\00:21:54.24
of His people? He
pours out plagues upon them.
00:21:54.34\00:21:58.61
Are you understanding
the connection with the
00:21:59.31\00:22:00.72
trumpets and what happened
in Egypt? Now, there's a
00:22:00.78\00:22:04.25
similar pattern in the
seven trumpets. We're at the
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.86
bottom of page 17. God's
people cry out to God for
00:22:06.89\00:22:10.63
justice and vengeance
from the Altar of Sacrifice on
00:22:10.69\00:22:14.50
the earth. That's Revelation
6:9-11. "God heeds their
00:22:14.56\00:22:19.17
prayer at the Altar
of Incense in heaven and
00:22:19.23\00:22:22.20
pours out preliminary
judgments against those
00:22:22.27\00:22:25.51
who are oppressing His
people." This is much more
00:22:25.57\00:22:29.41
meaningful than just
thinking that the first
00:22:29.44\00:22:33.75
four trumpets deal with
the barbarian invasions,
00:22:33.82\00:22:36.18
purely political
events. The book of Revelation
00:22:36.25\00:22:40.89
is about the relationship
between God and His people!
00:22:40.96\00:22:43.02
And God intervening to
deliver His people. Not
00:22:43.09\00:22:46.23
about mere political
events. While God pours
00:22:46.29\00:22:50.60
out these trumpet judgments,
there is mercy. However,
00:22:50.63\00:22:55.37
when probation
closes, God will send greater
00:22:55.47\00:22:58.74
scourges, which are
the seven last plagues,
00:22:58.81\00:23:01.84
and there will be no
opportunity for repentance.
00:23:02.41\00:23:07.22
So far so good? Now,
let's look at the chart
00:23:07.82\00:23:11.55
at the top of page
18. This will give you the
00:23:11.59\00:23:14.92
general overview of
all the trumpets. And so,
00:23:14.99\00:23:19.89
let's take a look at
it so that you're able to
00:23:19.96\00:23:22.23
put the historical
context in your mind before we
00:23:23.16\00:23:26.57
actually go into studying
each individual trumpet.
00:23:26.63\00:23:29.40
The left-hand side
of the chart, you have
00:23:30.81\00:23:33.84
Revelation 8:3 & 4. You
have this altar in heaven,
00:23:33.88\00:23:38.35
incense is being offered,
and what are God's people
00:23:39.45\00:23:42.68
doing on earth? See at
the top-the top line is
00:23:42.75\00:23:45.19
heaven; the bottom line
is earth. What are God's
00:23:45.29\00:23:47.56
people doing on earth?
They're praying on earth.
00:23:47.62\00:23:51.06
And what's happening with
their prayers? Their prayers
00:23:51.13\00:23:54.30
are ascending to
heaven, and Jesus is mingling
00:23:54.33\00:23:57.60
the prayers with what?
He's mingling the prayers
00:23:57.70\00:24:01.37
of His people with
His merits. We're gonna
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.34
talk in a few moments
about what the incense
00:24:04.44\00:24:06.44
represents. Does
Jesus answer the prayers of
00:24:06.47\00:24:10.41
His people? Yes, He
does. The first trumpet is the
00:24:10.45\00:24:15.05
fall of Jerusalem.
We're gonna go through each
00:24:15.12\00:24:19.35
one of the trumpets
to prove this. The second
00:24:19.45\00:24:21.36
trumpet is the fall of
Rome. Yes, the barbarian
00:24:21.46\00:24:24.99
invasions; there is
one of them that has to do
00:24:25.09\00:24:27.60
with the barbarian invasions.
God punishes Rome because
00:24:27.63\00:24:30.33
Rome has what? Has
martyred His people. The third
00:24:30.40\00:24:34.20
trumpet is the defilement
of the church, which is
00:24:34.27\00:24:38.81
parallel to the
time of Constantine-when
00:24:38.87\00:24:42.28
apostasy entered
between 313 and 538. The fourth
00:24:42.34\00:24:47.32
trumpet is the period
of papal dominion, the
00:24:47.38\00:24:50.95
1,260 years of
papal supremacy. The fifth
00:24:51.02\00:24:55.32
trumpet is the
French Revolution. We'll see
00:24:55.39\00:24:57.96
this very clearly.
The French Revolution is
00:24:57.99\00:25:00.46
a watershed event in
Bible prophecy. The sixth
00:25:00.50\00:25:04.67
trumpet is a
gathering of the righteous and
00:25:04.73\00:25:07.97
the wicked. God gathers
the righteous; Satan gathers
00:25:08.00\00:25:11.14
the wicked from 1844
to the close of probation.
00:25:11.24\00:25:16.64
And you'll notice under
this, Revelation 9:13-20,
00:25:16.75\00:25:20.42
which is the sixth trumpet,
describes Satan's gathering
00:25:20.52\00:25:23.95
the wicked. Revelation
10:1 through 11:1 describes
00:25:24.02\00:25:28.46
God's gathering of
the righteous. And then,
00:25:28.52\00:25:32.23
the seventh
trumpet, shortly before the
00:25:32.89\00:25:35.73
seventh trumpet, you
actually have the close
00:25:35.80\00:25:38.37
of probation, and
then Jesus comes to take
00:25:38.43\00:25:41.84
over the kingdoms of the
world. This is represented
00:25:41.90\00:25:45.97
by, you'll notice at
the extreme right-hand-
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.34
at the top, Revelation
8 verse 5, what happens
00:25:48.44\00:25:51.45
with the censer? Once
you get to the seventh
00:25:51.51\00:25:55.78
trumpet, the censer
is what? Thrown down.
00:25:55.82\00:25:59.12
It means that there
is no longer any what?
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.82
No longer any intercession.
Is that clear in your mind?
00:26:02.42\00:26:05.23
Does it make sense?
You know, it's parallel to
00:26:06.49\00:26:09.16
everything else that we
study in Bible prophecy.
00:26:09.20\00:26:11.37
In Daniel and
Revelation. Now, let's go to the
00:26:11.43\00:26:15.10
timeline of the trumpets.
We're on page 18 of our
00:26:15.17\00:26:18.61
study notes. The
first six trumpets describe
00:26:18.67\00:26:23.08
events during probationary
time, and probation closes
00:26:23.14\00:26:27.42
when the seventh
trumpet is about to sound. So,
00:26:27.48\00:26:31.39
keep this in mind:
first six trumpets, probation
00:26:31.45\00:26:34.92
is open, right?
