Well, welcome back.
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In this session we
are going to conclude
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our study of the third trumpet.
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And then in our two
sessions this afternoon
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I'm hoping to be able to
finish the fourth trumpet.
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So we have our
work cut out for us.
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We're going to study the
second half of the third trumpet
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and we will begin on
page 80 of your study notes.
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Page 80.
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And I'd like to just mention
for those who are watching
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the live stream, we
have several people online
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that have
gotten the study notes.
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If there's anybody watching who
has not gotten the study notes,
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I would encourage you
to contact Secrets Unsealed
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and make a request
to get the study notes,
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because it will be
very helpful as you watch
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these presentations, to actually
be able to read the material
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and go through
it more carefully.
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So basically we have been
studying the third trumpet.
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And in Revelation 8:10, I
had said verse 8, but verse 10,
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let's read again
the third trumpet.
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"Then the third angel sounded:
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And a great star fell from
heaven, burning like a torch;
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and it fell on a
third of the rivers
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and the springs of water."
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Now we've already
studied about the great star
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falling from
heaven like a torch.
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And we noticed that in
its primary sense, the star
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or the torch represents whom?
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Satan.
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But in a secondary
sense it represents those whom
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Satan uses to plant
heresy within the church.
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False doctrine in the church.
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So now we want to take a
look at the meaning of the
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rivers and springs of
water, and the wormwood
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that makes the waters bitter.
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So let's go to page 80,
right in the middle of the page,
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"The act of falling
represents apostasy."
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Now the star falls.
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The lamp falls.
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So what does the Bible mean
when it speaks about falling?
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It actually means apostasy.
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Let's notice
several Bible verses.
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Isaiah 14:12
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Speaking about Lucifer, the
star of the morning, it says,
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"How you are..." What?
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"...fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning!
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How you are cut
down to the ground,
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you who weaken the nations!"
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So what does the
fact that there's
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downward movement represent?
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It represents the fact
that Lucifer apostatized, right?
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He went astray from the truth.
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There's no truth in him,
Jesus said in John chapter 8.
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Now notice Revelation 2:5.
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Here Jesus is speaking
to the church of Ephesus.
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And notice the
meaning of, "falling," here.
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It says in Revelation 2:5...
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So the church of Ephesus
was already going astray.
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Ah, your lampstand.
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So many were
already falling away
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even in the church of Ephesus.
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In Romans 11:11, the
apostle Paul is referring to
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the Jewish
nation, and he says...
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So did the Jewish nation fall?
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Yes it did.
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And what was God's purpose?
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God's purpose was to
provoke them to jealousy
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when they saw the growth of
the gospel among the Gentiles
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and that they would come back
to where God wanted them to be.
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We're all acquainted
with 1 Corinthians 10:12.
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It says, "Therefore,
let him who thinks he stands
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take heed, lest
he..." What? "...fall."
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And if you read the previous
verses, it's talking about
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apostasies within Israel.
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At the golden calf, and
right before they entered
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the land of Canaan.
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So the apostle Paul uses those
stories of apostasy of Israel
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to warn Christians, saying,
"Therefore, let him who thinks
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he stands take
heed, lest he fall."
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Hebrews 4:11
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This book is dealing with
Jews who are going through
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all kinds of
trials and tribulations,
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and they're about to
give up the Christian message
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that they've accepted.
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And notice what it says there.
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"Let us, therefore, be
diligent to enter that rest..."
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So, "to fall," means to disobey,
it means to be in apostasy.
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You know, when it comes
to Babylon, it also means
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that Babylon apostatized.
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Revelation 14:8, the
second angel's message,
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"And another angel
followed, saying..."
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That, by the way, means
that it's really fallen.
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So what does the
word, "fallen," mean there
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that's repeated twice?
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It means that Babylon has what?
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Apostatized.
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And then you
have Revelation 18:2.
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The basic same idea is
repeated, only it's worse
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because this is talking
about the end time Babylon.
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It says, "After these
things I saw another angel
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coming down from
heaven, having great authority,
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and the earth was
illuminated with his glory."
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Really fallen?
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You better believe it.
Notice the description.
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It bears repeating that
it is impossible to fall
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unless the
person has stood first.
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Because the person who is
fallen, who was born fallen,
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ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
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you know, you
can't say that they fell.
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So in order to fall, you
have to be standing before that.
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This means that the
church during this period
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originally what?
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Stood in the truth.
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But, like Lucifer, she
then fell into apostasy.
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So when the star
falls, or the lamp falls,
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it falls where?
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It falls into the rivers
and the springs of water.
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And what happens as a result?
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As a result, the
springs of water are poisoned.
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They become bitter.
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And when people drink,
what happens with them?
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They die.
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So let's talk about the
rivers and springs of water.
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The fountains of
waters in the third trumpet
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are different from the
raging waters of the sea
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in the second trumpet.
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You under the contrast there?
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The fountains of waters
are the life-giving waters
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that refresh,
restore, and perpetuate
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physical and spiritual life.
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To us in the western
world, waters do not mean much,
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as in Israel.
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We just turn on the
faucet, and water flows.
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However, in Israel water
was a precious commodity.
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The scarcity of
which represented death,
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and its presence
represented life.
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So let's read several
verses here that speak about
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the fountains of waters.
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What happens when
there's an abundance
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of fountains of
fresh water, sweet water?
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Psalm 23:2-3,
verses very well known.
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By the way, the word,
"soul," there is, "nephesh."
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It's life.
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He restores my life.
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Deuteronomy 8:7-10
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This is a powerful passage.
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What a picture, huh!
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And it's all due to what?
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"...brooks of water,
of fountains and springs,
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that flow out of
valleys and hills."
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In other words, the
waters are life-giving.
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They bring about fruitfulness
and prosperity and life.
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Revelation 7:17
00:10:00.86\00:10:03.30
Speaking about those who go
through the great tribulation
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at the end of time and
come out of the tribulation
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and are standing there before
the throne of God at the end.
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Revelation 21:6 and also 22:17.
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So what does the
fresh water represent?
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It's the life-giving
waters that produce prosperity
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and fruitfulness.
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Notice Psalm 1:3.
00:11:02.66\00:11:04.79
It speaks about trees that are
planted next to living waters.
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It says there, speaking
about a righteous person...
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Now the fresh waters
also represent the teachings
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of those who are wise.
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It says in Proverbs 13:14, "The
law of the wise is a..." What?
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The fear of the Lord is
also a fountain of life,
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as we find here
in Proverbs 14:27.
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Now in Exodus
17:1-8 and Numbers 20:8-11
00:12:02.65\00:12:08.26
we have the story of the water
that came forth from the rock.
00:12:08.66\00:12:12.53
Now I have an entire
presentation on this particular
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subject, but I want
to summarize because it's
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very much related to
what we're talking about.
00:12:19.50\00:12:21.90
You'll remember that in
Exodus 17 the people were
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thirsty and they
were complaining because
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they didn't have any water.
00:12:26.57\00:12:27.91
So God told Moses,
"Moses, take your rod,
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strike the rock, and
the rock will give waters,
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fresh waters for
everyone to drink
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so that they
don't die of thirst."
00:12:38.39\00:12:40.02
So what did Moses do?
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He obeyed the Lord.
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Struck the rock.
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Waters came forth from the
rock, and the people drank.
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What does the rock represent?
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Christ.
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What does striking
the rock represent?
00:12:52.10\00:12:54.37
It means that Jesus fell
under the judgment of the Father
00:12:54.74\00:12:57.37
for our sins.
00:12:57.41\00:12:58.74
And what happened as a result?
00:12:58.87\00:13:00.58
Jesus was able to send what?
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The Holy Spirit.
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Life-giving Holy Spirit.
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The second time God told Moses,
this is in Numbers chapter 20,
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He told him to speak to the rock
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and the rock
would give its waters.
00:13:15.46\00:13:16.83
But Moses lost his temper,
he struck the rock twice,
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and he ruined the symbol
that God wanted to teach.
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And that is that Christ
was going to be stricken with
00:13:26.47\00:13:29.07
the rod of God's
judgment only once, not twice.
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That all we need to do
today to get the Holy Spirit
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is not for Jesus to die again,
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but to ask Him
for the Holy Spirit.
00:13:37.61\00:13:41.95
Now what does this have to do
with what we're talking about?
00:13:42.55\00:13:46.02
We need to go to the New
Testament to understand it.
00:13:46.42\00:13:49.46
Remember the story
of the Samaritan woman?
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Jesus is sitting
there at Jacob's well,
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and the Samaritan
woman comes to draw water.
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And Jesus says,
"Give me water to drink."
00:13:59.73\00:14:01.74
And she says, "How is it that
You a Jew asks a Samaritan,"
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a woman at that, "for water?"
00:14:05.94\00:14:08.48
And then Jesus has a
conversation with her,
00:14:08.81\00:14:10.98
and He says, "You
know, if you drink the water
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that I have to give, you
would never thirst again."
00:14:13.38\00:14:16.05
Now let's pick up the
conversation in John 4:13-14.
00:14:16.92\00:14:22.69
"Jesus answered and said to her,
00:14:23.19\00:14:25.19
'Whoever drinks
of this water...'"
00:14:25.69\00:14:27.46
That is, from Jacob's
well. "...will thirst again."
00:14:27.50\00:14:30.23
Now here's an important detail.
00:14:37.94\00:14:39.51
So what happens?
00:14:50.55\00:14:51.89
You drink the water and
you become a fountain of water.
00:14:51.92\00:14:55.92
You receive the
Spirit, and then you share
00:14:56.69\00:14:59.66
that Spirit to other people.
00:14:59.69\00:15:01.43
Are you understanding
what this is saying?
00:15:02.70\00:15:04.63
Now what is the water here?
What does the water represent?
00:15:04.83\00:15:08.67
We have to go to John 7:37-39.
00:15:08.90\00:15:12.51
The bottom of page 83.
00:15:12.54\00:15:14.41
Page 83 in our manual.
00:15:15.01\00:15:19.45
It says in John 7:37-39...
00:15:20.18\00:15:22.45
Here, Jesus is at
the feast of tabernacles.
00:15:22.48\00:15:24.89
There was a water ceremony
at the feast of tabernacles.
00:15:25.49\00:15:28.56
And Jesus is going to
say something revolutionary.
00:15:28.59\00:15:31.09
"On the last day, that
great day of the feast..."
00:15:31.79\00:15:34.96
So who is the rock?
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.51
Jesus. He says, "I'm the rock.
00:15:44.21\00:15:45.67
Come to Me and drink."
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.34
What is it that
we're going to drink?
00:15:48.14\00:15:49.98
Out of whose heart will
flow rivers of living water?
00:15:58.79\00:16:01.76
Out of us.
00:16:02.59\00:16:03.93
So He says to
the Samaritan woman
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.36
that she would become a
fountain of living water?
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.17
And by the way, she did.
00:16:10.20\00:16:11.53
She went back to
Sychar where she lived,
00:16:11.57\00:16:13.17
she witnessed about Christ
and brought the whole town
00:16:13.20\00:16:15.64
to hear the words of Jesus.
00:16:15.67\00:16:17.07
So what happens?
00:16:17.77\00:16:19.11
When we receive the Holy
Spirit, then we are witnesses.
00:16:19.24\00:16:23.48
We become
fountains of water to others.
00:16:23.51\00:16:26.35
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:16:26.38\00:16:27.78
Now, how does this apply
to what we are talking about?
00:16:28.48\00:16:33.12
When God's people
receive the Holy Spirit,
00:16:33.82\00:16:36.39
God's people then
become fountains of waters
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.40
to bless other people.
00:16:40.43\00:16:41.76
You know, I'll
use this illustration.
00:16:41.96\00:16:43.67
You know, you have the Son.
00:16:45.23\00:16:46.57
Jesus said, "I am
the light of the world."
00:16:46.60\00:16:48.44
But He also said, "Ye
are the light of the world."
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.71
So you go out some night and
you see a beautiful full moon,
00:16:52.11\00:16:54.94
and you say, "Oh, that
moon, that silvery moon;
00:16:54.98\00:16:57.45
it's so romantic,
it's so beautiful.
00:16:57.48\00:16:59.38
Look at the beautiful
light there on the moon."
00:16:59.78\00:17:02.28
But you know, the moon
is an ugly heavenly body.
00:17:03.52\00:17:08.56
It's full of craters. Right?
00:17:08.59\00:17:10.56
So it's ugly.
00:17:10.59\00:17:11.93
How does it become beautiful?
00:17:11.96\00:17:13.29
When the light of
the sun shines on it.
00:17:14.26\00:17:16.20
So what we need to say is, "How
beautiful the sun is tonight."
00:17:16.23\00:17:19.30
Because the glory of the
moon is the glory of the sun.
00:17:21.24\00:17:23.57
Jesus is the
original spring of water;
00:17:23.77\00:17:27.38
and when we drink, we
become springs of water.
00:17:27.41\00:17:30.05
It's like the sun shines
on the moon, and the moon
00:17:30.35\00:17:33.35
reflects the light
of the sun to the world.
00:17:33.38\00:17:36.22
Now let's go to page 84.
00:17:36.38\00:17:39.05
When we drink the living waters,
we become fountains of water.
00:17:39.55\00:17:44.09
The springs of
water represent what?
00:17:44.49\00:17:46.70
The pure gospel of Jesus
that flows through His people
00:17:46.73\00:17:51.60
by the power of whom?
00:17:51.63\00:17:53.23
Of the Holy Spirit to bless
the world with life everlasting.
00:17:53.57\00:17:58.61
Let's read some
statements from Ellen White.
00:17:59.11\00:18:01.68
This one is from
Manuscript 33, April 27, 1903.
00:18:02.74\00:18:07.98
"The people of
God, His chosen kingdom,
00:18:08.48\00:18:12.25
are not as a stagnant pool.
00:18:12.29\00:18:15.26
They are as a..." What?
"...river, constantly flowing,
00:18:15.96\00:18:21.76
and as it advances, becoming
deeper and wider, until its..."
00:18:22.06\00:18:25.70
What kind of waters?
00:18:25.73\00:18:27.67
"...its life-giving waters
are spread over all the earth.
00:18:27.70\00:18:32.01
Whenever the gospel
of God is received..."
00:18:32.37\00:18:34.44
See, we have to
receive it first.
00:18:34.48\00:18:36.24
"...its grace heals the
maladies that sin has produced.
00:18:36.44\00:18:40.52
The Sun of Righteousness arises
with healing in His beams.
00:18:40.72\00:18:44.85
Light, strength, and
refreshing come from the Lord,
00:18:44.89\00:18:49.36
and the good fruit
borne bears witness to
00:18:49.46\00:18:52.16
a work of righteousness."
00:18:52.19\00:18:54.13
In another statement,
Prophets and Kings, page 233,
00:18:54.90\00:18:58.60
this is a beautiful statement.
00:18:58.63\00:19:00.14
Page 233 and 234.
00:19:00.17\00:19:02.24
"The heart that
receives the Word of God
00:19:02.64\00:19:04.97
is not a pool that..." What?
00:19:05.01\00:19:07.14
"..evaporates, not like a broken
cistern that loses its treasure.
00:19:07.54\00:19:12.65
It is like the mountain stream,
fed by unfailing springs,
00:19:13.11\00:19:19.89
whose cool, sparkling
waters leap from rock to rock,
00:19:19.92\00:19:24.93
refreshing the weary, the
thirsty, and the heavy-laden."
00:19:24.96\00:19:28.66
That's what happens when
people receive the Word of God
00:19:28.70\00:19:31.33
through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
00:19:31.37\00:19:32.70
They become a
blessing to others.
00:19:32.73\00:19:34.87
She continues
writing, "It is like a river
00:19:35.14\00:19:38.41
constantly
flowing, and as it advances,
00:19:38.44\00:19:42.71
becoming deeper and wider,
until its life-giving waters
00:19:42.91\00:19:46.15
are spread over all the earth.