The seventh trumpet is
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.89
about to sound,
and probation closes.
00:26:37.93\00:26:40.16
Probation closes shortly
before the seventh trumpet
00:26:40.23\00:26:42.93
blows. Notice there's
a period of time between
00:26:43.03\00:26:45.43
when the trumpet is
about to blow and when the
00:26:45.47\00:26:51.57
trumpet actually blows.
When the seventh trumpet
00:26:51.64\00:26:54.91
blows, Jesus will
take over the kingdoms of
00:26:55.01\00:26:57.95
the world. This means that
the blowing of the previous
00:26:58.05\00:27:01.48
six trumpets took
place during what? During
00:27:01.58\00:27:05.35
probationary time! I
mean, it's just a very logical
00:27:05.49\00:27:08.79
conclusion. Earlier in
Revelation, God described
00:27:08.86\00:27:12.53
Himself-this is
an important point-as
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.00
the One who was and is
and is to come. You can
00:27:15.13\00:27:19.70
find that in Revelation
1 verse 8 at the beginning
00:27:19.80\00:27:21.64
of the book. But
when you get to Revelation
00:27:21.74\00:27:25.01
at the end of 17 where
you have the seventh trumpet,
00:27:25.11\00:27:27.54
it says God is
spoken of as the One who is
00:27:28.04\00:27:32.11
and who was and who
has taken His great power
00:27:32.21\00:27:36.25
and begun to
reign. So in other words,
00:27:36.35\00:27:40.02
Revelation 1 verse 8
is pointing to the future:
00:27:40.09\00:27:42.06
"He was and is, but He
is to come." When you get
00:27:42.12\00:27:46.59
to the seventh
trumpet, yes, He is and was, but
00:27:46.66\00:27:49.90
He has taken over the
kingdom. Clearly, there
00:27:49.96\00:27:53.77
is a time interval
between when the mystery of God
00:27:53.87\00:27:57.87
is finished and the seventh
trumpet is about to sound,
00:27:57.97\00:28:01.34
and the moment when
Jesus takes over the kingdoms
00:28:01.44\00:28:04.18
of the world at the
sound of the seventh trumpet.
00:28:04.28\00:28:07.42
The finishing of the
mystery of God has to
00:28:07.52\00:28:10.82
do with the end of
the gospel proclamation.
00:28:10.95\00:28:14.22
In other words, when
Revelation 10 verse 7
00:28:14.29\00:28:16.73
says the mystery of
God was finished, it's
00:28:16.83\00:28:18.69
talking about the close
of probation when preaching
00:28:18.79\00:28:21.56
will no longer
bring anyone over to the
00:28:21.73\00:28:24.33
Lord's side. Now,
the sixth trumpet-this is
00:28:24.47\00:28:28.27
the bottom of page 18-
the sixth trumpet mentions
00:28:28.37\00:28:30.54
the Golden Altar.
This indicates that there
00:28:30.71\00:28:35.28
in the sixth trumpet,
there's still intercession going
00:28:35.41\00:28:38.78
on, right? Absolutely! There's
the Golden Altar of Incense.
00:28:38.88\00:28:43.69
Furthermore, the
interlude between the sixth and
00:28:44.42\00:28:47.62
the seventh trumpets
indicates that the proclamation
00:28:47.72\00:28:51.69
of the gospel is still
transpiring, so probation
00:28:51.79\00:28:55.23
must still be open.
So, here's the key point
00:28:55.33\00:28:57.17
of all of this. Is
probation still open during the
00:28:57.27\00:29:00.54
period of the sixth trumpet?
Yes. When does probation
00:29:00.64\00:29:05.91
end? When the seventh
trumpet is about to sound.
00:29:06.04\00:29:09.41
So, probation will
close, and then there's a period
00:29:11.05\00:29:14.58
between when the seventh
trumpet is about to sound
00:29:14.72\00:29:16.99
and when the seventh
trumpet actually sounds.
00:29:17.12\00:29:20.02
That's the period
between the close of probation
00:29:20.16\00:29:21.86
and when Jesus comes
at His second coming. Are
00:29:21.99\00:29:24.83
you with me or not?
Now, how do we know that the
00:29:24.93\00:29:28.06
sixth trumpet is describing
events during probationary
00:29:28.20\00:29:32.00
time? It's very
simple! If the church must...
00:29:32.10\00:29:35.10
Remember that after
the Great Disappointment,
00:29:35.20\00:29:37.31
God said, "You
must prophesy again"?
00:29:37.47\00:29:39.24
This is taking place
during the sixth trumpet?
00:29:40.54\00:29:42.01
Well, what good would
it do to prophesy again
00:29:42.14\00:29:44.75
if probation is
closed? Furthermore, Revelation
00:29:44.85\00:29:50.75
11:13 tells us that
people can still repent and give
00:29:50.79\00:29:54.42
glory to God under the
sixth trumpet. The remnant
00:29:54.49\00:29:58.09
feared God and gave glory
to Him is what it says there.
00:29:58.13\00:30:01.26
This links with the
first angel's message of
00:30:01.83\00:30:04.03
Revelation 14:6 &
7. So, my question is,
00:30:04.07\00:30:07.94
is probation still
open during the first six
00:30:08.97\00:30:11.17
trumpets? Yes. When does
probation close? When the
00:30:11.27\00:30:17.35
seventh trumpet is about
to sound. Not when it sounds;
00:30:17.41\00:30:19.81
when it's about to sound.
And then, Jesus takes over
00:30:20.48\00:30:23.52
the kingdom when the
seventh trumpet sounds.
00:30:23.59\00:30:26.52
So, is there a
period between when it is
00:30:26.65\00:30:29.19
about to sound and when
it actually sounds? Yes.
00:30:29.29\00:30:32.49
That's the period of the
seven last plagues. Okay?
00:30:32.56\00:30:36.70
That's the period of
the Great Tribulation,
00:30:37.17\00:30:38.77
the period of time of
trouble. Is there gonna
00:30:38.87\00:30:41.94
be a period between when
probation closes and when
00:30:42.04\00:30:44.71
Jesus actually comes?
Yes. It's called the time
00:30:44.77\00:30:49.04
of trouble, right?
You just have to read the
00:30:49.11\00:30:52.38
chapter in Great Controversy,
"The Time of Trouble"-
00:30:52.48\00:30:55.08
towards the end of
the book. Now, we're gonna
00:30:55.58\00:30:57.72
skip the next section
on page 19, because we
00:30:57.79\00:31:01.89
already dealt with
that. So, let's go to page 20.
00:31:01.96\00:31:05.59
Let's go to page 20
and deal with inauguration
00:31:05.69\00:31:10.13
and consummation,
two views of the censer.
00:31:10.20\00:31:14.17
We dealt with this
briefly in our first session,
00:31:14.90\00:31:18.04
but now we want
to unpack it further.
00:31:18.11\00:31:20.64
Let's go to Revelation
chapter 8 and verse 2.
00:31:21.04\00:31:24.08
Revelation 8 verse 1
is the conclusion to the
00:31:24.61\00:31:26.31
seals. You understand
that, right? The half hour
00:31:26.38\00:31:28.12
of silence in
heaven? So, really, there are
00:31:28.18\00:31:31.22
places in the book
of Revelation where the
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.05
chapter is divided
in the wrong place. For
00:31:33.12\00:31:37.26
example, Revelation chapter
21 verse 1 belongs to chapter
00:31:37.33\00:31:41.26
20. I'm not gonna get
into all of this. If you
00:31:41.30\00:31:44.47
go through the
material on the seals, you'll
00:31:44.53\00:31:46.27
see this. Also, Revelation
chapter 11 verse 1 belongs
00:31:46.33\00:31:50.61
with chapter 10.
Revelation chapter 7 verses 1-8
00:31:50.67\00:31:56.18
belongs with
chapter 6- chapter 7. And,
00:31:56.24\00:32:01.92
in this case, Revelation
chapter 8 verse 1 belongs
00:32:02.02\00:32:06.79
with chapter 7,
because it deals with the seven
00:32:06.86\00:32:10.53
seals. So, why do
you begin chapter 8 of
00:32:10.59\00:32:14.76
Revelation with the
seventh seal when the sixth seal
00:32:14.86\00:32:19.00
is in chapter 7? Are
you with me or not? So,
00:32:19.07\00:32:23.07
let's go then to inauguration
and the consummation,
00:32:23.20\00:32:25.54
two views of the
censer. Revelation 8 verse 2
00:32:25.61\00:32:28.98
is the introductory
verse. "And I saw the seven
00:32:29.04\00:32:32.65
angels who stand
before God, and to them were
00:32:32.71\00:32:35.15
given seven trumpets."
So, here's the announcement
00:32:35.22\00:32:37.25
that now, John is going
to write about the seven
00:32:37.32\00:32:40.76
trumpets. Then, you
have Revelation 8:3 & 4.
00:32:40.82\00:32:43.89
This is the first view
of the altar. The altar
00:32:44.89\00:32:48.83
is interceding. The censer
is interceding. Let's read
00:32:48.93\00:32:53.30
verses 3 and 4.
00:32:53.37\00:32:54.70
[reads the text on-screen]
00:32:55.17\00:33:04.35
Is probation open
during verses 3 and 4? [Yes.]
00:33:14.22\00:33:19.29
How do we know
that? Well, because God's
00:33:19.96\00:33:23.63
people are praying!
And Jesus is mingling
00:33:23.70\00:33:28.00
their prayers with
the incense. So, probation
00:33:28.14\00:33:31.71
is open during
verses 3 and 4. But then,
00:33:31.81\00:33:36.18
we have a second view
of the censer of the altar.
00:33:36.28\00:33:39.98
It says in verse 5, "Then
the angel took the censer,
00:33:40.52\00:33:44.39
filled it with"-what?-"with
fire from the altar." And
00:33:45.55\00:33:50.26
what did he do with
it? "And threw it to the
00:33:50.36\00:33:53.43
earth." And what is
the result when he throws
00:33:53.56\00:33:58.37
the fire of the censer
to the earth? There were
00:33:58.47\00:34:02.17
what? "...Noises,
thunderings, lightning's,
00:34:02.27\00:34:06.74
and an earthquake." So,
is that clear in your mind?
00:34:06.84\00:34:12.11
So, there's a
second view of the censer.
00:34:13.05\00:34:15.12
First view, the
angel, Jesus-and the ministry
00:34:15.52\00:34:21.46
of the angels is connected
with the ministry of Jesus-
00:34:21.56\00:34:24.39
they're presenting
the prayers of the saints
00:34:24.49\00:34:26.19
to Jesus, Jesus is
mingling the prayers with the
00:34:26.26\00:34:29.60
incense of His
merits, and God is hearing the
00:34:29.70\00:34:33.07
pleas of His
people. But then suddenly,
00:34:33.17\00:34:34.90
the censer that
is interceding now is
00:34:36.10\00:34:39.44
thrown down, and intercession
ends. Now, what background
00:34:39.54\00:34:45.78
do we need to have from
the Bible to understand the
00:34:45.91\00:34:48.05
meaning of a
throwing down of the censer?
00:34:48.88\00:34:51.15
Well, let's go to an
Old Testament background.
00:34:51.25\00:34:53.36
The book of Ezekiel contains
the Old Testament background
00:34:54.19\00:34:57.23
to the introductory
vision of the trumpets. The man
00:34:57.33\00:35:00.66
clothed in linen
takes coals from between the
00:35:00.76\00:35:05.07
cherubim and
scatters them over the city,
00:35:05.17\00:35:08.30
and what is that a
sign of? Taking the coals of
00:35:08.40\00:35:12.07
fire and throwing them
over the city? It represents
00:35:12.14\00:35:15.48
that probation is closed
for the city. This is parallel
00:35:15.61\00:35:19.48
to the angel of
fire who pours out God's
00:35:19.58\00:35:22.88
wrath into the winepress
of His fury. We'll come
00:35:22.98\00:35:25.65
back to that in a moment,
but let's read Ezekiel 10
00:35:25.72\00:35:28.79
verses 1 and 2. By
the way, let me give you
00:35:28.86\00:35:33.09
a little bit of background
before we read Ezekiel
00:35:33.19\00:35:35.56
chapter 10. In Ezekiel
chapter 1, God is coming
00:35:35.66\00:35:40.64
on a cloud to
Jerusalem to judge Jerusalem for
00:35:40.74\00:35:47.11
the apostasy and for the
sins that are being committed
00:35:47.21\00:35:51.25
in the city. You can
find a list of those sins in
00:35:51.35\00:35:54.52
Ezekiel chapter 8.