00:19:46.18\00:19:47.85
The stream that goes
singing on its way leaves behind
00:19:48.05\00:19:52.89
its gift of
verdure and fruitfulness.
00:19:52.92\00:19:56.56
The grass on its
banks is a fresher green,
00:19:56.59\00:19:59.19
the trees have a richer verdure,
the flowers are more abundant.
00:19:59.23\00:20:03.87
When the earth lies
bare and brown under the
00:20:03.97\00:20:06.53
summer's scorching
heat, a line of verdure
00:20:06.57\00:20:09.24
marks the river's course."
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.91
And now she
draws the comparison.
00:20:11.94\00:20:14.11
"So it is with the
true child of God."
00:20:14.54\00:20:17.45
Everything she's described
about the living waters
00:20:17.55\00:20:20.05
and making
everything green and fruitful,
00:20:20.08\00:20:22.15
now she says, "I'm
going to apply the lesson."
00:20:22.18\00:20:25.09
"So it is with
the true child of God.
00:20:25.29\00:20:27.66
The religion of Christ
reveals itself as a vitalizing,
00:20:27.99\00:20:31.36
pervading principle, a living,
working, spiritual energy.
00:20:31.86\00:20:36.06
When the heart is opened
to the heavenly influence
00:20:36.36\00:20:38.80
of truth and love, these
principles will..." What?
00:20:38.83\00:20:41.97
"...will flow forth again
like streams in the desert,
00:20:42.00\00:20:47.01
causing
fruitfulness to appear where now
00:20:47.04\00:20:49.98
are barrenness and dearth."
00:20:50.01\00:20:52.21
Here's another one,
Prophets and Kings, page 231.
00:20:52.98\00:20:56.79
Remember when Elisha poured salt
into a spring that was polluted?
00:20:57.12\00:21:02.19
Here, Ellen White is
going to describe this.
00:21:02.66\00:21:04.66
"In casting salt..."
00:21:04.69\00:21:06.03
By the way, who is the salt?
00:21:06.06\00:21:07.40
What does the salt represent?
00:21:08.90\00:21:10.63
Us.
00:21:11.37\00:21:12.97
So it's the same as,
you know, drinking the water
00:21:14.54\00:21:16.71
we become springs of water.
00:21:16.74\00:21:18.14
Polluted waters are
made delicious by the salt
00:21:18.31\00:21:23.71
that is put in.
00:21:23.75\00:21:25.08
Is that the
case of God's people?
00:21:25.11\00:21:26.82
Do we make the life of people
happier and more prosperous
00:21:26.85\00:21:30.85
and more blessed
and more live-giving?
00:21:30.89\00:21:32.99
Absolutely.
00:21:33.02\00:21:34.36
So she wrote, "In casting
salt into the bitter spring..."
00:21:34.39\00:21:38.39
Interesting. Bitter spring.
00:21:39.43\00:21:41.10
The star causes
the waters to be what?
00:21:41.13\00:21:43.47
Bitter.
00:21:43.97\00:21:45.30
How can the
waters become not bitter?
00:21:45.33\00:21:47.24
By God's people
sharing the Word through the
00:21:47.74\00:21:49.54
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:21:49.57\00:21:50.91
"...Elisha taught the
same spiritual lesson imparted
00:21:51.11\00:21:53.88
centuries later by the Savior to
His disciples when He declared,
00:21:53.91\00:21:57.18
'Ye are the salt of the earth.'
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.18
The salt mingling with
the polluted spring purified
00:21:59.51\00:22:03.25
its waters and
brought life and blessing
00:22:03.28\00:22:06.65
where before had
been blighting and death.
00:22:06.69\00:22:09.22
When God compares
His children to salt,
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.43
He would teach them that
His purpose in making them
00:22:12.46\00:22:15.46
the subjects of His grace is
that they may become..." What?
00:22:15.50\00:22:19.10
"...agents in
the saving others."
00:22:19.30\00:22:22.50
So do you understand what
the springs and rivers represent
00:22:23.20\00:22:26.68
in the third trumpet?
00:22:26.71\00:22:29.24
You know, we allow the Bible
to interpret itself, right?
00:22:30.28\00:22:32.95
Or else you have to
find some place on earth
00:22:33.38\00:22:35.75
where a third of the lakes
and the oceans became bitter
00:22:36.02\00:22:41.32
when a star fell
into it, you know.
00:22:41.36\00:22:43.79
It's not talking about
meteorites and asteroids.
00:22:44.89\00:22:48.36
We have to interpret Scripture
applying the same principles
00:22:48.56\00:22:52.23
that we apply
universally to every passage,
00:22:52.53\00:22:55.67
including the trumpets.
00:22:55.70\00:22:57.11
Now, when the star falls in the
waters and makes them bitter.
00:22:57.37\00:23:02.98
So let's take a look
at the word, "wormwood."
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.48
Because the word,
"wormwood," is used.
00:23:05.51\00:23:07.75
Let's go to
Deuteronomy 29:17-18.
00:23:08.98\00:23:12.75
What happened if Israel,
according to God, apostatized
00:23:13.96\00:23:18.46
from the
straight and narrow way?
00:23:18.56\00:23:20.73
God warned them in
Deuteronomy 29:17-18
00:23:21.40\00:23:24.93
what would happen
if they apostatized.
00:23:24.97\00:23:26.97
It says there, "...and
you saw their abominations..."
00:23:27.34\00:23:30.84
That is, of the pagan nations.
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.27
"...and their idols
which were among them:
00:23:32.31\00:23:34.81
wood and stone
and silver and gold,
00:23:35.34\00:23:38.31
so that there may not
be among you man or woman
00:23:38.51\00:23:43.05
or family or tribe
whose heart..." What?
00:23:43.08\00:23:46.52
~ Turns away. -
Is that apostasy?
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.52
"...whose heart turns away
today from the LORD our God,
00:23:49.02\00:23:52.36
to go and serve the
gods of these nations,
00:23:52.39\00:23:55.10
and that there
may not be among you
00:23:55.40\00:23:57.73
a root bearing..." What?
"...bitterness or wormwood."
00:23:57.77\00:24:02.74
What is it that causes the water
to become bitter and wormwood?
00:24:04.07\00:24:09.21
It is turning away
from the Lord; apostasy.
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.88
Is this what
happened with the fallen star
00:24:14.22\00:24:16.18
under the third trumpet?
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.65
Absolutely.
00:24:17.95\00:24:19.29
Notice Amos 5:7.
00:24:19.45\00:24:21.86
"You who turn justice
to..." What? "...wormwood."
00:24:22.42\00:24:26.09
See, when you turn
justice to wormwood,
00:24:26.13\00:24:31.10
when you cease to be
just, in other words,
00:24:31.13\00:24:33.34
or righteous, the
result is wormwood.
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.77
Notice Amos
6:12-13. Amos 6:12-13.
00:24:43.65\00:24:48.78
It says there, "Do
horses run on rocks?
00:24:49.45\00:24:52.39
Does one plow
there with oxen..."
00:24:52.75\00:24:54.92
So what happens when
people turn away from justice
00:25:04.70\00:25:08.70
and people turn away from
the fruit of righteousness?
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.54
They become what?
Gall and wormwood.
00:25:11.57\00:25:15.44
Notice Jeremiah 23:15-16.
00:25:15.91\00:25:19.68
When false prophets
speak in the name of God,
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.98
the result is what?
00:25:23.35\00:25:24.79
Wormwood and gall.
00:25:25.09\00:25:26.42
Let me ask you,
did the papacy claim
00:25:26.45\00:25:28.06
to speak in the name of God
when it originated the apostasy?
00:25:28.09\00:25:32.89
It certainly did.
Let's notice this.
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.23
"Therefore thus says the LORD of
hosts concerning the prophets:
00:25:35.26\00:25:38.90
'Behold, I will
feed them with...'" What?
00:25:39.50\00:25:43.34
"...wormwood, and make
them drink the water of gall."
00:25:43.37\00:25:47.64
He's speaking
about the false prophets.
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.58
"For," that means, because,
00:25:49.64\00:25:51.91
"from the
prophets of Jerusalem..."
00:25:51.95\00:25:54.18
What has gone out?
00:25:54.22\00:25:55.55
"'...profaneness has
gone out into all the land.'
00:25:55.62\00:25:58.99
Thus says the LORD of hosts,
'Do not listen to the words of
00:25:59.19\00:26:02.92
the prophets
who prophesy to you.
00:26:02.96\00:26:05.29
They make you
worthless; they speak a vision
00:26:05.53\00:26:08.46
of their own heart, not
from the mouth of the LORD.'"
00:26:08.50\00:26:12.67
Powerful verses, aren't they,
00:26:14.07\00:26:16.34
for interpreting
the third trumpet?
00:26:16.37\00:26:18.04
Jeremiah 23:36
00:26:18.31\00:26:21.18
"And the oracle of the
LORD you shall mention no more.
00:26:21.54\00:26:24.51
For every man's
word will be his oracle,
00:26:24.75\00:26:27.12
for you have perverted
the words of the living God,
00:26:27.15\00:26:30.32
the LORD of hosts, our God."
00:26:30.35\00:26:34.59
Jeremiah 9:13-15
00:26:35.22\00:26:38.79
"And the LORD
said, 'Because they have
00:26:39.29\00:26:41.56
forsaken My law...'"
00:26:41.60\00:26:42.93
Notice, forsaken. It's
talking about apostasy.
00:26:42.96\00:26:45.63
"...which I set before them,
and have not obeyed My voice..."
00:26:45.67\00:26:48.94
See, it has to do
with disobedience.
00:26:48.97\00:26:50.71
"'...nor walked according to it,
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.54
but they have walked
according to the dictates
00:26:52.87\00:26:54.84
of their own hearts
and after the Baals,
00:26:54.88\00:26:58.11
which their
fathers taught them,'
00:26:58.21\00:26:59.88
therefore thus says the LORD
of hosts, the God of Israel,
00:27:00.22\00:27:03.45
'behold, I will feed them,
this people, with...'" What?
00:27:03.49\00:27:07.29
"...with wormwood, and give
them water of gall to drink."
00:27:07.32\00:27:12.56
So when Israel forsook the
law of the Lord, disobeyed God,
00:27:13.16\00:27:16.63
and walked in their own hearts,
according to their own hearts,
00:27:16.83\00:27:20.50
the Lord fed them
wormwood and gall to drink.
00:27:20.54\00:27:24.87
So when are the
waters fresh and life-giving?
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.74
It's when the truth is taught.
00:27:29.04\00:27:30.75
When the fear of
the Lord is taught.
00:27:30.95\00:27:32.98
When there is
righteousness that is taught.
00:27:33.01\00:27:35.32
When do the waters
become gall and wormwood?
00:27:35.62\00:27:38.55
It's when false doctrines
and apostasy and idolatry
00:27:38.85\00:27:43.02
come in among God's people.
00:27:43.06\00:27:45.69
Proverbs 5:3-5 and
verse 15 is very interesting.
00:27:46.16\00:27:49.90
It's speaking
literally, but it has a symbolic
00:27:50.80\00:27:53.13
application as well.
00:27:53.17\00:27:54.54
In other words, it
sounds pretty good, right?
00:28:02.74\00:28:05.38
In other words, don't
drink from the harlot.
00:28:28.30\00:28:30.84
Drink from your own well.
00:28:31.04\00:28:32.57
Life-giving waters.
00:28:32.61\00:28:33.94
Now let me ask you,
does the Bible compare
00:28:34.34\00:28:38.88
the apostate papal
church with the harlot?
00:28:39.35\00:28:43.12
Yes. The fourth
church is Thyatira.
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.36
Jezebel is the
main person there.
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.69
Did Israel drink
the waters of Jezebel?
00:28:51.79\00:28:55.00
She most certainly did.
And what did it lead to?
00:28:55.56\00:28:58.40
It led to apostasy.
00:28:58.83\00:29:00.20
By the way, in Revelation
17 do you have a harlot woman
00:29:00.24\00:29:04.01
who is seated on many waters?
00:29:04.04\00:29:06.01
Absolutely.
00:29:06.34\00:29:07.68
What is she teaching people?
00:29:07.71\00:29:09.38
Oh, she has a cup full of wine.
00:29:09.61\00:29:11.71
What does the wine represent?
00:29:11.75\00:29:13.35
The wine represents
her false doctrines.
00:29:13.38\00:29:16.05
Now let's notice
the defiled waters.
00:29:16.89\00:29:19.75
This is on page 87.
00:29:20.76\00:29:23.22
The rivers and springs of
water must have been what?
00:29:23.63\00:29:26.80
Clean before the fall
of the star defiled them.
00:29:27.63\00:29:30.60
Right?
00:29:30.63\00:29:31.97
Because the star falls,
and then they're defiled.
00:29:32.00\00:29:33.67
Which means that before the
star fell, the waters were what?
00:29:33.70\00:29:36.94
The waters were pure and clean.
00:29:37.41\00:29:39.61
This is another indication
that the third trumpet's
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.88
theme is what?
00:29:43.91\00:29:45.61
Apostasy in the church.
00:29:46.01\00:29:48.15
Are you following the argument?
00:29:48.75\00:29:50.25
When the star falls, it
pollutes the fountains of water,
00:29:50.85\00:29:55.96
that had been clean,
with wormwood and bitterness,
00:29:55.99\00:29:59.79
And what is the result?
00:29:59.83\00:30:01.16
Many people die.
00:30:01.30\00:30:03.70
And of course, we're not only
talking about dying spiritually,
00:30:03.73\00:30:06.77
we're talking about all
the martyrs who were killed
00:30:06.97\00:30:09.47
by this system.
00:30:09.50\00:30:11.27
If the pure spring
waters represent the Word of God
00:30:11.91\00:30:15.41
imparted to man through
the instrumentality of the
00:30:15.61\00:30:19.18
Holy Spirit, then the
defiling of the waters
00:30:19.21\00:30:22.35
would mean the
corruption of what?
00:30:22.38\00:30:24.42
The corruption of God's
Word proclaimed by individuals
00:30:24.79\00:30:28.76
that pollute the waters.
00:30:28.86\00:30:31.13
By speaking about a falling
star and the poisoning of the
00:30:32.23\00:30:36.06
fresh spring waters,
God through John is showing
00:30:36.10\00:30:39.83
that the third trumpet
is dealing with apostasy.
00:30:40.04\00:30:43.74
Both the falling star
and wormwood refer directly
00:30:44.34\00:30:48.64
to apostasy, so the third
trumpet must center on apostasy.
00:30:48.68\00:30:54.38
Is this precisely what we
noticed in 2 Thessalonians 2
00:30:54.42\00:30:58.35
in our last session?
00:30:58.55\00:30:59.99
The apostasy,
which means to go astray.
00:31:00.36\00:31:03.59
It is used in secular
literature at that time
00:31:03.63\00:31:06.59
to describe a boat that
is going away from the port
00:31:06.63\00:31:11.33
because it's not well anchored.
00:31:11.37\00:31:13.80
Now the waters
represent the Holy Spirit
00:31:14.57\00:31:17.37
flowing from Jesus
through His church to the world.
00:31:17.41\00:31:22.28
However, when a false
gospel defiled the living waters
00:31:23.04\00:31:27.02
preached by the fallen
teachers of the papal church,
00:31:27.05\00:31:30.39
the result is that
people began to what?
00:31:30.72\00:31:33.15
To die spiritually.
00:31:33.19\00:31:35.29
Let's notice Proverbs 25:25-26.
00:31:35.32\00:31:39.43
A man who gives into idolatry
becomes a polluted spring.
00:31:41.20\00:31:44.77
It says, "As cold
water to a weary soul,
00:31:44.80\00:31:47.74
so is good news
from a far country.
00:31:48.07\00:31:51.04
A righteous man who
falters before the wicked..."
00:31:51.74\00:31:55.04
What does it
means, "A Righteous man
00:31:55.14\00:31:56.51
faltering before the wicked"?
00:31:56.54\00:31:58.05
Speaking about a
righteous man who becomes what?
00:31:59.11\00:32:01.62
Apostate.