In Ezekiel chapter 8,
00:35:54.62\00:35:57.25
they're called abominations.
The greatest abomination
00:35:57.32\00:36:00.06
is that they're worshiping
the sun. That's in Ezekiel
00:36:00.16\00:36:04.03
chapter 8 and verse
16. Then in chapter 9, God
00:36:04.13\00:36:07.73
says, "I'm gonna
destroy Jerusalem. But before I
00:36:07.83\00:36:11.40
destroy Jerusalem, there
needs to be a sealing first."
00:36:11.50\00:36:14.90
And so, in chapter 9,
those who are faithful
00:36:15.54\00:36:18.41
in the city are sealed
on their foreheads with
00:36:18.47\00:36:22.04
the sign of
protection so that when the city
00:36:22.14\00:36:24.75
is destroyed, those
who have the seal will not
00:36:24.85\00:36:27.55
be destroyed. Are
you with me? And then in
00:36:27.68\00:36:31.19
chapter 10, you have
these two verses that
00:36:31.29\00:36:34.96
we wanna read now.
00:36:35.09\00:36:36.42
[reads the text on-screen]
00:36:36.83\00:36:45.43
And if you go to
chapter 11, you'll find that the
00:37:09.46\00:37:11.59
Shekinah that was in
the temple now leaves the
00:37:11.66\00:37:16.06
temple and it sits
for a few moments on the
00:37:16.16\00:37:19.43
Mount of Olives, and
then departs to heaven;
00:37:19.53\00:37:23.27
the city is
forsaken. The city's gonna be
00:37:23.37\00:37:27.01
destroyed. So, what is
the casting down of the
00:37:27.11\00:37:30.35
coals of fire over the
city? It represents that
00:37:30.48\00:37:32.51
God is gonna come and
what? God is gonna come in
00:37:32.58\00:37:35.05
judgment against apostate
Jerusalem. Are you following
00:37:35.18\00:37:39.25
me or not? This is
the background. Now, let's
00:37:39.35\00:37:41.86
go to Revelation
14:17-19 where it speaks about
00:37:41.96\00:37:48.60
the wicked and the judgment
that will fall upon the wicked-
00:37:48.70\00:37:52.37
upon Babylon. First of
all, you have the judgment
00:37:52.50\00:37:57.51
of the harvest of the
earth in Revelation chapter
00:37:57.61\00:37:59.51
14. Three angels' messages
are proclaimed, and then
00:37:59.64\00:38:03.38
after the third
angel's message is proclaimed
00:38:03.48\00:38:05.41
then you have Jesus
sitting on a cloud with
00:38:05.51\00:38:07.82
a sickle in His hand.
First, He's gonna harvest
00:38:07.95\00:38:10.72
what? The grapes,
or is He gonna harvest
00:38:10.82\00:38:12.72
the harvest of the
earth? First, He's gonna reap
00:38:12.82\00:38:15.96
the harvest of the
earth! What does the harvest
00:38:16.06\00:38:18.89
of the earth
represent? His faithful people.
00:38:18.99\00:38:21.63
What does He do after
He harvests the harvest
00:38:22.16\00:38:25.30
of the earth? Now,
He is gonna harvest the
00:38:25.40\00:38:27.90
what? The grapes of
the earth. What do the
00:38:28.00\00:38:30.74
grapes of the earth
represent? They represent
00:38:30.81\00:38:33.14
the wicked. And now
notice the terminology
00:38:33.24\00:38:35.78
that is used here
in Revelation 14:17-19.
00:38:35.91\00:38:39.75
These are the
people who did not accept
00:38:40.25\00:38:41.72
the three angels'
message. It says, "Then another
00:38:41.78\00:38:44.12
angel came out of the temple
which is in heaven, he also
00:38:44.22\00:38:47.22
having a sharp
sickle. And another angel came
00:38:47.32\00:38:50.06
out from the altar."
From where? (x2) "From the
00:38:50.16\00:38:55.56
altar who had power
over the"-what?-"over the
00:38:55.63\00:38:59.67
fire." Any relationship
with what we find in
00:38:59.80\00:39:03.27
the trumpets? Absolutely!
What is he gonna do with
00:39:03.37\00:39:06.54
the fire? It says, "Who
had power over the fire, and he
00:39:06.61\00:39:10.81
cried with a loud voice
to him who had the sharp
00:39:10.85\00:39:14.05
sickle, saying,
'Thrust in your sharp sickle
00:39:14.12\00:39:16.52
and gather the
clusters of the earth, for her
00:39:16.58\00:39:19.69
grapes are fully ripe.
So the angel thrust his
00:39:19.75\00:39:23.56
sickle into the
earth and gathered the vine
00:39:23.63\00:39:25.93
of the earth, and threw
it into the great winepress
00:39:25.99\00:39:29.76
of the wrath of God."
So, what is this angel
00:39:29.83\00:39:33.13
gonna do with the
fire? He's gonna pour it out
00:39:33.23\00:39:37.34
upon those who are
in the winepress, which
00:39:37.41\00:39:40.04
represents who?
The wicked. And if you
00:39:40.11\00:39:43.95
continue reading there
in Revelation chapter 14,
00:39:44.05\00:39:46.11
you'll find that
the wicked are gathered
00:39:46.21\00:39:47.92
around the city, the
Holy City, which before the
00:39:48.02\00:39:51.75
millennium
represents the church. And what
00:39:51.85\00:39:55.46
do they come there
for? On vacation, right? No!
00:39:55.56\00:39:59.93
They've come
because they wanna destroy
00:40:00.00\00:40:01.40
the church! They
wanna destroy those who are
00:40:01.50\00:40:03.90
in the Holy City, the
spiritual city on earth,
00:40:04.00\00:40:06.67
which is a reflection
of the literal heavenly
00:40:06.80\00:40:09.14
city! And then it
says, "But then, horses will
00:40:09.20\00:40:13.24
come, and they will
trample the winepress." Trample
00:40:13.34\00:40:17.88
the wicked. How do you
explain that? The horses,
00:40:17.98\00:40:20.62
you know, they're
gonna have blood up to their
00:40:20.72\00:40:22.32
bridles. That's a
symbolic description. Well, you
00:40:22.42\00:40:25.25
have to go to
Revelation 19 to understand it.