00:32:02.02\00:32:03.35
Why? Because instead of
sharing the pure gospel,
00:32:10.43\00:32:13.36
they start sharing what?
00:32:14.16\00:32:15.63
Heresies and false teachings.
00:32:15.66\00:32:18.13
Jeremiah 2:13
00:32:18.43\00:32:20.47
"For My people have
committed two evils," God says.
00:32:20.80\00:32:23.77
"They have forsaken Me,
the fountain of living waters,
00:32:23.81\00:32:28.04
and hewn themselves..." What?
00:32:28.41\00:32:30.88
"...cisterns, broken cisterns
that can hold no water."
00:32:30.91\00:32:36.75
Jeremiah 6:7
00:32:37.75\00:32:39.82
Because
Jerusalem is in apostasy.
00:32:51.60\00:32:54.17
Does that speak about bitterness
that comes as a result of
00:33:11.19\00:33:15.82
drinking polluted waters?
00:33:16.56\00:33:18.43
Absolutely.
00:33:18.46\00:33:19.79
Now the New Testament
has an interesting story.
00:33:19.83\00:33:22.06
The story of Simon Magus.
00:33:22.16\00:33:24.03
Remember that he tried
to buy the Holy Spirit?
00:33:24.07\00:33:26.23
He said to Peter, "Why don't you
sell me some of that Holy Spirit
00:33:26.40\00:33:28.60
so that I can perform
some of those miracles."
00:33:28.64\00:33:30.74
Well notice what
Acts 8:21-23 says.
00:33:30.97\00:33:34.38
"But Peter said to him,
'Your money perish with you,
00:33:34.48\00:33:37.11
because you thought
that the gift of God
00:33:37.51\00:33:39.35
could be purchased with money!'"
00:33:39.38\00:33:40.85
If it's a gift, you
can't purchase it. Hello!
00:33:41.05\00:33:43.49
"You have neither part
nor portion in this matter,
00:33:44.85\00:33:47.59
for your heart is not
right in the sight of God."
00:33:47.62\00:33:50.53
What is it that poisoned
and made Simon Magus bitter?
00:34:07.48\00:34:13.35
It was the fact that he wanted
to do something that the Bible
00:34:13.78\00:34:16.35
does not allow; and that
is purchasing the Holy Spirit.
00:34:16.38\00:34:20.32
2 Kings 2:19-22
is a story of Elisha.
00:34:20.86\00:34:26.80
And I'm going to then
read a statement from the
00:34:27.03\00:34:28.76
writings of Ellen White.
00:34:28.80\00:34:30.13
"Then the men of the
city said to Elisha..."
00:34:31.20\00:34:33.60
Is salt a cleansing agent?
00:34:50.22\00:34:53.36
Salt is a powerful
cleansing agent, folks.
00:34:54.22\00:34:57.79
Literally speaking.
00:34:58.49\00:34:59.83
Not only symbolically speaking,
but literally speaking.
00:35:00.10\00:35:02.90
Ellen White adds this
beautiful comment about how
00:35:39.33\00:35:42.97
polluted waters
can be made pure.
00:35:43.17\00:35:45.41
Can pure waters be made impure?
00:35:46.51\00:35:49.74
~ Yes. - How?
00:35:49.78\00:35:51.11
By individuals, false
prophets, false teachers,
00:35:52.05\00:35:55.12
teaching doctrines
that are not in the Bible.
00:35:55.15\00:35:57.72
How can those
polluted waters become pure?
00:35:58.62\00:36:02.26
Well, by pouring the Word
of God through God's people
00:36:02.99\00:36:07.23
who are salt of the earth with
the true teachings of the Bible.
00:36:07.26\00:36:10.73
Notice this statement, Prophets
and Kings, page 231, 232.
00:36:11.33\00:36:15.07
"In casting salt
into the bitter spring,
00:36:16.20\00:36:18.87
Elisha taught the same spiritual
lesson imparted centuries later
00:36:19.37\00:36:24.35
by the Saviour to His
disciples when He declared,
00:36:24.38\00:36:27.08
'Ye are the salt of the earth.'
00:36:27.12\00:36:29.28
The salt mingling
with the polluted spring
00:36:29.65\00:36:33.39
purified its waters and
brought life and blessing
00:36:33.42\00:36:36.69
where before there had
been blighting and death.
00:36:36.73\00:36:40.93
When God compares
His children to salt,
00:36:41.50\00:36:44.37
He would teach them that
His purpose in making them
00:36:44.57\00:36:47.80
the subjects of His
grace is that they may become
00:36:47.84\00:36:51.17
agents in saving others.
00:36:51.21\00:36:53.34
The object of God in choosing
a people before all the world
00:36:53.64\00:36:57.08
was not only that He might adopt
them as His sons and daughters,
00:36:57.55\00:37:02.28
but that through them
the world might receive the
00:37:02.32\00:37:05.82
grace that bringeth salvation.
00:37:05.85\00:37:08.49
When the Lord chose
Abraham, it was not simply
00:37:08.92\00:37:11.79
to be the special friend
of God, but to be a medium
00:37:11.83\00:37:16.16
of the peculiar
privileges the Lord desired
00:37:16.36\00:37:19.53
to bestow upon the nations."
00:37:19.57\00:37:22.60
Powerful description, isn't it?
00:37:23.47\00:37:25.27
Now 2 Peter 2:18-22
describes a group of individuals
00:37:26.57\00:37:33.68
who were in deep apostasy.
00:37:34.05\00:37:36.69
And I want you to notice
the metaphors that are used
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.19
to describe them.
00:37:39.22\00:37:40.56
2 Peter 2:18 says...
00:37:41.46\00:37:43.39
Does it have
anything to do with speaking,
00:37:59.87\00:38:01.54
the fact that
you have a dry well?
00:38:01.58\00:38:03.21
Absolutely.
00:38:03.24\00:38:04.58
So what do they do?
00:38:12.95\00:38:14.46
They pollute those
who receive the message?
00:38:14.69\00:38:17.09
So this is talking about people
who have embraced the message.
00:38:32.31\00:38:35.51
Is that apostasy? Yes.
00:38:47.79\00:38:50.23
And this whole passage
is talking about individuals
00:39:16.02\00:39:18.49
who embrace the truth
and then they apostatize.
00:39:18.52\00:39:21.42
They are like
wells without water.
00:39:21.46\00:39:23.76
Or another way of stating it
is, they are springs of water
00:39:23.79\00:39:27.70
that become defiled and bitter.
00:39:27.73\00:39:31.13
Now I want you to notice here
a statement by Edwin Thiele.
00:39:32.30\00:39:37.87
You're probably wondering,
well who is Edwin Thiele?
00:39:38.61\00:39:41.91
Well, Edwin Thiele was my
father's theology professor...
00:39:42.34\00:39:47.02
...when my dad went to
Emmanuel Adventist College.
00:39:49.68\00:39:55.66
It's just called
today, Andrews University.
00:39:55.69\00:39:58.99
And he wrote a very famous book,
00:39:59.93\00:40:02.30
The Mysterious
Numbers of the Hebrew Kings.
00:40:02.33\00:40:04.97
He was a renowned
Old Testament scholar.
00:40:05.37\00:40:08.20
My dad says that he
sat in class and he put
00:40:08.24\00:40:10.21
all the students to sleep.
00:40:10.24\00:40:11.61
He was, you know, not
a real dynamic teacher,
00:40:11.71\00:40:16.34
but he was a tremendous scholar.
00:40:16.38\00:40:18.38
And in the scholarly world
his work on the Hebrew kings,
00:40:18.41\00:40:22.48
you know, coordinating the
description given in Chronicles
00:40:22.52\00:40:27.06
and Kings, the dates of
the different kings, etc.,
00:40:27.09\00:40:29.52
because there
appears to be discrepancies,
00:40:29.56\00:40:31.33
it's still recognized
in the scholarly world
00:40:31.73\00:40:33.86
as the standard in the field.
00:40:33.90\00:40:35.76
And he wrote this
about the third trumpet.
00:40:36.26\00:40:40.24
This is on page 90.
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.94
"Here a remarkable revolutionary
transformation is depicted.
00:40:43.51\00:40:48.81
The once pure, life-giving
fountains become contaminated
00:40:49.18\00:40:55.52
and corrupt as the death-star
Wormwood falls upon them,
00:40:55.55\00:41:01.49
and henceforth men die
rather than live as they partake
00:41:01.69\00:41:06.56
of the polluted waters.
00:41:06.59\00:41:08.26
The pure church
is a clear stream
00:41:08.70\00:41:12.63
and a life-giving fountain.
00:41:12.87\00:41:14.97
When the enemy enters the
church, it becomes corrupt.
00:41:15.37\00:41:20.14
Henceforth it is a scourge
rather than a blessing to men."
00:41:20.58\00:41:25.68
In other words,
the waters become what?
00:41:26.21\00:41:27.85
Bitter.
00:41:27.92\00:41:29.25
And instead of
people living, they what?
00:41:29.28\00:41:31.22
They die.
00:41:31.25\00:41:32.59
"Satan rather than
Christ is in control,
00:41:32.65\00:41:36.62
and the church is to
take complete control,
00:41:36.89\00:41:40.00
a savor of death unto death
instead of life unto life."
00:41:41.83\00:41:48.57
Good description, isn't
it, of the third trumpet.
00:41:49.80\00:41:52.71
Now Ellen White also had
some very interesting statements
00:41:53.68\00:41:57.55
to make about the
corrupted springs of water.
00:41:57.58\00:42:01.72
And I'm going to read
several of these, because
00:42:02.22\00:42:04.39
we might be able to
read them all, in fact.
00:42:04.42\00:42:06.55
And I'll stop at places.
00:42:06.59\00:42:08.32
She wrote, this is
page 90 of your study notes,
00:42:09.39\00:42:12.93
"The world needs evidences
of sincere Christianity."
00:42:12.96\00:42:16.53
What are the evidences
of sincere Christianity?
00:42:16.56\00:42:19.47
How do people see
sincere Christianity?
00:42:20.74\00:42:23.10
In people.
00:42:23.91\00:42:25.24
In believers.
00:42:25.41\00:42:26.74
"The poison of sin is at
work at the heart of society.
00:42:27.94\00:42:33.42
Cities and towns are steeped
in sin and moral corruption."
00:42:34.08\00:42:38.05
What is happening
with cities and town?
00:42:38.09\00:42:39.75
They're steeped with what?
00:42:39.79\00:42:41.12
With sin and moral corruption.
00:42:41.42\00:42:43.63
"The world is full of sickness,
suffering, and iniquity."
00:42:44.03\00:42:47.73
Are the waters bitter?
00:42:47.96\00:42:49.36
Oh yeah.
00:42:49.83\00:42:51.17
"Nigh and afar off are
souls in poverty and distress,
00:42:51.57\00:42:55.50
weighed down with a
sense of guilt and perishing
00:42:55.70\00:42:58.74
for want of a saving influence."
00:42:58.77\00:43:00.84
Now notice.
00:43:01.38\00:43:02.71
The gospel of truth
is kept ever before them,
00:43:03.11\00:43:06.68
yet they perish because
the example of those who should
00:43:07.02\00:43:11.12
be a savor of life to
them is a savor of death."
00:43:11.15\00:43:15.32
Wow!
00:43:15.96\00:43:17.29
Is it a serious thing for
believers to pollute the waters?
00:43:19.43\00:43:22.76
She continues, "Their
souls drink in..." What?
00:43:24.03\00:43:28.50
"...bitterness because
the springs are..." What?
00:43:28.60\00:43:32.27
"...poisoned, when they
should be like a well of water
00:43:32.37\00:43:35.74
springing up unto
everlasting life."
00:43:35.78\00:43:38.38
What a powerful statement.
00:43:38.41\00:43:40.12
That's in, Prophets
and Kings, page 232.
00:43:41.25\00:43:43.55
Great Controversy, page
567, "In unfolding the sins
00:43:43.79\00:43:49.09
of his life to a priest..."
00:43:49.12\00:43:50.46
This is speaking
about the confessional.
00:43:50.49\00:43:52.03
"...an erring, sinful
mortal, and too often corrupted
00:43:52.33\00:43:57.23
with wine and licentiousness,
his standard of character,"
00:43:57.43\00:44:01.67
the person who confesses,
"their standard of character
00:44:01.70\00:44:04.44
is lowered, and he is..." What?
00:44:04.47\00:44:06.98
"...defiled in consequence.
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.64
His thought of God is
degraded to the likeness
00:44:09.68\00:44:12.41
of fallen humanity,
for the priest stands
00:44:12.45\00:44:15.75
as a representative of God.
00:44:15.78\00:44:17.55
This degrading confession
of man to man is..." What?
00:44:17.85\00:44:22.52
"...the secret spring..."
00:44:23.12\00:44:24.96
What kind of spring?
00:44:25.23\00:44:26.56
Nice, fresh,
life-giving waters, right?
00:44:26.59\00:44:29.60
Wrong.
00:44:29.96\00:44:31.30
It says, "This degrading
confession of man to man
00:44:31.67\00:44:34.60
is the secret spring
from which has flowed
00:44:34.80\00:44:38.41
much of the evil
that is..." What?
00:44:38.44\00:44:41.51
"...defiling the
world and fitting it
00:44:41.54\00:44:44.25
for the final destruction."
00:44:44.28\00:44:45.81
Because if you think
that you can get off the hook
00:44:45.85\00:44:47.88
just by confessing
your sin to a priest,
00:44:47.92\00:44:49.85
there's no
incentive to overcome sin.
00:44:49.88\00:44:52.52
Notice, Desire
of Ages, page 478.
00:44:54.26\00:44:56.73
"The priests and rulers,
the scribes and Pharisees..."
00:44:57.06\00:45:00.30
Of course, they taught
the truth, didn't they?
00:45:00.50\00:45:02.26
Aaahh.
00:45:02.73\00:45:04.07
They had all kinds of traditions
that were contrary to Scripture.
00:45:04.10\00:45:07.37
"The priests and rulers,
the scribes and Pharisees,
00:45:07.94\00:45:10.37
destroyed the living pastures
and defiled the wellsprings
00:45:10.41\00:45:15.58
of the water of life."
00:45:15.68\00:45:18.25
And then we have,
Early Writings, page 311.
00:45:19.55\00:45:21.62
"Satan was seeking to corrupt
the doctrines of the Bible.
00:45:22.42\00:45:26.12
I saw that at last the
standard was lowered..."
00:45:26.49\00:45:30.29
This is speaking about
the church transitioning now
00:45:30.33\00:45:33.26
into the times of Constantine.
00:45:33.29\00:45:35.33
"I saw that at last
the standard was lowered,
00:45:35.36\00:45:38.43
and that the
heathen were doing..." What?
00:45:38.67\00:45:41.34
"...uniting with the Christians.
00:45:41.37\00:45:43.47
Although these worshipers of
idols professed to be converted,
00:45:43.51\00:45:47.94
they brought their idolatry
with them into the church,
00:45:47.98\00:45:52.18
only changing the
objects of their worship
00:45:52.48\00:45:55.25
to images of saints, and even of
Christ and of Mary His mother.
00:45:55.28\00:46:00.02
As the followers of Christ
gradually united with them..."
00:46:00.46\00:46:04.23
What happened with
the Christian religion?
00:46:04.66\00:46:06.53
"...the Christian
religion became corrupted
00:46:07.20\00:46:10.10
and the church lost
its purity and power."
00:46:10.20\00:46:13.27
Will false teachings
defile and pollute the church
00:46:13.84\00:46:17.47
and make the waters
of the church bitter?
00:46:17.51\00:46:20.34
Yes.
00:46:20.64\00:46:21.98
Here's another statement.
00:46:22.21\00:46:23.71
Counsels on Education, page 100.
00:46:23.75\00:46:26.55
"The Bible is
the great educator;
00:46:27.78\00:46:30.12
for it is not possible
prayerfully to study its pages
00:46:30.49\00:46:34.09
without having the intellect
disciplined, ennobled..."