00:40:25.35\00:40:27.49
Revelation 19: it says
there's a great warrior
00:40:28.09\00:40:31.09
sitting on a white
horse, and the armies of heaven
00:40:31.16\00:40:34.36
are sitting on white horses
behind him, and he's coming
00:40:34.46\00:40:37.83
to trample the
winepress, and his garments are
00:40:37.90\00:40:40.50
tainted in blood!
He's coming to trample upon
00:40:40.57\00:40:44.24
the wicked who have
trampled against his
00:40:44.31\00:40:45.97
people. Are you with
me?! And so, you have to look
00:40:46.01\00:40:49.54
at all of Revelation
in order to understand
00:40:49.64\00:40:51.68
what this is
talking about. So, let's go
00:40:52.51\00:40:54.15
to the middle of page
21. This introductory scene
00:40:54.25\00:40:58.12
in Revelation 8 provides
two points of reference.
00:40:58.19\00:41:02.26
What Jesus is doing when
the trumpets begin to sound
00:41:03.36\00:41:07.26
and what will happen
when the seventh trumpet ends
00:41:08.03\00:41:12.13
its sounding? That is
to say, the ministration
00:41:12.23\00:41:15.10
of the censer and
its throwing down do not
00:41:15.20\00:41:18.01
take place in immediate
succession. Is that clear?
00:41:18.11\00:41:21.44
Remember the introductory
scenes. They give you the
00:41:22.81\00:41:26.11
beginning and the
ending point. There is a long
00:41:26.25\00:41:31.15
time interval in
between. Some have seen the
00:41:31.25\00:41:35.52
casting down of the
censer as a symbol of the
00:41:35.62\00:41:38.53
outpouring of the Holy
Spirit under the Pentecost-
00:41:38.59\00:41:41.20
the tongues of fire
on the Day of Pentecost.
00:41:41.86\00:41:44.10
This view, however,
is untenable, because on
00:41:44.73\00:41:47.74
the Day of
Pentecost Jesus began to offer
00:41:47.80\00:41:50.41
the prayers of the
saints mingled with the merits
00:41:50.47\00:41:52.57
of His perfect
life. He did not cast down
00:41:52.67\00:41:54.84
the censer. When the
angel throws down the
00:41:54.98\00:41:59.21
censer-this is an important
point-there is thunder,
00:41:59.31\00:42:02.75
lightning, voices,
and an earthquake. Now,
00:42:02.85\00:42:09.19
that is pointing to
something that's gonna
00:42:09.29\00:42:10.69
happen during the
seventh plague, because throwing
00:42:10.79\00:42:13.80
down that censer has
to do with the close of
00:42:13.90\00:42:16.16
probation, and these
events that are being
00:42:16.23\00:42:18.93
described here-thunder,
lightning, voices, and
00:42:19.03\00:42:21.77
earthquake-must
take place at that time.
00:42:21.84\00:42:23.84
Now, let's go to Revelation
chapter 16. Revelation 16-
00:42:24.37\00:42:29.84
the seventh plague.
Revelation 16 and verses
00:42:29.91\00:42:33.55
17 through 21.
Revelation 16:17-21.
00:42:33.62\00:42:39.85
[reads the text on-screen]
00:42:42.06\00:42:50.53
And what happens when
He says, "It is done"?
00:42:51.33\00:42:54.40
The seventh plague,
which is the finishing of the
00:42:54.50\00:42:56.54
wrath of God after the
close of probation-what
00:42:56.67\00:42:59.17
is there? The same
things that are mentioned in the
00:42:59.27\00:43:03.55
introductory vision
to the seven trumpets.
00:43:03.68\00:43:06.65
Notice what it says in
verse 18. "And there were
00:43:07.38\00:43:10.15
noises and"-what?-"
and thunderings and"-what?-
00:43:10.25\00:43:14.52
"and lightning's; and
there was a great earthquake."
00:43:14.62\00:43:19.06
Is that the same point
to which the introductory
00:43:19.93\00:43:23.13
vision is pointing? Absolutely.
So, let's continue on the
00:43:23.23\00:43:29.74
next page. Ellen
White describes the censer
00:43:29.84\00:43:33.07
when the trumpets actually...
This passage that you're
00:43:33.17\00:43:39.01
gonna find here is describing
the intercession of Jesus
00:43:39.15\00:43:42.62
in the Most Holy
Place beginning in 1844.
00:43:42.72\00:43:46.19
I'll explain a little
bit more as we move along.
00:43:48.49\00:43:50.59
Let's read from Christian
Experience & Teachings,
00:43:50.66\00:43:55.30
pg. 91. Here, Ellen White-
this is happening in 1844.
00:43:55.43\00:44:00.24
She's going in vision
to the Most Holy Place
00:44:00.37\00:44:02.64
of the heavenly sanctuary.
"In the Holiest, I saw an
00:44:02.70\00:44:05.37
ark. On the top
inside of it was purest gold.
00:44:05.44\00:44:09.54
On each end of the
ark was a lovely cherub
00:44:09.64\00:44:11.88
with its wings spread
all over it. Their faces were
00:44:11.98\00:44:15.15
turned toward each
other, and they looked downward.
00:44:15.25\00:44:18.59
Between the angels
was a"-what?-"a golden
00:44:19.29\00:44:22.82
censer. Above the ark,
where the angels stood,
00:44:22.92\00:44:26.39
was in exceeding bright
glory that appeared like
00:44:26.49\00:44:29.20
a throne where God
dwelt. Jesus stood by the ark
00:44:29.33\00:44:32.83
as the saints'
prayers came up to Him." So,
00:44:32.93\00:44:37.74
is the first part of the
introductory vision still
00:44:37.87\00:44:39.94
occurring in 1844
when Ellen White enters the
00:44:40.04\00:44:42.84
Most Holy Place? Yes.