00:46:34.29\00:46:38.69
What's the next word?
00:46:38.89\00:46:40.23
"...purified and refined.
00:46:40.60\00:46:44.43
"Those who claim
to be Christians,
00:46:44.87\00:46:46.97
who profess to believe the
truth, and yet drink..." Where?
00:46:47.27\00:46:51.37
"...at the polluted
fountains of infidelity,
00:46:52.11\00:46:55.38
and by precept and example
draw others away from the cold,
00:46:55.81\00:47:00.22
snow-waters of
Lebanon, are fools, though they
00:47:00.25\00:47:04.55
profess themselves to be wise."
00:47:04.59\00:47:06.55
Powerful statements
from the spirit of prophecy
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.06
telling us what the
wellsprings of waters,
00:47:09.09\00:47:11.73
the fresh waters represent.
00:47:11.76\00:47:13.53
She continues writing in,
00:47:16.13\00:47:19.73
Counsels to
Teachers, page 358-359,
00:47:19.77\00:47:24.47
"A succession of showers
from the living waters has come
00:47:24.67\00:47:28.64
to you at Battle Creek.
00:47:28.68\00:47:30.58
Each shower was a consecrated
inflowing of divine influence,
00:47:30.85\00:47:36.25
but you did not
recognize it as such.
00:47:36.42\00:47:39.32
Instead of drinking copiously
of the streams of salvation
00:47:39.72\00:47:44.19
so freely offered through the
influence of the Holy Spirit,
00:47:44.29\00:47:48.13
you turned to satisfy
your soul thirst with the
00:47:48.30\00:47:51.90
polluted waters
of human science."
00:47:51.93\00:47:54.34
You know, around the
turn of the 20th century,
00:47:54.44\00:47:57.21
the 19th century,
Battle Creek College
00:47:57.51\00:48:01.04
actually was
closed for three years.
00:48:01.08\00:48:03.48
Because they were teaching
all kinds of false doctrines.
00:48:04.28\00:48:08.08
And Ellen White, in
fact, said don't send your
00:48:08.18\00:48:10.15
kids to Battle Creek.
00:48:10.19\00:48:11.59
And Ellen White is
describing here this very thing.
00:48:12.59\00:48:17.83
She's talking to
teachers, and she's saying that
00:48:17.86\00:48:20.63
the waters become
polluted when individuals
00:48:20.66\00:48:24.37
put human science
before putting the Word of God.
00:48:24.60\00:48:29.67
Do you know that there
are many Christians today
00:48:30.94\00:48:32.64
who are embracing
the theory of evolution?
00:48:32.67\00:48:35.18
Did you know that
Francis I is an evolutionist?
00:48:36.24\00:48:38.78
That John Paul II
was an evolutionist?
00:48:39.35\00:48:41.88
That they
believe in the Big Bang
00:48:42.42\00:48:45.02
that happened supposedly
13.8 billion years ago?
00:48:45.05\00:48:48.62
You know, none
of us were around.
00:48:49.59\00:48:52.16
And it would be 13.8
billion years before we would
00:48:52.19\00:48:56.43
come around, of course, if
we believed the Big Bang theory.
00:48:56.46\00:48:59.40
And there are many liberal
Protestant scholars who believe
00:48:59.93\00:49:03.57
that God used evolution
as His method of creation.
00:49:03.61\00:49:06.47
And they say it's
because all of the different
00:49:07.24\00:49:09.74
disciplines of science have
proven that evolution is true.
00:49:09.78\00:49:13.31
So what do you do?
00:49:14.62\00:49:15.95
You embrace what
the experts are saying,
00:49:15.98\00:49:19.35
you embrace the
polluted springs,
00:49:19.39\00:49:22.49
or do you simply
accept what the Bible says?
00:49:22.52\00:49:25.36
You simply accept
that God created this world
00:49:25.93\00:49:28.20
in six days and He
rested on the seventh day.
00:49:28.23\00:49:30.43
We have faith
in the Word of God.
00:49:31.00\00:49:32.73
But when we accept the
deductions of human science
00:49:33.34\00:49:39.51
in place of the Word of
God, the waters are polluted.
00:49:39.54\00:49:43.38
Now notice the next statement,
7 Testimonies, page 204-205.
00:49:43.58\00:49:48.68
"We cannot be complete
in Christ and yet be ready
00:49:49.62\00:49:52.82
to grasp those things
that come from..." Whom?
00:49:52.85\00:49:56.52
"...from the so-called
great men of the earth,
00:49:57.13\00:50:00.80
and place their wisdom
before the wisdom of the
00:50:01.23\00:50:04.73
greatest Teacher the
world has ever known.
00:50:04.77\00:50:07.67
To seek knowledge from
such sources is represented
00:50:08.37\00:50:12.91
in the word as seeking
to drink from..." Where?
00:50:12.94\00:50:15.78
"...from broken
cisterns that can hold no water.
00:50:15.88\00:50:18.81
Let the truth of
God be the subject
00:50:19.18\00:50:22.68
for
contemplation and meditation.
00:50:22.72\00:50:25.05
Read the Bible and
regard it as the voice of God
00:50:25.42\00:50:29.06
speaking directly to you.
00:50:29.09\00:50:31.06
Then will you find
inspiration and that wisdom
00:50:31.16\00:50:35.16
which is divine."
00:50:35.20\00:50:37.47
One final statement from
Ellen White and then we'll
00:50:39.40\00:50:41.47
bring this to a
conclusion by reading
00:50:41.50\00:50:43.47
from Jon Paulien.
00:50:43.67\00:50:45.37
In 5 Testimonies, page
519, we have these words.
00:50:46.24\00:50:50.91
"It seems wonderfully strange
to me, considering all I have
00:50:51.25\00:50:55.38
written in regard to the
reading of exciting stories..."
00:50:55.42\00:50:58.49
She might have
written, "watching exciting
00:50:59.79\00:51:01.86
television stories," too.
00:51:01.89\00:51:03.26
"...to see a recommendation
from your pen to read
00:51:03.99\00:51:07.06
Robinson Crusoe, Uncle
Tom's Cabin, and Aesop's Fables.
00:51:07.10\00:51:12.80
My brother, you made a
mistake in writing that article.
00:51:13.34\00:51:16.81
If these books are among
those that you have for sale,
00:51:17.17\00:51:21.24
I beg of you never to
offer them again to our youth."
00:51:21.44\00:51:25.28
Hmm.
00:51:25.98\00:51:27.32
Wow!
00:51:28.68\00:51:30.02
Let me ask you,
what would be better,
00:51:30.05\00:51:31.55
spending an hour reading
your Bible or spending an hour
00:51:31.99\00:51:34.79
reading Robinson Crusoe?
00:51:34.82\00:51:36.66
You know, Robinson
Crusoe is an interesting story.
00:51:37.29\00:51:39.83
As is Tom Sawyer.
00:51:40.76\00:51:42.60
And Huckleberry Finn, you know.
00:51:43.00\00:51:44.63
Those are interesting stories.
00:51:44.67\00:51:46.13
But once you've
read the stories,
00:51:46.17\00:51:48.00
how has that
edified you spiritually?
00:51:48.74\00:51:50.94
Not much.
00:51:52.37\00:51:53.71
Ellen White continues writing,
00:51:54.01\00:51:55.78
"It is your duty to
call their attention..."
00:51:56.58\00:51:59.08
The attention of
the youth to what?
00:51:59.11\00:52:00.92
"...to the Bible.
00:52:01.82\00:52:03.15
Do not become their tempter
by offering to them attractive
00:52:03.59\00:52:10.23
storybooks which will..." What?
00:52:10.26\00:52:13.03
"...divert their minds from
the study of the Scriptures.
00:52:13.23\00:52:17.03
We must ourselves
be drinking..." What?
00:52:17.37\00:52:20.17
"...the water of life, or
else we will be constantly
00:52:20.54\00:52:24.01
hewing out for
ourselves broken cisterns
00:52:24.04\00:52:27.34
which can hold no water."
00:52:27.38\00:52:30.38
Do you think we've had
enough statements to understand
00:52:31.38\00:52:33.35
what the rivers and
springs of water represent?