"The incense in the censer
00:44:42.98\00:44:46.45
would smoke, and He
would offer up their
00:44:46.55\00:44:49.32
prayers with the smoke of
the incense to His Father."
00:44:49.42\00:44:53.19
So, Ellen White is
describing what Jesus is doing
00:44:53.62\00:44:56.42
beginning in 1844. Is
Jesus still interceding?
00:44:56.56\00:44:59.66
Is He still
mingling the prayers of His
00:45:00.20\00:45:02.00
saints with the
incense? Yes. Where was Jesus
00:45:02.10\00:45:06.07
before 1844, mingling
the prayers of His saints
00:45:06.17\00:45:10.74
with the incense? Where
was He? He was doing the
00:45:10.87\00:45:14.51
same thing, where? In
the Holy Place. Let's notice
00:45:14.61\00:45:17.41
the next statement. The
Faith I Live By, pg. 202.
00:45:17.51\00:45:21.45
"In the Holy Places of
the sanctuary in heaven
00:45:22.02\00:45:24.32
are represented by
the two apartments in the
00:45:24.42\00:45:26.15
sanctuary on earth. As
envisioned, the apostle
00:45:26.25\00:45:29.32
John was granted a
view of the temple of God in
00:45:29.42\00:45:32.96
heaven. He beheld
there seven lamps of fire,
00:45:33.06\00:45:35.70
burning before the
throne. He saw an angel having
00:45:35.80\00:45:38.43
a golden censer,
and there was given unto
00:45:38.53\00:45:41.00
him much incense that
he should offer it with
00:45:41.10\00:45:42.97
the prayers of all the saints
up on the Golden Altar, which
00:45:43.07\00:45:46.01
was before the
throne." Here, the prophet was
00:45:46.11\00:45:48.94
permitted to behold the
what? The first apartment
00:45:49.01\00:45:52.25
of the sanctuary in
heaven, and he saw there seven
00:45:52.35\00:45:55.05
lamps of fire and the
Golden Altar represented
00:45:55.12\00:45:57.55
by the Golden Candlestick
and the Altar of Incense
00:45:57.59\00:46:00.32
in the sanctuary on
earth. Now, let's read this
00:46:00.42\00:46:05.73
beautiful statement from
this book, In Heavenly Places,
00:46:05.79\00:46:10.33
pg. 79. "Christ
proclaims Himself our"-what?-
00:46:10.40\00:46:14.97
"our Intercessor.
He would have us know
00:46:15.54\00:46:17.87
that He has
graciously engaged to be our
00:46:18.61\00:46:21.54
Substitute. He places
His merit in the"-what?-
00:46:21.61\00:46:25.51
"in the Golden
Censer to offer up with the
00:46:26.61\00:46:29.02
prayers of His saints
so that the prayers of
00:46:29.08\00:46:32.15
His dear children
may be mingled with the
00:46:32.25\00:46:34.72
fragrant merit of Christ
as they ascend to the Father
00:46:34.82\00:46:38.56
in the cloud of
incense." So, was Jesus offering
00:46:38.66\00:46:43.83
the incense with
the prayers before 1844?
00:46:43.97\00:46:47.44
[Yes.] Was He
offering the incense with the
00:46:47.90\00:46:50.57
prayers after 1844?
[Yes.] Was He doing it in the
00:46:50.67\00:46:54.64
same apartment? [No.]
No. He was doing it in
00:46:54.78\00:46:57.58
a different apartment.
You see, Jesus did not
00:46:57.68\00:47:00.35
cease the function of
the Holy Place when He
00:47:00.45\00:47:03.52
entered the most Holy
Place; He just took on
00:47:03.62\00:47:05.15
another function,
which is the function of the
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.99
judgment. Because if
He had ceased His work of
00:47:08.09\00:47:10.26
the Holy Place, we
would all be lost after 1844.
00:47:10.36\00:47:14.80
So, He continues interceding,
but He does it where?
00:47:15.36\00:47:19.33
In the Most Holy
Place. That's why Ellen White
00:47:19.83\00:47:21.64
sees the censer in
the Most Holy Place, even
00:47:21.74\00:47:24.74
though the censer had
to do with the altar in
00:47:24.84\00:47:26.47
the Holy Place. Are
you with me or not? Now,
00:47:26.57\00:47:28.81
let's go to the
next section. "The High
00:47:28.91\00:47:31.45
Priest offered only
holy fire on the Golden Altar
00:47:31.55\00:47:34.98
of Incense. The High
Priest alone burned incense
00:47:35.12\00:47:37.89
on the Golden
Altar. The Golden Altar of
00:47:37.99\00:47:41.19
Incense was nearest
to"- what?-"to the Ark of
00:47:41.29\00:47:44.36
the Covenant that
represents the throne of God."
00:47:44.43\00:47:48.03
And here comes a
very important point: "In
00:47:48.60\00:47:51.97
fact, the orientation
of the Altar of Incense
00:47:52.03\00:47:56.04
was toward the"-what?-
"toward the mercy seat
00:47:56.10\00:47:58.77
in the Most Holy
Place, even while the priest
00:47:58.84\00:48:02.34
offered the incense in
the Holy Place. Notably,
00:48:02.44\00:48:05.08
the book of Hebrews
places the censer and
00:48:05.15\00:48:07.52
the incense"-where?-
"in the most Holy Place."
00:48:07.65\00:48:11.79
Why? Well, because
Jesus ministers the
00:48:11.89\00:48:14.52
incense in both departments!
The fire is a symbol of
00:48:14.62\00:48:18.53
the Holy Spirit, and
the incense represents
00:48:18.63\00:48:21.63
the prayers of the
saints mingled with the merits
00:48:21.70\00:48:25.20
of Jesus. And now,
here comes a couple very
00:48:25.30\00:48:29.37
important points.
What were embroidered on
00:48:29.47\00:48:32.91
the veil that
divided the Holy from the
00:48:33.01\00:48:35.38
Most Holy Place? Angels
ascending and descending
00:48:35.51\00:48:38.55
on the veil. What
did that represent? It
00:48:38.61\00:48:41.25
represents the fact that
the angels take the prayers
00:48:41.35\00:48:44.29
of God's people to
Jesus, and they bring back the
00:48:44.39\00:48:48.59
answers of Jesus to
us! Perfect example is what
00:48:48.69\00:48:53.16
we find in Daniel
chapter 9, the lesson study that
00:48:53.26\00:48:56.13
we had this last Sabbath.