00:52:33.38\00:52:36.69
I think so.
00:52:36.99\00:52:38.32
Have we had enough
texts to interpret what the
00:52:38.35\00:52:40.26
star
represents, the fallen star?
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.62
What it means to fall?
00:52:42.66\00:52:44.19
What the lamp is
that defiles the waters?
00:52:44.69\00:52:47.13
I think the Bible and the
spirit of prophecy explain this
00:52:47.16\00:52:50.37
with luxury of details.
00:52:50.47\00:52:52.43
The third trumpet, no doubt,
is the time when the church
00:52:52.93\00:52:56.10
begins embracing apostasy.
00:52:56.64\00:52:59.37
Which will become
full blown, as we'll notice
00:52:59.94\00:53:02.54
this afternoon, during the
period of the fourth trumpet.
00:53:02.58\00:53:06.15
Now Jon Paulien who teaches
now, I think, at Loma Linda,
00:53:06.58\00:53:11.29
for many years he taught
at the seminary at Andrews,
00:53:11.32\00:53:13.86
had a very
interesting comment summarizing
00:53:14.29\00:53:19.03
what we find in
the third trumpet.
00:53:19.06\00:53:21.20
So I'm going to
read that because it's
00:53:21.23\00:53:22.73
very well expressed.
00:53:22.76\00:53:24.17
"There are really
three objects of judgment
00:53:24.57\00:53:27.27
in the third trumpet: the
star, the springs and rivers,
00:53:27.30\00:53:33.64
and the people
who drink the water."
00:53:34.18\00:53:36.41
So those are the three
main elements that we find
00:53:36.88\00:53:39.51
in the third trumpet.
00:53:39.55\00:53:40.88
"...the star, the
springs and rivers,
00:53:40.92\00:53:43.69
and the people
who drink the water."
00:53:43.79\00:53:45.55
In a sense, each phrase
of this three-fold judgment
00:53:46.09\00:53:50.43
is the catalyst for the next.
00:53:50.83\00:53:53.40
It is because the star falls
that the rivers and springs
00:53:54.40\00:53:59.17
are turned into wormwood."
00:53:59.20\00:54:01.24
Is that correct?
00:54:02.14\00:54:03.47
The star falls,
which is a torch...
00:54:03.81\00:54:06.71
We've already
studied about the torch.
00:54:06.74\00:54:08.61
"It is because the star falls
that the rivers and springs
00:54:09.34\00:54:12.11
are turned into wormwood."
00:54:12.15\00:54:13.48
In other words, the
waters become bitter.
00:54:13.52\00:54:15.55
"The bitterness of these waters
leads, in turn, to..." What?
00:54:16.08\00:54:20.16
"...to the death of
those who drink the water."
00:54:20.42\00:54:23.89
So when apostasy
enters the church,
00:54:25.39\00:54:28.60
when false
doctrines enter the church,
00:54:28.63\00:54:30.97
it doesn't lead
to spiritual life.
00:54:31.63\00:54:33.57
It leads to spiritual death.
00:54:34.04\00:54:35.80
Why do you suppose Christianity
is so dead these days?
00:54:35.84\00:54:39.84
So devoid of spirituality?
00:54:39.94\00:54:42.84
Where people
think, "Yeah, you know,
00:54:43.24\00:54:45.58
I can be gay and still be living
in harmony with God's will.
00:54:45.61\00:54:49.62
And we can accept
multiple genders, not only two,
00:54:50.55\00:54:53.25
but multiple genders."
00:54:53.29\00:54:54.66
"We can embrace
evolution, you know, and kind of
00:54:55.42\00:54:57.63
accommodate the Bible to
the theory of evolution."
00:54:57.66\00:55:00.03
You know, what
happens with the church
00:55:01.00\00:55:03.63
when you have
that way of thinking?
00:55:04.03\00:55:06.00
The church loses its savor.
00:55:06.70\00:55:09.10
The salt loses its savor.
00:55:09.64\00:55:11.64
It is no good but
to be trampled by men.
00:55:11.97\00:55:14.78
You know, it reminds me
of the story of Lot's wife.
00:55:14.81\00:55:19.31
You know, could God have caused
her to have a heart attack?
00:55:20.88\00:55:23.99
Well, of course.
00:55:25.15\00:55:26.49
Why would He turn her
into a pillar of salt?
00:55:26.65\00:55:29.09
Because Jesus later on
said, when salt loses its savor,
00:55:29.12\00:55:33.60
it's no good but
to be trampled by men.
00:55:33.63\00:55:36.46
She had lost her savor.
00:55:37.37\00:55:38.83
Was she part of
God's chosen people?
00:55:38.87\00:55:41.84
Yes. But what did
Sodom and Gomorrah do to her?
00:55:41.87\00:55:44.77
They polluted her.
00:55:45.44\00:55:46.88
Such that she came out of Sodom,
00:55:47.64\00:55:50.45
but Sodom did
not come out of her.
00:55:50.48\00:55:52.51
And as a result of
drinking of the polluted waters
00:55:53.01\00:55:57.35
of Sodom, what did it lead to?
00:55:57.39\00:56:00.32
It led to her pollution,
and ultimately to her death.
00:56:00.89\00:56:06.03
Let's finish this statement.
00:56:07.00\00:56:08.56
"One would think..."
00:56:09.10\00:56:10.43
He's going to relate now
the first and second trumpet
00:56:10.47\00:56:13.30
with the third.
00:56:13.34\00:56:14.67
"One would think that the
removal of Rome and Judaism..."
00:56:14.70\00:56:19.34
The first trumpet was the
removal of Judaism, right?
00:56:19.37\00:56:21.84
The second trumpet was the
removal of the Roman Empire.
00:56:22.24\00:56:25.51
"One would think that the
removal of Rome and Judaism
00:56:25.55\00:56:29.52
as effective opponents of
the church would open the way
00:56:29.95\00:56:33.46
for the church's
advancement and growth."
00:56:33.49\00:56:36.02
In other words, if you
remove the Jewish nation
00:56:36.22\00:56:38.49
and you remove the Roman
Empire, now there's great room
00:56:38.53\00:56:41.63
for the growth of the church.
00:56:41.66\00:56:43.13
"However, John does
not think in such terms.
00:56:44.90\00:56:50.41
He warns, instead, that the
removal of the church's enemies
00:56:50.61\00:56:55.14
only diverts
Satan's mode of attack."
00:56:55.34\00:56:59.61
And you know, this reminds
me of the story of Balaam.
00:57:00.65\00:57:03.12
The church of
Pergamum in Revelation,
00:57:03.69\00:57:05.92
the doctrine of
Balaam is mentioned.
00:57:05.95\00:57:07.99
You know, Balak wanted
Balaam to curse Israel.
00:57:08.76\00:57:13.60
He couldn't because
Israel was in a good
00:57:14.33\00:57:16.10
relationship with the Lord.
00:57:16.13\00:57:17.57
So Balaam says, "But if I
can entice them into idolatry,
00:57:18.03\00:57:22.60
they'll be destroyed."
00:57:22.64\00:57:24.04
And they were.
00:57:24.34\00:57:25.67
Satan tried to destroy
the church through persecution
00:57:26.31\00:57:29.18
in the church of Smyrna.
00:57:29.21\00:57:30.55
It's didn't work
because they were in a good
00:57:31.41\00:57:33.98
relationship with the Lord.
00:57:34.02\00:57:35.35
So Satan says, "I can't destroy
them through persecution."
00:57:35.48\00:57:39.39
But then you have the
third church, Pergamum,
00:57:39.72\00:57:41.72
he says, "What I will do
is, I'll poison the waters.
00:57:41.76\00:57:45.49
And that way, the
church will die spiritually."
00:57:45.69\00:57:48.96
Is that exactly what happened?
00:57:49.30\00:57:50.93
That is precisely what happened.
00:57:51.03\00:57:54.20
And so, we've
studied the third trumpet.
00:57:54.40\00:57:57.17
This afternoon we will
study the fourth trumpet.
00:57:57.21\00:58:00.34