You know Gabriel is what?
00:48:56.23\00:49:00.47
He's praying! He's
saying, "I want to understand
00:49:01.17\00:49:02.70
the 2,300 days! How
is it that you're gonna
00:49:02.80\00:49:05.34
extend the 70 years
to 2,300 years?" And so,
00:49:05.44\00:49:09.34
what does God
tell? He says, "Gabriel!
00:49:09.44\00:49:11.61
Go down-an
answer." Daniel's prayer.
00:49:12.95\00:49:18.25
So, let's continue
here. Angels are embroidered,
00:49:19.75\00:49:24.26
which represents
that our prayers are taken
00:49:24.36\00:49:25.96
to the presence of God,
and the angels bring back
00:49:26.06\00:49:28.96
answers to us. Now,
also, you remember what is
00:49:29.06\00:49:33.90
called Jacob's Ladder.
It was the Lord's ladder
00:49:34.00\00:49:38.34
shown to Jacob. And
Noah's Ark was the Lord's
00:49:38.44\00:49:42.21
ark, not Noah's
ark. And Solomon's Temple
00:49:42.31\00:49:44.91
was God's temple!
You know, let's not give
00:49:45.01\00:49:48.35
glory to Solomon
and to Noah. [laughs]
00:49:48.42\00:49:53.39
And to Jacob. What did
Jacob see in his dream?
00:49:53.49\00:49:59.06
He saw a ladder!
Its base was on earth!
00:50:00.36\00:50:05.57
And it's top reached
to heaven. What was on the
00:50:06.57\00:50:09.54
ladder? The angels were
ascending and descending
00:50:09.64\00:50:14.14
up on the ladder!
What is represented by the
00:50:14.28\00:50:18.05
angels on the veil?
Taking our prayers and
00:50:18.15\00:50:21.28
bringing back
answers from God. Beautiful
00:50:21.35\00:50:25.82
symbolism. By the
way, do the angels have any
00:50:25.89\00:50:28.72
role in taking our prayers
to Jesus and bringing back
00:50:28.86\00:50:31.59
answers? No, it's the
next statement on page
00:50:31.69\00:50:35.53
23. "Angels offer
the smoke of the fragrant
00:50:35.60\00:50:39.60
incense for the
praying saints." So, the angels
00:50:39.70\00:50:44.74
have a very important
role. Now, let's pursue
00:50:44.81\00:50:47.84
this a little bit further.
Luke 1 verses 8 through 10.
00:50:47.94\00:50:52.61
Here, we find that Zacharias,
the father of John the
00:50:53.15\00:50:56.82
Baptist, it was his
turn to offer incense in
00:50:56.92\00:50:59.25
the Holy Place of
the sanctuary. Let's
00:50:59.35\00:51:01.76
read about it in verse
8. "So it was that while
00:51:01.86\00:51:04.29
he was serving as a
priest before God in
00:51:04.43\00:51:06.49
the order of his
division according to the custom
00:51:06.59\00:51:09.76
of the priesthood, his
lot," that is, Zacharias'
00:51:09.80\00:51:12.83
lot, "failed to
burn incense when he went
00:51:12.93\00:51:17.17
into the temple of
the Lord. And the whole
00:51:17.24\00:51:20.54
multitude of the
people were praying outside
00:51:20.61\00:51:22.88
at the Altar of Incense."
So, here you have the people
00:51:22.98\00:51:25.85
praying, and Zacharias
is offering the incense.
00:51:25.95\00:51:30.12
Just like we find
in chapter 8. What does
00:51:31.15\00:51:34.69
the incense
represent? The incense does not
00:51:34.79\00:51:37.69
represent prayer.
The incense is related to
00:51:37.79\00:51:40.96
prayer, but the
incense is not prayer. Notice
00:51:41.06\00:51:44.63
how it's related
to prayer in Psalm 141
00:51:44.73\00:51:48.70
and verse 2. "Let
my prayer be set before
00:51:48.80\00:51:53.14
you as incense, the
lifting up of my hands
00:51:53.27\00:51:56.54
as the evening sacrifice."
So, it gives the impression
00:51:56.61\00:51:59.18
that the prayer is
the incense. But when we
00:51:59.28\00:52:01.72
read in Revelation
chapter 8, we find that the
00:52:01.85\00:52:05.02
prayers of the
saints were mingled with the
00:52:05.12\00:52:07.62
incense. Correct?
Now, notice this beautiful
00:52:07.72\00:52:12.26
statement from the
Spirit of Prophecy. "The prayer
00:52:12.36\00:52:15.63
and praise and confession
of God's people ascend
00:52:15.73\00:52:19.27
as sacrifices to
the heavenly sanctuary.
00:52:19.40\00:52:22.34
However, they ascend
not in spotless purity,
00:52:22.40\00:52:26.07
passing through
the corrupt channels of
00:52:26.61\00:52:28.48
humanity, they are so
defiled that unless purified
00:52:28.58\00:52:32.21
by the righteousness
of the Great High Priest,
00:52:32.31\00:52:34.85
they are not
acceptable by God." Wow. "Christ
00:52:34.95\00:52:40.02
gathers into the censer
the prayers, the praise,
00:52:40.12\00:52:44.66
and the sacrifices
of His people. And with
00:52:44.76\00:52:47.56
these, He puts the merits
of His spotless righteousness.
00:52:47.66\00:52:52.53
Then, perfumed with
the incense of Christ's
00:52:52.63\00:52:55.67
propitiation, our
prayers, wholly and entirely
00:52:55.74\00:52:59.87
acceptable, rise before
God, and gracious answers
00:52:59.91\00:53:04.38
are returned. Wow. And
you know, by the perfect
00:53:04.45\00:53:11.65
life of Jesus and by
His death on the cross,
00:53:11.72\00:53:15.52
there's an inexhaustible
fund in the bank of
00:53:16.62\00:53:19.49
heaven for
salvation. Notice this beautiful
00:53:19.56\00:53:23.37
statement that we
find here. Sons & Daughters
00:53:23.43\00:53:26.27
of God, pg. 22. I love
this statement. "Christ
00:53:26.33\00:53:31.01
has pledged Himself
to be our Substitute and
00:53:31.04\00:53:33.51
surety, and He
neglects no one." There is an
00:53:33.58\00:53:37.91
inexhaustible fund.
What does inexhaustible
00:53:37.98\00:53:41.02
mean? It's limitless.
"There is an inexhaustible
00:53:41.08\00:53:46.32
fund of perfect obedience"-
whose perfect obedience?
00:53:46.35\00:53:50.36
That of Jesus!-"accruing
from His obedience in
00:53:50.43\00:53:54.63
heaven. His merits, His
self-denial and self-sacrifice,
00:53:54.66\00:53:59.60
are treasured up as
incense to be offered
00:53:59.63\00:54:03.54
up with the prayers of
His people." Beautiful!
00:54:03.61\00:54:06.37
"As the sinners'
sincere, humble prayers ascend
00:54:07.38\00:54:11.25
to the throne of God,
Christ mingles with them.
00:54:11.31\00:54:14.12
The merits of His own
life of perfect obedience,
00:54:14.72\00:54:18.45
our prayers are made
fragrant by this incense.
00:54:18.99\00:54:22.42
Christ has pledged Himself
to intercede in our behalf,
00:54:22.49\00:54:25.99
and the Father
always hears His Son." How
00:54:26.06\00:54:31.33
frequently does
Jesus intercede for us?
00:54:31.37\00:54:34.04
Patriarchs & Prophets,
pg. 348, "The fire upon this
00:54:36.00\00:54:41.01
altar was kindled
by God Himself and was
00:54:41.08\00:54:43.91
sacredly
cherished. Day and night, the
00:54:44.01\00:54:48.28
holy incense diffused
its fragrance throughout
00:54:48.35\00:54:51.02
the sacred apartments,
and without fire around
00:54:51.12\00:54:55.72
the tabernacle." And of
course, we find in Hebrews
00:54:55.76\00:55:00.10
that it says that Jesus
always lives to intercede
00:55:00.16\00:55:05.63
for us. That's why
the Altar of Incense was
00:55:05.70\00:55:08.60
called the Continual
Altar of Incense. The
00:55:08.64\00:55:13.07
showbread was called
the Continual Altar of
00:55:13.17\00:55:15.84
the Showbread, and
the candlestick was called
00:55:15.88\00:55:18.98
the Continual
Lamps, because the lamps
00:55:19.05\00:55:22.42
burned continually.
There was always a supply
00:55:22.48\00:55:25.62
of bread, and there
was always the intercessory
00:55:25.69\00:55:28.29
work of the priest.
Now, what about the throwing
00:55:28.36\00:55:31.76
down of the censer? Did
Ellen White have anything
00:55:31.83\00:55:33.63
to say about the
moment when the censer was
00:55:33.70\00:55:35.60
thrown down? Yes,
she did! Notice this last
00:55:35.66\00:55:38.80
statement-Early Writings,
279 and 280-"I saw angels
00:55:38.87\00:55:43.61
hurrying to and fro
in heaven, an angel with
00:55:43.67\00:55:47.31
a writer's inkhorn
by his side." This is a
00:55:47.38\00:55:50.18
reference to Ezekiel
9, by the way. "Return
00:55:50.25\00:55:53.18
from the earth and
report it to Jesus that His work
00:55:53.21\00:55:55.72
was done and the
saints were numbered and"-
00:55:55.78\00:55:58.65
what?-"and sealed.
Then I saw Jesus, who had
00:55:58.72\00:56:02.46
been ministering
before the ark containing the
00:56:02.56\00:56:04.69
Ten Commandments.
So, what had He have been
00:56:04.83\00:56:06.96
doing before this? Ministering.
When did He begin ministering?
00:56:07.06\00:56:11.37
When He went to
heaven! He began His work in
00:56:11.47\00:56:14.20
the Holy Place. What
does He do now? "Then I saw
00:56:14.30\00:56:18.41
Jesus, who had been
ministering before the
00:56:18.51\00:56:20.11
ark containing the Ten
Commandments, do"-what?
00:56:20.21\00:56:22.61
-"throw down the
censer." What does throwing down
00:56:23.24\00:56:25.78
the censer mean? It
means that intercession
00:56:25.88\00:56:28.52
has ceased. She
continues, "He raised His hands,
00:56:28.58\00:56:32.35
and with a loud voice
said, 'It is done!' Then all the
00:56:33.12\00:56:36.42
angelic hosts laid
off their crowns as Jesus
00:56:36.52\00:56:39.53
made the solemn
declaration: 'He that is unjust,
00:56:39.59\00:56:42.50
let him be unjust
still. He which is filthy,
00:56:42.56\00:56:44.93
let him be filthy
still. He that is righteous,
00:56:45.00\00:56:47.40
let him be righteous
still. And he that is
00:56:47.47\00:56:49.84
holy, let him be
holy still.'" And you'll
00:56:49.94\00:56:53.24
notice that in this
quotation, Ellen White
00:56:53.31\00:56:55.28
is alluding to Ezekiel 9:2
& 3, Revelation 16:17 where
00:56:55.34\00:57:00.48
we read about the
signs, the earthquake, and the
00:57:00.55\00:57:03.25
thundering and the lightning,
and she's also quoting
00:57:03.35\00:57:06.59
Revelation chapter 22
verse 11. In other words,
00:57:06.72\00:57:10.26
all these verses
are describing what will
00:57:10.33\00:57:12.69
occur when what? When
probation closes. So, is
00:57:12.83\00:57:18.03
this clear? Do you understand
how important it is to
00:57:18.13\00:57:21.84
understand the introductory
part of the seven trumpets?
00:57:21.94\00:57:26.04
It gives you the
starting point, and it gives you
00:57:26.54\00:57:29.24
the ending point, and
the trumpets are all of
00:57:29.34\00:57:32.48
the events in
between. So, where are we now
00:57:32.58\00:57:36.05
in the course of history?
We are now well advanced
00:57:36.15\00:57:39.25
in the sixth
trumpet. And the next event is
00:57:39.35\00:57:43.93
when the mystery of
God is finished when the
00:57:44.03\00:57:46.63
seventh trumpet is
about to sound, and then Jesus
00:57:46.73\00:57:49.50
will take over the
kingdoms of the world.
00:57:49.63\00:57:53.34